Sam Harris on How Hamas Wins Support From the West | Making Sense

An excerpt from episode #351 of the Making Sense podcast.
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[@keiththompson713]

I absolutely understand why people would protest against the excessive use of force by Israel in Gaza. What I don't understand is why they aren't protesting against Hamas as well.

[@ivanthelin502]

Blame game isnt helping anyone. Did protesting jihadists ever help? Would it help stop the current Israeli bombing campaign? No.

[@vertigoz]

Very well said

[@deborahfreedman333]

The IDF is not using excessive force. If anything, they have restrained their response too much, risking the lives of young soldiers, to save "civilians" who participated in the atrociteis.

[@Dantianblue]

Both are bad. Israel many times worse. Hamas started this latest massacre. But the long picture doesn't look good for Israel or its Western sponsors. They're all bastards though yes.

[@michaelpadilla141]

@@deborahfreedman333 All the tens of thousands, including a majority of very young children, participated in the atrocities? Give me a break.

[@SalimAsit]

I will never forget.. when there was a terrorist attack in Germany, a decent and reasonably intelligent friend of mine was racking her brain trying to explain away what happened. With attacks against the UK and US, the stock response was ready. But, because it was Germany, it wasn't as 'easy', but she managed to explain it away. Something about the terrorist's grandad was from a country that was a German colony about a hundred years ago. It was because of cross-generational trauma that must have embedded into the DNA of the terrorist and was a dominant gene that overpowered others and led this person to do what he was made to do by the ancestors of the Germans he killed. I'm sharing this story because there's something so deeply rooted in so much of the West to automatically see certain people as aggressors and others as victims. These victims can hijack and fly passenger planes into civilian buildings and kill thousands - they're victims. They had to do it. The responsibility would lie with someone somewhere, even if it was hundreds of years ago.

[@memoryhero]

Homie you nailed it. That really deep dividing line is each person deciding IN ADVANCE that whole groups of other people are culpable or innocent. And they seem to do it wholly unburdened by it or completely unaware. I'm not sure which is worse.

[@wicksavage3459]

This is totally inaccurate. The foreign policy of the US and Europe has literally led to millions of innocent deaths in Iraq, Libya, Syria, .... and so on. You don't have to go deep into anything to see the blatantly obvious.

[@Motorhead264]

It is a frustrating and nieve world view that is beaten into westerners that all things are black and white and that there is an oppresser and victim. We are a Shame based society and the quicker people snap out of that and out of their little bubble to think rationally the better.

[@CodeLife_12]

Of course it's Germany's fault, it would be racist otherwise.

[@psmorgan2542]

People who do this have to treat each incident as an isolated event and ignore jihadis who have no grievances, who’re well-off, who’re making attacks in Muslim countries, because they’re not strictly Islamic enough. On top of that you have to have never listened to Jihadis and Islamic theocrats explain their motivations, and be unaware of the scripture they use to justify hatred on non-believers and the obligation to spread theocracy.

[@10sodot]

Sinwar cites civilian casualties as a tactical advantage for Hamas.

[@deborahfreedman333]

And he calls dead terrorists civilian.

[@10sodot]

@@deborahfreedman333 We keep hearing about the Palestinian causalities in the thousands. These numbers haven't been verified only asserted by Hamas. Also the term "children" is often used to invoke sympathy. A person of 12 - 17 yrs for example who trained to fire guns or RPG is actually a combatant. The moment you display hostile intent/acts you sadly make yourself a valid military target according to rules of war.

[@dmenace9288]

Sinwar’s strategy is causing pure Hatred between ethnic groups. People’s lives on both sides means nothing to him, except himself.

[@wicksavage3459]

@@10sodot The Pentagon invoked a number of 25.000 children and women being killed. And they are starving 2,2 Million People right now. They actually are not military targets.

[@PianoDentist]

@@10sodot It's hard to verify the casualty rate in any war let alone one where both sides are keen to control the narrative.. However, the verified pictures of flattened houses and apartments all over Gaza, and the population density, imply a significant quantity of casualties. Given that ~40% of the population are ≤ 14 years of age, that implies a significant number of non-combatant children too.

[@Walid.Hammas]

I am an Algerian agnostic, I have a Muslim background, and I confirm every word in this podcast. lot's of people don't know that Islam as a religion is more dangerous than any other religion in the world, the problem is that holy verses inside Quran and lot's of Hadith texts should decide the typical behavior for a good muslim, and trust me, you will never ever find a violence more than what's inside Islam sunni. I think that it is the time for a reform movement inside Islam itself.

[@NavAK_86]

I'm an ex-Muslim and still see the maniacal intents of the Israeli terrorists, and so do many Jews who side with Palestine. If Islam was uniform in belief, the 20% of Israel that is Arab would be continuously murdering Jews. But they don't. Your theory debunked.

[@mathistruth9105]

Wow. You are right? Interesting. Nice to know. Geez...

[@alaakela]

Thank you OP

[@terrymckenzie8786]

The text of Quran is no worse than the Bible or Torah. It’s just that the Islamic countries in the Middle East haven,t changed in 3,000 years.

[@stevenrix7024]

@@terrymckenzie8786Islam is only 1500 years old, but we get what you mean!

[@moxiechacha1146]

Thank you, Sam. You’re a great truth teller. We need your voice.

[@nikokapanen82]

Hamas is evil but it is not stupid.

[@ezekielbrockmann114]

Evil IS stupid.

[@nikokapanen82]

@@ezekielbrockmann114 Evil can be very intelligent and because of that extremely successful and destructive. Yet obviously, all evil will face the consequences.

[@pancaked7777777]

It's looking pretty stupid about now. How successful would we say Hamas is right about now?

[@EnjoyPlantPower]

Hamas is driven by religious doctrine. How is that not stupid?

[@DandelionScribe]

Israel is literally a religious state @@EnjoyPlantPower

[@mmmu9638]

There is not a single lie in what Harris is saying here.

[@davidfayfield6594]

Actually I kind of like the world view as Jews as the oppressive force. Such a nice change

[@nikokapanen82]

@@davidfayfield6594 Those demons in you want it. It is a false and evil desire but demons are strong in you and more and more other people.

[@infinightsky]

@@davidfayfield6594lol good one

[@emilianosintarias7337]

Because the whole thing is a lie? the war started almost 60 years by Israel, before jihadists were the guerillas on the palestinian side, and through that time Israel has out tortured, out kidnapped, out stole and out human shielded the other side - according to the record and the whole world.They have been in breach of the law for almost 60 years, and the IDF have no legal standing in any of these siege battles or bombardments to differentiate from a t*rror group

[@jeffpatterson4061]

​@@davidfayfield6594This is not funny.

[@michaelmityok1001]

The reason is those people are ignorant of the true nature of Hamas as Sam explains. Ignorance is the biggest problem here, and the immaturity of those who are unwilling to educate themselves.

[@dane4265]

Sam is wilfully ignorant of the true nature of the Israeli leadership

[@Strange9952]

I've had so many arguments with people who have little Palestinian flags in their bio, who are COMPLETELY IGNORANT about the facts, it's absolutely astounding to me

[@aliknight8419]

In 1948, Ahmed Yassin, who founded Hamas, was uprooted & ethnically cleansed from his home at age 12. Hamas was then founded in 1987 as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation. Funny how Sam Harris is hiding this from his gullible followers.

[@dane4265]

@@Strange9952 it astounds me that so many people mistake the murdered women and children as Hamas, or even as expendable in the situation. two sides of religious fanatics will result in murdered children, Sam seems to have a blind spot for the religious fanatics in leadership of Israel

[@goodvibes-gy3jn]

@@dane4265 It seems you're either terribly uninformed or terribly ignorant about the commitments of Hamas vs Israel. Israel aren't blood thirsty religious fanatics looking to commit genocide on the Palestinian people. You know how we know this? Because they could genocide the whole of Palestine tomorrow if they wanted to. Hamas on the other hand makes no secret of the fact that they expressly intend on killing as many Jews as possible. Id recommend you research more about this conflict before saying something that stupid.

[@lirazdemasure936]

That's a thing they are saying repeatedly. i don't understand why people in the west still think that Hamas wants anything else.

[@ParaquatSC]

Because once the outrage snowflakes compact into an outrage snowball, they really can't be slowed down/ They will continue to escalate how extreme their opinion is so they can continue to be the one to get the most likes and shares. Since that's the way social media works.

[@renakmans3521]

This has become no longer just about Hamas, it’s squarely also about the IDF.

[@swnerd-2320]

Israel bombed relief workers trying to deliver aid to Palestinians. Hamas was not using them as human shields. What does that tell you about Israel’s intentions?

