Such a brave and poignant post Nick. And thank you for the Sting song. The blood is on the hands of Netanyahu. Yep we can protest US's involvement and supply of weapons, we can yell Genocide, but in the end, Netanyahu and his war mongering generals are the ones who decide the bombing and the tactics which have killed more children and babies. I really hope the strike has an effect. It is for Israeli citizens to get rid of this right wing monster, as only they can. I share their grief.
Thanks Nick for reminding us that a large percentage of the Israeli population are decent and loving people who do not approve of Netanyahu's war on largely innocent Palestinians ( some of his sidekicks are infinitely more brutal than he is, demanding the annihilation of all Palestinians, even to the extent of nuking them ). The same can be said for the vast majority of Palestinians. Loving and peaceful people.
However I'm not sure about a statement near the end of todays piece where you say " will encourage Hamas to kill more hostages ". Do we know this to be true. I would wager that most hostages, whose bodies have been found, have been killed by the IDF rocket attacks that are so very devastating. Certainly that is what comes from Netanyahu and often even our media slant heavily toward Israel and against Hamas - we just don't know. We do know however that so many lies come from Netanyahu and his government that anything they say is likely fabricated propaganda.
I didn't say who killed these hostages, I've seen reports of both sides being responsible. My point was given this reaction and the resulting pressure on Netanyahu it may well encourage Hamas to kill more hostages. Whether they killed these particular hostages I don't doubt they've killed others and are quite willing to kill more. Sorry it wasn't very clear.
...as the saying goes - the first casualty of war is the truth...and these days we get bombarded with all manner of truths. I don't trust our US influenced media at all when it comes to reporting on the Israel/ Gaza/ West Bank issues. Al Jazeera and Ramzy Baroud or Norman Finkelstein would be my go tos and until a few years back the great Robert Fisk.
Yes me too I believe the IDF also killed some of their own people on October the 7th & some of the hostages they have given back seemed to be very well cared for unlike all those Palestinians who have been illegally locked up in Israelis jails.
Thank-you Nick for such a much needed and poignant script.
As someone who grew up among Jewish people and had a close relative marry into a Jewish family, I know them to be kind and generous people. Indeed, they are just like us. It is my impression that the number of Israelis who are opposed to their government's stance on the war is rapidly growing by the day.
It's fascinating in a way. We know Trump's desperate desire to become president again is to keep himself out of gaol. So it is with Netanyahu. He needs to fight and win a war to stay in power and out of gaol.
It is foolish to perceive Jewish people as 'the enemy'. It is equally foolish to view Palestinians as 'the enemy'.
I think that Israel's actions have undoubtedly stoked Antisemitism worldwide. However, I'm sure that anyone that has been to a Palestine rally has also marched next to Jewish people. I was very pleased one day to be walking beside a Jewish man wearing his traditional kippah. I think your title is disappointing- like you said it is in vein with the "white lives matter". Our media predominantly only reports on Israeli deaths and lives. Palestinians being massacred and denied the basic necessities of life are largely ignored or reported on as though it "just happened". Like no one is at fault. I don't think that you need to add to that rhetoric. It is good to see Israeli citizens protesting though - however while I can never understand their position and I know their society isn't as free to protest as here - I can't help but judge their society for their large silence and support for the genocide. I think Israeli (not Jewish) society is very sick to be quite honest. I think it is far right and their whole education system is built around their traumatic past but in a way that paints Palestinians as the bad guys. It is built around white supremacy. They seem to forget that it is Europe that wronged them and Palestinaians originally welcomed them before they took their homes, land and human rights. That's a very disjointed and long way to say that I disagree with your article. I usually love your writing.
