The Dutch minister of Defense is furious about the leaking of a memo that confirms israel does not have a plan in Gaza and is trying to maximize civilian casualties.
The Dutch minister of Defense is furious about the leaking of a memo that confirms israel does not have a plan in Gaza and is trying to maximize civilian casualties.
To be clear, these are OP’s words and represent their opinion; neither part of this sentiment is in the memo or article.
The Dutch Defense Attache at the embassy in Tel Aviv believes Israel is trying to destroy Gaza’s infrastructure and civilian buildings and doesn’t give a shit about the civilians that will die as a result, not that they’re “trying to maximize civilian casualties.” And that is a plan, it’s just that the plan is horrific and the Defense Attache believes their goal is unachievable:
I’m sorry if I wasn’t supposed to put anything outside of the main article in the body, I thought this only applied to the title. I have slightly added parts of different stories I didn’t link above
This Dutch newspaper article is my source about the Defense minister being furious about this internal memo being leaked
https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1540882107/minister-woest-over-uitlekken-gaza-memo-geen-faire-weergave
The claim about “no plan” is worded slightly differently in the original leaked Dutch memo as “no strategy”
https://nos.nl/collectie/13959/artikel/2497847-gelekt-israel-memo-ambassade-nieuw-signaal-verdeeldheid-bij-overheid
(original NRC article is pay walled so this one will have to do) “In de rapportage staat volgens de krant dat de Israëlische politieke en militaire top >>>geen duidelijke strategie hebben.” (they have no clear strategy)
The maximizing civilian casualty stuff is basically what the article is about though. The israeli strategy seems to be do as much damage as possible to the Gaza strip in the hope Gazans will flee into Sinai and thus permanently evict them from Gaza.
What I meant by “plan” is that there is no “plan” to do get rid of Hamas or restore peace in Gaza, the only “plan” israel has according to this leaked memo is to ethnically cleanse Gaza by pushing the populace into Egypt. Which is very contradictory to what israel has been proclaiming the past few weeks.
Also if they target infrastructure they target civilians. Are the people of Gaza supposed to magically live without food water and medicine? They’re not plants that live on rainfall and sunshine.
Frankly, OP’s words are closer to a summary of the quotes you provided than you seem to be insinuating…
Yes and no. It’s fairly certain the Dutch embassy would object strongly to OPs summary. The difference between targeting civilian infrastructure with no regard for civilian lives is very different from actively targeting civilians, even though both are deplorable.
It’s important not to simplify these things. By exaggerating and wrongfully quoting people you open up for a pedantic debate about differences in nuance, distracting from what is really important: They are targeting civilian infrastructure, not giving a shit how many civilians they murder in the process.
It’s more than not giving a shit. Killing civilians is a feature not a bug, it helps Israel’s war aims in several ways and is entirely intended.
That’s your words, not the Dutch. Doesn’t mean you’re wrong; that’s a different debate entirely.
I guess you’re arguing the memo only accuses them of intending to destroy “civilian centres”, not civilians. But "“taking large numbers of civilian casualties for granted” is part of the intent. Israel is the arsonist who knows there are children sleeping in the house.
My view is that the Dutch are, in diplomatic language, saying that.
Honoring their CYA phrasing on a mere technicality is a pretty shit take, citizen.
Personally I think warping people’s word for no good reason other than to simplify things to better fit your own interpretation of reality is a pretty shit take, but each to their own I guess.
Clarifying purposefully obfuscated phrasing is hardly “warping”, and your assumption of narrative intent on OP’s part is beneath you. How many of those politicians even remotely connected to that certified release above do you suppose even know your name, much less give two soggy shits if you exist? Don’t bootlick, and don’t pontificate. 🤷🏼♂️