this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2024
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[–] [email protected] 168 points 5 months ago (1 children)

“During World War II, Churchill told the United States, ‘give us the tools, we'll do the job.’ And I say, give us the tools and we'll finish the job a lot faster,” Netanyahu said in the video.

Yeah, that's what we're afraid of, and exactly why we don't want to give you the weapons.

[–] ThePowerOfGeek 137 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Comparing himself to Churchill defending the UK from the Nazis has got to be the shittiest analogy I've heard in a long time. You aren't Churchill in this situation, Netanyahu. You're the invader hell-bent on wiping out a population.

[–] Zehzin 52 points 5 months ago (2 children)

TBH He's just as racist as Churchill

[–] ThePowerOfGeek 27 points 5 months ago (1 children)

That is a very fair point!

There's already a strong emotional connection between Irish and Palestinian people (as shown by Ireland being one of the first European countries to officially recognize Palestine recently). Now there's another association - Churchill and Netanyahu's loathing for their respective people.

[–] Zehzin 19 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I was thinking India, actually. How he said Indians are a "beastly people with a beastly religion", but yeah the Irish too.

[–] ThePowerOfGeek 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Oh he was a total shitheel to so many different people. Very effective wartime leader, but a horrible human being.

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[–] shalafi 91 points 5 months ago (31 children)

So why can't Israel support itself after decades of the US pumping weapons and money?

I'm 100% done with Israel, and that's coming from a middle-aged guy who was always a supporter. At this point, I honestly don't care if the Arab world stomps them flat. Who could I possibly give a shit any longer?!

So thanks for bringing the plight of the Palestinians into my worldview and trashing the country's reputation. I get it now. Clearly.

[–] FlyingSquid 33 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Israel can support itself. This is a huge con.

The defense industry of Israel is a strategically important sector and a large employer, as well as a major supplier of the Israel Defense Forces. The country is one of the world's major exporters of military equipment, accounting for 10% of the world total in 2007. Three Israeli companies were listed on the 2022 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute index of the world's top 100 arms-producing and military service companies: Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and RAFAEL.[1] It is also a major player in the global arms market with a 2.3% share of the global exports of major arms as of 2023.[2] Total arms transfer agreements topped $12.9 billion between 2004 and 2011.[3] There are over 150 active defense companies based in the country with combined revenues of more than $3.5 billion annually.[4] Israeli defense equipment exports reached $7 billion in 2012, making it a 20 percent increase from the amount of defense-related exports in 2011. With the war in Ukraine, arms exports reached $12.5 billion in 2022.[5] Much of the exports are sold to the United States and Europe. Other major regions that purchase Israeli defense equipment include Southeast Asia and Latin America.[6][7][8] India is also major country for Israeli arms exports and has remained Israel's largest arms market in the world.[9][10]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_industry_of_Israel

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[–] return2ozma 66 points 5 months ago (12 children)

Not another weapon. Cut off funding.

[–] [email protected] 34 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (2 children)

Yeah, and more importantly, Biden needs to learn the public component of diplomacy.

I read his interview in Time, and it's weird, because it at least gave me some aspect into what he's thinking.

He's old as fuck. He has learned decades of procedures and standard practice in diplomacy, and he does NOT understand that a lot of it happens in the open now. Biden thinks he's playing chess with all the diplomatic messages he sends along backchannels, and he has no idea that this is just an arm wrestling match now. People judge you by what you say and do transparently.

Biden legit thinks he and Bibi are like cousins who grew up together who are having a tough fight, and Bibi is all fucking politics. He'd slit any throat he has to get what he wants, and he will bury Biden in a heartbeat.

Biden should go to Israel, and in a public address announce that the country is turning a corner: it will be safer than ever, and America is going to assist with a long term peace process, which they won't lead but will provide security guarantees for. And don't tell Bibi any of this in advance. And when Bibi reacts, say that Bibi has lost his trust and that of the elected public, and they need to hold new elections before getting any new weapons. Get some 'nads, man!

I wouldn't mind a complete cut-off in weapons, but I also wouldn't mind if they continue to supply rocket defenses or something if its part of a pressure campaign to send Netanyahu packing. I want Israeli prosecutors and the Hague to argue over who gets to lock his ass up first.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 5 months ago (1 children)

part of a pressure campaign to send Netanyahu packing

4% of Jewish Israelis feel the IDF has gone too far

This isn't just Netanyahu or his administration, this is most non-arab Israelis. Every time you translate an Israeli twitter post or media, it's like you found a lost page from Mein Kampf

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

That is very true. Joey Ayoub of The Fire These Times coined a phrase months ago for describing the mainstreaming of genocidal ideation among the public, which I keep returning to: "The Smotrich-ization of the Israeli public". It's real, and it's terrifying.

