Current Affairs 2025

[Mervyn and Trish]

I should add I don't for one minute believe Hamas are hiding in hospitals. They're not stupid. Maybe they once were but since Israel made clear they don't respect conventions of war and made them their favourite target they must be the least safe place in Gaza. If they were ever there they'll be long gone.

[Onelife]

What we do know is that no amount of Israel saying “come out, come out wherever you are” is going to make Hamas reveal where they are hiding, which is why we continue to see, what is perceived to be indiscriminate bombing.

You are correct to say we didn’t flatten areas of Belfast, we did however, along with our allied forces flatten such places as Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki for fear of what our aggressors might do to us…I dread to think how many innocent lives were lost to those acts of war.

I’m afraid the persecution of Jewish people goes way back beyond that of the holocaust, but that smear of humanity’s evils does go some way into understanding why Israel feels it has the right to destroy a threat/ideology that has sworn to eradicate every Jew on this planet.

[towny44]

You provide a compelling argument Onelife, but the old adage of "2 wrongs don't make a right", still Trumps it.

[Mervyn and Trish]

And with Israel behaving as they do, you (OL) wonder why Hamas hates them and wants to eradicate them. There'll be no peace in that area until both sides accept the other has the right to somewhere to live. The two state solution. Israel's current actions, alongside its illegal settlements over the years, will never achieve peace and security for themselves.

And re WW2, we only flattened German cities as they flattened ours. It wasn't for fear of what they might do. It was because of what they had done and were continuing to do. We didn't do it because they'd killed 1200 of us and we didn't kill 50 times as many as they did and we didn't go on bombing until we'd killed every last Nazi. There is no comparison.

[oldbluefox]

I tend to agree with Merv.
There is no need for indiscriminate bombing in Gaza, especially hospitals. If they believe Hamas are hiding in hospitals what is there to stop the IDF from isolating the hospital and giving it a thorough search or screening all comings and goings with an exclusion zone around it. Surely a more effective and humanitarian way of preventing loss of civilian life.
They will never eradicate Hamas since the longer this war of attrition goes on and the more bloodshed there is of innocent lives, the more fighters will be attracted to the rebel cause. The only answer is a two party state honoured on both sides and, as Merv says, the removal of illegal settlements in Palestinian lands.

[Stephen]

I watched this this morning and felt her despair. Awful situation

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c0577700gjdo

[Onelife]

Its fine taking the moral high ground in this situation but the reality is that there will never be a two-state system while Hamas are in control.
Sir Merv, I do not wonder why Hamas hate Israelis, neither do I condone the killing of innocent civilians. I do understand how hatred can manifest itself to a point where people do the most despicable things, as was the case on Oct 7th and is the case in Gaza now. If there is ever to be a two-state arrangement, Gaza will have to have the means to be self-sufficient, one where they are not dependent on Israel to survive. Can this be achieved while Hamas and Netanyahu are in control? absolutely not, can it be achieved with a more moderate thinking leadership on both sides, possibly, but I doubt it. Most wars have an end game but in the Middle East this couldn’t be further from the truth…conflict appears to be a constant theme where tribal, religious and cultural disputes are part of its identity…Gaza I’m afraid is a casualty of the power grabs that exist within that region…. it’s just that Israel are more powerful because we in the West have got rich by supplying the weaponry for this to continue.

[david63]

Can somebody please tell me how this is justifiable - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp8djlg3zq5o

[oldbluefox]

It's not. You cannot justify anything as horrific and needless as this.

[Onelife]

It can't, but neither can I understand how the slaughter of innocent men, women, children and babies (Oct 7th) can be justified either.

I think we need to face the reality that Gaza, and its peoples have been left alone by all who say they support a free Palestine.

Whether we like it or not “Palestine” now remains in name only and will, in my opinion never return to being a stronghold of terrorists. The best thing that can happen now is that all those countries who support Gaza (of which there are quite a few) should open their boarders and their countries and allow these displaced peoples in.

The rights and its wrongs of this conflict will be written in our history books.

[towny44]

It can't, but neither can I understand how the slaughter of innocent men, women, children and babies (Oct 7th) can be justified either.

I think we need to face the reality that Gaza, and its peoples have been left alone by all who say they support a free Palestine.

