Israel

[River Don]

So the Israelis turf Palestinian families out of their homes to make way for Jewish settlers. And they prevent Palestinians from celebrating in their traditional manner.

Is there any wonder there is anger?

Yet Biden says Israel has a right to defend itself!

I don't mind admitting, I'm a bit disappointed in that response.

[Filo]

The problem is if anyone calls out Isreal for their acts of terror they are labeled Anti semite

[albie]

The UK sells arms to Israel, despite its illegal occupation of the Palestinian West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem since 1967.

From 2014-2018, the UK issued Single Individual Export Licenses (SIELs) for arms sales to Israel to a value of £361 Million.

We are not just turning a blind eye, we are profiting from the actions of the aggressor.
It is shameful.

[ravenrover]

I liked The summary from James Cleverly this morning Minister for Middle East and N Africa, do they just make these positions up as they go along, Hamas are firing rockets  indiscriminately into Israel and the Israelies are defending themselves. No mention of the cause of this conflict but straight away backing Israel

[SydneyRover]

The Jewish lobby is extremely powerful in the US ..... and other places, I will never knowingly buy Israeli goods.

[SydneyRover]

''Jews Against the Occupation: 'The time for impunity for Israel is over'''

''As with the apartheid regime in South Africa, it is time for the whole world to join Israeli human rights organisation B’Tselem and Human Rights Watch in identifying the State of Israel as an apartheid regime''

https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/jews-against-occupation-time-impunity-israel-over

[normal rules]

The growing U.S. support for the Israeli government, like U.S. support for allies elsewhere in the world, is not motivated primarily by objective security needs or a strong moral commitment to the country. Rather, as elsewhere, U.S. foreign policy is motivated primarily to advance its own perceived strategic interests.
Let’s not forget Israel goes toe to toe with its neighbouring Syria, a regime funded by the Russians. The US don’t need to much of an excuse to help them.m

[SydneyRover]

The US has pretty much always supported Israel NR

[River Don]

The US has pretty much always supported Israel NR

There is a powerful Jewish lobby there.

[SydneyRover]

Agreed

[selby]

  Funny that Syd, I now seek out things like their grapes in the supermarket or even Egyptian faith doesn't come into it but never buy Spanish or EU now.
  Oh and don't ever need the use of a top lawyer,  barrister, or banker.

[SydneyRover]

Faith or religion doesn't figure in my decisions about Israel either selby

[MachoMadness]

Israel has today bombed press offices containing al Jazeera, associated press, the BBC, among others. They also bombed a refugee camp, killing at least 8 kids.

Let's not sidetrack this thread into talk of the "Jewish lobby". Most Jews have nothing to do with the war crimes being committed by Israel.

[BillyStubbsTears]

This is what generations of propaganda does.
https://mobile.twitter.com/EmpireFiles/status/1393015740291162120

This is the reality.

https://mobile.twitter.com/_ishals/status/1393211693841502208

[SydneyRover]

Israel has today bombed press offices containing al Jazeera, associated press, the BBC, among others. They also bombed a refugee camp, killing at least 8 kids.

Let's not sidetrack this thread into talk of the "Jewish lobby". Most Jews have nothing to do with the war crimes being committed by Israel.

Old but true ''the first casualty of war is truth'' the Israelis want to reduce media access to the death and destruction.

Those vox pops on the twitter (bst post) links are shockers but shows the indifference many have for human rights.

Added

''''Israeli forces destroy media outlets' Gaza base, says it housed 'Hamas military intelligence'''

Wouldn't you think that the Israelis would want to neutralise the centre of operations first, if it was so vital to Hamas? or in fact anything to do with Hamas, unlikely in my view that the world's media would compromise themselves by occupying a building containing a floor or more of military intelligence.

[BobG]

I'm old enough to remember the 6 Day War in 1967. Excluding the Arab nations, Israel had the sympathy of the entire world. It really did. Little old Israel ganged up on by big, nasty Egypt and Syria and Jordan. When Israel wiped the floor with all three of 'em, the world rejoiced. Yet in the space of a generation and a half Israel became the most loathed nation on Earth. They pretend a democracy. They pretend to be none nuclear. They pretend to be law abiding. They pretend they don't spend billions maintaining and publicising the history of Nazi genocide. They pretend they don't operate state sponsored kidnap and murder. They pretend they don't spend more billions to ensure weak minded congressmen and senators in the USA continue to provide unthinking and uninterrupted support. They pretend to be led by statesmen and women. They pretend to care for the Arabs in their midst.

