Well yes, the whole issue is incredibly emotional, which is why I tend to avoid debates about Middle Eastern politics. I admit also, that I’m not that well informed. But being human, I do get emotional when I see dead kids being pulled out of the rubble on my TV screen. And so does the rest of the world. There is such a thing as the court of public opinion, and it seems to me Israel is absolutely in the dock right now.
My 'side' is, and always has been, a 2 state solution and the avoidance of the slaughter of innocents at all costs ... The Palestinians are due a homeland just as much as the Israelis IMO, whether you like that or not (equal human rights) - you obviously don't think so and that's your prerogative ... but plenty of Jewish people disagree with you ... never mind the majority of people in the world. I am against, and always have been against, the illegal occupation (under International Law) of Oslo accord, Palestinian designated land and the illegal settlements (under International Law) in the West Bank ... you seem to think that view makes me some sort of Palestinian supporter rather than just a holder of a view shared by most governments and individuals in the world ... I am not anti-Israel and have always defended it's right to exist (just as I do 'Palestine's') ... I am certainly anti Netanyahu and his regime's flagrant and continuing disregard for both International Law and for the sanctity of civilian life ... The conflict in the middle-east will not be resolved by force of arms - it will only be resolved by a negotiated settlement... and Netanyahu will avoid that at all costs because his regime would be forced into addressing the International Law breaches mentioned before International Arbitration...
^^^^^ Spot on - you'll now be labelled a 'Palestinian activist/supporter' ... rather than just a rational thinker and humanist ...
b) is completely out of order - I simply stated the fact that Hezbollah continue to deny it was one of theirs - you assume that stating that fact means I'm accusing Israel of it - I never have ... On a) the strike was initially reported as an IDF strike ... now if I accepted those reports at the time, my bad - was I sceptical that the Israeli intelligence that was completely oblivious to the October 7th incursion then claimed their sophisticated equipment overheard an Islamic Jihad conversation: "Oh **** Ahmed, that was one of ours, hold the tube a bit higher" ... well bad me for being such a cynic - and it's not like numerous IDF hospital strikes followed eh?
What's gullible about wanting a peaceful negotiated settlement with sovereign territory for both Palestine and Israel? ... but if that makes me so - fine - proud to be that - far better than existing as a bigoted hater of those differing culturally or religiously to me and mine ... and content to see the slaughter of women and children in the name of 'home security'...
No mention of the 2 million Gazans that have had to leave their homes? No mention of the thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank forcibly removed from their homes so that Illegal Settlements could be built? 'Slamming' Israel for killing more women and children in Gaza than the official number of dead Ukranian soldiers in their war with Russia? Mentioning those things doesn't make anyone anti-semitic - might make you anti the state terrorist regime currently in control in Israel that continues to flagrantly flout International Law and stands accused of war crimes ...
well on B) you posted on this quite a few times where and regularly gave reasons why it made no sense for Hezbollah to have hit a Druze community and have never condemned them for the attack .which is in marked contrast to your response to similar **** ups by the IDF .
Fosse is of the belief that Majdal Shams is in Syria. He couldn't wrap his head around why Hezbollah would attack Syria. This is what we're working with.
I think you've gone off on a tangent ... It certainly would have made no sense for Hezbollah to have deliberately targeted s Druze community ... for sure.
I'm more than happy to condemn whoever fired the rocket which hit the Druze community ... if it was Hezbollah - they should have taken better precautions to ensure the direction - in fact they shouldn't be firing missiles at all - but that will only happen after a negotiated peace in the whole reason ... ... but attempts to find some equivalence for a dozen civilian deaths involving a misfire with the systematic targeting of schools, hospitals, mosques and churches, knowing that the civilian casualties will vastly outnumber those of terrorists is woeful, immoral and frankly, rather disgusting ...
ffs it WAS Hezbollah there is no if about it .This is exactly what i meant about your double standards on this subject as you don't wait for IDF or Mossad confirmation to condemn them.
Then if it was - my point stands - as do the others that follow it ... ... and forgive me if I reserve the right to take anything that an Israeli regime flagrantly flouting International Law and Human rights says at face value ... frankly I don't trust any government ... and the US has always given blind support to Israel whilst ignoring those obvious breaches of law and rights... ... well until now - but the tides are changing ...
but you will trust the word of Hezbollah who also flagrantly breaking International law by targeting civilians .
Until they admit it we can’t be sure of course. If you can’t take the word of Lebanese terrorists then who can you trust these days?
I trust very few individuals never mind regimes, organisations or governments ... I have never said I trust Hezbollah - that's your projection... but I certainly don't trust this Israeli regime - like a growing number of Israelis ... Out of interest what are your thoughts about the occupation and settlements in the West Bank? - can't recall you commenting ....
they are illegal and always have been but as i have said before when i was there around 1979 there was already settlements going up on Palestinian land and nothing has ever been done about it by the international community so it will continue and in fact get worse due to growing influence of the settler organisations .
