Thank you for this article; I now understand far more of the ramifications of this age-old conflict. But how to show open support for Israel, given that pro-Jewish protesters are even now more likely to be arrested on the street than the deluded supporters of Hamas? Keir Starmer's two tier policing policies are still alive and being heavily applied, for all the administration's protestations to the contrary.
As usual Pete, a precise and brilliantly articulate summary. I happened to be in Russell Square on Saturday watching the middle class liberals choosing their placards for the march. Gullible fools!
I had a discussion with a friend about this recently. One thing that became apparent is the influence of "liberation theology" on Leftist thinking. According to this, terrorist groups can never be defeated; killing terrorists only "radicalises" more people into becoming terrorists. Hence Israel must give the terorrists what they want soooner or later. "Liberation theology" was developed to support communist revolutionaries, but it was extended to support the IRA and seemingly every other terrorist group.
Israel can do us all a huge favour by exploding this myth.
While understandable, after the horrors of the Holocaust, the settling up of the state of Israel in 1948 by the UN, was a mistake as creating a country around a religion has no basis in history but that Israel now exists is a act that cannot be wished away.
That Israel is a successful democracy that has turned a baron land into a 'land of milk and honey' is a fact but to most, if not all, of its culturally less advanced neighbours it will always be a cuckoo in the nest.
How very depressing the whole situation is but what is for sure is that Western weakness in the face of the continued terrorist backlash to the ongoing conflict will do us no good.
"Hamas and Hezbollah cry over their losses, but that's what happens in a war. "
Their cry is: "He hit me back!" as a young grandson once said, when we asked him what was wrong. Trivial, I know, but it does seem to apply to the two Hs.
Israel exists and is recognized by the UN. Wishing it away undermines peace by encouraging revanchism in other parts of the world, as well as giving Islamists a win which would encourage them more.
Israel is not necessarily Britain's ally and would screw us over to help themselves, just as the Irgun and the Stern Gang murdered British troops during the Mandate. They act in their own interests not necessarily in ours.
Virtually everyone who is anti-Israeli is anti-British, they're pro-Palestinian either to support fellow Muslims or because they're woke anti-Imperialists. This group have an uneasy alliance but include most of the Labour frontbench.
Therefore, supporting Israel as the Tory candidates did was the right thing in terms of it being code for "hating the anti-British left who do unthinking anti-British things like give away Chagos". Everyone who hates Israel hates us virtually 1/1.
It's depressing how large the British population is now who think of themselves primarily in terms of their sectarian identity and allegiance to somewhere else. In 1948 at the end of the Mandate virtually everyone in the UK saw themselves as British, advocated in the British national interest and Britain's role in the world (which can be summed up in this case as a well-intentioned failure to keep the peace and find a solution). That's gone now, with a significant and growing minority being Jews, Muslims, or other such group first, and British second if at all.
Thank you for this article; I now understand far more of the ramifications of this age-old conflict. But how to show open support for Israel, given that pro-Jewish protesters are even now more likely to be arrested on the street than the deluded supporters of Hamas? Keir Starmer's two tier policing policies are still alive and being heavily applied, for all the administration's protestations to the contrary.
As usual Pete, a precise and brilliantly articulate summary. I happened to be in Russell Square on Saturday watching the middle class liberals choosing their placards for the march. Gullible fools!
I had a discussion with a friend about this recently. One thing that became apparent is the influence of "liberation theology" on Leftist thinking. According to this, terrorist groups can never be defeated; killing terrorists only "radicalises" more people into becoming terrorists. Hence Israel must give the terorrists what they want soooner or later. "Liberation theology" was developed to support communist revolutionaries, but it was extended to support the IRA and seemingly every other terrorist group.
Israel can do us all a huge favour by exploding this myth.
Excellent summary and analysis.
While understandable, after the horrors of the Holocaust, the settling up of the state of Israel in 1948 by the UN, was a mistake as creating a country around a religion has no basis in history but that Israel now exists is a act that cannot be wished away.
That Israel is a successful democracy that has turned a baron land into a 'land of milk and honey' is a fact but to most, if not all, of its culturally less advanced neighbours it will always be a cuckoo in the nest.
How very depressing the whole situation is but what is for sure is that Western weakness in the face of the continued terrorist backlash to the ongoing conflict will do us no good.
"Hamas and Hezbollah cry over their losses, but that's what happens in a war. "
Their cry is: "He hit me back!" as a young grandson once said, when we asked him what was wrong. Trivial, I know, but it does seem to apply to the two Hs.
Great article, bang on as usual. Paragraph 12, line 4 endure not ensure.
Lots of things are true at the same time:
Israel exists and is recognized by the UN. Wishing it away undermines peace by encouraging revanchism in other parts of the world, as well as giving Islamists a win which would encourage them more.
Israel is not necessarily Britain's ally and would screw us over to help themselves, just as the Irgun and the Stern Gang murdered British troops during the Mandate. They act in their own interests not necessarily in ours.
Virtually everyone who is anti-Israeli is anti-British, they're pro-Palestinian either to support fellow Muslims or because they're woke anti-Imperialists. This group have an uneasy alliance but include most of the Labour frontbench.
Therefore, supporting Israel as the Tory candidates did was the right thing in terms of it being code for "hating the anti-British left who do unthinking anti-British things like give away Chagos". Everyone who hates Israel hates us virtually 1/1.
It's depressing how large the British population is now who think of themselves primarily in terms of their sectarian identity and allegiance to somewhere else. In 1948 at the end of the Mandate virtually everyone in the UK saw themselves as British, advocated in the British national interest and Britain's role in the world (which can be summed up in this case as a well-intentioned failure to keep the peace and find a solution). That's gone now, with a significant and growing minority being Jews, Muslims, or other such group first, and British second if at all.
It’s not left versus right.
It’s right versus wrong/bad/evil.
It always was.
We just got so caught up in ‘politics’ and failed to see it.
October 7th was about evil.