Israel/Palestine
In reply to the discussion: Israel sees Palestinian children as 'potential terrorists', panel finds [View all]Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)You've come up with nothing that requires a defense, Shira.
1) OMG THEY CAN'T FORCE ASSAD AND HIS CRONIES TO STOP KILLING PEOPLE!
Well, no, they can't. Short of military intervention, the only way for that situation to stop is if Assad decides to stop, or if the people they're killing manage to overthrow his regime. However, Human Rights Watch has released a fairly comprehensive and quite damning report against Syria for what it's doing. It's a reporting organization, not a paramilitary force, and it's done exactkly what itsstated purpose is regarding Syria.
2) LOL THE FOUNDER DISAGREES WITH THEM NOW!"
Good for him, he'd changed his mind since 1988 (or 1978, if you want to go all the way back to Helsinki Watch.) At the same time, Human rights Watch has expanded its focus beyond just "closed regimes" because, obviously, human rights offenses take place in "open" regimes as well.
3) THEY HATE ISRAEL AND YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE THEY WRITE ABOUT ISRAEL SO MUCH!
Do they? Do you know what nation, bar none, has absolutely the most Human Rights Watch articles written about it? Israel, right? Oooooh, it's GOTTA be Israel. Israel's the poor innocent victim here, bullied by the big mean NGO, right?
Nope. it's not Israel. Not by a long shot. it's not even a combination of Israel / Palestine. It's China. Well, Israel must be second-place! ...Nope, that'd be Russia. Third place is the United States. Fourth is a tie between Burma and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Israel is in the "big middle" along with places like the United Kingdom or Egypt.
4) "THEY ARE DELEGITIMIZING ISRAEL!"
Like I asked... what, are they going to take away Israel's license? How does this work? Despite my browser's spellcheck's insistence, 'delegitimizing' is a real word, with a real meaning. Human Rights Watch has no authority to remove the legal status of a nation. Nor for that matter, does anyone else. I've noticed Team Israel has taken to using this instead of the older "right to exist" argument, but both are goofy arguments simply because as long as Israel's saying Israel exists, then it fucking does. The only way that will change is if Israel goes all Rhodesia and says "never mind," or if the Red Sea rift opens up and results in Israel (along with Lebanon and much of Jordan) becoming a new seaway between the Red and Mediterranean.
5) THEY'RE FALSE ALLEGATIONS!
Maybe some of 'em are. Already said I don't expect 'em to be perfect. Your argument isn't about "some," however. You've been screaming from your little rooftop this whole time about how Human rights Watch is completely without credibility. Absolutely, 100%, totally wrong about absolutely everything. Basically, if they reported on Slavery in Mauritania, you would be forced - by your absolutist standpoint - to dismiss it as false, malicious slander against the good people of Mauritania.
Also, you applied the "completely without credibility" and "malicious intent against Israel" to absolutely every NGO and international agency that contributed to the Gaza Report. One of those contributors was B'tselem. You've supported antisemitic slander, death threats, and intimidation against Richard Goldstone as well, while insisting he's completely wrong about everything. You don't get to hide behind them, Shira.
6) I TRULY CARE DEEPLY, WITH ALL MY HEART, FOR THE SLAVES OF MAURITANIA, AND MY CONCERN IS NOT SOLELY A FARCE TO DISTRACT FROM A DISCUSSION THAT ISN'T GOING MY WAY!
Still waiting on those links, Shira.
We're done here, Shira. But i'm not going to leave you empty-handed.
It's impossible to have a bad day with that stuck in your head.