⁉️With all due respect, I disagree with the basis of your disagreement - Nick has taken great care to be clear about his approach, & it is fair, empathetic, & balanced, as is the title. & contrary to the argument about NOT hearing about Palestinian casualties, in my wide ranging reading from Corporate media AND independent alike, it is almost ALL about Palestinians being killed, evicted, starved & lacking medical support, as it should be IMHO. 🤷🏻♀️
Totally agree with your sentiments it seems to me it's the extremists they call Zionists that are the problem the settlers in the West Bank seem like a cult taking over people's houses & know it looks like Netanyahu is hell bent on destroying the West Bank in the hope the Palestinians will leave they're are an evil regime.
I often listen to Medhi Hasan & the guests he has on his Zeteo platform - many of them Jewish -to my mind many Israelis seem to be complicit in the systematic destruction of the Palestinians - they are now furious with Netanyahu who had ample opportunity to bring the hostages home by a negotiated ceasefire but is intent on wiping out the Palestinians at all costs-recommend people look at Zeteos documentary called ' Reel Extremism' it speaks for itself
Well thought out and written Nick. I believe the problem is not with Judaism, it's with zionism. There are many good thinking Jews, but unfortunately they do not have the voting power to exorcise netanyahu and his genocidal cohorts. There are hundreds of young Jews refusing to take part in this current genocide of Palestinians. The war crimes currently being inflicted on innocent civilians is just a continuation of previous slaughters. One of which had the Israeli military using White Phosphorus as a weapon. This product is illegal to use in war on troops, yet netanyahu used it indiscriminately against civilians, hospitals and schools. This despicable human being encourages the use of denigrating language in Israeli Schools, when Palestinians and the history are being taught. Every US President since 1948 has totally supported the conflict and the extermination and expulsion of Palestinians from their land. As recently as this week there was a huge fuss over 3 nights on TV1 News, of the released hostage. It has been more than 6 months of slaughter since we saw white-sheet-shrouds covered in blood of babies and children, their Mothers and Fathers, all killed in this current slaughter using US weapons. But our news outlets have stopped covering the Genocide.
Netanyahu could stop all this tomorrow, but if he did (which he won't ) he would be replaced with another butcher. But yes Biden/Harris could also end this tomorrow. But they won't. Why?
I think it's because the Jews that live in America the ones with the purse strings they're extremely wealthy & they fund a lot of the US politicians they've put over a 100 million into this current election so they basically call the shots.
Biden/Harris could NOT stop this... Israel is a sovereign nation & no US govt has the power to make it's govt do ANYTHING. Sure they can withhold weapons etc. but there is the whole Middle East at risk if Iran et al thinks Israel is weakened. A US govt has a much wider global concern & unfortunately it is not a simple solution if Netanyahu's govt remains in power & refuses to act in the best interests of even his own people.
The USA could absolutely put the brakes on Israel if it wanted to. The US not only has the power to make other sovereign nations follow its dictates and has done so in the past, but worse has destabilized or helped remove legitimate governments over many decades.
Biden could pick up the phone tomorrow and tell "Bibi" that enough is enough and a durable solution must be found. NOW. But he won't.
If only! Biden has "picked up the phone" hundreds of times - Netayahu ignores his message. For the USA a secure Israel (and yes, that includes being well armed) is more than just for Israeli residents, although that seems to be what people concentrate on i.e. "if the USA stopped sending weapons, Netanyahu et al would fall in line", whereas the likes of Iran & it's allies (including Russia) would see it as the opportunity they have been waiting for to destablise the Middle East with expanded attacks, drawing in other nations on both sides. THAT is what the President of the USA has to weigh - a truly horrible situation against an even more truly horrible situation affecting millions more "innocent civilians". Caring about Palestinians does not preclude having our eyes open to reality. 🤷
More to the point, Gavin, the US could cut off the flow of money and arms to Israel. But the Zionist lobby exercises too much control over every level of government in the US, so that is never going to happen. The US and it’s allies - Aotearoa NZ included - are complicit in the genocide. I’m really struggling with my own new visceral anti-semitism - something which is disgusting and anathema to me, but it rises like a poison in my soul as I watch the butchery continue, and journalists arrested in the UK and elsewhere for drawing attention to it.
