Untangling Popular Anti-Israel Arguments: Critical Thinking
about the Israel-Hamas War
Note to readers: See previous APOLOGIA post for Chapter 5. (Also, Table of Contents with links is listed below. Or download pdf of the whole book here.)
Note to critics: Please read the whole of my little book (including notes) before offering criticism. Thanks.
Chapter 6: What about Gabor Maté?
Objection:
What about this objection from Hungarian-Canadian physician and author
Gabor Maté?
The disproportion of power and responsibility and oppression is so markedly on one side, think of the worst thing you can say about Hamas and multiply by 1000 times, it still will not meet the Israeli repression and killing and dispossession of Palestinians.1
Reply: One bad thing I can say with certainty about Hamas is that on October 7, 2023, they murdered 1200 innocent Israelis, often with despicable brutality. If my math is correct, then 1200 x 1000 = 1,200,000. I know Israel is not perfect and has no doubt done some terrible things to Gaza—and I do not in any way wish to minimize the pain suffered by people in Gaza at the hand of Israel—but I am confident that Israel has not brutally murdered 1,200,000 Gazans. Not even close.
NOTES
1. Gabor Maté, “Dr. Gabor Maté speaks out on Israel and Palestine,” YouTube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXrF zqu4QHk. This video was circulated widely on social media shortly after October 7, 2023, but is no longer available. I viewed the video on or around October 14, 2023. The above quote is from my notes. (I am a Canadian and so is Gabor Maté, so I include his criticisms in this book.)
Table of Contents (links)
Chapter 1. Israel is engaging in colonial retaliation?
Chapter 2. Israel is a powerful state and thus the oppressor?
Chapter 3. Israel is not a legitimate state?
Chapter 4. Israel occupies Gaza?
Chapter 5. Gaza is like a Jewish ghetto?
Chapter 6. What about Gabor Maté?
Chapter 7. What about Gabor Maté, again?
Chapter 8. Israel targets a hospital?
Chapter 9. Israel’s attack on Gaza is as bad (or worse) as Gaza’s attack on Israel?
Chapter 10. Israel is wrong to cause Gaza to suffer?
Chapter 11. Israel is guilty of genocide?
Chapter 12. Israel’s response to Hamas is not proportional?
Chapter 13. Israel should agree to a permanent ceasefire?
Chapter 14. Israel should embrace a two-state solution?
Chapter 15. Conclusion and prayer
Appendix 1: Criticizing Islam is Islamophobic? (Part 1 of 2)
Appendix 2: Criticizing Islam is Islamophobic? (Part 2 of 2)
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