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Yes, Mr Carter.For once you are correct and on the right side of history.'The Week' magazine."Top 3 Iranian military commanders, key nuclear scientists killed in Israel's Operation Rising LionIsrael's audacious attacks have dealt a major blow to Iran’s chain of command, with three top-ranking commanders neutralised in a matter of hours.Israel carried out a series of targeted airstrikes across Iran this morning, killing several of the country’s top military commanders and nuclear scientists in what appears to be the most ambitious Israeli operation on Iranian soil to date. The attacks, focused on crippling Iran’s nuclear programme and disrupting its military leadership, have sharply raised fears of a full-scale regional war.Among the dead is General Hossein Salami, commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), according to Iranian state media. Salami had played a central role in overseeing Iran’s support for proxy groups such as Hezbollah.The chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, Major General Mohammad Bagheri, is also believed to have been killed. Iranian reports additionally confirmed the death of General Gholamali Rashid, deputy commander of the armed forces and head of the Khatam al-Anbia central command.Bagheri is the commander in chief of the armed forces, and the second highest commander after the supreme leader, according to the New York Times. The audacious Israeli strikes are a major blow to Iran’s chain of command, with three top-ranking senior commanders neutralised in a matter of hours, just like the targeted assassinations that crippled Hezbollah’s chain of command a few months ago.Two prominent nuclear scientists, Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoun Abbasi, were killed in targeted strikes on their residences in Tehran. Abbasi was previously head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran and had survived an earlier assassination attempt. The physicist Tehranchi had been involved in advanced nuclear research. Nour News, affiliated with Iran’s security apparatus, reported that Ali Shamkhani, a key figure in nuclear negotiations and a close adviser to the supreme leader, was seriously injured in a strike on his home and is currently hospitalised.The strikes began with a first wave targeting the homes and headquarters of senior military and scientific figures, before expanding to key military installations and nuclear facilities. According to Israeli and Iranian sources, the Natanz uranium enrichment facility was among the sites attacked. Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed that the agency was in contact with Iranian officials over radiation levels and described the situation as “deeply concerning.”So, not only have more Islamist terrorist leaders been taken out but we can all sleep more peacefully in our beds now that Iran's nuclear weapons facilities have been destroyed.Of course we are still vulnerable to the messianic Islamist ravings of the Iranian regime's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has called Israel a "cancerous tumour" that "will undoubtedly be uprooted and destroyed".Iran today does not recognise Israel's right to exist and Israel says Tehran's rhetoric makes Iran an existential threat. Israel and its allies have also criticised Iran's build-up of proxy forces in the region, including the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah that are sworn to Israel's destruction.Salami and other senior officers of the Revolutionary Guards routinely advise Iran's supreme leader.

John Hawkes ● 40d

Ms BondLet's put what you have written in context.'The IDF DO NOT ALWAYS warn people'. ***(Hamas NEVER warns people when it kidnaps, rapes and murders them)***'Just because they have done this sometimes does not mean that it happens ALL THE TIME.'***(Oh yes it does. When has HAMAS ever given a warning that it is going to attack Israel ?)***'And anyway they should not be constantly moving them from place to place or shooting and bombing them while they are moving either'.***(And anyway HAMAS should not be constantly moving the people it is holding hostage within its tunnel complex, and only releasing videos of the barbarities it has carried out.Ask Greta; she's seen them has she not ?***How can you live with yourself when you seem to support evil, racist terrorism so publicly yet criticise Israel at every turn ? I find your defence of these people bewildering.Be careful someone does not report you to the PREVENT programme."Every year, around 7,000 people are referred for initial assessment. Each one of these cases is assessed by specialist officers and staff, who decide whether a vulnerability to radicalisation exists, what multi-agency support – if any – an individual might require, and how best to manage any risks that are identified. More than 31,000 cases have been assessed by officers since 2019, meaning our Prevent teams play an integral role in the fight against terrorism, as well ensuring the thousands referred each year are getting any support they need".But at least you will get help.