Yes Nick agree not all Israelis are bad however this genocide has had its genesis many years ago and this is just the latest attack on Palestinians. What it demonstrates particularly for me is why we, Aotearoa, need to be careful of the friends we pick to support in our part of the world.
What you say is perfectly true. But the yanks could stop this in a heartbeat.
Furthermore, Hamas has been labeled a terrorist organization. But, shouldn't we consider why it exists in the first place. I say, if Israel had been good neighbour's Hamas wouldn't exist. Cause and reaction.
Yes it amuses me they call Hamas terrorists but the IDF is defending itself it's a sick joke it's obvious they're committing genocide & I agree the USA could stop it in it's tracks. The only person who wants the war to escalate is Netanyahu.
Terrible and complex situation, and like you Nick, I hold the USA more than somewhat responsible. Netanyahu has been exposed as ruthless and corrupt for years. My heart breaks for all of Palestine and the Israeli people. Should be a warning to us all of how not to collude with power at the expense of democracy for the greater good aue.
This is about humanity, and the need to agree to disagree more than to fight. Bad Leaders lead to bad outcomes, and we should reflect on how Leaders may choose paths we would not.
I, like you, Nick could happily see Netanyahu either assassinated or sentenced to death for war crimes. The ever increasing number of Israelis demanding he puts down the guns speaks volumes about the humanity, if not love, most of them feel for the children who are killed daily because the IDF "discover Hamas hideouts and troops under schools, hospitals, etc", (yeah, right) so demolish these, along with any hope for the future of tens of thousands of Palestinians. I believe that if all the Israeli hostages were released, Netanyahu would order the extermination of every Palestinian immediately. I'm sure the only reason countries like Lebanon, Iran, and others haven't engaged Israeli in total warfare is the fact that Israel is the only nuclear armed country in the Middle East.
I also believe that is the reason some Western countries are supporting them and supplying weapons to them. It means these countries have a powerful ally in a very unstable region and are also making a fortune out of weapons sales. There's a lot more to this than a neighbourly disagreement. Neither side can claim the moral high ground in this most immoral destruction of innocents on both sides.
No this is not just Netanyahu if he falls by the wayside they have more, maybe worse to take his place. How many of those Israelis protesting to get the hostage released would be happy to see Gaza obliterated once they are out? What about the "good citizens" blocking and stealing from aid trucks, putting bouncy castles for their children in the way, how sick is that. How "innocent" are most of the hostages, sweet pictures of young women who it turns out are remote machine gun operators etc. How a young Israeli woman can hold her baby and say she's okay with the burning alive of a Palestinian toddler along with his parents because they wouldn't have had to do it if the government had just got rid of the Arabs absolutely turned my stomach. Could go on and on but will stop there. Fuck Israel
Agree. Almost all the Israeli protests I've seen have been on getting their hostages back and not on, not killing Palestinians. The few people in Israel that have been anti war have done it at huge risk. I saw one families' house burnt down for their stance.
Well said Nick. My Dad said to me once, when we were talking about WWII, that they thought the end of it would lead to a peaceful world but they were wrong. He said there had been war and conflict somewhere in the world ever since, and he didn’t think it would ever be any different. He was right about that.
I hope the protests in Israel can force Netanyahu’s hand, but it seems to me that there’s always someone waiting in the wings to take over that is the same or worse.
Thank you for unpacking this conflict. I would add that any country whose economy depends on the war/weapons industry is complicit in perpetuating death and destruction.
Such a brave and poignant post Nick. And thank you for the Sting song. The blood is on the hands of Netanyahu. Yep we can protest US's involvement and supply of weapons, we can yell Genocide, but in the end, Netanyahu and his war mongering generals are the ones who decide the bombing and the tactics which have killed more children and babies. I really hope the strike has an effect. It is for Israeli citizens to get rid of this right wing monster, as only they can. I share their grief.
