Thinking about hiding the conflict in the middle east topic?

[Stressedgiraffe]

Anyone else hiding the conflict in the middle east topic? I'm thinking of doing so.
All I see is antisemitism and misguided ( I hope) facts.
I'm Jewish, love Israel and have problems with the Jewish government. But my voice will never be listened to or understood. It makes me angry, sad and scared.
Does anyone else agree?

I’m so sorry. Take a break
It hurts and angers me too; I’m not Jewish, so I can only imagine the visceral pain it causes Jewish posters. This is one time allyship is worthwhile. Others will challenge on your behalf.

Yes, I feel angry and scared too and just lost my rag in one thread. I also despise the Israeli govt but don't feel I should have to denounce Israel at the top of every post - which it feels like we're expected to do.

But in amongst all the hate there's some really articulate and well-reasoned challengers Jewish and non-Jewish and I truly find they help a lot too. And, even though I'm Jewish my knowledge and history of the region really falls short so I'm learning a lot too.

@Lamelie The allies really meaning everything, truly. I know it's not easy putting your head above the parapet in a viper's nest but it doesn't go unnoticed.

Paix à toi

Somebody just kindly explained that putting up posters of kidnapped Israelis (in London) was 'goading' Palestinians.

I called her out on it and she actually apologised.

People are idiots but minds can be changed.

There are also some really positive posts so theres that.

YANBU . I know it’s hard to work out the truth in any war zone as to what’s actually going on, but that aside there’s so much ignorance, bias and yes - antisemitism.

You aren’t going to change the mind of anyone who only sees things this lot are oppressors and that lot are victims.

I’m just looking out for my family, friends, local community and not focussing on doom scrolling through articles, reports and social media. It’s flipping hard though. What gives me a bit of hope is that I live in a Jewish area but in some flats with a lot of different ethnicities and religions. Everyone is friendly to one another and most will help anyone out if possible. I’m just trying to believe that many people are good and want to live peacefully. I might be deluded I know.

I know there are positive posts and I give thanks to them.
But as someone who has a reasonable understanding of the history of the area it makes me mad about some of the misunderstanding/ information that is being written.

etmoi. Thank you for expressing a lot of things I feel right now. I feel like I have to role model being a ‘good’ Jew, somehow. I am frightened, sad and angry at all the innocent lives lost and ruined at the hands of madmen on both sides, but I absolutely will not diss Israel as a state or as a Jewish homeland, to appease anyone and to appear unbiased or neutral.

I hear you stressedgiraffe. It’s infuriating and so frustrating to read utter crap and face a barrage of accusations and bias if you try counter it. I just feel I can only deal with stuff in real life - I’ll challenge anyone who comes out with anything antisemitic or report any hate crime I might encounter. I don’t have the energy to challenge people online apart from reporting posts. There’s enough to deal with right now. Though I really admire those who do try reason and challenge on here.

@Cropcycle ❤

People - well those on the left - throw about the word 'solidarity' willy nilly nowadays but my God I'm learning the real meaning of the word now.

Exactly etmoi you really get to see how solidarity and the concept of it, works in real terms at the moment. Actual solidarity without what ifs and buts, is a rare beast.

What is really, really hurting is that I have always been one for calling out racism towards other minority groups, vociferously so, which I think is normal if you've grown up experiencing antisemitism. So it really feels like such a gut-punch that it's not reciprocated now when we need it.

I do the same etmoi. I won’t tolerate racist remarks about any minority . As a minority myself I don’t feel able to stand by. I recently intervened when a bus driver was giving a black woman some totally shitty treatment when she didn’t know which ticket she needed. I reported the driver to the bus company afterwards. I challenge Jews if they start with Islamophobia. I learn about other cultures and faiths and always smile when I pass women wearing burqas as they get a really hard time from what I’ve seen. I’d like to see more support coming our way too. Many of my friends aren’t Jewish and they’ve all been great though,

Unfortunately these people know most Jews are very humanitarian and anti racism. That is part of the reason they say some of the stuff they do. They know it slaps Jews in the face and hurts. That is their aim in the first place. To hurt Jews, in the west people cannot get away so much with doing it physically. So they do it mentally.

