Opinion: The Israeli ISIS

After two Americans and a French national were reported killed while fighting alongside the Israeli army in Gaza, the news passed as if this was a normal occurrence. This news did not cause any commotion in political and media circles in the West. Western and international media outlets reported the news without fanfare, and no side expressed its condemnation or called for an investigations into those who left their countries in order to participate in the Israeli army’s operations in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza has been described by human rights activists and UN officials as a “massacre.” with many calling for investigation as to whether the huge civilian death toll constitutes a war crime or not. However we did not see any politicians lining up to demand measures be imposed to stop “foreign” fighters from travelling to Israel.

This leads us to ask: How would the US and Europe react it their citizens of Palestinian origins decided to head to Gaza or the West Bank in order to fight Israel?

Probably, or maybe certainly, this would cause a great commotion and lead to these volunteers being listed as terrorists. There have been many cases of Arabs or Palestinians who were prosecuted or put under surveillance for raising funds for Palestinian organizations, or for their activism protesting against the Israeli occupation. Such activities are far less serious than volunteering to fight, an act which will inevitably lead to stricter procedures.

However, extremism always breeds counter-extremism. Volunteers who join the Israeli army are the product of extensive recruitment programs pumping racist propaganda against Arabs and Muslims by portraying them as terrorists and extremists who seek to exterminate the Jews and uproot their state. This propaganda is based on stressing “never again” to the injustices suffered by the Jews in Europe; however the Palestinians and Arabs are not the ones responsible for this ugly past. Little wonder that footage has surfaced on social media of recruits boasting about shooting Palestinian civilians and bragging about their desire to kill Arabs and Palestinians.

Double standards have become a familiar approach in international politics. But turning a blind eye to extremists on the Israeli side and Jewish volunteers from the US, Europe and other countries who join the Israeli army will not only exacerbate the situation in the region but also feed into an atmosphere of extremism from which no one will be safe.

I thought this article was interesting. About the double standard that exist in the media and politics. In my opinion ISIS and Israel are both terrorist organizations, since both of them target innocent civilians, both are dangerous "religious' extremists groups and they should be seen as such. Both recruit in the name of their religion....

Which ever side, both are terrorists.

Opinion: The Israeli ISIS

a reply to: samsamm9

Excellent point.

I have little to add other than a question.

Are those who fight for Israel but are not Israeli payed?

originally posted by: RAY1990
a reply to: samsamm9

Excellent point.

I have little to add other than a question.

Are those who fight for Israel but are not Israeli payed?

I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand your question.

originally posted by: samsamm9
In my opinion ISIS and Israel are both terrorist organizations, since both of them target innocent civilians, both are dangerous "religious' extremists groups and they should be seen as such. Both recruit in the name of their religion....

Which ever side, both are terrorists.

In my opinion too but forget our opinions, the evidence they really ARE is overwhelming.

What an awful time to live in.

a reply to: samsamm9

An anti-Israel thread by you. I'm shocked.

How can a country be a terrorist organization?

Also, you've got nerves calling Israeli country a terrorist organization and therefore calling every Israeli citizen a terrorist, but what about other countries? I mean, US is just by far in front of everyone else in that category( killing innocent people, including their own). US justified their slaughter with their patriotism and their just trying to help act, what about that? Not to mention many other countries including UK, Germany and many others?

And then you come here, and talk about double standards.

Why do I even bother participating in these type of threads..

originally posted by: Nikola014


Why do I even bother participating in these type of threads..

Yes, why do you?

All i see in your post is derailing of this thread by mentioning a third country and their wrong doings.

As you can see it is not working as you imagined it would

Let's focus on the OP shall we.

a reply to: Exitt

Are you for real? I mean, are you being serious or are you just messing with me?

How can one country be a terrorist organization for killing innocent people, but another country that does much worst things is not considered to be one? And then the OP talks about double standards. I'm sorry if you don't like hearing these things, but if a rule applies to one country, I would like to think it applies to any other country. But, i've lived long enough and realized that the world simply doesn't work that way.

Hypocrite much?

originally posted by: Nikola014
a reply to: samsamm9

An anti-Israel thread by you. I'm shocked.

How can a country be a terrorist organization?

Also, you've got nerves calling Israeli country a terrorist organization and therefore calling every Israeli citizen a terrorist, but what about other countries? I mean, US is just by far in front of everyone else in that category( killing innocent people, including their own). US justified their slaughter with their patriotism and their just trying to help act, what about that? Not to mention many other countries including UK, Germany and many others?

And then you come here, and talk about double standards.

Why do I even bother participating in these type of threads..