[@sharontaylor777]

That is on Hamas, who by their actions made it look like a Hamas vehicle (shooting on top of the vehicle, moving in and out of Hamas buildings, changing the number of occupants of the vehicle, etc.). It was a poorly marked vehicle traveling in the dark of night with poor communications. If you are a Jew-hater, you will attribute ill intent to every Israeli action, which was not the case here.

[@sharonefee1426]

Hamas are not the first to use kids. They were used in Iran's army in Iran-Iraq wae (12+)

[@guidobolke5618]

How about the American Revolutionary War?

[@MichaelToddFink]

true, US used teenagers in Vietnam against their will. remember that?

[@kmo9790]

American natives pioneered this kind of warfare, Colonial revolutionaries modernized it, and WWII legitimized civilians as targets of war. So basically Sam is just talking out of his ***.

[@Repackrider84]

And the US along with France supplied the Chemical weapons used by Iraq against Iran in the 10yr war in which later we used as an excuse to invade Iraq, claiming weapons of mass destruction.

[@YusufTalib]

America has been using kids as soldiers forever in their proxy wars in africa and latin america.

[@wicksavage3459]

The death of a civilian is the fault of the person who pulls the trigger. And the IDF does not HAVE to starve the population. It could flood Gaza with food, because it can't be used as a means of harm. But they choose to use hunger as a weapon. They don't HAVE to bulldoze acres of farmable land. This is beyond anything reasonable. And I sincerely question the moral clarity and even the sanity of people who don't see that.

[@idomaniacs]

1) If I saw a cop shooting and pushed you into his direction to have you killed who is the murderer here? The Cop? Hamas had executed a massive Isis like terror attack, knew about the upcoming retaliations and deliberately put all of its commanding posts and amunition Depots inside hospitals, schools, residential buildings and UN facilities. As soon as civillians tried to escape after a phone call from the IDF asking them to evacuate, Hamas shot those who were trying to flee as many of them testified. 2) So many civillians in Gaza say constantly that they are starving because Hamas steals all of the aid for its own terrorists army and sells the rest on the market, as varified in some Videos.

[@CodeLife_12]

There is a clear lack of compassion and humanity on the IDF's part. Not as monstruous as Hamas for sure, but still. As you said, some measures are unreasonably cruel and cause unnecessasry suffering. I doubt that this blockade on food supplies causes anything other than suffering for the innocent and at a high diplomatic cost for Israel.

[@idomaniacs]

@@CodeLife_12 This Hunger accurs because Hamas is stealing all of the aid for its terrorists and sells the rest in the matket. Tjere are videos varrifying it.

[@aliknight8419]

Exactly. Idf soldiers are celebrating and looting womens underwear and apparently that's hamas fault lol

[@davida.bishop4024]

Sam Harris is a tribalist with questionable morals .

[@nicholasc6876]

I don't think the majority of people who are against Israel's combat operations in Gaza support or sympathize with Hamas. Most people think Hamas goaded Israel very successfully (and horrifically) into a combat operation that would kill significant amounts of innocent people. But Israel has such a far-right Government that they were more than happy to be goaded. I literally see two groups of people getting what they wanted. Bibi gets to keep himself in power like he's been doing for decades, Hamas gets the international scrutiny of Israel it's always wanted. That's what makes this gross to me. Palestine and Israeli citizens suffering over their leaders playing games for power and position.

[@jaidev777]

In a sick way, it's like both Netanyahu and HAMAS are on some level in happy agreement -- content with having droves of innocents caught in the crossfire.

[@Damian-cd2tj]

Yet is more that most people think. When you have protesters in US cities chanting “from the river to the sea” you know is gotten too far. A single protester would be one too many, and there are tens of thousands.

[@Jophilli]

This is some next-level mental gymnastics

[@JenM.5387]

That far-right government spent the last two years increasing work visas for Gazans and focusing on economic normalization, assuming Gazans preferred peace and prosperity to war. That was a miscalculation. Unfortunately, Hamas-run Gaza has only been interested in waging war on Israel. Let's not lose sight of the fact that Israel was attacked.

[@Messi10947]

We'll said and completely agree with you

[@paulnejtek6588]

Never disagreed with Harris before. Saying the Israelis care about the innocent is absurd. It was in the days of Ben Gurion and it is today, too.

[@tnghunter]

The absolute glazing he gets for downplaying the horrors and essentially saying 'they deserve it' in a passive voice is saddening.

[@bunnyban5365]

You are one of those ‘brainwashed’ by jihad that sam harris is talking about 😂

[@paulnejtek6588]

@@bunnyban5365 No shit. But since he's so confused (as he demonstrated way back when with "the moral landscape") that puts me on the right side of history. Love to see you try and prove me wrong.

[@yonatancohenhope]

you are so easy to manipulate its sad.

[@collinsejaife1956]

No one who hates their enemy more than they love their children is fit to be a Father or a Leader.

[@00Julian00]

I would love to hear Norman Finkelstein Respond

[@JenM.5387]

If anyone was still holding on to the notion that Hamas wanted peaceful coexistence and that the charter was bluster, Oct 7 should have laid that hope to rest. There's no doubt that Hamas and their supporters want the full extermination of the Jewish people, starting with Israelis. As painful as it is, Israelis have no choice but to defend themselves.

[@shelbzillathrilla]

How can Israelis defend themselves when they are conquering other people?

[@KM-tx7mn]

Wasn't a October 7th a response to Israel stealing Palestinian land.?

[@donbarnard82]

I'd say the extreme factions from both sides want the same thing. The other side gone from the land. The 'full extermination' part assumes they would pursue it regardless, which I doubt is the case. It does seem to be, however, something both sides are willing to carry out to attain their goals. The sad part is how prevalent the 'extreme factions' on both sides are becoming.

[@steverogers5956]

And how did they get that way? Hamas is an effect. It's an ugly effect, but like any effect it has causes.

[@smokenfire]

@@steverogers5956The cause is the nature of Islam.

[@user-uw7yj2vk8e]

Who sides with Hamas?? We side with Palestinian civilians who have been suffering since 1948.

[@joejacomet1630]

"The shame and horror you feel at killing noncombatants" wow. So why doesn't the IDF feel the same "shame and horror"?

[@controllerbrain]

Finally people are noticing the lack of protest against Hamas.

[@rvantong]

What would be the point of protesting Hamas, when everyone already sees them for what they are and condemns their actions? The reason people protest Israel is because they're Hamas on steroids but are treated like the moral agent and a legit democracy, which they are neither

[@KM-tx7mn]

What would protesting against Hamas lead to? My government isn't funding and protecting them at the UN and doesn't have Hamas politicians in the government unlike my government does with Israel

[@controllerbrain]

@@KM-tx7mn Should Hamas be protested or supported? There are no in-between answers.

[@KM-tx7mn]

@controllerbrain as I said protesting them is irrelevant seeing it won't effect them. I'm not sure why you're now adding supporting them seeing nobody is

[@DavidTian]

Why would we protest Hamas when Western powers are NOT continually sending them Billions of dollars in arms and funding (and not to mention they’re getting their ass kicked)?

[@jacobszekely4069]

Thank you Sam for the courage to speak about this. We have become so morally confused in the West, That we refuse to even listen to the words that Hamas has written their charter and whose leadership professes daily. Thanks for telling the truth about jihad ism in a way that other morally sane people in our society are afraid to even mention. Judging by the amount of is the missing antisemites in your comment section, your security concerns must be exquisite. Praying for Hamas to lay down their arms, return the hostages and to stop putting their own people in harms way.

[@Mac-ku3xu]

You are aware that Hamas was created by Israel?

[@andywomack3414]

I refuse to listen to Israeli propaganda after one lie after another from them has been exposed. Israel is seeking a final solution to it's Palestinian problem in their quest for lebensraum.

[@aliknight8419]

In 1948, Ahmed Yassin, who founded Hamas, was uprooted & ethnically cleansed from his home at age 12. Hamas was then founded in 1987 as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation. Funny how Sam Harris is hiding this from his gullible followers.

[@NavAK_86]

Their charter was updated and they got rid of the extermination of Jews bit. Sam is ignorant of this and so are 99% of Israeli genocide sympathizers. Educate yourself or continue to make a fool of yourself.

[@frankfordlakes7519]

Which god do you pray to? So many to choose from.

[@shanesheehy]

I really liked Sam, but he just does not practice what he preaches! This is a massive blind spot for him. It upsets me that he doesn't learn from those he interviews, even those who have direct lived experience and a deep understanding. Obsessed with de selfing in the Waking Up app, Sam seems to intellectualise always. He speaks from this position while admitting that he hasn't kept himself abreast of Netanyahu and how this situation has been arrived at. Frankly, not good enough!

