ynthrepic, 1 year ago (edited 11 months ago)

The West Bank is already inhabited by illegal Jewish settlements. It’s a big part of why Hamas were provoked into October 7th and very much why the Arab world and wider international community have been so critical of Israel since well before this conflict.

Hamas still need to be stopped, but the current war is a terrible humanitarian tragedy that didn’t need to happen this way. The Israeli government could have vowed to end Hamas without a land war in Gaza, which anyone with half a brain should realize would inevitably lead to massive civilian casualties due to the population density of Gaza and how Hamas operate by martyring their own people in the name of Jihad - as it indeed has.

I don’t believe Israel is an apartheid state - that’s an exaggeration for sure. Plenty of Palestinian representation in Israel. Not enough, but more than we give the situation credit for. Nevertheless, what they’re doing now is horrific, and how the Netanyahu government has been enabling the Jewish settlementation of the West Bank by forcing Palestians off their land is deeply unethical and an insult to human rights and dignity. Imagine being forced out of the only home you and your family have ever known? It’s ghastly.

Bottom line is this could have been done differently with the right political will. I’m no expert, but here are some reasonable ideas: Properly evacuate everyone who wishes to leave and encourage Egypt to do their part to take in refugees, and any other Arab states. Create a safe, well defended evacuation route for refugees to flee, and keep it open, while you tightly secure the blockade around Gaza, and block/flood/raid the tunnels. Then, most importantly, for all Palestinian refugees, promise a “right of return” back to Gaza/West-Bank, or Israel proper to be a citizen of “Israeli-Palestine” which covers the whole area, after the war. What we might call a “1.5” state solution. Two states working together to help each other. Over time, work hard to find or build homes for refugees and all displaced Palestinian diaspora as close to where they came from as possible. Finally for the stability of the future, encourage local Palestians and Jews, whether they live in Israeli or Palestian controlled territories, to get along with each other and support these efforts with strong social programs.

Alas.

Hamas are terrorists yes. But there are plenty of good reasons to despise Netanyahu and his government.