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Speaking of elephants.

So many different groups, focusing upon the imagined differences between themselves and others, use those examinations as dodge away from facing how similar they actually are to each another.
The old are just the young at the ending of that journey, the governments are just average folks under power's seductive touch.

Too often, those who cry the loudest for others to change, are the very ones least willing to change themselves.

@SuraShine said:

@Shoshin1 said:

Yes the attack on Israeli settlers by Hamas and the amount killed and the taking of hostages was horrendous and my heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones

Israel's response, the indiscriminate slaughter of over 15 thousand mostly innocent Palestinian civilians, including over 5,000 children and more than 3,000 women was uncalled for , it's barbaric, yet most Western governments do nothing but pay lip service...to the heart wrenching scenes from Gaza...

There, fixed it for you. By adding BUT to a statement, you unintentionally (or maybe not, I won't presume to speak for you) indicate one is deserving of the horrors they have suffered. And I really don't think that's fair.

Sorry if it came across that way to you, my intention was to highlight the heavy handed actions of the Israeli "government" and its "military" towards the Palestinian civilian population and not 'demonise' Israel...

There is no question that 'Hamas' committed horrendous war crimes against Israeli civilians, men, woman and children and should be held accountable for what they have done ....

However the coverage of Mainstream Western media outlets over the last month or so, has been quite one sided when reporting what is actually happening now in Gaza, but social media and its easy access has changed the dominance of mainstream media outlets, people are now seeing firsthand reports from civilians on the ground who are using their phones to document the carnage...This phenomena of videoing events firsthand using ones phone (before the mainstream media censor what their reporters see and report on) is now becoming popular...this is not to say that manipulation can not occur with such use...

As someone who has both Jewish and some Palestinian friends, I know from what both sides have said that the general public at large are not being shown the whole truth. I don't care what side you view it from, no one deserves it and while Israel are being demonized, Jews globally should not. If it's really about Israel, why attack, firebomb synagogues and schools of Jews in Europe and Australia?......

It is sad that anti Semitism ( both Jews and Arabs are Semites...a thing we tend to overlook) is on the rise again, and due to what is happening in Gaza, those who hold strong anti Semitic views ( a strong dislike for both Arabs and Jews) will use this conflict to target both Moslems and Jews living in the West......

Minority groups in the West and elsewhere always tend to suffer collectively (regardless of their personal views) when a situation occurs involving members of a group of those affiliated with a particular minority group and is publicised by the dominant media outlets of both the left and right wing ...for example in the West, minority ethnic groups, such as people of colour, Moslems, Jews, and members of the LGBTQI ....

And as I mentioned before...

I have nothing against the Israelis people who want to protect what they call their homeland, but sadly the use of extreme violence by the Jewish state will no doubt lead to a backlash where more cases of Jewish people being targeted around the world, even the Jewish people who oppose Israel's present government and their polices when it comes to the treatment of Palestinian people...

(the Jewish state=The Israeli government and not all the Israeli people-I know Israelis and other Jewish people living on the island who strongly oppose the Israeli government's actions )

If the US, the UK and the European Union had immediately stepped and used their influence to stop the bombing of the civilian population in Gaza by Israeli forces, when the extent of the bombing first came to light...anti Jewish sentiment which we are seeing now may not have risen to the extent it is rising to now, they have opened the door for the true anti Semites to come out of the woodwork and more innocent people both Jew and Arab will suffer... they ( the US, the UK and the European Union ) and the present Israeli government have a lot to answer for when it comes to the present situation...

Studies have shown that traumatic experiences can be pass down from mother to child....So just image the impact on the mental health and well being of "all" those in war zones who are suffering...

Hurt people, hurt people...

1,200 Israelis killed, mostly civilians and almost 20,000 Palestinians killed, mostly civilians

There are no winners in war...

What it comes down to is that somewhere there are bitter old men entrusted with the work of government who have the gall to command enthusiastic young men to go fight when they should know better. In fact what they should be doing is seeking therapy, and both the Hamas and Israeli commanders are of this type.

There is a good case to be made that anyone wielding political power should be subjected to rigorous psychiatric examinations at regular intervals. The system should be doing a better job of removing psychopaths from public office.

I'm more astounded by the comeback of a certain former prime minister.

I think any mental health professional should have a mini introduction to the Brahmaviharas.