Kevin CarsonNov 25, 2023
The Only Democracy In The Middle East, everybody: Israeli Minister of Communications has begun the process of shutting down Israeli paper Haaretz for being “anti-patriotic” when it revealed that Israeli Helicopters were responsible for killing civilians on Oct. 7th. Many eye witness accounts confirmed this only days after Oct 7.
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-11-23/ty-article/israels-communications-minister-threatens-haaretz-suggests-penalizing-its-war-coverage/0000018b-fd0c-de73-a9bb-ffefb9f10000
Show threadFardels BearNov 25, 2023

@KevinCarson1

Another similarity between Netanyahu and Putin. Both are occupying territory that doesn't belong to them, murdering civilian populations, and threatening media outlets that don't toe the government line.

Show threaddatenritter Nov 25, 2023
@riggbeck @KevinCarson1 Ahem. Israel occupies what exactly? You might want to check your maps.
Show threadJorgeNov 27, 2023

@datenritter This is a map of the West Bank elaborated by UN in 2020: https://www.ochaopt.org/sites/default/files/westbank_a0_25_06_2020_final.pdf

It counts more than 600k settlers, and includes military bases, roads prohibited to palestinians, and "Area C" (Full Israeli control over security, planning and construction). According to Wikipedia, Area C comprises 61% of the West Bank land.

Show threaddatenritter Nov 27, 2023

@jalda Yeah, that settlement bullshit should stop.

I find the comparison to Putin bizarre though. Ukraine never wanted to drive Russia into the sea, nor did they fail to control their own territory or even to sign a contract. Neither did Israel wipe complete cities of the map.

Anyway, I understand how you'd consider this an occupation.

Show threadJorgeNov 27, 2023

@datenritter As I said in the previous toot, it is not just "settlement bullshit". It is military bases, road segregation, blockades in Gaza (the wall was built in 1994 and the blockade started in 2005, one year before Hamas took power).

This is a constant policy of the Israeli government for the last couple of decades, no matter if they are far-right, center or left-wing.

Show threaddatenritter Nov 28, 2023
@jalda Okay, so there are settlements which from a Palestinian perspective dismember the land, which they hope to be Palestine one day, while (some) Jewish folks believe it's their right or the right thing to do or whatever. Many parts of that map have been agreed upon with the Oslo agreement, though, so just presenting it is a bit of a simplification. Protective measures have been installed after the intifada - and probably not reduced after the split between PLO and Hamas. I mean would you pull back your military from a terrorist infested area?
Then there are radical settlers who believe they have to push Palestinians away and terrorize them, which while I cannot even estimate the real number of events is definitely propaganda material for terrorists.
After Oct. 7 the maps might be redrawn again as the largest killing of Jewish people after the Holocaust triggered a strong self-defence reflex in Israel and also empowered radical forces which, once again, undermine any peace efforts.
Show threaddatenritter 
@jalda Mix in some Iranian influence and support for terrorists intended to destabilize the area.
(US support on the other hand seems to have better intentions.)
Nov 28, 2023 at 9:08amWeb