#My country is again the victim of a terrorist attack

[matan4il]

The other day, I went with my rl bff to the Jerusalem branch of the Museum of Tolerance for an exhibition on the Hamas massacre.

This is the sight that greeted us. "Esthers of the world, rise up!"

It's a poster celebrating two women whose families had lived in Iran, one is Jewish, the other is Muslim, and both women ended up being murdered due to the Islamic regime of that country, even though the Jewish woman's family had escaped Iran and fled to Israel after the Islamic revolution. The face of each girl is actually a composite, made from many smaller pictures of her people who have lost their lives because of the Islamist regime of Iran.

I knew this right away, because I have shared a piece that was done about the poster and how it came to be almost 2 months ago. 

"You don't understand!" my bff (who works as a teacher) said, all emotional, "She," my friend points to the Jewish girl on the left side of the poster, Shirel Haim Pour, "is the cousin of one of my students."

There is zero distance in Israel between us and the Oct 7 atrocities. 

We go in and join the tour of the exhibition. The guide tells us it was built jointly with Malki Shem Tov, who is a well known name in Israel, if you work at a museum. Malki founded a "creative visual solutions" company with his brother Assaf, through which among other things, they helped build many Israeli exhibitions over the years. "His son..." the tour guide starts to say and I don't need more than that for something to click in my head. I know so many of the names, faces and stories of the hostages, and so Omer Shem Tov pops right away into my mind. I didn't make the connection before, but now I can only imagine what it meant for this father to work on an exhibition that recounts, among other stories, how his son was victimized and robbed of his freedom during this massacre.

There is zero distance in Israel between us and the Oct 7 atrocities. 

The opening wall has a huge time stamp, 6:29 in the morning. 

The tour guide doesn't have to explain this number to Israelis, or why it's designed to look like an alarm clock display. We were all woken up on that fateful Saturday morning by the alarm clock of Hamas' rockets. And it doesn't matter what we thought or believed the day before, as the full scale and horror of the attack were starting to become known along Oct 7, we were all woken up.

There is zero distance in Israel between us and those atrocities. I know this, and still it strikes me, again and again.

There's an area dedicated to the pictures of one photographer who went to the south soon after the massacre. I knew some of them already, like the pic showing the bodies of 13 elderly Israelis, who were on their way to a tour of the Israeli south on that Saturday.

Some are new, like the pic of the door handle in one bomb shelter. I stop for a second, because now that I've moved into my new place, it hits me that the bomb shelter door was made by the same company. Suddenly, I feel like I'm inside the picture in a reality where the terrorists took a slightly different route on Oct 7. The door was photographed from inside the bomb shelter, and the bullets that pierced it, they had to have hit the personal holding it shut. The handle has blood stains on it, and it's broken off. I can only imagine how many hours this person held, and how much force they had to use, for that to happen. I know one thing, even without knowing exactly who this bomb shelter belonged to... If this person was on their own, they would have probably ended up surrendering rather than keep fighting to hold on to the handle this desperately. This was likely someone trying to keep their family safe. 

One note retrieved from the body of a terrorist is on display. It says everything about the motivation of the monsters who committed these atrocities, and every word is purely motivated by antisemitism and religious zeal. The note is actually not in Arabic, as it may first appear, it's in Farsi, the language spoken in Iran, hinting at the source, the Islamist regime there, which doesn't care about the liberation of anyone, it aspires to create a global network of fanatic terrorism.

The translation: "You must sharpen the blades of your swords and be pure in your intentions before Allah. Know that the enemy is a disease that has no cure, except beheading and uprooting the hearts and livers. Attack them!"

There is a section dedicated to women's stories. The exhibition visitors spread out to watch the testimonies, each on a separate screen. It's a not like a forest, you can't really see it for the trees, and it's another moment of feeling overwhelmed because we can't truly get it. It's just not comprehensible, facing so many stories about intentional, face to face cruelty, brutality, sadism and joy in it. Mali Shoshana tells the story of how she tried to play dead while lying shot in a pool of her own blood, but her body wouldn't stop shaking, so she somehow turned on her side to the wall and knocked her injured knee against it, causing herself to pass out from the pain. It saved her life. Ricarda Louk tells the story of the last message they got from her daughter Shani, trusting she was right and there was nothing for them to worry about. Then Ricarda's son started screaming and crying, because he saw the same vid many of came across on that day, of his sister being dragged into Gaza stripped down, mutilated, abused, molested and humiliated, while Gazan civilians were celebrating the public degradation of her body. And there's more and more and more. "You can come back and continue to listen," the guide promises as he moves us to the next segment, but the truth is no matter how many stories I've listened to and absorbed, it still doesn't feel like enough.

There is a wall with the head shots of the victims in Israel who lost their lives due to this war, whether they were murdered on Oct 7 or since, but it's only been updated up until Mar 27 of this year. Even so, no matter what angle I tried, I couldn't fit in all of the pictures.

Interactive screens allow a geographic telling of the massacre's story. They show maps of Israel's south, with dots on them, red for the murdered, dark blue for hostages, bright blue for hostages who have been returned, grey for the injured. You can tap a dot and read a story. Or you can zoom out and try to comprehend how is it possible for there to be that many dots on the maps.

"From darkness to light," reads the exhibition title. That's the perception of time in Judaism. We always move from darkness to light. And there's a section for the light, for stories of resilience, of bravery, of rehabilitation, of mutual support and caring. Filmed interviews that do their best to summarize an incomprehensible amount of good we've seen in response to an incomprehensible amount of evil. It features people from every demographic in Israel, and in that way also serves as a reminder of just how diverse we are as a society.

This part, I think to myself, was included for visitors from abroad. We Israelis, we know.

There's one story I know already. Tomer Greenberg, an Israeli officer, rescued on Oct 7 baby twins from the carnage. He was later killed fighting in Gaza. Like a puzzle, I've heard this story from several angles, including from Tomer before he died. This movie features an interview I hadn't heard yet, with the volunteer paramedic that Tomer handed the twins to. Shalom, this medic, talks about how they clung to him desperately as they got to be fed and feel safe and cared for again for the first time in what's estimated to have been 14 hours. I'm sitting there, thinking of those babies crying, not understanding why their parents aren't coming to feed them, and I don't know how to deal with this.

