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A Political Thread pt. 2

The genocide and apartheid claims are very arguable to be fair but I think we might be working off different definitions.

Not saying that Isreal are 100% not committing genocide but I've not seen any evidence that they are.

The apartheid claim I can get more but for me apartheid, like in South Africa, is a top down racial division of people where rights are excluded for one set of people based on race. I can't remember when or names but I've heard, a few times now, of an Arab judge appointed to the Israeli high court who sent an Israeli PM to prison. I don't think you would've got a black judge at all in South Africa let alone one sending PM to prison. Arabs in Israel have a right to vote etc. this, to me, doesn't make it an apartheid state.

You'll get no arguments from me in terms of their conduct in the West Bank and I have no doubt Isreal have committed war crimes, but like any democracy Isreal has mechanisms to hold themselves to account, most notably the people who can vote.

I'm always open to changing my mind if new evidence comes to light though.
Genocide is the intentional destruction of people in whole or in part. I think indiscriminately killing 5,000 Palestinians a month in the last 6 months after years of killing them at any opportunity they had is pretty clear evidence.

And race v sub-set of people as a metric to disassociate them from apartheid sits poorly with me too.

It's also clear they are calculated in staying just within what the west seems acceptable hence being very quick to point out exactly how many Arabs they have in their country and what those Arabs do. If any of them had a cousin in Gaza they couldn't have them over to their homes however.

Come on, Israel does deserve resolutions against it, but it had more resolutions passed against it than the rest of the world combined. Bearing in mind the rest of the world include Syria, Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Burma, DR Congo etc etc. Do you really think Israel's abuses outweigh all of that?

I wasn't really responding to the resolutions, that goes back to Israel flirting with what the west deem acceptable. Wouldn't be the best point scoring system for me either, what's the point of slapping a resolution on any of those countries named? They're not exactly very engaged in diplomacy unlike the Israelis when it suits them to be.
 
I wasn't really responding to the resolutions, that goes back to Israel flirting with what the west deem acceptable. Wouldn't be the best point scoring system for me either, what's the point of slapping a resolution on any of those countries named? They're not exactly very engaged in diplomacy unlike the Israelis when it suits them to be.
And to flip it on it's head, what's the point of constantly passing resolutions against Israel, to the extent it is more than everyone else combined, when they clearly aren't the worst in the world. That also cheapens an already cheap process. How can anyone take the UNGA seriously when it spends the majority of it's time ganging up on a single nation whilst basically turning a blind eye to far worse atrocities? Hell this was for 2023, before Israel invaded but after Russia had invaded Ukraine. Even in that year, Israel still had more resolutions passed against them whilst Russia was literally trying to wipe Ukraine from the map.

I'm no fan of Israel, they do a lot to detestable things, but the UN is a joke for the most part. The majority of nations on there have dubious track records at best.
 
Genocide is the intentional destruction of people in whole or in part. I think indiscriminately killing 5,000 Palestinians a month in the last 6 months after years of killing them at any opportunity they had is pretty clear evidence.

And race v sub-set of people as a metric to disassociate them from apartheid sits poorly with me too.

It's also clear they are calculated in staying just within what the west seems acceptable hence being very quick to point out exactly how many Arabs they have in their country and what those Arabs do. If any of them had a cousin in Gaza they couldn't have them over to their homes however.



I wasn't really responding to the resolutions, that goes back to Israel flirting with what the west deem acceptable. Wouldn't be the best point scoring system for me either, what's the point of slapping a resolution on any of those countries named? They're not exactly very engaged in diplomacy unlike the Israelis when it suits them to be.

Exactly, so in order for it to be genocide you have to prove that they are deliberately targeting civilians and not Hamas otherwise everyone who's ever waged war in the history of the planet has committed genocide. We might as well get rid of the word war and replace it with genocide.

