Palestine and Israel

[pahoffm]

For those interested in a genuine case of possible genocide, there is are crises going on in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, it is alleged the civil war is now threatening to extend into Lebanon.
In Iraq, it is reported that there are ethnic groups within the country facing total annihilation.

Iraq - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/11023915/Iraq-crisis-150000-Yezidi-Kurds-refugees-surrounded-by-Islamic-extremists.html

Syria -http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/March/Three-Years-Syrias-War-the-Worst-Humanitarian-Crisis/

One wonders why there aren't humanitarian protests in the major capital cities of the world and daily headlines in the world's newspapers about these horrific developments.

 

[AngryAnt]

For those interested in a genuine case of possible genocide, there is are crises going on in Syria and Iraq.

In Syria, it is alleged the civil war is now threatening to extend into Lebanon.
In Iraq, it is reported that there are ethnic groups within the country facing total annihilation.

Iraq - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/11023915/Iraq-crisis-150000-Yezidi-Kurds-refugees-surrounded-by-Islamic-extremists.html

Syria -http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2014/March/Three-Years-Syrias-War-the-Worst-Humanitarian-Crisis/

One wonders why there aren't humanitarian protests in the major capital cities of the world and daily headlines in the world's newspapers about these horrific developments.

Are you kidding? The newspapers are full of this. Last week's Four Corners looked at the rise of ISIS. It's the major story in the Middle East at the moment and it's not going away.

 

[Tommy H]

Are you kidding? The newspapers are full of this. Last week's Four Corners looked at the rise of ISIS. It's the major story in the Middle East at the moment and it's not going away.

Agree in part but I wasnt over the Lebanon angle.

 

[pahoffm]

Are you kidding? The newspapers are full of this. Last week's Four Corners looked at the rise of ISIS. It's the major story in the Middle East at the moment and it's not going away.

Glad to hear that the world press have finally caught up with this then.

We've been aware of ISIS for over a year.

 

[Sintiger]

Interesting take on the media issues around this conflict on media watch last night in the aftermath of the Mike Carlton affair with the SMH.

It seems that in some part of our society today it is deemed acceptable to demonise the Palestinians but not the Israelis. Why is it that if you criticise Israel you are seen by some as anti semitic? Personally I abhor the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Hamas into Israel but I also abhor the completely disproportianate response by Israel. I also abhor what happened to the Jews in the 2nd world war but that doesn't mean I have to defend everything they do now.

Conflicts like this cannot be solved by violence, Israel may win the battles but they will create the next generation of rocket launchers in the process. Hamas is just fostering hatred against the palestinians even amongst those jews who favour a peace deal.

It will only stop when one side says stop , that's enough. The violence in Ulster stopped when Sinn fein laid down their weapons, which doesn't mean they were innocent in the past but it was the first step to peace. One side in this conflict has to do the same or this will just keep going.

I am not holding my breath for it to happen.

 

[AngryAnt]

Glad to hear that the world press have finally caught up with this then.

We've been aware of ISIS for over a year.

Look at ISIS on google news. The world has been aware of ISIS for a lot longer than a year.

But regardless, I agree with you that this is a humanitarian tragedy on an epic scale. To me it all goes back to the incompetence of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld in not managing a smoother transition to a post Hussein Iraqi government - this started and fed the insurgency, and attracted terrorist groups from all over the Middle East and recruits from all over the world.

 

[K3]

Look at ISIS on google news. The world has been aware of ISIS for a lot longer than a year.

But regardless, I agree with you that this is a humanitarian tragedy on an epic scale. To me it all goes back to the incompetence of the Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld in not managing a smoother transition to a post Hussein Iraqi government - this started and fed the insurgency, and attracted terrorist groups from all over the Middle East and recruits from all over the world.

It also largely comes down to simmering 'tensions' in the area since the white folk decided how the region would be split up. This was, of course, largely done to ensure their vested interested where managed, instead of with the main picture being on helping to create stable countries... or just leaving things as they had been.

 

[Tommy H]

Insight program is rather interesting tonight...

 

[KnightersRevenge]

International intervention hasn't kicked too many goals that I have seen. I wonder if there is a way to declare that only countries who share borders can have military incursions? An international 3rd man in rule, if you like? UN peace-keepers are the umpire, of course everyone must agree to beef up the UN Security Council and all vetoes are cancelled.

 

[pahoffm]

Good news story for Israel in the Middle East.

As a result of the Syrian Civil War, the local Druze community living on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights have been forced to take up arms to protect themselves from the rebel forces.

The Israeli government and military are preparing to open the borders to the Syrian Druze, providing protection.

http://www.dw.de/israel-cooperating-with-assad-in-golan-heights/a-17904892

"Doulan Abu Saleh, mayor of Majdal Shams, home to 20,000 Syrian Druze and the largest Druze town in Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, told DW that Israeli army officials had ordered him to begin preparing for the arrival of Syrian Druze refugees. The first refugees are expected to come from Syrian border communities such as Hadar, which lies right on the UN buffer zone just outside the occupied areas of the Golan Heights, he said.x"

 

[Bill James]

International intervention hasn't kicked too many goals that I have seen. I wonder if there is a way to declare that only countries who share borders can have military incursions? An international 3rd man in rule, if you like? UN peace-keepers are the umpire, of course everyone must agree to beef up the UN Security Council and all vetoes are cancelled.

