Current Affairs Israel is an apartheid state

[Yarrgh]

And how would you describe Hamas ?…….

The abandoned houses on Anfield Road?

 

[Martin Alvito]

I am not happy to turn a blind eye to any abuse of Palestinians or Israelis. However people have been excusing Hamas basically saying that it was purely the fault of Israel that a terrorist group killed, mutilated and took as hostages men, women and children…which I think is offensive to ordinary people…..

I don't think anyone informed would argue that the result is purely the Israeli government's fault. They didn't create the hatred on the other side of the fence, and more rational governments than Bibi's extended substantive olive branches that were rejected. The irony of the decision by Israel to bankroll the nascent Hamas is that it probably drove Arafat to the bargaining table, but also rendered it impossible for him to make anything Israel would offer stick.

What Israel's government has done through its actions prior to the incident is cede any possible moral high ground. They're doubling down as we speak. Iran's Supreme Leader (Khamenei) came out today and, after accusing the Israelis of ethnic cleansing, said this, "All parties should refrain from asking anyone to prevent a group from taking steps in response to the crimes of the Zionists."

The Israeli government is unifying previously splintered adversaries right now. Their actions are at least comprehensible on a human, emotional level. They're in shock, they're angry and they're lashing out. In principle, we elect leaders in a democratic fashion to elevate people to leadership who are above giving into those baser impulses. In practice, it doesn't seem to work that way, and hasn't since the advent of television. Reality is that politicians use emotional appeals to a populace to get elected these days, and it shouldn't surprise us that people who are good at that often are not good at thinking rationally under pressure.

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Multiple stories coming out from families with family members, some multiple, kidnapped by Hamas. If a mediating voice isn't found it'll be a miracle if any of these people come out alive, but that Bibi will be hell bent on vengence.

10 family members descended from a Holocaust escapee are missing after Hamas kibbutz slaughter

Shira Havron's grandfather fled Germany in the lead-up to WWII and founded a kibbutz in Israel. Seventy-six years later it became ground zero for a terrorist massacre.

www.nbcnews.com

"Terrorists invaded their home": Wynnewood woman described moment 5 family members were kidnapped by Hamas

A local Israeli-American described the moments five family members were kidnapped in Israel by terrorists. Two are still missing.

www.cbsnews.com

Israel-Hamas war: Family of hostages speaks to Sky News' The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee

Israel says 199 hostages are currently being held in Gaza.

news.sky.com

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www.cnn.com

 

[Goat]

Guardian cartoonist Steve Bell sacked after Benjamin Netanyahu sketch

Steve Bell's cartoon showed the Israeli prime minister preparing to operate on his own stomach wearing boxing gloves, where an outline of the Gaza Strip could be seen with the caption "residents of Gaza, get out now".

news.sky.com

@Goat

Look at what your fearless Guardian is doing now...

...in the pocket of the Establishment doing their bidding for the muesli-eating nu-reactionaries.

DONT find yourself by accident that you've become a part of this movement.

Im keeping myself safe Comrade.

 

[TheFinnFan]

Israel - the Kopites of geo-politics.

Stupid shout.

 

[wm02]

I loathe the way people seem to pick a side in this conflict and act like it's a football match, and can only deal with absolutes.

Israel is undoubtedly the oppressor, but what about the corrupting effect the Occupation has on Israeli youth? Chucking 18 year olds dosed up on propaganda into a place like Gaza. Being asked to protect the lunatics in Hebron etc. You meet so many Israelis travelling who are mindblown by it, or running away to avoid being drafted again. It's really sad.

What about the fact that prior to the Occupation, Palestine had one of the most Westernised, Eurocentic, best educated Arab populations?

What about the fact that a fair bit of Palestinian employment is with Israeli companies?

What about the fact that Hamas doesn't control the majority of Palestinian Territory - The West Bank? Yet people talk like Hamas is the sole representative of the Palestinian people.

