The New Torment.
Watching the BBC Sunday. An episode called Storyville. It documents experiences of young Israeli Soldiers in the Palestinian occupation areas.
The 18 year old conscripts are soldiers, spotters and EMS. Each one appears to honestly describe personal emotions they experienced during their tour of duty.
Very emotional stuff.
It shows a gradual erosion of youthful compassion into a hardened battle weary adolescence. Almost Nazi like hardened arrogance. A Jewish occupying force capable of dehumanizing torture and killing of unarmed civilians classified as "Arabs". "We used to fire warning shots, now we don't".
The interviews are post duty tour comments. It struck me personally as their complaints of mental anguish surfaced over some of the things they had done. Evoking viewer sympathy for their unfortunate predicament. It also is a stark reminder that PTSD is a human cost borne by all those exposed to trauma, violence and death.
It is the victims curse to become the tormentor. The survivor becomes the exterminator. Who really won?
What justice brings fulfillment? What fulfillment?
To take everything from a people, to torture, to maim, and disgrace the human dignity of a corpse by youth in service of their country is frightening. Gradual, persistent genocide disguised as what., occupation?
The very idea of humans being inhumane should frighten us all
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