Do you know what the median age in Gaza was in 2020 (before this recent escalation in genocide)? 18 years old.
In my opinion 20 years per election might not be an ideal timescale for a democracy.
It feels a little insane to argue about democracy and representation when it comes to people who have spent their entire lives in an occupied state. It’s like pointing out there’s a brown spot on your lawn while your house is on fire.
If you read through my replies you’ll see me consistently making this point as well.
“Legitimacy” is not a concept that exists in a war zone. The Palestinians are being robbed of the opportunity of legitimate representation by their occupiers.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank have blocked elections since then. But you are right that half of Gazans weren’t even born when Hamas won the last elections.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank have blocked elections since then.
Right, this is the primary reason I would argue that there’s no official representative.
But it sounds as though you’re presenting it to counter the point I was making. Can you elaborate on how this fact legimizes Hamas as an official representative?
But you are right that half of Gazans weren’t even born when Hamas won the last elections.
While that’s correct its even worse, once you factor in the minimum voting age of 18 years old, over 75% of Gazans were unable to participate in the last election.
Hamas aren’t the ones preventing elections. They don’t lose legitimacy just because other parties have illegally halted the electoral process. They’re not the obstacle.
No, we’ve already gone over that it’s their occupiers fault for that
They don’t lose legitimacy just because other parties have illegally halted the electoral process. They’re not the obstacle.
No they do not.
They lose legitimacy over time as it becomes longer and longer since the last election.
75% of the population has never had an opportunity to vote for anyone at all and 50% is too young to have even been born at the last election. I don’t see how we can say these people have legitimate representation despite that.
Yes, countries can invade and occupy other countries, suspend their governments, block future elections and violate their civil rights.
That’s what’s so bad about it.
But this shouldn’t be a surprise, Israel is doing much worse human rights abuses to the Palestinians than simply revoking the legitimacy of their government. They’re massacring them, they’re starving them and blowing up aid workers trying to bring in food, not even to mention the sexual violence I can’t even stomach thinking about.
It’s important to understand the severity of what a genocide implies. These are a people without a voice. If someone doesn’t stop the occupation and reallow legitimate elections, the very idea of a Palestinian people might be eradicated.
If I explained to you ghettos are horrific and violate human rights, because as one example among so many other issues we would likely agree on, they strip a people of their right to fair elections and representation in the determination of their future.
And that the fact that Palestinians have not been free to organize, form new political parties and campaign in safe and uncoerced elections is a direct violation of their rights and the party to answer and blame for this is the one occupying them and preventing this from happening…
What are we disagreeing about?
What I disagree with is that an election an entire generation before the present that people alive never voted in should not be held up to represent their current politics and beliefs as a nation.
If you care about the rights of Gazans then the ultimate right is the right of self determination and a right to life. So in that sense you should critically support Hamas in the Palestinian struggle against the settler-colonizers. You want pretty elections in an apartheid ghetto. How about they not have an apartheid ghetto and be integrated into a democratic process? Again, in order to do that they must not be under siege for decades…
If you care about the rights of Gazans then the ultimate right is the right of self determination and a right to life.
Those are two rights.
I believe the right to life is the ultimate right as one can’t access self determination if they are dead.
This is why the genocide takes priority over any worries about legitimacy.
So in that sense you should critically support Hamas in the Palestinian struggle against the settler-colonizers.
I support the Palestinian struggle against their colonizers but I appreciate that you put the word “critically” in their because I do also want to be able to say terrorism isn’t a good response and be able to say it’s wrong when anyone targets innocent civilians intentionally.
You want pretty elections in an apartheid ghetto.
No I want to stop the apartheid ghetto.
“Legitimacy” means nothing in a war zone. There’s nothing to talk about until the bombs stop.
How about they not have an apartheid ghetto and be integrated into a democratic process? Again, in order to do that they must not be under siege for decades…
Yeah how about that?
Haha I’m getting a but frustrated at the reading comprehension on this thread but at least we agree.
