The Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, during the Jewish holiday in Israel, launched a surprise attack, massacring some innocent Israeli civilians, and even taking some as hostages. Benjamin Netanyahu immediately rejoiced at this opportunity, inciting nationalist and panic emotions among the Israeli people, declaring war on Palestine, and then conducting large-scale air raids on Gaza, causing significant casualties among Palestinians. Netanyahu could then claim political gains based on his wartime leadership.

Critical Reflection: Assessing the Responsibility of Hamas and the Netanyahu Government in the Israel-Palestine Conflict

As a democratic leftist, I take a stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict where, on the one hand, I condemn Hamas’s acts of terrorism that result in the loss of innocent lives but not specifically targeting the government. On the other hand, I also condemn the Israeli government’s actions over the years, including the establishment of Jewish settlements on Palestinian land, encroaching on Palestinian resources (let the LIHKG fourm netizens attempt to live in Gaza without access to water and electricity for a year, and then discuss the Israel-Palestine conflict), repeatedly resorting to violence against Palestinians using police and military forces, pushing Palestinians to a point of desperation, and leading them to support acts of terrorism – and, unfortunately, the most innocent victims are the impoverished masses of both Israelis and Palestinians.

The impoverished masses in Israel are conscripted by capitalists, Netanyahu and corrupt groups to fight against the Palestinians. As for the Palestinians, they are held hostage by the Hamas leadership, hiding behind them as human shields and using some as hostages so that Hamas fighters can evade capture, thereby making the morally conflicted when Israeli military conduct large-scale air raids on Gaza. On a daily basis, Hamas uses Islamic fundamentalism to violate the human and women’s rights of Palestinians. In reality, whether it’s Israelis or Palestinians, they are both hostages of Netanyahu and Hamas.

In the Israel-Palestine conflict, some Hong Kong pro-democracy activists mock the Palestinians, essentially showing support for the government’s suppression in Hong Kong?

However, based on the Israel-Palestine conflict, I find myself deeply disappointed in some (not all) Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, such as KOL (e.g., Chip Tsao and Bao Weicong), localist right-wing factions, and even LIHKG fourm users, who are applauding the Israeli government and Netanyahu for their large-scale airstrikes on Gaza, claiming it as a brilliant move. This leaves me speechless and bewildered about the level of democracy among these Hong Kong residents.

If there is any comparability, the Palestinians are like the Hong Kong people during the 2019 anti-extradition protests, and conversely, the Israeli military and Netanyahu are like the Hong Kong police and Carrie Lam from 2019. However, because the Chinese government has made relatively neutral statements regarding the Palestinians, the KOL who hate the Chinese government, such as Chip Tsao and Bao Weicong, localist right-wing factions, and LIHKG fourm users, have repeatedly mocked the Palestinians, glorifying the large-scale Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. It seems preposterous and absurd to me.

In the Israel-Palestine conflict, looking at the attitude of some localist right-wing factions, they actually support the Hong Kong government’s suppression of Hong Kong people?

During the 2019 anti-extradition protests, there were instances of pro- democracy individuals using violence against the pro- establishment protesters, and some pro-establishment individuals were even set on fire. At the time, some Hong Kong pro-democracy activists and LIHKG fourms users chanted slogans like “No cutting ties, unity and courage,” and demanded a unified condemnation of the Hong Kong police’s excessive use of violence. But why does this standard not apply to the conflict between the Palestinians and the Israeli government?

Of course, the level of violence and the severity of wrongdoing by Hamas in targeting innocent Israeli civilians far exceed that of the more militant factions during the Hong Kong protests. Their culpability is much greater. However, the Israeli elite has mistreated the Palestinians for years, contributing to the root causes of this animosity. The initiative to resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict has always been in the hands of the Israeli government’s elite. If they were willing to share political and economic rights with the Palestinians, I believe there wouldn’t be Palestinian support for Hamas. It’s akin to the dominance of the HKSAR and Xi Jinping’s hands in resolving the dissatisfaction of Hong Kong people. But I don’t understand why localist right-wing factions, Chip Tsao, Bao Weicong, and others hold a double standard, supporting one and ridiculing the other. Is this the epitome of double standards? Or do these so-called pro-democracy activists lack democratic values, and once in power, will implement oppressive policies against others?”

The biggest winners in the Israel-Palestine conflict are Hong Kong’s localist factions and the Chinese Communist government!

However, in this Israel-Palestine conflict, the biggest winners are undoubtedly Hamas and the corrupt Benjamin Netanyahu. Both have solidified the hatred among their respective populations, securing their continued leadership and political gains. The current challenge is whether it is possible to unite the oppressed groups in the Israel-Palestine conflict, overthrow both of these problematic factions, and then come to the negotiation table.

That being said, looking back at the contradictions between Hong Kong’s localist right-wing factions and the SAR government in the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict, it reflects a famous saying by Marx: “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.” In retrospect, the rise of Hamas and Hong Kong’s localist right-wing factions has occurred due to the lack of progress in democratic struggles by the Abbas government and the older pan-democratic groups, creating the perfect conditions for these new actors to emerge.

In the Israel-Palestine conflict, Hamas initially received support from the Israeli government to weaken Palestinian unity and divide the movement. It has been rumored that there are close ties between Hong Kong’s localist right-wing factions and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government, but it’s unclear whether there’s any direct relationship or if the Liaison Office drew from Israel’s divisive strategies. I can only say that I don’t have that information.

