A demonstration at the Israeli embassy in London
Israeli reserve units have been sent to Gaza but Israel denies this is a new phase of attacks. Army officials said the reserve units were there to refresh troops,not to escalate the conflict.
On Sunday the Israeli Prime minister Ehud Olmert said Israel is nearing its Gaza goals but did not mention a potential end of the strikes. In this article Chris McGreal discusses the definition of Victory; is it to stop Hamas firing rockets? Is it a deterrent ?
What does Israeli want? And if they are – as they say – nearing the goals in Gaza do Israelis who’ve suffered 8 years of rocket attacks feel safer now than 17 days ago? And for those in Gaza who have voted for Hamas, are they still backing the people they voted in ?
Both Hamas and Israel have ignored the UN resolution calling for an end to the war. Rockets continue to be fired from Gaza and Israeli airstrikes and ground operations continue
Israel says it carried out 12 overnight air strikes. One rocket attack was reported from Gaza on Monday.
Meanwhile world wide protests continued in Pakistan, Egypt, The Philippines, Spain, Belgium, Lebanon and the UK just to name a few. Some of them ended violently.
Apart from injuries and arrests the other by-product is the fact that life stands still for those who live in the areas where protests are held. Here in the UK residents near the Israeli embassy in Kensington, wests London have called for the protests to be moved following recent violence.
The local residents’ association, said life had become a “nightmare” since demonstrations began two weeks ago.So, heated feelings and anger aside, what are these demonstrations actually achieving and how are they helping end the violence in Gaza? Are the Gaza demonstrations doing more harm than good?
Have you taken part in a demonstration to end the violence in Gaza and Israel? Do you feel it will make a difference? If Hamas and Israeli have shown that they don’t listen to the UN, why do you think they’ll listen to you?
Finally media coverage of such conflicts is an ongoing issue, in this article John Kampfner argues that trying to reach a balanced coverage on the Gaza conflict has weakened the BBC. What do you think?
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What goal was that? If their goal was to kill women and children, they’ve done well. If they wanted to alienate people around the world, it’s been an amazing success. If they wanted to solidify the support for Hamas then they’ve had a rip roaring success.
However, if they wanted to stop the rockets falling on Israeli soil or neutralise Hamas as a political and military force then this has to go down as one of the stupidest campaigns in Israeli history.
Hi WHYS, I sinerely think that the Israeli-Palestinian problem will not be solved during our time! The issues are so complex that it only places Israel in better position as Hamas and radical islamists fuel the conflict by trying to ‘resist’ Israel. They will never win! They only need to politely talk to Israel. That’s it!
Walter in Entebbe, Uganda
London, Tehran efforts to establish a ceasefire in Gaza is nothing less that a miracle. Tehran has close ties with Hamas and London, the centre of EU diplomacy, is anxious for a timely, quick and durable peace between Hamas and Israel.
If, as BBC reported, US President Elect Obama is committed to justice and “not ruling out prosecution for possible crimes committed by Bush administration officials,” that completes the picture: There is still hope for mankind.
I would have taken part in any non violent demostrations and that because I dont believe in violence.
Are they nearing the goal? It depends on what the “goal” is. If the goal is to bring peace and/or security to Gaza, they couldn’t be any farther away from it than they are now.
Israel may have neared its military goals in Gaza by destroying Hamas weapon infrastructure and killing many of its members. However its objective to destroy Hamas altogether can’t be guaranteed as it is now in the hearts and minds of the Palestinians who still sympathize with it.
Goals can be reached if all sides can achieve permanent peace and live side by side. It’s still early for any side to claim victory. For Hamas whatever the result for Israel assault will be a victory as ,according to it, it is the only one capable of facing Israel militarily while other Arab states don’t have the nerve to stand to it.
