tcpip | Enough! Already! (... and mythic diversions)

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Enough! Already! (... and mythic diversions)

The Israeli invasion of Gaza continues, with the number of civilian deaths rising dramatically. Claims that Israel has been using cluster bombs and white phosphorus. Two UN schools are bombed killing forty, just after UN ambulances were hit killing paramedics. The definition of a 'terrorist' and a 'valid target'seems to get a bit rubbery according to the IDF. In contrast, Australian Jews denounce the invasion. A former Israeli soldier, and now Oxford professor, has come to some hard conclusions as a result of the invasion. Avaaz (a remarkably effective group) has a cease-fire petition, which I urge all to sign and pass on. Also, go vote for Prof. Juan Cole's 'blog Informed Comment as Best Middle East or Africa 'Blog.

I sometimes find myself drawn into this discussion and over the years have found myself increasingly in support of the "one (democratic, secular) state solution". The partition of Palestine was perhaps the worst early decision made by the United Nations and was not supported by any neighbouring state or by the former colonial power. Under such circumstances it is hardly surprising that there have been seemingly endless violence and wars as a consequence. Resolving the issue would involve ending the pseudo-soveriegnity (as Hannah Arendt put it) of a Jewish state in favour of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Apart from applying laws equally over what it is currently Israel and the occupied territories, it would involvd ending existing discriminatory institutions and laws (e.g., Knesset Election Law, the control of the Israel Land Administration by the Jewish National Fund, the Law of Return, Nationality Law etc) would have to be abolished in favour of secular alternatives. Of course, having such considered opinions does attract detractors; dear readers, I present you my own troll from Tel Aviv.

Have engaged in a few mythic diversions of late. Last Sunday's RuneQuest Prax game included defeating the witch-queen of disease and visiting a moment of the non-sequential reality that is the Godtime.

darknova666's character jumped between misfortune and elation on several occassions in the scenario. On a further Gloranthan theme I've introduced The Crimson Bat in my HeroQuest pbem. Have also extracted and modified the review of Pathfinder from the latest issue of RPG Review (issue #3 already has three articles, awesome!) to submit to RPG.net. On an oddly related topic, on Sunday week I'm presenting on "A Unitarian-Univeralist View of the Economic Crisis" - how's that related? Afterwards we're playing Credo: The Game of Duelling Dogmas, which is attracting some interest from members of the congregation.

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I almost wish the discussions I have been happening included trollishness like that. I am getting frustrated with the recurrent argument: Hamas are killing Palestinians because they are hiding in refugee camps. They know they will be shelled, so they are killing Palestinians (the arguments are oddly phrased, as though they think Hamas are some group from out of country rather than, say, Palestinians).

The logic appears to be something along the lines of: If a man who belongs to a terrorist group takes shelter in a hospital, we must shell the hospital. It is his fault the wounded die, but the risk of leaving him alive to kill people is worth killing people!

I am also upset that I constantly have to preface discussions with: 'I don't believe Israelis should be being hurt and killed' as if the very fact that I can well comprehend why racial rages and general unfairness and poverty boils into rage implies I think it's just dandy folk are hurling home made rockets at the other side. No, seriously, I do not want Israelis of any sort, soldier or not, to be killed and maimed, but good God if someone said 'we'll permit you to survive in abject free poverty while your oppressors are privileged in jobs, security, and resources until you are forced to relinquish freedom for basic quality of life' than an armed resistance would seem terribly bloody logical to me. Not nice, not good, almost definitely murderous, but very, very logical.

===I do often wonder when that "line" will be crossed, when Israel actually does get seriously punished for it's behavior. The "We are only defending ourselves" is getting REALLY thin and threadbare.

While I was on holiday I got multiple, daily, e-mails from The Israel Project, which I believe claims to be non-partisan.

Knowing what I know about the last two weeks, and reading just the subjects it was kinda interesting.
I got an invite to a presser with Israeli Army spokesperson Mark Redjhev (Goebbels would be proud of his spin, so I'm sad I can't spell his name). A pity I missed it, but I imagine it would have been controlled.

Signed and voted. I love reading when you are passionate about the world!

do you have a facebook by any chance.
if so would love you to add me
Kaja Malouf

"claims that Israel has been using cluster bombs"

Could they be anything else? What else could they be?

(Nothing to say on the Israel issue that hasn't been said, so sighing and moving on)

The Crimson Bat, at Iceland? Interesting... but unless you're running in a very divergent Glorantha, Broyan knows it can be beaten, because he's done it before. 1619, start of the siege of Whitewall.

israelis wud never go for the one state as arabs wud outnumber jews and breed faster and the jews wud end up as a minority - similar to south africa.

i only see it being sorted out as seperate states walled off but with routes to the other states if blocked off.

cant see it happening for a whie tho.

i doubt the current offensive will ducceeed except to help the current rulers in the coming elections.

