India and Israel. Israel and India. Two nations. Quite frankly, two rogue states.
- Both alleged 'democracies' who discriminate abhorrently against minorities and keep many under lock and key
- Both nuclear powers - and thus way too powerful for the world to do anything about
- Both alleged 'democracies' who discriminate abhorrently against minorities and keep many under lock and key
- Both nuclear powers - and thus way too powerful for the world to do anything about
- Both systematic breakers of international law
- Both with rabidly right wing, nationalistic beyond belief governments
- Both populated by peoples who were once downtrodden and victims of European discrimination, violence and imperialism - and who now make others their victims
- Both with rabidly right wing, nationalistic beyond belief governments
- Both populated by peoples who were once downtrodden and victims of European discrimination, violence and imperialism - and who now make others their victims
- Both with an approach not of pluralism, not of compassion, but of 'Might Is Right'
- And both nations and both governments with an increasingly hideous attitude towards most Muslims.
- And both nations and both governments with an increasingly hideous attitude towards most Muslims.
In Israel, the shameful nation-state law makes non-Jews second class citizens in their own country. Also in Israel, flags abound everywhere, as do pictures of the President. No other democracy behaves like this, except...
India.
If you thought Ariel Sharon becoming Prime Minister was bad enough after Sabra and Shatila, try Nahendra Modi becoming Prime Minister after the mass murders and pogroms at Gujarat in 2002. Which he played a huge part in.
If you thought Ariel Sharon becoming Prime Minister was bad enough after Sabra and Shatila, try Nahendra Modi becoming Prime Minister after the mass murders and pogroms at Gujarat in 2002. Which he played a huge part in.
If you thought Israel crying 'antisemitism! Antisemitism!' was bad whenever anyone criticises its government's monstrous policies, try India crying 'anti-India! It's a conspiracy against us!' whenever the press reports the truth about its monstrous government.
The BJP is so appalling, it's actually convinced much of the public that al-Jazeera - AL-JAZEERA, for heaven's sake - is 'anti-Indian'.
And why? Because it reports the truth. Things like this:
aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/20…
And why? Because it reports the truth. Things like this:
aljazeera.com/news/2021/7/20…
And the consequences for the Indian people? Read this. It's harrowing.
theguardian.com/world/2021/apr…
theguardian.com/world/2021/apr…
What does the BJP do? What do Likud do?
Blind their people to their corruption, their incompetence, their lies, their war crimes, by waving the flag and blaming outsiders. A far right nationalist playbook - and here's the thing. It works.
Blind their people to their corruption, their incompetence, their lies, their war crimes, by waving the flag and blaming outsiders. A far right nationalist playbook - and here's the thing. It works.
I am so saddened by what's become of both countries and both governments. India especially used to be such a beacon: this vast, sprawling, unbelievably diverse, chaotic, living, breathing democracy. The whole country was like a celebration of democracy in many ways.
Now, it's been taken over by monsters. Who spy on journalists and opposition figures - then deny it point blank when caught red-handed.
theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/…
Israel, too, once was a dream for so many of us Jews. Increasingly, it's become a nightmare.
theguardian.com/news/2021/jul/…
Israel, too, once was a dream for so many of us Jews. Increasingly, it's become a nightmare.
And who suffers?
- In both countries, the poor. Neoliberalism isn't any nicer to poor Israelis or poor Indians than it is anywhere else.
- In both countries, Muslims. Treated like the enemy within. Racism and hate and violence and death are normalised.
- In both countries, the poor. Neoliberalism isn't any nicer to poor Israelis or poor Indians than it is anywhere else.
- In both countries, Muslims. Treated like the enemy within. Racism and hate and violence and death are normalised.
If a people have a history of suffering, here's an idea. How about showing the world how to behave differently? How about showing the empathy and care for others which your oppressors so entirely lacked?
Instead, we get this. Modi and Netanyahu are both mass murdering monsters.
Instead, we get this. Modi and Netanyahu are both mass murdering monsters.
And both nations become more and more defensive, more and more angry, more and more in denial, more and more underpinned by fake news, lies and hatred.
It's just so, so, so sad.
It's just so, so, so sad.
Imagine keeping an entire people in an open air prison camp for half a century and calling yourselves a 'democracy'.
Imagine understating the Covid death toll by TEN TIMES and calling yourselves a 'democracy'.
India and Israel. Israel and India. Shame on both states.
Imagine understating the Covid death toll by TEN TIMES and calling yourselves a 'democracy'.
India and Israel. Israel and India. Shame on both states.
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