Demonstrations will go on for or against Israel. They are up to now just hollow sounds as they are unlikely to influence the events. Israel has Gaza as its field. Hamas has southern Israel as its field. Demonstrators have the streets as the field to voice their protests and support. The gaol to have each side satisfied and ready to negotiate is still unattainable.
” NEARLY everything you’ve been led to believe about Gaza is wrong. Below are a few essential points that seem to be missing from the conversation, much of which has taken place in the press, about Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.
THE GAZANS Most of the people living in Gaza are not there by choice. The majority of the 1.5 million people crammed into the roughly 140 square miles of the Gaza Strip belong to families that came from towns and villages outside Gaza like Ashkelon and Beersheba. They were driven to Gaza by the Israeli Army in 1948
Gaza is a very very big prison.
Israeli/Palistinian Conflict is in the news again with the usual gore and blood. Today I listened to President Bush’s press conference and on questions regarding the ongoing war I did not hear him refer to Palestinians as having any reason to fight Israel, to him peace will be achieved when Hamas stops firing rockets at Israel. I did hope to hear a reference to the UN Resolution after the 1967 War where the future border between Israel and Palestine was drawn. The world should punish whoever does not respect that decision.
With regard to the Israeli reserves, everything I’ve read all
weekend said that they were being called up for Phase 3, so I don’t know
why the above essay reports that Israel denies this is a new phase of
the conflict. Such an accusation provocatively calls Israel a collective
liar. For the record, if Hamas does not stand down, I’ve read that Phase
4 is the dismantling of Hamas and the re-occupation of Gaza.
I have to agree with those who say BBC’s coverage of this
whole affair is biased against Israel. At best, it’s a naive,
flower-child-wannabe attitude dating back to the peace movement of the
Vietnam War which says that all war is wrong-even in self-defense-and
that even one civilian death is intolerable. At worst, it is a
disguised, 21st century version of antisemitism.
It is BBC’s “disproportionate” coverage of the Gaza conflict that has
weakened it, not an attempt to be balanced (which I believe does not
even exist).
It is difficult to know what Israel’s goals are in Gaza. Stop the rockets? Destroy Hamas? Collective punishment against the people of Gaza for their support of Hamas as a way of deterring further resistance against occupation?
For Hamas, the only goal of this war is to survive. They will wait until Israel declares victory and then they will fire a rocket at Israel in defiance. If Hamas survive, they will forever be ingrained in the minds of Arabs as brave heros capable of fighting Israel and will be symbols of resistance, such as Hezbollah is.
There is another casualty of these wars (Israel vs Palestine, US vs Iraq etc). The Arab streets reject the imperialism of Israel and it’s Western allies and their wars against the Arabs. The Arab leaders/dictators, cooperate in the wars against the Arab people. The distance between pro-West Dictators and the pro-Arab Street is growing ever wider. Inevitably there will be a breaking point where the dictatorship is toppled. This will almost inevitably be done by extremists (i.e. a repetition of the Operation Ajax and Iran revolution theme). Peace will become almost impossible.
While Israel believes it is achieving the short-term goals of destroying Hamas resistance in Gaza, it’s brute force approach and resulting mass civilian casualties are pushing moderates towards extremism and closing the window for a peaceful resolution to the greater conflict.
As for the demonstrations, they are important. They send a message to our own leaders that their support for the occupation of Palestine is unnacceptable as is their demands for an end to the resistance. Our governments have a tendancy to support dictators and even supported appartheid in South Africa. We have a duty to voice our opposition to our politicians and demand they be held accountable to our traditions of freedom and justice.
I think these protests have been frightening but good. Good because we begin to see an important face of a segment of immigrant society that has been accepted into most Western countries.
This element quickly becomes violent and recommends the genocide to a whole people. Astoundingly not only are such protests permitted, but many a pandering politician is to be found supporting the cause or directing joining the protests. (One may hope such politicians are only pandering.)
While Western societies are welcoming to such immigrants and open to freedom of expression, one would hope they would not be so completely accomodating to messages of genocide, violence and intimidation to another part of their population and a world people.