It is frustrating to live in the U.S. and see all the liberal trash about how "they're animals" etc.. I've been watching the conflict intently, and even still I am equally irritated by the disgusting, racist attitude prevalent here.

Of course, I am deeply concerned by the present drama. A few good notes:

Ramattan News is a Pal - based independent news source with very good coverage of the war.

Donating to Christian Aid's Middle East Appeal Fund or signing letters can directly help Gazans.

Out of all the people I see blog about these issues, you are one of the most consistent, level-headed and humanist. Keep up the good work!

I've been thinking about this conflict lately and the more I read the more I cannot support israel. I don't know if I like thinking that, as much of my family are American Jews and they support Israel without a thought, but what they're doing is just wrong and the only reason this war is still going on is because we're paying for it.

I think that the democratic secular nation is the only solution that might work, because then both groups will have access to jerusalem. Honestly, whichever side loses that place is going to believe they lost and that'll be the end of it. unless you can clone the city, there will be no peace with a 2 state solution, sadly.

I don't think a single secular state is within the realm of possibility; it would seem to me that the Jewish state is a fait accompli. But what interests me is this -- what are the long-term military and political goals of Hamas? The interests of peace may require for them to reverse their... strict... position on Israel and Judaism, and to do so before Israel reciprocates the gesture and acknowledges them. If they cannot do that when necessary, or if they choose not to do that if necessary, then they will have failed to stop Israeli advance much more thoroughly than they can imagine.

It is to some extent irrelevant to Israel and the US whether Palestinians vote Hamas for the soup kitchens, the schools and for the charity work -- the collective multi-million dollar zakat, as it were, of the organisation -- or for its militant stance. It is only relevant to Israel and the US that Fatah is losing the gravity of power.

Indeed, that is the most significant tactical blunder of recent times, and I am inclined to think it is one of Fatah. I suppose I should include Marwan Barghouti's al-Mustaqbal under this umbrella. Once Fatah and Mr Barghouti had collectively lost the popular vote, they had little choice but to take part in that incharitable Palestinian parlour game, Toss The Other Side's Politicans Off A Rooftop, which Fatah played for many rounds with Hamas for no long-term gain whatsoever.

Reading many pro-israeli comments online is frustrating, because they think the alternative to killing more than 700 people in 10 days is doing nothing.

They act like Israel has two options only. Kill 700 people or not act, as if many other paths are not possible.

It is disgusting to watch this unfold and have reasonable people not be disgusted by this. There is NO excuse for the extremity of this attack considering how WEAK and NON-THREATENING Hamas is. A group that has been only able to kill a dozen people with their rockets in EIGHT years is not that scary. A group that has not even been able to kill HALF A DOZEN SOLDIERS in these crisis is not that threatening.

It is appalling and the sons and daughters of the people who support Israel will grow up in 40 years and wonder why their parents turned a blind eye. Like every generation that follows, looks back in history with disgust, and does the exact same thing in the present

I long ago, after reading the history of the area, gave up even attempting to justify or even condone any actions by the Israeli government. It seems obvious that, like deliberately detaining everyone who arrives in Australia as a boat person, "deliberately" killing civilians is meant to be a "deterrent".

A pox on both their houses.

Me, I think there's only one realistic solution to the Israel/Palestine issue: have Europe, Australasia and the Americas offer sole citizenship on condition that the holder-to-be was a citizen of Israel or the Palestine Territories on Jan 1 2009. Allow all the people who just want to live their lives in peace to get out of there and leave the region to the religious nutters to kill each other over -- alone, without any innocents present to be hit by either side.

What horrifies me about the current conflict is all the innocents being killed. Subhuman religious loonies: they can kill each other as much as they like. In fact, dare I say, the more the merrier.

Does RPG review 3 have a theme?

I know very little about the israel/palestine conflict. It does strike me that Israel is, to some extent, being suckered. Hamas' rocket firing (which, it is reasonable to believe, they would know would provoke a military response - it's hard to see what else it achieves) seems designed to provoke Israel into overreacting, killing (ad- or inad-vertently) Gazan civilians, which gives Hamas a fresh crop of matyrs and alienated recruits. Provoking a disproprotionate response from "the authorities" is a classic insurrectionist tactic.

The implication is that Hamas have decided that being a civil government is just too hard (understandable under the blockade conditions they face) and have decided to revert to being a pure guerilla/terrorist militia again, since if you want to supply good governance then provoking attacks on your citizens/subjects isn't very helpful.

i think u need to setup that politics site u have been talking about!

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