[@Ihatemyusernamemore]

One thing that puzzles me about H is that when it comes to preparations, digging intricate tunnels and making hidden factories and getting funds, they're super meticulous, but when they actually fight they just run out into the open, like they don't fight like proper soldiers. Compare the combat footage from Ukraine to the hilarious footage of H ghouls getting cooked, you'll see the difference. It's a contradiction. The most meticulous preparation coupled with the most sloppy reckless combat tactics.

[@levantinian]

Your comparison is absurd. Ukraine is an advanced, Western-backed, massive modern professional military. Hamas is a small guerrilla group living under Israeli siege and surveillance, dependent on tunnels to smuggle resources into Gaza.

[@JenM.5387]

Oct 7 was meticulously planned.

[@JenM.5387]

@@levantinian it's an interesting "siege" when you share a border with two countries. Is Gaza also under Egyptian siege?

[@levantinian]

@@JenM.5387 yes, obviously. Egypt is Israel’s junior partner in the siege of Gaza. What’s your point?

[@user-lt2tu9wr7y]

Probable because the préparation was done by Iran?

[@Jophilli]

What about the Christians in Palestine. Surely no casualties there? Or the Christian churches that have been there longer than the state of Israel? I suppose that's just an unfortunate, accidental effect of collateral damage.

[@JenM.5387]

The Christian population of Gaza has been in steady decline under Hamas. There are now only about 800 Christians in Gaza. That's because of the brutal, repressive Islamic autocracy, not because of Israel. You should be very concerned about the decline of Christians across the Islamic world. It's an example of true ethnic cleansing, and it's not even remotely Israel's fault. Other ethno-religious minorities -- Druze, Bahai, Zoroastrians, Kurds, etc. and of course Jews -- are also persecuted in the Islamic world.

[@idomaniacs]

Hamas used them as amunition depots, which is a war crime.

[@yee2631]

@@JenM.5387 Nothing to do with those churches getting bombed, I'm sure.

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@idomaniacsAccording to? Oh right Kosher lips better known as made up lies Where are the 40 beheaded babies btw?

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@JenM.5387HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[@HecticGlenn]

Sanity, in the maddest of worlds I can remember. Judging by other comments here, the very point Sam makes about the intolerance of seeing children dying continues to hijack the mind, while a terrorist organisation continues to manufacture that very situation and steer wrongdoing away from them.

[@misters1r900]

Supporting the Palestinian victims isn’t the same as supporting Hamas

[@Dave-cf4vd]

I really struggle to find a distinction when the general public supports them so strongly.

[@minkleymcmoo5248]

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." Too late.

[@mbroitt]

Worry about your own society

[@minkleymcmoo5248]

@@mbroitt i can multi-task lol

[@gmarounf7472]

Completely loaded title, he knows what he's doing...

[@billpetersen298]

Thank you Sam, for saying what isn’t said. We are being played.

[@deeznutz8320]

By his people Lol

[@DarrenK-iv4ts]

I remember when israel withdrew all the settlers from Gaza. It was a painful and difficult time for Israelis. It was a bold step and I was hoping it might be a catalyst for movement towards peace. Nope. The haters of Israel remained steadfast in their hatred and Twitter was full of nothing but criticism and israel hate. Hamas was voted in soon after and they saw they saw the withdraw as a sign of weakness as weakness and started their rocket attacks on Israel that haven't stopped until today. When hamas attacked Israelis in October, the haters also went out in full force to hate on Israel. The reality is there is nothing Israel will ever be able to do other than not exist to get any reaction other than hatred from the haters who have already made up their minds.

[@aliknight8419]

Israel never withdrew from gaza. They were still occupying the west bank. Never forget the dier yassir massacre

[@ParaquatSC]

@@aliknight8419 what are you talking about: By 22 September 2005, Israel's withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip to the 1967 Green Line, and the eviction of the four settlements in Samaria, was completed. In June 2007 Hamas took over the Gaza Strip from the Palestinian Authority.

[@aliknight8419]

@@ParaquatSC stop lying. Israel put a blockade, controls the water, electricity, airspace, border. That's still occupation. Plus Israel is still occupying Syrian golan height and Lebanese shebaa farm.

[@aliknight8419]

@@ParaquatSC Israel still controls the border, water, electricity and air space. That's not freedom plus What about the blockade?

[@Dave-cf4vd]

People don't seem to understand the radically different cultural aspects of this conflict. Some cultures do not respond to kindness, they see it as weakness; it is a trigger to strike. Some cultures only respond to overwhelming strength.

[@billpetersen298]

Don’t forget, China is doing it at scale. We just don’t see it.

[@Strange9952]

YES, 100% people really need to understand that speaking against totalitarian governments isn't allowed, so you're not going to get free range coverage from within those countries, EVEN on social media, their governments could have them jailed, tortured or killed people don't understand this and they lap up all the absolute vile garbage from within the democracies which are afraid of criticizing the totalitarian groups as well (they've been killed even in democratic countries) this is such a big mess and people only see the surface of it look how much pain those totalitarian governments inflict on other countries, but you don't hear about it because it simply can't happen this is why I've come to despise most journalists, I see them like vultures or rats, or worse

[@matthewao]

😂😂😂

[@fredrik3685]

Nobody sees it but you know it?

[@billpetersen298]

@@fredrik3685 Yes, the information does get out. Despite their firewall, and propaganda machine. But for some strange reason, we mostly ignore it.

[@caropeter7077]

Most media mostly left leaning are runing propaganda, they are as BS and dangerous as armies@@billpetersen298

[@somersetdc]

Golda Meir said something to the effect of: "We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children, but can we ever forgive them for making us kill their children?" Not much has changed in 50-60 years. Sam Harris has described this with complete brilliance.

[@deeznutz8320]

Damn colonizing an area you dont belong and kicking out the natives sure has its problems huh?

[@almondlorden]

Sam Harris have yet to debate a Muslim

[@JenM.5387]

What an absurd claim.

[@almondlorden]

@@JenM.5387 He always criticizes Islam and Muslims but never actualldy debates Muslims on his claims. Ge on debates other none Muslims about Islam

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@almondlordenMaybe look back a few years where he debated one and it was one of the most annoying convo's ever dude was acting like a todler

[@almondlorden]

@@deeznutz8320 Which one?

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@almondlordenCant remember the name sorry but he did debate one, waste of time btw the other guy seemed like a larper more than a Muslim

[@BiffTannenBTTF]

Imagine if Hamas was white….just imagine how these far left people would think about them. Just imagine.

[@bit7389]

I don't think it would make any difference. Sudanese are black and they don't care about that conflict. Ukrainians and Russians are white. They don't care about that conflict either. Everyone just seem to have hopelessly underestimated anti-Semitism on the left. I certainly did.

[@GaaikeEuwema]

It's not just that. After the terror attacks in paris, we saw many people saying: we shouldn't provoke the Muslims with drawings... Blaming the victim of the horrible acts committed against him, this thought fallacy is a big part of the reason people start siding with terrorists.. Israel in the mind of these people is guilty because it provoked barbaric acts.. something like that..

[@deborahfreedman333]

But, they are every bit as white, as the people they are murdering. Jews and Arabs are both predominately Caucasian, and are very closely related. The problem is the lie, that Jews come from Europe. All Jews originated in Israel, Arabs originated in the Arabian peninsula. Most Israeli Jews returned home from other parts of Asia and Africa. And even so-called European Jews, originated in Israel, as they are the descendants of slaves transported to Europe, by the Romans.

[@BiffTannenBTTF]

@@bit7389 What im saying is that the races of both fighting parties matter. The fact that the Israelis are essentially “white” and they’re fighting a brown race is a major factor. The hard left will always side with the “minority” race no matter how twisted that groups views are (ie hamas). Those radical leftists see only race in these kinds of conflicts.

[@schr4nz]

​@@BiffTannenBTTFyou're the one seeing it in terms of race, dummy... I am further left than you, but it's not about skin colour, if you know anything about Palestinian life in the region you'd understand that they have been oppressed for decades and shoved out of their homeland by white colonizers, this is openly stated by the early Zionists from the late 1800s and early 1900s, so it's not a race thing, it's oppressor vs oppressed

[@danburlaqu9056]

I won't be surprised if the UN will give them a non permanent seat at the security council , like Iran leads the human rights agency. Guantanamo still open?

[@mountainair]

Valid points. I'm concerned with the bad incentives in journalism, legacy and social media, anti-Israel bias in the UN, a young generation where 1 in 5 believe the Holocaust was a hoax - there's no ground on which the truth about any of this can stand. And the extremists on the Israeli side (settlers etc) are adding insult to injury on the PR front.

[@deborahfreedman333]

The whole story about "settler violence" is just another blood libel, a vile and racist lie. Do you know what the UN considers Jewish violence? Just visiting Har Habayit (Temple Mount) within the hours Jordan allows. Defending yourself from murderous attack is also considered "settler violence". Stop two siding a one sided problem. All the violence comes from the Arab occupiers.