Shalom shares that the experiences of Oct 7 have inspired him to try and become a combative soldier, something that wasn't on the cards for him before that. I wonder again at people who can act like subjecting an entire (already traumatized) society to a sadistic massacre can liberate anyone.

And I understand Shalom fully. When your family is in the pits of hell, there's nowhere you want to be other than there, with them, doing what you can, rather than sit and watch helpless from afar. Most people would say he did a lot on that day. Shalom must have felt like that still wasn't enough.

At the very end, visitors are invited to add their own little piece of light, through neon notes and pens on which they'd share their thoughts. Nothing feels like it can sum everything I'm thinking and feeling up, but not writing anything feels worse, so my bff and I add a few of our words to the notes.

I don't have any profound conclusions for this post anymore than I did for my note. I just know that this still hurts, that we're still losing people daily, that we can't begin to heal, because we're still in the middle of the wound being inflicted. But I also know that we WILL heal, that even if the wound can't be closed yet, our collective immune system kicked into action on Oct 7 already, that we will continue to share the pain and the comfort and the care, and this massacre and war will probably never stop hurting, that we'll never be the same, but eventually we will be alright. Where people choose to care, there's just no other option.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[theroundbartable]

My position on the war in Israel/ Palestine

Below the cut, because this is my opinion, and you are, of course, not expected to share it, or even care about my position at all. You might not even like what I have to say.

This is for myself and for the people who decide whom to follow based on the flags I raise in my bio (which is none).

It's a bit long, sorry.

The war in Israel/Palestine has now been going on for over a year and I keep seeing blogs that are entirely pro palestine, and then others who are entirely Israeli, accusing each other of rape and murder and genocide, of antisemitism and zionism, etc. etc. Most of these accusations were fact checked and true. Some arguments I heard of people were quite obviously formed through what their government told them, might even lied to them about. I cannot blame these people for clinging to faith, to clinging to the vague idea that there is a sense to their suffering, or who are trying to deflect of their own guilt.

I am German. I know the arguments. I know why they exist and I cannot blame people who's life might be depending on that hope, who's sanity might depend on that faith.

So far, I have not really posted my own opinion on it and I understand that my position on this is not a common one. Nor is it one that many people will accept or find satisfying. Never the less, this is my point.

Under normal circumstances, I would never have made a post and I already am very late to the debate, but since elections in the US are up and more dangerous than ever, since the debates and the war lead to attacks on people online and world wide, since all this enables the same fascistic views that once dominated my country and are threatening to dominate the field once again, I think I should at least say something.

I need to, in order to make up the the past my grandfather took part in as a German soldier, to honor my grandmother's memory who welcomed refugees of war and "war criminals" who were stationed in the neighboring Arbeitslager in her home; in her home where she was all alone with her sick father and waited for the news of her brothers falling in the war while the polish captive cooked them dinner and taught her to read. I need to, as someone who's ancestors were both shooting and housing their enemies. As someone who carries both the guilt and the pride into the next generation.

This is not a football game.

I can't go and pick a side and root for their win. I can't go out on the street with other students and hold up "free palestine" signs, when I know that the words are war propaganda from a group of terrorists. I can't go and side with Israel and justify a genocide by telling people they are being antisemitic if they criticise the Israeli government.

It is the Israeli government under Netanjahu, it is the Hamas who are fighting this war, and to say that the people under their leadership aren't in on it is naive to a degree.

We are not talking about winning and losing here. Because there are no winners in war. I CANNOT debate on who's human rights are worth more than the other. I CANNOT ignore that the Hamas started the war, I cannot ignore that they abuse their captives, I cannot excuse that the Israeli government shoots back at hospitals and abuses their own captives as well.

I can't choose between the grays, because to me, they are the same shade.

But to say they are all supporting those leaderships, to say that not most of them are just trying to survive is terrifyingly cold. That would be like saying they deserve what is happening to them and that can never be the truth.

This doesn't mean I'm not judging between the two. I judge the obvious violence on both sides, I fear for the victims on both accounts, I hate the idea that categorises who is allowed to live where in the country, I despise the idea that Israel alone is to blame.

"You can't not pick a side."

I did. Because there is not just two sides to this war. There is three or four, perhaps even more than that.

There is the terror organisation, there is the government, and then there is the people stuck in the crossfire. I refuse to side with the criminals. I refuse to side with the abusers. They are both wrong, they are both murderous and violent, and siding with one would be - for me - like pointing the gun at the other.

That said, I do not believe that people who raise the palestine flags are wrong, neither do I judge the Israel one. Both sides deserve justice for what happend and what continues to happen. But to a German who only raises the flag once every four yeara at soccer games, worshipping the government that is doing all this, that feels wrong. I know that my view is distorted because of my family's Nazi history, but I can't help feeling that way.

If we're talking about violence, justice would mean that more violence is the answer. An eye for an eye is justice too, but this will never result in peace.

Quite honestly, I don't even think a two state solution would be the answer either. It could be, if Hamas and Israel wanted peace. If Natanjahus war wasn't a ploy to keep himself in power. As it is right now, with the war expanding, even if they managed to somewhat put down their weapons, they will continue to be neighboring enemies, they will continue to hate each other and they will continue to never forgive, to never forget, justifying future reasons to war.

Honestly, I'm not arrogant enough to say I know the solution. All I know is that I know where I stand. And I will never, under any circumstances, judge you if you live in Isreal or in palestine. Nor will I judge you for fighting for each of their rights. Because unless you wish for the complete destruction of the other, unless you justify a genocide, then I am on your side. Because you are, in this war, on your own. And I don't want to see you there alone.

And I will not raise your flag, I will not raise the flag of your enemy, I don't even raise my own flags because I'm honestly not that much into soccer. Because I separate you and your life from the system you live in.

All I can do is tell you that if you flee to Germany, I will be one of the people voting for your safety, for your right to stay, and for being properly integrated. I will not side with the right wing fascists that dominate this country. I will not side with people who simply picked their favorite oppressor. It's not enough to save you. But I'm not a hero. I can only refuse to be the villain.

This makes my position obviously debatable, to some even unacceptable, and I understand that it's not very satisfying to read this from someone who is lucky and priviledged enough to watch from the sidelines.

