17 February, 2025

Blog

Probing Polemic To Rip The Racist Rhetoric

By Haaniya Jiffrey Shiyam –

“In every cry of every man,
   In every Infant’s cry of fear,
  In every voice, in every ban,
  The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.” ~
(From “London” by William Blake)

Have you heard the absurd slogan of the Zionists, “Israel has the right to defend itself?” Since when does the offender, the aggressor, defend, when all they have done over the decades is to offend?

Noam Chomsky —Laureate Professor of Linguistics at the University of Arizona and Institute Professor Emeritus at MIT — is internationally recognized as one of the most astute analysts of the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and Middle East politics in general. None other than Chomsky himself objects to Israel’s notion of self-defense, in its attacks on Hamas for firing rockets into Israel. In all likelihood, Israel was waiting for this opportunity and on the pretext of the Hamas attack it “retaliates” in devilish disproportion and daring abandon of all rules of military engagement. Their excuses, lies, and justifications can no longer deceive the awakened public, but seem only to mollify their own deluded selves. When they say they are fighting a monster, they forget that they are the worse monster for having created it. When they call their victims beasts, they do not see how they are a thousand-fold more bestial. They are predators in their barbarism and brutality. 

While we watch, every few minutes, a baby, a child is killed or orphaned! While the criminals enjoy their impunity, wilfully targeting hospitals, mosques, churches, schools, refugee camps, and even ambulances carrying patients, the World looks helplessly on? How can this be? No doubt, a heaving groundswell of opposition to the atrocities is vociferous in all corners of the globe, but, sadly, to no avail! On the contrary, those who have the integrity and humanity to support the Palestinian cause are derided, those who call out their lies are cancelled and there is zero tolerance on the part of Zionist zealots to any kind of dissent from their dehumanizing ideology. People who were seen as champions are immediately demoted when they sympathise with the true victims, the Palestinians. Greta Thunberg, the climate activist, for example, was met by severe criticism from Israeli military spokesman when she opposed the genocide in Gaza. Israel also slammed Elon Musk for offering connectivity to aid workers in Gaza when Communications were totally blocked out following indiscriminate bombardment of the strip. No one is spared. Even the Secretary-General of the UNO, António Guterres, in his balanced and truthful statement observed that October 7th did not materialize in a vacuum and was given two options by the Israeli contingent: “Apologize or resign!” Their arrogance enables them even to preach morality to the offending UN S-G!  While they look at themselves as above and beyond the law, they wield the law as an additional weapon to crush everyone else. Now we know for sure, if we did not know before, why George Orwell chose the “more equal” faction in Animal Farm characterized by self-righteousness, greed and entitlement, to be the two-legged PIGS! 

The killing has to stop instantly and the mechanism for immediate ceasefire must be set in motion. Saving the remaining lives by supplying basic ameneties such as water, food, medicine, and electricity is of utmost importance. If gates are closed by the Oppressor to prevent aid from reaching the suffering people, there has to be coercion to overcome such barriers. What is the use or the meaning of so many laws and world organizations if they are so effete and impotent to do what is urgent and right, when the terror State of Israel impudently dictates terms to the world? How can we let criminals decide life-and-death matters which make the difference, literally, between life and death for the innocent prisoners of Gaza?

The resignation of Craig Mokhiber, Director of the NY Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, comes as no surprise in such a context. He denounces Israel’s “textbook genocide” and laments how the UN “is failing to address the unfolding events in the occupied territories” and asserts that all member states must align themselves to International Humanitarian Law. While many senators and others in authority have plucked up courage to stand up for Palestine, while filmstars and sportstars have voiced their staunch support for the oppressed, not to mention the fearless stance taken by journalists and activists, from different parts of the world, another noteworthy person to leave is Josh Paul, the State Department official, who recently resigned in protest of US arms transfers to Israel. He states in his letter of resignation that,

“[w]e cannot be both against occupation, and for it. We cannot be both for freedom, and against it.  And we cannot be for a better world, while contributing to one that is materially worse.” This dichotomy brings out the duplicity and ambiguity of US policy in the matter.

It is an obligation upon each of us to educate ourselves to the best of our ability on the current crisis and its roots reaching far back into millennia of history. To avoid the pitfalls of this challenging task, we must align ourselves to the truth and seek authentic sources written by people who have carried out extensive research on matters pertaining to the conflict. Unless we make an effort to learn the untold narrative, the calculated and manipulative Zionist propaganda will both divert and misguide us. For instance, while extreme outrage was expressed for the fabricated news that Hamas beheaded forty babies, uttered by no less than the US president himself without verification, the actual killing of nearly four thousand children – which is a hundredfold of the formerly alleged number – in Gaza by Israeli bombing, is justified by flimsy and unconvincing excuses. When Israeli lives are lost they are “killed” or “beheaded” but when Gazan lives are lost they are said to have “died.”  Such word play, of which this is an extremely light example, is part of the racist rhetoric which is second nature to the Zionists. One cannot forget the falsehood upon which the nation was built: “A land without a people, for a people without a land.” This myth of the invader rendered the native inhabitants of Palestinian Arabs invisible from the outset and facilitated their remorseless and qualmless expulsion.

Far more involved and loaded terminology is in use to motivate and propagate the agenda of genocide. When the Israeli Prime Minister addressed the nation recently, he borrowed a weighty expression from the Old Testament to imply that it is a religious requirement to exterminate the Palestinians. “Amelek,” presently also called the Amelkites, is the word he chose to describe the Palestinians with. However, no historical or genealogical link between the two exists. The Amelek were a cursed people decreed to be wiped out for their betrayal of the Israelites. The insinuation, though not very subtle, in the remark works on the illogical assumption that the present-day people of Palestine are treacherous and it is a duty to kill them all. A scholar points out that the biblical context mentions men, women, and children in the intended massacre. The PM went on to encourage the soldiers to perform this “sacred killing” and elevated them to a pedestal of heroism in line with the legendary warrior and successor of Moses, Joshua bin Nun. It is then deliberate, and NOT accidental, that they repeatedly bomb civilian targets on the pretext that Hamas is using them as a human shield. As an activist rightly asked, even if a human shield is involved how can you justify bombing them knowing they greatly outnumber the “real” target. Besides, it is beyond comprehension what heroism and bravery have to do with fighting unarmed people and children! The frightening part is that they do not even need an excuse if what drives them is the religious fanaticism that the PM was advocating unabashedly. What the world sees as unjustified collective punishment of the Gazans translates to a “noble and necessary” ethnic cleansing for the perpetuation of the Zionist State.    

Returning now to the earlier mention of how to become aware of the perils of Palestine, out of the numerous voices and opinions heard, it would be of great benefit to learn from those who have first-hand experience of life in the region. Noam Chomsky, already mentioned above, is an indispensable and indisputable authority in this discussion, and his views are essential as he states that, “Israel [is] the leading issue of my life since early childhood. I started talking publicly about the criminal nature of Israel’s actions in 1969…” He further observes that, “[t]he Gaza horror story is … one of the worst of contemporary crimes, shrouded in a dense network of deceit and apologetics for atrocities.” From personal experience he recalls, 

the harsh, brutal repression … in the occupied territories now for over 50 years, increasing in violence and repression … There are almost daily cases of one or another kind of violence, intimidation, repression … IDF [Israel Defense Forces] watching, sometimes participating. …, it’s shocking to see.”

Another source of voluminous research, presenting a learned and impartial grappling with facts is found in the writings of Ilan Pappé, a New Historian of Israel and Director of European Center of Palestine Studies at the University of Exeter. He has published fifteen books on the Middle East and on the Palestine Question. In his article titled, “Why Is­rael wants to erase con­text and his­to­ry in the war on Gaza,” written two days ago, he asserts that “[t]he de­his­tori­ci­sa­tion of what is hap­pen­ing helps Is­rael pur­sue geno­ci­dal poli­cies in Gaza.”  In other words, the Zionists opt to disregard five to seven decades of oppression, repression, and suffocation of Palestine and pretend to be unaware of their own culpability; instead, they make out that the retaliation of Hamas is both unprovoked and the sole trigger of violence, whereas, the consequent IDF carnage of Palestinians is self-defence. Pappé provides historical context to the present crisis and traces developments in the 19th century ideology of the rebirth of the Jewish nation; he moves on to the Balfour Declaration of 1917 which solidified the dream of a Jewish State.  He continues,

“[a]nother historical context relevant to the present crisis is the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestine that included the forceful expulsion of Palestinians into the Gaza Strip from villages on whose ruins some of the Israeli settlements attacked on October 7 were built. These uprooted Palestinians were part of the 750,000 Palestinians who lost their homes and became refugees.”

This article, coming from an Israeli who had to leave his position as senior lecturer, at the Middle Eastern History Department and the Political Science Department of the University of Haifa, owing to the revealing research he produced undermining the Zionist cause which brought hostile reactions from his countrymen, enlightens us to a great degree on the subject and is a must-read for all of us even though we may not be able to study his fifteen books!

Miko Peled, born in Jerusalem, author of The General’s Son, is another devoted activist, “considered by many to be one of the clearest voices calling for justice in Palestine.” His disillusionment with the ideals of his country, after having served in the Israeli military, led him to a broader and braver outlook on the tensions afflicting the two nations.  His writings, speeches, campaigns and interviews all advocate peace and justice for the people of both Israel and Palestine. Listening to the confessions of former IDF soldiers or those in higher ranks of the forces makes us realize their inner conflict when they are commanded to inflict pain and injustice on Palestinians as their daily routine. Scott Ritter, former UN Marine Corps Intelligence Officer and UN weapon inspector, exposes the hypocrisy of the EU and USA. He cites their scathing attack on Russia when it imposed a blockade, which is missing in their silent collusion with Israel when it does the same against Palestine. He also refers to your being labelled anti-Semitic the moment you dare to criticise Israel. A Christian Pastor, though, was able to deconstruct the myth of anti-Semitism by pointing out that Semitism derives from language and not from ethnicity and that, therefore, it is baseless to use the word as it is used/abused now to mean anti-Jewish.  What is more, Arabic is Semitic, he claims, and from the fact that Palestinians are Arabs, he concludes that the argument that anti-Semitism has anything to do with hating Jews is dismantled altogether!

It is also advisable to learn the stance adopted towards this issue by great men such as Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Mahatma Gandhi (whom I quoted in my previous article.) Leaders who have recently made statements on Palestine include, Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, Former President of Malaysia; the grandson of Nelson Mandela; Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa; the Foreign Relations Minister of South Africa; Luis Arce, the President of Bolivia; those in political positions in countries including the USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, etc., Dr. Mahathir Mohamed unequivocally stamps Israel as the terrorist and Bolivia and its neighbours have severed diplomatic ties with Israel. South Africa plans to recall all its diplomats from Tel Aviv as a sign of their serious concern. Bolivia, took the initiative in this regard and is proud to announce that its decision “is consistent with [her] pacifist policy.” The upright notion certainly resonates with Bolivia, named after its founding father Simon Bolivar, the Liberator, who not only fought against colonialism but stood up for the abolishment of slavery in the quest for an egalitarian society.  King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan have both expressed their views. The king warned Israel that enforced displacement of Palestinians from their homeland is a war crime and the queen objected to the double standards of the pro-Israeli powers.  South African Foreign Relations Minister Naledi Pandor in her outspoken critique, says,

“We’ve had repeated calls…from UN member states for Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories to the 1967 borders. These decisions have been ignored and instead we have witnessed the burgeoning expansion of illegal settlements on Palestinian land, growing oppression of the Palestinian people, gross violation of their human rights, and the Gaza strip being turned into an open air prison, regularly denied water, electricity, and fuel….for 16 years Gaza has been under siege with its people struggling to survive the ongoing land, air, and sea blockade imposed by Israel.”

The ever-tightening grip of the tyrant in the last sixteen years is worth noting here as it brings into focus the actual underlying triggers precipitating the recent outburst of violence on the part of the downtrodden. The Arab countries have been issuing stern statements condemning the Israeli military’s killing of civilians while Iran-backed fighters of Lebanon and Yemen have begun firing Israeli targets. There is a worldwide boycott of Israeli products by consumers while Iran has called for an oil embargo on Israel. In many cities, including Colombo today, crowds protesting against Israel throng the streets calling for an immediate ceasefire. At an individual level, too, people have made an impact. Julius Malema, an MP of South Africa, for instance, has made a characteristically fiery speech against Israel.  A calmer, but well-informed speaker worth listening to is Shahid King Bolsen, US activist and journalist (allegedly suspected of miscreance) who will provide you with a load of information and new ways of approaching the subject. While many charities operate to fund the needs of Palestinians, destitute in their own country, we admire the generosity of Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur who said “It’s very tough seeing children, babies dying every day” and announced she would donate part of her WTA Finals prize money to help war-struck Palestinians!

This war is not going to be a case of “veni, vidi, vici” to any of the contenders and it is appalling to imagine what is in store. The death toll is rising every minute and the helplessness and suffering of the victims is beyond description. However, it is our earnest hope that the global call for a ceasefire will soon take effect, making way for meaningful peace talks. Chomsky, inspite of his despairing portrayal of Palestine, believes that change is still possible. He reminds us that “without US Aid, Israel wouldn’t be killing Palestinians en masse” and that US policy has to change for any substantial development to come about in Palestine. Tareq Al-Suwaidan, a well-known Kuwaiti author and academic based in the US, who was named as one of the most influential people in 2022, trains youth in leadership roles. In an interview on the current conflict, he ends on a positive note that through a correct approach and guidance we can still pave the way to peace.

Let us heed the admonishment, ‘And declare, “The truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.”’  (The Holy Qur’an, chapter 17, The children of Israel: verse 81.)

Latest comments

  • 12
    11

    If it will interest anyone, Chomsky is Jewish by birth and thoroughly informed in matters of the Jewish faith.
    His brilliant analytical mind transcends all parochialism.

    • 11
      1

      “His brilliant analytical mind transcends all parochialism.”

      My Elders have been looking for such minds for a long time. All they found was those residual Maoists, hard-line Sinhala/Buddhist nutters, …. ….

      • 2
        0

        Where was the writer when Tamils were subjected to genocide in Srilanka where Muslims aided and abetted the crime. Muslims have committed murder and ethnic cleansing of Tamils, appropriated their lands, changing Tamil names to Arabic and destroying Hindu temples and building mosques over them. Muslims will never on their own grant justice to Tamils. Have you heard the absurd slogan of Muslim racists, “Islamic Caliphate encompassing the world”. Can this happen by peaceful means or by murdering and subduing non-Muslims. So when does these offenders, the aggressors, defend when all they have done over centuries to offend. There is also Muslim plan to Islamize Lakdive Islands, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Srilanka. Is this not naked aggression. This is divine retribution to Arabs for the crimes they committed to Jews. Israel has divine protection and however much these infidels try, they will come a cropper like what happened before.

        • 3
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          This problem was created by Muslims. Pakistan and Israel were created at the same time and on same principle. One cannot be right and other wrong. While Hindus accepted Pakistan for the sake of peace, Muslims did not accept Israel, and went to destroy it the very next day it was formed. So Muslims are the aggressors and Jews the defendants. They tried twice more to destroy Israel and failed, and this is the fourth attempt. Most of the Muslims want Israel destroyed, and this talk of liberating Palestinians is not the reason. Hindus in Pakistan are facing systematic ethnic cleansing and no Muslim has condemned it. Muslims always have double standards, and duplicity is in their blood. This will be a protracted war and as usual, Israel will triumph and in the process Muslim countries will suffer political rout and economic ruin.

  • 4
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    They are not using the supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.

    Palestine has won the social media of protestors globally supporting palestine even in US today newsWahington post .

  • 11
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    The right to defend does not give way to attacking another group of people who were not involved in the initial attack. Israel is an Apartheid country. The definition of Apartheid is clear – any government that discriminates against one group of people based on the ethnicity of that group is Apartheid. This is exactly what Israel does in its own country.
    Two wrongs will not make one wrong right because of the other wrong. Hamas although elected by the people to rule Gaza is not a government like the government in Israel, as Gaza is not a country. Hamas attacking Israeli civilians is not right and it’s a human rights violation, there should be no doubt about it. On the part of Hamas, there are reasons why it attacked Israel but the fault lies in attacking the Israeli civilians and not the armed forces or the security establishments. Hamas should be brought before the war crimes tribunal. Similarly, a non-government attacking Israel and Israel doing the same or worse by attacking civilian children, women and men indiscriminately is a major crime and not only Netanyahu, but the entire war cabinet, armed forces, and security establishment senior officials should be brought before the war crimes tribunal.