John Hawkes ● 41d

Mr MacLeodYou ask me "Don't you ever stop to think, Mr Hawkes? Like others I'll let you bathe in your own prejudices."My answer is 'yes' I think a lot about the issue in the Middle East and as such notice the fact that it is in the main only Israel that is criticised for what is happening there even though it acts essentially in self defence against attacks from Islamic terrorists.Similarly any other racial conflicts that have resulted in far, far more horrific acts such as that in Sudan last year where least 150 people, including 35 children, were feared dead in a massacre in a village in central Sudan blamed on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the (Islamist) paramilitary group fighting the army quickly faded from the memory.Also attacks on Christians happening now in the DRC and in Nigeria.'(International Christian Concern) — Since January, International Christian Concern (ICC) has documented a dramatic rise in attacks against Christian communities in Nigeria. In just over three months, more than 300 Christians have been killed, dozens abducted, and thousands displaced in a wave of organized violence that has swept across Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Ebonyi states'.Do you ever think of these incidents or are YOU too prejudiced to believe they are worth mentioning.Much easier to jump on the anti-Israel/anti-Jewish/anti-semitic band waggon as are many on this Forum.I asked - 'And what is your definition of a 'rogue state' and what is it that Israel is doing that would deem it to be one ?Any other examples of such or is Israel the only one ?If not why is it the only one that comes in for daily opprobrium and vilification ?'You of course cannot answer so let me point out what the US considered as such: Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela.Wouldn't quibble with that lot would you ?Notice any similarities amongst them such as having no democratically elected political systems and dubious attitudes to the rule of law ?And you keep fingering Israel.Pathetic.

John Hawkes ● 42d

Mr MacLeodBy Judeo Christian I mean the following -'The term "Judeo-Christian" refers to the shared heritage, beliefs, and values of Judaism and Christianity, highlighting their historical connections and moral principles.Definition and Historical ContextThe term "Judeo-Christian" is used to describe the common religious and cultural heritage of Judaism and Christianity. It emphasizes the historical roots that Christianity has in Judaism, as Christianity emerged from the Jewish tradition and shares many of its texts and ethical teachings. The phrase gained prominence in the mid-20th century, particularly in the United States, as a way to articulate shared values and principles that are foundational to Western civilization.Core Beliefs and ValuesAt the heart of the Judeo-Christian tradition is the belief in one God who is merciful and just. Both religions uphold the importance of moral and ethical principles, such as the Ten Commandments, which guide the behavior of their adherents. The concept of social justice, the value of human life, and the emphasis on community and family are also central to both faiths.Cultural and Ethical ImplicationsThe Judeo-Christian tradition has significantly influenced Western culture, law, and ethics. It is often invoked in discussions about morality, human rights, and social justice. However, the term has also been critiqued for oversimplifying the complex relationship between Judaism and Christianity and for potentially erasing the historical conflicts and persecutions that have occurred between the two faiths.Contemporary Usage and ControversiesIn modern discourse, "Judeo-Christian" is frequently used in political contexts, often to delineate values that are perceived as under threat from secularism or other religious traditions, particularly Islam. Some commentators argue that this usage can reinforce a Christian-centric view of history and culture, while others highlight the need to acknowledge the diverse experiences of Jews and Christians throughout history.ConclusionThe term "Judeo-Christian" encapsulates a rich and complex interplay of shared beliefs, historical connections, and cultural influences between Judaism and Christianity. While it serves to highlight commonalities, it is essential to approach the term with an understanding of its historical context and the nuances involved in the relationship between these two faiths'.I think that applies quite well to the UK and Israel.It does not apply in my opinion to Islamic states whose aim is the annihilation of Israel and its Jewish citizens,Israel is under existential threat you might have noticed, from Hamas, a gang of barbaric women raping and child murdering terrorists, which in my opinion (yours also?) has the support of the Palestinian people.This is an example, extreme of course, of a growing world wide increase in antisemitism, a racist attitude that many hold yet try to hide by claiming they are just 'anti-Zionist', 'anti-Israeli' or even 'anti-Netenyahu'.To defend itself from this and eliminate these Palestinian barbarians Israel is forced to use methods of war which can have terrible unintended consequences.This is pretty much equivalent to what Christian UK had to do against German fascists in WWII.Was that wrong ?And of course Israel is attacked from all sides for doing this - from The West Putney Palestinian Liberation Front to  Dawn French, a rather overblown actress, to Greta Thunberg, the intellectually retarded fulltime 'activist' who has switched from saving the planet to saving the Palestinians.And what is your definition of a 'rogue state' and what is it that Israel is doing that would deem it to be one ?Any other examples of such or is Israel the only one ?If not why is it the only one that comes in for daily opprobrium and vilification ?