But I simply cannot support either of these systems. Because neither of them value human life, let alone human rights.

[historicity-was-already-taken]

One thing that truly disgusting me about so many Jewish people outside of Israel is how much they throw Israeli Jews under the bus. They themselves have never experienced true hate for being Jewish. Getting the stink eye or some flyaway comment is the highlight of the antisemitism they ever experienced, and they wallowed in this in order to keep the victim status as much as they can.

Meanwhile, I, an Israeli, experience people try to murder and annihilate me in a daily basis. Non stop terror attacks, that started years before Israel even established, and are still going full force. There was a serious one in my city last week, in a location I visit frequently. Almost 20 years of being constantly bombed, ever since Israel got out of Gaza. Underground tunnels of terror, underneath Israel territory to allow terrorists to cone into civilian houses and kill people un their homes. October 7, a truly horrifying massacre, including brutal rape, maiming, burning people alive, in their homes or taken from their homes, or from a peaceful festival music in the desert, parading young women half naked and bleeding in front of a crowd of Palestinian men spitting on them, beating them and cheering, filming these actions while laughing. Abducting some of them to Gaza, to these underground tunnels, not letting humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross see them, not telling Israel who had been taken and if they are alive or dead. Calling their children to help them loot the houses of the people who they just massacred and abducted. There is a video out there of these children taunting and mocking an Israeli child who was still alive and calling for his mother. And above all, the knowledge that this could happen again and this time it could me or my family, friends, neighbours, who are brutally raped, maimed, burned alive, abducted. The horrors of living like that you couldn't even start to understand.

No sympathy. Nothing. You have not an ounce of sympathy for the Jewish people who live in Israel. You just want to distant yourself as much as you possibly can, so the false accusations of "Palestinian genocide" will not stick to you. This is the biggest blood libel in history, to say that Israel, a country that literally is fighting for its life, the life and safety of its citizens, is committing genocide just because they have no choice but fight in a populated civilian territory. The numbers of the Palestinians death are also heavily exaggerated, by the way, even the UN that is extremely biased against Israel admits that. But the most important thing is that you can feel good about yourself. Fuck Zionists, fuck Israelis. No sympathy. No empathy.

To say that I am deeply disappointed by the Jewish diaspora is an understatement. You don't feel any empathy or sympathy toward us who live under constant terror, who still have 100 civilians held hostage, dead or alive we don't know, who experience terror attack every other day (currently, ever day), who experience bombing and missiles launched at us, who live in true, real, palpable fear that something like October 7 will happen again and again, unless something would be done to stop it. Who live with an extremely hostile population that wants us annihilated, and they say that out loud, but somehow the world is completely deaf to that.

It hurts, you know? How the world treat us? How much they hate us, us who are being attacked all the time, who tried to reach our hand in peace but getting it bitten again and again, and on October 7, have our hand severed? These Kibbutzim who were annihilated, they were very leftwing, set there with civilians Palestinians in meetings trying to advance the idea of living together in peace, helped the Palestinians, driving Palestinians children to hospitals on their expense, hiring them,and this is what they got. This is what they got.

I am done. I am done. People like you who says fuck Zionists are not my brothers and sisters anymore. Your Judaism is just a tool for you to feel some authenticity and claiming oppressed status. Victimhood points. I am done.

No one harass the person who sent this. Leave them alone. I don’t care what your religion or nationality is. Leave. Them. Alone.

I never said anything about Israeli civilians or civil society. I also know the details of exactly what went down on October 7.

What do you want from me? I am a fucking history blog dealing with a bunch of hostile gentiles trying to ideologically pin me down as a good Jew or a bad Jew when I’m just trying to do my work as a Holocaust historian. In fact, I’ve even stated here that so long as half the Jews in the world live in Israel, i am obliged to care for the welfare and safety of Israelis because their fate is inextricabley intertwined with mine. And I was harassed and verbally abused for saying that shit.

You don’t know me. You don’t know anything about me and my views on Israelis or the realities of the military operations to eradicate Hamas. You don’t know about my ties to the country, the family and friends I have living there; the safety my family found there after fleeing Poland. Because I don’t put that here. Actually, most of what I put here about Zionism is wrt diasporic Jews who misuse Holocaust history to bully Jews with divergent views.

You know my begrudging takes as a historian and that’s it. I’d end this with a blistering takedown, but you’re one of my people and you’re in pain and I’m so sorry you’re in pain, but I’m in pain too.

I’ve dedicated my life to the history of our people’s pain, and you don’t get to verbally excommunicate me based on my interactions with western gentiles and diasporic Jews who verbally abuse me.

And I guarantee you I’ll be verbally abused for showing you empathy for the horrific situation you’re living through.

No one harass the person who sent this. Leave them alone. I don’t care what your religion or nationality is. Leave. Them. Alone.

[the-catboy-minyan]

You do realize those pagers killed bystanders, including children? Not that someone with an Israeli flag in their name will care about innocent children dying, go on continue making your jokes.

oh hey the "Jews are baby killers" thing again, thank you! I missed getting antisemitic hate mail 💙

did you mourn when Hezbollah rockets hit a playground, killing 12 Druze children?

do you care that Hezbollah rockets are aimed towards northern Israel almost daily? that over 60k people have been displaced from the north due to the barrage of rockets?

this was a targeted attack on Hezbollah members, do you realize how fucking nuts that an operation like that is? show me a better way to attack with less collateral damage. a pager is meant to send urgent messages, you're supposed to have it on your person at all times, the vast majority of Hezbollah members would have it on them. the explosions were also very contained and caused minimal damage to bystanders and surroundings. you can't make sure a mass ranged attack has 0 collateral damage, but this one is the closest I've ever seen to that 0.

only 8 put of 3000 people have died, which again, it's a targeted attack on Hezbollah members, it's currently 11pm for me so I didn't check if they revealed any data but I can guarantee you that most - if not all of the casualties were active members of Hezbollah.

you already think I'm not human because of the country I live in, so I don't give a fuck, I have nothing to prove to you. we don't even know if it was the IDF/Mossad that launched that attack, but this was a successful operation against a massive and powerful terrorist organisation that is harming both my family in the North and their own fucking people. also fyi if you ever made a 9/11 joke your opinion is invalid to me.

do I care that children were harmed? as much as I care that any child in the world was harmed. I'm more concerned that these children were in such close proximity to terrorists to get hurt. but I thought the "globalize the intifada" crowd were all in favor of "sacrifices" for the Glorious Revolution™, weren't you? or is it only when the victims are jews?

watch me get put on a blocklist for this, because I made a joke about terrorists getting what's coming for them and didn't think of the ~three civilians that got hurt. those weren't even my memes, I reposted them from reddit. frankly I don't care about this blog anymore so like call me a zionazi or whatever rocks your boat.