Stop the war, peace, or even statements of criminality of war participants or politicians are certainly fair game. Slaughter the Jews and send the Jews back to the ovens certainly cannot be construed to be so.
One would hope at least the media and politicians would take such statements to task. Such hope would appear to be somewhat in vain so far.
– Blogging at Mystical Paths – http://mysticalpaths.blogspot.com
Israel should continue bombing and killing armed people until Egypt and their ilk promise to destroy all illegal smuggling of rockets and weapons into the Gaza strip, which are obviously going to be used to attack Israel.
Too bad about civilians being hurt and killed as a consequence of electing the terrorist Hamas to power.
Remember….Palistinians sang and danced in the streets when we were suffering some 3,000 innocent civilians killed in our streets.
Americans are not happy with innocent people being killed in Gaza. But are the terrorists to just be given hands off status, because they position their own innocent civilians to be hurt and killed.
Sorry, Israel is right on this and they should continue to really defeat the enemy once and for all.
troop
Have you taken part in a demonstration to end the violence in Gaza and Israel?
[NO, I have not taken part in the protests against the violence....
Do you feel it will make a difference? [In reality they make a very modify difference....]
If Hamas and Israeli have shown that they don’t listen to the UN, why do you think they’ll listen to you?
[They will not listen to me, so, I am not going to waste my time protesting on this….
~Dennis Junior~
With Israel having the fourth strongest military force in the world and the Palestinians being one of the poorest nations, asking the Palestinians to cease their hostility (as Israel does) before there is a cease fire, is akin to asking a battered woman in the midst of receiving the beating of her life to stop struggling if she wants the beating to stop.
Regarding the article from the GUARDIAN….I have to agreed with his remarks about the media coverage of this story….
~Dennis Junior~
Does Hamas have a legitimate grouse against Israel? Apparently–on the ground that Israel is an occupying force that denies Gazans their freedom?
Does Hamas have any legitimate ground for denying the right of existence of Israel?
Apparently–on the basis that previous acknowledgment by other Arab states of Israel’s right to exist seems to have retarded, rather than advanced the goal of a Palestinian state.
What makes Hamas a terrorist organisation? Apparently, its resort to violent measures akin to those used by erstwhile terrorist organisations, such as the ANC in South Africa during the apartheid era.
What is the likely effect of the attacks on Gaza? Apparently, widespread sympathy and support for Hamas–or, at least, virulent antipathy toward the Israelis.
The veiled suggestion that Gazan civilians are legitimate targets due to (a majority of) them having voted for Hamas begs the question as to the legitimacy of targetting USA citizens (the majority(?) of whom voted for George W. Bush).
Penultimately, avid listeners to BBC WS will recall Alan Johnston’s release from captivity last year and the role that Hamas played in it. According to the Hamas spokesman, Alan Johnston was a balanced reporter and a friend of Hamas.
Finally, one is left to ponder Israel’s status should USA become unwilling and/or unable to defend its outlawry.
What Goal?
When it is used to the detriment of others
Are the Gaza demonstrations doing more harm than good? [I think that the demonstrations regarding Gaza and its on-going problems is doing them no harm to a point right now...But, in the longer term, it will be harming your cause....]
What is the goal of Israel?
~Dennis Junior~
In my opinion, Israel is legitime to defend of Hamas and everything represents with their rockets attaking Israel territory.
It is difficult to understand that some Palestinian people are accompliced of Hamas, they voted them , they knew who they were, where they lived and their rocket placed (between civilian people, childs, women and ancient people). They have always been used as human shields and now the most innocent people are killed, paying the silence and permission of the Palestinian people with Hamas.
So that, and I repeat, in my opinion, Israel is legitime to save its territory and Israeli people using the military forces if it is necessary. Who wouldn´t do that?