Still, my impression is that Israelis are in a weird, weird, weird place:

  • They are largely supportive of the war, but most want a ceasefire deal that would bring home the hostages.
  • They are largely furious at Netanyahu, though his support has recently started to go back up.
  • There has been enormous pro-democracy anti-government protests before the war, then there were demonstrations demanding negotiations for a hostage release that were supposed to be explicitly distinct from anti-government demonstrators, and there are also pro-ceasefire, pro-hostage demonstrations that are explicitly NOT distinct from the pro-democracy anti-government demonstrations.
  • Most Israelis don't believe the war has "gone too far", but also many Israelis feel that the war has been mishandled (largely due to the cost on Israeli troops, the economy, and international standing).
  • There is support for the IDF, but also fury and blame at the IDF for failing so catastrophically during Oct. 7.
  • There is also widespread anger at the far right for insisting on exempting the ultraorthodox from conscription, while troop shortages force middle-age reservists back into service, but there's no clear indication that anyone has any leverage to impose on the far and ULTRA FAR right, who have been essentially governing Israel with smug impunity for months now.
  • And, overall, Israelis seem to like Biden a lot.

I apologize that i don't have sources for each of these, these are just a collection of insights I recall reading in the last few months.

Ultimately, I think they're largely out of answers AND being herded aggressively by a well-tuned state propaganda machine, which means that I think their attitudes are in flux. I think they could be led in many directions, and many futures are possible. Right now though, the most successful shepherds are Smotrich and Ben-Givir.

Lastly, there are a few very small Palestinian-Jewish unity groups. These may look irrelevant considering their numbers are so few, but when people ask where we could find leaders capable of negotiating peace (considering most of the Palestinian ones have been killed to prevent any peace process), I think this would be where we'd find them. Despite their numbers, they terrify the far right. They face extreme threats of violence, and I think that reaction belies the threat they pose to Jewish Supremacy.

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[–] Pacattack57 64 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Withholding? As if Isreal is entitled to our money and weapons.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago

I don't mind supporting countries that actually need it but even if the IDF was completely ethical, and they're not, they still wouldn't need a single bullet of aid.

[–] [email protected] 51 points 5 months ago (1 children)

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

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[–] theywilleatthestars 26 points 5 months ago (1 children)

At this point he's better at campaigning for Biden than pretty much anyone I've seen who's telling me to vote for him.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I actually had to pause and consider whether this could be some kind of pro-Bidem propaganda.

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[–] Ensign_Crab 21 points 5 months ago

but that the U.S. should not be withholding some weapons.

It should be withholding all weapons.

[–] Aux 21 points 5 months ago

Sanction the fucker with all of his government!

[–] Fedizen 18 points 5 months ago

would be funny if the military accidentally shipped it to ukraine

[–] Godric 18 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Wait, I was told Jebocide Joe was all in on killing Palestinians?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

almost as if the perpetual online slacktivist left is irrational

[–] frankgrimeszz 17 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

And yet, just weeks ago an American brand shell that hit a school in Gaza and killed 40+ was found.

https://www.npr.org/2024/06/06/nx-s1-4995090/israel-gaza-school-strike-us-bomb

[–] [email protected] 15 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Make your own weapons then!

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I think if he tried they'd look like something out of a cartoon.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Israel does make some of their own weapons. (Have you ever heard of the Uzi or Desert Eagle?) Just not enough for their current goals. I've heard that proposed as a reason the US provides them so many weapons, to suppress the growth of their local weapons industry.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 5 months ago

And yet Biden continues to send the weapons and money.

It's both malicious and incompetent. No matter how much foreign blood Biden promises spill, republicans will double it. By trying to appeal to "moderate" fascists, they're just demotivating their base, while fascists will vote for the real thing over diet fascism.

[–] assassin_aragorn 13 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I don't understand his angle here. He clearly has some sort of agenda, but I haven't figured it out. Maybe he's betting that this will turn some Democrats and moderates against Biden? But that requires believing that Netanyahu is telling the truth, which I don't think a lot of Israel supporters necessarily do.

Either way, this is weird. Maybe he's talking about the bombs that weren't sent for Rafah? But getting pissed about one halted shipment out of everything they've been given is just fucking hilarious.

My guess -- he's aware his support is dwindling, and he's trying to salvage it by blaming everyone else. Or, he's daring the US to stop all shipments, but that would probably destroy his remaining support too.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)
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[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)
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[–] Xeroxchasechase 11 points 5 months ago

The destroyer of Israel

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago

like a child complaining that mum grounded them and didn't give them their allowance

[–] eran_morad 8 points 5 months ago
[–] carl_dungeon 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)
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[–] WhatIsThePointAnyway 6 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

With climate change, the whole of the mid-East is going to be uninhabitable. All these countries are fighting over land that no one will be able to live on in the next 50 years or so. Humans are way too short sighted.

And I say all these countries because Iran and Russia supports Hamas and America supports Israel.

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