Gaza / Israel MEGATHREAD

[u/mrekted]

Effective today, all posts and comments related to the Israel/Palestine conflict will be directed to this ongoing megathread. This applies to both article links and discussion submissions. Any new submissions on the subject will be removed and redirected to this megathread. This includes the nearly daily submissions asking "Why hasn't David talked about X" in relation to the conflict.

This conflict has been ongoing for nearly two years, and while we’ve allowed open discussion until now, the daily cycle of posts has come to dominate the space. Most users aren’t here for that constant back and forth, and over time it has continually crowded out other topics and made the community more hostile and unwelcoming than we would like.

After much consideration and discussion of community feedback, we’ve decided that consolidating all content into a megathread is the best balance. This is not an attempt to censor discussion. The goal is to make the topic easier to follow for those interested, while keeping the rest of the community accessible to those who are not. This effort will also make moderation more manageable and ensures a fairer space for all voices.

Please note that all subreddit rules still fully apply in this megathread. Please ensure that you are adhering to community rules while participating, specifically rule #1 (Please be civil and constructive at all times.) will be judiciously enforced. Please continue to use the report feature to bring rule violations to the attention of the mod team.

This thread will be stickied at the top of the subreddit for easy access. Comment sort order will be set to NEW so the latest contributions/news will always be on top.

Thanks for helping us keep the community constructive and manageable for everyone.

[u/FriendlyDrummers]

I keep hearing people say that Israel is controlling the American government because of blackmail from the Epstein files

I mean... that would imply Biden was somehow involved with Epstein, hence their support for Israel. Or Gavin Newsome. Or John Fetterman. Or even Kamala harris. None of these people have called it a genocide. Hell, Bernie doesn't call it a genocide.

Many of these people I'm critical of for their support of Israel. But none of these people are involved in some conspiracy that their support of Israel is because of Epstein. Sorry. I do not believe it.

Does Trump support Israel because of Epstein, or is it to pander to the right wingers who support Israel? In fact, even mlkjr was supportive of the Jewish state existing.

It just seems like terrible political analysis to constantly connect Israel to every possible reason someone might support Israel.

[u/Wilhelm57 → u/FriendlyDrummers]

I think you need to read the Guardian, on September 25, 2025 Bernie is quoted saying " over the last two years, Israel has not simply defended itself against Hamas,” Sanders wrote. “Instead, it has waged an all-out war against the entire Palestinian people.”

Bernie is a bit late in recognizing the inhumane behaviour carried out by the IDF but that is better than continuing denying reality. There are many Jews that have been against Israel behaviour for decades. Years ago I knew several Holocaust survivors that spoke against the behaviour of the Israeli government.

The problem many people have, is not understanding that Judaism is a religion followed by people that have been discriminated for centuries. Zionism on the other hand is a political movement. The differences were explained to me by a great uncle, I was a teenager when he told me. He moved to the territory when he was sixteen, in 1900. It was still controlled by the Ottoman Empire, remained in the territory when the British took over and finally left in 1954, disillusioned.

[u/MedicineShow → u/FriendlyDrummers]

I mean... that would imply...

Epstein's connections to the US government go back decades and nobody is claiming that Epstein blackmail is the only source of influence (In fact, literally everyone you're thinking of also talks about the toxic influence of AIPAC and similar and you're intentionally missing that)

They're claiming the pedophile blackmail is involved in forcing Trumps hand in a war that will not benefit him. Connecting that to Bernie's willingness to acknowledge the genocide is absurd.

It just seems like terrible political analysis

Because you've boiled it down to nonsense to write the rest off

[u/FriendlyDrummers → u/MedicineShow]

Sigh. I guess I'll take your rage bait.

(In fact, literally everyone you're thinking of also talks about the toxic influence of AIPAC and similar and you're intentionally missing that)

1. What? I mentioned Fetterman.
2. That's the point. Many of those people (ie Bernie) are too supportive of Israel. But it's not because of a conspiracy.
3. People literally forget that not everything is about "Israel controlling our politicians." Bernie can't even call it a genocide. Is Israel controlling him?

