In the wake of the latest escalations between Palestinians and Israelis in recent weeks, youth across the world have taken to online platforms to discuss the history of the conflict and to question different stances.
Utterly disgusting. But considering the actions of the government there and the soldiers, not to mention other candid interviews with everyday Israelis, it isn't surprising anymore. #FreePalestine https://t.co/zi89ioS3S9
— SpritzTheSquirtle (@SpritzSquirtle) May 19, 2021
Using different internet apps, these events in the Middle East have triggered young people to talk to those from both Palestine and Israel in an attempt to understand the roots of the issue.
On the OME chat app that allows people to talk to strangers via video, a conversation with an Israeli young man has sparked a lot of controversies, especially as he defended "killing Palestinian kids."
The logical outcome of settler-colonial thinking... genocide of the indigenous population. This is the ultimate outcome of #Zionism #BDS #ApartheidIsrael #GazaUnderAttack https://t.co/bxyAaxUwir
— Arif (@arif3000) May 19, 2021
The viral 43-second video featured a young woman asking the young Israeli a number of questions as she told him that "Palestinians want their country back" before their discussion questioned the "legitimacy of killing innocent Palestinian children."
In response to her question, the young man whose name has not been identified smiled and said: "Yes, because in the future they will become terrorists against Israel, so I'd rather stop them living now before they grow and have a weapon. It's simple."
Then his chat partner asked him if he wouldn't mind bombing "hospitals to kill children as they are born" he answered that he would do so "till the last one. All of Gaza needs to be flat. No one there."
Racism to the highest level! Nazism or worse!
— Zahid Pranjol (@DrZPranjol) May 18, 2021
While it remains unclear what date the chat took place, online people have widely shared the short snippet calling it "outrageous" and "full of hatred." Some users even compared the sentiment the young Israeli talked with to Nazism.
For several weeks now, an Israeli military operation has targeted the Gaza Strip with artillery shelling and airstrikes that have resulted in killing at least 227 Palestinians. Meanwhile, Hamas's military wing has fired thousands of rockets at a number of Israeli cities and towns killing 12 people so far.
Tensions were triggered by Israeli decisions to forcefully evict 25 Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem.