2/10 for the hatemail

[timelesslords]

I’ve been meaning to make a post like this for a while, so here are some fiction anti-colonial/anti-apartheid/anti-genocide books that I read for the cultural studies concentration of my literature degree, that I think are super readable/accessible and don’t see recommended often:

1. The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan

A novel about a boy who was a victim of a terrorist attack as a child and how he becomes radicalized by the same terrorist group that killed his friends as a young adult.

Additional/background reading:

2. The Story of a Brief Marriage by Anuk Arudpragasam

a 24 hour snapshot of the last few weeks of the Sri Lankan civil war where the Sri Lankan goverment bombed a no fire zone, killing as many as 70,000 civilians, the vast majority of whom belonged to the Tamil ethnic minority. (this book is extremely graphic but very worth reading imo)

Background/additional reading:

3. White Teeth by Zadie Smith

A post-colonial novel spanning several decades centering on two WWII veterans living in Britain; one a white Englishman, one a Bangladeshi immigrant.

additional/background reading:

4. An Imperfect Blessing by Nadia Davis

A novel about the Indian community in South Africa, told primarily through the lens of a teenage girl and taking place during the dissolution of the apartheid state.

background/additional reading:

5. Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

A modern retelling of Antigone set in post-9/11 Britain and Pakistan.

additional/background reading:

[thebrightestwitchofherage]

FAQ and frequent hate anons& comments

I keep getting the same messages/anons since some of my posts are doing well… I am writing and pinning this post to answer these.

Who am I? I’m 22, a Jewish and Israeli queer woman.

No, I don’t condone the death of Palestinians.

-I can hold a place in my heart for the suffering of other people, of “the other side” of the conflict. Obviously I do not wish for the death of anyone. I wish for a peaceful future for all sides.

I just happen to be Israeli and Jewish.

“You’re ignoring the death of Palestinians”

*Once again, I’m not trying to deny any of the suffering of the Palestinians. I am simply trying to bring up awareness of what us Israelis are going through. *

I’m trying to debunk the misinformation and dehumanising rhetoric towards Israelis/ Jews on this site, By telling my story and presenting more reliable information and sources.

“You’re privileged, you’re whining about x while people in Gaza are dying”

News flash,people in Israel die as well.

And HOW THE HELL AM I PRIVILEGED WHEN People from my city were murdered or kidnapped by terrorists???

My city is constantly under rocket fire. Unlike what some people comment under my posts -I am not deluded or privileged.

Wanting to live peacefully is not a privilege. And while I’m describing how war and terror affects my life I am not whining.

How hateful and hypocritical do you have to be in order to tell that to a stranger? The anons and comments I receive shock me every single time .

What are your sources?

-some of y’all literally trust a terror organisation over Jews/ Israelis.

I was asked multiple times to cite my sources for my countries’ borders. Huh? I don’t know, reality??

“What is your proof”

Anti - Zionists and antisemites are constantly asking us for proof, while you immediately believe Hamas.

this is unbelievable considering Hamas filmed their attacks with GoPros and live-streamed it using the victims’ phones and social media accounts.

There are also: surveillance cameras footage,  forensic evidence, post-mortem analysis,eyewitness accounts, interviews and evidence provided by first responders and survivors, etc…

“You’re brainwashed/ deluded”

Maybe, but unlike most of the people who write to me, I live here.

I back all of my claims with resources and facts,and I am more than happy to provide missing information/ clarify my posts.

I’ve cared about this conflict even when it wasn’t trending. I can admit my country’s faults and strive for a better future for my people, and love it at the same time.

The fact that what I’m saying may not fit your narrative doesn’t mean it’s not happening in real life …

Ps- While this is a trend to you - it’s my daily life for me. Don’t assume you know better because you watched a tiktok or read a questionable article (these are actually all things people have said to me …).

ALL DEATH THREATS , SLURS& HATE ANONS, NAZI PROPAGANDA AND CRAZY ALLEGATIONS WILL BE DELETED AND INGONRED.

[zelena777]

So, at the year 2023 October 22 i found the news a very tragical situation in Israel since everyone had a party on the outside and Israeli people saw a person from the sky. This is terrorists from Hamas, they attacked them and Israel, all the innocent victims are missing and other victims died. This is my art were Enigma!Israel was abused by Hamas and Iran. Enigma!Russia, France, Japan, and German heard her scream and cry out there. She was bleeding and crying while injured really hard, can't get up and feeling weaker. Enigma!Israel told a real truth that Toxic!Hamas did to her, abused her again like in 2023. And Enigma!Russia and the two countries are pissed at Hamas, and toxic!Hamas deserved for abusing her like that.

[nievz]

guys, i'm scared

The president of my country, Javier Milei, is getting our country into the Israel-Palestine war. Argetina always went neutral and/or polite in most of wars and i'm glad that we had. In the 90s our country was victim of two terrorist attacks (Amia and ambassadorship of Israel) and no argentina wants that to happen again.

The worst of this is that this war isn't ours and the president already said the we have no money, but now he wants to buy war planes and all of that crap. When this year Bahia Blanca was destructed by a big storm, he did NOTHING, NOTHING, he went to vote something of a football team.

I don't want my country to get involved into ANY war. I want to live my life calm and help with that we can, BUT NEVER GET INTO THE WAR.

So, Dear president: I think that YOU and nobody else but you is kiling all of those kids in Chaco, starving them only to get into a stupid war that nothing has to do with our country. I think that you need to stop filling your mouth with words of justice and liberty and get your labour done. You are killing your people for nothing. You are nothing but a capricious child who plays being king with us as your plebs. I really hope that soon you won't rule anymore.

Español:

Estoy asustada.

