As do I. Hamas have been preparing for this attack for some time. It was well-funded and had to have received considerable support from other countries. There is also the reality of Pallywood — the Palestinian propaganda mill. During the Cold War, the Soviets taught propaganda techniques to Palestinians, as did the IRA.
Thank you Christopher. I thought about writing more, but my simple statement seemed to be all I wanted to say.
I might have had some compassion for the people in Gaza had I not witnessed the scenes of jubilation when Hamas told them what they had done. As it is, I have none.
You are, of course, quite correct: this was well-funded and with support from other countries. As for the propoganda – it falls on willing ears and straight into the well of anti-semitism from which Jews have suffered for millenia.
Sorry, but this “I stand with Israel” seems to massively oversimplify an extremely complex situation.
We all “stand with Israel” apart from a few nutters, but that doesn’t mean we have to support or even agree, with all that they do.
The general population of Gaza are people just like you and me. All they want is a decent life, free from violence. I cannot support unlimited “collateral damage” of thousands or tens of thousands of civilians being wiped out in order to defeat the terrorists.
There must be a better way.
So, I stand with Israel, but not if they go berserk.
And, as far as “witnessing scenes of jubilation”. Where have you witnessed that? On TV?
I think most people in Gaza are just as horrified as we are. The propoganda comes from both sides.
Boadicea: Some time ago, a German woman I was acquainted with who loved Bible stories visited the Holy Land. While travelling in the West Bank, she was asked where she was from. She said Germany. Many people were jubilant and were thanking her for Hitler. My mum was once on a flight from San Francisco to Munich. She sat next to a Palestinian woman who, upon hearing that my mum was originally from Germany, began praising Hitler and complained bitterly about Hitler not “having finished the job”. In Sweden, the police and military have had to increase their presence around synagogues and Jewish museums — the same in Denmark. Even before this, to be able to visit many synagogues in Sweden, you would have had to apply at least two weeks in advance in order for the synagogue to arrange for security. The only time I’ve had to go through security checks in order to visit a small museum was in Jewish museums because of a real threat of violence. On Sunday, there was a pro-Palestinian protest in which absolutely no nuance was shown. Israel was cast as evil, the Palestinians as innocent victims. These are the same people who’ve made life almost unlivable for the local Jewish community, which has mostly had to leave because they no longer feel safe practising Judaism openly. These are the same people who’ve created a situation in which police in France, Britain and elsewhere in Europe have encouraged Jewish people to forego wearing a yarmulke or other Jewish symbols. As such, my sympathy is none.
Gaz: I regret that you might be a bit naive. Palestinians have been taught to hate Jews and Israelis for generations. Roughly a fifth of the Israeli population is Arab. They are full Israeli citizens, they have full civil rights, their have parties in the Knesset and they have even been able to be part of Israeli governments. They do not serve in the IDF, but do perform other forms of national service. Hamas has a long history of using Palestinians as human shields. They use apartment buildings as weapons stores, they use hospitals and schools as military depots and centres of terrorist activity knowing full well that the BBC, Channel 4, ABC, CNN, DW, etc. will not actually report heavily on that fact because Hamas restricts their ability to report in Gaza unless they report their talking points.
Ditto.
Israel were not, it’s true, the very best of neighbors on the West Bank but, to the extent of my own knowledge and belief, never deserved a planned attack by the Hamster group.
I suppose I’m fortunate to have done my growing-up in a generally peaceful and sensible era. Nowadays, the world is rapidly becoming a terrible place indeed. The Israel/Gaza situation is just the latest thing; we certainly can’t forget the Ukraine or the authoritarian acts perpetrated by governments in other places, continuing through the aggressive posturing of China and North Korea, the situation in the USA’s House of Representatives and, closer to home, the rampant drug use and violent crime (committed to a shocking extent by teenage kids) in our own cities. There are times when I’m almost glad to be as old as I am, not having to look forward to witnessing all that much more of this stuff.
O tempora, o mores!
Christophee. Naive!! Humph.
Naivety is linking all Palestinians into one hateful mass.
Gaz: Not every Palestinian is hateful, but many are. That many cheered is true. That some cheered because they were afraid not to is also true. You’re not dealing with Middle England or a leafy Canadian suburb, you’re dealing with a region in which hatred are ancient and bloody conflict is the norm.
Gazoopi, mate (3rd tone)
You are clearly seeing things through the rosy spectacles of Islamic propaganda. Listen to Christopher and Cogitationator; mark, learn and inwardly digest – and then open your mind to reality.
Even better, go to one of the hateful ‘protest’ demonstrations in whatever country you’re currently resident, or even better than that, get on a plane and attend one in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. See them screaming, frothing at the mouth as they demand death to all members of a different race or religion to theirs.
It’s not a pretty sight. Quite terrifying.
Our police are so scared they just stand and watch, ignoring the illegality. Just like you.
Wake up snowflake.
