Is It A British Thing To Equate Israel With Hamas?

[Kardashev]

Surely anyone can see that Israel was attacked and is retaliating. Yet I see on some of the British news outlets lots examples of people who seem to support the terrorists of Hamas even though they appear to have started the whole thing and committed unimaginable horrors. I don't get it.

[retrocop]

Neither do I pal.

[retrocop]

Looking at most of the apologists for Hamas I would say it is more a British thing than an English thing.

[ToraToraTora]

There are a lot of left wing people that hate Israel so they always side against them. The Labour party have a particular problem here. The leader is under pressure to be more anti Israel.

[Untitled]

I think they are equivalent. 

[sandyRoe]

The 'whole thing' didn't start earlier this month.

[theshedman]

Don't think Kier's wife would like it if he became anti Israel.

[Gromit]

Hamas killed innocent Israeli citizens on 7th October.

Since then, Israel has killed over 5000 innocent Palestinians.

So the comparison is natural.

[bednobs]

what i dont get is just how many iterations of the same basic question we can get thru

[retrocop]

Well the Israelies have always been totally upfront. They do not want to witness another holocaust and any enemy that attempts it will evoke the sword of Gideon x loads. Any Arab state that tries to mix it with Israel will come off worst as they always have since the Yon Kippor ,Egypt/Isrel war. Egypt and Jordan learnt their lesson and are now having learnt not to mess with Israel are wisely steering clear of Hamas's provocation. I don't see much empathy from the surrounding Arab states for the Gazans. I wonder why.

[DTCwordfan]

What annoys me is the BBC stat of the number of Hamas children involved - with the way that they breed, one of the most young-oriented skewed demographics in the world, are we really surprised? It's inevitable when the Hamas shelter amongst their people to try and protect themselves - and, de facto, involve them in the action.

[naomi24]

Bednobs, this terrible  situation is still unfolding and will bring  repercussions upon the rest of the world.  Some here have been banging on about Brexit and Boris for years - and they're still at it.  Look at latest threads in News.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

"Hamas killed innocent Israeli citizens on 7th October.

Since then, Israel has killed over 5000 innocent Palestinians.

So the comparison is natural."

It may be 'natural' but completely wrong.  This is what we are constantly told- "Look how many Gazans were killed and how few Israelis"- well, look at how many German civillians were killed and how fewer British civilians in WW2- Does that make the Germans right in WW2?  Such is the facile moral thinking that pervades our world.

The media gives you a jaundiced view of the world. Gaza starts a war to kill as many Israelis as possible. And all you see on the BBC and Sky News is dead Gazans.  I shudder to think if in World War II, the same media covered World War II, you would have seen far more dead German civilians than dead British civilians. But it takes a very, very frail moral mind to believe that you determine right and wrong by  the number of dead.

[Hazi-Hammenuhoth]

^Posted by Stableford yesterday.  I agree with every word.

[naomi24]

So do I.

[webbo3]

Neither do I

[Spungle]

Hamas are responsible for their own actions and are now reaping the rewards.  As others gave pointed out, this is like a gestapo or SS raid in WW2 and the response in war will always mean the loss of innocent life.  People with no life experience imagine Hamas can be defeated with no civilian deaths or suffering.  The naive response of many shows how far the lessons learned from the last war have now largely slipped from public memory.

[Stableford]

Sadly, the Jews have always been persecuted and in Britain we have always had our share of antisemites; they are just more vocal now. Just grateful we didn't vote for a PM who said Hamas were his 'friends'.  Thoughts and prayers with all in the Jewish community and the innocent civilians on all sides of this conflict.  Let us hope that Hamas are obliterated.

[andy-hughes]

I don't believe for one moment that anyone condones or supports the incursion by Hamas.

That said,  sympathising with the innocent civilians in Gaza suffering from Israel's retaliation, does not equate with sympathy for Hamas.

I think people need to avoid looking for a position that is not actually present.

Similarly, referring to Hamas as 'freedom fighters' does not automatically infer support of their incursion, and again, assuming such is not helping reasonable debate.

I see no overtime support of the actions of Hamas, and only support of Israel in terms of its retaliation, and not the loss of life incurred by it.

[Stableford]

Perhaps you should read some of the responses in recent days on this website then, Andy.

[fripfrip]

Hazi-Hammenuoth 18:20 agreed and well said.