Hamas is the official representative of Gaza. They were elected. They are a government under war of annihilation and occupation.
What makes you say this? Do you not realize this “election” happened all the way back in 2006?
Do you know how long ago that was? 19 years.
Do you know what the median age in Gaza was in 2020 (before this recent escalation in genocide)? 18 years old.
In my opinion 20 years per election might not be an ideal timescale for a democracy.
I’m trying to assume good faith so I’m confused why you’d argue that’s adequate representation?
It feels a little insane to argue about democracy and representation when it comes to people who have spent their entire lives in an occupied state. It’s like pointing out there’s a brown spot on your lawn while your house is on fire.
If you read through my replies you’ll see me consistently making this point as well.
“Legitimacy” is not a concept that exists in a war zone. The Palestinians are being robbed of the opportunity of legitimate representation by their occupiers.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank have blocked elections since then. But you are right that half of Gazans weren’t even born when Hamas won the last elections.
Right, this is the primary reason I would argue that there’s no official representative.
But it sounds as though you’re presenting it to counter the point I was making. Can you elaborate on how this fact legimizes Hamas as an official representative?
While that’s correct its even worse, once you factor in the minimum voting age of 18 years old, over 75% of Gazans were unable to participate in the last election.
Hamas aren’t the ones preventing elections. They don’t lose legitimacy just because other parties have illegally halted the electoral process. They’re not the obstacle.
No, we’ve already gone over that it’s their occupiers fault for that
No they do not.
They lose legitimacy over time as it becomes longer and longer since the last election.
75% of the population has never had an opportunity to vote for anyone at all and 50% is too young to have even been born at the last election. I don’t see how we can say these people have legitimate representation despite that.
Okay, so by this logic Israel can revoke the legitimacy of other governments simply by preventing elections.
Yes, countries can invade and occupy other countries, suspend their governments, block future elections and violate their civil rights.
That’s what’s so bad about it.
But this shouldn’t be a surprise, Israel is doing much worse human rights abuses to the Palestinians than simply revoking the legitimacy of their government. They’re massacring them, they’re starving them and blowing up aid workers trying to bring in food, not even to mention the sexual violence I can’t even stomach thinking about.
It’s important to understand the severity of what a genocide implies. These are a people without a voice. If someone doesn’t stop the occupation and reallow legitimate elections, the very idea of a Palestinian people might be eradicated.
Would you say Ukraine’s government is also illegitimate because they aren’t having elections?
What’s a good faith argument for a ghetto/prison?
What? There aren’t any?
If I explained to you ghettos are horrific and violate human rights, because as one example among so many other issues we would likely agree on, they strip a people of their right to fair elections and representation in the determination of their future.
And that the fact that Palestinians have not been free to organize, form new political parties and campaign in safe and uncoerced elections is a direct violation of their rights and the party to answer and blame for this is the one occupying them and preventing this from happening…
What are we disagreeing about?
What I disagree with is that an election an entire generation before the present that people alive never voted in should not be held up to represent their current politics and beliefs as a nation.
If you care about the rights of Gazans then the ultimate right is the right of self determination and a right to life. So in that sense you should critically support Hamas in the Palestinian struggle against the settler-colonizers. You want pretty elections in an apartheid ghetto. How about they not have an apartheid ghetto and be integrated into a democratic process? Again, in order to do that they must not be under siege for decades…
Those are two rights.
I believe the right to life is the ultimate right as one can’t access self determination if they are dead.
This is why the genocide takes priority over any worries about legitimacy.
I support the Palestinian struggle against their colonizers but I appreciate that you put the word “critically” in their because I do also want to be able to say terrorism isn’t a good response and be able to say it’s wrong when anyone targets innocent civilians intentionally.
No I want to stop the apartheid ghetto.
“Legitimacy” means nothing in a war zone. There’s nothing to talk about until the bombs stop.
Yeah how about that?
Haha I’m getting a but frustrated at the reading comprehension on this thread but at least we agree.