Ukraine vs Gaza War Compared

December 3, 2023
UkraineGaza
Conflict Start Date (Duration)24 February 2022 (647 days)7 October 2023 (57 days)
Civilian Deaths10,000+ (525 children)15,523 Palestinians (~47% <18 years),
1,200 Israelis (~ 2.4% <18 years)
Civilians Injured18,50041,300 Palestinians
6,900 Israelis
US Provided Weapons RestrictionsSupplied Ukraine with weapons that could not be used in the attacker’s territory (Russia)Supplied Israel with weapons with no restrictions
US Financial AidThe US directed more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, which includes humanitarian, financial, and military support.The US has already committed $3.8 Billion to Israel this year as part of the 10-year budget for aid to Israel. An additional $14.3 billion has been requested and $14.5 approved by the House.
What’s HappeningUkraine is trying to regain roughly 18% of its internationally recognized territory that remains under Russian rule after Russia attacked Ukraine to create a larger land barrier with the European Union.Following a brutal terrorist attach, Israel is trying to eliminate 40,000 Hamas fighters and likely reduce the Palestinian-controlled area by 50% or more to create a corridor of separation between Gaza and Israel.
Population/area44 million (603,628 km²)2 million (365 km2) – 0.18m²/person
Ukraine versus Gaza Conflicts Compared

I’m still struggling with the extent of the collective punishment imposed by Israel along with questions about what our view of justice would be with similar events during WWII.

By the way, here’s a summary of Israeli vs. Palestinian fatalities due to conflict over the last 15 years.

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Posted by markmichaelis

Imagine the Behavior of Hamas and Israel During WWII

November 2, 2023

Imagine the following scenario in WWII:

  • Germans bombed an Allied refugee camp comprised of 50% children that the Germans had held captive because it would kill some of the adult Allied militaries who controlled the camp and who committed horrific atrocities.
  • Allies bombed a German refugee camp comprised of 50% children that the Allies held captive because it would kill some of the adult German military who controlled the camp and who committed horrific atrocities.

Questions:

  • Which of these two scenarios is just or at least not evil or against international law?
  • If neither, what would need to change for the bombing to be justified (the percentage of children, the percentage of refugees, the severity of the atrocities, the number of civilian supporters of the attackers in the targetted territory…)?
  • What is characteristic about Israel’s bombing of Gaza that justifies the above scenario?

Gaza Review (Oct. 7-Nov 2, 2023)

  • Israel declares 10,000 bombs have been dropped on Gaza
  • At least 9,061 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza, including 3,760 children
  • Nearly half (47.3%) of the Gaza population are children, and of those forty percent of Gaza’s population is under the age of 14.
  • Less than an estimated 0.25% of the Gaza people (mostly dual citizens) have been allowed to flee Gaza.

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Posted by markmichaelis

How is Collective Punishment Justified?

October 15, 2023

Imagine you are sitting in class and one of your classmates throws something at the teacher while her back is turned. As a result, the entire class is punished for the crimes of one. This is called collective punishment.

“Collective punishment is a punishment imposed on a group for acts allegedly perpetrated by a member of that group.” The group may be ethnic or political or just the family, friends, and neighbors of the perpetrator.” Collective punishment, targeting individuals who are not responsible for the wrong acts, is unjust. In fact, collective punishment is a war crime prohibited by treaties in both international and non-international armed conflicts. The law on this seems very clear.

Why then, is it okay for Israel to drop more than 1,000 bombs per day on the Gaza Strip? In case that isn’t bad enough, Israel then proceeds to turn off access to food, water, and electricity. When you consider that the Gaza Strip is an open-air prison where 2 million Palestinians have been captured for more than 15 years without a trial, they are fish in a barrel. To pour salt on the atrocities, why does the USA not only condone such behavior but also send additional arms to support it?

What is even more baffling is that I would think that the Israelis would identify with injustice at this level and do all they could to prevent it from happening ever again. What makes it okay for them to proceed with such violence, and how does it achieve justice?

Obviously, I’m not condoning the actions of Hamas in any way. Nor am I minimizing the horrific history of the Second World War. But as horrific as they are, how does it justify bombing and then starving a majority of prisoners who can’t defend themselves? The injustice here seems extreme. What am I missing?

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Posted by markmichaelis