El presidente de mi país, Javier Milei, está metiendo a nuestro país en la guerra Israel-Palestina. Argentina siempre fue neutral y/o pro mediaciones en la mayoría de las guerras y me alegro de eso. En los 90s mi país fue vícitma de dos atentados terroristas (Amia y la embajada de Israel) y ningún argentino quiere que eso suceda de nuevo.

Lo peor de todo esto es que la guerra no es nuestra y el presidente ya ha dicho que "no hay plata", pero ahira quuere comprar aviones de guerra y toda esa porquería. Este años cuando Bahía Blanca fue destruida por una tormenta él no hizo NADA, N A D A, fue a votar algo sobre un equipo de futbol.

No quiero que mi país se involucre en NINGUNA guerra. Quiero vivir mi vida en paz y que ayudemos en lo que podamos, PERO JAMÁS METERNOS EN UNA GUERRA.

Así que, quierido presidente: Creo que VOS y nadie más que vos está matando de hambre a los pibes del Chaco, dejándolo sin comer sólo para meternos en una guerra de mierda que nada tiene que ver con nuestro país. Me parece que tenés que dejar de llenarte la boca con palabras de justicia y libertad y ponerte a hacer tu trabajo. Estás matando a tu pueblo por nada. No sos otra cosa que un pendejo caprichoso que juega a ser rey con nosotros como plebellos. Realmente deseo que no gobiernes más pronto.

[paperstorm]

You say you wish Ronen (and presumably other Israeli Americans) showed the same outrage for the attacks on Gaza as they do for the attacks on Israel.

I’m curious, do you hold White Christian Americans do the same standard? When they remember the lives lost in 9/11, do you require them to mention the 70,000 civilian lives lost in the war in Afghanistan, which was started as a result of that attack? Does it put a ‘pit in your stomach’ when they don’t, or do you simply go about your day without thinking it worth mentioning?

Because as a Jew I’ve never supported Israel, but I’m starting to wonder why Israel is held to a far higher standard than any Western nation that retaliates against terrorism. The loss of innocent lives is terrible and should be condemned, but why is it worse than the innocent lives lost in Afghanistan? Is there something in particular about Israel that you and other left-wing Westeners don’t like?

As far as I can see, Ronen’s country was the victim of a terrorist attack. He reacted with sorrow and anger and supports his country as it seeks to punish those responsible and rescue those taken hostage. But why is he deserving of condemnation for an emotional response when Americans and Westeners can mourn and be angry about their citizens killed by terrorists without attracting any of the same vitriol? The West has done terrible things in the Middle East, and yet when the Middle East strikes back against its enemies only Israel and its people are not allowed to be angry.

Maybe you don’t have any answer, but if you do and are willing to respond I would like to know. What is the difference between an Israeli ‘coloniser’ responding to being a victim of terrorism and an American ‘coloniser’ responding to being the victim of terrorism? Why does one attract criticism and hatred and the other not?

I don't speak for anyone else but my personal answer to this question is yes. Unequivocally. I haven't been talking specifically about the Iraq/Afghanistan wars this week because that's not what's happening right now, but yes. People mourning/honouring victims of the 9/11 attacks should absolutely also be mourning the (by some estimates) nearly a million innocent people who died in the Middle East in the wars started as retaliation for that attack, in some cases in places like Iraq that had literally nothing to do with it at all. If someone feels sadness in their heart every day for the 9/11 victims and feels nothing for the innocent Muslim people who paid the price for something they had nothing to do with, I feel very comfortable saying that person has fallen prey to American imperialist propaganda campaigns or is just outright racist. The hoopla that followed 9/11 is almost beat-for-beat what is happening right now, all over again. We learned nothing. Once again our leaders are dehumanizing brown people, cheering on imperialism and violent colonial occupation, and using a terrorist attack to manufacture consent for war crimes. (Anyone wanting more info on how they do this should read The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.)

The loss of innocent Palestinians is not worse that the loss of innocent Afghans. They are the same. They are both being murdered as payback for something they didn't do and their deaths were/are both being cheered on by the Western war machine because it makes money for defense contractors and because it's politically convenient to see brown people as expendable pawns in the game of Risk world leaders are always playing. So yes, I absolutely do condemn both and mourn for both.

Additionally, I know you didn't ask for sympathy but I know how difficult this is. I know it's a lot more complicated than white online leftists like to make it seem, and I know a lot of Jewish people personally who are struggling right now, as they have before, with their complex feelings for the state of Israel. I hope you're taking care of yourself, as best you can in these awful circumstances.

[gryficowa]

Oh yes, I have to respect Israelis after all the shit they did to Gaza (Attacking humanitarian vehicles, laughing at murdered families in Gaza on telegram…), after they attacked me for my origins (Polish) and after they called me a whore Damian Sobol (Co was murdered by the IDF with two other people in the Gaza Strip, yes, shot WCK under the pretext of "Sighting a terrorist") "Nazi from Hitler", after this shit should I pretend that I care about the feelings of Israelis?

Do you seriously think that after the rape rights strike and everything you've done, I will fucking respect you? Not only do you attack Jews supporting Palestine, but you also have the nerve to cry that you are a victim when you are the fucking oppressors

I had fucking hope, but you killed her, now I don't believe there are any more Israelis who aren't disgusting people, you fucking killed a person who believed that the world is not just good and bad, you just killed it and I won't fucking forgive you for that

After all this, do you think I'll look at you as a human being? You are a disgusting creature, after the way you treated people and the things you wrote about them, do you think you will get back what you killed? No, you won't get it back, you won't wash away these crimes, karma is coming back to you and I hope you will never get out of prison again

Stop saying that your country represents the Jews when the Jews are fucking wonderful people and you are a fucking flaw and you are using them as a tool, in the process you will see that in the future they will be fucked because of you, Israel's crimes will affect the Jews and that is the worst, because fascists will use it to spread propaganda (As with LGBT+ people choosing Harris, future generations will be fucked on many levels)

Jews have already been through their shit, you don't have to create another one for them (Because that's what Zionism fucking strives for), no one deserves to be treated like shit, you treat others like that, but it will come back to you

I do not greet Israelis and people who use LGBT+ rights to justify genocide, I do not greet you, you are disgusting

After you have shown your true face, there is no grace left, you could have run away from the punishment, but it's just a matter of time until it catches up with you

[doingbackflipsonit11]

I'm Back with another OC!!! This time it's an older member of the team and one that both me and @stinkass0 both love so much. I can't wait to get into it and hope y'all like him!

