Current Affairs 2024

[Mervyn and Trish]

Back to Gaza. So the only way to end war after war in the middle east is the so called two state solution. Providing a secure home for Israelis and Palestinians. Most of the world believe it's the way ahead. But who is vetoing it? Netanyahu. Prefers to continue slaughtering innocents. Which may eventually end this war. Or may start World War 3. But definitely will not prevent another conflict in 5 or 10 years. How can that be defensible?

I don’t see Netanyahu as being part of a two-state solution but he is certainly the instrument that could make it happen. As I have posted before, it is my belief that if there is to be any chance of a two-state system then Hamas has to be demilitarised to a point where they are no longer a threat to Israelis or Palestinians alike, only then will new leaders emerge from both sides who could under negotiation forge a path forward. Believing that both sides should down tools and rebuild their lives isn’t a solution, it just prolongs the inevitable.
You are of course entitled to your view but the term ‘slaughtering’ which you cast in the direction of Israel is misplaced in my opinion. Yes, many thousands have died in Israel’s attempts to root out the Hamas terrorists and while it may come across as flippant, this sadly is the consequences of war.
What Hamas did on October 7th would be my definition of ‘slaughtering’…. lest we forget.

How can you call killing 25,000 plus people, the majority innocent civilians, anything other than slaughter? What Hamas did on 7th October was truly dreadful and I do not defend it. But that was Hamas. Not Palestininan women and children. The response is disproportionate and diabolical. It will not make Israel any friends. Indeed it is creating more enemies.

[oldbluefox]

I don't think you can Merv but how do you deal with an enemy which hides behind civilians whilst holding innocent civilians of all ages hostage? It's a very complex conundrum.

[Mervyn and Trish]

It is. But what they are doing now is making things worse not better. I had sympathy for them at first but no longer. And I think that is increasingly true of their important allies too.

[david63]

I don't care who is right and who is wrong there never be any justification for killing several thousand children and babies

[Onelife]

‘Maybe some faults happened’

The report said Hamas planned to target Israeli military sites and to capture soldiers, which could be used to pressure the Israeli authorities to release thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

The group said that avoiding harming civilians “is a religious and moral commitment” by fighters of Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.

“If there was any case of targeting civilians; it happened accidentally and in the course of the confrontation with the occupation forces,” read the report.

It added that “maybe some faults happened” during the attack “due to the rapid collapse of the Israeli security and military system, and the chaos caused along the areas near Gaza.

....

I wonder at what point did the Hamas fighters realise that the Music festival and Kibbutz had little to no protection?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I have a theory about all this. That is that the problem is not the majority of Palestinians or Israelis.

Of course Hamas are a problem. Like the Nazis were.

But the biggest issue then was one man's ego. Hitler. As it is now with Putin. And big time with Netanyahu.

Hamas weren't exactly hi tech in invading Israel in October. They pretty much just wandered in, not entirely unexpectedly, in a complete failure of Israeli intelligence under Netanyahu's leadership.

His over reaction now is, in my view, guilt guilt guilt. He was humiliated and is now playing the tough guy. Anyone with half a brain can see the only way out is negotiation and moving towards the two state option. Much as we were never going to crush the IRA militarily. Talk, hard as it was, was the only way to end the violence in Ireland. The same is true in Gaza.

[Onelife]

I have a theory about all this. That is that the problem is not the majority of Palestinians or Israelis.

Of course Hamas are a problem. Like the Nazis were.

But the biggest issue then was one man's ego. Hitler. As it is now with Putin. And big time with Netanyahu.

Hamas weren't exactly hi tech in invading Israel in October. They pretty much just wandered in, not entirely unexpectedly, in a complete failure of Israeli intelligence under Netanyahu's leadership.

His over reaction now is, in my view, guilt guilt guilt. He was humiliated and is now playing the tough guy. Anyone with half a brain can see the only way out is negotiation and moving towards the two state option. Much as we were never going to crush the IRA militarily. Talk, hard as it was, was the only way to end the violence in Ireland. The same is true in Gaza.

Netanyahu may not be the most popular PM but the majority of Israelis support the action his government is taking.

[oldbluefox]

I'm not sure about that. Nethanyahu has dug himself into a hole of indiscriminate bombing which will hopefully wipe out one or two Hamas fighters but with 20000+ civilians caught up as collateral damage, no signs of having totally suppressed Hamas and no joy in releasing hostages it's time he changed tactics to avoid civilian losses or look towards a negotiated settlement based on a two party state.
When you shoot two hostages yourselves there is something wrong and suggests troops on the ground are out of control. It hardly breeds confidence in what they are supposed to be doing to achieve their goals.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I have a theory about all this. That is that the problem is not the majority of Palestinians or Israelis.

Of course Hamas are a problem. Like the Nazis were.

But the biggest issue then was one man's ego. Hitler. As it is now with Putin. And big time with Netanyahu.

Hamas weren't exactly hi tech in invading Israel in October. They pretty much just wandered in, not entirely unexpectedly, in a complete failure of Israeli intelligence under Netanyahu's leadership.

His over reaction now is, in my view, guilt guilt guilt. He was humiliated and is now playing the tough guy. Anyone with half a brain can see the only way out is negotiation and moving towards the two state option. Much as we were never going to crush the IRA militarily. Talk, hard as it was, was the only way to end the violence in Ireland. The same is true in Gaza.