Do you think Israel have killed zero Hamas fighters? Do you think they prioritise the death of Palestinian civilians over Hamas? I guess you could say they view them the same but if that's the case why haven't they just wiped them out? How has Gaza's population increased or are Isreal just bad at genocide or maybe they only want to do it really slowly or something? They've had the capability to genocide all of Gaza, slow or fast, since they pulled out of Gaza in 2005 or whenever,

Why bother trying to evacuate civilians or warn them before they bomb an area? It can't be to satisfy tje international community as, far as I'm aware, other countries don't even do this kind stuff like leaflet dropping, phone calls and dropping big speakers in civilian areas telling them they're going to bomb an area. I don't think any other countries civilian casualties record, when conducting urban warfare, has ever been scrutinised in the same way as Israel's is now and this is one the smallest, densely populated places in the world, fighting an enemy that imbeds themselves in said civilian population.

As I say, I'm not saying they're definitely not committing genocide but I'd have to see evidence that there's a clear top down plan that they're intentionally targeting civilians. Again, as I say, I'd be surprised if no war crimes have been committed as war crimes are committed in all wars but that's a separate issue to genocide.
 
Why hasn't anything been brought up against the US? I know it's been brought up in a small way, but if the UN or ICC believe Israel is possibly committing genocide. Aren't there rules for countries supplying weopons used in genocide.

I'm no way an expert on international law but kind of seems linked and a reasonable point. If your telling both sides to stop murdering civilians you need to tell countries to stop giving them guns and bombs to do it ie The Us, Iran etc and sanction them as well. Hence why Biden can't say it's genocide as he'd be complicit in it.

#I'm not saying they should, more why it's not mentioned or actioned by the UN or who ever. The ICC says it is genocide, Biden and the UK it's not. Like most I've not got a bloody clue.
 
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And to flip it on it's head, what's the point of constantly passing resolutions against Israel, to the extent it is more than everyone else combined, when they clearly aren't the worst in the world. That also cheapens an already cheap process. How can anyone take the UNGA seriously when it spends the majority of it's time ganging up on a single nation whilst basically turning a blind eye to far worse atrocities? Hell this was for 2023, before Israel invaded but after Russia had invaded Ukraine. Even in that year, Israel still had more resolutions passed against them whilst Russia was literally trying to wipe Ukraine from the map.

I'm no fan of Israel, they do a lot to detestable things, but the UN is a joke for the most part. The majority of nations on there have dubious track records at best.
I'm not interested in this argument at all but I genuinely don't think there are "far worse" countries which is what I took exception to.

Exactly, so in order for it to be genocide you have to prove that they are deliberately targeting civilians and not Hamas otherwise everyone who's ever waged war in the history of the planet has committed genocide. We might as well get rid of the word war and replace it with genocide.

Do you think Israel have killed zero Hamas fighters? Do you think they prioritise the death of Palestinian civilians over Hamas? I guess you could say they view them the same but if that's the case why haven't they just wiped them out? How has Gaza's population increased or are Isreal just bad at genocide or maybe they only want to do it really slowly or something? They've had the capability to genocide all of Gaza, slow or fast, since they pulled out of Gaza in 2005 or whenever,

Why bother trying to evacuate civilians or warn them before they bomb an area? It can't be to satisfy tje international community as, far as I'm aware, other countries don't even do this kind stuff like leaflet dropping, phone calls and dropping big speakers in civilian areas telling them they're going to bomb an area. I don't think any other countries civilian casualties record, when conducting urban warfare, has ever been scrutinised in the same way as Israel's is now and this is one the smallest, densely populated places in the world, fighting an enemy that imbeds themselves in said civilian population.

As I say, I'm not saying they're definitely not committing genocide but I'd have to see evidence that there's a clear top down plan that they're intentionally targeting civilians. Again, as I say, I'd be surprised if no war crimes have been committed as war crimes are committed in all wars but that's a separate issue to genocide.
70% of the dead are women and children. They don't care and their "warnings" clearly aren't effective.

They're not bad at genocide, they have to pretend it's not a genocide because the US supply all their weapons and won't let them be viewed as being used for extermination.

We're talking about a nation that was founded on ethnic cleansing and has continuously practiced it to some degree throughout its history. Giving them the benefit of the doubt is genuinely bizarre to me.
 
I'm not interested in this argument at all but I genuinely don't think there are "far worse" countries which is what I took exception to.

Well we will have to disagree there then. I don't see how someone could look at the nations I listed among others and think Israel is on the same level.
 
