— Feature, Musings —10.08.2025 01:08 AM
The first casualty of war…you know the rest.
“Truth is the first casualty of war.”
Of course.
Everyone knows that one. You hear it all the time. But – good God Almighty – that latest Harvard-Harris poll: there perhaps has never been better evidence of the war-murders-truth proposition, perhaps ever. Not even since the Greek playwright Aeschylus wrote those words, some 3,000 years ago.
The Harvard-Harris survey landed on our computer screens on October 7, and was issued by the university’s respected Center for American Political Studies. Nearly 2,500 registered voters were contacted at the start of the month, and the results are considered to be accurate 95 per cent of the time. The poll covered the mood of the country, Trump, economy, jobs, and so on.
It was the answers to the “Israel and Gaza” questions, however, that were – and this word is used too much by those of us in the media, but it applies in this case – shocking. Really, truly shocking.
The Harvard-Harris numbers can’t be easily dismissed, either, international law expert Elliot Malin noted, because Harvard-Harris is “consistently been the only pollster asking questions on Israel-Hamas over the last two years.” So they have what pollsters like to call a “baseline” or “benchmark,” and are therefore much more accurate.
Here is a sampling of what Harvard-Harris found:
- Nearly half of Gen Z – those from ages 18 to 24 – support Hamas over Israel. Almost 40 per cent of Millennials – ages 25 to 34 – support the terror group over Israel.
- Over 40 per cent of Gen Z oppose Hamas releasing the hostages they took on October 7, 2023. A third of Millennials feel the same way.
- Over 60 per cent of Gen Z oppose Trump’s peace plan, which is supported by every Arab nation in the region, and just about every country on Earth. Nearly 50 per cent of Millennials oppose the peace plan.
- Sixty per cent of Gen Z falsely believe Israel has actually rejected Trump’s peace plan. And 45 per cent of Millennials have somehow concluded the same thing.
- Forty per cent of Gen Z think Hamas should reject the peace plan. And almost 30 per cent want Israel “ended,” and power simply handed over to Hamas/Palestinians.
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Warren,
Repeat a bald-faced lie continuously and it gets mega traction. Israel isn’t a saint but it is for now a democracy. Those people have no concept what Hamas rule is like. How long would most of them last under a Hamas dictatorship? Not long. These people are a bottomless pit of endless ignorance and deliberate selective grooming. It’s people just like them that allowed the Nazis to come to power with their encouragement. In short, be careful what you wish for because once you get it, you will very quickly miss the shortcomings of Israel and the West.
So tell me which part of the recognition of a Palestinian state by Canada and various other countries – with the explicit requirement that Hamas NOT be in charge – aligns with what you wrote?
This is the ongoing falsehood perpetuated in this discussion; that Palestine = Hamas. Despite what a multitude of countries have explicitly said.
Netanyahu loves this, and is keen to keep the false equivalency going. It provides ongoing cover for his campaign of starvation and bombing, under the false premise that every human being in Gaza is potentially Hamas, and therefore is a candidate to be killed.
It is not false. It is accurate. Hamas governs Gaza. The PA, which pays Hamas and others to kill Jews, governs the West Bank.
Netanyahu is awful. But don’t come here to suggest that Palestine isn’t run by monsters.
Warren,
You just won me over. I imagine you wouldn’t say it without well documented iron-clad proof. As a result, I now recognize that the PA and Hamas are a de facto and de jure distinction without a difference.
Be that as it may but the winds of history are blowing in the direction of a Palestinian state for better or worse. Eventually it does come to fruition, even with Bibi kicking and screaming, that is, if he and Sara aren’t already in jail by then.
With respect, WK, my point was that Netanyahu’s responses to any discussion about Israel’s indiscriminate bombing and starvation in Gaza is that “Hamas might have been hiding there.” He wants the world to believe that every Palestinian is a Hamas militant, because it justifies the massive amount of death that has been inflicted on everyday residents in Gaza. That was what I meant by “false equivalency”.
Steve,
Our diplomatic recognition along with that of 150 other countries is conditional on several factors. But they made a strategic mistake: you don’t recognize a state until preexisting conditions have been met. In this case the collective states put the cart before the horse, namely recognition now while already knowing ahead of time that the two principle conditions cannot and will never be met, period. Hamas will never relinquish control in Gaza regardless of future so-called free and fair elections and secondly, they will never, ever, disarm as that would mean instant involuntary suicide for their “fighters.”
That’s disturbing.
The impact of propaganda. It’s reared its ugly head because of social media, and the access it gives to sp many young people – they’re peppered with bullshit everyday.
Warren,
Unfortunately, I’ll believe the release of all the hostages when I see it. I still think Hamas considers them as an insurance policy, or at the very least, leverage. Those poor people are Hamas’ only ace in the deck and they will continue to take full advantage of that.
Warren,
The Trump deal is just that. Implementation is key and the pitfalls are numerous. My feeling is that the devil is in the details. My gut expects it to fall apart, but I hope with all my heart that I’m full of shit, for the sake of the hostage families. Time will tell.
Looks like the fighting in Gaza is going to end, with the release of remaining hostages. What about Hamas? They’re still negotiating. From what I’ve read, although brief, it doesn’t look like Hamas has been forced to disband and disappear. Hopefully they’re negotiating the end of Hamas, and a future with elections and international oversight. Like my mom always said, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
QOD
When will Hamas violate this agreement?
Joseph,
My guess would be about one hour after the Palestinian buses arrive in Gaza and the West Bank.
The other thing, of course, is Barghouti. If Hamas can’t get him out in relatively short order, the deal is bound to fall apart quickly. That will mean back to square one.