Netanyahu may not be the most popular PM but the majority of Israelis support the action his government is taking.

Says who? Putin and Hitler would claim the same.

[Onelife]

Negotiations with terrorists very rarely have lasting outcomes, but if Hamas leaders want Israel to stop the bombing, then Hamas needs to take a different approach, one where they release all of the hostages, this I believe would put more world pressure on Israel…it won’t happen over night but it is the only way I can see the humanitarian side of this conflict easing. The other solution would be if Hamas stopped hiding behind Gaza’s women and children and meet up with their 72 virgins with some backbone.

[towny44]

Negotiations with terrorists very rarely have lasting outcomes, but if Hamas leaders want Israel to stop the bombing, then Hamas needs to take a different approach, one where they release all of the hostages, this I believe would put more world pressure on Israel…it won’t happen over night but it is the only way I can see the humanitarian side of this conflict easing. The other solution would be if Hamas stopped hiding behind Gaza’s women and children and meet up with their 72 virgins with some backbone.

And I thought you were a pacifist Onelife, seems as if though your infatuation with "the lovely Meg", has put some lead in your pencil.

[Slapstick]

I note that further strikes on Houthis targets by American and British forces overnight.

Interestingly and on subject part of the reported statement on the BBC reads "In line with UK standard practice, a very rigorous analysis was applied in planning the strikes to minimise any risk of civilian casualties, and as with the previous strikes, our aircraft bombed at night to mitigate yet further any such risks"

I suspect innocent civilians have been killed last night and previous attacks, how do we feel about that, for or against? After all we are only defending our interests as are Israel.

[oldbluefox]

The main difference I can see is that these strikes are aimed at military installations which reduce the capability of Houthis to keep launching their strikes. Israeli strikes are indiscriminate on civilian areas.

[Onelife]

Negotiations with terrorists very rarely have lasting outcomes, but if Hamas leaders want Israel to stop the bombing, then Hamas needs to take a different approach, one where they release all of the hostages, this I believe would put more world pressure on Israel…it won’t happen over night but it is the only way I can see the humanitarian side of this conflict easing. The other solution would be if Hamas stopped hiding behind Gaza’s women and children and meet up with their 72 virgins with some backbone.

And I thought you were a pacifist Onelife, seems as if though your infatuation with "the lovely Meg", has put some lead in your pencil.

I wouldn’t hurt a mouse John, less of course they nick the chicken food then I quickly dispatch them off to the corn fields in the sky.

[Onelife]

The main difference I can see is that these strikes are aimed at military installations which reduce the capability of Houthis to keep launching their strikes. Israeli strikes are indiscriminate on civilian areas.

And if they missed their military targets, it would be an accident just like when Hamas raped, burnt, mutilated and tortured innocent men women and children.

[david63]

Let's just remember one thing about the Hamas attack back in October and that is that Israel had been watching them prepare for this attack for the previous two years and knew it was coming but those making the decisions took their eye off the ball allowing the attack to take place. Had the "officials" taken note of those at the "sharp end" then the attack could have been stopped in its tracks.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Yes my point earlier entirely. That's why Netanyahu is acting as he is today. Hoping the relatives of those killed , injured and kidnapped will forget his incompetence.

[Onelife]

I suppose the buck stops with him but it’s a bit harsh to suggest the intelligence failings were his fault entirely. Israel, to my knowledge didn’t enter Garza thinking they are going to teach Hamas a lesson, they went in to destroy Hamas capabilities of ever doing the same again. If news reports are correct, it was Hamas who were encouraging Palestinians citizens to remain in their homes and as a result many thousands died. The best chance of peace in Gaza will come when Hamas can no longer threaten its people into believing there isn’t an alternative.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Unless the Palestinians and Israelis BOTH have a secure homeland it will never be over. Hamas are the current issue. But they won't be the last.

[oldbluefox]

How intriguing is it that the SNP leaders and advisers have all deleted their Whatsapp messages? I wonder what they have all been covering up. Following hot on the heels of the charges raised against Ms Sturgeon and her husband it all sounds rather suspicious. I wonder what they were all hiding?

[towny44]

Unfortunately for NS her chief of staff has kept most of hers, her hatred of Boris has certainly shown through in many of her WhatsApp messages.

[oldbluefox]

Interesting how those closest to the politicians are so very ready to drop them in the proverbial in order to save their own skins. I wouldn't trust any one of them. It's a right nest of vipers. No more than the politicians themselves deserve.

[Onelife]

Unfortunately for NS her chief of staff has kept most of hers, her hatred of Boris has certainly shown through in many of her WhatsApp messages.

Liz Lloyd when questioned said she couldn’t remember why she had deleted WhatsApp messages…she was lying…it was written all over her face.

[Onelife]

In light of Israel’s accusations about UN workers involvement in the Oct 7th massacre… should or shouldn’t the UK, US, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany have suspended additional funding to the UN agency.?

[Slapstick]

In light of Israel’s accusations about UN workers involvement in the Oct 7th massacre… should or shouldn’t the UK, US, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany have suspended additional funding to the UN agency.?

Yes, regardless of numbers involved, taking part and celebrating the Hamas attacks should be fully condemned and funding withdrawn.

This highlights how difficult it is for Israel, Hamas supporters infiltrating UN agencies and the like makes it all the more obvious why many innocent civilians are killed.