Well we will have to disagree there then. I don't see how someone could look at the nations I listed among others and think Israel is on the same level.
That's fine. I think the only difference is that the others don't make an attempt to align themselves with western values while Israel have to do that for their own self-preservation.
 
I'm not interested in this argument at all but I genuinely don't think there are "far worse" countries which is what I took exception to.


70% of the dead are women and children. They don't care and their "warnings" clearly aren't effective.

They're not bad at genocide, they have to pretend it's not a genocide because the US supply all their weapons and won't let them be viewed as being used for extermination.

We're talking about a nation that was founded on ethnic cleansing and has continuously practiced it to some degree throughout its history. Giving them the benefit of the doubt is genuinely bizarre to me.
It's not just the US though (and they don't need US weapons to wipe out Palestine) and even if it was are you saying Joe Biden really is complicit in this genocide? That he doesn't care, is he really genocide Joe to you or is it that they're doing such a good job at disguising the genocide in a legitimate war (unless you believe Isreal doesn't have a right to exist and therefore does not have a right to defend itself) that Biden, every US politician and pretty much every western country in the world has been fooled into thinking that it's likely that a genocide is not taking place.

I really do find it staggering that the only clear evidence we've seen on an actual genocide was on October 7th by Hamas. That's what a genocide looks like, there's no room for doubt when it come to "did they mean to burn those children, rape those women and behead those civilians" and then all you have to do is look at Hamas charter to see how genocidal they are.

We're obviously never going to agree but I feel some words just mean different things now but maybe I'm the one who's out of touch and perhaps Isreal will get found guilty of genocide and all the things you say.
 
And I take it the millions of Israeli citizens are all in on this pretence as well?
I think Palestinian support for what Hamas on Oct 7th has grown. Some as high as 3 in every for 4 people. It's probably as high for people in Israel and what they are doing. I also have my cocerns it's a belief by Hamas that it's of there interest to prolong this war because of the pressure the world puts on Israel. Without any concern for the plight of the people they represent in Palestine.

That's why i couldn't stand with one side or march for one. Both appear to be indiscriminaly harming children and that's my line in the sand.

Like most i hope they sort it out. The world just seems more concerned about one upmanship on who's the most evil rather than getting a grip.
 
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Without any concern for the plight of the people they represent in Palestine.
I mean Hamas have show they have zero interest in the plight of the people of Palestine tbh - I don't think they even hide it
Human shields, stealing and reselling aid, destroying infrastructure etc.
They care about killing Israelis and nothing else - it's why this situation has no easy or viable solution, while Hamas exists they will always wage war against Israel because they don't think that Israel should exist
 
I mean Hamas have show they have zero interest in the plight of the people of Palestine tbh - I don't think they even hide it
Human shields, stealing and reselling aid, destroying infrastructure etc.
They care about killing Israelis and nothing else - it's why this situation has no easy or viable solution, while Hamas exists they will always wage war against Israel because they don't think that Israel should exist
Edit, sorry this response was for @Saintjay

Yes, it is clearly Hamas's strategy for as many Palestinians civilians to die as possible. I've said it before, and I think it's undeniable, that Isreal care more about Palestinians than Hamas do. Not one bomb shelter built but they can spend a lot of money they get in aid on tunnels that they don't allow their civilians to use, I wonder why that is, it couldn't be because they actually want their civilians to die so they can use those deaths to put pressure on Israel internationally.

There is such a clear difference to what each side are doing (not to say Isreal are saints obviously) On the one hand you have October 7th and then you have a legitimate response to that attack. But there's a whole heap of people that say 7th October was legitimate resistance. It's ****** mate.
 
Yup this entire crisis/war have two side hellbent of wiping the other of the map and simply don't care about the collateral damage.

Its not a genocide though they aren't looking to completely wipe out a race or religious sect.

I think ICC is right to bring war crime charges to both sides.
 
Yup this entire crisis/war have two side hellbent of wiping the other of the map and simply don't care about the collateral damage.

Its not a genocide though they aren't looking to completely wipe out a race or religious sect.