John Hawkes ● 43d

Ms Holliday'By the way, Ukraine was invaded, Israel was not.  Hamas actions were an incursion and not an invasion! 'As John McEnroe might have said - “You cannot be serious. You CANNOT BE SERIOUS!”Thank you for putting a smile on my face this dull morning !And for the lesson in pedantry.Tell that to the women, children and the elderly Hamas killed, raped and kidnapped.They are sure to be comforted.What wicked and ignorant moral relativism and gaslighting.By the way what's your view on this ?Are Thais deserving of the same treatment as you seem to think Jews are ?'Israeli forces operating inside Gaza have retrieved the body of Thai agricultural worker Nattapong Pinta, bringing to a close one of the many grim and unresolved chapters from the October 7th atrocities. In a joint operation by the Shin Bet and the IDF, based on intelligence gleaned from captured militants, the body was recovered in Rafah. Pinta had been abducted alive from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led assault, only to be murdered in captivity by a lesser-known but no less brutal Palestinian terror group: Kataeb al-Mujahideen.Among the cascade of horrors unleashed that day, one of the most harrowing sights remains etched in my memory. It was a real-time video, circulated by Palestinian terrorists themselves, showing two men in civilian clothes from Gaza, jostling to capture the perfect angle as they filmed the slow, grotesque beheading of a barely living Thai worker writhing on the ground. The instrument: an agricultural hoe. The eagerness of the one wielding the blade was matched only by the urgency of the other to document the savagery. This was not the work of rogue madmen. It was a proud act of political violence, broadcast to the world.Thai nationals, drawn to Israel by the promise of agricultural work, paid an unspeakable price that day. A total of 46 were killed in the initial massacre and its aftermath. Thirty-one were kidnapped and dragged across the border into Gaza. Through intensive diplomatic and intelligence efforts, 23 were released by the end of 2023. A further five were freed in January 2025, with Turkish mediation playing a key role. But three were murdered in captivity: Sonthaya Oakkharasri and Sudthisak Rinthalak, whose bodies remain in the hands of their captors, and now Pinta, whose remains have finally been brought home.The group responsible for Pinta’s murder, Kataeb al-Mujahideen, is part of a broader terrorist ecosystem steeped in jihadist ideology. Originally a splinter faction of Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, it transformed in the years following Hamas’s seizure of Gaza into a radical Salafi-jihadist formation. It operates today both as an autonomous entity and a subcontractor for Hamas, often carrying out operations on its behalf. Rooted in the powerful Abu Sharia and al-Husayna clans, it straddles the worlds of terrorism and organised crime, funding its operations through smuggling and extortion in Gaza’s southern corridor.Kataeb al-Mujahideen does not merely operate in Hamas’s shadow: it is woven into the very fabric of Gaza’s terrorist ecosystem. It has contributed significantly to tunnel infrastructure and rocket capabilities. It was also the group that abducted Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, who died in captivity. The image of the Bibas children, their red hair a vivid symbol of innocence amid horror, became an emblem of October 7th'.https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/hamas-doesnt-hold-a-monopoly-on-palestinian-terror/But as someone who has criticised the Palestinians' economic  nous, I see they are now in the massacre franchising business."Nice little earner" as Arthur Daley might have said.Who knows but next they might step up to complex IT software and bio-medical science as has Israel.

John Hawkes ● 44d

Mr Carter'Ah, of course, the antisemitic libel weaponised yet again. People less committed to one side can judge it for themselves here:'Typical disgusting and insensitive racist comment.I wonder if you and others of your anti-Jewish pro-Palestinian ilk have watched 'Simon Schama: The Road to Auschwitz', if not on BBC2 then on iPlayer.In a most striking opening piece by the UK's most distinguished historian, he shows how the Jewish community living peacefully alongside their neighbours in Lithuania were suddenly turned upon by them and individuals, including women and children, and were murdered cold bloodedly in the street.He then shows how this inevitably moved on to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camps where 2,700,000 Jews were murdered, gassed and their bodies burnt in an industrialised process and at such a scale that in the end the ovens failed for being clogged up by human body fat.You may have forgotten or choose to forget that some 6,000,000 Jews were murdered by the Germans in WWII simply because of their race.No one with any sense of humanity would put this to one side with a glib comment like yours and not acknowledge that Israel and its Jewish citizens have a right to feel it could happen again.And in fact it has, proven by the actions of Palestinians who attacked them in October 2023. What is the comparable suffering of the Palestinians ?Antisemitism is on the rise again in Europe probably because of its lax border controls, the arrival of numerous Arabs plus actions and words from people like you. So be careful what you say and remember what fascist comments and incitement in Lithuania lead to.