Meet my favorite fuckhead

Jack Donkey

Call Sign: Ass

Age: 38 (Born 2034)

Height: 5'11

Texan 🇺🇲

Dumbass

Preface

-Jack is part of the Special Ops Team in the year 2072. This team is composed of many different people from many different walks of life but with one thing keeping them together. They each have been victims of an extreme war against a large terrorist organization. They have been injured and have had to have parts of their bodies replaced with Bionic replacements that enhance their abilities and make them super soldiers. This team now travels by Helicarrier to provide relief to targets of the terrorist group, perform recon/gather Intel on the terrorist group, and attack the terrorist group in major ways.

Country Roads

Jack Shayne Donkey was born in El Paso, Texas. His family was very well off and owned a horse ranch where they would raise and rehabilitate horses and cattle. He grew up gentling wild horses and bonding with the horses that were staying on their Ranch. He was often called 'Horseboy' by his school friends because that's what he rode to school in and what he rode home. His best friend, Pepper, an Appaloosa that Jack himself had helped Birth. He did everything with her, rode her around the property, ate breakfast with her, and helped her through many illnesses. His mothers noticed his affinity towards horseback riding and signed him up for private training in equestrian. There, Jack excelled, he caught on quickly and was passing up many kids that were his age. He would come home after school every day and instead of homework, he would go practice for the next time he would have training with the instructor.

One Big Ass

As Jack grew older, his passion for equestrian riding only grew with him. He signed up for the Equestrian team at school and took many Agriculture classes. It was the summer before his Junior year when he competed in the 2050 FEI Jumping World Championships and the end of his Junior year when he made the US Olympic Team for Equestrian. He was officially pronounced the youngest Olympic Equestrian Competitor and he made it clear he was playing to win. With all the hustle of trying out for the Olympic team, Jack pushed aside his schooling and was barely scraping by. His moms instantly jumped on his case about slacking in school and only playing with his horse. They threatened his spot on the Olympic team if he didn't shape up and pass Highschool. Jack didn't worry too much and passed his senior year, not with the best grades but with the best memories. Jack had no downtime after graduation though, he needed to get to work both physically and mentally but also the paperwork. Again, without missing deadlines, he certified his spot on the team and flew to Aukland, New Zealand for the 2052 Olympic Games.

Summer Days; Drifting Away

The three weeks that Jack Donkey was in Aukland were the greatest. His event was one of the first to compete and Jack took home Gold for USA, making him the Youngest Olympic Gold Medalist in Equestrian. Jack had really made a name for himself and gained quite the fanclub for his looks. It was the day of the closing ceremony and Jack Donkey was seated to watch when the 2052 Olympics became the last. The one event that brought the globe together, no longer peacefully celebrated. The first terrorist attack occurred, and Jack had just missed the initial bombing. He instantly kicked it into high gear once the smoke had cleared. He raced to where the closing ceremony was occurring and started helping remove still living people from the wreckage. It was a gruesome sight and got worse when another batch of planes flew over the arena and sent more bombs, right where Jack was standing.

Adjusting

When Jack woke up, he was in a hospital bed being experimented on, having a needle poked into his arm. He looked down at where he was being poked and what he saw was a metal arm where his forearms should've been. He demanded to know what had happened and if Pepper was okay. She didn't make it and neither did most of the Olympians. It was a global cold war. Nobody was going to do anything and everybody wanted answers. That's where Jack and his new teammates came in. They were to receive excruciating training and work for an independent company to figure out who bombed the Olympics and many other places that night in repayment for his new arms. "Hell No" Jack stated many times, very clearly. He refused and refused, but strived to be set free from his hospital room, so he agreed and cooperated, under one condition of course, they got a cool ass boat. The company caved in and ordered a yacht while the team endured training. During this training, Jack requested many upgrades in his new arms. He wanted them to shoot fire, bullets, a lasso, and contain a full body shield. He was then asked where all of it would fit and he caved in with it shooting bullets, Having a collapsible riot shield, and retractable blades. This demanding and getting his was garnered him the Call Sign 'Ass' because he was as stubborn as one.

[matan4il]

Every once in a while, the magnitude of the Hamas massacre hits me all over again.

I'm not sure most people get it even now.

In absolute numbers, it is one of the three deadliest terrorist attacks in human history (second or third worst, depends on which estimates you trust for the Camp Speicher massacre), but if we take it in relation to the size of the population in the attacked country (which we should, because terrorism by its very nation seeks to victimizes through psychological trauma the entire target population, and not just those who were physically affected during the attack), then what Hamas did IS the single deadliest terrorist attack in the entirety of human history.

But it's even more than that.

Never, in any other attack, have the terrorists taken over as much land as Hamas did on Oct 7. ENTIRE TOWNS were under complete control of the terrorists, some for SEVERAL DAYS (I specifically remember watching a report on one town, where combat with the terrorists was still taking place on Oct 11, meaning on day 5 of this terrorist invasion into Israel). ENTIRE TOWNS WERE OCCUPIED. BY TERRORISTS. There's not a single Hollywood action movie dealing with such a scenario, because NOTHING OF THIS SCALE HAS EVER HAPPENED BEFORE. Imagine waking up and hearing in real time that the northern half of the American states Washington, Idaho and Montana has been taken by terrorists, who are driving through the streets freely, as they murder, pillage, rape, torture, maim, burn and kidnap people, and almost no one's there to stop them.

And then imagine the world expecting the US government to just... let the terrorists retreat to the other side of an international border in the north, after having murdered over 40,400 American, most of which are civilians, almost 183,000 more injured, and while taking with them across the border over 8,450 American hostages, to God knows what awful fate, for how long, or if they will even ever come back alive. Entire communities and regions would be devastated, without knowing if they'd be able to rebuild. The total would be more than 230,000 Americans directly impacted (I've adapted the real numbers from Oct 7 to the size of the American population... Remember the horrendous 9/11 attack, which saw 2,977 victims killed and a few thousands more injured, and think of what would be the emotional punch of over 230,000 direct victims).