Cog: The situation in the West Bank is extremely complex and nuanced. Fatah are rubbish, but they’re at least sane and not committed to their own destruction. You are, however, seeing the situation starting to slowly spiral there as well with attacks by fanatics on both sides increasing. Although Israeli society, as a whole, is civilised, there are fanatic factions that aren’t above using violence and intimidation to get their way. Gaza has always been a different story. Hamas are pure evil, they’re acting as agents from Iran. There’s no way to negotiate with them. Perhaps the biggest error was not sorting them out years ago when they really should have been sorted out. The fact that they’ve been tolerated for so long gave them a veneer of legitimacy to the point that Qatar was openly handing them large sums of money on a monthly basis.
Oh dear. Bearsy…..your tone and insulting behaviour against others opinions says more about you than it does me.
Christopher got it spot on. Extremely complex and nuanced. It is so black and white as you seem to believe.
“There are none so blind as those who will not see” Attributed to John Haywood in 1546. Closely allied to Jeremiah 5.21 in King James’ Bible.
. . . and just as true today. Sigh! 😎
Ooh, err! I have only now seen this post and attached comments. Shortly after midday on the 26th. It is just as well that it was not 20.00 when I might have had a drink or two under my belt.
Gazoopi: Alas! I cannot concur with your statement that the people of Gaza are ‘just like me’, and I sincerely hope that you are not like them.
Whilst I am well aware that the situation is very complex, and that ‘some’ of those in Gaza only want a peaceful life, I’m also very aware of the fact that nothing Israel has done to to help establish a peaceful neighbour on its border has worked.
The cry: ‘From the river to the sea’ that has been spread around the world is a clear reference to the fact that nothing other than the total annihilation of Israel, and by extension, world-wide Jewry will placate Palestinians both in Gaza and elsewhere.
Were my neighbour to lob bombs over my fence on a regular basis and I had the power to stop such goods entering their property – I would do so. So please don’t complain that Israel has tried to keep such goods out with blockades.
Don’t try to elicit sympathy from me for the parlous state of Gaza’s economy. They have had sufficient funds from international agencies – and indeed from Israel – to live in a thriving and prosperous community. They, or the majority of them, have allowed Hamas to use those funds in the attempt to wipe out Israel – just as they have allowed Hamas to use internationally protected areas (schools, hospitals, etc) as bomb depots, etc.
It’s all very well to say ‘There must be another Way’ – but what is that other way? Condemnation without an alternative plan is mere useless hand-wringing.
No one will go to Israel’s aid openly – the fear of the conflict spreading is too great. That alone tells me that Hamas is widely supported by many in the Arab world. The least I can do is to say ‘I Stand with Israel’ to show all those who in my country are demanding Israel’s demise that there are some who do not agree with them.
Boadicea's Chariot 
As do I. Hamas have been preparing for this attack for some time. It was well-funded and had to have received considerable support from other countries. There is also the reality of Pallywood — the Palestinian propaganda mill. During the Cold War, the Soviets taught propaganda techniques to Palestinians, as did the IRA.
Thank you Christopher. I thought about writing more, but my simple statement seemed to be all I wanted to say.
I might have had some compassion for the people in Gaza had I not witnessed the scenes of jubilation when Hamas told them what they had done. As it is, I have none.
You are, of course, quite correct: this was well-funded and with support from other countries. As for the propoganda – it falls on willing ears and straight into the well of anti-semitism from which Jews have suffered for millenia.
Sorry, but this “I stand with Israel” seems to massively oversimplify an extremely complex situation.
We all “stand with Israel” apart from a few nutters, but that doesn’t mean we have to support or even agree, with all that they do.
The general population of Gaza are people just like you and me. All they want is a decent life, free from violence. I cannot support unlimited “collateral damage” of thousands or tens of thousands of civilians being wiped out in order to defeat the terrorists.
There must be a better way.
So, I stand with Israel, but not if they go berserk.
And, as far as “witnessing scenes of jubilation”. Where have you witnessed that? On TV?
I think most people in Gaza are just as horrified as we are. The propoganda comes from both sides.
Boadicea: Some time ago, a German woman I was acquainted with who loved Bible stories visited the Holy Land. While travelling in the West Bank, she was asked where she was from. She said Germany. Many people were jubilant and were thanking her for Hitler. My mum was once on a flight from San Francisco to Munich. She sat next to a Palestinian woman who, upon hearing that my mum was originally from Germany, began praising Hitler and complained bitterly about Hitler not “having finished the job”. In Sweden, the police and military have had to increase their presence around synagogues and Jewish museums — the same in Denmark. Even before this, to be able to visit many synagogues in Sweden, you would have had to apply at least two weeks in advance in order for the synagogue to arrange for security. The only time I’ve had to go through security checks in order to visit a small museum was in Jewish museums because of a real threat of violence. On Sunday, there was a pro-Palestinian protest in which absolutely no nuance was shown. Israel was cast as evil, the Palestinians as innocent victims. These are the same people who’ve made life almost unlivable for the local Jewish community, which has mostly had to leave because they no longer feel safe practising Judaism openly. These are the same people who’ve created a situation in which police in France, Britain and elsewhere in Europe have encouraged Jewish people to forego wearing a yarmulke or other Jewish symbols. As such, my sympathy is none.