John Hawkes ● 44d

The accusation of genocide is not based on Israel’s campaign itself but on statements by Netanyahu which supposedly prove his evil intent to exterminate or ethnically cleanse the Palestinians. According to Jonathan Sumption, it is necessary to prove intent in order to make a charge of genocide stick.Jeremy Bowen himself makes this clear:‘South Africa based much of its genocide case against Israel on inflammatory language used by Israel’s leaders. One example was the biblical reference Netanyahu when Israel sent troops into Gaza, comparing Hamas to Amalek…Another was Defence Minister Yoav Galant’s declaration just after the Hamas attacks when he ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. ‘There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel …’If two comments, however questionable, are the basis of a charge of genocide, the prosecution’s case is absurd. Genocide is not based on language but on deeds. There is no evidence whatever that Israel is trying to exterminate the Palestinian population of Gaza. If that were true, why would the IDF give warnings of attacks and move the civilian population out of harm’s way? There is no attempt to starve the population to death. If that were true, how is it that tens of thousands of aid trucks have entered Gaza since the conflict began. There is no mass starvation. There is no evidence even of a plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza. I have no doubt that many Israelis would be happy if the Palestinians went away, but that is not the same as a strategy of expulsion, which in any case would be impossible. Trump’s plan in which Palestinians would voluntarily quit Gaza while the territory is rebuilt is fantastical.The basis of Netanyahu’s description of the ICC indictment as anti-Semitic is that Israel has been singled out for condemnation when it is trying to eliminate a huge terror group dedicated to its destruction while other countries  (eg Russia which in the course of an unprovoked attack on Ukraine has killed over 100 000 Ukrainians, including thousands of civilians) are allowed to prosecute wars with impunity.

Steven Rose ● 44d

Jeremy Bowen's bias is evident from the outset. After quoting the Red Cross' mantra, 'Even Wars Have Rules', he states that 'rules are being broken'. Why go through the pretence of asking learned lawyers for their opinion on Israel's culpability if you are going to pass sentence before their evidence has been heard.Further evidence of bias is to be found in the number and standing of witnesses called  by Bowen for the prosecution and the defence. The only people quoted in defence of Israel are Netanyahu himself and a Netanyahu loyalist, Boaz Bismuth. But lining up for the prosecution are Janina Dill, Professor of Global Security at Oxford, Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian refugee council, Jonathan Sumption, former Supreme Court judge, Ralph Wilde, Professor of Law at UCL, Helena  Kennedy KC, Danny Blatman, Professor at the Hebrew University , not to mention Starmer, Macron and Carney. Was Bowen unable to find a single lawyer or statesman prepared to defend Israel?The most serious allegation against Israel is genocide. Bowen quotes Sumption, Wilde and Kennedy in support of this charge but no concrete evidence is presented. As Boaz Bismuth said, if Israel is trying to exterminate the Palestinian population of Gaza, how come the population has grown since the conflict began and how come the IDF have tried to reduce civilian casualties by giving warnings of impending attacks and moving residents out of harm's way? These points are never answered except by the comment that it is hard to prove genocide, as if it were the fault of the legislators for having set the bar too high.The accusation against Israel seems to be entirely based on a statement by Netanyahu on the evening of October 7 that Israel would turn the hiding places of Hamas into rubble and later a Biblical reference to the Amelekites, whom God asked the Israelites to destroy. Is that the evidence on which the ICC has indicted Netanyahu and Gallant and the ICJ at South Africa's request is considering a charge of genocide against Israel?