The clear definition of victory is not only for Hamas to stop firing rockets which are less since the war started, it is also that Hamas ceases their terrorist activities and is no longer capable to function with impunity, smuggle rockets and arms from Iran and Syria and carry out various terrorist acts including human bombers into Israel, for that reason Israel closed its borders between Gaza and Israel. How can any country allow terrorists to cross their borders and continue their despicable acts. Its all very well for the leader of Hamas who have openly stated he seeks the distruction of the soverign state of Israel and at the same time state as a condition to stop the rockets firing, Israel should open the borders. He is either insane or living in a world of fantasy.
For the U.N calling for an end to the war, is merely for Hamas to regroup and continue with more of the same which they will do for sure.
Surely, the Zionists were granted control over their part of the land of Palestine on condition they would respect the rights of the original inhabitants.
Surely, Israel, through its massive inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people over the years (of which the current Gaza invasion is the latest example), has broken that trust.
Surely, therefore, the Zionists no longer deserve to exclusively occupy the land.
Surely, the state of Israel should be dissolved and greater Palestine (Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip) be turned into a single and secular multi-racial state with equal rights for Palestinians and Zionists.
Also, we should question the very legitimacy of a twenty-first century sectarian state. When virtually every other advanced country is learning to become secular and multi-racial, silly little Israel clings to the anachronistic idea of being a single religious / racial state.
It’s interesting to speculate on how much trouble could have been avoided if the Palestinian people were given the respect they were due as the original inhabitants of the land. Would Islamic terrorism even have emerged?
James Beaumont
Australia
RE “” According to the Hamas spokesman, Alan Johnston was a balanced reporter and a friend of Hamas. “”
——————————————————————————————————————————————
—————- Johnston was the only western reporter foolish enough to risk his hide in the lawless territories.
That any Palestinian supporter has to use Johnston as a means to reaffirm Hamas shows a blinkered understanding of the issues. Israel is using the interim between presidents to mop up niggling Gazan terrorist problems. The casualty rate is reported 60/40 Hamas/civilian, an indication of the manner Hamas uses civilians as a shield.
The west bank has been quieted and fruitful discussions with Abbas, Syria and Lebanon are ongoing. Israel anticipates a new order where legitimate peace settlements can be made.
Real peace will be achieved when the whole world recognizes that the Palestinians have their right to obtain. The theoretical basis of the creation of this state was racism, the methods used to create it was terrorism, and the means of keeping it secure are expansionism and genocide. The Palestinians should have a state with full control on its air, land and sea as well have weapons and means to defend itself militarily like any other country.
For the record, Alan would never describe himself as a “friend of Hamas” or indeed any political party of government.
The Guardian article by John Kampfner is spot on with regard to the BBC being cowed. The idea that the BBC is pro Palestinian I find just ludicrous. It is clear that, in general, the closer reporters and journalists are to the conflict, the better is their reporting and analysis. It is hardly surprising that this distresses the Israel lobby. It also explains why the Israeli authorities are prepared to defy even their own courts to keep journalists out of Gaza.
I am very sorry to have missed the questioning of Regev on Ch4. His questioning on the BBC has been generally lamentable. Rarely would one understand from the interviews that the occupation is illegal, and that the blockade is collective punishment which explicitly violates UK law, as is the deliberate withholding of medical attention from combatants, let alone civilians.
It is a fact, however unpalatable, that Palestinians have a right to use violence in resisting the Israeli occupation/blockade; Even more so in the complete absence of ANY effective action whatsoever against Israel, despite the international community’s legal obligations. Why is it that we seem to believe that Palestinians need sticks and Israelis carrots? We have been trying carrots on Israel for decades. It hasn’t worked. My vote is for trying the sticks we so willing to apply to Palestinians.
