12 minutes ago, Evil Penevil said:

Unfortunately, the board does have a few hardcore antisemites, but you are definitely not one of them.

Who cares who "hates" who? The term is so abstract as to barely mean anything. Obsessing with anti-semitism has always been and still is a scam. It's a diversion.

A lot of people hate a lot of people. A lot of people hate Americans because they don't like Trump. A lot of people hate me personally for reasons I can't even grasp. As long as they don't punch me in the head, they are allowed to hate me.

Trying to "police anti-semitism" on the internet by calling people "Jew haters" is an exercise in futility. It's like trying to chase down a ghost.

Just argue the specific points about Israel. Do you think Isreal has the right to exist and their actions are justified? Fine, continue arguing your points and those who don't will also continue to argue their points. Please give us a break with the "Jew hater" nonsense, though.

If anyone attacks a random Jewish person on the street because they "hate Jews" and don't like Israel's policies, they should be arrested. We don't have the right to behave as vigilantes and randomly attack people, no matter what our political convictions.

Edited August 21Aug 21 by save the frogs

On 8/20/2026 at 8:30 PM, Evil Penevil said:

The untrue notion that all Israelis serve in the IDF has been used by supporters of Palestinians to justify terrorist attacks on civilians, including the Oct. 7 attacks, and the killing of Israeli children. Basically they claim Israel has no civilians and children grow up to be IDF soldiers.

I'm sure you can substantiate this statement.

16 minutes ago, stevenl said:

I'm sure you can substantiate this statement.

Nah. I'm getting used to posting on AN.

On 8/17/2026 at 10:53 PM, Somjot said:

Naturally, when they finally had enough and put up a Palestinian flag, the logical response for an Israeli family wasn't to exhibit a shred of self-respect and take their money elsewhere.

Yes that's always been my thinking too. It was clear when approaching this zoo that there were Israeli flags crossed out, Palestinian flags erected. So why would this Israeli family take their two young children to the ticket counter?? Was this a deliberate, planned provocation? I do wonder about that. If I were Israeli (or even Jewish), upon seeing that anti-Israel display near the entrance, I would have turned around and gone elsewhere. Seems suspicious to me.

Off topic posts removed. This topic is “Israeli family says Koh Samui park refused entry” and it does not need to turn into another debate on Hamas, there are plenty of topics open for that.

On 8/21/2026 at 4:07 PM, Evil Penevil said:

Thank you for the kind words. They are much appreciated. The fact that you posted them speaks highly of your character. I feel you are motivated by concern and empathy for the plight of the Palestinian people. I can't agree with a lot of what you write, but you are not in any way an antisemite.

Unfortunately, the board does have a few hardcore antisemites, but you are definitely not one of them.

Thank you so much for your open, honest, and very kind words.

As you can imagine, they truly made an impact on me.

It is honestly amazing how disarming and deescalating it can be when you're stuck in a heated debate and someone suddenly meets you with kindness and understanding.

Unfortunately, hatred toward individuals or specific groups of people is contagious—a disease I thought I was immune to.

I was mistaken.

When you try to look at today's headlines completely objectively, you realize how absurd it all is. It’s like:

"Extra! Extra! Read all about it! 'Two Russian children murdered by a Thai national, a young Thai woman murdered by an Australian, and fresh sightings of rude Israelis behaving badly.'"

To think we are even having a debate just because a zoo owner in Thailand got into an argument with a guest somewhere. As if we didn't have anything better to do.

And unfortunately, I took part in it.

I feel embarrassed about that now.

Discussing the actions of the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank is justified, because they are one of our allies and it can have consequences for all of us.

But whether a young Israeli woman in a massage parlor arrogantly claimed that her money built Thailand—as if there weren't other foreigners misbehaving in Thailand... And what does she even have to do with the conflict?

I will no longer participate in the disparagement of Israelis who might not have behaved perfectly abroad, but whose behavior wouldn't even warrant a minor fine.

Because even if it might surprise you, my motivation for participating in discussions about the Gaza Strip doesn't come solely from my concern for the future of the Palestinians.

No, I am deeply worried about Israelis and Jewish people in general.

Antisemitism is currently on a massive rise. This is precisely because the masses cannot, are too dumb to or simply don´t want to distinguish between war crimes—which must be rightfully condemned and the perpetrators held accountable—and people who simply share the same nationality or religion as the soldiers, and therefore bear absolutely no guilt and should never suffer for it.

The world feels like a powder keg right now; even in Thailand, activists are calling for actions against Israelis.

I stand by my belief: war criminals of any nationality belong in court, must be prosecuted, and should not get away with impunity.

But Israelis or Jewish people, wherever they may be, who have absolutely nothing to do with the current conflict—regardless of whether they agree with the actions of their military or not, as that is freedom of speech—must under no circumstances be discriminated against or harmed.

I say this both as a German and as a human being.