[@ef2718]

WTF are Jews living in Jewdea...

[@GulfbeachMateo]

Sam Harris has become an absolute EMBARRASSMENT. "All this horror has been engineered by Hamas" ...WHAT?! So when Netanyahu's defense minister said he wanted to implement "collective punishment for ALL Palestinians", what do you call that?? When his finance minister, a ghoul amongst right-wing religious ZEALOT ghouls, says they should "nuke" or "wipe out all of Palestine" to make way for Israeli settlers, what do you calm that?? When Netanyahu who, according to The Jerusalem Post AND Hareetz, helped FINANCE Hamas, then spoke of implementing a "new Nakba" to terrorize Palestinians out of Gaza, what do you call that. Of ALL people who should be recognizing the right-wing religious NUTS in Netanyahu's government that are responsible for the mass killing in Gaza, it should be you. But your brain stops working when it comes to Israel. You want better PR Don't root for monsters on ANY side.

[@michaelcoletti6217]

one of the few that get its right.

[@NavAK_86]

Nah, he's completely blinded by his bias. Hence why he won't debate a pro-Palestinian scholar.

[@RedLeb54]

Thank you sir, amazing analysis.

[@spacevspitch4028]

So when a suspect takes a hostage (a "human shield") the thing to do is kill the human shield to get to the suspect? Got it. So in all those movies where there's some guy with a gun that takes a hostage and there's a showdown where the good guy is trying to figure out how to get to the bad guy without shooting the hostage...is to shoot the hostage and throw up your arms and say, "Eh, he was using the innocent guy as a human shield, what was I supposed to do?" Makes sense.

[@JenM.5387]

Tell me you don't know anything about warfare without telling me you don't know anything about warfare.

[@spacevspitch4028]

@@JenM.5387 In my entire life, in every history lesson, every historical movie or documentary, I've never heard a single country whine about "Human shields" and do it in such a way as if they're trying to get people to feel sorry for _them_ . Poor Israel had to murder thousands of innocent civilians because MEAN Hamas _made them_ ! Awww, poor Israel 😢

[@yee2631]

@@JenM.5387 I'm sure you know more about war crimes than you know about warfare, but there are rules of war in international law that you have to follow if you don't want to be accused of commiting a genocide. Israel does not seem too concerned about that, unfortunately.

[@dyhppyx]

It's so painful to accept but Sam is not wrong. If anyone can prove otherwise please do so.

[@NavAK_86]

He is totally wrong. Go read on Jewish scholars who side with Palestine. They study this conflict and have so their entire lives. Sam wasn't even aware of who Netanyahu even really was until Yuval Noah Harari had to educate him on the matter. That's alarming.

[@dyhppyx]

@@NavAK_86 with respect. I disagree. Can you point out something specific that Sam is wrong about?

[@wicksavage3459]

Sam is completely wrong. The way he frames it is completely unhistorical. Israel does not HAVE to starve out the population. It doesn't HAVE to bulldoze farmland or blow up bakeries. To use Hunger as a weapon is morally reprehensible. But Sam frames everything in a way that makes it seem like the IDF wants to minimize casualties. "Muslims are evil to the core because they believe in god and evil things." is pretty much his mindset, but when Jews believe that god promised them a patch of dirt, and they are dispossessing and ethnically cleansing people, you should ignore it. Nothing to see here. This is absolutely comical and hypocritical.

[@JenM.5387]

@@NavAK_86 there's always a tiny minority of people in any group who over-identify with the enemy and sell out their own people. It's an interesting psychological phenomenon, but it doesn't really mean anything. The vast majority of Jewish people around the world side with their brethren in Israel, which is where half of the world's Jews live. This is the moral position.

[@dyhppyx]

@@fsp-this doesn't answer the question. I've asked 3 times now for any specific arguments that prove Sam wrong and gotten only misdirection. I have been listening to both sides advocate their cases and this is usually what I find. So as painful as the solution appears to be it also seems the only logical route.

[@pancaked7777777]

People are avoiding the tough conversation that the Palestinian people need to take responsibility in shaping their own destiny. People make a similar arguement when they blame the patriarchy, systemic rascism, capitalism, globalism, colonialism, etc while avoiding their own responsibility and agency for their own lives... Its easy to file complaints to the complaint department and piss and moan online and prostest. More difficult to do the heavy lifting and do what needs to be done...

[@Fomites]

Well said.

[@zardi9083]

International law demands that an occupying force is responsible for the welfare of the occupied. Personal responsibility when Israel is controlling food, water and electricity? What a joke

[@dominiquejones6758]

Exactly and add feminism and immigration to that list as well. Feminism isn’t the reason why some have to work or why some men can’t find or keep a wife. And immigration isn’t the reason why some can’t find or keep a job!! It’s their own fault. Take responsibility! Work harder and be better!

[@NavAK_86]

''People are avoiding the tough conversation that the American people need to take responsibility in shaping their own destiny'' - Bin Laden. This is literally what he said in his letter to America. You voted in the Bush party that fkd the middle east, it's your fault, all of you. Interesting to note you side with the terroristic logic.

[@pancaked7777777]

Ya I mean I understand there is good intentions under a lot of it, and there is a time and place for discussing what part does Isreal (or rascism/ globalism etc) have in contributing to the issue, but let's be honest about where the majority of the responsibility lies and honest about the causality here. Bottom line: if Palestinians would chill and not fire rockets into Isreal/ do terrorist shit, use humanitarian aid to invest in infrastructure, schools, and a civilization, then things would be peaceful. If Isreal stopped defending itself it would not be chill

[@John-jd8vx]

Destroy Hamas? Seriously?

[@JenM.5387]

Absolutely.

[@yee2631]

@@JenM.5387 And what would it take in your view for that mission to be accomplished?

[@TomRivieremusic]

War is a Racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, and surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.S.Butler Maj, Gen.USMC

[@deeznutz8320]

Oh great the 'everything happens because of millitary industrial complex' people have arrived

[@samym1694]

Hamas don't get the same level of Condemnation as Al-Qaeda & ISIS. If they support Hamas then why didn't they support ISIS?

[@NikZechel]

We Westerners do not support Hamas, we support Palestine’s right to freedom.

[@KM-tx7mn]

You do know most people on Gaza are from or descendent from israel right? They are literally fighting for their land that was stolen. If a country started stealing your land I'm sure your government would nuke all their citizens tomorrow

[@jessejordache1869]

Because, as Netanyahu articulated it, supporting Hamas would have the benefit of making a Palestinian State impossible by driving a wedge between Gaza and the West Bank. Why would they support al-Qaeda and ISIS? All three share Iran as a primary enemy, but that's a reason to not actively oppose the other two groups. Not to support them. I don't mean to be rude but this seems kind of... obvious? Even if you can't figure it out you literally have multiple people in current and former Israeli governments going all the way back to the 80s explaining why they were supporting Hamas, and while that rationale could be used to support lots of Islamist groups inside of Israel, ISIS and al-Qaeda don't qualify.

[@EddieBuck327]

Sam is unable to see issue from the other side. Keeping a people under your thumb for generations could cause those people to act - live free or die

[@pipgalea1376]

Look at all the other countries around Israel, the only democracy in the middle east .. Are they doing any better in terms of human rights than the Palestinians ? What people seem to forget is that the majority of arabs living in Israel 2 million of them do not want to live under Palestinian rule and in fact when some of those same Arab villages were on the cards to fall under Palestinian rule during one of the peace treaties ( Yasar Arafat wanted those villages to be transferred over to the Palestinian state) those arabs who lived there went absolutely bananas at the idea of living under Palestinian Rule and made Israel very aware of the fact they wanted to remain part of the Israeli state.. The problem is that when Muslims kill each other there are no ongoing headlines in the news as there is with Israel. 1/2 a million muslims were killed in Syria by other muslims during the civil war but no one took to the streets, hundreds of thousands killed in Yemen over the last 8-9 years between warring muslim groups, The Kurds in Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran have long been discriminated against, have their homelands stolen and been ethnically cleansed but no one says a word. Christians and jews have been ethnically cleansed out of nearly all muslim countries and not even a mention of it in the press. When Jordan took the Palestinians in they tried to assasinate the king and killed his prime minister, when they were kicked out and ended up in Lebanon look what happened there !!! Honestly what is this other side you are speaking of and does abuse give you the right to murder and abuse others ? We don't have that as a mitigating circumstance in our courts of law so why are you making excuses for theirs ?

[@Dave-cf4vd]

You are fighting for people who will throw you off a rooftop. There are 2 billion muslims in a religious war against 15 million Jews. There are literally no Jews, Christians or Yazidis living anywhere in the 50 majority muslim countries anymore... yet you want the very last tiny piece of land not controlled by Islam to go away. Have you thought this thru?

