What followed was a wave of shooting and arson attacks across 11 Palestinian villages in which a dozen homes and more than 100 cars were torched, thousands of animals were slaughtered, four people were shot dead and scores of others were seriously wounded.

  • Andy@slrpnk.net
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    4 months ago

    I want to add a word that I never see that needs to enter the mainstream lexicon:

    “Pogrom”.

    Apparently, this isn’t a commonly known term, although it’s less obscure to Jews. A pogrom is a form of terrorism in which a population decides to get rid of or inflict their hatred on a marginalized ethnic group by routinely rolling through their towns or neighborhoods dolling out unrestrained violence. It is often accompanied by warnings and demands that the population relocate or face constantly escalating barbarism. It’s a form of persistent mass terrorism, usually sanctioned by the state.

    Pogroms as a familiar concept emerged as a practice in Russia in the 19th and 20th century toward Jews, though they’re well known to have been used throughout history. Traditionally, Jews have been the historical target of pogroms for centuries, and it’s not a coincidence that Israeli Jews are using these tactics. These are familiar to them. They know exactly what they are doing. This is NOT independent acts of violence, this is a reenactment of atrocities faced by the grandparents and great grandparents of many Israelis Jews.

    Pogroms are always horrific and depraved on their own. But the added context that these people are appropriating the weapons of extermination that they know well from the receiving end, it’s just… I don’t quite have the words to capture my horror.

    These are pogroms. They are a relic of the medieval era and of the atrocities of the 1800s and early 1900s. They should stay in history, but they are being dusted off with deliberate intent by Itmar Ben-Gvir and the exterminationist wing of mainstream Israeli society.

    These are not “Rising tensions” or “Settler violence”, they are POGROMS. We all need to say it.

    More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogrom