LogFAQs > #979283350

ScazarMeltex posted...

The problem here though is that the IDF are largely a group of conscripts which means they do represent, to a degree, the average Israeli citizen. Everyone serves their 32 months (men) or 24 (women). People can also be called back in once they've served their mandatory time. Obviously there are career IDF troops as well, but they aren't the majority.

Yes, thats true. Which means most adults in Israel have to live their lives with the mindset that they may have to defend their families from Hamas. They have grown up with that mindset, since the first antifada to the second to the withdrawal from Gaza to this, the threat from Hamas is something they have to endure every day.

So there are some conflicting principles here.

1. Every country, last I checked, prioritizes the lives of its citizens over non citizens to some degree.
2. Every country with a moral compass acts when someone else in the world is suffering from some humanitarian crisis.
3. There are other atrocities in the world like Sudan that arent getting nearly the same amount of world wide attention.
4. Israel calls itself a bastion for freedom and democracy in the Middle East, and yet it can not be disputed is at least partially responsible for starving millions of people.

And in this dilemma, we see that Hamas has snared Israel into the perfect trap. Because while it makes perfect sense that the Israeli public would prioritize the safe return of Kfir Bibas and his family as well as all of the other hostages given what happened to them in October.

However, if we take tribalism out of the discussion, it seems ridiculous at this point that Israelis can still point the finger squarely at Hamas as being solely responsible for what has happened in Gaza.

I will tell you that at least in my social circle, friends, family, synagogue, whatever, its becoming harder and harder to hold on to the idea that justice needs to be done for Kfir and the other victims of October 7th, when its clear that justice is also going to need to be done for the children of Gaza. Its clear that both the Israeli government and Hamas have got to go. Just as its true that some Palestinians may be inspired to join Hamas as a result of what Israel
is doing and has done for decades, its also important to recognize that the sentiments in Israel regarding the welfare of the Palestinians is also born of decades of terror attacks as well.

Not trying to justify it. Just trying to explain how we got here.

That being said - I think we really do not have any other choice than to call for a ceasefire, hostages or not. This trap Hamas has set, the Israelis took the bait hook line and sinker.