Anti-what?

I don't visit, read or post on social media any more. I found each platform offered me less and less that was positive, and more and more that was negative.

Prejudice and hatred became increasingly mainstream and acceptable.

One element of this was antisemitism. Ludicrous conspiracies, placing George Soros at the head of a secret Jewish movement to, well, take over the world. As with every hatred, this type of rhetoric promotes division and leads to violence. Antisemitism is abhorrent, evil and unacceptable. Next month, I'll be visiting Auschwitz again, a place that underlines that message in the most emphatic way possible. We must never allow a recurrence.

In part as a consequence of the horror of the holocaust, the modern nation of Israel was created in 1948, effectively partitioning "Mandatory Palestine", created by the League of Nations and passed to the British to administer. For the four centuries previous, it had been a part of the Ottoman Empire.

The foundation of the State was never universally welcomed, and one might argue, never really finalised. Conflict has characterised the modern history of the region. Gaza, or the Gaza strip has officially been "occupied" by Israel since the Six-day War in 1967. In 2005 Israel withdrew its forces from the area but implemented a blockade.

Hamas was founded in 1987 (with Israeli support) and won the majority of seats in the Palestinian Parliament in 2006 but after infighting with rival party Fatah, ending up with Fatah in charge of the West Bank and Hamas in charge of Gaza, although both territories are, in terms of international law, occupied by Israel. Hamas was designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations in 1997.

On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched an attack into Israel (certainly not their first). One thousand, one hundred and ninety-five people were killed. The majority being civilians, including women and children. There are multiple accusations of rape and sexual assault. Two hundred and fifty Israelis were taken hostage. The attacks were horrific and despicable.

Israel has responded with what it called the "Iron Swords War". Details are manifold - but suffice to say, Wikipedia estimates 60,000 Palestinian casualties up to July of this year, of whom 80% were civilians. Many more have been injured.

Gaza is the most densely populated place on earth. Try to think of your nearest big city being persistently shelled by bombs and missiles.

Israel has levelled Gaza, slaughtering a helpless population. It is choking the flow of aid, leading to more suffering and starvation. That's wrong.

Does such a statement make me antisemitic? Anti-Zionist? Anti-Israeli? Of course it doesn't. To state that it does defies common-sense. The State of Israel is objectively and provably in breach of several international laws. Its actions in Gaza are not proportionate, nor justified.

The international community should be reigning it in. I am disgusted by Russia's actions in Ukraine too, it doesn't mean I'm anti-Russian or that I am prejudiced against the Russian Orthodox church.

The world must work together to find a solution that permits the state of Israel to exist and prosper in security. The solution must also permit a Palestinian state to exist and prosper in security. It may come as a shock to our politicians, but that's what they are bloody for.

Of course, this is a hugely complex and difficult issue. A massive undertaking. So, best we get on it. First? Stop the killing.

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