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Elizabeth Lalumia, LMT's avatar

There is blood on so, so many hands. One thing is a horror (October, 7), which is then responded to with a level of atrocity beyond the brain’s ability to comprehend.

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Kenneth Benoit's avatar

This is the most divisive of topics and one that is difficult to write or talk about with clarity. When I grew up America was awash with pro-Israeli news and frankly, propaganda. Israel was portrayed as the underdog surrounded by hostile enemies - the 'Arabs'. There were no Palestinians then. I never heard the word. The native population were made out to be cunning evil doers, intent on Israeli destruction. Then when I lived in Athens in the 70's I met Palestinians for the first time and heard something of their side of the story. I also met young Israelis who were fed up with the country that had been created and wanted nothing to do with it. I've read a fair bit of history from Israeli historians as well as Palestinians. Most of the land of the area of Palestine was literally stolen from the people who owned it. Then those owners were forced out of this new country and into refugee conditions in Gaza, the west bank (which was Jordanian) and to other nearby countries. What happened was not fair, if we can consider anything fair. It was not something that most of us who own property would consider alright, if some group of people stole our property. People often say Israel was created as a haven for the Jewish people. But we shouldn't forget that it was also created so that Jews would not settle in the US Britain and Europe. Just take a look at the anti semitism that existed in the US before WWII and even after boatloads of refugee Jews were tuned away. And it was a military outpost for America in one of the oil richest areas of the world. Now that outpost has become more like the main base. It is massively over armed and totally militarized.

As I'm sure you're aware, October 7 was not the beginning of this story. Time and time again Israel has attacked and killed thousands of civilians. The have assassinated community leaders, writers and anyone who dared to oppose their authority. They do not respect international law or UN resolutions, beginning with resolution 181 which grants right of return to Palestinians. Israel has many times rejected offers of a settlement. Palestinian leaders were willing to settle for 21% of historical Palestine, but instead they have proceeded to steal even that land and to harass the people who live there.

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