The interlocutor you met is not alone, they meet very often today, they are from different places, have different educations, some of them flaunt avatars with piercings, pink hairstyles and call themselves strange pronouns in the plural, and some, already in their seventh decade, having discovered Wikipedia and TikTok, download tons of information from there.
For various reasons, they do not understand what war is. They think that what is described by all sorts of international laws, legal terms and all sorts of rules is war. People do not write the laws of war, just as they do not invent the laws of physics. War exists regardless of what people write, how they will interpret what they write, and what terms they call it. The laws of war can be described as Clausewitz or Sun Tzu did.
No matter how much we would like the war to proceed as it is written in international laws, memoranda, treaties and agreements, it will proceed as it has always proceeded. The opponents are trying to destroy each other by all possible means that they consider necessary to use, trying to damage the enemy, manpower, infrastructure and morale.
There are no exceptions and there will be no exceptions.
What the anti-Israeli interlocutors are trying to do is to pretend that they are above taking someone's side, and denying the real laws of war, apply the written virtual laws exclusively to Israel.
Your French interlocutor does not understand the difference between war and a police operation. What he described in France is not a war, it is a police (anti-terrorist, call it what you like) operation.
There is a war in Israel.
This is a huge difference. Everything changes if you find yourself in the middle of a war, and even more so if the war comes to your home.
The police and the army have completely different tasks, methods and scales.
I agree with you on this, though I don’t believe that all these people are acting out of ignorance. Some of them understand quite well that war is war. But motivated by antisemitism, they weaponize “international law” against the Jewish state. Obviously, no nation would tolerate the existence on its border of a terrorist entity like Hamas. France wouldn’t, Germany wouldn’t, the United States wouldn’t. They’d do whatever might be necessary to eliminate the threat. But people like M. Frenchman pretend otherwise, and characterize Israel’s actions as “war crimes.” Purely and simply, it’s an argument made in bad faith.
Yes, I forgot to mention that I meant simply commentators and carriers of anti-Israeli narratives, like your interlocutor, and not ideologists, agents of influence, and beneficiaries of anti-Semitism, pro-Palestinianism, and hatred of Israel and Jews. This is already a higher level.
Of course you are right. I have deliberately made allowance for the ignorance and lack of knowledge of anti-Israel opponents, because before I object or argue, I always check whether my opponents are sufficiently informed about the topic of the conversation.
And in many ways they are. They are ignorant. Moreover, they are ignorant deliberately and purposefully, not trying to correct their ignorance, or using it to exacerbate their misconceptions. Is it because of their anti-Semitism? Because of their inability to perceive the reality in which they are not just angels, but accomplices of injustice, evil and cruelty? Because of an insurmountable arrogance and sense of superiority towards everyone who has a different point of view?
Answer: Yes, yes and yes.
I am in substack as a reader, and I use it to learn more about people's opinions, cultures and subcultures, politics, economics and infrastructure. But I have to deal with opinions that I have long considered discredited, disappeared or preserved as a bad joke.
I am simply shocked that modern people, who have received the best education, can be so susceptible to Marxism, socialism, utopian ideas about universal equality and at the same time be anti-Semites, susceptible to dogmas and conspiracy theories, trusting TikTok more than what they see and using slogans and cliches that were used by Goebbels, Stalin, and now many authoritarian leaders.
I talk to them quite a lot (more than I would like) and the only conclusion is: They want to be like that.
They want to be like that, but at the same time they want to look fair, moral and honest.
Very similar to girls suffering from anorexia, who destroy themselves, thinking that they find harmony.
I have already talked to about a dozen similar to your French friend. Despite the fact that they are from different countries, have different views on different topics, are different in their level of knowledge, age and political preferences, on the issue of Israel they are the same. They know the same facts, they are closed to the same ideas, they spread the same myths. They even speak in the same words and expressions.
They ignore everything you say. Moreover, they do not argue, do not refute your arguments. They just pretend that it does not exist and move on to other topics.
So I am wrong when I call them ignorant or uninformed.
The west is delusional if they think anything will be different “this time” with the Palestinians. Finish with the immoral hostage exchange. Fortify the boundaries of Gaza with Israel. Embargo Gaza until Hamas and any other terrorists surrender or vacate. Do not allow one cent of reconstruction until the surrender is accomplished. There are no innocents. Finish this battle and win the war.
Nothing like a double standard. One extra special standard held for Israelis. That is the GOLD standard amongst nations. And for the rest of us another standards Silver and Bronze.
I wonder what the standard is for the Christians in Nigeria, Chad, Mali..... Who are under attack by murdering islamist forces.....
Your French opponent (I could get snarky about the French dropping weapons and running away, but I won’t) fails to understand that Hamas does not abide by laws issued by infidel nations.
Andrew C. McCarthy acknowledged this in an article published this morning in National Review — that Trump, being the transactional character he is — seems to think that laws of commerce will also have the same effect on Islamists as European laws.
BTW — reference to Rashida Tlaib as “odious” earns a chef’s kiss.
I'll disagree with you on one point: I think that M. Frenchman understands quite well that Hamas does not and never will abide by the law. He pretends otherwise, however, because to admit the reality would blow up his whole argument.
Thomas, thank you for raising this issue.
