5 year old Jude Shalabi sustained a skull fracture after settlers threw stones at him near Shomrom settlement in the occupied West Bank

[Wedonttalkaboutboris]

Five-year-old Jude Shalabi sustained a skull fracture after settlers threw stones at him near the Shavei Shomron settlement, while he was returning with his father from Naqoura to Tulkarm in the occupied West Bank.

I've never seen anyone here defend settlements or extremist settler behaviour.

No doubt we will have this conversation again in a few days time when someone says something about the settlers, comments on how certain posters haven't turned up for duty and demands that we make our public declaration of lack of support for the settlers.
And repeat.

Personally, I think taking part in this thread is important for people on all ‘sides’ because there can’t be peace in that region if Israel don’t change their treatment of Palestinians too. This isn’t just a few rogue people causing trouble. This is violent and illegal activity encouraged, financed and celebrated by people at the very top of the Israeli government. It is activity protected and/or ignored by the IDF/police.

Of course, most people will feel upset by stories like this one and people will say ‘of course I don’t support settlers’ etc. but I don’t see why the outrage isn’t pointed at the Israeli government (not just at the settlers themselves). Not acknowledging that this is a state sanctioned issue means it simply carries on and Palestinian people continue to be treated as lesser. And what do people in that situation become vulnerable to… extremism.

So to me this isn’t a virtue signalling thread trying to push everyone to make slightly empty anti-settler statements. For me, it’s about acknowledging Israel’s government’s role in the problem and the need for change (more moderate politicians in Israel) in order for there to be any hope of a peaceful end to all this for Israelis and Palestinians.

Who isn't acknowledging that its state sanctioned? Who else would be sanctioning it?

I wasn’t suggesting you didn’t have an issue with the Israeli government. I only replied to your post as you seemed to suggest this thread was just looking for rather empty comments re the settlers.

“No doubt we will have this conversation again in a few days time when someone says something about the settlers, comments on how certain posters haven't turned up for duty and demands that we make our public declaration of lack of support for the settlers.
And repeat.”

I felt that paragraph minimised an important discussion about the Israeli government’s policy/actions and the role the IDF and police play in the settler movement.

Back to your questions, the pattern I’ve noticed across the threads is it’s usually the same people who don’t see any problem with the mass displacement of civilians from Gaza City, or the widespread bombing that has wiped out pretty much all of Gaza, or the people who think GHF are doing a great job, or anyone who goes silent when questions about people like Smotrich are asked. I guess we will see how this thread develops but for me the important thing that’s discussed is the role the Israeli government are playing in the violent taking of Palestinian land.