Israel and Gaza

There are more ways of waging war - or, indeed, genocide - than dropping bombs, although, of course, bombs are quick and fairly effective. Preventing access to clean water is one of them. All drinking water for Gaza has to be trucked in as only salt water runs through the taps, for example. Who controls the water supply? This, along with many other long-standing sanctions plus the recent deaths of more than 800 people, is surely part of the plan for Greater Israel. Watch out south Lebanon.

I didn't know that niggly. Thanks absent

I see the UN have voted to investigate Israel for war crimes. Not before time.

It's painful to hear of the continuing slaughter out there. According to the Guardian a few days ago, some Israelis are going out to high ground with drinks and sandwiches to watch the bombardment from a distance, cheering every time a flash goes of in the distance to show a rocket has found its target.

I'm not anti-Semitic by the way. I know many Jewish people are appalled by what is going on in Gaza.

I think most people on here know that! The term Anti Semitic was coined by the Nazis in Germany during the 1930's to specifically mean anti Jewish; it was just a more user friendly expression for public consumption in the propaganda machine. This same expression is still widely used to mean exactly that, although in reality it does embrace other races.

Arabs are also Semites, by the way; not just Jews.

Absolutely agree.

I'm sorry too! I didn't mean to sound grumpy! Think I better leave this thread, these conversations always get me going and if I am honest, there is fault on both sides, and how it's ever resolved? your guess is as good as mine! (shakes head, sadly)

Yes of course it is. Sorry.

The word is semitic! As for being difficult being Jewish? No more than usual!

semetic

649 Palestinians killed in the last 15 days

The whole world is in danger of becoming anti-genetic.

A difficult time for anyone anywhere who happens to be Jewish.

Yes, that is worrying. I haven't seen todays news but it does smack of the far right and anti Semitism [I'm avoiding the news at the moment as I'm finding all of it too sad; cowardly of me I know]. Apologies for making an assumption about your comment without knowing the facts.

No Tegan, they were rioting and carrying anti Jewish posters nothing peaceful, which lets face it smacks of anti Semitism however you look at it.

Why does it have to be anti Semitism? Maybe it's just decent people complaining in a peaceful way against something they feel is wrong. What happened to the Jews should never be forgotten but the Israelis can't use that as an excuse for killing people. The two issues have to be separated. The Palestinians have been treated appallingly for a long time. I'm not saying it's right to do so but sometimes terrorism is the only course of action open to people who feel that they don't have a voice.

There are also anti Jewish riots in Berlin, but I suppose that's just anti Semitism, which is still alive and well the world over! I wonder what alternatives these protesters would favour from their government and bearing in mind they would be dealing with people who want to destroy them as a nation, would this alternative work?!

The Gaza strip is very narrow and enclosed and on the occasions that the Israelis warn people to get out there is nowhere for them to get out to.

Israel has a very effective defence system that has succeeded in intercepting almost all of the rockets fired at them - no such protection for the people inside Gaza. Whilst the loss of any lives is a tragedy, the vast majority of Israeli fatalities have been soldiers, whereas the vast majority of Palestinian lives lost have been civilians, including many children.

It seems that some Israelis view the bombing of Gaza as "entertainment". They were shown on a recent news report taking old sofas and chairs, together with food and drinks, up onto a hill to watch the bombing.

Having said that, there is a brave (though relatively small) group of Jewish people who campaign against Israel's policies.

No got to about it rosearered as who can make them?! The situation in Gaza IS appalling. but having said that I cannot help but feel that shooting rockets week in week out into a neighbouring country, creating tunnels into that country with the sole purpose of terrorist activity is, in the end cause 'that country' to react! Israel HAS reacted disproportionately, but equally Hammas HAS to shoulder some of the blame for this awful scenario as it is the duty of any government to protect it's citizens not to antagonise it's neighbours so that they react with fury, and bring this sort of misery on your own people. Why have rocket launchers situated in public places? as obviously this will cause the maximum of casualties, propaganda would I suspect seem alive and well!! If Israel is the monster the world sees it to be, how is that the West bank is peaceful. I agree the border is an issue, but from an Israeli point of view, any let up will allow in anything and everything in the way of armaments to use against them, and bearing in mind Hammas's avowed intent is to push Israel off the face of the earth and kill every Israeli citizen, perhaps you can understand them being a bit twitchy!! The history of this area is, from the crusades to the modern day so complex that it is hard to see that without goodwill on BOTH sides that there can be any resolution and so the suffering of civilians who have no say in the matter will go on at the whim of their government.

There is a difference Jingl as he was spewing hatred at Jews and not just at the murderers of his son. I remember the man whose son was killed along with two friends in the Birmingham riots, who from somewhere, found the courage to ask people not to avenge his death, but to go home in peace.

What jingle said ( no italics needed)

I think that Israel is second only to India in receiving American aid but I might be mistaken Tegan.

I thought that part of the success of the peace process in N Ireland was a result of America withdrawing years of support for the IRA? I'm not sure what support the Israelis get from them, but I bet it's more than the Palestinians get.

They will have to talk to each other in the end [just like the problem of Ireland was solved here]. It may take a long time though.

The Arab boy was killed in an appalling manner. The father had a right to spew hatred. Just as some of us, on another thread, feel the father of the abused boy had a right to beat up the attacker.

Did the obsession with territory begin when we evolved from hunter gatherers to crop growers I wonder? Men seem to be much more territorial than women. I'd assume that women would [I'm going back a few thousand years here] always look for a none confrontational approach given that they had young depending on them whereas men could risk being killed.

Although I think testosterone must play a part in war-like behaviour, I think it might be more about the sort of people that strive for power, rather than what gender they are (or maybe they just have more testosterone). In my view (though I know many don't agree) Margaret Thatcher displayed the sort of "bullish" characteristics that we tend to see more in men, apparently having little capacity for empathy, reflection or self-doubt.

I'm sure this isn't so for all men and that there are some perfectly decent and honourable men who could probably do a much better job of running a country than the sort of people who are in power around the world now. But in our society, competitiveness, rather than co-operation, is what is held in high esteem and it is the type of people that fit in with this model who get to the top and who wield power. In this respect, women are faced with a difficult problem. If they are firm they are described as "bossy" and if they are more conciliatory they are described as "weak" or "lacking leadership qualities". It's no wonder that many decide to opt out all together.

I was struck by the Juncker/Cameron "high five" incident. Can you imagine two women being so juvenile?

On balance, I think that if more women were involved in politics and achieved positions of power, at least initially there would be a less confrontational and more conciliatory approach to difficult situations and less of an appetite for starting wars.