The interlocutor you met is not alone, they meet very often today, they are from different places, have different educations, some of them flaunt avatars with piercings, pink hairstyles and call themselves strange pronouns in the plural, and some, already in their seventh decade, having discovered Wikipedia and TikTok, download tons of information from there.
For various reasons, they do not understand what war is. They think that what is described by all sorts of international laws, legal terms and all sorts of rules is war. People do not write the laws of war, just as they do not invent the laws of physics. War exists regardless of what people write, how they will interpret what they write, and what terms they call it. The laws of war can be described as Clausewitz or Sun Tzu did.
No matter how much we would like the war to proceed as it is written in international laws, memoranda, treaties and agreements, it will proceed as it has always proceeded. The opponents are trying to destroy each other by all possible means that they consider necessary to use, trying to damage the enemy, manpower, infrastructure and morale.
There are no exceptions and there will be no exceptions.
What the anti-Israeli interlocutors are trying to do is to pretend that they are above taking someone's side, and denying the real laws of war, apply the written virtual laws exclusively to Israel.
Your French interlocutor does not understand the difference between war and a police operation. What he described in France is not a war, it is a police (anti-terrorist, call it what you like) operation.
There is a war in Israel.
This is a huge difference. Everything changes if you find yourself in the middle of a war, and even more so if the war comes to your home.
The police and the army have completely different tasks, methods and scales.
I agree with you on this, though I don’t believe that all these people are acting out of ignorance. Some of them understand quite well that war is war. But motivated by antisemitism, they weaponize “international law” against the Jewish state. Obviously, no nation would tolerate the existence on its border of a terrorist entity like Hamas. France wouldn’t, Germany wouldn’t, the United States wouldn’t. They’d do whatever might be necessary to eliminate the threat. But people like M. Frenchman pretend otherwise, and characterize Israel’s actions as “war crimes.” Purely and simply, it’s an argument made in bad faith.
Yes, I forgot to mention that I meant simply commentators and carriers of anti-Israeli narratives, like your interlocutor, and not ideologists, agents of influence, and beneficiaries of anti-Semitism, pro-Palestinianism, and hatred of Israel and Jews. This is already a higher level.
Of course you are right. I have deliberately made allowance for the ignorance and lack of knowledge of anti-Israel opponents, because before I object or argue, I always check whether my opponents are sufficiently informed about the topic of the conversation.
And in many ways they are. They are ignorant. Moreover, they are ignorant deliberately and purposefully, not trying to correct their ignorance, or using it to exacerbate their misconceptions. Is it because of their anti-Semitism? Because of their inability to perceive the reality in which they are not just angels, but accomplices of injustice, evil and cruelty? Because of an insurmountable arrogance and sense of superiority towards everyone who has a different point of view?
Answer: Yes, yes and yes.
I am in substack as a reader, and I use it to learn more about people's opinions, cultures and subcultures, politics, economics and infrastructure. But I have to deal with opinions that I have long considered discredited, disappeared or preserved as a bad joke.
I am simply shocked that modern people, who have received the best education, can be so susceptible to Marxism, socialism, utopian ideas about universal equality and at the same time be anti-Semites, susceptible to dogmas and conspiracy theories, trusting TikTok more than what they see and using slogans and cliches that were used by Goebbels, Stalin, and now many authoritarian leaders.
I talk to them quite a lot (more than I would like) and the only conclusion is: They want to be like that.
They want to be like that, but at the same time they want to look fair, moral and honest.
Very similar to girls suffering from anorexia, who destroy themselves, thinking that they find harmony.
I have already talked to about a dozen similar to your French friend. Despite the fact that they are from different countries, have different views on different topics, are different in their level of knowledge, age and political preferences, on the issue of Israel they are the same. They know the same facts, they are closed to the same ideas, they spread the same myths. They even speak in the same words and expressions.
They ignore everything you say. Moreover, they do not argue, do not refute your arguments. They just pretend that it does not exist and move on to other topics.
So I am wrong when I call them ignorant or uninformed.
They are ignorant, uninformed and biased.
And of course Israel didn’t “carpet bomb” anyone. But facts shouldnt get in the way of one’s views.
The west is delusional if they think anything will be different “this time” with the Palestinians. Finish with the immoral hostage exchange. Fortify the boundaries of Gaza with Israel. Embargo Gaza until Hamas and any other terrorists surrender or vacate. Do not allow one cent of reconstruction until the surrender is accomplished. There are no innocents. Finish this battle and win the war.
Nothing like a double standard. One extra special standard held for Israelis. That is the GOLD standard amongst nations. And for the rest of us another standards Silver and Bronze.
I wonder what the standard is for the Christians in Nigeria, Chad, Mali..... Who are under attack by murdering islamist forces.....
For some reason, I’m blocked from liking this comment. But: 👍
Your French opponent (I could get snarky about the French dropping weapons and running away, but I won’t) fails to understand that Hamas does not abide by laws issued by infidel nations.
Andrew C. McCarthy acknowledged this in an article published this morning in National Review — that Trump, being the transactional character he is — seems to think that laws of commerce will also have the same effect on Islamists as European laws.
BTW — reference to Rashida Tlaib as “odious” earns a chef’s kiss.
https://www.nationalreview.com/2025/02/trump-will-never-understand-sharia-supremacism/
I'll disagree with you on one point: I think that M. Frenchman understands quite well that Hamas does not and never will abide by the law. He pretends otherwise, however, because to admit the reality would blow up his whole argument.