Palestinians, including Hamas, would be wise not to exercise the right of (violent) resistance. It achieves very little for them, and provides Israel with sufficient excuse for extraordinarily barbarous ‘retaliation’. Indeed, so valuable is the excuse that in the absence of Palestinian violence Israel routinely prompts it. I’ve spent several months living in a Palestinian refugee camp, and the argument for non-violence carries less weight with Palestinians who have been subjected to half a lifetime of harassment, house demolition, land dispossession, arbitrary arrest, detention and torture, children being shot for throwing stones at tanks etc,etc,etc. If you doubt the widespread use of torture, as I did, pick any real Human Rights organisation (eg B’Tselem) and check for yourself. The scale of it is breathtaking.
If we had insisted that Israel obey the law and end the blockade then Hamas would not have resumed the rocket attacks which it suppressed for the period of the cease fire agreed with Israel. I say agreed, meaning that I suspect Hamas thought there was some chance that Israel would also meet its cease fire obligation to end the blockade. A blockade which is in any case illegal. In that I think Hamas was foolish, Israeli agreements are worthless, an exercise in sophistry and evasion.
With respect to the question “Gaza: Nearing the goal?”: I don’t think so, I expect Barak and Livni to be beaten by Netanyahu on 10th Feb.
With respect to the comments of Akiva from Israel: What on earth are you talking about? I am sure many Israelis regret that the ethnic cleansing necessary to establish the State was not more effective, with the ‘unfortunate’ result that Israel still has a significant Palestinian electorate which is understandably outraged. Banning their parties is a clear indication of how ‘democratic’ Israel really is. Wake Up, and look around. It is very difficult to listen to Israelis talking about putative genocides whilst watching what is actually happening in Gaza right now. I stopped supporting Israel after Sabra and Chatila. Since then there have been so many similar outrages I have lost count of them. If someone shouts ‘genocide, genocide’ it is only natural to look around and see who is killing who. Well, look around, what do you see?
I took part in the London demonstration on Saturday. I did not see any of the violence which occurred. However, I was outside the Israeli Embassy when the Police first started employing a shield wall to move the crowds which had become congested because of inadequate marshalling by the demonstration organisers. I think that had the marshalling been better, the violence probably would not have occurred and the subsequent reporting would have better projected what the organisers wanted to show, widespread public outrage at Israeli barbarity. The police were pleasant and helpful at an individual level. However it seemed to me, even before events deteriorated, that Police anticipation of trouble was likely to exacerbate it. Certainly, had I been doing the policing, I would have started by trying to get the marshals to act more effectively. When the shield wall was deployed they pressed much too aggressively (without any warning) into a dense crowd comprised largely of people, like me, unused to this kind of situation, many with small children. I am unsure what they expected the people they were pressing to do. Had there been an easy exit, many would already have taken it. I can scarcely believe it, but at one point I thought I would be compelled to confront the police rather than cooperate with them. Not at all a pleasant experience.
I hope the organisers have apologised to the local residents and shopkeepers. Quite apart from any incivility and damage, it is extremely short sighted and stupid of demonstrators to alienate the community in the neighbourhood of the Israeli Embassy.
With respect to the comments of Abdelilah Boukili above: The purpose of the marches is to encourage others to take an interest in the issue. Also, to indicate to our political masters that they are supposed to be serving us, and that the present policy of placating Israel whilst we aid it in hammering Palestinians is likely to have electoral consequences. Certainly, I shall be campaigning very hard against one of my local MPs who’s attitude on this issue is dreadful.
This conflict is like a quarrel between a mouse and an elephant. The mouse bit the elephant continually and now the elephant is very angry so it is trying to destroy the mouse environnement in doing so damaged the vegetation as well.No one is happy about that!
The Hamas should accept the exixtence of Israel and instead of buying arms (rockets) should use the money to develop the Gaza .The inhabitants will enjoy their life.
Why does French Public TV find the need to blatently falsify news about the war in Gaza? Are the people in Europe starting to accept that Iran and its proxies have no interest in any resolution other than fulfilling the stated Hamas constitution of total destruction of Israel and all Jews?