Surprisingly, in the Israel-Palestine conflict, both Hamas and Hong Kong’s localist right-wing factions or militant groups have chosen hatred as their weapon. After Hamas came to power, their strategy seems to share many dirty values or ideologies with Hong Kong’s militant and localist factions. As a democratic leftist, I believe that the most prudent democratic strategy is to educate the public, develop the labor movement, highlight class disparities, make neutral individuals realize their opposition to the government and capitalists, unite the majority, and initiate a general strike that compels the authorities to make concessions.

In the Israel-Palestine conflict, both Hamas and Hong Kong’s localist right-wing and militant factions have chosen a path contrary to traditional democratic movements. Hamas does not seek to unite the impoverished Israeli population or launch a workers’ movement against the regime. Instead, they incite hatred among their people towards Israelis and engage in terrorist attacks against innocent Israeli civilians during their spare time, which, although they may consider these civilians as accomplices in colonization, does not help unify democratic movements and only breeds more hatred. Similarly, Hong Kong’s localist right-wing and militant factions do not primarily target the regime or focus on uniting the majority for peaceful resistance. Instead, they advocate hatred against mainland Chinese, engage in violent confrontations, and even treat mainland Chinese as subhuman.

The Israel-Palestine conflict: Hamas and Hong Kong’s localist right-wing or militant factions set unrealistic demands, turning democratic unity into an illusion!

Certainly, Hamas appears more extreme, advocating the expulsion of all Israelis, and some Hong Kong localist right-wing and militant factions, such as Lewis Loud and Cheng Lap have previously called for Hong Kong independence. However, it appears that both have set unrealistic demands that cannot be realistically achieved. Given the history of Israeli influence behind Hamas, is this strategy to divide the Palestinian population? As for Hong Kong’s localist right-wing factions, it’s unclear whether they have direct connections to the Liaison Office, but the pro-independence stance of these groups has previously divided the pro-democracy movement and stalled it when localist right-wing factions argued with the older pan-democratic figures during the  June 4th Tiananmen massacre memorial service.

(Interestingly, some localist right-wing factions, militant factions, pro-establishment individuals, KOLs, LIHKG users on the one hand, consider mainland Chinese as conspirators of the authoritarian regime, justifying their hatred. But when Hamas attacks and kills innocent Israeli civilians, these individuals consider Palestinians foolish for not targeting the regime, leading to large-scale military retaliation by the Israeli government. Is this a double standard, selective blindness, or selective deafness? Additionally, when the CCP imposed the National Security Law in Hong Kong, is it also Hong Kong’s own fault? Is there a comparability between Palestinians and Hong Kongers in this regard? I hope that some localist right-wing factions, militant factions, pro-establishment individuals, KOLs, and LIHKG users can respond to my questions.)

The Israel-Palestine conflict: The conflicting interests! Hamas and Hong Kong’s localist right-wing or militant factions share an aversion to improving livelihoods and equality!

Additionally, while many international left-wing groups support the Palestinian statehood movement, Hamas, much like Hong Kong’s localist right-wing or militant factions, strongly opposes several values of the left, including diversity, equal rights, and the primacy of the working class (of course, Tankies and Stalinists also detest values like diversity and equal rights). Hamas has been known for its brutal suppression of labor movements and the use of right-wing Islamic fundamentalism to undermine human rights and women’s rights. Hong Kong’s localist right-wing and militant factions have also had a “glorious” track record in this regard. For instance, localist activist Lewis Loud cursed at Hong Kong pop star Denise Ho for not accepting a Finnish man’s rape, criticized universal values, and disparaged the Hoi Lai Estate cleaners’ labor movement. Many localist right-wing and militant factions in Hong Kong have spent years slandering different left-wing activists, accusing them of betraying Hong Kong and hating them for advocating for the rights of marginalized groups. Hong Kong’s localist right-wing and militant factions advocate hatred towards mainland Chinese, oppose the authorities, label leftists as unpatriotic(Hong Kong), and Hamas is currently indiscriminately killing Israeli civilians, and even allegedly beheading infants. Is Hamas taking cues from Hong Kong’s localist right-wing?

The center suffers! No more rotten allies! Does the right-wing protest strategy need to change?

While localist right-wing factions and militant factions in Hong Kong have become victims of a certain authoritarian regime, it is important not to kick them when they’re down. However, observing the numerous misguided actions of Hamas, which have given an opportunity to Benjamin Netanyahu to suppress the Palestinian people, and seeing similarities between Hamas’ strategy and that of Hong Kong’s localist right-wing and militant factions, it might be worth considering a shift in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, changing the game, and taking a different path that focuses on democratic freedom and workers’ movements.

In the context of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with Hamas killing civilians and Israel, including Netanyahu, causing civilian casualties, how should the democratic left view it? Surprisingly, some pro-democracy activists, KOLs like Chip Tsao and Bao Weicong, along with elements from the localist right-wing and even some members of the LIHKG forum, exhibit a double standard, being timid towards evil and celebrating Israel’s actions against Palestinians. Does this mean they support the suppression of Hong Kongers? Do localist right-wing and radical elements have commonalities with Hamas?