Doesn't matter who the umpires are, it looks like the AFL Rules Committee is in charge of interpretation!!

 

[shad]

THe fighting in Israel and Gaza is a very serious developement. The world is feeling like an increasing unstable and dangerous place at the moment.

 

[Sintiger]

THe fighting in Israel and Gaza is a very serious developement. The world is feeling like an increasing unstable and dangerous place at the moment.

I am not defending violence in any way, I am certainly not defending Hamas. What they have done will just lead to the deaths of many people and make the situation worse.

This is not a one way street . The way Israel treats the citizens of Gaza and the West Bank, the way they treat the Arabs who live in Israel, the ghetto of East Jerusalem, the way they block access to water to West Bank and Gaza and many other issues encourages violent radicals to hit back.

The trouble is when people say things like this they are seen as anti semitic. I am not anti semitic, I have worked with and been friends with many jewish people in my life, but I am anti the Israeli government and their policies towards the Palestinian arabs.

Let's hope the UN takes a more balanced view to this than the US government has so far.

 

[K3]

I am not defending violence in any way, I am certainly not defending Hamas. What they have done will just lead to the deaths of many people and make the situation worse.

This is not a one way street . The way Israel treats the citizens of Gaza and the West Bank, the way they treat the Arabs who live in Israel, the ghetto of East Jerusalem, the way they block access to water to West Bank and Gaza and many other issues encourages violent radicals to hit back.

The trouble is when people say things like this they are seen as anti semitic. I am not anti semitic, I have worked with and been friends with many jewish people in my life, but I am anti the Israeli government and their policies towards the Palestinian arabs.

Let's hope the UN takes a more balanced view to this than the US government has so far.

Not just cutting off water. I heard in an interview with a local, that they only get three hours of electricity a day. THREE HOURS!

Imagine if NSW put a ring around the ACT and took over full control of the lives of the people within the very large, heavily guarded cement and metal fence!
.
.
.
.
.
Okay, there would be an upside with the polies, but for everyone else...

 

[Baloo]

The trouble is when people say things like this they are seen as anti semitic. I am not anti semitic, I have worked with and been friends with many jewish people in my life, but I am anti the Israeli government and their policies towards the Palestinian arabs.

I have good friends who are jewish. A couple of them are quite vocal about their anti-Israeli government stance.

 

[Sintiger]

Not just cutting off water. I heard in an interview with a local, that they only get three hours of electricity a day. THREE HOURS!

It is truly despicable what they do.

I have good friends who are jewish. A couple of them are quite vocal about their anti-Israeli government stance.

I know a Jewish family very well who moved to Australia because they could not live in Israel with that government.

What is happening now is terrible, so many people will die and the result will be a worse situation for the Palestinians I suspect.

 

[artball]

this latest trouble will have interesting and horrifying ramifications ...

 

[Tigaman]

I am not defending violence in any way, I am certainly not defending Hamas. What they have done will just lead to the deaths of many people and make the situation worse.

This is not a one way street . The way Israel treats the citizens of Gaza and the West Bank, the way they treat the Arabs who live in Israel, the ghetto of East Jerusalem, the way they block access to water to West Bank and Gaza and many other issues encourages violent radicals to hit back.

The trouble is when people say things like this they are seen as anti semitic. I am not anti semitic, I have worked with and been friends with many jewish people in my life, but I am anti the Israeli government and their policies towards the Palestinian arabs.

Let's hope the UN takes a more balanced view to this than the US government has so far.

How can the UN do anything when Russia & China veto everything. Penny has the answer " Israel to show restraint ".

 

[Sintiger]

How can the UN do anything when Russia & China veto everything. Penny has the answer " Israel to show restraint ".

That’s official UN resolutions that get vetoed. They can state that Israel should stop the blockade of Gaza and the West Bank and stop building settlements both of which are in contravention of the official UN position.

 

[mrposhman]

It is truly despicable what they do.

I know a Jewish family very well who moved to Australia because they could not live in Israel with that government.

What is happening now is terrible, so many people will die and the result will be a worse situation for the Palestinians I suspect.

Unfortunately this conflict has no winners.

Israel will continue doing what they are doing (and probably intensify it).
Hamas may have felt they were out of options, but killing citizens of Israel will do them no favours, had they attacked the army, thats 1 thing, but killing citizens will just unite other countries around Israel, and the deaths in Palestine will be 10 fold what we have seen in Israel.

Horrible scenario, but because neither side will give an inch, the situation will unfortunately never be resolved.
Hamas don't like the Israeli solution (for good reason) and there is no chance that the Hamas solution (disolution of Israel) will ever happen.