Israel Rapes Everyone, And Other Notes

Reading by Tim Foley:

International flotilla activists say they were subjected to torture and sexual assault by Israeli forces after being abducted in international waters while attempting to bring aid to Gaza.

A statement from the Global Sumud Flotilla reports that the IDF held the activists on a makeshift “torture boat”, asserting that “At least 12 sexual assaults have been documented on that vessel alone, including anal rape and forcible penetration by a handgun.”

This comes after a New York Times report on Israel’s systemic use of sexual torture in its prison camps sent hasbarists howling in outrage for days, and after a Haaretz report on the Israeli military’s internal findings that sexual assault is soaring among its own ranks.

If you knew someone who was constantly being accused of rape by different people on a daily basis, at some point you’d have to conclude that that person is a rapist. When you see the Israeli military being constantly accused by people from all walks of life of using rape and sexual torture, you have to conclude that Israel is a rape country.

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They made up lies about atrocities so that they could justify committing atrocities. They made up lies about rape so that they could justify rape. They made up lies about dead babies to justify killing babies. They framed themselves as victims to justify victimizing others.

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It looks like the US may be reaching a deal with Iran, with warmongers like Mike Pompeo, Lindsey Graham and Mark Dubowitz expressing dismay at the terms the agreement appears likely to include.

I no longer feel a sense of relief when the US war machine shows signs of de-escalation, because these days it’s just a sign they’re getting ready to escalate somewhere else. If Washington sets up an memo of understanding with Iran it only means they’re preparing to regime change Cuba, with plans to re-target Iran using different strategies already being drawn up for a later date.

It’s like when you know a guy who always abuses his girlfriends. If you see one of his partners escape her abusive relationship, after a certain point you’re going to stop feeling a sense of relief, because after watching the patterns play out over and over again you know he’s just going to find some other unfortunate woman to put in that spot. The amount of abuse remains constant; all that changes is the victim.

The violence of the US empire remains constant. It moves around, but it doesn’t diminish. If you see it pulling back a bit, that only means it’s preparing to come roaring forward, like a wave to the shore.

The tide of imperial violence is going to keep returning until the empire is dismantled.

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There’s nothing more undignified than buying into the US war propaganda about Cuba. I see people show up in my replies arguing that Cuba is actually a real threat to the United States and it feels like they’re showing me videos of themselves eating feces. It’s so self-debasing.

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Normalize telling warmongering gusanos to shut the fuck up. US regime change interventionism is evil regardless of wherever your family happens to come from. Your family fleeing Cuba in the sixties does not magically make siege warfare and mass murder acceptable. Shut up.

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Point 1: Every relevant human rights group says Israel is an apartheid state.

Point 2: Every relevant human rights group says Israel is guilty of genocide in Gaza.

Point 3: Genocidal apartheid states should not exist.

Point 4: If you disagree with Point 3, you’re a bad person.

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Normal person: Genocide is bad.

Israel supporter: Just say you hate Jews.

Normal person: I oppose Zionism.

Israel supporter: Jews. You mean Jews. Say Jews.

Normal person: The Israel lobby is causing problems.

Israel supporter: Jews Jews Jews Jews Jewy Jew Jews.

Normal person: But I don’t mean Jews. I’m expressing specific grievances against a specific state, its backers, and the political ideology it is premised upon. I judge people based on their individual actions, not on their religion.

Israel supporter: JEWWWWWWS.

Normal person: You realize you’re doing the exact same thing neo-Nazis do, right? You’re conflating all Jews with everything bad about Israel and the forces which give rise to its abuses.

Israel supporter: It is antisemitic to conflate all Jews with the actions of Israel.

Normal person: Then why do you keep conflating all Jews with the actions of Israel?

Israel supporter: Because it is antisemitic not to conflate all Jews with the actions of Israel.

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