Last week, the entire world was shaken by Israel’s latest high-tech warfare tactic. Following these events, Melek Ulagay’s article on Bianet provides a broader perspective on these technological warfare tactics, offering an in-depth analysis of the situation in the region.
Many political and military conflicts in the world have been instigated by ultra-conservative or fundamentalist movements. Fundamentalism, which can stem from religious, national, or economic reasons, grows and spreads, believing that the only ‘Truth’ is found in its own discourse. This belief becomes so powerful that killing people, harming nature, destroying civilizations, and causing destruction in the name of this ‘Truth’ is considered a ‘right.’ In simple terms, ‘to exist, one must destroy.’ This is both ironic and tragic.”
Israel’s “Techno-Fascism”
This issue, which we have mostly seen in far-right or far-left ideologies, has now emerged as “techno-fascism” or technological violence, employed by Israel, one of the top five countries in the world in developing advanced technologies. In the recent incidents, many people injured by the explosions of pagers lost parts of their faces, especially their eyes and ears, as well as their hands and fingers. Some suffered injuries to their stomachs and intestines. Many healthcare workers and doctors in Beirut hospitals were also affected because they used pagers and were among those who lost their eyesight. The situation created a shortage of medical personnel and a crisis in hospitals as multiple doctors and surgeons were required for each injured person.
On Tuesday, September 18th, the entire world, especially the people of Beirut, experienced a major shock. The most valuable “gadget” everyone couldn’t be without exploded in their own hands, introducing them to a new form of “violence.” Death became closer, spreading to cars, homes, markets, and any place a person could be.
A nine-year-old girl died when a pager she was bringing to her father exploded in her hands. She was recorded as one of the thousands of children killed by Israel in the past eleven months. The deaths were now categorized as those known and those unknown, with a new category emerging: those injured by exploding phones in their hands.
Attacks on Funerals of the Deceased
Is this violence to be recorded as a “success” for humanity? Media outlets, particularly The New York Times, immediately began labeling it as “Israel’s tactical success.” This groundbreaking invention, which not only kills but also condemns those who survive to a life of suffering, could potentially open new doors of opportunity for figures like Elon Musk and others.
The following day, on Wednesday, September 19th, a new attack targeted the funerals of those who died on Tuesday. This time, explosives were placed in handheld radios known as “Walky Talkies,” and some solar panels were also found to be exploding. The explosive dose of PETN used in this attack was increased from 3 mg to 6 mg. The death toll reached 33.
Perhaps this would be recorded as a success in the development column.
I don’t even know which Beirut war we’re in now. I remember crying as I rocked my seven-month-old son in my arms during the Sabra and Shatila massacre in September 1982.
That’s all.
You can see the original article in Turkish here.