William
Connecticut, USA
I will reproduce 2 comments from Bob in Queensland aand Moustafa
“What goal was that? If their goal was to kill women and children, they’ve done well. If they wanted to alienate people around the world, it’s been an amazing success. If they wanted to solidify the support for Hamas then they’ve had a rip roaring success.
However, if they wanted to stop the rockets falling on Israeli soil or neutralise Hamas as a political and military force then this has to go down as one of the stupidest campaigns in Israeli history”.
Moustafa Elhoushi
“Real peace will be achieved when the whole world recognizes that the Palestinians have their right to obtain. The theoretical basis of the creation of this state was racism, the methods used to create it was terrorism, and the means of keeping it secure are expansionism and genocide. The Palestinians should have a state with full control on its air, land and sea as well have weapons and means to defend itself militarily like any other country”.
I hope Barack Obama will have some vision for the future of the Middle East and other regions suffering. I can not wait to see Bush become a real cowboy instead of an imitation of a President.
When the rest of the world sees a disrespect of the UN coming from the Middle East, the rest of the world will say and do what it wants. Is this the way the world is meant to operate? Are we human beings so stupid to accept this kind of thing?
I would gladly protest against the actions of Israel id there was a demonstration to attend. I live in a regional centre and there is little or no political conscience here let alone a place suitable to target protest at. I talk to others in my predicament and they are upset and angry people here who have no outlet.
Will Hamas and Israel listen? No.
I’m boycotting produce from Israel for all it might help.
Mark Sandell January 13, 2009 at 11:08
For the record, Alan would never describe himself as a “friend of Hamas” or indeed any political party of government.
**I have to completely agreed with Alan Johnston and he is a bonafide journalist…Who has presented all sides of the story….**
He, is not a friend of the Hamas, or political party and/or government….He is a journalist..
~Dennis Junior~
Gaza: Nearing the goal?
The goal of the Israeli government is to reach a cease fire whereby Hamas will halt rocket attacks against Israel, and the smuggling of rockets and other military supplies via tunnels from Egypt. Reports of diplomatic developments suggest that these goals may be acheived in the next few days.
The goal of Hamas as I understand it, is to maintain the firing of rockets each day until the cease-fire, and reap worldwide popular sympathy due to the outrageous suffering of the Gazan population and their resistance against all odds. They seem to be succeeding too.
These are both very short-term goals. What next? Those holding power on both sides will feel justified in their actions, and this whole cycle will be resumed at some time in the not-too-distant future.
I am very afraid that the outcome of this will be that Israeli public opinion will have renewed confidence in the notion of a military solution to our conflict with the Palestinians. Israel has succeeded in generating new levels of hatred against itself amongst Palestinians, Moslems, and concerned people worldwide. We are witnessing a surge of antisemitic acts and sentiments.
There is such a lack of empathy on both sides for the humanity of the other. We apply simplistic tags to each other, “Palestinian”, “Terrorist”, “Arab”, “Israeli”, “Jew”, “Zionist”. These names dehumanise those whom they describe, and make it easy to justify violence without having to consider that human beings may be on the receiving end.
I fear for the future of my children, the region and the world as a whole. I hope that the Obama administration will be able to strike a chord of reason with the new Israeli government, and the moderate Palestinian leadership. This may be the last chance we get. Israel needs to withdraw from the West Bank & Gaza, and allow some justice for the Palestinians. Many Arab governments accept our right to exist, and international concensus widely supports the notion of a withdrawal to the 1967 borders,but this cannot be guaranteed if the violence continues.
The electoral system in Israel tends to ensure the status quo in a divided population making progress unlikely. The US must excercise some persuasion on Israel instead of automatically supporting everything we do. There is a large sector of the Jewish lobby outside Israel which also blindly supports our every action, maybe you too could put some pressure on us to seriously address our destructive occupation of Palestinians for the good of all? The world needs to support Palestinians and Israelis, and give us the confidence to compromise in the belief that there may just be an imaginative solution to this whole sorry mess, if not in our lifetime, then in the lifetimes of our children.