Steven Rose ● 45d

...and instead just pick out small gobbets of insult.Yes I did read Bowen.Very one sided with the nuance of a kick in the crutch.I also pointed out elsewhere that Mr Khan KC, the prosecutor  of the ICC, is on gardening leave whilst charges against him concerning child molestation are being investigated.I also have expressed my opinion that the three Hamas terrorist leaders got what they deserved in a manner they would have admired as they used such themselves in October 2023.And yes I do believe that antisemitism drives most of the pearl clutching puffed up indignation and criticism regarding Israel's attempts to defend itself.If not why are Hamas' past and present atrocities not condemned with such continual and blatant vitriol and similarly other far worse atrocities currently taking place in the world as I pointed out earlier.Now, what about answering my questions below with simple straight forward answers and encourage other members of the West Putney Palestinian Liberation Front to do the same. Posted by: John HawkesDate/Time: 03/06/25 14:21:00Y/N1) Israel is a democratic state.(As of June 2024, the State of Israel is recognized as a sovereign state by 164 of the other 192 member states of the United Nations. The State of Israel was formally established by the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948, and was admitted to the United Nations (UN) as a full member state on 11 May 1949).2) As such it has the right to exist and defend itself from attack by those who do not recognise this UN resolution.3) Hamas is a terrorist organisation that is proscribed by the UK, supported by the theocratic dictatorship of Iran and has a Charter that calls for the annihilation of Israel and its Jewish citizens.4) Hamas has NO democratic mandate to rule Gaza or carry out attacks in that territory's name.5) In October 2023 Hamas invaded Israel.6) Hamas still holds women, children and the elderly as hostages from that attack as well as corpses of those it murdered.7) Hamas is using these hostages as bargaining chips as Israel moves in to obliterate both the organisation and whoever remains of its leadership.Please participate Messrs Ainsworth, Carter, Brigo and MSs Bond, Holliday and Carter.

John Hawkes ● 45d

Mr RoseI read Bowen's long, long report with the same incredulity, verging on anger in my case, as you.This man is totally biased in favour of Hamas and the Palestinians in the current conflict and makes his distaste and contempt for Israel patently obvious.He even mentions the request from President Cyril Ramaphosa to the International Court of Justice to initiate proceedings against Israel for the supposed acts of genocide committed against the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip.A request from the leader of a country pathetically misgoverned and a man who kept $250,000 from an unknown source under his mattress ! Thank you for pointing out Bowen's and the BBC's bias against Israel and the errors he makes.And read this from the BBC today -"Reports of people injured at aid centre 'inaccurate', says charity published at 14:47 30 May"'As we've been reporting, the UN's Human Rights Office has said nearly 50 people were injured when crowds overwhelmed a new aid distribution centre run by the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah on Tuesday.Now, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has released an update, saying the report is inaccurate.“No civilians or individuals involved with the distribution of aid were injured, no lives were lost and all available food was distributed without interference this week,” the group says'.Apologies from Bowen or Head of BBC News ?Is this what I pay my licence fee for and risk arrest if I don't ?'Bowen does not say who these lawyers are, nor, more importantly, does he tell us what evidence they have of genocide'.I suspect they are the usual suspects from Doughty Street Chambers or perhaps Mr Khan (sic) KC who seems to have gone quiet since accused of molestation against her by a junior in his practice.BBC News: "The International Criminal Court has announced an external investigation into accusations of sexual misconduct against its chief prosecutor.Karim Khan said he would engage in the process and continue in his role while the investigation was ongoing. He denies the allegations".Keep up the fight to defend the right of Israel to defend itself from attacks by its Islamist Arab neighbours whilst pointing out and not defending some of the tragic mistakes it makes.Mistakes in my view that are no way comparable to the genocidal pogrom committed by Palestinians against the Jews in October 2023 which no Palestinian group or their fellow travellers admit to and in many cases fail to condemn if not glorify in.I stand alongside you in a contest between good and evil.

