N0LSDMay 9, 2024
Qasim Rashid, Esq.

I cannot logically discuss Israel/Gaza with people who believe this atrocity began with Hamas war crimes on 10/7.

If you ignore a 60 year illegal military occupation, 700K illegal settlements, a two decade blockade, 7000 Palestinians indefinitely detained in Israeli prison w/o charge, 800 Palestinian children indefinitely detained in Israeli prison w/o charge & denied access to counsel or parents, & at least 240 Palestinians killed by IDF from 1/1-10/6/23—then you are not engaging in good faith

May 9, 2024 at 12:23amWeb
Show threadJoe Hill 🇵🇸🇺🇦May 9, 2024

@QasimRashid
I had a person tweet at me that I was lying the other day that IDF had been committing anti-Palestine atrocities since the 6 Days War.

(Since ‘48 actually, but 6DW was when I became politically aware.)

Show threadJo - pièce de résistanceMay 9, 2024

@Joe_Hill @QasimRashid The movie The Gatekeepers. Former Heads of Shin Bet speak out in this amazing documentary. Here’s an interview with the filmmaker and some clips.

https://youtu.be/yLCX-_HZ_1s

Israel's spy leaders call for peace: 'The Gatekeepers'

YouTube
Show threadJon McLeodMay 9, 2024
@QasimRashid Exactly my thinking.
Show threadSpace WranglerMay 9, 2024
It seems to me the current crisis is due in part from the assassination of Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin by right wing Israeli extremists. There was a legit chance for peace in 1995. Afterwards, the Palestinian and Israeli people and the whole world knew that seeking peace for any leader means risking death from internal [and external] extremists. This situation gave rise to Bibi and legitimacy for Hamas.
Show threadimbouMay 9, 2024
@space_wrangler indeed. We had a real chance at a lasting peace. A lot of people engage in the conversation with no clue of the history. How the after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the breakup of the British empire and the end of WWII left many things a mess in the Middle East. All the wars so many things happened after that. After that assassination and Hamas gaining strength rhetoric and positions have hardened. I would like to figure out a lasting peace but we are not close.
Show threadSpace WranglerMay 9, 2024
@imbou
How could Palestinians trust an Israeli leader to deliver? Rabin sincerely tried.
Show threadimbouMay 9, 2024
@space_wrangler or vice versa. Begin and Sadat did do a peace after many years of war. I am hoping maybe this tragedy can maybe change things.
Show threadAdlangxMay 9, 2024
@imbou @space_wrangler not with Bibi in charge trying to save his corrupt ass by slaughter.
Show threadDavid Scott MoyerMay 9, 2024
@space_wrangler https://www.timesofisrael.com/labor-chief-michaeli-rabin-was-assassinated-with-netanyahus-cooperation/
Labor chief Michaeli: Rabin was assassinated with Netanyahu’s cooperation

Speaking ahead of anniversary of ex-PM's killing, minister singles out Likud leader and Ben Gvir for roles in incitement; Likud sources: She’s desperate to cross Knesset threshold

The Times of Israel
Show threadDarwin WoodkaMay 9, 2024
@space_wrangler ayup
Show threadgabrielMay 9, 2024
@QasimRashid don't forget Palestinians stripped from their citizenship in their own land; since it is now occupied by a different country in which they are not allowed to vote.
Show threadSimon LucyMay 9, 2024

@gabriel @QasimRashid

Israeli Palestinians can and do vote.
Palestinians within the area of the Palestinian Authority can vote but there have been no elections.
Palestinians in Gaza did vote but not in 2021.
Palestinians in the occupied West bank did vote for local elections in 2021 but there are many closed lists and Hamas boycotted them.

It is always much more complicated than people think, generalising (and I've just done some), is a problem.

Show threadMarkMay 9, 2024

@QasimRashid

I don’t pretend to understand the history of conflict in this area over the last 60 years (or 3,000 years), and I’m sure it’s worth knowing.

But even if one uses the 7 October 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks as a starting point—horrific as they were—there is only justification for a proportionate response against Hamas.

No justification for genocide.

