The internalization of the minister's 'Decisive Plan' is evident in the public support for a new ultimatum for Gaza: emigration or annihilation.

Excerpt:

The utter astonishment at Hamas’ brutal attack, and the refusal to understand it in the context of decades of oppression, reflect an Israeli position that genuinely wonders why the Palestinians did not cling to their status as prisoners in Gaza, say thank you for Israel’s generosity in allowing a few thousand people to work for minimal wages on the lands from which their families were expelled, and bring their occupiers flowers.

Indeed, how many Israelis care about the situation in Gaza so long as Palestinians are not firing rockets or breaching the fence to enter our communities? Who bothered to ask what “calm” looks like in the besieged enclave? As far as most Israeli Jews are concerned, the more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza should have kept their mouths shut and embraced their starvation. But today, even this option is no longer satisfactory, leaving Israelis to rally behind a new ultimatum for Gaza: emigration or annihilation.

  • Telorand@reddthat.com
    12·
    1 year ago

    It makes sense for Israeli citizens to embrace a false dichotomy for two reasons:

    1. They were attacked, with primarily civilian casualties. It’s a gut reaction to an atrocious loss of human life. The US reacted similarly when the Twin Towers fell.
    2. Humans, and especially reactionaries, crave simple options. Good and bad. Us and them. Dangerous or safe. Assimilate or die. It’s a lot easier to avoid tigers in rustling bushes when you assume all rustling bushes have tigers.

    And again, I’m not saying the citizens’ position is justified, but it is comprehendible. The citizens are still reeling from the attack, so just like GW Bush, Netanyahu is weaponizing the attack and stoking the flames of nationalism to push his xenophobic agenda.