John Hawkes ● 45d

The relatively small number of contributors who regularly post on the topic of Israel suggests either that people think it is pointless to add to the debate or they are afraid to give their opinion.The BBC, however, shows no lack of enthusiasm for the topic. The BBC News website today leads with an 'in depth' analysis by Jeremy Bowen under the headline 'Israel is accused of the gravest war crimes'. Now I am not a member of the 'Israel can do no wrong' camp, as characterised by one contributor to the Forum. It is clear that Israel has made tragic mistakes, including shooting aid workers and even Israeli hostages. I am also prepared to consider accusations of war crimes if evidence is presented, so I read the article.Jeremy Bowen begins his analysis with the words emblazoned on the glass rotunda at the Red Cross' HQ in Geneva, 'Even Wars Have Rules'. Not a good start. I was always taught that you don't begin an essay with your conclusion.Referring to the refusal by Israel to grant foreign journalists independent access to Gaza, he says, 'The conclusion has to be that (Israel) does not want foreign reporters to see what it is doing in Gaza'. He is entitled to his opinion but in the interests of journalistic balance I think he should have mentioned that journalists are allowed access if embedded within the IDF. Bowen himself on one occasion entered Gaza while embedded within the Israeli military. He was allowed to report what he wanted but not to film wherever he wanted. He could also have mentioned that Hamas don't allow embeds.He then says that he has spoken to 'distinguished' lawyers and humanitarians who are now afraid that silence about what is happening in Gaza might lay them open to future prosecution for complicity in in war crimes. Their fear, if it is indeed genuine, is utterly implausible. When has a member of a humanitarian organisation, when has anyone ever been prosecuted for silence? Evidently Bowen did not think this a question worth asking.Bowen then reports a 'widely held belief that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war, not to safeguard Israelis, but to preserve the ultra-nationalist coalition what keeps him in power'. He has a right to report this view, but it is only a view, usually expressed by Netanyahu's political opponents. I think he should have mentioned that a significant proportion of the Israeli public also want the campaign to continue until Hamas are defeated and the hostages returned.He then says that lawyers he has spoken to believe that Israel has committed war crimes, including the crime of genocide. Now this is the most serious allegation of all, but Bowen does not say who these lawyers are, nor, more importantly, does he tell us what evidence they have of genocide. It is in effect a libel by hearsay.The only evidence of war crimes presented by Bowen is that since the beginning of the conflict, according to Hamas, 54 607 Palestinians have been killed. He says that these figures don't distinguish between civilian and military casualties but he does not report Israel's claim that almost a half are Hamas militants.My conclusion is that Jeremy Bowen and the BBC have fallen short of their duty of impartiality.

Steven Rose ● 45d

Things have indeed come to a pretty pass when a White House statement is regarded as factually more correct than one from the BBC. I suggest you view the vehement riposte to that statement by Ros Atkins on the BBC website. The Spectator, I would suggest, is another of those persistent critics of the BBC, with an agenda. The Telegraph is another. They just don’t like the concept of a state-owned publicly funded news organisation that tries (imperfectly!) to present news and analysis in an evenhanded way. The BBC is frequently accused of bias on many topics. My view has always been that they must be getting something right when they are attacked by both the left and the right on any given topic. On the subject of Israel and Palestine they also get it in the neck from both sides. There have been occasions when some of the criticism has been justified but if they do make errors of fact or judgement they will apologise, as Jeremy Bowen has had to do on a few occasions. He is, however, immensely experienced and, in my view, even more impressive in person - I once saw him hold an audience in thrall at the Edinburgh Book Festival. The breadth and depth of his knowledge on so many international conflicts is extraordinary and  I have found his commentary on the Russian invasion of Ukraine particularly penetrating. Where I think one might have reservations is in the reporting from Russia by Steve Rosenberg.  That is not a land where genuine press freedom exists and one wonders what accommodations he has had to make to be able to continue to report from there.

Jonathan Callaway ● 48d

Ms BondI hope your source for this is not BBC News which has retracted many of its claims regarding what you quote.https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/when-will-the-bbc-admit-it-has-an-israel-problem/"When will the BBC admit it has an Israel problem?"'When the White House uses a press briefing to lambast a foreign broadcaster by name, something seismic has shifted. That’s exactly what happened today when Donald Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, publicly accused the BBC of treating ‘the word of Hamas as total truth’ and challenged the White House’s description of the broadcaster rushing out anti-Israel claims only to later bury the corrections.Holding up printouts of BBC headlines that morphed from ’26 dead after Israeli tanks open fire’ to ’31 killed in Israeli gunfire,’ then ‘Red Cross says at least 21 killed’, before publishing another piece admitting ‘claim graphic video is linked to aid distribution site in Gaza is incorrect’, she put the world’s most recognisable public broadcaster on notice: ‘We’re going to look into reports before we confirm them,’ she said, ‘and I suggest that journalists who actually care about truth do the same.’When it comes to Jews and Israel, the BBC’s failures have become not just frequent but predictableThis was a blistering callout of a problem that has been festering for decades. For many who cover Israel, and for Jewish communities across the world, it was not only justified. It was long overdue.For years, the BBC has seemed to betray its royal charter commitments to accuracy and impartiality when it comes to Israel. And British citizens are forced to pay for it: every household with a television who watches or records live TV is legally obliged to fund the corporation through the licence fee. That makes this not just a media failure, but a democratic scandal. Thank goodness for the Trump White House calling it out.Time and again, the BBC seemingly rushes to publish Hamas’s version of events, only to be contradicted later by evidence. After the Al-Ahli hospital blast in October 2023, the veteran BBC international editor Jeremy Bowen declared Israel had ‘flattened’ the hospital: Hamas’s narrative broadcast globally. Within hours of the false reports, including by the BBC, synagogues were torched in Berlin and Tunis. By the time the IDF, the US, and British intelligence had proven the blast was caused by a misfired Palestinian Islamic Jihad rocket which, in fact, only struck the parking lot, the damage was done. Bowen later admitted the hospital had not been flattened as he claimed, but obstinately declared he had no regrets.That episode was no outlier. It seems to be a pattern. A BBC anchor falsely claimed Israel was ‘targeting medical teams as well as Arab speakers’ in the Al Shifa hospital in Gaza – a grotesque inversion of the truth, which was that the IDF had brought Arabic-speakers and medics with them to minimise harm when they had to operate to target Hamas, which was using the hospital for cover.Elsewhere, they wrongly translated the Arabic word Yahud (‘Jew’) as ‘Israeli’ in a documentary, sanitising open anti-Semitism. Their Gaza special, How to Survive a Warzone, featured a child narrator who turned out to be the son of a Hamas official – it was later revealed the production company paid his family, too'.Lord Haw-Haw alive and well in Portland Place.