Gaz: I regret that you might be a bit naive. Palestinians have been taught to hate Jews and Israelis for generations. Roughly a fifth of the Israeli population is Arab. They are full Israeli citizens, they have full civil rights, their have parties in the Knesset and they have even been able to be part of Israeli governments. They do not serve in the IDF, but do perform other forms of national service. Hamas has a long history of using Palestinians as human shields. They use apartment buildings as weapons stores, they use hospitals and schools as military depots and centres of terrorist activity knowing full well that the BBC, Channel 4, ABC, CNN, DW, etc. will not actually report heavily on that fact because Hamas restricts their ability to report in Gaza unless they report their talking points.
Ditto.
Israel were not, it’s true, the very best of neighbors on the West Bank but, to the extent of my own knowledge and belief, never deserved a planned attack by the Hamster group.
I suppose I’m fortunate to have done my growing-up in a generally peaceful and sensible era. Nowadays, the world is rapidly becoming a terrible place indeed. The Israel/Gaza situation is just the latest thing; we certainly can’t forget the Ukraine or the authoritarian acts perpetrated by governments in other places, continuing through the aggressive posturing of China and North Korea, the situation in the USA’s House of Representatives and, closer to home, the rampant drug use and violent crime (committed to a shocking extent by teenage kids) in our own cities. There are times when I’m almost glad to be as old as I am, not having to look forward to witnessing all that much more of this stuff.
O tempora, o mores!
Christophee. Naive!! Humph.
Naivety is linking all Palestinians into one hateful mass.
Gaz: Not every Palestinian is hateful, but many are. That many cheered is true. That some cheered because they were afraid not to is also true. You’re not dealing with Middle England or a leafy Canadian suburb, you’re dealing with a region in which hatred are ancient and bloody conflict is the norm.
Gazoopi, mate (3rd tone)
You are clearly seeing things through the rosy spectacles of Islamic propaganda. Listen to Christopher and Cogitationator; mark, learn and inwardly digest – and then open your mind to reality.
Even better, go to one of the hateful ‘protest’ demonstrations in whatever country you’re currently resident, or even better than that, get on a plane and attend one in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. See them screaming, frothing at the mouth as they demand death to all members of a different race or religion to theirs.
It’s not a pretty sight. Quite terrifying.
Our police are so scared they just stand and watch, ignoring the illegality. Just like you.
Wake up snowflake.
Cog: The situation in the West Bank is extremely complex and nuanced. Fatah are rubbish, but they’re at least sane and not committed to their own destruction. You are, however, seeing the situation starting to slowly spiral there as well with attacks by fanatics on both sides increasing. Although Israeli society, as a whole, is civilised, there are fanatic factions that aren’t above using violence and intimidation to get their way. Gaza has always been a different story. Hamas are pure evil, they’re acting as agents from Iran. There’s no way to negotiate with them. Perhaps the biggest error was not sorting them out years ago when they really should have been sorted out. The fact that they’ve been tolerated for so long gave them a veneer of legitimacy to the point that Qatar was openly handing them large sums of money on a monthly basis.
Oh dear. Bearsy…..your tone and insulting behaviour against others opinions says more about you than it does me.
Christopher got it spot on. Extremely complex and nuanced. It is so black and white as you seem to believe.
“There are none so blind as those who will not see”
Attributed to John Haywood in 1546. Closely allied to Jeremiah 5.21 in King James’ Bible.
. . . and just as true today. Sigh! 😎
Ooh, err! I have only now seen this post and attached comments. Shortly after midday on the 26th. It is just as well that it was not 20.00 when I might have had a drink or two under my belt.
Gazoopi: Alas! I cannot concur with your statement that the people of Gaza are ‘just like me’, and I sincerely hope that you are not like them.
Whilst I am well aware that the situation is very complex, and that ‘some’ of those in Gaza only want a peaceful life, I’m also very aware of the fact that nothing Israel has done to to help establish a peaceful neighbour on its border has worked.
The cry: ‘From the river to the sea’ that has been spread around the world is a clear reference to the fact that nothing other than the total annihilation of Israel, and by extension, world-wide Jewry will placate Palestinians both in Gaza and elsewhere.
Were my neighbour to lob bombs over my fence on a regular basis and I had the power to stop such goods entering their property – I would do so. So please don’t complain that Israel has tried to keep such goods out with blockades.
Don’t try to elicit sympathy from me for the parlous state of Gaza’s economy. They have had sufficient funds from international agencies – and indeed from Israel – to live in a thriving and prosperous community. They, or the majority of them, have allowed Hamas to use those funds in the attempt to wipe out Israel – just as they have allowed Hamas to use internationally protected areas (schools, hospitals, etc) as bomb depots, etc.
It’s all very well to say ‘There must be another Way’ – but what is that other way? Condemnation without an alternative plan is mere useless hand-wringing.
No one will go to Israel’s aid openly – the fear of the conflict spreading is too great. That alone tells me that Hamas is widely supported by many in the Arab world. The least I can do is to say ‘I Stand with Israel’ to show all those who in my country are demanding Israel’s demise that there are some who do not agree with them.