Firstly, you're welcome. I enjoy a good debate, as long as one person doesn't resort to douche-baggery and start throwing out terms like "asinine." Oh, wait.
How can you not see that Israel is completely lawless and committing war crimes and genocide since 8 October? It is black and white what Israel has done since 8 October. See what I did there? You think you have the right to start the timeline at 7 October. OK. I start it at 8 October. Both are completely ridiculous positions. Mine AND yours.
That is nuance, Steve.
This situation didn't begin on 7 October, and to try to frame it like that is genocide apologia.
Take a look at the charter of Likud. It is the same as what Hamas' original charter was - but not softened in 2017 - but in reverse. Yes, Hamas is still a terrorist organization. Then so is Likud. Then so is the Israel military for what they are doing - right now - to millions of Palestinians, lead by the Likud party.
I can quote you half a dozen top Israeli officials saying incredibly racist statements and proclaiming Israel's plan to commit genocide and war crimes, on top of the war crimes they have already committed and are committing right now.
Israel has killed maybe 50 Hamas members and 10,000 civilians. With that math, to achieve their stated goal of wiping out Hamas, Israel will kill every single Gazan. That is genocide. There is no other term for it.
With Israel openly stating they want to commit genocide and ethnic cleansing of Gaza (and some officials - and the Likud Charter) saying the goal is to ethnically cleanse all of Gaza and the West Bank, the Palestinians can make EXACTLY the same claim as you that there is no negotiation possible with Israel.
Based on what Israel is doing and has been doing for decades, the position of Hamas as the polar opposite of Israel is a smart negotiating position. I don't have to like Hamas or support them to recognize that.
I have no illusions about Hamas. I also have no illusions about Israel.
That is how we got to this point. That is nuance. This is not black and white.
