We say we don’t want to leave without him. “Can one of our Israeli friends stay here?” we ask. The soldiers refuse, and a gun is raised. It points straight at us – and we begin to back away. “Move on,” we’re told.

Soldiers walk Abuhejleh out of sight around a hill, and as we make our way back to where the road was dug up, Rabbi Dana tells us she’s worried. … We don’t want to leave Abuhejleh, and so the waiting begins. What was promised as a few minutes becomes 30 minutes. Then 45. Then 90. What appears to be the same drone comes back, flying lower, with its camera pointed at us.

Eventually, our IDF contact calls back. He assures us that Abuhejleh is safe, and he strongly advises us to leave the area “for our safety.” So, reluctantly, we do. … We sit down with Abuhejleh to make sure he’s OK and to ask what happened after he was separated from us. He tells us that after he was led away, blindfolded and handcuffed, he was driven to a military office in a nearby settlement where he was mocked and questioned for hours.

“They say it’s our land. It’s not your land. So you must forget it,” he says. Later, when we would ask the IDF why he had been detained, they would provide no comment.

Now that he’s home, he assures us he’s unharmed. And as we’re about to leave, we ask if he plans to go back to see his land, even after today’s incident.

“I will go back. Don’t worry,” he says. “They will arrest, and I will return back – until I will fix my land. It’s our land.”

  • BMatthew@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Hamas in no way is the govt of the West Bank. If anyone has a bit of soul left, they will see this for what it is, the elimination of Christians and Muslims from their homelands by military might against international law and my President Biden supporting this. After all I thought we leaned post George Floyd, we just shifted who we find ok to discriminate against and the rabid hate that was quieted has come back multiple times as strong. It’s almost like there was a built up hate pressure that has exploded. Stop ethnic cleansing, is it to high a bar to ask of our leaders (on both sides as the Republican talking points are just as bad or worse).

      • lennybird@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I don’t have a problem with a primary challenger but there is nobody even considering it let alone viable.

        • John Richard@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Also Democrats in 2024, “It’s the progressives fault that Biden lost!” Really, you want to get people excited about elections? Then find better candidates.

          • whereisk@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Meh Hillary has baggage, I’ll let the quasi authoritarian nutjob win instead. Democrats 2016.

            Meh, Biden is not exciting, I’ll let the proven kleptocrats promising they’ll destroy any checks in government win instead - they should have served me a better candidate.

            Hopefully not 2024.

            • John Richard@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              If it comes down to Biden and Trump, you better believe I’m voting for Biden. However, we’ve been here before and the DNC has had 8 years now to fix their shit, but they act as clueless as ever. You don’t like the risk of having an authoritarian Repub in office? Then the DNC needs to fix their shit period. You want to win the house and senate? Then find a Presidential candidate that people actually like.

          • AFaithfulNihilist@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I just hope they still show up for all the down ticket races. So much more is elected than President and the way Republicans captured our government was by acting at the school board and town level as well as securing legislatures and governorships so they could pack the courts.

            The birchers had a cohesive strategy for a multi-frontal assault on democracy, and they didn’t do it by getting the most votes for president.

        • Uranium3006@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          no I’m not. I’m an anarchist. no one is obligated to support shitty candidates and it’s not ok for you to go around calling people republicans for not doing so

          • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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            If you care to check my comment history you’ll see I’m anything but. I just understand the realities of a two party system.

        • setVeryLoud(true);@lemmy.ca
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          Found the Americans. Good job, you’ve made it about your country again. You may leave now.

          Edit: The Americans don’t like being told to not make everything about themselves. This platform is america-centric, just like Reddit.

        • thisisawayoflife@lemmy.world
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          They are just so left, morally and strategically superior that they’ll hand the election to Republicans to spite the Democrats! That’ll teach em!

          • CmdrShepard@lemmy.one
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            And you railing against trying literally anything else besides the status quo, ensure that we’ll continue on with our two party system ensuring Republicans will continue to make up ~50% of the legislature. Good job, bud!

                • thisisawayoflife@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  I shouldn’t really be that hard on you. You’re young and idealistic and want to just jump the shark with the presidential election instead of doing the necessary work under it. I hope you figure it out someday though.

                  • Uranium3006@kbin.social
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                    1 year ago

                    dude biden could fucking lose to trump. we were asked to “hold my noses” in 2016 and look how that one turned out. 2020 was a near miss, 2024 isn’t looking so hot and literally any other candidate would get more votes than Biden. why do you love biden so much you’re willing to risk trump in 2024 when literally some random governor (not from cali) would be a safer bet to win?

          • Uranium3006@kbin.social
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            Biden loses to trump by 4 points but a generic dem wins by 8. he’s the wrong man for the job of beating trump

          • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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            1 year ago

            You don’t have to like him think shit like calling him “genocide Joe” is counterproductive.

            • NoneSoVile@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              He is actively and openly supporting and funding a genocide but we’re not allowed to call him mean names?

              • lolcatnip@reddthat.com
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                I don’t accept your characterization. And despite what the last person said, it is a zero sum game. Do I need to draw you a diagram of how Trump would be worse in just about every possible way, including for Palestinians?

                • NoneSoVile@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  Obviously Biden is better than Trump. The Democrats and Republicans are both bad. Yes, the Democrats are less bad, but things aren’t going to get better if we just refuse to criticize them because of this.

                  As long as we’re stuck picking between Democrats and Republicans I’m going to continue to vote Democrat and encourage others to do so, but I’m not going to hide my reservations nor accept mockery for refusing to toe the party line.