What about realising that many of those Palestinians that do vote for Hamas do so not because of its commitment to destroy Israel, but because of its seeming lack of corruption when compared to the PLO, and its ability to get things done within Palestinian society?

What about the at least 100 years or so of history you need to read to really get a handle on this conflict. Not what happened yesterday or whatever?

The whole situation is properly messed up like a plate of scrambled eggs, the two peoples' histories are far more entwined than many would can accept, and the continued nullification of the other's national story by the other will only lead to a continued cycle of bloodshed.

Again, the real battle is between people who want to coexist together and really "make the desert bloom", and those who'd rather kill each other.

Stated very eloquently!

 

[Tin-Tin]

Multiple stories coming out from families with family members, some multiple, kidnapped by Hamas. If a mediating voice isn't found it'll be a miracle if any of these people come out alive, but that Bibi will be hell bent on vengence.

10 family members descended from a Holocaust escapee are missing after Hamas kibbutz slaughter

Shira Havron's grandfather fled Germany in the lead-up to WWII and founded a kibbutz in Israel. Seventy-six years later it became ground zero for a terrorist massacre.

www.nbcnews.com

"Terrorists invaded their home": Wynnewood woman described moment 5 family members were kidnapped by Hamas

A local Israeli-American described the moments five family members were kidnapped in Israel by terrorists. Two are still missing.

www.cbsnews.com

Israel-Hamas war: Family of hostages speaks to Sky News' The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee

Israel says 199 hostages are currently being held in Gaza.

news.sky.com

Loading…

www.cnn.com

Heartbreaking. Fingers crossed they all return home safely. God knows what mental scars they will be left with even if they do.

 

[Walken]

Folk in here 'understand' Israel's response.

Israel-Hamas war: Gaza's only cancer hospital forced to close - as Israel bombs area where it told Palestinians to flee

Israel has bombed areas of southern Gaza where it told Palestinians to flee ahead of an expected invasion, killing dozens of people. The Israeli military said it was targeting Hamas hideouts, infrastructure and command centres.

news.sky.com

 

[Tramps_mate]

Things will probably move now that Blinken is back with Netanyahu, who didn't look to happy when he addressed the Knesset. Blinkens tour around the capitals of some Middle East countries will give him an indication of how the land lies.
There will undoubtedly have been back channel discussions in Qatar, with Hamas who have their headquarters there.

Considering Blinken fears China's growing influence in the world, he asked them to use, 'their influece', no doubt in an attempt to not only guage what Iran will really do, but what will Hezbollah do.

According to some reports, the reason the IDF haven't gone into Gaza yet, is that fear that Hezbollah will get involved with its stockpile of 40 000 plus missiles and a battle hardened miltary wing.

Then there's the thorny issue of what will Iran and Syria do. Iraq anti US militias top brass visited Hezbollah last week. The Houthis in Yemen have threatened to get involved.

According to some reports there are 6 000 Palestinian men and women in Israeli jails. Hamas wants them released in exchange for the hostages they have.

As is usual with the whoever is in government, they have to seem to 'have a victory' of some sorts, or at least dressed up as 'a victory'.
Attitudes in the Arab capitals Blinken visited, these are the ones considered moderate by the US, or where they have some semblance of influence, will determine how this plays out. A miscalculation by Netanyahu, like his stupid stunt at the UN, to antagonise the Palestinians, and play to the reactionary nutters in Israel, where he held up a map of Israel that fully incorpoates the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem and who knows where we'll end up.

I've been thinking about this.

From what we knew, the IDF were due to 'go in' last weekend. The fact they have held off suggests they've been stopped.

My guess is the US have told them to hold back to gauge the neighbouring countries.

I think as you said, there are a few neighbours that wont be very happy if Israel invade Gaza.

The fact that Biden is on his way there tomorrow suggests its quite serious now.

I think if they do invade Gaza then like you say, Hezbollah, Yemen, Jordan, Syria etc may well all have something to say about it..

 

[Spadge Vernacular]

Heartbreaking. Fingers crossed they all return home safely. God knows what mental scars they will be left with even if they do.