Thanks Nick for reminding us that a large percentage of the Israeli population are decent and loving people who do not approve of Netanyahu's war on largely innocent Palestinians ( some of his sidekicks are infinitely more brutal than he is, demanding the annihilation of all Palestinians, even to the extent of nuking them ). The same can be said for the vast majority of Palestinians. Loving and peaceful people.
However I'm not sure about a statement near the end of todays piece where you say " will encourage Hamas to kill more hostages ". Do we know this to be true. I would wager that most hostages, whose bodies have been found, have been killed by the IDF rocket attacks that are so very devastating. Certainly that is what comes from Netanyahu and often even our media slant heavily toward Israel and against Hamas - we just don't know. We do know however that so many lies come from Netanyahu and his government that anything they say is likely fabricated propaganda.
I didn't say who killed these hostages, I've seen reports of both sides being responsible. My point was given this reaction and the resulting pressure on Netanyahu it may well encourage Hamas to kill more hostages. Whether they killed these particular hostages I don't doubt they've killed others and are quite willing to kill more. Sorry it wasn't very clear.
...as the saying goes - the first casualty of war is the truth...and these days we get bombarded with all manner of truths. I don't trust our US influenced media at all when it comes to reporting on the Israel/ Gaza/ West Bank issues. Al Jazeera and Ramzy Baroud or Norman Finkelstein would be my go tos and until a few years back the great Robert Fisk.
Fisk was an outstanding journalist, the expert on the region.
Mine too
Yes me too I believe the IDF also killed some of their own people on October the 7th & some of the hostages they have given back seemed to be very well cared for unlike all those Palestinians who have been illegally locked up in Israelis jails.
Thank-you Nick for such a much needed and poignant script.
As someone who grew up among Jewish people and had a close relative marry into a Jewish family, I know them to be kind and generous people. Indeed, they are just like us. It is my impression that the number of Israelis who are opposed to their government's stance on the war is rapidly growing by the day.
It's fascinating in a way. We know Trump's desperate desire to become president again is to keep himself out of gaol. So it is with Netanyahu. He needs to fight and win a war to stay in power and out of gaol.
It is foolish to perceive Jewish people as 'the enemy'. It is equally foolish to view Palestinians as 'the enemy'.
When will the world grow up.
What a timely reminder, that all lives matter. That man has blood on his hands. As you say, he has the power to stop it.
I think that Israel's actions have undoubtedly stoked Antisemitism worldwide. However, I'm sure that anyone that has been to a Palestine rally has also marched next to Jewish people. I was very pleased one day to be walking beside a Jewish man wearing his traditional kippah. I think your title is disappointing- like you said it is in vein with the "white lives matter". Our media predominantly only reports on Israeli deaths and lives. Palestinians being massacred and denied the basic necessities of life are largely ignored or reported on as though it "just happened". Like no one is at fault. I don't think that you need to add to that rhetoric. It is good to see Israeli citizens protesting though - however while I can never understand their position and I know their society isn't as free to protest as here - I can't help but judge their society for their large silence and support for the genocide. I think Israeli (not Jewish) society is very sick to be quite honest. I think it is far right and their whole education system is built around their traumatic past but in a way that paints Palestinians as the bad guys. It is built around white supremacy. They seem to forget that it is Europe that wronged them and Palestinaians originally welcomed them before they took their homes, land and human rights. That's a very disjointed and long way to say that I disagree with your article. I usually love your writing.
⁉️With all due respect, I disagree with the basis of your disagreement - Nick has taken great care to be clear about his approach, & it is fair, empathetic, & balanced, as is the title. & contrary to the argument about NOT hearing about Palestinian casualties, in my wide ranging reading from Corporate media AND independent alike, it is almost ALL about Palestinians being killed, evicted, starved & lacking medical support, as it should be IMHO. 🤷🏻♀️
I agree with your disagreement
Totally agree with your sentiments it seems to me it's the extremists they call Zionists that are the problem the settlers in the West Bank seem like a cult taking over people's houses & know it looks like Netanyahu is hell bent on destroying the West Bank in the hope the Palestinians will leave they're are an evil regime.
