An Israeli real estate company Harey Zahav, that specializes in developing settlements, posted this pic of destroyed #Gaza with homes and the title 'Wake up, a beach house is not a dream!" (Circulating) @israel@palestine
@Peter_Panther@Sherifazuhur@israel@palestine Probably. Settlers are still fantasizing about bringing back Gush Katif. The rest of the country thinks they're repulsive terrorists.
@Alon
I have heard various things from people supporting the israeli engagement in #Gaza and #settler driven violence in the #westbank
If the rest of the country thinks they are terrorists, there is not much visible action. Even german public tv @ZDF noted that they were silently supported by the military.
I have also heard voices like "when all is over #netanyahou will need to justify himself before court in #israel for handling the run-up and the engagement".
@Alon
I am watching this conflict since the early eighties and up to now I never saw policy actions treating the #settlers as terrorists (looking at #gaza).
I also saw #israel as a state foster and strengthen #hamas, so as to weaken the (at that time much more boiled down and rational) #PLO. Perhaps we indeed are, as you suggest at a turning point. In 3-6 months it will be clear what the plans are for #gaza @Sherifazuhur@israel@palestine
@Peter_Panther@Sherifazuhur@israel@palestine Yeah, the government relies on them and on other loathed groups, since those are the only ones left supporting the corrupt prime minister. When those ministers visit bereaved families, or injured civilians, or families of hostages, they get heckled, publicly; "Bibi sent Hamas suitcases full of cash" has been an opposition rallying cry for a while.
@Alon
Still, for the time being they run the government. I am not sure how a feasible alternative gov. could look.
Besides that, there seems to be consensus(?) in the military to turn a blind eye on #westbank settlers killing palestinians to take over their land. This makes me pessimistic for any substantial change. The main assumption seems to be that #israel has and will retain military superiority. @Sherifazuhur@israel@palestine
@Alon
On the palestinian side, as long as political actors deny the right of #israel to exist we have a problem. Sadly, throwing each other in the Mediteranean seems at the moment the only common understanding of the extremists. The #westbank leadership seems corrupt and weak. As they cannot guarantee the lives of their own people (#settlers) I do not expect anybody to follow them into any political bargaining or deal. @Sherifazuhur@israel@palestine
@Peter_Panther@Sherifazuhur@israel@palestine So, the weakness of the PA is in part because Israel keeps openly scourging it. Standard COIN doctrine says you need to openly reward your collaborators; Israel has extensive security cooperation with the PA but also humiliates Abbas in public all the time, instead of rewarding him with settlement removal. Of note, whenever there's a war in Gaza, Hamas's support falls in Gaza (because Gazans feel the consequences) but rises in the West Bank.
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