    • 7
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      B1,
      Commendable – application of principle UNIVERSALLY, without any deviation – solve, ‘majority’ of our problems!!!??? Selective application, by Favoured, Depriving by “OTHERS” – is BANE of the ISSUE!!!???
      May 2009 is a CLASSIC EXAMPLE!!!???
      Whatever, the CAUSE, the MERITS and/or DOWNSIDE f the measures taken by the SLG, ARMED FORCES BATTLING the LTTE TERRORISTS, would have PALED into INSIGNIFICANCE and NON-EVENT, if the UNHRC and/or any other international AGENCY was ALLOWED UNTRAMMELLED ACCESS AND SUPPORT TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION under the AEGIS of UNO alongwith SL Investigative agencies were enabled to conduct the process 1/4 century ago – TO STAMP AND CERTIFY THAT FACT – as claimed by our Greatest General (not all Generals), The Field Marshal’s claim that the SL Armed Forces held with esteem the International chronicle on engagement in wars and the T56 on the other to annihilate the Tiger or any other Terrorists in this pristine ISLAND – BUDDHA DHARMA DEEPAYA – Sri Lanka, back in 2009!!!???
      Further engagement, if any would’ve been MUTED, if not, “NEVER SEEN LIGHT OF DAY”!!!???
      Denial, of it “MaRa’s Appachche’s Government” back in 2009 and ‘Gamarala’, reputed, “setting fire to Appachche’s CHENA – 50’s, provides absolutely INADEQUACY of CREDIBILITY or INTERGRITY.”

  • 8
    1

    “The right to defend” principle is right or wrong is a question that should be measured with single and common measure by all whether you are big or small or whether you are poor or rich. Unfortunately we are not prepared to accept one measure. In Sri Lanka when thousands of civilians were murdered Sinhalese and Muslims were on the side oppressors/right to defend or kill and accepted Sinhalese have the right to kill thousands of Tamil Civilians.

    • 3
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      Ajith
      Show proof. Tell me the exact location/locations where Sinhalese killed thousands of Tamil civilians.

      • 17
        4

        Chaps,
        What will you do if I give you proof?
        There are lots of proof.

        • 3
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          Ajith
          If “there is lots of proof”, you should be able to list them.

          • 10
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            You should have heard that a Sinhalese military who killed children and parents and buried them in the toilet sentenced to death by a court and later that military person was released by a President of the country.

            • 3
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              Ajith
              No, I haven’t heard Sinhalese military killing children. Give me the exact location/locations where they did it. You said there was lots of proof.

              • 7
                1

                Champa,

                Have you heard of the Chencholai bombing?

                • 1
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                  KHP
                  You may remember that Mr Ananadasangaree fully endorsed it as he saw tiger cubs among those killed.

            • 2
              8

              “Tell me the exact location/locations where Sinhalese killed thousands of Tamil civilians.”
              Was not that the challenge?
              Not that agree with C, but this is a ‘malle pol’ answer.

          • 4
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            One example, in Nawalapitiya my classmate who was a polio victim who became an Engineer, was burnt alive in his cinema. Is this enough proof?

      • 13
        0

        Champa

        “Tell me the exact location/locations where Sinhalese killed thousands of Tamil civilians.”

        What kind of proof?
        Don’t you think you should be aiming this very stupid question at the rioters who killed innocent people since 1956, and your armed forces between 1971 and 2009?

        Is it that difficult for you to grow up?

        • 1
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          Native Vedda
          Your answer is proof that Ajith was lying.
          I am waiting. Tell me the exact location/locations where Sinhalese killed thousands of Tamil civilians.

          • 11
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            Champa

            “I am waiting. Tell me the exact location/locations where Sinhalese killed thousands of Tamil civilians.”

            Are you that ignorant not to know about mass graves?
            Do you really want to learn about locations of mass graves?

            Go to National archive and ask for Chandrika’s three Commission reports.

            Read
            REPORTS: 13 JUNE 2023
            MASS GRAVES
            https://itjpsl.com/reports/mass-graves

            Unearthing the Truth about Sri Lanka’s Mass Graves
            https://groundviews.org/2023/06/25/unearthing-the-truth-about-sri-lankas-mass-graves/#:~:text=Over%20the%20last%2030%20years,built%20over%20or%20around%20them.

            Transitional Justice Timeline in Sri Lanka
            From page 9 to 13, a chronology of events.
            https://asia-ajar.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/English-Sri-Lanka-Case-Study.pdf

            • 1
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              Native Sudda
              Mass graves? Oh, now you are talking about regular cemeteries. Do you have proof that all the skeletons found there were of Tamils? Sometime ago, there was a brouhaha about a “mass grave” in Mannar which was later found to be a Portuguese era cemetery!
              Tell me which page of the reports that you referred to say “Sinhalese killed thousands of Tamil civilians”.
              Tell me the exact location/locations where Sinhalese killed thousands of Tamil civilians.

          • 7
            2

            Champa,
            Can you proof your sexuality?

            • 8
              0

              are you hoping Chimpa to parrot “tell me the location / locations “.???? Not sure about others, me NOT interested.

              • 4
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                Chimpa, read article “aerial bombing of Jaffna St. James Church in 1993, by Ruki Fernando. – DM , 11 November, 2023.

            • 5
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              Ajith

              “Can you proof your sexuality?”

              Champa used to bat for Wimal.
              Wimal now thinks Hindians fixed batting disaster of Sri Lanka.
              Maybe Raw colluding with CIA.

              Come on Champa does not know many things that happened in Sri Lanka. Therefore it is unfair to ask her many things.

            • 0
              5

              A
              “Champa, Can you proof your sexuality?”
              Nobody can proof that thing.
              It is not a fabric to waterproof
              It is not printing matter for one to produce a proof.
              Nor is it dough to knead.
              *
              Why are you interested in C’s sexuality? You may have rivals here.

              • 4
                0

                ” You may have rivals here ” Obviously, you must be one. Yes you can call a donkey a donkey, that too a lying one. People like you are a embarrassment and liability to community. With people like you around, we need to give credit to TNA / ITAK/ Sam / SJV , MS,……….. for what ever achieved. Initially claiming LTTE killed more Tamil Civilians and then back tracking ” outside of war ‘. Do you have the tally on Tamil Civilians killed by SB soldiers / SB (including pogroms ), IPKF ………….. Then you claimed ” only a fraction of Muslims openly support IS”. Is this something anyone can openly support ???? You a retired Prof , must be expecting Muslims to tattoo their support on their foreheads “????? “A border separating any form of narrow Nationalism and Fascism is very narrow and can be blurred , there are no conditions to call a fascist , a fascist like Putin , Xi, Mao, Kim …….”. A lying donkey who pretends to be unaware of the suffering and death of his own people is now a self claimed authority on Fascism. According to you Wagner is like CIA but Russia is not responsible for his murders , is US responsible for CIA ??? You blame Western media and then selectively quote Chomsky . Why don’t you respond to roynathan’s comments on Comrade terrors and FASCISM ???

                • 1
                  0

                  What a pathetic defence of an unwarrented nasty comment.
                  Did it hurt you somewhere?
                  Sorry if it has.

      • 5
        0

        Are you joking? Where were you in 1983?

    • 18
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      Correct all these Sri Lankan Muslims now constantly coming here and posting one article after the other with regards to the plight of the Palestinian Arabs and crying on behalf of them in the name of Islam, were silent and very quiet and were on the side of the racist Chingkalla Sri Lankan state. armed forces and the oppressors and their right to kill thousands of innocent Thamizh civilians, with whom they shared the same ethnicity (which they now deny in the name of their religion and a some imagined Arab ancestry that in only in their brainwashed minds), language, origin and heritage, just for scraps that was falling from the Chingkalla table.