Imagine expecting the US to let that go, and allow those terrorists to continue existing and ruling the land on its northern border. Imagine expecting the US to do so while this terrorist organization openly declares that it will repeat this large scale massacre whenever possible, until the entire country is destroyed.

And please don't come at me with "Fine, Israel can react, but not like this." Unless you have the military expertise to explain exactly how Israel can protect its people from this attack ever being repeated, and to free all our hostages, without civilian casualties (despite Hamas intentionally using them as human shields, and even directly causing Gazan deaths), unless you can translate the vague "not like this" into something practical, some actual guidelines on how this urban war could have been fought differently, even though there's no historical precedent to support that this is possible, "not like this" is just wishful thinking at the expense of the safety and right to live of Israelis.

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[marcianoliterati]

President Salvador Allende's last words

My friends,

Surely this will be the last opportunity for me to address you. The Air Force has bombed the towers of Radio Portales and Radio Corporación.

My words do not have bitterness but disappointment. May they be a moral punishment for those who have betrayed their oath: soldiers of Chile, titular commanders in chief, Admiral Merino, who has designated himself Commander of the Navy, and Mr. Mendoza, the despicable general who only yesterday pledged his fidelity and loyalty to the Government, and who also has appointed himself Chief of the Carabineros [national police].

Given these facts, the only thing left for me is to say to workers: I am not going to resign!

Placed in a historic transition, I will pay for loyalty to the people with my life. And I say to them that I am certain that the seed which we have planted in the good conscience of thousands and thousands of Chileans will not be shriveled forever.

They have strength and will be able to dominate us, but social processes can be arrested neither by crime nor force. History is ours, and people make history.

Workers of my country: I want to thank you for the loyalty that you always had, the confidence that you deposited in a man who was only an interpreter of great yearnings for justice, who gave his word that he would respect the Constitution and the law and did just that. At this definitive moment, the last moment when I can address you, I wish you to take advantage of the lesson: foreign capital, imperialism, together with the reaction, created the climate in which the Armed Forces broke their tradition, the tradition taught by General Schneider and reaffirmed by Commander Araya, victims of the same social sector which will today be in their homes hoping, with foreign assistance, to retake power to continue defending their profits and their privileges.

I address, above all, the modest woman of our land, the campesina who believed in us, the worker who labored more, the mother who knew our concern for children. I address professionals of Chile, patriotic professionals, those who days ago continued working against the sedition sponsored by professional associations, class-based associations that also defended the advantages which a capitalist society grants to a few.

I address the youth, those who sang and gave us their joy and their spirit of struggle. I address the man of Chile, the worker, the farmer, the intellectual, those who will be persecuted, because in our country fascism has been already present for many hours -- in terrorist attacks, blowing up the bridges, cutting the railroad tracks, destroying the oil and gas pipelines, in the face of the silence of those who had the obligation to protect them. They were committed. History will judge them.

Surely Radio Magallanes will be silenced, and the calm metal instrument of my voice will no longer reach you. It does not matter. You will continue hearing it. I will always be next to you. At least my memory will be that of a man of dignity who was loyal to [inaudible] the workers.

The people must defend themselves, but they must not sacrifice themselves. The people must not let themselves be destroyed or riddled with bullets, but they cannot be humiliated either.

Workers of my country, I have faith in Chile and its destiny. Other men will overcome this dark and bitter moment when treason seeks to prevail. Go forward knowing that, sooner rather than later, the great avenues will open again where free men will walk to build a better society.

Long live Chile! Long live the people! Long live the workers!

These are my last words, and I am certain that my sacrifice will not be in vain, I am certain that, at the very least, it will be a moral lesson that will punish felony, cowardice, and treason.

Santiago de Chile, 11 September 1973

#SiempreAllende

#AllendeVive

[brexiiton]

French police arrest synagogue blast suspect

Malu Cursino & Jaroslav Lukiv

CCTV showed a suspected attacker at the synagogue in La Grande-Motte

French police say they have arrested a man suspected of setting fires and causing an explosion outside a synagogue in a southern resort.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said "the alleged perpetrator" was detained on Saturday. He added that the police had shown "great professionalism".

French media reported that the suspect was shot and injured by police after he opened fire on the officers who came to arrest him in the city of Nîmes.

Earlier on Saturday, a police officer was injured in the blast outside the Beth Yaacov synagogue in the nearby seaside resort of La Grande-Motte.

The police officer's injuries are not said to be life-threatening, following the blast between 08:00 and 08:30 local time (07:00-07:30 BST) on Saturday.

Five people, including the rabbi, were inside the synagogue at the time, authorities said.

The explosion was caused by two cars which were set alight outside

Police sources told French media that one of the vehicles contained a hidden gas canister.

The suspect - who was seen on CCTV with what French media said was a Palestinian flag around his waist - also set fire to several entrance doors of the synagogue.

Jewish community leader Yonathan Arfi said the incident was "an attempt to kill Jews" and seemed to have been timed to target Saturday morning worshippers.

President Emmanuel Macron said the incident was "a terrorist act".

One eyewitness, who asked to remain anonymous, told the BBC: "Just as we were coming round the last corner, there was a huge explosion - a fireball into the air.

"It was surreal, like a film. We didn't go any further."

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Mr Darmanin visited the site on Saturday evening. Both had earlier condemned the attack, with Mr Attal calling it "an antisemitic act".

"What happened here shocks and scandalises all Republicans in our country," Mr Attat said during the visit.

"Because the reality is that once again, French Jews have been targeted, attacked because of their beliefs."

Mr Attal said an absolute tragedy" had been "narrowly avoided" as "there would have been victims" if the synagogue had been full of worshippers.

Both Mr Attal and Mr Darmanin said security would be strengthened outside synagogues.

"I want to assure our Jewish fellow citizens and the municipality of my full support," Mr Darmanin said earlier in the day.

The French Jewish community already live under high security, with many synagogues and Jewish schools under police protection.

A January 2024 report by the Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) said there had been a nearly threefold increase of antisemitic acts in France between 2022 and 2023.

In May, police shot dead a man after a synagogue in the north-western city of Rouen was set on fire.

In 2015, two days after the attacks on the Charlie Hebdo magazine, four people were murdered in a hostage attack on a kosher supermarket.