[@ThaDonJsuan]

Huh? Hamas has ruled over the gazans with an iron thumb but that isnt israels fault. Israel should have never left gaza in 2005. It became a shit show terrorist haven.

[@robertbentley3589]

Look at the thumbs on Hamas. Ffs

[@philippenotfrank8121]

Bull

[@tripe2237]

Haven't listened to this video. I'm just wondering if anyone can tell me if he talks about how Israel loses support from the west?

[@dravenlee4473]

Oppressed vs. oppressor. That's all it comes down to for most people of that mindset.

[@anasmouden5416]

Could we say the same thing about Nazis and Jews?

[@Dave-cf4vd]

What's bonkers is thinking those 15m Jews in a tiny strip on land are Oppressors, but the 2 billion Muslims who live in over 50 muslim countries are somehow oppressed.

[@KM-tx7mn]

I mean in fairness Palestinians are literally oppressed, kicked off their land, not allowed to return. Israel just announced they are stealing more of their land in the West bank

[@jessejordache1869]

Like you, I prefer to sweep away all the messy details and just say "clash of civilizations, US, and THEM." I mean, what else do you need to consider? Go [sports team owned by a billionaire who has no connection to me or my city]!

[@deeznutz8320]

Jews their own Golem turns against them hilarious

[@peterbordenii1080]

RELIGIONS at times bring out the worst in humans.

[@pocarisweet8336]

I'm not religious but I would wouldn't lump them all together. It would be dishonest not to acknowledge that islam is specifically barbaric. Hindus, Christians, jews, atheist and even Buddhist in Myanmar kicked them out.

[@MarkVeltzer]

Religion *is* the worst in humans

[@clarkpalace]

Jewish bs is everywhere in Israel. Its like America. Here in Canada you can get elected without ever talking about your beliefs in magic men. In Israel religion is everywhere, thats trouble as far as i can see. If you are American you probably think thats just business as usual. At least same isnt religious

[@Boostwerks]

It certainly does. Sam never mentions occupation, settlements, the literal stealing of Palestinian land and homes... all in the name of Zionism

[@wicksavage3459]

@@pocarisweet8336 Very ironic considering that Jews are committing the slaughter right now

[@smartugs1]

This brings more clarity to the Gaza / Israel conflict than anything else I have heard said by anyone on the matter.

[@ruimtekadet]

I feel like I’m holding on to reality by a thread that is the wisdom of Sam Harris

[@wicksavage3459]

Sam Harris has less than Wikipedia level knowledge about the situation. So that is just sad.

[@5piles]

harris has become completely psychotic and detached from reality.

[@tartantulakid666]

​@@5pilesever since Trump won, Sam has lost the plot. His true allegiance to his people's cause shows more and more every day. His objectivity is a trojan horse that pushes his people's progaganda. Just remember to look up the early life of every anti religious public intellect and they always come from the same group of people.

[@steverogers5956]

Hamas is the creation of over a century of short-sighted and destructive policy. It's completely fair and accurate to point out that Hamas is a monster, but don't forget where that monster came from.

[@aroemaliuged4776]

Hatred manifests when economic conditions are not favorable

[@shaneellis4720]

Why are Hamas fighting? 🤔

[@shlomobachar4123]

That’s written in their religion. It’s written in their institution.

[@hansfrankfurter2903]

@@shlomobachar4123 Keep whining about Islam loser, its growing and expanding as we speak!

[@reservetruls]

When you ask the wrong question, you get the wrong answer.

[@never2yield20]

I doubt either side really cares who is labeled a monster. In fact those promoting the violence are very clear that, yes they will be monsters. So monsters rule.

[@aialchemist-jl7vr]

Since 7 october this is like the 8th video about hamas, danger of islam, Islam in the west, and that's fine but yet you didn't made one video talking about zionism. Extremism can have different forms it's not just islam. "He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster" Nietzsche

[@hansfrankfurter2903]

He's got his biases for sure.

[@ulala9729]

because islam is powerful religion threat for non muslim's

[@zakiruz]

Sam just sounds like every other IOF apologist. Tells you about his intentions last 20 years.

[@ajuiceboxxx]

you sound like a Jihadi apologist, see how that works?

[@kittenclawsguitarvideos6147]

Thanks for this.

[@StarrDust0]

So glad you're on the Left Sam... we have few strong voices on our side to tell people that evil must be fought and defeated. Also I appreciate your calmness, this topic gets me fired up and it's hard to sound reasonable when one is angry.

[@deeznutz8320]

Lmao your own indoctrinated side sticks up for radicals that kill gays its hilarious So glad im on the far right

[@Brian-os9qj]

What he is saying needs to be heard and understood, by everyone. Then it has a chance to not happen again in the Muslim world

[@aliknight8419]

In 1948, Ahmed Yassin, who founded Hamas, was uprooted & ethnically cleansed from his home at age 12. Hamas was then founded in 1987 as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation. Funny how Sam Harris is hiding this from his gullible followers.

[@ferriveiro3101]

The situation in Gaza, the suffering of Palestinians, the impossible dilemma of the Israelis, have all been articulated so well here by Sam. The truth is that the Palestinians will continue to suffer while the poison of Jihadism remains within their society, and the Israelis are in an impossible situation because there is no good way to fight Jihadists when they hide their headquarters under hospitals and use children as human shields. Those who call for ceasefire, while well intentioned, have no idea that they are inadvertently prolonging the misery of the Palestinians. Could good and decent German people have fought off the Nazis by themselves? No. It took the combined effort of all of Europe and America to do away with the Nazis and free Germany. Can Iranians fight off the Islamic Republic to free themselves? They're trying hard by they haven't had much success. Can unarmed Palestinian civilians fight off Hamas by themselves? No, they probably can't, not now that Hamas is so powerful. Israel destroying Hamas is probably the Palestinians best chance of reclaiming their destiny from Jihadists. It's important for that society to increase education levels as soon as possible to prevent another far-right fascist theocracy coming into power in Palestine.

[@levantinian]

Israelis are not in an “impossible situation” or “dilemma”. Everyone on earth knows the solution to this conflict. Only Israel and the US stand in the way. End the occupation, allow a free Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, free the prisoners, and achieve justice for the refugees. There is nothing “impossible” about it.

[@xfom4008]

​@@levantinian Israel can go ahead and improve its policy on the west bank and stop doing settlements and elect a better government than Netanyahus, but HAMAS will remain and Gaza will remain hostile and continue the attacks.

[@levantinian]

@@xfom4008 how do you know? Was that ever tried? Are you aware of Hamas’s repeated offers of a truce over the decades, and Israel’s response to the offers?

[@xfom4008]

@@levantinian HAMAS is a fucking jihadist organization that openly states that it's cause is the destruction of the state of israel. I am not saying the Israeli government has done good on the issue - it hasn't, but if it did, it wouldn't solve the issue.

[@buttermuffin3752]

​@@levantinianexactly this was tried in 2005 though, hasn't it? Complete and utter disengagement from Gaza, not a single jew, soldier, or civilian left there. No border, no nothing - completely free Palestine in Gaza, given for free, as well. Hamas was voted in a year later. Is it different now? Last I checked there was such a ridiculous level of approval in Gaza regarding the Oct 7 massacre, perhaps, this is truly what they want? So far, whenever they're asked, whether it be civilians, or Hamas officials - their stance is that jihad is good. Maybe, just maybe, the situation is more complicated in reality than in your head.

[@martinbennett2228]

It is possible to succumb to conspiracy theories from either side.

[@yonatancohenhope]

conspiracy?

[@ronnybe7994]

🎯

[@ericksenior910]

Sam the issue is not how Hamas wins support from the West but rather that many in the West are fortunately appalled by the brutal and inhumane use of force against Palestinians. If the 30,000 dead where to be Hamas militants and not civilians many of what is happening may be justified, but that is not the case as we clearly know

[@juvenalsdad4175]

I don't think we clearly know anything about the accuracy of the overall number, and even less about how it is proportioned between Hamas militants, other militants, civilians joining in combat, civilian non-combatants, children, combatants under eighteen who are still technically children, any of the above killed by stray Hamas/IJ rockets, shot by Hamas/IJ either deliberately or by accident, or died from heart attacks, domestic accidents, vehicular accidents or old age.

[@levantinian]

@@juvenalsdad4175we know pretty well. You are just blowing smoke.

[@AislingDonohoe]

YES.

[@JenM.5387]

If you cite Hamas statistics as fact, your position is already suspect.

[@idomaniacs]

@@levantinian so you are saying that Israel killed 30,000 civillians and not a single terrorist? Oh boy.