      • 16
        5

        Crying about Palestinians and constantly wailing and posting essays here, just because they only share the same religion but nothing else, but rejoiced and sided with the Chingkallams, when the killed and oppressed thousands of Thamizh and committed war crimes on them, despite sharing the same ethnicity, language and heritage again all in the name of Islam and a fake Arab origin, that everyone knows they do not have and has now been proven they do not have at all or hardly. What a bunch of hypocrites with double standards. So are most of the Chingkallams here, crying about Palestinians and the Apartheid state of Israel but very quiet and supporting the racist Apartheid Chingkalla Buddhist Fascist state and what it is still doing to the island’s Thamizh. One even had the audacity to say what happened to the Thamizh is trivial but still comes here to support the Palestinian cause. Even the current President had questioned the USA asking why Sri Lanka was treated differently from Israel when it did the same thing to the island’s Thamizh? So he was acknowledging what happened to the island’s Thamizh was and is the same as what is happening to the Palestinian Arabs?
        https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/ranil-questions-double-standards-of-us-in-gaza-and-sri-lanka/article67497958.ece

        • 7
          3

          Piglet,
          “It’s not that I support Hamas or Hezbollah; I don’t.” – Evil Emperor.
          It is not about IMF loans. He knows he will get it because it is IMF’s urgency to merge Langkang masses further down in the inundation. So, the IMF loan is not for the people, it is also for the cabinet ministers. It is not just the Old Rowdies, but if you look at sports minister’s exasperation, Evil is out there to safeguard & salvage many crocodiles from their corruptions & crimes. Here, what Evil aiming is the 10,000 farm workers he wants to send to Israel. The multi-talker Evil said that Western countries should pay him Royalty for him sending many employees to those countries. Now he wants to break up with his old Pal Hamas, and associate with Israel only to find a new source fo income for highly corrupted Colombo’s Foreign employment agencies. There was a time the Playboy ministers’ henchmen dislodged Bati Farmers from their houses and farm field, forcefully put on Rapist Navy’s rag boats, sent to sail on the sea as Tamil refugees seeking Western Asylum. In the Israel Hamas war chaos, Israel lost lot of Palestinian workers. So Israel’s 10,000 farm workers deal going to be new venture for Appe Aanduwa.

  • 3
    14

    This comment I am writing now is actually overdue. I regret my tardiness in writing this.
    Palestinian children are not responsible for Israeli government’s “deliberate failure” to protect its citizens from Hamas’ suicide attack.
    This is what the captured Mrs. Yocheved Lifshitz, (her husband is still in Hamas captivity) who lived just two kilometers away from the Israeli iron wall, said after her release.
    “We were the scapegoat of the government. They [Hamas] warned us THREE WEEKS BEFORE they taught us a lesson. A huge crowd arrived at the road. They burned fields. They sent incendiary balloons to burn the fields, and the army didn’t take it seriously.” (source: Politico)
    From the very beginning, I didn’t believe Hamas’ attack on Israel was a “surprise” attack. In my very first comment on Israel-Gaza conflict on October 9, 2023, I wrote;
    “I am still trying to find the “missing piece” in Hamas’ invasion of mighty Israel. What happened to their extremely capable Intelligence services and the much hyped Iron Dome? And, the US intelligence? I don’t know whether I am imagining things, but something is missing here.”
    Mrs. Yocheved Lifshitz’s honest statement helped me find the “missing piece” mentioned in my very first comment on the Gaza war.
    1/2

    • 4
      12

      The Israeli government is the “missing piece”. They deliberately let their citizens be killed by Hamas and take hostages so that they can use it as a;
      a) “right to defend Israel”,
      b) “right to displace Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by force”,
      c) “right to drop over 7,000 US-made bombs on refugee camps, schools, hospitals, residential buildings, bakeries, ambulances and aid convoyes”,
      d) “right to make plans to reoccupy the Gaza Strip indefinitely” and sadly, as the US and other western leaders blindly justified,
      e) “right to kill Palestinians in savage rush and rage retaliation”.
      I feel very sad. Tears welling up in my eyes. I sincerely urge the US President Mr. Joe Biden to issue a Presidential Declaration for a “HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE” in Occupied Palestine on COMPASSIONATE GROUNDS, IMMEDIATELY. He may be the first US President to do so. But, it doesn’t matter. It is the right thing to do. He has all the power to do it. He doesn’t need Israel’s approval. He can threaten to stop military funding if Israel doesn’t respect his order.
      Simultaneously, the United Nations Security Council may unanimously pass its much delayed “Resolution on Calling for a Humanitarian Ceasefire and End all Military Activities to Restore Peace in Occupied Palestine Territories”.
      2/2

  • 2
    0

    “Israel’s right to defend” means Israel using conventional weapons and attacking its perceived enemies. Palestinians’ liberation fight means, within its landscape, using peaceful and armed struggle to oust the occupiers outside. If the parties venture out of these premises, then it is regular war with another country (not freedom fight) and opening up for war crimes, and not self-defense, opening up for genocide accusations. Now Russia and Ukraine are at war with each other, it is not Ukraine fighting self-defense war because long ago Ukraine has started firing missiles in Russian grounds. It was Palestinians’ rep that Hamas entered into Israel, shot civilians, kidnapped hostages & made the operation as “War with Israel” instead of a freedom fight. One cannot drag Gandhi into this. Gandhi is not an Abrahamic religions follower. They cannot comprehend how Gandhi formulated his satyagraha based on Thirunavukkarasar’s “Resistance Philosophy – the disobedience”. It was religiously confined not to cause physical pain to the enemy, he kept guiding Indians to take body pains voluntarily as methods of resistance. There is no conventional war theory of “match violence with violence”. This is not suitable for Abrahamic religious friends who believe God, the big guy, created the earth for the enjoyment of Humans. Those who resorted to kidnap civilians to use as bargain chips and murdered other civilians, cannot apply Gandhi’s revelations for them.

  • 2
    0

    Gandhi did not limit to whom his revelation should apply. But the Abrahamic religions cannot accept Gandhi’s teaching like no animal flesh eating, no religious punishments, no forceful conversion so they should not apply Hindu Principle partially like Appe Aanduwa applying UN’s ICCPR’s selected provisions, on its inverse side. Hamas who claims 930 Kallio meters of tunnel network created with sole purpose of warring with Israel and refusing the Palestinian refugees to seek protection in those, and collected ammunitions from Israel’s enemies like Iran and Hezbollah, only to rain on Israel with rockets, but now calling Gandhian principles is absolutely a distortion game to get protection from Gandhi’s ways. The UN does not follow Gandhi’s ways. Those who engage in conventional war must seek UN help but cannot distort UN’s resolutions and conventions to fight the war in their way. Champawati likes contributors only printing part of others’ analysis and speeches and claiming that those speakers are only supporting their distortions. There is nowhere in the UN materials it is said a freedom fighter can be started by entering into a full member nation, shooting civilians arbitrarily and bringing others home as hostages to use in bargains as chips. The UN’s war rules are limited only between militaries.

  • 3
    0

    It is silly Hamas which claimed victory when it launched 6000 rockets in one night from its bunkers, but calling is as Israel’s war crime/Genocide when they are losing. War will end up in one side’s victory; if Israel’s victory is prevented by pressure, then Hamas will walk away with it.

    Further, after digging 930 kilometers of Tunnels for sole use of warring with Israel, storing 150,000 rockets by transporting through inter-country tunnels from Israel’s enemies in preparation for years, if Hamas explain they entered into Israel and kidnapped civilians and shoot those in the Music Concert was because Israel induced them to do so in abandoned earlier wars, then here is substantial deficiency in development of Hamas Muslims’ brain maturity. Urgent need is that the UN has to take over Gaza, deploy the peacekeepers and set up borders between Gaza and Israel. Otherwise these guys are going to venture out all over the world and claim they are there because somebody induced them. UN SG has always said Hamas should release the kidnapped prisoners right away and cannot be used as bargaining chips. UNSG has always said that hostage taking is a war crime. Holding the hostages without releasing them without any conditions means Hamas is still continuing the war it started. So, Israel is retaining the justification to continue the self-defense war, but after a Humanitarian pause.

  • 3
    8

    Contrary to what some people try to portray, the Israel-Gaza war is NOT a religious conflict. I did a brief research on all three major religions in the world. This is what I found.
    Christianity, Islam and Judaism, all have a violent past. What is remarkable is, they all consider Jerusalem a holy place.
    Christians, Muslims and Jews seem to follow different versions of the same religion and the same God but they look down on each other due to confused religious motivations.
    Christians and Muslims both revere Jesus. Muslims believe One Allah (God in Arabic) is the creator of the world and Jesus is God’s penultimate prophet while Christians believe Jesus is God’s incarnation on earth. They both believe that God is for all mankind. However, Jews believe that God is for Jews people only. I don’t think God made them hate each other. If so, why?

