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Manny's avatar

Thank you, Caitlin. This is one of your best articles.

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Caitlin Johnstone's avatar

Thanks!

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

I concur!

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HokuManaSan's avatar

AYE; 100%!

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Barbara Berberi's avatar

I think all of her articles are great. One of the best !

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J. Lashley's avatar

You should see the vitriolic hatred in Tel Aviv for the hostage that kissed two hamas fighters on the forehead as he was being released. Foaming out of the mouth describes them perfectly. So not only can you as a non-israeli, not express sympathy for palestinians, but by God if you are an Israeli and you express any sympathy for them. In some ways the hostage (sorry I forgot his name) might be safer now in Hamas hands than in Israel.

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Roslyn Ross's avatar

Israelis have been brainwashed from birth for three generations so their ability to identify truth from fantasy would be minimal if not nonexistent. Israelis would not recognise truth or facts if it hit them on the head. They are like robots manipulated by their evil system and incapable of reason.

And human nature is such that people will impose any level of denial in order to avoid facing the reality of their own evil. Such is the story of Israel and most Israelis, with a few, remarkable and brave exceptions.

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Laurie Z's avatar

Israeli society is imploding from within, I can only imagine the hellscape of thier minds.

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Roslyn Ross's avatar

Well when you are brainwashed and live in a cult, any introduction of reality is traumatic and can lead to total meltdown of brain function.

The Palestinian Resistance has demonstrated that they can and have defeated the Israeli Occupation Forces. Trauma.

The Iranian response to Israeli attacks demonstrated that the Iron Dome does not work. Trauma.

The psychological mess that most Israeli soldiers are following their atrocities against the Palestinians destroys the myth of supremacism. Total trauma.

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Landru's avatar

I agree, israel has the appearance of a virus to me. israeli attitude is infecting many. Who is creating more damage to who? Did we in the u.s. create this or is israel infecting us? From history we in the u.s. supported the Nazi movement via the wealthy. Strange a tiny country ( I no longer like to call israel a country) the size of New Jersey has created this much damage and cost to the world. israel will no longer exist in less then 10 yrs. my bet.

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Laurie Z's avatar

Israeli historian Ilan Pappe says this is the last stage of Zionism and collapse is therefore imminent.

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Landru's avatar

That's great company to be with : ) Probably no one in the world with more knowledge on the subject. Thank you for that, I will look for the article. The shear weight of the evil must end it don't you think? If we consolidate all the evil of the u.s. into New Jersey sorry New Jersey, would that equal the evil of israel. I just had a Sci-Fi biblical thought, What if israel reaches the density of evil so great it opens a Black Hole : ) Dark Matter and Dark Energy have emotions ha.

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Sam's avatar

So have Americans. How many of us as kids played cowboys and Indians and thinking that the Indians were the bad guys? It kept growing from there.

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David Avenell's avatar

Growing up in Australia as young kids, we too played 'Cowboys and Indians' - no doubt as a result of exposure to Amerikan TV shows, which at the age of 73, I now consider to be indecent exposure.

But oddly enough, we never played White British colonial settlers and Australian First Nations people.

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Roslyn Ross's avatar

Because it had nothing to do with colonialism but was purely kids being kids from books and television.

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Roslyn Ross's avatar

And no doubt Indian kids played cowboys and Indians and the cowboys were the bad guys. Most of that came from films and television.

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Landru's avatar

That my friend is a great question. I always wanted to be the Indigenous people. I would wear feathers I would find. The Indigenous were far more fun. With the reveal of how film and advertising were used ON us even to this day USAID could it be all of that was by design of the evil empire? Seems so hard to believe and then it isn't. Thank you for that.

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gypsy33's avatar

Hi Landru

I used to watch westerns with my dad. I never understood why Indians needed to be driven away or killed. What the fuck? Wasn’t their land being stolen?

I do not identify as “white”, so perhaps that influenced my opinions.

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martin's avatar

'no doubt', idk. maybe ask the ai-bot.

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Marten's avatar

Bingo....The Iron Mountain Goons and the virtues of War, sounds a bell to you???

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Vin LoPresti's avatar

General Matti Peled and his fantastic son Miko the most notable of those ultra-commendable exceptions.

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Roslyn Ross's avatar

Totally.

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Feral Finster's avatar

"That’s why it’s very important to withhold sympathy wherever it’s being weaponized."

The more lurid the tales of atrocities, the more you need to step back and ask if someone is trying to manipulate you.

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Feb 24
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Feral Finster's avatar

To be fair, you'd think that Dubya would try to look more heroic.

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Feb 24
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Feral Finster's avatar

He still could have been cast in a less dopey role.

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Feb 24
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Feral Finster's avatar

Not sure what you're saying,here.

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Lauren Seikaly's avatar

Always spot on. Thank you, Caitlin! I really needed to hear this today. Well, everyday. But today especially.

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The Revolution Continues's avatar

"That’s why it’s very important to withhold sympathy wherever it’s being weaponized. If someone is using a weapon to hurt people, your first order of business is to take their weapon away from them."

Well said. My ex was a sympathy-manipulator. He wanted everyone to feel sorry for him and give in to whatever he wanted because he was a "victim". After a while, the "victim" will start overtly victimizing those who don't play the game with them and follow their false narrative. They can become violent, which breaks the spell of the narrative. Israelis and their apologists may have gone one step too far at this point and their violence has spoiled their "perfect victim" narrative. We can certainly hope so. That's why we have to be strong like Yves and keep exposing the hasbara.