The israeli government is a terrorist organization. Are you for real ? You've lived long enough to understand I guess, but you being all emotional, I'm NOT shocked.

The concept of terrorism is to target innocent civilians. How are they not a terrorist organization and Hamas is ?

Get over yourself.

Wasent mccain in syria posting for pictures with these guys, theres some much different info out there that i dont get how they got armed that good and so quick.

originally posted by: Nikola014
a reply to: samsamm9

An anti-Israel thread by you. I'm shocked.

How can a country be a terrorist organization?

Also, you've got nerves calling Israeli country a terrorist organization and therefore calling every Israeli citizen a terrorist, but what about other countries? I mean, US is just by far in front of everyone else in that category( killing innocent people, including their own). US justified their slaughter with their patriotism and their just trying to help act, what about that? Not to mention many other countries including UK, Germany and many others?

And then you come here, and talk about double standards.


Why do I even bother participating in these type of threads..

"How can a country be a terrorist organization? "

Simple, Israel + USS Liberty = case closed

~Cheers~

a reply to: samsamm9


Interesting post, and certainly food for thought. Brings to mind Eric Harroun's activities in Syria, but his actions are subject for debate in another topic. What has most often crossed my mind lately are these various labels--such as "terrorists" or "good guys"--that we so often assign to groups and individuals who make global headlines, almost as if in naming them as such with praising or condemning titles, we are appealing to some inhuman or omnipotent force of moral authority who will eventually "set the record straight" or some shining day enforce a final state of black and white moral balance in the world.

insofar as we know, objectively, the only moral higher powers or enforcers in this world we share, are other mortal men and women. Leaders of nations, of armed forces, possibly the heads of major corporations--these small groups of individuals endowed with ultimate power over us--they are the sole "gods" of men and final judges or determiners of right and wrong here on Earth. Unfortunately, "might makes right" is a truth one cannot refute as it daily is demonstrated to us by one sword or the other.

In other words, double standards will always exist because some human entity with the power to allow them, drive them, and benefit from them will sanction this kind of hypocrisy as justification for you name it. We all have different views often based upon cultural, regional, religious and political beliefs. What is perfectly acceptable for one man or one people determines how he or they interpret the rest of the right and the wrong of their world. However, that does not matter or rather holds no regional or global efficacy when men and women bearing the might of armies and monolithic arsenals decide who is right or just, and who is guilty of crimes and must be punished.

At length, I support the view expressed in your post. Terrorism is a tool used by most all nations. Some disguise it as justice, other's desperately resort to it when outgunned, but I believe it is never just to inflict terror on a civilian population--regardless of who you are or what "good" you claim to be doing.

Last time I checked, Israel has freedom of religion as there are Christians, Muslims, atheists, etc., living peacefully inside Israel. Last time I checked, ISIS is demanding people of other faiths convert or get their heads chopped off. Last time I checked, a Muslim temple occupied the Jews' holiest site in Israel while ISIS was blowing up the tomb of Jonah. Last time I checked, Israel was warning Palestinian civilians to get out of harms way. Last time I checked, ISIS was crucifying Christian children in the streets. Last time I checked, ISIS was stoning women to death in the streets and taking large groups of civilians into a sand fields and shooting them dead in their heads.

Victims of terrorism know the difference. How dare you even compare the two.

Looking forward to your comments about how I have my head up my bottom.

a reply to: samsamm9
Very good point, clean and clear.
S&F
There are psychos everywhere who crave blood, sometimes we call them heroes, seldom do they deserve the title.
If I die in a far away land, you will know I was not.

a reply to: TruthLover557

Over half the Jews in Israel identify themselves as Atheists or cultural (Secular) including most leaders of the Israeli Government. These people don't have a Holy site because they denounce the very religion that they proclaim gave them right to that land in the first place. They are a bunch of hypocrites.

a reply to: samsamm9

Those foreign nationals who are fighting with the IDF, are they payed or volunteers?

a reply to: Black_Fox

"How can a country be a terrorist organization? "

Simple, Israel + USS Liberty = case closed

~Cheers~

I'm not defending the attack on the Liberty, but wouldn't it be more of an act of war than terrorism?

Nikola has a good point too, if Israel is a terrorist organization then so is many other nations. The US for instance is not beyond the idea of sinking it's own ships and blaming others, look up Operation Northwoods. It's possible the USS Maine was sunk in a false flag act.


Terrorist nations?

No

State sponsored terrorism though is a reality and plenty of examples exist for most nations.

a reply to: samsamm9

I had read in an Isareli news paper that some are now making attempts to tie ISIS to Hamas. I don't have any idea how this could help anyone except those who wish to further demonize Hamas.

