• shalafi@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    So why can’t Israel support itself after decades of the US pumping weapons and money?

    I’m 100% done with Israel, and that’s coming from a middle-aged guy who was always a supporter. At this point, I honestly don’t care if the Arab world stomps them flat. Who could I possibly give a shit any longer?!

    So thanks for bringing the plight of the Palestinians into my worldview and trashing the country’s reputation. I get it now. Clearly.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
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      5 months ago

      Israel can support itself. This is a huge con.

      The defense industry of Israel is a strategically important sector and a large employer, as well as a major supplier of the Israel Defense Forces. The country is one of the world’s major exporters of military equipment, accounting for 10% of the world total in 2007. Three Israeli companies were listed on the 2022 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute index of the world’s top 100 arms-producing and military service companies: Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries and RAFAEL.[1] It is also a major player in the global arms market with a 2.3% share of the global exports of major arms as of 2023.[2] Total arms transfer agreements topped $12.9 billion between 2004 and 2011.[3] There are over 150 active defense companies based in the country with combined revenues of more than $3.5 billion annually.[4] Israeli defense equipment exports reached $7 billion in 2012, making it a 20 percent increase from the amount of defense-related exports in 2011. With the war in Ukraine, arms exports reached $12.5 billion in 2022.[5] Much of the exports are sold to the United States and Europe. Other major regions that purchase Israeli defense equipment include Southeast Asia and Latin America.[6][7][8] India is also major country for Israeli arms exports and has remained Israel’s largest arms market in the world.[9][10]

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_industry_of_Israel

    • Shadehawk@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      Right? Benny nets has completely ruined any good faith left in the world for the jews after the holocaust. (by that I mean Israel, not Jewish people abroad)

      • Maeve@kbin.earth
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        5 months ago

        Israel has plenty of supporters. I’m sorry for the Israelis who view this with dismay and will suffer for it.

    • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
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      5 months ago

      At this point, I honestly don’t care if the Arab world stomps them flat.

      You would likely end up caring a whole helluva lot when Israel hammers their red funni button and turns the capital cities of the attacking nations into glass.

      People can claim that they wouldn’t do it but THE use case for nukes is existential threat…and that’s exactly what you’re describing. Its in those exact situations that Atomic Fire comes out to play.

      • Maeve@kbin.earth
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        5 months ago

        That’s an interesting thought experiment you prompted. I think Bibi would hit the button before Kim or Putin. It’s a craps shoot though. Pun not intended.

          • Maeve@kbin.earth
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            5 months ago

            Idk, but it’s interesting to contemplate, especially since I just learned after I posted that that Kim and Putin have entered a new agreement. This timeline is certainly exciting, but I’m ready to jump to another!

    • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      I think we have an obligation to provide Iron Dome defensive munitions as long as there is threat of attack on Israel. Despite common opinion, there are plenty of innocent Israelis that are not behind Netanyahu or Zionism that deserve to live without being bombed, just like Palestinians.

      Edit: Those of you that paint all Israelis with one brush are no better than Netanyahu labeling all Palestinians as Hamas. Just sayin.

      • alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml
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        5 months ago

        there are plenty of innocent Israelis

        That’s complicated. Would you have said we needed to continue supporting Apartheid South Africa’s military because there were innocent Boers?

        When the Israeli national project is ended, then sure we’ll have a responsibility to ensure Palestine respects the rights of all people living in its territory.

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          Ask yourself. Were you an American citizen when when Trump enabled the sexual abuse of tens of thousands of immigrant children, or currently while Biden supports the Israeli genocide? Has your nation’s government ever acted in hostility against your interests? Are you complicit? Do you deserve protection from bombings?

          • alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml
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            5 months ago

            No, but also kinda? It’s complicated. If someone had the power to help those immigrant children escape, it would be silly to pretend they must endure the continuing injustice for fear they might hurt an “innocent” escaping the concentration camp.

            • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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              5 months ago

              What power do Israelis have in uninstalling Netanyahu? They’re protesting in the tens of thousands to remove him. It’s doing nothing. He was elected prior to Oct. 7 and the subsequent genocidal response. My point is, the actions of a government do not represent the entirety of its people.

              Netanyahu has a favorability of 32% in Israel.

              Trump is currently polling at 42% in the US.

          • Maeve@kbin.earth
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            5 months ago

            I mean, distanced emotionally? Should we be judged and judgement meted out differently than we and our dubious allies judged and delivered judgement? I prefer peace, but we are a warmongering nation. I don’t want it to happen, but where I’m from, the saying goes, “if you keep picking, you’ll eventually get what you’re picking for.”

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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          5 months ago

          It doesn’t matter if you look to the left or the right. There’s always a sickness that allows people to justify killing. It’s loathsome.

        • spartanatreyu@programming.dev
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          5 months ago

          Looking back at history, it would lead to more propaganda and more support for going to war.

          A population getting attacked only leads to that population wanting to an us vs them mentality and emotional knee-jerk reactions over rational responses.

  • Godric@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    Wait, I was told Jebocide Joe was all in on killing Palestinians?

  • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    but that the U.S. should not be withholding some weapons.

    It should be withholding all weapons.

    • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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      5 months ago

      Israel does make some of their own weapons. (Have you ever heard of the Uzi or Desert Eagle?) Just not enough for their current goals. I’ve heard that proposed as a reason the US provides them so many weapons, to suppress the growth of their local weapons industry.

      • alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml
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        5 months ago

        Israel is the only country whose aid doesn’t have to be spent on US goods. The US created Israel’s arms industry.

  • alcoholicorn@lemmy.ml
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    5 months ago

    And yet Biden continues to send the weapons and money.

    It’s both malicious and incompetent. No matter how much foreign blood Biden promises spill, republicans will double it. By trying to appeal to “moderate” fascists, they’re just demotivating their base, while fascists will vote for the real thing over diet fascism.

  • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    I don’t understand his angle here. He clearly has some sort of agenda, but I haven’t figured it out. Maybe he’s betting that this will turn some Democrats and moderates against Biden? But that requires believing that Netanyahu is telling the truth, which I don’t think a lot of Israel supporters necessarily do.

    Either way, this is weird. Maybe he’s talking about the bombs that weren’t sent for Rafah? But getting pissed about one halted shipment out of everything they’ve been given is just fucking hilarious.

    My guess – he’s aware his support is dwindling, and he’s trying to salvage it by blaming everyone else. Or, he’s daring the US to stop all shipments, but that would probably destroy his remaining support too.

    • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Israel’s modus operandi is throwing anyone that does not 100% obey their commands under the bus instantly. It keeps all their loyal dogs in check and lets them know the slightest amount of disobedience is not allowed. One can do everything israel asks for 100 years and the one time they step out of line they will fully get thrown under the bus.

      The question you should be asking here is what Joe Biden’s angle here is. Because Biden is still sending them 99% of the weapons. So apparently losing the election while israel is still committing Genocide.