Show threadDoreen32128 ready to rumble!May 9, 2024
@QasimRashid Thanks for all this info! Good to know all this.
Show threadKostiantyn TymoshenkoMay 9, 2024
@QasimRashid does this mean that Hamas crimes committed on 7 October could be ignored and completely left out of the discussion?
From the outside it seems as if liberal establishment pretends 7 October never happened
Show threadAlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️May 10, 2024
@kostiantyn @QasimRashid
Of course it happened, but it wasn't the start of things but a response relating to many decades of oppression by a much larger militarised would-be state.
Show threadKostiantyn TymoshenkoMay 10, 2024
@AlisonW @QasimRashid Thanks Alison. Let me ask this: do you think such a response by Hamas was justified?
And what worried me personally even more: why do you think Western societies remain silent about Hamas actions and the fact that they still hold hostages?
Genocide accusations seem to be directed only towards Israel, whereas what Hamas did on 7 October, in my understanding, falls directly under the definition of genocide.
Show threadAlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️May 10, 2024
@kostiantyn @QasimRashid
Although counting numbers isn't going to help in the long term (an eye for an eye just leaves everyone blind) the Israeli military have killed and are killing (and kidnapping and starving) many many more, including children. Living in Gaza is not a crime.
Show threadKostiantyn TymoshenkoMay 10, 2024
@AlisonW @QasimRashid so even though both sides have something to be blamed for, the collective West calls for Israel to stop genocide and does not demand anything from Hamas.
I cannot remember any protests in Europe / the US after 7 October. No student strikes in the US universities. Nothing.
Show threadAlisonW ♿🏳️‍🌈♾️May 10, 2024
@kostiantyn @QasimRashid
You're obviously choosing to forget all the calls on Hamas to stop because you think that Palestinians don't count. Thank you for your pov and goodbye.
Show threadKostiantyn TymoshenkoMay 10, 2024
@AlisonW @QasimRashid can’t understand why you think you have an ability to know what other people think
Show threadSteve "Looking for Work" Pordon (he/him/his)May 14, 2024

@kostiantyn @AlisonW @QasimRashid

The "collective West" does not fund Hamas, it funds Israel.

If you haven't seen condemnations of Hamas, it's because you haven't bothered to look.

Show threadH4Heights 🇪🇺🇵🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦May 9, 2024

@QasimRashid They conflate Zionism and Judaism. Judaism is a respected religion. Zionism is a genocidal ideology. The context of the conflict conveniently buried: the Zionist state, created out of terrorism, has been prosecuting a slow genocide against Palestinians since 1948 in pursuance of a one state ‘final solution’.

The IDF lie. They lie and lie and lie. Which doesn’t help. 2000lb bomb on a refugee camp? “Oooops, sorry (not)”. Children as target practice? “Terrorists”.

Show threadالحرية لفلسطين חופש לפלסטיןMay 9, 2024
@QasimRashid Even if it did begin on 7th of October, bombing crowded civilian areas is collective punishment.
Show threadJames M.May 9, 2024
@QasimRashid I agree with all of this, but would add that the conflict goes back thousands of years. It's just that war and land theft are accepted less (by most) in modern times than they were. (To be clear, I'm against all war and land theft.)
Show threadTim Ward ⭐🇪🇺🔶 #FBPEMay 9, 2024
@QasimRashid Some might claim it began with the sacking of the temple but even that doesn't go back far enough.
Show threadelkerlitoMay 9, 2024
@QasimRashid You could see this line parroted everywhere: There were many peace deals but all of them rejected by Palestinians. As if that gives the authority for this apartheid. Count Bernodette was assassinated for his plan by Zionist Terrorists. Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by Zionist Terrorists. Any concrete plan for peace is derailed by Zionists. And they proudly trumpet, only if Palestinians could accept their apartheid plans!
Show threadRockerDoc (Ricardo Ismach)May 9, 2024

@QasimRashid I agree with you about these tangled underpinnings, and the ironic, tragic turn of Israel’s hawks to apartheid.

I wonder if we’re most effective in persuading others by ignoring that, and just acknowledging the brutal terrorism of Hamas’ actions on 10/7, instead focusing on Netanyahu’s current genocidal war crimes?

Show threaddogzillaMay 9, 2024
@QasimRashid @MnemosyneSinger I’m not comfortable with this framing, as it completely ignores a *long* history of Palestinian extremist terrorist acts. We can discuss whether they were justified or not, but I can’t pretend they didn’t happen, and there’s a very long list. (1/2)
Show threaddogzillaMay 9, 2024
That said, Netanyahu must go, and Palestinians and Israelis must be forced into a solution. I’m sure neither will like it, but the violence must end completely and on both sides. The world can’t afford for this centuries-old conflict to continue. (2/2)
Show threadRockyCMay 14, 2024

@QasimRashid Israel has become the very power that it sought to destroy.

We should’ve stopped giving Israel funding decades ago.

Show threadTanya Kasim VOTEDMay 14, 2024
@QasimRashid Neither can I. Some of us have relatives who are concerned about us "kids" who can't just turn off our emotions about a genocide of people we care about. I'll add that some of us are a mix of Western and Middle Eastern, which makes it hard to not get angry and upset.