Israel strikes Syria's capital

[Huntsvil]

This really, is Syria be next Palestine?

I forgot to add Jews to that list.

I knew you wouldn’t even attempt to give me an answer.

Arguing in bad faith because all you really interested in is more Israel bashing.

I wasn't talking about Gaza either. And there's not only one side that has been involved in the killing as you very well know.

From the figures more government forces have been killed than Druze

"They include 79 Druze fighters and 55 civilians, 27 of whom were summarily killed by interior ministry and defence ministry forces, according to the group.
At least 189 members of the government forces and 18 Bedouin tribal fighters have also been killed in the clashes, it says."

And I knew you wouldn't be able to answer my question either because it would bring to light the hypocrisy of the Israeli government.

Yep, nail on head. The poster's intentions are quite clear. I wouldn't bother engaging further @user37482 . Your efforts are wasted. In bashing Israel, they are making out its neighbours are angelic. Laughable.

Does anyone genuinely believe that Netanyahu gives a damn about the Druze? He’s made it clear he only cares about power and control, much to the detriment of his own people. This was clearly a strike with a not so well hidden agenda.

I would say the Israelis deserve better but far too many still support him and his expansion plans.

That being said, whilst I don’t think Israel bombed Syria to protect the Druze, at least by doing so, pressure is now on Jolani to get things under control.

Or maybe you can tell me why the US were pleading with Israel to stop bombing Syria?

Why is it only Israel, who gets criticised for protecting its own and those loyal to it?

Because they don’t care about islamists murdering Druze?

I don't support the bombings and think Israel is getting itself into trouble, but don't mistake that for thinking the current Syrian government is innocent. Sometimes, there can be more than one villain in a situation.

Anyway, Bibi's got enough of a domestic disaster on his doorstep right now.

I think people just really don’t understand the middle-east, cross border tribes and the importance off ally’s somewhere like the middle east. Europe and america often do things to piss each other off, the loyalty of allyship is different in the middle east where shitting on your friends can get you actually killed. Whatever noises some Druze leadership make the Druze people will see Israel intervene on behalf of their people and will approve. I’m just happy the jihadis were stopped before they went hog wild.

They are projecting european perspectives onto the middle east.

Yeah as I said the Druze are a hardy bunch, probably best to leave some minorities alone and not try to butcher their people.

Only way to stop a potential massacre, more troops were moving towards suweida, it could have been really bad.

I actually do think Jolani wants Syria to be a normal country (I know a lot of Israelis would disagree with me). The Israelis are wise to watch their border, who knows if he’ll last. But getting his country under his control is a challenge. Hopefully he gets it sorted.

There's a lot some posters don't understand - or even try to. What a surprise, the Arab states are criticising Israel's intervention. I doubt Israel will pay any attention to its collective enemy.

I think Netanyahu cares about the Druze. Not in a “cuddly way” but because they are allies. From that point of view it is logical that he would seek to protect them while under attack.

As much as I think this particular Druze leader is a pain in the ass, the Druze were attacked by Bedouin and then government forces. This is in no way reasonable and it shouldn’t have happened. They really didn’t start it.

Exactly, they are and he’s just cemented the trust between the Israeli government and Druze Israelis and a sense of friendship from most normal Druze in Lebanon and Syria. Big bonus is civilians not being massacred by Islamists.

I also don’t get why the west doesn’t get that there are people out there in the middle east who will kill you for being the wrong religion. It’s a real thing, it’s not political it’s religious. Just look at the Copts in Egypt. Harrasment, kidnappings murder etc. I know quite a few Egyptians copts, nice decent, well educated people, don’t bother anyone, just get on with their own stuff.

I’ve lived in the middle east and I think there is so much projection of European viewpoints. “People can’t reeeeallly believe in their religion so much that they would try to eradicate other people, it’s political”. No really there are people out there who have a religious basis for their hatred.

You are much better informed than me about the region.