I call on all sides to stop the violence, which will cost nothing, to value human rights and dignity, and start to seriously and realistically consider the future.
What is the goal of Israel? I know one of there sub-goals is for the rockets and other things from being allowed into Israeli airspace…
~Dennis Junior~
Statements from the president of the UN General Assembly on the Gaza conflict:
“The number of victims in Gaza is increasing by the day… The situation is untenable. It’s genocide,”
“You have to attack problems at their root cause and the Palestinian people have been subjected to subhuman treatment for decades and this is going to make matters worse.”
“Now we’re faced with not only with a lack of compliance but with a prime minister of Israel who has practically responded to the Security Council by saying ‘mind your own business’.”
“It’s unbelievable that a country that owes its existence to a general assembly resolution could be so disdainful of the resolutions that emanate from the UN.”
How is it that the world does not act to stop these injustices? At the very least stop supporting them.
I am going to have to agree with the first Bob in Queensland on this. This isn’t to say that Israel doesn’t have its’ grievances because it does, no one can legitimize firing rockets on civilians. However, can you justify the outrageous Israeli embargo on Gaza? No. In generational conflicts like this, its so hard to politically mobilize a compassionate base, too many people on both sides have been touched by it. However, I stand by a common theme interlaced throughout Benny Morris’s ‘Making Israel’, in that Israeli collective memory (not generic to Israelis’) lacks a lot of context, and you can see it interwoven through responses on these blogs. The piece on this site about what Israelis’ living outside Hamas rocket range think about the Gaza expedition. Not a single response, a single one, cited the Israeli embargo. Seems so elementary – but still. I still have to maintain that Palestinians are going to have legitimate grievances – emphasis on legitimate – if Israel continues to violate UN resolutions, drawing illegal borders, allowing settlers to do as they please (though there has been major improvement in this area), and continues with the embargo. Palestinians brought Hamas in, because what they had was not working, whether the PLO, PA, or Fatah, Palestinian leadership isn’t exactly golden either. What if Israel actually allocated and provided serious resources, in the form of food, medicine, and education in Gaza? What happens to Palestinian support for Hamas? It disappears. The serious lack of logic, rationale, and foresight in Israeli policy towards the Palestinian territories, can only mean that the motivation for such policy has to be derived from domestic political pressure. My hope is that the new wave of Israeli citizens, those growing up in much more critical society, which generated historians like Benny Morris, Anita Shapira, Illan Pappe, and Avi Shlaim will prevail in promoting a more humanitarian approach to the conflict. This in combination with a new presidential in the US, could contribute to some serious headway made on this issue going forward.
I was a young British Colonial Palestine Policeman back there in the 1940′s. I remember the original line of partition proposed by the then UN to divide the tiny country between Jews and Arabs. It seemed a bit unfair at the time because the new state of Israel was scheduled to have most of the fertile coastal plain and the remnant Palestine was to get the remainder comprising a lot of Djebel and desert.
There were many atrocities committed by both sides before we had even got out of the country. It was never really a fair deal for the arabs right from the start.
Despite the actions of the Jewish terrorists (Irgun and Stern) and their murder of my best friend on 31.01 47. I had enormous respect and admiration for the people in the Kibbutz with whom I had spent many happy hours.
It was a British MP who first suggested we might create a homeland for the Jews.
It was Britain and the Commonwealth who stood alone against Nazi Germany in defence of Freedom, Liberty and Justice, words that have ceased to exist for the
Israelis who have sacrificed their soul for Zion. They will never erase the memories of their actions.
It is terribly sad that a story with such a magnificent beginning (Kibbutz making the desert flower) should come to such evil ghastly horror.