The Likud vs. Hamas war in Gaza.

[MohRokTah]

For too long the current conflict in Israel/Palestine has been painted as a conflict between Israel and Palestine.

It's time to dispense with that nonsense. IT IS NOT FACTUAL! IT IS, IN FACT, COMPLETE BULLSHIT!!!

This is a conflict between two extremist organizations that can only be considered as terrorist organizations.

This is a conflict between the terrorist organization called "Likud" and the terrorist organization called "Hamas".

Everybody else is caught between these two terrorist organizations.

Flame away. I suspect somebody will get this post locked for some reason or other (anti-Semitic or pro-terrorist or whatever the fuck).

Anybody who thinks that these organizations give a flying fuck about the well being of the people of Israel and Palestine at heart are only lying to themselves.

[99Forever]

1. Whether it gets locked or not, understand you aren't alone in this view. n/t

[MohRokTah]

4. If the conversation actually turned from I/P to Likud/Hamas...

The disgust of the world would actually force a change to the Israeli government to stop the madness because nobody can deny, Likud holds the most might in this conflict.

This is why AIPAC won't allow any discussion of the extremism of Likud.

[joshcryer]

7. I don't know what's controversial about that view.

Likud has to do what they're doing to stay in power just as Hamas.

[JVS]

2. I think it's wishful thinking to dismiss this as a conflict between Likud and Hamas...

when each of these groups are the elected representatives of the general populations involved.

It would be nice if we could claim that the conflict is among a small group of extremists on each side, but that does not represent the reality of the situation.

[MohRokTah]

6. Teabaggers are elected in the US. eom

[JVS]

8. And can we dismiss them as not representative of the political views of their constituencies?

[MohRokTah]

10. Two words, voter turnout. eom

[JVS]

11. Does that apply to Israeli and Palestinian politics?

[JI7]

12. i read somewhere that Netanyahu and Hamas both got less than 50 percent support

but because of the system such as things like coalitions, moderates splitting support etc they end up winning.

similar to teabaggers winning because of gerrymandered districts and holding on to the house as a result.

[tritsofme]

15. Coalition governments are the norm in many parliamentary democracies

Or really anywhere that does not have a strong two party system. There's nothing nefarious about it.

[JI7]

16. i didn't say it was nefarious , which is why i compared it to republican control of the house

[tritsofme]

17. I guess I don't understand your analogy then.

Republicans have an absolute majority in the House, they benefit from gerrymandering and that their voting base is more spread out geographically, but I don't see how that relates to a parliamentary system where coalition governments are not uncommon due to a weak or non-existent two party system.

[Cleita]

19. Pooh!

[LuvNewcastle]

3. It looks to me like each of them wants to wipe the other off the face of the Earth.

The hatred is so deep. That's why I don't think they'll ever come to an agreement on their own. The UN or someone is going to have to step in and tell them how it is. That's the only solution, I think.

[elleng]

5. Yes. Thanks for this.

Not unlike problems we here face with 'extremists,' which hopefully we'll be able to control/deal with/address in the foreseeable future.

[joshcryer]

9. As far as reductionism goes, I can get behind this.

[JI7]

13. remember how Bush needed Bin Laden tapes and fake terror alerts to keep support ?

and just like the crazies in iran and al qaeda and elsewhere needed someone like Bush as President to gain support.

[Alameda]

14. You can read the Likud party platform and the Hamas charter online

Both are extremist IMHO

[freshwest]

20. +1 and play on people's fear of being killed, but they kept on killing.

[Cleita]

18. I so agree. Two Lords trying to kill each other and taking

the serfs with them