    • 3
      8

      C
      You made a good point that the “Israel-Gaza war is NOT a religious conflict”
      That is a very valuable statement.
      The rest of the text is damping its impact.

    • 7
      0

      Champa

      “Contrary to what some people try to portray, the Israel-Gaza war is NOT a religious conflict.”

      You may be right.
      It has been non stop war launched by religious nutters, …….as part of land, water and other resources grapping war.

    • 1
      4

      Champa, You are wrong. Israeli-Gaza war is religious as christians have no Allah but only Jehovah God of Old testament Jews whose sinless son, their Jesus was sent to earth to pay for the sins of the whole world. Muslim head quarters is Mecca and not Jerusalem which they too are trying to grab but will never succeed though they dont know that as yet. One day all will know that Jesus who promised to come back to jerusalem, will really do so and be accepted.

      • 2
        0

        DTG
        “Israeli-Gaza war is religious as christians have no Allah but only Jehovah God of Old testament Jews”
        You are wrong. Arab Christians refer to God as Allah. Each Christian culture has its own name for God, even in Sinhala and Tamil.
        Here are some Assyrian Christians singing in Aramaic. You can’t get more original than that. You can hear God being referred to as “Allah”.
        https://youtu.be/tZRKbThHPYw?si=wp7HgnBIfqHi17gh

      • 6
        1

        Rubbish. Iam Christian too the word is derived from the same root word that Jew use for God Elohim. They are sister semitic languages and very closely related and lots of their vocabulary is similar and shared. In Hebrew it Elohhim, and Aramaic it Elahi or Allahi and in Arabic it Allah and even Arab Christians call God Allah. Yahweh or Jehovah is another word for God in Hebrew. Some say originally all these different names were used for different deities at one time but later when the concept of one God came in all these names were used for this one God. Are you aware at one time ancient Israelites were in worshipping goddesses the mother goddess? It is only later that the one God concept took over. At times they were also worshipping the god Baal. It was very common at times. As one person pointed out already since the original Dravidian Neolithic farmers migrated to India from the Zagros mountains of ancient Iran to the Indus valley, lots of these ancient names for God comes out in the Thamizh language. Eg El ( Sun god) with names like Elavan or Ellama( female) still worshipped in South India. Eesan( Eesa, Eeshua, Joushua) for Lord Siva. Like in Thamizh we say ” Eelam Eezan chaiyal” meaning everything is God’s work/
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asherah

      • 0
        0

        dtg
        How the devil can you say that it is the Muslims who “are trying to grab” Jerusalem!!! — when it is the land they have inhabited for centuries that has been and continues to be, grabbed from them by the Zionists??

        May I suggest that you get a copy of “A Threat from Within” A Century of Jewish Opposition to Zionism” by Yakov M. Rabkin?
        It explains how the early Zionists (later ones, too) were mostly not religious at all. And they even shied away from “rescuing” threatened Jews during the 30s & 40s, & bringing them to Israel unless they seemed good material for the battles ahead.

        Moreover, the very establishment of the state of Israel runs counter to the Torah and Jewish belief that they must await deliverance in whatever place, etc, they happen to be.

        It is certainly not religion that is driving people like Netanyahu & his Likud partners. Judaism doesnt encompass massacres, ethnic cleansing, etc.

  • 1
    5

    Author:
    “While the criminals enjoy their impunity, wilfully targeting hospitals, mosques, churches, schools, refugee camps, and even ambulances carrying patients….”

    These are targeted because it is a fact that Hamas uses these places to hide themselves, their equipment, explosives, weapons, etc., knowingly putting Gazan civilians at risk. Of course, sometimes the IDF make mistakes but whose fault is it in the first place?

    Here’s a video of Hamas terrorists captured admitting, among other things, that Hamas has ambulances that resemble civilian ambulances, which they use to transport their fighters, leaders, weapons, etc.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoAR2BAdH5c&t=1s

    • 6
      5

      LJ
      This is pathetic.

      • 4
        0

        To those who are firmly convinced that Israeli citizens are “brown”, democratic, and non-racist, this Twitter thread should be an education. It is in response to the Israeli request to India to supply 100,000 workers to replace the Palestinians.
        https://twitter.com/aliqasim/status/1723015145117585806?t=fRB0OAgZH0U5Ot1sc6dwfw&s=19
        Jewish extremists are every bit as hung-up about being “polluted” by infidels as extremist Muslims and Hindus.

        • 3
          0

          Any brown person with self-respect should take note:
          “This is not Bangalore station. This is a Jewish State “
          It is good that all Indian trade unions have rejected the demand.

          • 3
            0

            It being undeniable that the Jews were persecuted and murdered throughout history by various shades of Christians, not Muslims, because they rejected and killed Christ, I find it hilarious that some modern “Christians” find it necessary to defend modern fascist Israel’s actions against fascist Hamas.

    • 6
      0

      Leonard Jayawardena

      “Of course, sometimes the IDF make mistakes but whose fault is it in the first place?”

      Fair enough, IDF should ask Sri Lankan armed forces for training.
      No such mistakes were made between 1971 and 2009 in Sri Lanka.
      Sri Lankan forces were fighting the war with one hand being tied behind the back.

      • 4
        0

        Native,
        Even the Nazis hid their crimes till the very last, but we have modern-day Israelites justifying the wholesale murder of children.
        “Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them; for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me,” Deutoronomy 5:9
        Mr. LJ , a devout Christian, takes Bible injuctions quite literally.

        • 5
          0

          old codger

          “Mr. LJ , a devout Christian, takes Bible injuctions quite literally”

          I find both Sinhalese and Tamils irrespective of their religious shades are supporters of Zionists and Zionism.

          The founding ideology of Terrorism in Palestine was laid down by Jewish groups including Haganah to Irgun, and the Stern Gang (Lehi), well before 1940s.

          I do not why Sinhala/Tamil nutters support madness in the Middle East.

          Let us hear from VP supporter nimal fernando.

        • 0
          2

          OC:
          In a past CT article I advised “laymen” in biblical matters (by which I meant people not fully conversant with the Bible) against quoting the Bible as they almost invariably get it wrong and here we go again.

          Deuteronomy 5:9 has not the remotest relevance and application to the Israel-Hamas conflict. This verse contains a warning against idolatry, in which Israelites were steeped before they were rescued by Yahweh from Egypt and into which they relapsed from time to time in their subsequent history. A good application of this verse can be seen in the case Jehu, a king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (compare 2 Kings 10:30 with 2 Kings 15:10-12). The sin of Jehu in following the idolatry of Jeroboam the son of Nebat was visited upon his fourth generation progeny, who also emulated his ancestors’ sin.
          This verse doesn’t conflict with Deuteronomy 24:16 (compare also Ezekiel 18:20ff).

          Jesus’ ethical precepts include non-violence and pacifism and any true follower of his are bound by them. While I myself personally subscribe to them, I analyse the Israel-Hamas issue from the perspective of those who don’t.

          • 3
            0

            LJ,
            “I analyse the Israel-Hamas issue from the perspective of those who don’t.”
            The Jews believe in “an eye for an eye” etc. So it’s their perspective you use?
            But you’re neither “white” nor a Jew.

            • 0
              2

              OC:
              The word “stupid” doesn’t USUALLY doesn’t cross my mind when I read your comments but I am afraid it does in this case.

              When I stated “I analyse the Israel-Hamas issue from the perspective of those who don’t,” I meant those who do not subscribe to non-violence and pacifism, which include Israel, Hamas and Palestinians, virtually everyone on this planet, including virtually all CT Readers, including you.

              “Eye for an eye” in the book of Exodus (21:23–27) is the principle of reciprocal justice. This means, for example, if X murders Y, then X should be executed and not less than that (like imposing a fine or imprisoning him). That’s fair, isn’t it?There is, however, no evidence that this principle, which predates its occurrence in Exodus, was ever applied literally in Israel, that is, if X injured Y’s eye, X’s eye, too, was injured in punishment.

              • 2
                0

                LJ,
                “The word “stupid” doesn’t USUALLY doesn’t cross my mind when I read your comments”
                Why does the word “patronizing” cross my my mind when I read yours?
                As to religion, it is clear enough that your views come from an Evangelical perspective, as much as Amir Ali uses a Muslim one. You do believe everything in the Bible (subject to your interpretation) of course?

