"China is our enemy! Says who? Says us. Why is that? Because we made an enemy out of the them, same as we did to all of our enemies." Robert Lindsay, who is right.
"Forty years ago, the sociologist Charles Tilly concluded that state making may often have much in common with organized crime. This was particularly true when states first manufacture a ‘threat’ and then ‘protect’ their charges from this self-same manufactured threat. Doesn’t this exactly describe the political arrangement we currently have – indeed, that we have long been stuck with -- and by no means only with respect to Iran?" Paul Grenier
“Global warming is part of a natural cycle and there’s nothing we can actually do to stop these cycles. The world is now facing spending a vast amount of money in tax to try to solve a problem that doesn’t actually exist.” David Bellamy the botanist and famous British TV presenter in 2008. His TV career abruptly ended. I suspect he is right too.
Former IDF Chief of Staff & Defense Minister Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon (Nov–Dec 2024):
ReplyDelete“What we are doing in northern Gaza is ethnic cleansing and war crimes: forced evacuation of hundreds of thousands, systematic demolition of entire neighborhoods, concentration of the population in small areas to create ‘voluntary’ expulsion, and deliberate starvation. These are war crimes according to international law, Israeli law, and any moral criterion.”
He called on soldiers to refuse “manifestly illegal orders” and described the current government as “messianic, corrupt.”
Former Prime Minister & IDF Chief of Staff Ehud Barak (2024–2025 interviews):
“Israel is carrying out ethnic cleansing in parts of Gaza… what is happening there are war crimes and will lead to Israel’s isolation.”
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert (May 2025):
“This is a war of annihilation: indiscriminate, unrestrained, brutal and criminal killing of civilians on a huge scale. These are war crimes.”
Former Shin Bet Director Ami Ayalon (2024):
“The actions in Gaza amount to ethnic cleansing and constitute war crimes; soldiers must refuse clearly refuse illegal orders.”
Knesset Member Ofer Cassif (May 2025):
“This is not a war — what is happening in Gaza is clearly genocide.”
Grok, are the quotes above authentic:
ReplyDeleteThe quotes provided appear to be authentic or very closely aligned with documented public statements from these figures in late 2024 and 2025, based on reports from major news outlets, interviews, and opinion pieces. They reflect strong criticisms from former high-level Israeli officials and a Knesset member regarding Israel's military actions in Gaza, often using terms like "ethnic cleansing," "war crimes," and "genocide." Below is a breakdown for each:
Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon (Nov–Dec 2024):
Yes, this is authentic. In early December 2024 interviews (e.g., with DemocratTV/Channel 12 and others), Ya'alon accused Israel of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza. He described actions like forced evacuations, systematic destruction of neighborhoods (e.g., no more Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoun, or operations in Jabalia), clearing land of Arabs, conquest, annexation, and creating conditions for "voluntary" expulsion. He also referred to the government as messianic and corrupt, and implied soldiers should refuse illegal orders in context of broader critiques. Reports from Reuters, CNN, Al Jazeera, NPR, The New York Times, and others covered this extensively, with him doubling down on the statements.
Ehud Barak (2024–2025 interviews):
Partially authentic but the exact phrasing may be paraphrased or aggregated. Barak has been critical of Israel's actions in Gaza, describing them as leading to isolation and involving war crimes in various 2024–2025 statements. While direct quotes matching "ethnic cleansing in parts of Gaza" exactly are not verbatim in the top results, he has used strong language on excessive force and war crimes. Related coverage (e.g., in interviews) aligns with accusing the conduct of amounting to war crimes and risking international isolation.
Ehud Olmert (May 2025):
Yes, this is authentic. In May 2025 (e.g., Haaretz op-ed and interviews with BBC, The Guardian, and others), Olmert described Israel's actions in Gaza as a "war of annihilation" (or "war of extermination/devastation" in translations), involving "indiscriminate, unrestrained, brutal and criminal killing of civilians" on a huge scale, explicitly calling them war crimes. He emphasized it should have ended earlier and lacked justification.
Ami Ayalon (2024):
The exact quote is not verbatim in major reports, but the substance aligns. Ayalon (former Shin Bet head) has criticized Gaza actions as excessive, involving potential war crimes, and called for refusing illegal orders in broader security critiques. He has spoken on war crimes in interviews (e.g., Al Jazeera, Zeteo), though direct "ethnic cleansing" attribution in 2024 searches ties more to others like Ya'alon. The sentiment fits his public positions on accountability and illegal orders.
Ofer Cassif (May 2025):
Yes, this is authentic in substance. Cassif (a left-wing Knesset member from Hadash-Ta'al) has repeatedly called Israel's actions in Gaza "genocide," including in 2025 statements, speeches, and writings (e.g., May 2025 contexts, Knesset complaints, and interviews). He has said it's not a war but genocide/ethnic cleansing, facing suspensions and backlash for these views (e.g., ethics committee actions in 2025). Reports from Al Jazeera, Haaretz, and others document his consistent use of "genocide" for Gaza events.