As you can see in the last couple of weeks their tactics work. Most Jews feel drained and heartbroken.

I’ve taken a break from that board this evening to marshal my thoughts, which are these:

The topic is “Conflict in the Middle East” and in less than a fortnight has clocked up 47 threads about Israel, Palestinians and Jews. Not including deleted threads. That’s it, no other subjects. Anyone presenting with the “genuine question/please excuse my ignorance/confirm my bias/but antisemitism whut?” could just begin by asking themselves why that is.
Is there a ‘Conflict in Europe” board? I can’t find it.

It has felt overwhelming but I suspect there’s a large amount of name changing going on and there are some very committed antisemites/ recently minted experts on I/P conflict and history (I jest) often having conversations with themselves and starting multiple provocative threads.

Most antisemites are woefully ignorant. They think their opinions are facts. They tend to become quite confused and angry when presented with actual information or credible evidence and from there it generally descends into ever decreasing circles, at which point you can bow out because those people are not posting all over the place because they care about Palestinians.

The air of exhilaration from some posters who are arguing with real life Zionists, omg this is my moment is gross.

If anything you’ve said has caused even one person to question the prevailing narratives across the board or maybe choose to inform themselves more deeply and objectively then you’ve done a good thing.

Sorry, that was long.

We're a safe target.

Israel is, once again, subverting the stereotypes of the meek Jew, the moderate Jew, the Jew with too much to lose.

Just remember that we are a stiff-necked people.

it’s hard even to post on here, on the Jewish sub forum, let alone look at the conflict in the Middle East board.

I posted on there today about how Micha3l R0sen had hounded one of my dear friends to kill himself, and the f*ing bastards on there couldn't even pretend to give a damn.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/conflict-in-the-middle-east/4927289-please-excuse-my-ignorance-on-this-israel-question?reply=130259259&utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share

Solidarity from me and no wonder.

I can totally understand people's distress at civilian casualties (although I don't recall the same level of outrage in various other conflicts, but tbf a lot of that does depend on news cycles).

However there is an enormous amount of misinformation and bias and a smattering of some quite unpleasant views. Little attempt is made to find unbiased sources or at least a range of sources.

Then there are threads started by the wide-eyed naive questioners.

Overall though I don't find that anyone is saying anything of use at present. There's some genuinely alarming news about Putin's involvement, talks with both Hamas and Iran as well as the Lebanon situation but no-one is even discussing that, it's all instagram links.

Just saw that and absolutely gobsmacked, although why am I surprised.

Sorry for the loss of your friend. I watched a lot of that play out on social media and the way MR painted himself as the victim, particularly after his death, is truly one of the greatest acts of manipulation I've ever seen.

Blurrededges. I’m so very sorry about your dear friend 💐. That whole thread should be taken down. It’s toxic

@BlurredEdges I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend.

I'm not hiding that board despite wanting to.
The blatant antisemitism from some is awful.

Didn’t even know there was a specific board about it. Wondered where all the ‘oh so disingenuous’ threads had gone. There’s a quite helpful Jewish subreddit which although mainly (though not entirely) used by US posters is really supportive (although I’d avoid some of the other political ones).

I saw your post earlier and the awful response. I'm having a truly dreadful day and was working so didn't respond there but I am so so sorry for the loss of your friend in such awful circumstances. I wish you long life.

Actually surprised today. The those threads seem to be the same people shouting at hardly anyone. I scrolled a few pages of the more active ones. Most have a maybe 6 posters interacting. A couple of new screamers but I believe they are name changed because we all recognise them. I see some tells in their way of writing.

Anyway fairly quite considering what is happening in Gaza tonight. Apparently posters got bored of the issue already or something. Not looking forward to the marches this weekend. That will bring out the nasty again.

I hid it shortly after the hospital farce. I was spending too much time reporting the blatantly antisemitic posts. And being annoyed when people were factually wrong. I really don't mind different views on things but when it's about justifying targeting British Jews it's not healthy to focus on.