                • 0
                  1

                  OC:
                  Argument by assertion doesn’t impress me. You still have to demonstrate that which of views expressed on CT comes from an “evangelical perspective.” I have shot down your specific arguments, viz., the references to the “fourth generation” and “eye for an eye” verses. What else do you have?
                  Supporting Israel per se doesn’t mean any thing. The majority of Indians support Israel and are they “evangelical”? Many ordinary Iranians support Israel.

                  By the way, while I am an “evangelical” in the basic sense of the word, I disagree with virtually 98% of the teachings of “evangelicals.”

                  Yes, I do believe in the veracity of biblical history and its teachings.

                  • 0
                    0

                    LJ,
                    Canyon get more puerile than “The majority of Indians support Israel and are they “evangelical”?”
                    The majority of Indians are Hindus. But you conveniently ignore that all major Indian trade unions have called for a boycott of Israel.

                  • 0
                    0

                    “Yes, I do believe in the veracity of biblical history and its teachings.”
                    Including that the world was created 6000 years ago, I expect.

            • 0
              2

              OC:
              I once offered “a bit of friendly advice” to a CT friend living in a cooler climate and a here’s a little bit for you.

              1. Don’t drag another’s religion into the discussion unless it is expressly mentioned by him. The views expressed in my CT comments are never informed by my religious beliefs.

              2. Always try to understand the main argument of the commenter you are responding to and stay focused on that. In a lengthy exchange always go back to and check with the original comment to ensure that you stay on topic. Nit picking on minor points is okay on occasion but after refuting another commenter on a minor point don’t go away thinking that you have “destroyed” him. I get this impression from you at times.
              3. If you don’t have any thing valuable say, remain silent. Remember, the old Latin saying si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses, which translates to, “If you had kept your silence, you would have stayed a philosopher.” In the “Yes, Prime Minister” comedy series, Sir Humphrey Appleby translated it to the PM as. “If you’d kept your mouth shut we might have thought you were clever.”

              • 3
                0

                LJ,
                “don’t go away thinking that you have “destroyed” him”
                I thought you were the one who claimed to have “silenced” me?
                I don’t suffer verbal diarrhoea in support of any party. All I am saying is that it is evil to deliberately kill children as a response to what their parents might have done, whether they are Arabs or Jews. I do think Hamas is terrorist. Do you have the honesty to describe some Israeli actions as terrorist? I think not.

                • 0
                  1

                  OC:
                  I was referring to some of your exchanges with commenters in general. Actually, after posting my comment, I wished I had put “refuted” within inverted commas. I can’t recall any occasion you have “refuted” me. If you had, I would have acknowledged it. That’s my policy.

                  With regard to the deaths of children, do you have a magic formula for defeating Hamas without killing children? If so, please get in touch with the IDF immediately.
                  The difference between Hamas and Israel is that the former kill children deliberately while the latter do not. There is no moral equivalence.

                  • 0
                    1

                    I was basically referring to your propensity to pick on minor points of a thread and then going off on a tangent.

                  • 1
                    0

                    LJ,
                    “With regard to the deaths of children, do you have a magic formula for defeating Hamas without killing children? “
                    No I don’t. But thanks for finally admitting that you approve of it. Even the IDF doesn’t, officially. Neither did the SS.

                • 1
                  0

                  LJ,
                  “don’t go away thinking that you have “destroyed” him”.
                  I only pointed out that ÿour position that “all Sri Lankan citizens have equal rights” is false, with evidence from government statistics.
                  And I did show that many Israelis if not most, are recent European immigrants.
                  Also, I showed that some Sri Lankans seem quite comfortable working in Gaza.
                  One shouldn’t make blanket statements based on YouTube videos, especially Israeli ones.
                  I am not out to destroy anyone, unlike Netanyahu. I am not offended by logical arguments supported by evidence, as opposed to propaganda.

                  • 0
                    1

                    OC:
                    “I only pointed out that ÿour position that “all Sri Lankan citizens have equal rights” is false, with evidence from government statistics.”

                    I am powerless against stupidity. For the last time I am telling you that “rights” relates to basically what we call legal rights, which are enshrined in the Constitution first and then other laws, which are common to both the majority and the minorities. What you are referring to, if true, is SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION, which is defined in one place as “patterns of behaviour, policies or practices that are part of the structures of an organization, and which create or perpetuate disadvantage for racialized persons.”

                    This IRRELEVANT point was raised by you (something you are too often guilty of) under a thread dealing with Israel’s alleged apartheid treatment of Arabs. Apartheid relates to RIGHTS, as I have repeatedly told you.

                    • 0
                      0

                      LJ,
                      Stop this futile hair-splitting. I will not call you stupid. Just pretend stupid.
                      Your ludicrous “legal rights” are enshrined in the constitution, but on the ground, in practice, even you wouldn’t be allowed to assume the Presidency (which you could in the US).
                      In practice, Sinhala Buddhists hog over 90% of top positions. Bleating about systemic discrimination changes nothing about the FACT of discrimination. Have the good grace not to deny facts.

                  • 0
                    1

                    OC:
                    “And I did show that many Israelis if not most, are recent European immigrants.”

                    But in spite of some mixing with Europeans they have retained a high degree of their original genes. I saw this on the internet.

                    “Ashkenazi Jewish Paternal Y Chromosome is 85% Middle Eastern DNA. Ashkenazi Jewish Maternal Mitochondrial is under debate. Some studies show as low as 20% Middle Eastern DNA. Some studies show it as high as 60% Middle Eastern DNA. In any case: Ashkenazi averages out at 60% Middle Eastern DNA.”

                    Seeing is believing. Just check out the videos of the YouTuber Corey Gil-Shuster, a Jew, who has uploaded scores of videos in which he asks questions from both Jews and Arabs selected at random. Then you tell me which are more “white.” Watch at least 10 videos.

                    Here’s one to begin with:
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APJBX4Hx1-M

                  • 0
                    0

                    OC:
                    “Also, I showed that some Sri Lankans seem quite comfortable working in Gaza.”

                    But you would admit, if you were honest, that they would feel infinitely more “comfortable” if given an opportunity to work in Israel. Even many Gazans used to travel to Israel for work (why?), which stopped after Oct 7.

                    Again, this point was raised in the context of my assertion that the Jews have made their part of Palestine prosperous to a degree that would not have been possible if not for them. That was the MAIN argument. Would you deny that? Not if you are honest.
                    Quite apart from their high per capita income, their contributions to such areas as science and technology, business, art, music, etc. have been outstanding. The number of Jewish Nobel prize winners is completely disproportionate to their population. Which Arab country has paralleled them in all this?

                    • 0
                      0

                      LJ,
                      “the context of my assertion that the Jews have made their part of Palestine prosperous to a degree that would not have been possible if not for them”
                      So, if someone takes over your house and brightens it up, you would approve of it? I don’t use words like “stupid” on other people. Those who do only expose their inability to reason.

                    • 0
                      0

                      LJ,
                      “Which Arab country has paralleled them in all this?”
                      Your ignorance is pathetic.
                      Do you even know what language the words “algebra ” or “algorithm ” or even alcohol come from? Who named the stars Aldebaran and Vega.
                      Jews?Come off your slavish reverse racism.

                  • 0
                    0

                    OC:
                    “One shouldn’t make blanket statements based on YouTube videos, especially Israeli ones.”

                    Your level of stupidity keeps rising. I was referring to YouTube videos showing random street scenes and these are uploaded not only by Jews but also non-Jews (including visitors to Israel) and their interests and foci are different (not to show that Jews and Arabs are equally white or brown, etc.)

                    You: “… as opposed to propaganda.”

                    I have never quoted propaganda in my recent exchanges with you. If you thought that, then it shows poor judgement on your part but then should I be surprised? Just because some thing is
                    written or uploaded by a Jew doesn’t make it automatically propaganda. Whether it is so has to be determined by a close examination.

                    The article that I linked to was written by a Jew, who had been mistaken for an Arab. He expresses his longing for reconciliation and peaceful co-existence between the Jews and the Palestinians. Not at all a Jewish propagandist.

                • 4
                  2

                  OC
                  Some of the claims of evil deeds by Hamas like chopping off heads of children were Israeli fabrications, based on which people lied, including Biden.

    • 1
      2

      PK
      You are dead right on words referring to god in Abrahamic religions.

      • 0
        1

        Sorry PK.
        It seems that I should have disagreed with you.