John Hawkes ● 48d

Philippa I'm not quite sure what the point is that you're making that 'There is one government in Israel.' We all know that.Some figures you may or may not be aware of: c 750K left Palestine/Israel in 1948 when Arab armies began their onslaught on the new State after the Partition.During the same period, in retaliation, c 850K Jews were forced out of Muslim majority countries in the Middle East. As an example: in 1948 there were 55,000 Jews in Yemen; 50,000 Jewish people were forced to evacuate between 1949 and 1950 and by 2016 only 50 remained.The same pattern was repeated elsewhere in Iraq, Libya, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Jordan. From the World Jewish Congress, a history lesson:Until the 1960s, approximately one million Jews lived in Iran and other Arab countries having arrived in the region more than 2,000 years before. Nowadays, it is estimated that only around 15,000 remain, as the majority of the Jewish population in Muslim lands were forced to flee their homes in the years following the establishment of the State of Israel. This mass expulsion and exodus is part of modern history, but inexplicably, it’s neither taught at schools nor remembered within the context of the conflicts in the Middle East. BTW the 'forgotten (Jewish) refugees' has even been debated in UK Parliament as recently as 2019. By having a so-called Right to Return for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, that would mean the expulsion of all Jews from Israel. I take it  you would be happy for that to occur, otherwise why bring it up?'Many were not surprised'? Seriously? Even Hamas themselves couldn't believe their luck that they were able to infiltrate so easily and massacre 1200 men, women and children. They hadn't counted on the bonus of there being many young people enjoying a music festival to add to their murderers' joy. Just imagine something like this taking place at Glastonbury. As for being complicit, who exactly is being complicit? The British Government who wish to continue to trade with Israel while also trading with Arab countries? Meanwhile, there is plenty of disinformation being bandied about (by the BBC for one). This is just the  most recent example:'Headlines worldwide reported that the IDF carried out a massacre at a food distribution center in Rafah, killing 26 civilians. The Palestinian report spread within minutes, echoed across all major networks. Only by midday (yesterday)did the aid organization operating in the area release CCTV footage from the food distribution center, which showed no unusual events. In an official statement, the organization said, “There was no gunfire at any of the centers or in their immediate vicinity.” I am well aware that the ordinary German population had 'no idea about the concentration camps' although I'm pretty sure that those who lived in close proximity damn well knew. The smell from the ovens must have been nauseating for a start.  I don't have any idea of who you know and who you do not - it has no bearing on this thread and I only brought the subject up in my post because I have a vested interest in what happens in Israel and to the Jewish people in general. That does not mean I do not have sympathy for the Palestinians and I have already pointed out my views about the current Israeli Government.

