Tom Lamore's Israel-Gaza Documentary Playlist
Watch Tom Lamore's Playlist of Israel-Gaza documentaries, which have helped to inform his Israel views, here.
Tom Lamore’s Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Views
Personally, I am a strong supporter of a 2 State solution, using 1967 borders, as the only viable long-term solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. While I support Israel’s right to self-defence, I believe this Israel-Gaza 2023-24 War has gone far beyond that, leading to the breaking of International Law and the likely genocide of Palestinians in Gaza (UN Report detailing reasoning for this: Anatomy of a Genocide Report, I say “likely” here only because it is ultimately for the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to decide).
As such, I believe that Western Governments need to use all of their leverage (arms sales, economic aid/sanctions) to ensure that the Israeli Government better protects civilians in Gaza against genocide, including forcing an end to this War with a Ceasefire. Even if they do not believe genocide is being committed, it is such as terrible crime that they should take more steps to better ensure it is not. In any case, I strongly believe that such a high civilian death toll is simply not acceptable in the 21st Century.
In regards to a 1 State Solution, I personally believe it is not the best solution to the conflict, although I completely respect that whatever the solution, it is something for the residents of the region, Israeli's and Palestinians, to negotiate and resolve. I do not believe it is the best solution because it will only encourage Israel to continue its (likely) genocide against the Palestinian people. This is because, as it stands, there is an approximate 50/50 split between Jews and Muslims living in the Israel/Palestine region. I do not believe that right-wing Jews and many moderates will accept living in a State where they are not the dominant religion, and so will seek to continue their ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, to ensure that 50/50 split is shifted more in their favour (I believe they are effectively doing this right now in this War in preparation for a 1 State Solution where Judaism remains the dominant religion). As such, I personally believe that Palestinians are best protected having their own State, and that the US should enforce this upon Israel, through their leverage (arms sales, economic aids/sanctions). Why should the US do this? To prevent the further exploitation of this conflict by Iran, as well as Russia and China, who are widely regarded as the bigger common enemy of Israel, US, Europe and Western values as whole (freedom, democracy, etc.).
Photo Credit: Makaristos (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2247941)
Tom Lamore’s Israeli-Lebanese Conflict Views
In regards to the Israeli-Lebanese conflict, the US and NATO have shown, through their 20 years War with The Taliban in Afghanistan, that a direct War with a terrorist organisation, such as Hezbollah, is unwinnable.
Hezbollah will have been significantly weakened with the assassinations of it's top leaders, but they are still significantly armed with many experienced fighters in their ranks. Israel had a ceasefire deal on offer, which would have stopped the rocket attacks on Northern Israel, but instead, they have chosen an all-out War, not just with Hezbollah, but with the whole Lebanese population (given how many innocent civilians they have killed so far).
At the time of writing (10th October 2024), a ceasefire is still possible, and I believe that if Israel seriously commits to a 2 State Solution with the Palestinians, Iranian influence in the region will be much less effective. Furthermore, should a Nuclear Deal between the US and Iran be resurrected, perhaps broadened to cover ballistic missiles and other hostile actions, the threat from Iran could be further diminished. The continuation of the Israeli genocide in Gaza and their War in Lebanon, will only further isolate them in the Middle East and Globally, which is not in their long-term interests, in all fields of interest (military, economy, etc.) (e.g. it's already preventing a formalisation of relations with the Gulf States).
UPDATE: Thankfully a Ceasefire has now been agreed to end this conflict, for now. However, it will only reignite itself again in the future unless the fuel (the continued denial of a State to the Palestinians and the continued genocide and oppression of Palestinians by the Israeli Government) is removed.
Photo Credit: Makaristos (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2247941)
Tom Lamore’s Israeli-Syrian Views
I support Israel destroying the weaponry of the Syrian Army and Navy, to prevent these falling into the wrong hands (i.e. extremists).
However, I strongly condemn Israel pushing beyond the Golan Heights in the name of "defense". The Golan Heights themselves were meant to be occupied (illegally) by Israel in order to defend the rest of the country so it's absolutely disgraceful that they have taken even more land to "defend" this land. Already, at the time of writing (10th December 2024), Israel in its rhetoric, is giving itself reason to stay for a long time, potentially staying forever, or at least until it has a formal Peace Treaty with Syria, which is likely years away, which is a flagrant violation of the 1974 Deal made after the 1973 Israeli-Arab War, as well as Syria's Soveriegn Territorial Integrity, protected by International Law.
Overall, it's another warning, along with Israel's actions in Gaza, that Israel is taking all liberties given to it by the United States to illegally expand beyond its borders, no matter the price to the native inhabitants already living there.
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