I often listen to Medhi Hasan & the guests he has on his Zeteo platform - many of them Jewish -to my mind many Israelis seem to be complicit in the systematic destruction of the Palestinians - they are now furious with Netanyahu who had ample opportunity to bring the hostages home by a negotiated ceasefire but is intent on wiping out the Palestinians at all costs-recommend people look at Zeteos documentary called ' Reel Extremism' it speaks for itself
Thank you for helping me to have more of an understanding. Albeit a little more, but much more than I knew. Never too late to learn. My heart hurts.
Well thought out and written Nick. I believe the problem is not with Judaism, it's with zionism. There are many good thinking Jews, but unfortunately they do not have the voting power to exorcise netanyahu and his genocidal cohorts. There are hundreds of young Jews refusing to take part in this current genocide of Palestinians. The war crimes currently being inflicted on innocent civilians is just a continuation of previous slaughters. One of which had the Israeli military using White Phosphorus as a weapon. This product is illegal to use in war on troops, yet netanyahu used it indiscriminately against civilians, hospitals and schools. This despicable human being encourages the use of denigrating language in Israeli Schools, when Palestinians and the history are being taught. Every US President since 1948 has totally supported the conflict and the extermination and expulsion of Palestinians from their land. As recently as this week there was a huge fuss over 3 nights on TV1 News, of the released hostage. It has been more than 6 months of slaughter since we saw white-sheet-shrouds covered in blood of babies and children, their Mothers and Fathers, all killed in this current slaughter using US weapons. But our news outlets have stopped covering the Genocide.
Netanyahu could stop all this tomorrow, but if he did (which he won't ) he would be replaced with another butcher. But yes Biden/Harris could also end this tomorrow. But they won't. Why?
I think it's because the Jews that live in America the ones with the purse strings they're extremely wealthy & they fund a lot of the US politicians they've put over a 100 million into this current election so they basically call the shots.
Biden/Harris could NOT stop this... Israel is a sovereign nation & no US govt has the power to make it's govt do ANYTHING. Sure they can withhold weapons etc. but there is the whole Middle East at risk if Iran et al thinks Israel is weakened. A US govt has a much wider global concern & unfortunately it is not a simple solution if Netanyahu's govt remains in power & refuses to act in the best interests of even his own people.
The USA could absolutely put the brakes on Israel if it wanted to. The US not only has the power to make other sovereign nations follow its dictates and has done so in the past, but worse has destabilized or helped remove legitimate governments over many decades.
Biden could pick up the phone tomorrow and tell "Bibi" that enough is enough and a durable solution must be found. NOW. But he won't.
If only! Biden has "picked up the phone" hundreds of times - Netayahu ignores his message. For the USA a secure Israel (and yes, that includes being well armed) is more than just for Israeli residents, although that seems to be what people concentrate on i.e. "if the USA stopped sending weapons, Netanyahu et al would fall in line", whereas the likes of Iran & it's allies (including Russia) would see it as the opportunity they have been waiting for to destablise the Middle East with expanded attacks, drawing in other nations on both sides. THAT is what the President of the USA has to weigh - a truly horrible situation against an even more truly horrible situation affecting millions more "innocent civilians". Caring about Palestinians does not preclude having our eyes open to reality. 🤷
More to the point, Gavin, the US could cut off the flow of money and arms to Israel. But the Zionist lobby exercises too much control over every level of government in the US, so that is never going to happen. The US and it’s allies - Aotearoa NZ included - are complicit in the genocide. I’m really struggling with my own new visceral anti-semitism - something which is disgusting and anathema to me, but it rises like a poison in my soul as I watch the butchery continue, and journalists arrested in the UK and elsewhere for drawing attention to it.
Yes Nick agree not all Israelis are bad however this genocide has had its genesis many years ago and this is just the latest attack on Palestinians. What it demonstrates particularly for me is why we, Aotearoa, need to be careful of the friends we pick to support in our part of the world.
I agree, and I think we should be doing more to oppose Israel diplomatically or in terms of trade.
Ae, agree. Kia Tupato. Be careful for our own country.
What you say is perfectly true. But the yanks could stop this in a heartbeat.
Furthermore, Hamas has been labeled a terrorist organization. But, shouldn't we consider why it exists in the first place. I say, if Israel had been good neighbour's Hamas wouldn't exist. Cause and reaction.
Yes it amuses me they call Hamas terrorists but the IDF is defending itself it's a sick joke it's obvious they're committing genocide & I agree the USA could stop it in it's tracks. The only person who wants the war to escalate is Netanyahu.
Thank you Nick, a wonderful message about common humanity.
Terrible and complex situation, and like you Nick, I hold the USA more than somewhat responsible. Netanyahu has been exposed as ruthless and corrupt for years. My heart breaks for all of Palestine and the Israeli people. Should be a warning to us all of how not to collude with power at the expense of democracy for the greater good aue.
This is about humanity, and the need to agree to disagree more than to fight. Bad Leaders lead to bad outcomes, and we should reflect on how Leaders may choose paths we would not.
I, like you, Nick could happily see Netanyahu either assassinated or sentenced to death for war crimes. The ever increasing number of Israelis demanding he puts down the guns speaks volumes about the humanity, if not love, most of them feel for the children who are killed daily because the IDF "discover Hamas hideouts and troops under schools, hospitals, etc", (yeah, right) so demolish these, along with any hope for the future of tens of thousands of Palestinians. I believe that if all the Israeli hostages were released, Netanyahu would order the extermination of every Palestinian immediately. I'm sure the only reason countries like Lebanon, Iran, and others haven't engaged Israeli in total warfare is the fact that Israel is the only nuclear armed country in the Middle East.
I also believe that is the reason some Western countries are supporting them and supplying weapons to them. It means these countries have a powerful ally in a very unstable region and are also making a fortune out of weapons sales. There's a lot more to this than a neighbourly disagreement. Neither side can claim the moral high ground in this most immoral destruction of innocents on both sides.
Agree 💯
No this is not just Netanyahu if he falls by the wayside they have more, maybe worse to take his place. How many of those Israelis protesting to get the hostage released would be happy to see Gaza obliterated once they are out? What about the "good citizens" blocking and stealing from aid trucks, putting bouncy castles for their children in the way, how sick is that. How "innocent" are most of the hostages, sweet pictures of young women who it turns out are remote machine gun operators etc. How a young Israeli woman can hold her baby and say she's okay with the burning alive of a Palestinian toddler along with his parents because they wouldn't have had to do it if the government had just got rid of the Arabs absolutely turned my stomach. Could go on and on but will stop there. Fuck Israel
Agree. Almost all the Israeli protests I've seen have been on getting their hostages back and not on, not killing Palestinians. The few people in Israel that have been anti war have done it at huge risk. I saw one families' house burnt down for their stance.
Well said Nick. My Dad said to me once, when we were talking about WWII, that they thought the end of it would lead to a peaceful world but they were wrong. He said there had been war and conflict somewhere in the world ever since, and he didn’t think it would ever be any different. He was right about that.
I hope the protests in Israel can force Netanyahu’s hand, but it seems to me that there’s always someone waiting in the wings to take over that is the same or worse.
Thank you for unpacking this conflict. I would add that any country whose economy depends on the war/weapons industry is complicit in perpetuating death and destruction.
About time someone broke hhe silence I'm with you 💯%