Whether we like it or not “Palestine” now remains in name only and will, in my opinion never return to being a stronghold of terrorists. The best thing that can happen now is that all those countries who support Gaza (of which there are quite a few) should open their boarders and their countries and allow these displaced peoples in.

The rights and its wrongs of this conflict will be written in our history books.

If we are going on numbers alone, then Israel are leading by a massive margin, and unless you can justify why Israeli lives are dozens of times more important than Palestinian lives, the rest of your arguments are worthless.

[Onelife]

I know I talk a load of crap on occasions but there’s no need for you to come down to that level.

[Ranchi]

Saw this from Andrew Neil
“In 55 years of covering politics, l've never accused any UK government of routinely telling untruths. But Starmer & Co have taken lying and gaslighting to a deplorable level.”

I began to wonder, were politicians more trustworthy and honourable in the past? I remember Harold Wilson’ ‘the pound in your pocket claim’ and even as a teenager I saw the limitations of that statement. (& AN has clearly overlooked Boris & his pals.) In general though,I remember being of the opinion that politicians mainly stood by their word; or was that just the naivety of youth compared with the cynicism of age?
Of course there have been massive changes in the way that the media have reported political issues.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Whether we like it or not “Palestine” now remains in name only and will, in my opinion never return to being a stronghold of terrorists.

So there is no need for Israel to continue attacking hospitals and schools and killing innocent people then.

[Onelife]

Whether we like it or not “Palestine” now remains in name only and will, in my opinion never return to being a stronghold of terrorists.

So there is no need for Israel to continue attacking hospitals and schools and killing innocent people then.

In the situation Gaza finds itself in I would have thought the best way to bring this carnage to an end would be if Hamas returned the hostages and lay down their arms. (Not sure how many Hamas terrorists would avoid a bullet but that is no concern to me) It would be difficult for Israel to carry on the bombing under such circumstances, but that is not to say they won’t carry on and claim Gaza as its own territory.

[Onelife]

Saw this from Andrew Neil
“In 55 years of covering politics, l've never accused any UK government of routinely telling untruths. But Starmer & Co have taken lying and gaslighting to a deplorable level.”

I began to wonder, were politicians more trustworthy and honourable in the past? I remember Harold Wilson’ ‘the pound in your pocket claim’ and even as a teenager I saw the limitations of that statement. (& AN has clearly overlooked Boris & his pals.) In general though,I remember being of the opinion that politicians mainly stood by their word; or was that just the naivety of youth compared with the cynicism of age?
Of course there have been massive changes in the way that the media have reported political issues.

Unfurtunatly mistruths have become part and parcel of our political system. It’s a learnt behaviour, one from which survival is their ultimate goal… and one where political integrity is controlled by the media.

[Mervyn and Trish]

BBC News - Israel announces major expansion of settlements in occupied West Bank
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1j5954edlno

So as it flattens part of the Palestinian homeland israel increases its illegal occupation of the other. And wonders why the Palestinians hate them and allies are becoming impatient.

[Stephen]

Looks like they make their own rules as they go along.

Trump tariffs can stay in place for now, appeals court rules https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c93ywvl7yy5o

[Ray B]

Another busy day expected today, Sunday, with the migrant boats ?

[oldbluefox]

Another busy day expected today, Sunday, with the migrant boats ?

Good amount of overtime for Border Force ferrying them in.

[Onelife]

Not to mention the £millions spent on the French to wave them goodbye

[Stephen]

The hotels over here must be coining it in.

More than 1,000 migrants cross Channel in a day https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyqze17q9do

[Onelife]

The hotels over here must be coining it in.

More than 1,000 migrants cross Channel in a day https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyqze17q9do

Put me in charge and I would have it sorted within a month…we have this stupid idea that the French are trying to prevent theses crossings

Short, sharp, no-nonsense approach is the only thing that is going to stop these illegal immigrants entering our country.
We are going to rue the day we allowed this to happen, not only because of the cost implications but also because of what it is doing to the very fabric of society in this country.

[david63]

Looks as if someone has been reading the Trump diplomacy manual

[Onelife]

Looks as if someone has been reading the Trump diplomacy manual

Unfurtunatly diplomacy often gets in the way of simple common sence.

I want the Great Britain to be great again!