• AFaithfulNihilist@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      How many soldiers does it take to change a location to a military target?

      Is it a percentage? Is it their presence at all?

      Ok, does that apply to Israeli hospitals or public venues that had soldiers there as guards?

      If the attack on those venues is terrorism by virtue of the civilians there, but not a legitimate military strike despite the soldiers being there, then at the very least, bombing hospitals and refugee camps is terrorism too even if a few soldiers and weapons are found.

      Executing human shields is monstrous, and “look what you made me do” is the language of abusers.

      • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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        8 months ago

        Someone using something as a human shield makes it into a human shield. Requires just one.

        How many soldiers does it take to change a location to a military target?

        Could be as few as one. Which is why there’s zero tolerance for using such locations.

        Ok, does that apply to Israeli hospitals or public venues that had soldiers there as guards?

        It’s the same rule for everyone.

        If the attack on those venues is terrorism by virtue of the civilians there, but not a legitimate military strike despite the soldiers being there, then at the very least, bombing hospitals and refugee camps is terrorism too even if a few soldiers and weapons are found.

        There’s two related issues. Killing civilians and using civilian cover to conduct warfare. Both are despicable.

        Executing human shields is monstrous, and “look what you made me do” is the language of abusers.

        Right, though I’d put more blame on those, you know, using human shields. They’re the ones putting the humans between you and your enemy to begin with.

        • WaxedWookie@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Given the demographics of those killed by Israel are squarely in line with the civilian population broadly (i.e. there’s no meaningful over-reprentation of Hamas, which we’d expect from purposeful targeted attacks against them), you’d apply your arguments consistently and defend Hamas attacking the IDF within Israel with similar civilian casualty rates (putting aside the whole national service, everyone is a combatant thing), right?

          …right?

          Thought not.

    • masquenox@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      Maybe Israel should stop using music festival attendees as “human shields…” that would be nice.

      • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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        8 months ago

        If they were operating behind the music festival then absolutely. Nobody should be using human shields.

          • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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            8 months ago

            I was wondering why a link to BBC News didn’t have HTTPS. Well…

            Last Updated: Friday, 23 April, 2004, 11:24 GMT 12:24 UK

            Of course this has nothing to do with the music festival in particular but I’m guessing your point is more that they’ve at least at some point used (or “faced claims” about using) huma shields? I would’ve imagined we’d much more recent cases to make that point though.

        • masquenox@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          The IDf operates behind every civilian in Israel - which means every civilian in Israel is a “human shield” for the Israeli state.

          While we’re at it, we might just as well declare every 9/11 victim a US “human shield,” too.

          • Syndic@feddit.de
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            8 months ago

            While we’re at it, we might just as well declare every 9/11 victim a US “human shield,” too.

            Frankly, Bin Laden’s justification why killing US civilians was justified sounds very similar to justifications of hard line Israeli politicians why civilian getting killed in Gaza don’t deserve any sympathy and were “asking for it”. Both boil down to, “they voted for the people in charge who do crimes against us, so they are guilty as well.”

            • masquenox@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              It’s amazing how quickly contrived propaganda terms like “human shields” loses any meaning when they are flipped around on people western media hasn’t marked for genocide, eh?

          • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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            8 months ago

            The IDf operates behind every civilian in Israel - which means every civilian in Israel is a “human shield” for the Israeli state.

            That’s an interesting take on it. I don’t think that’s how the idea of human shield is usually viewed. It’s usually more direct, operating from a place with civilians so you don’t get bombed or literally forcing someone to stand between you and your enemy or something.

            While we’re at it, we might just as well declare every 9/11 victim a US “human shield,” too.

            How exactly?

            • masquenox@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              That’s an interesting take on it. I don’t think that’s how the idea pure propaganda of human shield is usually viewed deployed for the consumption of Israeli-loving white supremacists.

              Fixed that for you.

                • masquenox@lemmy.world
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                  8 months ago

                  Again… if that is what Hamas has (supposedly) done, then there is no reason not to designate every civilian in Israel, the US or any NATO member state as “human shields” as well.

                  Pick your propaganda and stop being a hypocrite about it.

                  • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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                    8 months ago

                    I find it interesting that you can’t give a straight answer to whether you believe they’ve used human shields or not. I think it’s undeniable they’ve done that.

                    then there is no reason not to designate every civilian in Israel, the US or any NATO member state as “human shields” as well

                    I’m sorry but that doesn’t make sense. A human shield has an actual meaning, it’s not just all civilians in general.

                    Pick your propaganda and stop being a hypocrite about it.

                    Indeed. I’m pretty straightforward in that I condemn the use of human shields, full stop.

            • SCB@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              Because it’s just as disingenuous and disgusting to imply as what you’re implying.

              • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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                8 months ago

                I’ll have to ask you to explain what you think I’m implying. You might’ve misunderstood me, since I don’t think I’ve said anything that could be taken for “disingenuous and disgusting”.