Israel is on the short end of the stick

---Content--- o Definitions o Observations o Arguments o Recap o Sources --------------- o Definitions My opponent provides additional definitions for Israel to prevent arguments from definition, but that was not my intention at all. At the end of the day, we both recognize that we are referring to the same "Israel". o Observations 1a. To simply throw around arguments about certain incidents that have occurred in the Middle East is insufficient for a debate; we need a mechanism with which to weigh arguments. I propose that we use a standard of utilitarianism; my opponent, being pro-Israel, has to defend Israel by proving that they are adhering to a utilitarian global standard in their actions; in other words, they are providing the most amount of possible good to the largest number of people possible. b. We can not ever judge people's true intentions; only God and the actor know (if no God exists, only the actor knows his own true intentions). Thus, we can only use utilitarian standards to judge the OUTCOME of acts, e. g. if Boehner's proposed bill called No Child Left Behind harmed the entire US on an academic level but his INTENTION was to benefit us, he would still fail on utilitarian grounds by the framework being used to judge this debate. 2. Given the definition of "unjustified", the "good or just reason" for an act has to be accepted by the people affected by the OUTCOME of the acts, as following observations 1a and 1b. o Arguments 1. Israeli treatment of women and children is inhumane [1] Reading only a few paragraphs into this source, we bear witness to a harsh reality that is lived by hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinians every single day. Pregnant women passing through Israeli checkpoints are not allowed through, and they end up being forced to give birth on the spot, on their own. This has resulted in 34 miscarriages and the deaths of four women. Moreover (also from the same source), from September 29, 2000 until September 1, 2010, 1452 Palestinian children have died. . http://rememberthesechildren.org... In the just listed source, we can look at the children's obituary from September 2000 to New Year's; there is something unusual, besides the fact that each death is illustratively described. They're all on the Palestinian side of the T-chart. Linking back to the utilitarian standard proposed, clearly, we can see that a loss of life is in no way beneficial, unless my opponent is an advocate of Malthusian nightmare. . http://en.wikipedia.org... 2. Israel has been targeted by dozens of UN resolutions for its clear human rights violations [2] [3] Looking only at source [2], we see the resolutions aimed at Israel from 1955 until 1992. We find the words "attack", "deport", and "Geneva" 18, 10, and 3 times respectively. "Attack", in all cases is at another Palestinian settlement or nearby Middle Eastern country; "deport" always in the case of illegally deported Palestinians < >; "Geneva" in reference to how many times they were asked to abide by the agreement of the 4th Geneva Convention, which they continually violated. For the sake of character space, I will leave the readers to judge the implications of this argument. Source [3] provides the list of hundreds of resolutions that have accumulated to date. 3. The Goldstone report [4] For those who do not know, Judge Richard Goldstone is a Jewish participant in the UNHRC (UN Human Rights Council) and helped put together what was ultimately known as the Goldstone report, a 575 page report on a "fact-finding" mission in Israel/Palestine. I'll invite the readers to read only sections V and VI in source 3 or the entirety of the following article . http://articles.latimes.com.... a. The Blockade(s) [5] Numerous times, Israel has blockaded Gaza. 1.4 million Palestinians currently live in the Gaza strip, an area smaller than Rhode Island. These people are living without electricity, in over 40% unemployment with rocketing prices for basic amenities and necessities, and denied the basic goods which are necessary for survival. As a matter of fact, 4 in every 5 Palestinians currently relies on humanitarian aid, which Israel denies them. Look to the instance of the Gaza flotilla; human rights activists from across the world representing 19 countries in international waters carrying nothing but basic medicinal goods, food, cloth, and other needs were SHOT AT and violently expelled by the IDF. Here is a first person account . http://www.guardian.co.uk... and a report on the event . http://articles.latimes.com.... Clearly, denying basic human goods is unjust and violates utilitarian standards. b. Attacks on Gaza/Palestine I invite those, whose stomachs are not very queasy, to look through a few dozen photos . http://www.thewe.cc.... The endless crimes continue today. For those who request, I can forward an email that compares photos like these to photos from the holocaust, and you'll find that they are identical. My opponent, as a proponent of Israel, would surely denounce Nazis. I'm sure that, by aligning the two, he'll agree that they are similar (the Israeli and Nazi regimes). If my opponent can justify these photos, I'll be surprised. 4. Israel kicks Palestinians out of their homes [6] A website, "Jews against the Occupation", explains their displeasure with the Israeli settlement and occupation. They cite UN resolutions and quote them; then make it easier by tagging the resolutions. Here are the first four tags, most prominent in their opinion. 1- Palestinian Refugees have the right to return to their homes in Israel. 2- Israel's occupation of Palestine is Illegal. 3- Israel's settlements in Palestine are Illegal. 4- Palestinian have the right to Self-Determination. We see that they are illegally seizing Palestinian land and expelling the previous settlers. The problem is, it is not Israeli land for them to settle. I have a friend who is 100% Palestinian; it is traumatic to know that his family was an influential family, with their own farm/ranch and a butcher shop. My friend's grandfather, to this day has a key. This key is to a home that no longer exists; it was bulldozed by the IDF. It is my opponent's burden to justify the violent eviction of people who aren't Israeli tenants. o Recap Utilitarianism is of utmost importance in this debate. To summarize Pro's arguments, 1. Israel brutally abuses Palestinian citizens. 2. Israel is in clear violation of human rights and the Geneva Convention. 3. Israel has been found to deny basic necessities to Palestinians, including food and medicine. 4. Israel kicks out Palestinians from homes and land that doesn't belong to them. 5. Palestinian claims to land have been ignored and deleted by Israel. In conclusion, we see clearly that Israel is not adhering to a utilitarian standard; they are unjust in their actions and violate the humanitarian ideology on a daily basis. An African proverb goes, "A man who is chased away with a club will return. A man who is chased away with words will not. " Words will expose the truth, and hopefully, I have enlightened several on the controversial Palestinian conflict. The resolution is affirmed. o Sources [1] . http://rememberthesechildren.org... [2] . http://www.ifamericansknew.org... [3] . http://en.wikipedia.org... [4] . http://www2.ohchr.org... [5] . http://www.amnesty.org... [6] . http://www.jatonyc.org....