[@Arouete]

Distinctions with a different matter.

[@edg7636]

Debate Finkelstein if you dare

[@GulfbeachMateo]

He wont. Harris is a narcissistic coward.

[@Silks-]

'When you are fighting Jihadists, you have to literally destroy their whole country.' Wat?

[@TehNetherlands]

That's what it comes down to. You cannot reason with delusional religious freaks, so no options remain. Why are you surprised?

[@PhenomenalWorld]

Is that a direct quote? If so, please provide time clock.

[@Silks-]

Sorry I should've made it clear; it's a made up quote that summarises Sam's message. I regret not using a more accurate word than destroy on reflection. Destroy has connotations of it being a quick end, there's far more prolonged suffering occurring which 'destroy' doesn't do justice to.

[@PhenomenalWorld]

Ok, but, just so we're clear, "you have to literally destroy their whole country" is simply not anything Sam said in this clip. Like you said, it's a "made up quote". I understand you were trying to make a point. But, still, Sam did not say this, nor is there anything I've heard him say here that actually suggests the kind of attitude your made up quote implies. You simplified what he said to the point of losing the actual meaning, nuance, and complexity of this podcast clip.@@Silks-

[@Silks-]

"...we can't lose sight of the fact that all this tragedy and horror [genocide of an entire nation, cutting off all aid, huge proportion of those being children] has been consciously engineered by Hamas'". -Sam Harris. It's complete insanity. this is coming from someone that agrees with pretty much every opinion Sam has ever had. I listen to all his stuff and agree with everything bar this. Palest1ne is a countrywide prison. 1srael see them as animals. For the sake of a few freedom fighters, a whole country is being torturously eradicated. How anyone is still on the side of 1srael is beyond me. I'm still shocked by Sam's take on this. @@PhenomenalWorld

[@mbuffym]

ESPAÑOL/SPANISH: «Por supuesto, la pérdidas de vidas civiles en Gaza es absolutamente trágica y nada de lo que digo aquí pretende minimizar el horror. Me repito en este punto por una razón, porque es muy difícil mantener la claridad moral en presencia de niños muertos y heridos. Nuestros corazones nos dicen que rescatemos a los niños por cualquier medio necesario. Y ES BUENO que tengamos esa respuesta, pero no podemos perder de vista EL HECHO de que toda esta tragedia y horror ha sido diseñada conscientemente por HAMAS por razones que tiene perfecto sentido para los yihadistas, pero que ningún ejército normal ha contemplado o contemplaría jamás. Sí, este conflicto tiene muchas de las características de la ordinaria guerra de guerrillas, pero la guerra de guerrillas más la certeza del paraíso es mucho peor. Simplemente no hay una buena manera de luchar contra un enemigo de este tipo. Cuando luchas contra yihadistas, tus propios escrúpulos, la vergüenza y el horror que sientes al matar a no combatientes se convierten en otra arma en sus manos. Los yihadistas son muy inteligentes; saben que según nuestro propio código moral, las imágenes de civiles inocentes muertos en Gaza son totalmente inaceptables. Saben que podemos tolerar una parte de eso para no volvernos irreconocibles para nosotros mismos, como convertirnos en monstruos. Pero estas personas YA SON MONSTRUOS. A Hamas simplemente no le importan los niños palestinos, y está comprometido a asesinar a niños israelíes siempre que puedan. ES POR ESO QUE TIENEN QUE SER DESTRUIDOS. Sólo hay opciones terribles y más terribles aquí, y nuevamente, el problema es más profundo que Israel y los palestinos. Eventualmente las sociedades musulmanas deberán entender que sus creencias religiosas, específicamente las doctrinas sobre la Jihad y el martirio, hacen de cualquier conflicto de este tipo mucho más inútilmente horrible de lo necesario. ES SU CULPA y seguirá siendo culpa suya sin importar cuántos niños mueran en Gaza. Las sociedades modernas, democráticas y en gran parte seculares deben despertar a la realidad de la situación. Tenemos a una organización terrorista sádicamente demente violando, torturando y asesinando a no combatientes, tomando rehenes (niños incluidos) y luego, usando a sus propios hijos como escudos humanos para que no puedan ser combatidos efectivamente por personas civilizadas. ELLOS SABEN que eventualmente las personas civilizadas se vuelven un poco menos civilizadas en situaciones como estas, y que las personas civilizadas de todo el mundo se volverán histéricas y presionarán a Israel para que deje de luchar, tal y como lo demandaron incluso antes de que Israel respondiera al 7O. La diferencia crucial que casi nadie tiene presente es que hay dos clases de personas en este mundo: aquellos que intencionalmente torturan y matan niños (y otros no combatientes) para maximizar el horror, y aquellos que buscan evitar hacerlo (aunque sea de manera imperfecta), mientras se defienden de la primera clase de personas. EL ABISMO entre estos dos grupos no puede ser más amplio, y todo lo que nos importa, literalmente todo, existe en uno de esos lados.» _Sam Harris

[@Garorso]

Your reasoning does not justify a genocide. Killing innocents is wrong no matter what. A more targeted special operations approach should have been taken. This genocide is creating more hamas members, not lessening them.

[@duncanpurves7955]

And yet the deaths of countless children in many other conflicts go completely unnoticed.

[@OrangeNash]

Yes, there is awful terrorism in several African states, committed by those with much the same ideology as Hamas. Nigeria, for example. This tends to get ignored as "Israeli oppression" can't be rolled out as a ready made apology for fanatical Islamist violence.

[@IvanTokmenin]

Sam, people are against current Israel’s actions because of the horrifying numbers of killed civilians in Gaza. Israel much stronger and powerful country with incomparable bigger military and intelligence resources. After the 7 October attack Israel could plan and execute much more careful operation to eliminate hamas, yes preparation and execution would take time, but current situation isn’t right the number of people killed in Gaza is shocking and it only getting worse. It’s simply wrong!! People in the West are against the killing of civilians. I don’t understand how on Earth you can’t see the difference between supporting hamas and being against the killings of civilians. hamas attacked Israel and committed unthinkable atrocities. Israel have all the rights to respond and go after hamas and everyone responsible for the attack. But THE WAY it’s being done now isn’t right. I don’t remember you criticising Netanyahu, is everything okay with the way he manages the situation? on this topic you are biased as hell my friend. I have so much respect and gratitude for your work, but on this topic you sound like a broken record.

[@wicksavage3459]

Very ironic that he claims "Moral clarity" on this one. History will be harsh on him looking back.

[@deeznutz8320]

​@@wicksavage3459He is Jewish himself they are extremely tribal people Look how many leftists that scream diversity is our strength yet want their group to have a ethnostate

[@deeznutz8320]

Not really these are his people his kin ​@@wicksavage3459

[@Surstromming22]

Started following Sam more than 10 years ago. My views have changed and diverted from Sam's quite a bit since. Why hasn't his? I'm glad Sam has lost most of his relevance today compared to during his peak. I remember getting so mad at Ben Affleck that one time. Now I just wish Sam would disappear.

[@deeznutz8320]

Swedish name your Swedish?

[@psychinsights]

ahhhh fresh air. Good to hear the common sense truth.

[@UpursLoser]

Hamas is to blame for the deaths of those incent people. Free the hostages or no cease fire plain and simple.

[@wicksavage3459]

The same way that you are not responsible for an act of your government regarding foreign policy, the people of Gaza are not responsible either.

[@mljh11]

​@@wicksavage3459You must have missed the interviews given by some of the freed hostages. They were held in Gazan family homes.

[@ef2718]

@@wicksavage3459 Oct 7 gets 75% support.

[@mustafabarzanji9280]

They've offered to release them and netanyahu keeps rejecting.

[@Fomites]

​@@wicksavage3459They mostly support Hamas. How else can Hamas terrorists ("fighters") hide and move about easily in Gaza? And one hears many times from ordinary Gazans when someone dies being referred to as "martyrs".

[@Toomanydays]

Don’t pretend one side is blameless just because the other side is ugly.

[@polybian_bicycle]

Probably because Israel is a settler colonial nation exacting Apartheid upon the Palestinians?

[@OrangeNash]

Living in the land where your people can be traced back over 2000 is NOT colonisation. It's like saying the Sioux are colonising the USA.

[@polybian_bicycle]

@@OrangeNash Driving off the inhabitants of said land and bringing people from the outside to live in that land is literally colonization.

[@mbuffym]

Thank you, Sam!

[@originss4717]

Can Sam Harris criticize the atrocities of Israel in a honest holistic manner? are the tactics employed by Israel any different from that of Hamas?

[@SasuPT]

A claim that those who target civilians during war are victims of another type of war will not stand. Those who target civilians will repeatedly escape the blame in wars they win, but they also cause another generation of war. Comprehension could end a war, but if we partake one, our language excludes comprehension.