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Jameel Tayyeb's avatar

I know she’s amazing. I never miss her articles and I’ve introduced my entire family to her

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Guest's avatar

https://youtu.be/WMDsKmVYrlI?si=8Y1IQxi_e3Q3eeOy

At the 13:45 mark of the linked video Aaron Mate talks about this story involving his friend Engler who’s spending this weekend in a Montreal jail. Funny though, the video is essentially about the absurd reactions of certain U.S. Senators & other functionaries such as Rachel Maddow to Trump’s diplomatic overtures with Russia. Of course imbecilic hysteria is on display as Putin must be stopped because “freedom” is at stake.

What freedom? Engler is in jail for expressing (a true) thought on a social media platform in which I believe his “felt harassment” can be blocked. And then had a further charge brought against him by the police for stating the fact of his charge of harassment. Amazing. Yeah right, the “West” is such a bastion of freedom. Ask the Germans, or ask students at Columbia, or ask Ali Abunimah in Switzerland. The irony within this video drips.

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russian_bot's avatar

Ask Assange. The harassment of truth seekers should be measured in assanges now. Engler is probably at 0.09 assange.

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Guest's avatar

Assange is a world-renowned figure with great following specifically targeted by the CIA. His persecution was/is ominous and what is happening now is directly related to that persecution.

So I, nor anyone else should be surprised that “ordinary” people are now facing the wrath of state power (albeit at present much less severe than the wrath visited upon Assange) for simply voicing an ethical stance against genocide. It’s perverse.

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russian_bot's avatar

The severity of the treatment of "ordinary" people is directly proportional to the danger the system perceives them as.

Assange is an extraordinary one, hence his treatment. The way they silenced him cannot be any clearer to any daring person. The way the so called freedom loving western public responded to his plight is another indicator - tone it down as nobody gives a fuck.

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Guest's avatar

True and to the heart of the matter, what you say.

~~~

I suppose it must be admitted that apparently there are “always” a percentage among us who don’t give a fuck. But I also suppose that part of that “don’t give a fuck” is lack of awareness as opposed to ineducable insensibility. And certainly, in relation, the percentage of people who understand the import of the Assange case and do give a fuck is too low. But it is “many.” And that many could become “more.” But then we still have the problem of exceptional courage in the face of the Assange “example.” What do we dare? Perhaps that’s already worked out. Perhaps not.

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Guest's avatar

Well yeah, nothing new here and the harassment of Assange really can’t be measured, and Engler’s weekend in jail pales in comparison. Your point is well taken. But damn, what a farcical shitshow this story presents.

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Indu Abeysekara's avatar

👏👏👏to russian_bot.

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Contrarian 33's avatar

"Whoever controls the narrative controls the world, and whoever controls sympathy controls the narrative. Never give manipulators that power over people.” Caitlin.

Right now as is known to all, we haven’t given that power, they have taken it through influence, financial pressures, government dictates, bribery and blackmail. The well known modus operandi of the Jewish character, since day one.

Among those involved are all the once respected journalists who initially may have raised objections to having their stories and therefore the “real truth” manipulated by their superiors, their paymasters, but have probably not only developed great skills in the “rearrangement” of the facts of a story but gain some pleasure out of their new skills as newly minted imaginative and creative authors, worldwide.

They have learned to live with this new climate. Those journalists who still do not enjoy the new regime, submit to the dictates for family, mortgage costs and a peaceful life.

There would be many would fit that bill.

Some of the lies that come out of Israel and its Western puppets are so creative, often producing the exact opposite of the truth. Their objective of course.

The greatest lie is calling Hamas “terrorists”. Perhaps someone one day may compare the Palestinian deaths cause by Netanyahu’s Israeli genocidists against the deaths of the members of Hamas in Palestinian.

That figure alone, should shut up the trumpetting advocates from Israel for the deaths of all Palestinians, (or their removal to other lands), the supporting number reported at 97% of the population of Israel. What a sick climate.

Among those IDF genocidists with sick-minded volunteers from many other countries like Australia, the UK, Germany, France, the USA, many enjoying the anachronous status as a “dual citizen” (loyalty to their resident country something of a joke, being for other very specific disloyal purposes), able to come and go as free citizens of both, perhaps even after an enthusiastic career as rapists, child killers and straight out murderers.

Obviously supported by the leaders of those weak countries

Israel is a breeding ground for criminals but in that same Israel, these people are heroes among the 97% of their citizens who support the newest outrage, Trump-style ethnic cleansing …….for profit.

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Oscar Alx's avatar

As I am here, another list where Israel comes dead last: the Nation Brand Index! Cheerfully from an Israeli source: https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/ryeyskkf1l

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gypsy33's avatar

I love it!

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Sam's avatar

This:

“ The Montreal police apparently have no qualms about acting in service of Israel’s ……”

It’s astounding that Israel is running ruff shod over so many governments and making them do their bidding. What leverage does Israel have over the world? Is it blackmail or the Samson option?

And when will the world grow a spine and put Israel in its place?

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Patrick Powers's avatar

Big Money rules the West.

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Omar's avatar

Thanks for your insightful commentary. They are indeed masters of manipulation and gaslighting. It is insidious and very effective.

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Am's avatar

Good writing Caitlin! Never let them control the narrative with their demands for undeserved sympathy

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snclair's avatar

Tremendous explanation - THANK YOU!!!

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SW's avatar

No one is better at ripping the mask off Zionists than Norman Finkelstein. He can see through their distortions and confront them directly without any nonsense about sparing their feelings. The young woman at the microphone got the shock of her life when he called her out on her maudlin play acting. Cry for the victims of the current genocide.

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John McLeod's avatar

Thanks you Caitlin. I am reminded of someone who once said " In the dictionary you can find sympathy between shit and syphilis " Every time I hear these Zionists playing the victim while slaughtering innocent women and children in Gaza that saying is triggered in me.

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