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PaperclipPerfector  4d ago (text post)   16949 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of March 23, 2026

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Is it? The Israelis didn't seem to have much problem expelling the Palestinians from land they had inhabited for much longer.

There is a myth that Palestinian Arabs are some kind of ancient people who was in the area for a long time. In reality, the majority of Palestinian Arabs are descendants of people who immigrated to modern day Israel from other parts of the Ottoman Empire. In large part due to economic activity spurred by early Zionists. That's why so many Palestinian Arabs have names like "Al-Masri" which means "Egyptian"

As far as expulsions go, those were limited to a few key areas. Which is why to this day Israel has a substantial Arab minority.

In any event, I think that by "impractical," what was meant that (1) the Jews in Israel will never voluntarily agree to it; and (2) they are sufficiently strong militarily that as a practical matter nobody can make them do it.

Palestinians have 2x the proportion of ancient Levantine DNA as Ashkenazi (European) Jews, who make up most of the Israeli population

Ashkenazi (European) Jews, who make up most of the Israeli population

Untrue. Ashkenazi Jews only make up 32% of Israeli Jews, or 23% of Israel's population. The single biggest Jewish demographic in Israel are the Mizrahi Jews, representing 45% of Israeli Jews or 33% of the population of the country.

Okay but isn't the categorization used here... pretty odd? It differentiates Ashkenazim from "Soviet Jews", who presumably are either Ashkenazi or even more European, and it doesn't appear to differentiate Sephardim from Mizrahim, even though Sephardim (afaik?) are also quite European in ancestry. Also, some of those in the "Mixed" category would presumably be, like, Ashkenazim/"Soviet" mixed, if these are really the categories used.

It's more of a chronological categorisation than an ethnic one. Ashkenazim who emigrated to Israel around 1948 would presumably have a lot of ancestry in common with Russian Jews, but the Russian Jews are mostly those who emigrated from the USSR in a large influx around 1989. Because of this, they're a distinct cohort in terms of culture, language and history, if not ethnicity.

It is surprising that they don't mention Sephardim etc. anywhere in the article. Maybe there really aren't that many of them?

The majority of Israeli Jews are Mizrahi, not Ashkenazi.

I believe there is a theory that Palestinians are the Jews who were bad at reading. Judaism requires a large amount of reading sacred text so the ones who were bad at reading left the tribe. NYC folks and West Virginia folks dislike each other so the conflict makes sense.

But New Yorkers and the red tribe elite also dislike each other- indeed far more than thé red tribe elite and hillbillies.

Palestinian Christians in particular (a genetically-distinct subpopulation of Palestinians) are the closest DNA match to ~2nd century Galilean DNA according to Global25 Coordinates.

Only a tiny minority of Palestinians are Christians. Its why its so disingenuous when rightists show the far below 1% tiny minority of Gazan Christians as somehow central figures and victims in that conflict. The truth is that Arab Christians have been fleeing the Levant for the West since the 1800s, long, long, long before Israel’s founding, and largely fleeing persecution by people of the same faith as 99% of modern day Palestinians.

Describing Palestinian Christians as central victims of Israel is like saying the primary victims of Israel and America’s bombing of current day Iran are Iranian Jews.

Only being 2x a bunch of random European Ashkenazis seems less than expected

The proportions are quite high (80% vs. 40%)

I gotta ask, do you honestly expect this to be even slightly convincing to anyone who isn't already on board? You sound like every denier who has ever had to justify something unjustifiable.

And, if you wanna go for right makes right morality, then surely you'll be perfectly fine if one day the shoe is on the other foot and the Palestinians achieve military supremacy?

if one day the shoe is on the other foot and the Palestinians achieve military supremacy?

I'll believe it when I see it.

the Palestinians achieve military supremacy?

They'd have to have more schools than weapons depots, and maybe not rip out water mains installed by bleeding hearts to convert into weapons.

Flying pigs will convert to Judaism first.

I gotta ask, do you honestly expect this to be even slightly convincing to anyone who isn't already on board?

Yes. But I think what you are asking is whether I expect to convince anyone who is an Israel-hater. The answer to that is "no."

then surely you'll be perfectly fine if one day the shoe is on the other foot and the Palestinians achieve military supremacy?

Apparently you are not aware that the Arabs (this was before "Palestinians" were invented) expelled the Jews from Gaza City, Hebron, and many other places. And, as a supporter of Israel, I would have been okay with letting it go if they had stopped there instead of trying to wipe out all of Israel.

But in any event, to answer your question, if (1) the Palestinian Arabs achieved military supremacy; and (2) there was a Jewish minority in or near "Palestine" that constantly engaged in aggression and terrorism with the idea of wiping out all the Palestinian Arabs; then (3) those Arabs would be justified in expelling that portion of the Jewish minority that was causing problems, justified in occupying Jewish territory for defensive purposes, etc.

Well, I'm glad you admitted to being in favor of ethnic cleansing at least.

"Ethnic cleansing" plus 50 years is just a normal border.

Well, I'm glad you admitted to being in favor of ethnic cleansing at least.

I think it would be more fair to say that I'm not categorically opposed to ethnic cleansing. As another poster pointed out, there are scenarios where it is the least bad option.

Perhaps more importantly, if there was an ethnic cleansing at some point in the past, I don't necessarily believe that there is a categorical imperative to undo it.

Are there no circumstances where something like ethnic cleansing is not the least bad option? I think I'm in favor of ethnic cleansing the same way I am in favor of abortion.

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