The truth, of course, is that Israel is a murderous, aggressive, hypocritical and violent nation with no ability whatsoever to use its collective intellect to think its way out of its problems. And that, of course, is despite there being 2 very public examples of solutions being found to exactly similar problems elsewhere in the world: the Sendero Luminoso in Colombia and Northern Ireland.  They have been led by a succession of terrorists and murderers and now they are led by someone to whom the stink of corruption clings ever tighter. When the Israeli right wing fundamentalist murdered their sole leader with both balls and brains, Yitzhak Rabin, he murdered an entire nation. They have produced no one of vision, of leadership, since.

A shameful country. An abomination on the planet.

And yes. I work with some very pleasant Israelis. Like every other nation, individuals can be great - but the body politic can still be rotten.

BobG

[SydneyRover]

Yep, sent some money to 'Friends of Palestine' a peace organisation only yesterday.

[Axholme Lion]

Yep, sent some money to 'Friends of Palestine' a peace organisation only yesterday.

How many AK47s did it pay for?

[SydneyRover]

And probably send some more today

[selby]

  It's called a scam Syd.

[SydneyRover]

  It's called a scam Syd.

Are you saying good friends of mine that belong to this organisation based in Australia are scammers, without knowing the first or last thing about it?

Hook jammed in your arse again selby

[Axholme Lion]

  It's called a scam Syd.

Are you saying good friends of mine that belong to this organisation based in Australia are scammers, without knowing the first or last thing about it?

Hook jammed in your arse again selby

Better than a terrorists bullet.
Sounds like Yanks raising money for the IRA because their great,great,grandad came from Donegal.

[SydneyRover]

best stick to what you know aye AL, car parts and millwall

[MachoMadness]

It does feel like the tide is turning a little. Now social media is more widespread, the public can actually see what's happening on the ground. We can see for ourselves that Israeli police instigated this with their shameful actions at Al Aqsa mosque a week or so ago. We can see that Israel is bombing civilians indiscriminately and then claiming it was a Hamas base after the fact. I can't help but feel the incident at Al Aqsa was intentional, designed to incite a war and give Israel a good excuse to trim down the Arab population. As well as helping Netanyahu's poll numbers of course.

[SydneyRover]

Netanyahu is looking for someway to distract from the corruption charges and to boost his chances of forming a government, what better way?

A bit disappointed in Biden very slow off the mark to call for a ceasefire.

[idler]

It seems stupidly counterproductive as far as being popular or gaining any sympathy for Israel goes.
The repercussions could go on for some time as well.

[MachoMadness]

It seems stupidly counterproductive as far as being popular or gaining any sympathy for Israel goes.
The repercussions could go on for some time as well.

They don't much care about popular sympathy. They'll always have the backing of the UK and USA no matter what they do. The IDF bombed roads leading to Gaza's hospitals - a clear war crime, but they still have the support of the west. And it helps Netanyahu fire up his base too - he's known to be a crook which stops him getting an outright majority, which is why the Israeli govt keeps collapsing. Killing a few Arabs always helps boost his poll numbers at a time when he desperately needs it.

[Sprotyrover]

Netanyahu is looking for someway to distract from the corruption charges and to boost his chances of forming a government, what better way?

A bit disappointed in Biden very slow off the mark to call for a ceasefire.

For a ceasefire to happen you need both sides to stop firing, a process which seems lost on some of the Posters on here!

[Sprotyrover]

It seems stupidly counterproductive as far as being popular or gaining any sympathy for Israel goes.
The repercussions could go on for some time as well.

They don't much care about popular sympathy. They'll always have the backing of the UK and USA no matter what they do. The IDF bombed roads leading to Gaza's hospitals - a clear war crime, but they still have the support of the west. And it helps Netanyahu fire up his base too - he's known to be a crook which stops him getting an outright majority, which is why the Israeli govt keeps collapsing. Killing a few Arabs always helps boost his poll numbers at a time when he desperately needs it.

Very one sided post! I take it you don't think Hamas firing hundreds of Missiles at Ireali citizens is a war crime, by the way who started the bombardments....Hamas

[MachoMadness]

And why are Hamas in power in Gaza? Why would the Palestinians turn to hardline extremists in the first place? Because Israel enforces apartheid, removing their democratic rights until the only option available to them is violence.

Hamas undoubtedly share some of the blame, but keep it in perspective. Hamas have rockets, but Israel has planes, tanks, nukes, advanced firearms, well-drilled ground troops... and so on. Hamas fire indiscriminately because they don't have any targeting systems, but Israel do it because they choose to. For every Israeli killed - which is tragic - 10+ Palestinians are killed. Israel forces Palestinians from their homes, sometimes by force, with no recourse, then bulldozes encampments when the Arabs have the temerity to set up tents just so they have somewhere to live. And you wonder why they turn to Hamas? Israel is the occupying force and have no interest in showing restraint or protecting civilians in their care. And the world is noticing.

It was a one-sided post, but then this is a mostly one-sided issue. You can't both sides this one.