The entire situation is one huge horrific mess isn't it. People on all sides, all faiths and creeds getting totallly terrorised and screwed over. Let's hope the voices of the families of all affected are being listened to by the political class and traditional rulers.

 

[mightymoyes]

I've been thinking about this.

From what we knew, the IDF were due to 'go in' last weekend. The fact they have held off suggests they've been stopped.

My guess is the US have told them to hold back to gauge the neighbouring countries.

I think as you said, there are a few neighbours that wont be very happy if Israel invade Gaza.

The fact that Biden is on his way there tomorrow suggests its quite serious now.

I think if they do invade Gaza then like you say, Hezbollah, Yemen, Jordan, Syria etc may well all have something to say about it..

that and they've probably realised they are grossly unprepared for what it would involve.
going through the remnants of blown up buildings is a bit different to shooting the kids and journalists that they're used to.

 

[Tin-Tin]

I've been thinking about this.

From what we knew, the IDF were due to 'go in' last weekend. The fact they have held off suggests they've been stopped.

My guess is the US have told them to hold back to gauge the neighbouring countries.

I think as you said, there are a few neighbours that wont be very happy if Israel invade Gaza.

The fact that Biden is on his way there tomorrow suggests its quite serious now.

I think if they do invade Gaza then like you say, Hezbollah, Yemen, Jordan, Syria etc may well all have something to say about it..

They need to prioritise getting the hostages back and protecting their people from further attacks first. Any chance of getting those poor people back has to be taken.

Then surely you have to have a strategic plan, not just act like your playing the latest COD in order to be seen to be 'doing something'. Not sure the actions taken at the minute are helping these hostages at all.

 

[Martin Alvito]

They need to prioritise getting the hostages back and protecting their people from further attacks first. Any chance of getting those poor people back has to be taken.

Then surely you have to have a strategic plan, not just act like your playing the latest COD in order to be seen to be 'doing something'. Not sure the actions taken at the minute are helping these hostages at all.

They're not. Those hostages are drinking the brackish water, short of food and deprived of proper medical supplies, same as everyone else in there. Those captives are not likely to have nice things to say about the Israeli government, once they learn the why behind what happened to them.

I agree with the read that the German Chancellor is there, and Biden is on the way there, because they're the strongest possible voices for restraint. If your staunchest allies show up and tell you they won't be able to support you on this path going forward, it often gets people to listen. That's the concept behind an intervention.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

dont forget a lot of these Israeli apologists are in their pocket, possibly the most widespread propaganda operation the world has ever seen.

The apologist outside Jewish people enjoy the bloodshed it feeds into their right wing agenda and narrative. Simple measure is applied as they always ask condone what Hama's did this time or last... Which of course is duly and rightly done, but wont get them ever condoning Israel state response or actions on Gaza civilian.




And If I were Biden I’d keep my security detail very very close and not assume that Netanyahu would cry genuine tears if the US President befell an accident “attributable” to Hamas. Netanyahu is a gangster and he thinks with gangster logic.

Biden to visit Israel as concerns grow over conflict escalating

The US president will stress "ironclad" support for Israel's security when he visits on Wednesday.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Tramps_mate]

I wonder why our media doesn't care as much when these exact things happen in places like Africa??

276 children kidnapped in Nigeria. 9 Years later 98 still missing...

Nigeria: Nine years after Chibok girls’ abducted, authorities failing to protect children

Nine years after Boko Haram abducted 276 students from a girls’ school in Chibok, 98 girls are still being held by the militant group.

www.amnesty.org

156 civilians massacred by army in Burkina Faso this year..

Burkina Faso: Army Linked to Massacre of 156 Civilians

Burkina Faso authorities should ensure an independent and impartial inquiry into the summary executions of at least 156 civilians by alleged military forces on April 20, 2023. Unlawful killings of civilians by Islamist armed groups and Burkinabè armed forces have spiked since 2022, exacerbating...

www.hrw.org

Strange how our News broadcasters quickly forget these events...