The refrain I'm seeing on social media right now is that the Israeli government values Palestinian lives less than Israeli. I think this is incorrect, that in fact the death of a Palestinian is worth more to the government of Israel than the survival of an Israeli. These lives are valued differently, but not in the way you might think.

Israeli military action has killed far more Israeli hostages since 10/7 than it has saved. If the priority was on saving these lives, you would expect a more delicate approach.

Even in this latest raid, which is widely being described as a success for having freed four captives, at least three others were killed by Israeli forces.

Freeing the hostages is not the priority. This spectacular maneuver may win the regime some reprieve from the increasingly antagonistic hostage families' movement, but it doesn't indicate a shift in their strategy or aims.

Earnest hostage swap proposals have been offered by the Palestinian resistance since October, and have been consistently rejected by Israeli leadership. Biden's so-called peace plan is currently on the table. The continued campaign of death and destruction have taken priority. Holding an increasing number of Palestinians hostage in Israeli prisons, and thereby systematically disrupting the reproduction of Palestinian lives and lifeways has taken priority. This genocidal military campaign, along with the blockade on food and medicine, puts the Israeli hostages at significant risk, prolonging and compounding their ordeal.

Add to the above the significant IDF casualties, and the civilian lives uprooted in the north and south due to the war, and the extent of the Israeli govt's disregard for Israeli life becomes shockingly apparent (not to mention Jews worldwide, who are consistently put in harm's way by this belligerent colonial adventure that purports to speak for all Jews). These lives are all deemed expendable.

The state does not exist for the people. Wars are not fought for the people. Let's not give them more credit than they deserve.

Posted on mastodon by @other_ghosts@kolektiva.social

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