[@idomaniacs]

Only Hamas is targeting civillians, from both sides. If Israel targeted Civillians, there would have been at least 200,000 dead people by now.

[@JenM.5387]

Israel was attacked. Period. Your victim blaming will not stand.

[@idomaniacs]

If Israel really targeted civillians, there would have been at least 200,000 people dead by now, but why the hell would the only democracy in the middle east target only children and not a single combatant, when it's entire economy is based on the trade with America and Europe, knowing how they sanctioned Russia and other countries that massacre civilians. Those claims have no logic whatsoever. It's pure propoganda to justify the destruction of Israel and elimination of 7.3 million Jews that antisemites are so much longing for.

[@kropotkinbeard1]

Hmm.... I'm curious what Sam would say about the "terrorist" activities carried out by the ANC in South Africa who the U.S. government considered "one of the more notorious terrorist organizations." My hunch is that the ANC would never have existed were it not for the white Nazi-types having stolen their land in the first place. Well, were the ANC, not simply appearing from nowhere, with no reason or rhyme behind their tactics, terrorists? Were the U.S. slaves terrorists when they killed civilians during some of their revolts? These are VERY basic and simple questions which I rarely hear addressed during debates. Anyone care to help me understand?

[@JenM.5387]

He's talked about this elsewhere. It's not the "gotcha" you think it is. To start with, Jews are indigenous to Judea (Israel). It's literally where the word Jew comes from.

[@JenM.5387]

To compare the Oct 7 massacres of infants, rapes of women, etc. to slave revolts shows how morally bereft the far left has become. It also conveniently ignores the fact that the goal of Hamas is the extermination of the Jewish people, starting with Israelis.

[@kropotkinbeard1]

@@JenM.5387 That argument falls through with very little research.

[@michaelhermiston]

it seems to me that Israel should muster their military resources in a purely defensive manner..walls, fences, iron dome etc...do their best to prevent weapon-izable resources from entering Gaza.....completely allow food and medical supplies to be brought into Gaza

[@buttermuffin3752]

That was the situation up to Oct 6th though, wasn't it? Not a single jew, soldier or civilian in Gaza. What happens when to "prevent weapon-izable resources from entering Gaza" requires you to take over the philadelphy corridor? Is Israel then justified in entering Gaza?

[@5piles]

@@buttermuffin3752 no, slow kid, gaza was calorie restricted etcetc by naval blockade, and then permitted to gain access to objects barely able to be named machinery, in order to go over a fence en masse. the way to resolve this extremely brief event is not what has been done. all this smoke by harris about jihadists etc is typical pathology found in his kind.

[@Dave-cf4vd]

What do you think they've been doing? Problem is there are over 1m Palestinians living in Israel, some who work with Hamas to destroy it. They have literally had to import farmers and workers from other countries because there were too many incidents. I agree they should wall themselves off - and they have tried but the other side wants them dead and gone, end of story.

[@user-lt2tu9wr7y]

And thence Israel will be criticized for closing Gaza into an open air prison. If the stone falls into a jar: poor jar, if the jar falls into a stone, poor jar.

[@5piles]

@@buttermuffin3752 no, essential resources were never freely allowed to enter into gaza. in fact the israel gov placed the population on a caloric deficit diet with german-like precison.

[@StochasticRandom]

Yes, it is as simple as that.

[@n00dle10]

No one cares what religion, what belief's, what way of life either side belongs to. We don't care. We look at what is happening and want it to stop. Stop. Just stop. There is no justification on either side. The world can be anything, how sad it is that it is this.

[@tekannon7803]

Sam, if it's possible, could you please interview Jerry Kroth and Professor Jim Tour from Rice University? These are two people who have changed how I view the world to such an extent that my mindset has been altered forever. Hamas, is what comes out of a situation where life no longer makes sense. Outside viewers can find Hamas justifiable, and from some angles it looks legitimate. However; what we have to realize is that the Palestinians are in no-man's-land and none of the 26 Arab countries will take a mother and child let alone a million or more people being shoved around like cattle. The problem with blaming the Israelis is that the Israelis have run out of options on how to deal with neighbors who openly swear to eliminate them from the planet. This does not mean Israel has been an angel in disguise, but what all of what I am saying should boil down to is that the Arab Community is large enough and some members are rich enough to allow Palestinians shelter from the storm that Gaza has become. Historians from future times will see where we went wrong and wonder why we didn't do this or that. But the plain simple truth of the matter is that there are war clouds in front of Palestinians and their proxy government, Hamas, and blinders on the Israeli forces struggling to contain a war.

[@japiro14]

Israel supported Hamas because they realized it was an easier enemy than the PLO.

[@ef2718]

The old community of Jews that used to live in Gaza perished in Islamist riots of 1929, concurrent with dozens of other communities, the massacre in Hebron was documented, you can see the photos of that ISIS style massacre in archives of the NYT. Photos like the gut churning photos of the massacre of Oct. 7 only in black and white. *In 1929 the massacres were committed mostly by mobs. 1929 is 19 years before the reinstitution of Israel, 38 years before Israel took Gaza strip from Egypt, 37 years before the process of appropriating the title Palestinians by Arabs has even started.

[@ef2718]

@@japiro14 Israel had supported Hamas when it was made of Islamic charity NGO's (a lesson to be learned).

[@japiro14]

@@ef2718 Yes an NGO formed by a cleric and member of the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood was supported by US to fight against the secular president Nasser. So many coincides, PLO secular leftist organization, Nasser secula leftist that nationalized the Suez Canal and try to unity the arab world. Yassin the creator of the NGO and later Hamas was inprisoned by Israel for weapon smuggling and conflict incitetment. The Israely gov of course couldnt know that a member of a armed religious group that was activily trying to assasinate the president in their country was gonna como to gaza and create an armed religious group to take power.

[@NavAK_86]

False, Israel has continiously supported Hamas, Netanyahu's own words even in 2019 during the Likud meeting. You are highly uneducated it's embarrassing. @@ef2718

[@dave3gan]

Two wrongs don't make a right

[@troybervig5207]

There are not too many people out there as introspective as Mr. Harris.

[@ajudicator]

For the first time he said war crimes And already setup how someone else’s fault is war crimes …

[@deborahfreedman333]

If you can't see all the war crimes are committed by the Arab invaders, you are willfully blind.

[@MarauderinChief]

The problem is that there are many in Israel who thibk like that too. Even some in the top ranks of IDF General Staff too whose hatred for Netanyahu transcends their outrage against the Hamas beasts.

[@ianwarlick1550]

Hamas as an organization has been propped up by Israel, to omit that, is to talk about ISIS without talking about American involvement that created them.

[@user-lt2tu9wr7y]

So nobody is responsible? You create a monster but you wash your hands saying that it is because of your mother, your father or somebody else… in fact, apparently responsibility depends on the context…never on own will and decision.

[@ianwarlick1550]

@@user-lt2tu9wr7y on the contrary, context allows for multiple parties to bear responsibility. If I run to the police that someone punched me it may seem obvious they are responsible for the attack, but once it’s learned that I punched them first then the context shifts some of the responsibility of their punch on to me.

[@deeznutz8320]

Israel created ISIS not America😂

[@RobespierreThePoof]

Oh boy. The conspiracy theorists are here too

[@ianwarlick1550]

@@RobespierreThePoof A simple google search would reveal the validity of my claims. Calling me a conspiracy theorist when are obviously woefully uniformed is ironic to say the least.

[@johna.anderson922]

A more cogent question would be: _”Why a man of compassion calls those who protest against genocide ‘Hamas supporters’?”_ Or: _”Why a man of compassion endorses and gaslights on behalf of a fascist, colonial and criminal ideology?”_

[@johnandersson8258]

Thank you. It's beyond me how uninterested in painting a full picture Sam Harris has become on this issue.

[@ParaquatSC]

"I don't think you get to describe your own view as cogent." Says this handsome youtube commenter.

[@ParaquatSC]

It's because it's not a genocide by any stretch of the word. Israel's existence hasn't genocided the Gazan population. The war since Gazans started it on October 7th hasn't caused a genocide either. Why didn't Hamas surrender when it was clear they would lose? Why did they not simply stand down from government and invite an international authority to take over? Perhaps Egypt again? Why did those cowardly dogs instead flee into civilian populations? Why did Hamas murder their own people for attempting to evacuate? Why do you hold Israeli Jews to a seperate standard to Palestinian arabs? Do you think Palestinian Arabs are incapable and should be infantised?

