It is a difficult subject but the depraved perpetrators being allowed to continue with the knowledge of the government is intolerable. this needs to be spread far and wide. accountability must be forthcoming. thank you for shining a light.
So hardcore and just gut wrenching to think this is going on. As i said before it was a video i saw of soldiers “raping a prisoner”. you could not see much but there was something so horrendous and awful about it - the way they coordinated together like it was rehearsed, the total vulnerability of the prisoner, there was a dog present. The whole thing was so menacing. It changed me and I knew that i would endeavour to learn and understand more about Israel and Palestine after that, and to speak up about it. Even if it upset friends. So i’m grateful for this discussion- however hard it is.
I have to take breaks from listening to this. It's hard to hear but more should hear this. For Jews but not only Jews. Many of us know that that what happened on October 7th and the days after did not come out of the blue. Knowing what caused it does not excuse it. But what Israelis did in response, what Netanyahu and his government did after in Gaza, to Gazans, eclipsed October 7th. And that response now is doing grave injustice and harm to Israel and Israelis as well--deeply and I believe socially- psychologically. This is a subject that arises for me when we hear about the fierce denials of torture, cruelty, dehumanization. I know these denials and this hate on a personal level.
Yet who is being dehumanized in this? To feel this level of hate and cruelty, to be okay with it, to turn away from knowing.. who is being dehumanized?
This is not easy for Jews to ingest if they do. But they must.
It separates many of us, so disappointed, horrified, from family. It's hard to identify with Israel or be supportive (as we were).I know the hate. It's an ongoing cycle that people get lost in.
Simone Weil said it- the oppressed become the oppressors.
Thank you for this DS.. and of course to your brave guest Sari Bashi- and to Nick Kristof. It was an extraordinary column of his that I fell into. I usually, to be honest, do not want to hear about all the horrors we humans do to each other- his specialty.
Thank you so much for having this most amazing courageous activist on to talk about this horrific shameful story of the sexual violence perpetrated on Palestinian prisoners. It just adds to my feeling of shame for a country, I once loved.
Sari is an amazing woman, and you, Deb, are always providing these important conversations, which I very much appreciate . I was very glad to hear her say, early on that this was OLD news, because that's exactly what it was. I do hope that as the days go by there are going to be more people who see the video. I am someone who has to know the "truths," however hard to bear, be it personal or collective. It isn't that I'm better or stronger, it's my way of feeling emotionally "safer." Having CPTSD is probably the reason for this being my own peculiar "defense."
To me, Jews are human beings like all others, with the capacity for love, sacrifice and every admirable attribute as well as every heinous depravity. Trump and his minions, Netanyah and his, makes it very hard to be American and Jewish right now. My hope is that both the US and Israel will come to terms with the crimes committed in their names and with their own tacit consent half as well as Germany has managed to do.
So profoundly hard to listen to but I feel it is my responsibility to hear.
Another profound interview at The Debrief. Extraordinary work that your guest and her organization are doing. They need more support.
Agreed! Sari is amazing and the work that she and PCATI and other civil society orgs in Israel-Palestine are doing is so important.
Absolute dupport for your honest conversations! I share widely
Thank you, Hali!
Thank you Debra!!
It is a difficult subject but the depraved perpetrators being allowed to continue with the knowledge of the government is intolerable. this needs to be spread far and wide. accountability must be forthcoming. thank you for shining a light.
So hardcore and just gut wrenching to think this is going on. As i said before it was a video i saw of soldiers “raping a prisoner”. you could not see much but there was something so horrendous and awful about it - the way they coordinated together like it was rehearsed, the total vulnerability of the prisoner, there was a dog present. The whole thing was so menacing. It changed me and I knew that i would endeavour to learn and understand more about Israel and Palestine after that, and to speak up about it. Even if it upset friends. So i’m grateful for this discussion- however hard it is.
I have to take breaks from listening to this. It's hard to hear but more should hear this. For Jews but not only Jews. Many of us know that that what happened on October 7th and the days after did not come out of the blue. Knowing what caused it does not excuse it. But what Israelis did in response, what Netanyahu and his government did after in Gaza, to Gazans, eclipsed October 7th. And that response now is doing grave injustice and harm to Israel and Israelis as well--deeply and I believe socially- psychologically. This is a subject that arises for me when we hear about the fierce denials of torture, cruelty, dehumanization. I know these denials and this hate on a personal level.
Yet who is being dehumanized in this? To feel this level of hate and cruelty, to be okay with it, to turn away from knowing.. who is being dehumanized?
This is not easy for Jews to ingest if they do. But they must.
It separates many of us, so disappointed, horrified, from family. It's hard to identify with Israel or be supportive (as we were).I know the hate. It's an ongoing cycle that people get lost in.
Simone Weil said it- the oppressed become the oppressors.
Thank you for this DS.. and of course to your brave guest Sari Bashi- and to Nick Kristof. It was an extraordinary column of his that I fell into. I usually, to be honest, do not want to hear about all the horrors we humans do to each other- his specialty.
I can understand the need to take breaks. This is gut-wrenching stuff, on many levels. I too hope that more will hear from Sari.
This is an ABOMINATION! https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-death-penalty-condemns-us-all/
Thank you for your work!
Likewise 🙏!
the USA is doing the same to detained immigrants
Thank you for this - sharing these truths in the light of Day
It is unbelievable that the truth has to keep being said over and over
These are our tax$$$
End the violations end the geno@ide
Thank you so much for having this most amazing courageous activist on to talk about this horrific shameful story of the sexual violence perpetrated on Palestinian prisoners. It just adds to my feeling of shame for a country, I once loved.
Thanks for the Gift Link to the 11-May-2026 Nicholas Kristof op-ed in the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/opinion/israel-palestinians-sexual-violence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iVA.hFJ2.bwtNuDD5j2xa&smid=url-share&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
I saw the Wajahat & Kristof interview ( https://thelefthook.substack.com/p/standard-operating-procedure-how 58:46), but hadn't read the op-ed before. Thank you.
I clicked to the site suggested by Jews Against the Death Penalty and this caught my eye:
www.timesofisrael.com/israel-to-sue-ny-times-over-opinion-alleging-widespread-rape-of-palestinian-prisoners/?_gl=1*llucgm*_ga*Mjc3ODMxNzQxLjE3Nzg4MTUxNDc.*_ga_RJR2XWQR34*czE3Nzg4MTUxNDckbzEkZzAkdDE3Nzg4MTUxNDckajYwJGwwJGgw
Sari is an amazing woman, and you, Deb, are always providing these important conversations, which I very much appreciate . I was very glad to hear her say, early on that this was OLD news, because that's exactly what it was. I do hope that as the days go by there are going to be more people who see the video. I am someone who has to know the "truths," however hard to bear, be it personal or collective. It isn't that I'm better or stronger, it's my way of feeling emotionally "safer." Having CPTSD is probably the reason for this being my own peculiar "defense."
To me, Jews are human beings like all others, with the capacity for love, sacrifice and every admirable attribute as well as every heinous depravity. Trump and his minions, Netanyah and his, makes it very hard to be American and Jewish right now. My hope is that both the US and Israel will come to terms with the crimes committed in their names and with their own tacit consent half as well as Germany has managed to do.