freediver wrote on Jul 11^th, 2026 at 3:58pm:


But of course. We know Israel to be a failed democracy, as per our previous discussions and your own references, all posted in this thread. 

B'Tselem goes further to describe Israel as an apartheid state. This needs a little explaining, as it references the 2024 finding of the International Court of Justice.

The IJC's advisory opinion is linked in the above article. You won't read it, but it refers to the annexation of the occupied territories, the question of self determination and, most importantly, the policies and practices Israel applies to these non-citizens - restrictions on movement, land ownership, demolition of property and other discriminatory practices - such as the recent law passed that introduces the death penalty for Palestinians, but not for Israelis. Or the trial of Palestinians in military courts, the denial of habius corpus and indefinite detention for Palestinians only.

The IJC ruled that Israel breaches Article 3 of the UN Convention of Racial Discrimination, finding Israel guilty of racial segregation and apartheid.

So, B'Tselem's claim is entirely legitimate. It adds weight to South Africa's current case against Israel as a genocidal state. The Israeli PM's current indictment for the war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population; and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts doesn't help Israel's case much either.

Still, we stand by our Jewish friends in B'Tselem and concede that, indeed, Israel is an apartheid state, a failed democracy and saved from being a total fascist state by one important safeguard: the independence of the Israeli courts.

In January 2024, the Supreme Court overturned Bibi's attempt to turn Israel into a full-blown autocracy. Judges ruled that Israeli courts can still overturn what is deemed to be "unreasonable legislation".

As a result, Bibi's own corruption prosecution continues in the courts. One of the reasons he's pounding Lebanon so hard is the national election in October. Israel is still an electoral democracy with a functioning rule of law for Israeli citizens.

Where it fails is delivering the same rights and freedoms to the Palestinian Druze, Christians and Muslims who share the land, from the river to the sea, with the Israeli immigrants.

Where it also fails is in its international obligations, its expansionist ambitions and its genocidal violence. Israel is the most dangerous state in its region, and not one we should be doing any favours for until it cleans up its act.

That's the IJC's recommendation, anyway.

Do you have any further questions?

freediver wrote on Jul 10^th, 2026 at 7:20am:


The why were Jews not only protected under Muslim rule in Europe but were actually allowed to become successful?

Quote:


In what other Mid East country are there more than 60 laws that discriminate against minorities?

Gnads wrote on Jul 11^th, 2026 at 10:29am:


The claim that “there are no Palestinian people” has no basis in reality or history.

It is a political statement that's been made by some Israeli officials and proponents of Zionism, but it is widely rejected by historians, international bodies, and the global community.

Historians and scholars widely reject the notion that Palestinians do not exist as a people. Key counterpoints include:

National identities evolve: Like many modern nations (e.g., Americans, Italians, Germans), Palestinian identity coalesced over time, particularly in response to Ottoman rule, British Mandate policies, and Zionist immigration.

Cultural distinctiveness: Palestinians have unique cultural markers, including traditional embroidery (tatreez), cuisine (e.g., musakhan), dialects, and symbols like the keffiyeh.

Historical presence: Arab communities have lived continuously in the region known as Palestine for centuries, identifying locally by town or region, and later as “Palestinians” under the British Mandate (1920–1948).

The area was called Palestine by the Greeks long before the Romans. The Greeks had called the whole region “Palestina” or some variant for centuries. In the 5th century BCE, the Greek historian Herodotus used the word “Palaistine” to refer to the region. He traveled to Palestine, and his writings speak of the land’s Arab inhabitants but not of Judea or Jews.

waggawoody wrote on Jul 11^th, 2026 at 8:34pm:




Iran is frequently at odds with Israel, despite having the second biggest Jewish community in the Middle East. DW's Theresa Tropper spoke with the director of Tehran's Jewish Committee, about why that is the case.

DW: How is life as a Jew in the Islamic Republic?

Siamak Morsadegh: It's a lot better than many people think. Jews are a recognized minority here, so we can practice our religion freely. We have more than 20 working synagogues in Tehran and at least five kosher butcheries. In some European countries that is not allowed because of animal rights. In Iran, it is.

Generally speaking, the Jews' condition in Iran has always been better than in Europe. In our country's history, there was never a time when all Iranians had the same religion, race or language, so there is a high degree of tolerance. Jews and Muslims respect each other, but at the same time, we know there are differences. So the rate of intermarriage between Jews and other groups in Iran is the lowest one in the world, it's less than 0.1 percent.

Does that mean Jews live in the same places but are separate from other religious groups in Iran?

Not at all. We have economic relationships with Muslims, my closest friends are Muslims. The hospital I work in is a Jewish hospital, for example, but more than 95 percent of both our personnel and patients is Muslim. It's strictly forbidden to ask about religion there because the most important verse of Torah, which is written on top of the hospital, says: "Treat other people like yourself." It does not say "other Jews," it says "other people." It shows that we have a practical relationship with each other and cooperate to make the world a better place...


continues:


https://www.dw.com/en/jewish-life-in-iran-was-always-better-than-in-europe/a-388...

Paki gob on a stick wrote on Jul 11^th, 2026 at 1:43pm:


Amnesty International UK has said it regrets publishing a report which classed a sexual violence support centre set up by JK Rowling in Edinburgh as "anti-rights".