I think ICC is right to bring war crime charges to both sides.
I can't agree with your first sentence, you'll be unsurprised to hear. October 7th is hell bent determination to wipe out a population. If Isreal did nothing on October 7th, do you think the Hamas fighters (I don't like using that word with Hamas to be honest) would've stopped after a while or do you think they would've carried on till every Jew in Isreal was dead. That's what hell bent destruction looks like.

Now, apply that to Isreal who firstly pulled out of Gaza in 2005 (not very hell bent back then) but even now has what, killed 5% of the population (not even that) and that is largely down to Hamas using human shields and imbedding themselves into a civilian population and hiding underground.

I agree more with your second bit about perhaps there being a disregard for civilian life, that is certainly more arguable and I totally agree about the war crimes and genocide bit.
 
It's not just the US though (and they don't need US weapons to wipe out Palestine) and even if it was are you saying Joe Biden really is complicit in this genocide? That he doesn't care, is he really genocide Joe to you or is it that they're doing such a good job at disguising the genocide in a legitimate war (unless you believe Isreal doesn't have a right to exist and therefore does not have a right to defend itself) that Biden, every US politician and pretty much every western country in the world has been fooled into thinking that it's likely that a genocide is taking place.
Yes he's complicit, as is Von der Leyen and whoever the British PM is this week. They've all had ample chance to condemn what is going on and p it more pressure on Israel to deescalate the situation and haven't. They don't need US weapons to wipe out Palestine but they do need them to flex muscles to their neighbours. The same neighbours that the west have a vested interest in having a presence in the Middle East to keep straight.
I really do find it staggering that the only clear evidence we've seen on an actual genocide was on October 7th by Hamas. That's what a genocide looks like, there's no room for doubt when it come to "did they mean to burn those children, rape those women and behead those civilians" and then all you have to do is look at Hamas charter to see how genocidal they are.
I can't understand this. Conservative estimates are that 70% of victims are women and children. It's been proven Israel have lied about the number of Hamas soldiers they've killed also. If you don't think this is indiscriminate killing, I don't know what to tell you. Netanyahu is the one rejecting peace offers currently.

7 October was terrible but Israel knew about it for over a year before it happened and were warned by Egypt days before. They chose not to defend themselves then but are "defending themselves" now by destroying Palestine and killing tens of thousands of innocent people. They sacrificed their own to do this.

And finally, holding Israel to the same standards as terrorists who only exist in their current state because of Israel's continued ethnic cleansing and restrictions to human rights really shows the level Israel is operating at.
We're obviously never going to agree but I feel some words just mean different things now but maybe I'm the one who's out of touch and perhaps Isreal will get found guilty of genocide and all the things you say.

I doubt they'll be found guilty of genocide unless they really **** up their diplomacy. The UK haven't been found guilty for genocide during the great hunger, nor have the Belgians in the Congo because the UN requires an intent for killing people (******* bizarre) and "it's far more convenient these people are dead than alive" doesn't cut it. I think Israel's intent is far beyond that anyway, there's a clear pattern since the foundation of the state and they were ethnically cleansing before Hamas ever existed.

And I take it the millions of Israeli citizens are all in on this pretence as well?

The ones who democratically elected Netanyahu? Yeah, **** em. Particularly the law of return ones, double **** them. Of all the issues I have with that state, law of return is the biggest.

I think Palestinian support for what Hamas on Oct 7th has grown. Some as high as 3 in every for 4 people. It's probably as high for people in Israel and what they are doing. I also have my cocerns it's a belief by Hamas that it's of there interest to prolong this war because of the pressure the world puts on Israel. Without any concern for the plight of the people they represent in Palestine.

That's why i couldn't stand with one side or march for one. Both appear to be indiscriminaly harming children and that's my line in the sand.

Like most i hope they sort it out. The world just seems more concerned about one upmanship on who's the most evil rather than getting a grip.

Whilst external support for Hamas is unacceptable I can understand why there's Palestinian support. These people have nothing and are living in constant fear of death, they've no access to any news source either. They're in a desperate situation and see the men with guns fighting and think it's for them.

Netanyahu has said there'll be no peace until Hamas are wiped out. Hamas have offered a solution and its not been considered because of this. Zero tolerance doesn't work to stop guerilla warfare, look at Afghanistan, Netanyahu knows this as well as anyone.

