Re: [Marxism] What was (is) Israel's purpose in assaulting Gaza?

[E Hofstadler <e.hofstadler@xxxxxxxxx>]

Not directed against Eli in particular, but against the general practice:

Eli Stephens wrote:
> But the current totals of dead - 1206 Palestinians including 415
> children, 110 women and 115 elderly - not to mention the targets of

Why is it that women get this "honour" of special mentioning in lists of 
  the dead, singled out together with other "helpless" groups such as 
children and the elderly?

> the attack - hospitals, schools, UN headquarters, food warehouses -
> have to cause one to question more deeply. More than 50% of the dead
> were civilians not including a single adult male, meaning that the
> real civilian casualties are probably in the 75% range at least.

so the women included in the 50% were "automatic" civilians (due to 
their "womanhood"?) while the non-elderly single adult males in the 
other 50% are to be counted as "automatic" freedom fighters?

Women have been known to be actively engaged in fights against 
oppression for a long time. Why continue with this patronizing 
linguistic practice that implicitly labels all women from the outset as 
the necessarily helpless and innocent civilian?

Regards, EH

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