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ISRAEL GAZA MEGATHREAD IV

This is a refreshed megathread for any posts on the conflict between (so far, and so far as I know) Hamas and the Israeli government, as well as related geopolitics. Culture War thread rules apply.

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An interview in the New Yorker with settler/activist Daniella Weiss, The Extreme Ambitions of West Bank Settlers, is making the rounds on Twitter.

Tl;dr:

  • The purpose of West Bank settlements is to make a two-state solution impossible.
  • Palestinians can remain in the West Bank if they agree to be second class citizens without political rights.
  • Israel’s rightful land extends from the Euphrates to the Nile.
  • I don’t care about Palestinian children, only my own children.

I like the interview and I respect how honest she is. She doesn’t pretend this is about Hamas or terrorism or anything; it’s her tribe versus someone else’s tribe and her tribe should do whatever it takes to win.

Some thoughts/questions:

  1. How mainstream is her view? My impression is that a lot of Israelis/Israel supporters implicitly think that ultimately there’s no long-term solution other than the killing/displacing all the Palestinians, but aren’t willing to bite the bullet and explicitly advocate for genocide (or know they should be more circumspect about it.)
  2. The Netanyahu government seems like it’s on her side at least through benign neglect. Why does her cause have so much political power?
  3. Does a settler/activist like her count as an enemy combatant? On one hand she operates under the colors of being a civilian. On the other hand it seems a little unfair for someone who is actively working to conquer your land to declare rules like “no sorry you’re only allowed to shoot at the guys who have rifles and body armor otherwise you’re a terrorist.”
  4. For moderate pro-Israel people, is “kick all the settlers out of the West Bank” something you’d be willing to accept as part of a broader peace deal?

I am not fond of these settlers.

I’m also not fond of the millions pouring over my border. Why am I supposed to care about the West Bank border and not care about my country’s border?