Zion and the Art of Armageddon

[Mrs Doubtfyre]

I don't generally play ping pong posts but I can assure you 1.5% related to Israel. Try Lebanon and this pops up
Druze are estimated at 5.2 per cent of the Lebanese population and are located mainly in the Matn, Gharb and Shuf, and smaller communities in Wadi al-Taym in southern Lebanon and in Beirut.

There was no real issue about the 1.5/1.6% Druze percentage of the total population of Israel.
It was the other aspects that were more misleading: (full citizenship rights, and not indicating that the minority of the Druze are in Israel, and only in the Golan Heights, which of course is occupied territory. It actually belongs to Syria. Which would give a 0% of Druze in Israel.

 

[Mrs Doubtfyre]

After decades of only serving alongside fellow community members, the Druze soldiers of the Herev Battalion will begin integrating into the rest of the IDF’s forces. On May 18th, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot officially announced the closing of the Druze-only battalion in response to the minority community’s interest in sending their young, brave men to serve in combat roles across all IDF units. The Druze make up one of Israel’s largest minority groups, comprising of more than 100,000 people.

Since the founding of the State of Israel, the members of the Druze community have established themselves as loyal citizens, reliable allies, and dutiful soldiers. Eighty percent of the Druze population in Israel drafts into the IDF and among the Druze soldiers who are currently serving, thirty nine percent are in combat roles. They are highly motivated to serve in meaningful roles and many of them have sacrificed their lives for the country.

IDF.il

The Druze have inhabited the Golan Heights (along with other areas in Syria Lebanon and Jordan) for millennia.
But the Golan Height is occupied territory. It belongs to Syria. So without the Golan Heights there would be no Druze in Israel.

 

[JohnD]

The Israeli army.

Israeli army gunmen make special efforts to shoot children, and adults, in the knees, with the objective of making them amputees or lifelong cripples, if they do not quickly bleed to death.

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/12/middleeast/palestinian-young-amputees-us-intl/index.html#:~:text=At%20least%201%2C000%20children%20in,amputated%2C%20UNICEF%20reported%20in%20December.

What else can you expect from a fascist army performing racist oppression and genocide?

'42 knees in one day': Israeli snipers open up about shooting Gaza protesters

***

www.haaretz.com

Sharp-eyed @fillyboy will notice that this started before what he likes to think is the start of the current "war"

Well, I support Israel.

Make of that what you will

 

[THFC]

You can quote my post in as many threads as you like, it makes no difference to me

 

[ajohn]

So some IDF MP's go to the military detention camp to bring in some charged with sexual crimes. One of their politicians suggest some go and interfere. They do, a crowd forms saying they will prevent any gov from taking IDF away for any reason.

AlJ broadcasted a UK Gov discussion about Gaza etc. We now call for an immediate ceasefire but appreciate both sides cause problems with achieving this. I feel this needs coupling with Benjamin's chat with Trump where he stated his aim is to continue to purely use military pressure until Hamas and others give up. The US is the only country that could apply meaningful pressure to force an end. For some time I have thought that Benjamin's method is the one that the US backs.

Now it seems 90% of Gazans are displaced. Safe area size reduced again. It looks like central Kahn Yunis can be used again but lots damaged or destroyed. Services probably absent.

 

[Odds]

The Druze have inhabited the Golan Heights (along with other areas in Syria Lebanon and Jordan) for millennia.
But the Golan Height is occupied territory. It belongs to Syria. So without the Golan Heights there would be no Druze in Israel.

True. And no country except Israel recognises their right to the land, Israel holds it illegally - not likely to give it back either, seeing as it's so strategically vital to their national security.

 

[fillyboy]

The Druze have inhabited the Golan Heights (along with other areas in Syria Lebanon and Jordan) for millennia.
But the Golan Height is occupied territory. It belongs to Syria. So without the Golan Heights there would be no Druze in Israel.

Apart from the minimum of 9000 living in the Carmel area, which is not in the Golan Heights, in fact it's a fair distance from the Golans.

 

[fillyboy]

True. And no country except Israel recognises their right to the land, Israel holds it illegally - not likely to give it back either, seeing as it's so strategically vital to their national security.

I'm sure Israel would be happy to give the land back, as they did Sinai to Egypt. All it would take is for the UN to enforce UN resolution 1701

 

[Odds]

I'm sure Israel would be happy to give the land back, as they did Sinai to Egypt. All it would take is for the UN to enforce UN resolution 1701

A kosher pig would have to fly over Mt. Sinai before that happens.

 

[fillyboy]

A kosher pig would have to fly over Mt. Sinai before that happens.

Exactly. The UN will never enforce resolution 1701

 

[JohnD]

Israel revels in US protection, and disregards the UN.

Curiously, the US continues to hand over billions in money and arms to Israel, despite being treated with contempt.

 

[fillyboy]

The Druze have inhabited the Golan Heights (along with other areas in Syria Lebanon and Jordan) for millennia.
But the Golan Height is occupied territory. It belongs to Syria. So without the Golan Heights there would be no Druze in Israel.

Apart from the minimum of 9000 living in the Carmel area, which is not in the Golan Heights, in fact it's a fair distance from the Golans.

No comment from Doubtfyre. Unusual.

 

[ajohn]

Israel has wiped out an AlJ reporter and his camera man. Drone strike on a car when they were returning from a shoot. He had been covering the north.

Benjamin early on mentioned hits on people what ever country they are in. The political head of Hamas often travels around. Negotiations being one reason. So invited to Tehran to celebrate their new PM so they hit him there. Iran and a number of other countries are not very happy about this hit. Qatar want to know how they can handle negotiations when this sort of thing happens.

 

[fillyboy]

Qatar want to know how they can handle negotiations when this sort of thing happens.

A bit more seriously than they have done for the last 6 months would be the obvious answer. Qatar have sabotaged talks previously which is why Egypt came to the fore at one point.

Hamas could have ended this at any point since October 7. Why haven't they?

 

[Mrs Doubtfyre]

Apart from the minimum of 9000 living in the Carmel area, which is not in the Golan Heights, in fact it's a fair distance from the Golans.

Yeah, it's about 70 miles from the Golan Heights.
it's devoid of natural water, and was uninhabited until recently.

Due to the lack of fresh water (only three springs on the mountain) it was largely devoid of human settlement until recent times; even now it is mostly woodland and large swathes of the range have been designated as a National Park which means that further building is prohibited.

Mount Carmel | MyIsraeliGuide

After our desert adventures last week it was now time to head northwards to the somewhat leafier region of Mount Carmel. I’m beginning to appreciate the unearthly hour at which I have to leave the house for the day trip. We are between times in Tel Aviv, as it were. The late night revellers have

myisraeliguide.com