[@pipgalea1376]

Maybe you should do it for us then John ? Which part did Sam miss out ? The part about how gay men and women in Palestine are murdered by their own families or Hamas police for the crime of being gay ? Or did he miss out about the part where women are treated like dogs and get no say in any matters and are killed if seen to even look at a man in the wrong way ?. How about the fact they use child labour to build their tunnels ? Or maybe it's the fact that they spend millions of $$$ on building tunnels whilst their own people starve? Or possibly that the leaders of Hamas are billionaires who live in the lap of luxury whilst they enforce high taxes on their people ? Or maybe he forgot the part where the uprising we want to live where the young people took to the streets and were then either murdered or imprisoned and tortured happened only a few years ago. Maybe he forgot to mention the whispered in Gaza website Or was it the part about how the highest honour is to die a martyr and that they teach their kids in school that the best thing you can do in your life is to kill a jew ? Or did he forget the part about how the whole middle east is Muslim but this tiny part that contains half of the 12 million jews is a threat to the 1.6 billion muslims around the world ? Or id he skip the part about suicide bombers and how they are recruited from the poorest of the poor? Let me know which part he missed out on because I'm just dying to know over here Thanks in Advance @@johnandersson8258

[@johnandersson8258]

@@pipgalea1376 Which part of the story he left out? The same as you did. First, take a look at your own language: It’s so full of splitting indicators that even the most fierce borderline would be jealous. That shold tell you something. But, to name a few: Look at the changes on the map from the early 1900’s till now. (And, depending on what map you’re looking at, don’t forget that a large part of the “Palestinian” West Bank is inaccessible to the Palestinians because of the Israeli settlements and their apartheid walls and roads, and that the maps never show who is essentially in control of the conditions of living and monopoly of (ultimate) violence in the occupied territories.) Look at what the early Zionists say: They speak openly about both colonization and ethnic cleansing. (And look at what the Jewish opposition, as well as many Jews living in Palestine at the time, said about it too.) Then look at what the Israeli officials of today are saying. They openly use genocidal language. For a brief “best of”, read South Africa’s submission to the International Court of Justice. It’s not exactly like there’s been a lack of contributions since then either. I don’t understand why you think you need to “Hamas smear” me. I vehemently oppose _any_ form of religion in politics (and frankly, just have accepted that I will have to accept it outside it). But if you don’t see the qualitative changes in Israeli politics and how religious fundamentalism to a large extent is responsible on that side _too_ (not to speak of the Zionism of the fundamentalist Christians in the USA and elsewhere) you need to look at other sources for information to get a more rounded understanding of the problem. These little snippets of the whole story, by the way, is information I’ve gathered to an overwhelming extent by reading and listening to _Jewish_ scholars and journalists, who understand that if you oppress a people long enough and take away their every hope of a better future, something’s going to burst, eventually. Enough’s enough. This is an open and shut genocide case by now and you know it too - or you haven’t read up on the UN definition of genocide. Hint: it’s _not_ “killing civilians by bombing, starving, dehydrating, shooting, looting, blockading and depriving them of medicines and destroying their hospitals and infrastructure as self-defense on the territory you occupy, calling yourself ‘the most moral army in the world’ while doing it". Hamas is horrible, but so is Israeli politics.

[@charleshultquist9233]

You don't have to be pro hamas to be anti idf.

[@arikkatzenberg4498]

Nope. U just have to be anti West or really dumb. You’re likely the latter.

[@busTedOaS]

underrated comment

[@matteframe]

not at all the point here

[@pancaked7777777]

A tough line to walk though considering how diametrically opposed they are.... literally 2 warring factions. Also when the ven diagram of people opposing idf and opposing hamas leaves such little daylight as to call Israelis nazis, celebrating the "martyr" us soldier immolating himself, literally tshirts of paragliders, justification of what hamas did as "it can't be helped they are poor and suffering, what else can they do" etc etc its disgusting.

[@darkninja___]

@@pancaked7777777Where are you seeing this ven diagram? Twitter? Why don’t you talk to some real people?

[@andreimustata9829]

However one should point out that the killing that goes on now in Gaza will not improve the situation in any way. As Jon Stewart pointed out you can not bomb an idea. I am waiting for Sam Harris to speak about this, about the fact that the Israel action is just revenge, it doesn't serve any objective purpose anymore. It might also be in part a way for Netanyahu regime to hide its incompetence that allowed this to happen. If not, Sam should try to explain to us how killing of women and children will improve the situation in the long run. One doesn't have to be religious to become a terrorist after this, experiencing the atrocities which happen right now. Also, if the people who declare that they don't want to kill people kill 20 times the number of people that the other side kills, what is the value of this declaration?

[@luna64419]

💯💯💯

[@pipgalea1376]

This was a snippet of a longer talk, maybe he addressed that there. I on't think anyone thinks this will resolve anything other than the problem of Hamas which will likely regrow with tentacles after this war is over. I just don't think the arab world is ready for peace or democracy as can be seen in places like Iraq, Afganistan and Libya which when the dictators were disposed the people didn't then celebrate and want to move into a different era but rather installed governments based on the same narrative as before. You can drag a people living with idea of 500 years ago into the present. But it's also very hard to live next to them when they hate your guts

[@andreimustata9829]

@@pipgalea1376 I listen to sam many times on this theme and I never heard him addressing this. I think many more people would be willing to listen to him if he would address this. This being said I think that there is a big mistake to look at the conflicts in Middle East just through a religious lens, not that this lens would not be important. Also Hamas is not ISIS . There is not so much of religious aspect to it as much older human traits -- the ancient habit of honor killing never needed religion to inscribe itself in the human values (especially in pastoral communities ). Religion is just one layer of encoding old habits. People who speak against religion seem to miss this fact often. There is also the complicated politics of the region where everybody is trying to use the Palestinian cause for their interest but nobody really wants to find a solution.

[@pipgalea1376]

I don't know what the solution could be. I think it's a hard call when people are brainwashed to believe that being a martyr is the highest honour. How do you work with people like that who have been taught to hate jews from a young age ? I feel for the Palestinian people because they have been used as pawns in everyone else's get rich or political agenda and no one is truly interested in their wellbeing. The Whispered in Gaza series highlights how unhappy people are under Hamas's regime and whilst they aren't ISIS they do still kill or imprison/ torture people who step out of line. @@andreimustata9829

[@wombatcitystudios]

I’d love to see you interviewed on Democracy Now I think there’s some things that could be learned.

[@JenM.5387]

Democracy Now is a Marxist propaganda outfit, uninterested in the truth, and a waste of time.

[@robertbentley3589]

Nothing democratic about it. Ffs

[@deeznutz8320]

Oh yeah the far left Democrat shills That ignore zionism on the left and put all the blame on the GOP Great propaganda

[@chillax1969]

I try to be on the side that is fighting against occupation, colonization, and mass murder. It's pretty clear who has been in the wrong once British toilet rule began in WW1.

[@searwr7835]

Doesn't look like that side exists. Most likely your position just results in what you claim to be against being committed against the side you are against.

[@pipgalea1376]

yes Hamas mass murdered nearly 1000 civilians on Oct 7th... And Hamas has terrorised it's own citizens since taking control of the Gaza strip in 2007

[@Dave-cf4vd]

So you are ok with the entire middle east genociding Jews, Christians and Yazidis over the past 100 years? You are ok with Islam taking over the ONLY country that has a gay pride festival? The only democracy in the entire region? I'll make it easier - if you had to live in the M.E. for 2 years, bringing your family - where would you live?

[@MichaelToddFink]

"look what you made me do" -idf

[@5piles]

harris is a waste of breathable air at this point.

[@MrOoter929]

what other country would've responded differently?

[@5piles]

@@MrOoter929 lol. youre psychotic.

[@benjaminford1863]

​@MrOoter929 Tibet

[@5piles]

@@MrOoter929 even nicaragua.

[@noor1991hb]

The question is: why is Hamas soldiers like this? Those people suffered alot from the Israeli government, we should be able to see how they think, how these people live until the 7th of October. I am myself Exmuslim and I don't support them, but in order to get rid of the Jihadi mentality, we need to get rid of the reason. We need to give Palestinians lives, rights, aeducation, real homes and future.

[@Mike348749]

Haha I love how Sam is feeling the pressure and having to double down on the propaganda. Watching Sam squirm trying to justify what’s going on brings a smile to my face 😊

[@Last-Letters]

I’ve always been a big fan of yours and I will continue to be despite a complete lack of critical thinking you are showing here. I am just astounded at your lack of understanding, and the repeated use of terms like jihadist which don’t really explain the depth of what’s going on here. You are simplifying this to such a basic level.

[@shlomobachar4123]

You are not understanding nothing. Sam is completely true.

[@MilkePan]

Jihadist religious doctrine: like Amalek Sam?

[@mattd6200]

What does Sam say about how Israelis treat Palestinians in the West Bank? Isn't it basically an outdoor prison and Palestinians die all the time pre oct 7th.