    • 2
      1

      Hello LJ,
      The one that drops the bomb, fires the gun, mortars the house with civilians inside, is responsible. Its like the rapist blaming the victim for their crime. As I have mentioned before, 1400 years or so ago (In Ireland and Scotland) Adomnan promulgated the Law of the Innocents that protected non-combatants – women, children, priests and the elderly. Under current International Law it is the duty of occupying forces to protect civilians, not to kill them.
      Best Regards

  • 1
    7

    This author exemplifies the new level of absurdity that apologists/ supporters of Palestinians/Hamas have now reached with it being asserted that Israel has no right to defend itself against the barbaric attack against itself on Oct 7. That Israel has no right to defend itself because the Palestinians’ cause is just and Israel’s is not is a matter of OPINION and that opinion may be wrong. Isn’t this similar to saying, for example, that the Sri Lankan Government had no right to respond when the LTTE exploded bombs in Colombo?

    This “genocide” by Israel could be brought to an immediate end if Hamas, the party that committed the initial provocative act, ceased their hostilities against Israel and surrendered. Why aren’t supporters of Palestinians saying that if they care so much about Gazan civilians, who are also the victims of Hamas’ actions (at least in so far as they are not supporters of Hamas themselves)?

    I have sympathy only for those Gazans who do not support Hamas and were/are forced to suffer silently under their rule for fear of incurring their wrath and little children. Some actually celebrated Hamas’ attack on Oct 7 and called the perpetrators heroes.

    • 3
      0

      Leonard Jayawardena
      _
      “This “genocide” by Israel could be brought to an immediate end if Hamas, the party that committed the initial provocative act, ceased their hostilities against Israel and surrendered.”

      Brilliant.
      I suppose Hamas invented terrorism.

      However I stumbled upon certain information which may be wrong.

      Stern Gang
      British name for a Zionist terrorist group calling itself “Lohamei Herut Israel Lehi” (Fighters for the Freedom of Israel). It campaigned actively (1940–48) in British-administered Palestine for the creation of a Jewish state. Founded by Abraham Stern (1907–42), the Stern Gang numbered no more than a few hundred. They operated in small groups and concentrated on the assassination of government officials. Their victims included Lord Moyne, the British Minister for the Middle East (1944), and Count Bernadotte, the United Nations mediator in Palestine (1948).
      https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100531821
      -.
      Excerpt:
      The British police retaliated by killing Stern in his apartment in February 1942; many of the gang’s leaders were subsequently arrested. The group’s terrorist activities extended beyond Palestine
      https://www.britannica.com/topic/Stern-Gang

      • 3
        0

        Leonard Jayawardena
        _
        “This “genocide” by Israel could be brought to an immediate end if Hamas, the party that committed the initial provocative act, ceased their hostilities against Israel and surrendered.”

        Brilliant.
        I suppose Hamas invented terrorism.

        However I stumbled upon certain information which may be wrong.

        A lookback at the Zionist terrorism that led to Israel’s creation
        While a lot of western focus is on killings carried out by Hamas, little is being said about the years-long terror campaign launched by the Zionists in the 1940s.

        Murat Sofuoglu
        MURAT SOFUOGLU

        Excerpt:

        But, in the 1940s, long before Palestinian resistance groups like Hamas picked up arms against the Israeli occupation, a plethora of Jewish militias were bombing and shooting dead British officials and Palestinian Arabs.

        Irgun

        In July 1946, Irgun blew up the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, where the British administration headquarters were located, killing 92 people.

        https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/a-lookback-at-the-zionist-terrorism-that-led-to-israels-creation-15767166

  • 3
    2

    Establishing the state of Israel by the International community or the ‘occupation’ by Israel is an International political issue. Terrorists in the guise of freedom fighters rampaging & murdering civilians is not the answer. I would like to ask the author what he says about murdering of 1400 civilians & hostage taking of 240, including small children, by Hamas? A girl taken hostage was paraded semi naked & spat at. Young people enjoying a musical event were murdered in cold blood as they fled. What do you call this barbaric & dehumanising acts?

    • 1
      0

      And this girl died.

    • 4
      4

      “Terrorists in the guise of freedom fighters rampaging & murdering civilians is not the answer. “
      What about terrorists in the name of the state destroying lives and lands?

      • 7
        2

        SJ

        Are you referring to SL?

        • 2
          7

          I exclude none.

  • 1
    5

    This author exemplifies the new level of absurdity that apologists/ supporters of Palestinians/Hamas have now sunk to with it being asserted that Israel has no right to defend itself against the barbaric attack against itself on Oct 7. That Israel has no right to defend itself because the Palestinians’ cause is just and Israel’s is not is a matter of OPINION and that opinion may be wrong. Isn’t this similar to saying, for example, that the Sri Lankan Government had no right to respond when the LTTE exploded bombs in Colombo?

    This “genocide” by Israel could be brought to an immediate end if Hamas, the party that committed the initial provocative act, cease their hostilities against Israel and surrender. Why aren’t supporters of Palestinians saying that if they care so much about Gazan civilians, who are also the victims of Hamas’ actions (at least in so far as they are not supporters of Hamas themselves)?

    I have sympathy only for those Gazans who do not support Hamas and were/are forced to suffer silently under their rule for fear of incurring their wrath and little children. Some actually celebrated Hamas’ attack on Oct 7 and called the perpetrators heroes.

    • 4
      5

      The Israeli response to the attack by Hamas has been totally out of proportion.
      Israel has been conducting ethnic cleansing in the West Bank for many decades, and that intensified in the past few years.
      There were several attacks by Israel in Gaza in the past two decades.
      *
      Hamas has achieved one thing: It has clearly demonstrated how the Global North-South divide is reflected in every key political issue.
      But the working masses of the US ad Europe are with the Global South in this matter unlike the governments.

      • 0
        2

        SJ:
        “The Israeli response to the attack by Hamas has been totally out of proportion.”

        A totally “proportionate” response to Hamas’ attack would be making an incursion into Gaza, massacring civilians, including children, raping women, burning people alive, beheading, taking hostages, etc., etc. Is that what you want Israel to do?

        Israelis are a civilized people unlike Hamas and their supporters and they would not stoop to that level.

        In the absence of Hamas ceasing hostilities against Israel, releasing the hostages and surrendering, Israel has no other option than to keep attacking until Hamas is eliminated. Hamas is committed to annihilating Israel by their charter and hence a political solution is not possible with them. A ceasefire would help Hamas recover and regroup and only prolong the conflict and increase the chances of a repeat of Oct 7 and worse. If Israel were not allowed to finish this job, in the long term there would be more human suffering due the same cycles being repeated.

        Do you have a better PRACTICAL idea?

        • 7
          0

          When it comes to reacting to a terrorist attack, it’s not a matter of proportionate reaction but rather the necessity for lawful reaction.

          But Israel’s reactions have been indiscriminate and, per the UN’s Rights Chief, it too is guilty of war crimes.

          Where is the practicality in Israel’s actions thus far in terms of eliminating Hamas? How about retribution by other enemies in the region with or without Hamas?

          https://www.france24.com/en/video/20231109-israel-s-goal-of-eliminating-hamas-not-going-to-happen-says-palestinian-pm

          • 0
            5

            “When it comes to reacting to a terrorist attack, it’s not a matter of proportionate reaction but rather the necessity for lawful reaction.”
            I suppose that this applies better to the SL government’s reaction to the LTTE in Mullivaikkaal.
            *
            Congratulations!
            You are getting the hang of shooting yourself in the foot.

            • 6
              0

              No boundaries to your delusions!

              Any state reacting to terrorism whether it be at home or abroad shall not commit terrorist acts in retaliation. It applies to Israel. It applies to Sri Lanka. It applies to the U.S. It applies to China. It applies to all governments. It’s international law.

              Comprende?

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                Comprende?
                Ask the President of the US and his client in Israel.
                They seem to have trouble.

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          5

          “a totally “proportionate” response to Hamas’ attack would be making an incursion into Gaza, massacring civilians, including children, raping women, burning people alive, beheading, taking hostages, etc., etc. Is that what you want Israel to do?”
          Congratulations for exposing your true self!

        • 3
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          LJ,
          “A totally “proportionate” response to Hamas’ attack would be making an incursion into Gaza, massacring civilians, including children, raping women, burning people alive, beheading, taking hostages”
          Israel has done most of that already. A true democracy doesn’t apply collective responsibility to whole ethnic groups.The Nazis did, and paid for it. Having been a victim of one crime in the past doesn’t give you a licence to do the same to others now.