The explosion comes amid heightened concerns for Europe's Jewish community, after the latest survey from the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) published last month found that Jewish people in the bloc continued to face high levels of antisemitism.

More than 8,000 Jews in 13 EU countries, including Germany and France, were interviewed. Some 96% said they had encountered antisemitism in their daily lives.

There has been widespread condemnation of the attempted arson attack across France's political spectrum.

Left-wing politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon called it an "intolerable crime", while the far-right National Rally's Jordan Bardella said it was "a criminal and antisemitic act".

[sethshead]

After the war began, members of her left-leaning Unitarian congregation pressed her to issue a statement condemning Israel without qualification for the deaths in Gaza caused by its war against Hamas.

She just couldn’t do it, she said in an interview. As a Jew, she sees the war in a more nuanced way than many of her congregants, she said. She also found herself suddenly feeling isolated from the progressive left, of which she has long counted herself a part.

The 51-year-old has been pained by Hamas’ terrorist attack in a way she believes her congregants don’t understand, and feels that she has been “coming out as a Jew all over again” since then.

The terrorist attack and ensuing war forced a reckoning with her long-muted Jewish identity. To her surprise, she found herself dealing with internalized Jewish trauma.

“It’s ironic,” she said, “given that my entire life I didn’t think antisemitism was a thing in this country anymore. I never really got it. Then Oct. 7 happened. It was the reaction from the progressive left in this country that has been startling and terrifying,” she said.

“Suddenly, I just started to only feel safe around Jews. I sense that people have some suspicion of me because I’m Jewish, and people wonder if I’m the ‘right’ kind of Jew or the ‘wrong’ kind of Jew,” she said.

This appears to be the experience of many secular, progressive Jews. We haven’t changed our values to pursue justice and peace; we simply do not believe we should be excluded from the fruits thereof. Progressives may see us as white and thus inherently the inheritors to legacies of imperialism and exploitation, but we know that we have been the victims not only of Christendom’s depraved depredations, but also of persecution by the retroactively noble savages upon whom Europe’s brief global hegemony was imposed. Like their ancestors, they project their guilts onto us.

We Jews symbolize a complexity and nuance that undermines cheap moral binaries and certitudes. For ideologues in a feeding frenzy of performative self-righteousness, that makes us all the more contemptible. We can stand for Israel and Palestine, mourn for the dead of both peoples, recognize how both current Israeli leadership and Hamas are antithetical to peace, and still stand steadfast behind Israel’s right to exist. We can be sensitive to Palestinian humanity and also to the hostility that permeates Arab and Muslim society towards Jews our autonomy, and our presence in the land of our origin.

Yet progressives, especially members of progressive, culturally Christian congregations, have determined that it is haram to so much listen to us, to consider our perspective, lest they be hypnotized and seduced by the evil they still, deep down, imagine to be our intent.

Many progressive Jews have now been witness to the pervasiveness old antisemitic assumptions among progressive gentiles. As they slip deeper into medieval superstition, while calling it enlightened and liberatory, we will remain true progressives, respecting all without sacrificing our self-respect.

[jewishbarbies]

Ok so I finally took the time out to know about the complete history of Palestine - Israel.

Apparantly, UN sucks and Israel isn't EVIL. Israel was attack the very next day after its formation, by Palestine with help of 4 countries, they won and got some area under them yada yada, but years later, They let Palestinians have their area back!!??!?!?!!

I don't think Palestine is all a victim country, like, at all. Their citizens might be. But they weren't letting Jews live peacefully there anyway.

Hamas is a terrorist organisation so why are people sympathizing with them? Why are they saying, Hamas HAD to attack to protect their country, no the fuck they did not. Nobody was harming their country (re : Israel gave conquered Palestine back)

My conclusion is, yes civilian death is wrong but it's happening on both sides, and not only one nation is bombarding missiles, plus, Palestine is recieving tons and tons of money everyday?????

The extreme left on Tumblr or the world, now apparantly, won't sit 2 minutes to Listen. The only Jewish country in the world isn't fucking all evil, they supply money and stuff for civilians and WARN before attack (the attacks are on Terrorist Bases) ugh.

Either there's an anti-semitism so deep they aren't able to see anything or maybe all the history UNBIASED books and videos are just a lie.

Also, Al Jazeera is not an unbiased news source, it's a fucking government propoganda news site — In the past, they have made such vicious commentary on "khafirs" aka people who don't follow Islam, idk why al Jazeera is the go to site for leftist Tumblr ??

Please tell me I'm not insane

i'm not well versed on the timeline, but i know that any money or aid of any kind that goes to the palestinians gets taken by hamas and stockpiled so that citizens continue to suffer. that's why people have to be careful with what orgs they donate to, because hamas has control of most of them at this point. hamas does not care about palestine OR palestinians ever in their history. their mission statement is to eradicate jews, and they've shown time and time again that they're willing to sacrifice as many palestinians as possible to do so. they targeted Israeli muslims during the Oct 7 attack and did unspeakable things to them. hamas has attacked during every single ceasefire to date. if we could get rid of hamas somehow or at the very least find a way to get aid to palestinians, this would be so much better for everyone. but palestinians don't have food or water or supplies because once it comes in, it's taken by hamas and stockpiled. i've been hearing about hamas using ambulances as taxi's now but i don't have sources for that just yet, though it wouldn't surprise me. that's the whole point. they want jews gone - what better way to do it than to get as many civilians killed as possible so that the rest of the world wants them gone, too?

the israeli government has made incredibly questionable and downright horrible decisions regarding the conflict throughout the years and they are not blameless at all, in the sense that imo they don't wait long enough and they don't target less populated areas. there was something about a refugee camp being bombed because they had intel a hamas operative was there, and killing one operative is not enough to warrant bombing the whole camp, if that is in fact what happened (i need to read more about it, i've been out all day). on top of this, the palestinian authority might as well just come out as hamas allies at this point. so, really, palestinian citizens are fucked all the way around.

at the end of the day, the citizens of both populations NEED to work together and refuse to let not just hamas but also the israeli government tell us we can't. because we absolutely can and should if we want to save as many lives as possible. it's not palestinians vs jews or israelis. it's hamas vs the world. the longer we let the american political system dictate who we can support and what decisions we can make regarding this issue, the longer it'll go on and the worse it's going to get for everyone involved.