Israel, Hamas and now Hezbollah

Thank you garnet for those illuminating posts.

“. According to Jennifer Jefferis, a Middle East expert at Georgetown University who spoke to the BBC last week, Hamas consistently polls over 50 per cent (more than any other party) across Gaza and the West Bank.”

If this is true then to means that the majority of Palestinians want to destroy Israel so my sympathy with Palestine is less.

It may well be that Hamas intimidate the civilian population into supporting them, the same way that ISIS did, so those polls may not be an accurate representation.

Israel is now threatening to “completely destroy” Lebanon.

I do think the rhetoric needs calming down.

I have been talking to a Jewish friend on the phone, who had phoned to see how I am, and she went in to talk about the war

.She is very critical of Netanyahu and the Israeli government. She thinks that (apart from disagreeing entirely with the right wing government) that Israel should have taken time to give careful consideration to its strategy.

She said that mass and forced transfer of people whilst cutting off the vital necessities and resources of life, and at the same time attacking those fleeing and all the time destroying their homes is a war crime - no excuse can possibly justify a supposed civilised country doing what it is doing. She is terrified that the outcome from such horror will never be a good one, and something that she is frightened will backfire badly on the Jewish people.

Frankly, I don’t know any more I sit and watch (much less now) with utter disbelief at what is unfolding.

Katie59

“. According to Jennifer Jefferis, a Middle East expert at Georgetown University who spoke to the BBC last week, Hamas consistently polls over 50 per cent (more than any other party) across Gaza and the West Bank.”

If this is true then to means that the majority of Palestinians want to destroy Israel so my sympathy with Palestine is less.

It may well be that Hamas intimidate the civilian population into supporting them, the same way that ISIS did, so those polls may not be an accurate representation.

I'm totally confused by this. Here's the Wiki for Elections in Palestine for anyone who has the time to make sense of it but to me it doesn't look as if there have been any recent elections in Gaza, West Bank or for the whole Palestine. Busy morning so would welcome an input by anyone who has the time. TIA
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Palestine

Why is Israel bombing Khan Younis? I am watching a report from this area and there is bombing taking place all around the hospital.

The Israelis told the Palestinians to flee south for safety.

Why are they bombing?

The last election in Gaza took place in 2007

Whitewavemark2

Why is Israel bombing Khan Younis? I am watching a report from this area and there is bombing taking place all around the hospital.

The Israelis told the Palestinians to flee south for safety.

Why are they bombing?

I could hazard a guess that they are acting on intelligence as to where Hamas are hiding.

It’s well known that Hamas hide near/in hospitals, schools etc. they have absolutely no qualms about using innocent civilians as human shields.

Yes but, it is in the south where they have told the Palestinians to go for safety. As the reporter spoke two little girls were rushed in with head injuries from the bombing.

May I ask where you saw this report as I’ve scanned all tv news and can’t find it?

Aljazeera.

I switch to try to get as balanced view as I can.

There was an interview with an Hamas representative, and he was torn to shreds by the interviewer.

Now he is interviewing an Israeli representative who getting an equally hard time.

It’s being reported on the news online.

The Israeli rep. Is saying that the Palestinians have all to move to Egypt😮😮.

So does anyone know if a military is hiding in bunkers under a hospital, then the patients are fair game.

Is this right.

The world is going mad.

Collective punishment - absolutely against international law.

Interviewer asked where are the Palestinians should go. He asked if Israel would give shelter to the civilians 47% of which are children.

Answer

No

Whitewavemark2

The Israeli rep. Is saying that the Palestinians have all to move to Egypt😮😮.

So does anyone know if a military is hiding in bunkers under a hospital, then the patients are fair game.

Is this right.

The world is going mad.

Hamas has a history of hiding weapons and themselves beneath hospitals, mosques and schools.

They have also launched missiles from hospitals.

Yes I think the world knows that gg13

But what the world is not prepared for is the death of innocents because they have sought help and shelter from their local hospital.

Whitewavemark2

Aljazeera.

I switch to try to get as balanced view as I can.

There was an interview with an Hamas representative, and he was torn to shreds by the interviewer.

Now he is interviewing an Israeli representative who getting an equally hard time.

Aljazeera is owned by a Qatari conglomerate.

I am not sure how impartial their reporting is on this conflict, considering Hamas leaders are based in Qatar.

I am trying to see if more than one source is reporting the same incidents as there is so much false information out there at the moment.

Whitewavemark2

Yes I think the world knows that gg13

But what the world is not prepared for is the death of innocents because they have sought help and shelter from their local hospital.

Hamas are firing rockets into Israel, Hezbollah are firing rockets into Israel, neither with warnings.

I posted on the other thread that Israel use what is known as knock and drop this involves dropping a loud detonator which emits a noise but no explosion, then fires in the missile twenty minutes later. In theory that gives twenty minutes to head for safety.

I am in no way condoning what Israel is doing, I also have no idea how they are going to eliminate Hamas without injuring and killing civilians.

Water has been restored to southern Palestine at the USA insistence, but it isn’t as simple as it sounds.

Water is poured into massive containers which is the lorries around for use.

The issue?

No fuel.

Thank you WW. I watch Al Jazeera too but didn’t catch that.

silverlining. Best not to get your news online. We’re being urged not to as so much misinformation.

Whitewavemark2

Water has been restored to southern Palestine at the USA insistence, but it isn’t as simple as it sounds.

Water is poured into massive containers which is the lorries around for use.

The issue?

No fuel.

No fuel to flee to safety (where???)- milions of people told to flee without any means to do so.

And now told to go to Egypt?

So what then? Gaza is bombed to smithereens- Palestianians are all dead or gone to Egypt. And then Israel moves in, rebuilds and that's it? How could that ever work and not spread to Middle East and West Bank. And then on and on, and take us all down with them.

This is sheer madness. And puts all Israelis there, and Jews all over the world at huge risk too.

Anyone had a look at The Jewish Chronicle?

So what then? Gaza is bombed to smithereens- Palestianians are all dead or gone to Egypt. And then Israel moves in, rebuilds and that's it? How could that ever work and not spread to Middle East and West Bank. And then on and on, and take us all down with them..

It could indeed spread to a wider conflict but is nowhere near as dangerous as Ukraine, they are suffering an unprovoked attack by Russia, Hamas did provoke the Israeli action and not will suffer the cost.
So far the Israelis have showed restraint, no doubt due to US pressure but eventually they will remove Hamas by whatever means.

now suffer the cost

I think that much of the world would like to see the end if Hamas, but bodies are much easier to get rid of then ideas, hearts and minds.

Israel will never be secure until it wins Palestinian hearts and minds and the only way to do that is to show that they are in deadly earnest to give the Palestinians a thriving completely sovereign state, to prove that they will never ever, ever land grab and to set up domestic laws to prevent it.

They should be actively pursuing that goal even as they bomb Gaza to rubble.

The cynic in me wonders who will benefit from this war. Who will gain financially at the cost of innocent lives.