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Culture War Roundup for the week of July 28, 2025

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Israel is not supposed to be “a Middle Eastern country”. It’s supposed to be a European colony situated by historical coincidence in Middle East, offering safety to a minority religious group of Europeans who deemed themselves too vulnerable in Europe. If the best you can say in favour of this country that it offers its citizens better survival rates than the civil war Iraq or Syria, then it’s quite a failed project. This is of course not a fringe remark, there is a reason why vastly more Ashkenazim live in the US than in Israel and Israel is turning into a madhouse of the most lunatic religious Ashkenazim and low human capital Mizrahi Jews.

If the best you can say in favour of this country that it offers its citizens better survival rates than the civil war Iraq or Syria

Actually, I can do better. It has the 20th highest life expectancy in the world, ranking above numerous European nations including many in Western Europe. Its intentional homicide rate is marginally higher than most of Western Europe, but given that these murders are overwhelmingly concentrated among the Arab citizenry, the country seems to be doing a pretty good job at its stated mission of serving as a safe haven for Jews in particular.

Great news! Now that we established Israelis live long enough and we shouldn’t care about them dying of causes which aren’t statistically important, we can finally stop sending them massive amounts of direct and indirect aid. Imagine how many Africans can be saved from aids in exchange for stopping a single ballistic missile hitting Tel Aviv.

we can finally stop sending them massive amounts of direct and indirect aid.

Aren't you Turkish?

Yes I am. Turkey is an ally and military/economic partner to Israel and has always been, regardless of what politicians on both sides like to say in public.

Also I live and pay taxes in a country that does send the direct/indirect aid.

Turkey is an ally and military/economic partner to Israel and has always been, regardless of what politicians on both sides like to say in public.

You know better than me, but that's... not the impression I've gotten. Hosting members of Hamas doesn't look like what a military partner to Israel would do. I've also seen reports suggesting Turkey is involved in financing Hamas activities (they're Israeli sources, though I don't know what they'd stand to gain by lying about it).

Also I live and pay taxes in a country that does send the direct/indirect aid.

You live in the US? I'm not aware of any other country that sends aid to Israel.

we can finally stop sending them massive amounts of direct and indirect aid

I'd have no objection to that, personally.