      • 0
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        SJ: “There were several attacks by Israel in Gaza in the past two decades.”

        In case you didn’t know, they were all in retaliation to previous attacks by Hamas. Hamas are always the aggressor.

        • 1
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          They were genocidal and totally all out of proportion

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            The Israelis, particularly under Netanyahu, have aimed for a 1: 20 or 1:30 kill ratio (Israelis: Palestinians, an overwhelming majority of them non-combatants) on the assumption that it will make the Palestinians think twice before they attack Israel. Even though it has never worked, they keep repeating it, and it appears their thirst for blood revenge will stop only when the Palestinian dead reaches at least 20 X 1400, or 28000.

            But as these numbers far exceed any minimal notions of genocide, Israel has guaranteed itself a global status as a pariah state (at least in the global South), and a perpetual state of war with the Muslim world. The lesson of Oct 7th is that, despite Israel’s overwhelming military superiority and the backing of the U.S. and Europe, the Arabs retain the ability to spring a surprise when the conditions are right.

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              Agnos
              Israel has been defended in the UNGA by the US and one or two client states.
              As long as Israel is the extended military arm of the US, nothing will happen.
              Remember how long South Africa and Rhodesia got away with their crimes, and at a time when there was a massive anti-colonial anti-racist wave sweeping the world.
              It is sad for the US that it has to back Israel at any cost.

      • 2
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        SJ

        Where do you draw the line. Should Israel stop after the deaths of 1400 civilians who were murdered mercilessly by Hamas? Would then Hamas release the hostages if asked nicely? Did anyone talk of proportionality of force when SL army was fighting LTTE?
        Knowing the Israel response to avenge the deaths of its citizens, Hamas probably started this brutal terror campaign to provoke violence, thereby ending any hope of a peaceful settlement because if there is peace, there would be no Hamas. Hamas leaders live in luxury in Qatar while poor misguided Palestinians are paying with their lives

        • 4
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          Raj,
          “Did anyone talk of proportionality of force when SL army was fighting LTTE?”
          Many people did, and they were either silenced, assassinated or disappeared. That’s how we got to this stage.
          Whatever one may say about the JVP, it was Vijitha Herath who had the nerve to stand up in Parliament and condemn the expulsions of Tamils from Colombo by an all-powerful Defence Secretary.
          If the Jews complained about collective punishment under Hitler, why are they doing the same to others?

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            Thanks OC.

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            old codger

            “…. it was Vijitha Herath who had the nerve to stand up in Parliament and condemn the expulsions of Tamils from Colombo by an all-powerful Defence Secretary.”

            Well JVP never demanded the government to stop the war, all what they said was if the party was elected they knew how to defeat LTTE (Tamils). The same Vijitha Herath is opposed to any kind of equitable settlement of Ethnic issues.

            Please ask him how he would claim back Hambantota Harbour land. In fact it is the reward to the leaseholder for practising “non-interference foreign policy”.

        • 0
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          Raj
          You understand unlike some of our baka pundits here who comment on things they know little or nothing about.
          What is required is not a “proportionate” response but an APPROPRIATE response, which is the total elimination of Hamas so that they could not repeat an Oct 7 or worse. It is a cancer that has to be eradicated.
          Hamas leaders, who are billionaires and living it up in the safety of Qatar, really do not care about Gazan civilians and just use them as pawns in their fight against Israel. According to Hamas spokesmen, they carried out the Oct 7 atrocities fully aware what the Israeli reaction would be in order to revive the Palestinian issue, which they thought was “slipping sway” from the world’s attention (with Arab countries making peace with Israel, etc.).

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            LJ,
            “some of our baka pundits here who comment on things they know little or nothing about.”
            Ah well, I suppose those who deny that they are discriminated against in their own country can well assume that pundit mantle abroad….

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    I vehemently denounce the US National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby’s statement that Israel has agreed to put in place regular daily four-hour pauses for CIVILIANS TO FLEE! (Source: New York Times) This is absolutely wrong. This shows that the US HAS TAKEN PART in Israel’s forcible displacement of Palestinians from Northern Gaza.
    The United States failed again. The Biden administration should be ashamed of its inability to impose a ceasefire in Gaza to protect civilians. It has no power to stop Israel from bombing Gaza and massacring Palestinian children, women, elderly, sick people and men. By October 12, Israel had used over 6,000 US-made bombs containing over 4,000 tons of explosives to kill 1,900 Palestinians. That is within one week. Today is November 10. After five weeks, the death toll is 11,040 and over 22,000 tons of US-made explosives should have been used in the Gaza Strip to kill this many people. Did the US give consent to this? Of course, yes, the US sent military support to Israel at lightning speed.

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      The civilized world demanded an immediate “cease-fire” in the Gaza Strip.
      Western leaders supported a “pause-fire”.
      But, the US was only able to get a “bio-break” in the Gaza Strip.
      Israel is now happily misusing its “bio-break” to accelerate its forcible displacement of Palestininans from Northern Gaza. They are already occupying Palestine’s West Bank territory by force. It is pretty obvious that the Israeli plan is to expel ALL Palestinians from Northern Gaza and move them to Southern Gaza and then relentlessly bomb Southern Gaza forcing Palestinians to move to neighbouring territories. The end result is at least 50,000 – 60,000 of the 2.28 million current population in the Gaza Strip losing their lives and the remaining 2.22 million Palestinians become landless. Take my word, this won’t take years. This will happen within 2-3 months. Just see how easily and how fast Israel PERMANENTLY displaced close to 1 million Palestinians from Northern Gaza. It took only one month. And, I would say this was planned well before October 7.
      It is insane to think that the situation in the Gaza Strip will return to normal. Israel should be stopped right here and right now!

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        Israel is the US’s “AI powered Slaughter Robot”. Now, even the US (Alpha) has no power to control its own “slaughter robot” (wolf) from slaughtering Palestinians (sheep) under the guise of eliminating Hamas militants (sheep who developed wolf teeth) as the “slaughter robot” has disabled its sensors. The only way to control the “slaughter robot” is unplugging it. If the US (Alpha) has no guts to do it, it should allow other powerful actors (shepherd dogs) to “unplug” the “slaughter robot” (wolf). I don’t support a war even to bring justice to vulnerable Palestinians. A war will cause more civilian deaths, more children deaths and more destruction. Unfortunately, it seems just a matter of time for other actors who are militarily more powerful than the US and Israel (if combined) to intervene unless the US feels the gravity of the situation they pathetically failed to control.

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          C
          It is not always that I agree with you.
          this time I fully endorse your comments

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          Champa

          “Israel is the US’s “AI powered Slaughter Robot”.

          Well whose Slaughter Robot is Sri Lanka?
          Don’t forget Nano Robots Shavendra, Gota, Kamala, Sarath, ……… and the annoying mosquito Weerasekera?

  • 1
    1

    I’ve just seen this 15 minute YouTube:
    .
    https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=world+news#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:7ed310b0,vid:3sgxFOFTKqI,st:0
    .
    When the scenes in this were actually recorded, I don’t know but when I saw this it was said that this YouTube was only minutes old – much less than hour, certainly. The time now (submission time: 12:51 AM) is 12:39 AM, Sri Lankan time in Maharagama, on 12 November 2023. This will be submitted by me within minutes, and perhaps before submission I ought to update the time.
    .
    There are so many strands to this, one doesn’t know which facts are actually valid for us to work on. The tragedy is real, but how do we call halt!
    .
    Panini Edirisinhe (NIC 483111444V), usually of Bandarawela.

    • 1
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      Why did I delay so much in submitting this? I by passed by this article because the the horror evoked by the display page was so great when first spotted about three days ago.
      .
      Now I opened because many responses had come in (59 comments) that it was too significant an article to ignore. Then I saw those lines from William Blake
      .
      (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake)
      .
      A poet whom I have studied thoroughly, a very sincere man.
      .
      And the reference to Noam Chomsky:
      .
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noam_Chomsky
      .
      I know that he’s still talking sense at age 94. I haven’t gone into much more of this article. I fear that this is how most reading gets done now.
      .
      And so, I now submit this at 1:10 am, and get on to other matters. I’m as sincere as any other commenter, but there are draw backs to what I now invite other readers read.

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