This whole question of who is or is not a terrorist bring me back to, what was called, the Bush Doctine. That is the idea that we, the U S, had a right to make a pre-emtive strike on those who would threaten our security. This was a major part of the push for our invasion of Iraq. If we were to continue, or had used this in the past, who do you think we could properly invade, as a "matter of national security?

Allow me to just show a statement from a document which I have read.

One other purpose of Israeli nuclear weapons, not often stated, but obvious, is their “use” on the United States. America does not want Israel's nuclear profile raised. They have been used in the past to ensure America does not desert Israel under increased Arab, or oil embargo, pressure and have forced the United States to support Israeli diplomatically against the Soviet Union. Israel used their existence to guarantee a continuing supply of American conventional weapons, a policy likely to continue.

For those who wish to either confirm or deny this quote, might I direct you to a document titled as follows:


THE THIRD TEMPLE'S HOLY OF HOLIES:
ISRAEL'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Warner D. Farr, LTC, U.S. Army
The Counterproliferation Papers
Future Warfare Series No. 2
USAF Counterproliferation Center
Air War College
Air University
Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
September 1999

Now for all you "Neo-Con hawks" out there, let's hear you call for Obama to follow a "strick inforcement" policy of the Bush doctrine.

a reply to: samsamm9

Sorry to see this post fall off the main board.
I just guess no one else had any input on this particular posting.

With guns blazing, more Americans could resort to the binary ‘with us or against us’ test by which Israel is surely with the U.S. and Hamas is definitely with its enemies.

This is the other statement of which I spoke. It was by Chemi Shalev in the on line addition of Haaretz at: www.haaretz.com...

originally posted by: samsamm9

After two Americans and a French national were reported killed while fighting alongside the Israeli army in Gaza, the news passed as if this was a normal occurrence. This news did not cause any commotion in political and media circles in the West. Western and international media outlets reported the news without fanfare, and no side expressed its condemnation or called for an investigations into those who left their countries in order to participate in the Israeli army’s operations in Gaza.

The situation in Gaza has been described by human rights activists and UN officials as a “massacre.” with many calling for investigation as to whether the huge civilian death toll constitutes a war crime or not. However we did not see any politicians lining up to demand measures be imposed to stop “foreign” fighters from travelling to Israel.

This leads us to ask: How would the US and Europe react it their citizens of Palestinian origins decided to head to Gaza or the West Bank in order to fight Israel?

Probably, or maybe certainly, this would cause a great commotion and lead to these volunteers being listed as terrorists. There have been many cases of Arabs or Palestinians who were prosecuted or put under surveillance for raising funds for Palestinian organizations, or for their activism protesting against the Israeli occupation. Such activities are far less serious than volunteering to fight, an act which will inevitably lead to stricter procedures.

However, extremism always breeds counter-extremism. Volunteers who join the Israeli army are the product of extensive recruitment programs pumping racist propaganda against Arabs and Muslims by portraying them as terrorists and extremists who seek to exterminate the Jews and uproot their state. This propaganda is based on stressing “never again” to the injustices suffered by the Jews in Europe; however the Palestinians and Arabs are not the ones responsible for this ugly past. Little wonder that footage has surfaced on social media of recruits boasting about shooting Palestinian civilians and bragging about their desire to kill Arabs and Palestinians.

Double standards have become a familiar approach in international politics. But turning a blind eye to extremists on the Israeli side and Jewish volunteers from the US, Europe and other countries who join the Israeli army will not only exacerbate the situation in the region but also feed into an atmosphere of extremism from which no one will be safe.

I thought this article was interesting. About the double standard that exist in the media and politics. In my opinion ISIS and Israel are both terrorist organizations, since both of them target innocent civilians, both are dangerous "religious' extremists groups and they should be seen as such. Both recruit in the name of their religion....

Which ever side, both are terrorists.

Opinion: The Israeli ISIS

The 3 soldiers you are talking about were all Israeli citizens as well, and Israel has mandatory military service... I know one of the Americans did volunteer before becoming a citizen, but he later made Aliyah. All of them lived in Israel for several years and made it their home. I think 2 of them went to high school there as well. They didn't just say, "Oh boy, Israel is fighting in Gaza, I wanna go kill some Palestinians!", then hop on a plane, stop off at the nearest IDF base and grab a gun.

@RAY1990 - During their mandatory military service combat soldiers earn a little over $200 a month and non-combat a little over $100 a month. I would assume the volunteers gets the same.