You people who are constantly using this forum as a place to announce news I've already read in the NYT--not a single word about what is going on in Israel.

I've been emailing with people in Israel. One reply I got:

"The closest approximation I can give is that it's like 9/11 and Pearl Harbor put together, but worse."

But, to your point, is there something that stops you from posting about what's going on?

It's not how I like to use this forum. I'm not here to discuss the news. (And yes, I am aware that I *have* discussed the news here plenty of times in the past.) I just find it striking that with the constant stream of bare links to the news of the day (as if I'm incapable of reading the newspaper), this is omitted. It is a glaring omission.

Why haven't the WTF newshounds started a discussion about this?

I actually came back to delete this comment, on further consideration thinking perhaps it was unfair and I had jumped the gun. It is, after all, a holiday weekend and maybe the newshounds will catch up later without my saying anything.

I recognize that plenty of people here are happy with the news reporting and bare links going on here. It makes WTF a less appealing place for me to be, but that's for me to deal with.

I do find it disturbing that this event of enormous significance is being dismissed, in general, not just here. And I personally take it as an indicator of the general anti-Israel sympathies in this community. And the lack of acknowledgement that Hamas cannot be satisfied unless and until Israel no longer exists.

quote:

piqué

piqué, I have noticed also that there doesn't seem to be a lot of discussion about it, particularly on FB, where I would expect to see more of it.

quote:

general anti-Israel sympathies

I can only speak for myself, but I don't think it's fair to assume that silence on this forum, or on FB, means someone holds anti-Israel sentiments.

I personally have been shocked by what's happening, but I am so ignorant of any details, that I have been looking to learn about it and am in no position to make any comments myself.

Separate from that, the post count here at WTF has dramatically shrunk and the time between your posting this thread and the second most recent post was 24 hours. There never used to be gaps of no posts like that before. People just aren't posting. (Guess I need to go visit WTG's social media thread...) But that doesn't mean they aren't paying attention.

I don't know that anything I'm saying here is particularly helpful though.... I'm sorry.

Discussions of violence in Israel/Palestine have often been the most heated ones on this forum, at least in the olden days when we had many more regular posters than we do now.

The other reason is probably shock at trying to absorb the enormity of what is transpiring.

Over 800 Israeli dead already, mostly civilians. Naked bodies of dead and broken young women paraded in the streets. Israeli bombardment of Gaza 24/7, targeting apartment complexes, presumably because of a Hamas office inside, but also containing hundreds of civilians.

This will get much worse as Israel begins to push into Gaza to attempt a rescue of hostages, most of whom will be butchered anyway.

It could go stratospheric if Nasrallah commits Hezbollah to the fight, likely at the behest of Tehran. The US is moving a carrier task force to the eastern med. They say it's a show of force, but I'm guessing phone calls have been made warning of potential use.

If I were Blinken, I would immediately order all diplomatic personal, and their families, to leave Lebanon immediately. They would be prime targets of Hezbollah if Nasrallah decides to open a second front.

American Hostages

This could sink the Biden administration and pave the way for Trump to return and complete the dictatorship of God, i.e. the world our religious nut friends who control the GOP have laid out for us.

Biden will need to respond harshly ... perhaps more harshly than might be his inclination. But ehe needs to stay aware of the political realities and he cannot give the orange nightmare an opening.

I second SK's points, especially the one about lacking the knowledge to do the topic justice.

Possible US hostages in Gaza

Not reliably verified yet. Also supposedly US citizens killed in southern Israel, at that concert where 250+ were butchered and/or taken hostage.

I'm thinking that the US Carrier task force may have been sent as more than a show of force.

One more spark could set off the biggest global conflict since WWII.

Pique, P*D, or anyone else who has friends and family over there, are they safe so far?

quote:

Originally posted by Piano*Dad:

I'm thinking that the US Carrier task force may have been sent as more than a show of force.

May be a base from which to deploy various special operations for hostage rescue/retrieval, naval blockade/interdiction to disrupt arms/supplies?

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
A different take from a source we don't usually read

Thanks for the idea to also check alternative news sources closer to that region.

Was curious about casualties in Gaza, which isn’t reported as widely in US media (also not in that Arab News article), but seen it reported as being over 400 dead in this Al Jazeera article.

quote:

Originally posted by Axtremus:
Pique, P*D, or anyone else who has friends and family over there, are they safe so far?

Despite my last name, I'm not Jewish and I have no family (that I know of) in Israel.

Hostage rescue in Gaza is likely impossible.

They will be spread out all over. And the Israelis, despite very belligerent rhetoric are warning residents of specific areas of Gaza to move to other clearly designated (temporarily safe) areas before attacking. Given a warning, no hostages will be in any area Israel enters on the ground.

The only way to rescue the hostages, or more likely to recover their brutalized remains, will be to reoccupy Gaza and completely annihilate the Hamas military and political operation. I suspect that is what Netanyahu has in mind, because that is the only possible path to political redemption. I doubt even that can save him. Once a commission gets started, the facts will sink him.

Our friend bachophile is OK as of this morning; he's the only person I know who lives in Israel. Not surprisingly, his hospital has been receiving wounded.

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Hostage rescue in Gaza is likely impossible.

bach says pretty much the same thing.