Yup this entire crisis/war have two side hellbent of wiping the other of the map and simply don't care about the collateral damage.

Its not a genocide though they aren't looking to completely wipe out a race or religious sect.

I think ICC is right to bring war crime charges to both sides.

National groups are included in the UN definition of genocide.

Now, apply that to Isreal who firstly pulled out of Gaza in 2005 (not very hell bent back then) but even now has what, killed 5% of the population (not even that) and that is largely down to Hamas using human shields and imbedding themselves into a civilian population and hiding underground.

Hamas living and hiding in civilian communities is not an excuse to bomb the shot out of them. The British army purposefully killed civilians in NI on a scale dwarfed by what Israel are currently doing and are rightfully vilified for it.
 
Yes he's complicit, as is Von der Leyen and whoever the British PM is this week. They've all had ample chance to condemn what is going on and p it more pressure on Israel to deescalate the situation and haven't. They don't need US weapons to wipe out Palestine but they do need them to flex muscles to their neighbours. The same neighbours that the west have a vested interest in having a presence in the Middle East to keep straight.

I can't understand this. Conservative estimates are that 70% of victims are women and children. It's been proven Israel have lied about the number of Hamas soldiers they've killed also. If you don't think this is indiscriminate killing, I don't know what to tell you. Netanyahu is the one rejecting peace offers currently.

7 October was terrible but Israel knew about it for over a year before it happened and were warned by Egypt days before. They chose not to defend themselves then but are "defending themselves" now by destroying Palestine and killing tens of thousands of innocent people. They sacrificed their own to do this.

And finally, holding Israel to the same standards as terrorists who only exist in their current state because of Israel's continued ethnic cleansing and restrictions to human rights really shows the level Israel is operating at.


I doubt they'll be found guilty of genocide unless they really **** up their diplomacy. The UK haven't been found guilty for genocide during the great hunger, nor have the Belgians in the Congo because the UN requires an intent for killing people (******* bizarre) and "it's far more convenient these people are dead than alive" doesn't cut it. I think Israel's intent is far beyond that anyway, there's a clear pattern since the foundation of the state and they were ethnically cleansing before Hamas ever existed.



The ones who democratically elected Netanyahu? Yeah, **** em. Particularly the law of return ones, double **** them. Of all the issues I have with that state, law of return is the biggest.



Whilst external support for Hamas is unacceptable I can understand why there's Palestinian support. These people have nothing and are living in constant fear of death, they've no access to any news source either. They're in a desperate situation and see the men with guns fighting and think it's for them.

Netanyahu has said there'll be no peace until Hamas are wiped out. Hamas have offered a solution and its not been considered because of this. Zero tolerance doesn't work to stop guerilla warfare, look at Afghanistan, Netanyahu knows this as well as anyone.



National groups are included in the UN definition of genocide.



Hamas living and hiding in civilian communities is not an excuse to bomb the shot out of them. The British army purposefully killed civilians in NI on a scale dwarfed by what Israel are currently doing and are rightfully vilified for it.
Thanks for the response as always dude. I'll give this the response it deserves later, if I'm not to tired from work.

I turn 40 next week so I'm an old man.
 
National groups are included in the UN definition of genocide.
I think there's a slight difference killing every Palestinian/Israeli and removing the country from the map.

Otherwise you could argue every invasion is a genocide which is an unhelpful definition.
I can't agree with your first sentence, you'll be unsurprised to hear. October 7th is hell bent determination to wipe out a population. If Isreal did nothing on October 7th, do you think the Hamas fighters (I don't like using that word with Hamas to be honest) would've stopped after a while or do you think they would've carried on till every Jew in Isreal was dead. That's what hell bent destruction looks like.
As above I think there's a difference between population and geography. I do not think Hamas what to systematically kill everyone Jew in Israel if they fled Israel I don't think they'd care that much.
I turn 40 next week so I'm an old man.
How the **** are we the same age? (I'm 40 in October)



I hate bringing up Nazi's but go to the Imperial War Museum and the Holocaust you really need to understand what a genocide really looks like.

Hamas (and Israel's) attacks are appalling but neither represents the intent to wipe out a people.

Do I think Hamas if capable would conduct a genocide? That's an entirely diffrent debate.
 

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