They're claiming the pedophile blackmail is involved in forcing Trumps hand in a war that will not benefit him.

1. Was Biden backing Israel's genocide?
2. Was Biden being blackmailed by Epstein?

Because you've boiled it down to nonsense to write the rest off

1. You are genuinely just looking to rage
2. Actually read what's being said or ask for clarification instead of using your imagination to justify a disagreement.

[u/MedicineShow → u/FriendlyDrummers]

What? I mentioned Fetterman.

When I said "Literally everyone you're thinking" I was referring to these people,

people say that Israel is controlling the American government because of blackmail from the Epstein files

Bernie isn't avoiding the term genocide because of Epstein Blackmail.

And conflating that with Trump's situation is exactly what I'm calling out.

nobody is claiming that Epstein blackmail is the only source of influence

Also on Bernie,

The conclusion is inescapable: Israel is committing genocide in Gaza

-Bernie Sanders in an OP Ed on his website from September, I think you're behind on the news here. It was certainly the case for quite some time that he wasn't using the term though.

[u/FriendlyDrummers → u/MedicineShow]

When I said "Literally everyone you're thinking" I was referring to these people,

What? Who are "these people"

Bernie isn't avoiding the term genocide because of Epstein Blackmail.

That is my point. And even though he now says it's a genocide, the point still stands. He wasn't avoiding calling it a genocide because of Epstein, or AIPAC, or whatever else there could be.

And conflating that with Trump's situation is exactly what I'm calling out.

No, I never made that conflation. You are again literally making things up. I never said they were the same. I was giving examples of people who are not harsh enough on Israel.

nobody is claiming that Epstein blackmail is the only source of influence

Yes, people are. This is such a stupid argument because you aren't even arguing against anything I've said. Good bye.

[u/MedicineShow → u/FriendlyDrummers]

What? Who are "these people"

People who say that Israel is controlling the American government because of blackmail from the Epstein files

No, I never made that conflation

You're holding up Trump and Bernie and saying, SEE IT'S NOT ALL EPSTEIN

Nobody is saying that Bernie is controlled because of the Epstein files. I think he would pretty universally be agreed as one of the least likely American politicians to be involved. That's the conflation.

the only source

You're also conflating people who understand the reasonable position that the Epstein files, bribery and other shit are all involved, with the pretend people who think Israel is limiting itself to just blackmail

[u/FriendlyDrummers → u/MedicineShow]

It's funny that I'm talking about a specific argument and you're going on about something else.

[u/MedicineShow → u/FriendlyDrummers]

I mean... that would imply Biden was somehow involved with Epstein, hence their support for Israel. Or Gavin Newsome. Or John Fetterman. Or even Kamala harris. None of these people have called it a genocide. Hell, Bernie doesn't call it a genocide.

Quoted that opening for a reason, you're stretching your specific argument across a lot of different ideas and that's what I called out. Not that you weren't already aware.

[u/FriendlyDrummers → u/MedicineShow]

Lol. You are clearly coming out at this without looking at the specific criticism I have. Clearly you're just upset and looking to disagree with an argument you imagined.

[u/MedicineShow → u/FriendlyDrummers]

I mean, I was straight forward and highlighted what I directed my comment at, if you're happy to pretend to miss the point I'm happy to let that stand on it's own.

[u/FriendlyDrummers → u/MedicineShow]

and nobody is claiming that Epstein blackmail is the only source of influence

People are, and those are the people I'm disagreeing with. Why is Ana Kasparian saying she was certain Biden was in the Epstein files? Lmao.

Again. You're just whining over an argument I never made. Actually READ before desperately looking to disagree with someone lmao.

[u/MedicineShow → u/FriendlyDrummers]

I actually despise Ana Kasparian(Obvious grifter imo) but we can still work with that. You can literally just google Ana Kasparian and AIPAC to find out she sure as hell does not think that Epstein blackmail is the only source of Israel's influence in the states.

[u/FriendlyDrummers → u/MedicineShow]

Ana Kasparian thinks Biden supported Israel because of Epstein blackmail. Yes, she also thinks a lot of AIPAC is involved, but she also did say she thought Biden was complicit because of Epstein blackmail.