But I totally believe that there are people in the Middle East that would kill others just for being the wrong religion. There is a lot of evidence for that.

It’s like a reflex and it’s for public consumption. Saudi’s prince said that Khameni was like adolf hitler and if that Iran got a nuke saudi would have to too, he also intercepted Iranian missiles heading towards Israel . But he had to put out a statement of condemnation anyway.

Funny how something major always happens in the region close to Netanyahu's visits to Washington.......

The GCC countries are Jolani's benefactors/funders, they won't be happy with this so likely used their large investments in America to force Trump to order a ceasefire.

Remember Trump has this dream (aka fantasy) of being awarded the Nobel Peace prize by "bringing peace to the Middle East".

I don't believe America suddenly "cares" about Syrian minorities, they've ignored the systematic kidnapping and killing of Christians, Alawites and Sunnis in sectarian Jolani led terrorism since December.

Fun fact it was Mi6 who groomed and cleaned up Jolani's image so they could leverage him as am asset.

https://x.com/KevorkAlmassian/status/1925206386553549250

America only intervened because Israeli actions threaten the larger Western plan namely to get Jolani to sign away Syria's resources, officially "give" the Golan Heights to Israel and join the Abraham accords, then dispense of Jolani.

These idiots actually believe that they can turn sectarian violence on and off and manage the situations.

I keep the victimised Syrians in my thoughts and hope that they're strong enough to survive the vultures circling them.

There are nice, thoughtful and intelligent people of all stripes in the Middle east. I’m probably naively hopeful that Jolani will stabilise Syria and that the Abraham Accords are signed by everyone and we see a new period of stability. It’s all very well for people in the west to cheer on militias but they don’t have to live with them.

People deserve stable governance and to live in peace. But people also need to let go of their own sectarianism which I’m a little less hopeful about. If the eradication of a minority group makes you feel cheerful then you need watching. Thats why strong governments matter, it’s not fashionable to say but the reason gulf countries are stable is a) economic prosperity (because they have oil and also because they aren’t constantly at war) and extremely strong top down governance. Strength matters in the middle east.

Of course there are nice, thoughtful & intelligent people in the ME & and I share your hope for a new period of stability in future.

I’m a natural optimist so always hopeful that differences can be settled. Maybe I’m being naive with regard to the ME but I hope not.

Yes, someone who is from the Middle East is projecting European perspectives on to the Middle East…lol

The Middle East isn’t this tribal place that you are making it out to be. Alliances are important of course but as I said in my post, let’s not pretend this was an act of support by Netanyahu but rather another attempt to weaken the bordering countries, under the guise of protecting the Druze.

No the Americans don’t care about minorities, thats true.

The golan heights has been contested for decades, this is not unusual, india has contested territory with China and Pakistani. Hell the UK had to fight in the Falklands, this is not unique to Israel and Syria. Thats between Syria and Israel, Israel pursue a land for peace policy which is why the Sinai is under Egyptian control and they don’t control bits of Lebanon. This is reasonable in the middle east.

Jolani probably worked with the CIA, a lot of people who were supposed to oversee him from Isis mysteriously disappeared on the way to visit him when he was leading his little faction (he’s anti-isis and hunted them in Idlib, he didn’t like the idea of a caliphate for nationalistic reasons). It’s partly why I’m hopeful for him.

Jolani is by all accounts extremely intelligent, need to stop seeing arabs as stupid, lacking agency or pawns, it’s insulting and racist. I doubt any western government wants to do away with him, he’s the best chance of a stable and trading Syria. Syria doesn’t have lot of natural resources so I’m not sure what you are referring to.

But I well believe that Trump wants this done to get a Nobel Peace Prize. Tbh I can’t stand him but if he managed to stabilise the middle east during his term then fuck it, let him have it,

But how did Israel protect its own?

Its own includes Muslim Arabs so it’s nothing to do with Israel taking steps to protect its own.