Lucille Grant ● 51d

Ms Bond1) 'their Right to Return is problematic.Are you saying that the Jews have no right to a homeland in what is now Israel, a territory they have occupied under differing circumstances and oppression for millennia ?2) 'So is clearing all Palestinians out of Gaza and Israel'The Israelis are not trying to clear Palestinians out of Gaza, only those that are members of the terrorist mob Hamas  who I keep pointing out to you have it in their Charter the annihilation of the state of Israel and its Jewish citizens.Also if you bothered to carry out some un-prejudiced Wiki-trawling you would find out that -'There are 1.9 million Palestinians with Israeli citizenship (as of December 2019), comprising 21% of Israel’s population.83% of Palestinian citizens of Israel are Muslim, 9% are Christian, and 8% are Druze, according to Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel.There are also Palestinian members of the Knesset.3) 'Very few will have missed what happened on 7 October but to many it was not such a surprise'. Why was it not a surprise to you that Israel should have been invaded by Hamas thugs who killed and raped women, children and the elderly ?Is it that perhaps how you thought it would behave and that perhaps the Israelis deserved it ?4) I wonder what will be found when the concentration camps buried beneath the EU Hospital in Gaza are liberated. If these are the only comments you can make after removing your head from the sand I think you have wasted your effort.

John Hawkes ● 51d

Mr BrigoYou jokingly reply to my comment "There are individuals and groups 'out there' with racist views who, if we are not careful, could turn the UK into a very unpleasant place to live in." with the following 'Blimey, that took a turn, how did we get onto Reform voters?You may have read in BBC News and Mailonline that yesterday -"Eight hurt in Colorado fire attack after suspect shouts 'free Palestine'"'Multiple people have been injured after a man shouting "free Palestine" tossed Molotov cocktails at a gathering in support of Israeli hostages in Colorado, authorities say.Police said eight people - aged 52 to 88 - were injured in the attack at the Pearl Street Mall, a popular outdoor space in Boulder, about 30 miles (48km) from Denver.The FBI called it a suspected terror attack and said the suspect used a makeshift flamethrower, Molotov cocktails and other incendiary devices.Footage of the attack shows the suspect, who was shirtless, screaming at the group and had what appears to be Molotov cocktails in each hand when he was arrested.The attack unfolded during a weekly scheduled demonstration put on by Run for Their Lives, a pro-Israeli group that holds walks in the outdoor pedestrian mall in solidarity with Israeli hostages in Gaza.Police identified the attacker as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old the White House described as an 'illegal alien'. Fox News said he was from Egypt'. Good reason for Trump clamping down on such people.And who knows how many people of his ilk are illegally arriving in the UK.'The latest Home Office figures show that 1,195 arrived in 19 boats (yesterday), bringing the provisional annual total so far to 14,812.This is 42 per cent higher than the same point last year (10,448) and 95 per cent up from the same point in 2023 (7,610), according to an analysis.Putting aside the security risk, what pressure are they putting on UK housing and social services and at what cost ?Mr Brigo, do you think Starmer and Labour should take this matter in hand and if so do you have suggestions as to what they should do ?Or are you too busy thinking up unfunny comments about Reform ?

John Hawkes ● 51d

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14768543/confession-British-Israeli-hostage-Emily-Damari-planned-suicide-Gaza-captivity.html"I had a plan to do it': Chilling confession of freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari who revealed that she had planned her own suicide during 471 'terrible' days in Gaza captivity"'Freed British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari has revealed how she fought a Hamas guard and planned her own suicide during 471 'terrible' days held in Gaza.The 28-year-old has spoken for the first time on how she was held in houses booby trapped with dynamite and in terror tunnels so silent 'it murders the ears'.Emily, who lost two fingers on October 7 when terrorists shot her hand, also concealed that she has had relationships with women from the Islamist extremists fearing they would kill her if they found out.It comes as the IDF released haunting 'trophy pictures' they found on a Hamas hard drive that the terror group took of Emily during surgery in Gaza on the day she was kidnapped.She is seen unconscious on an operating table in Al-Shifa Hospital with blood splatters across a hijab she was forced to wear.Another image shows her sat captive in an ankle-length black and white dress, her bloodied left hand bandaged up during her first days held hostage in a Gaza apartment.Emily was cowering in a bomb shelter with her best friend Gali Berman, 27, at home in Kfar Aza by the Gaza border when Hamas stormed the kibbutz and slaughtered her neighbours.The terrorists killed Emily's dog, shot her in the hand and leg, and dragged them both into Gaza along with Ziv, Gali's twin brother.A Palestinian doctor calling himself 'Dr Hamas' then carelessly stitched the nerves in Emily's hand together leaving her in endless pain for over 15 months in captivity.She was hugging her pillow in the shelter with Gali when she heard the terrorists breaking her window before they broke in and shot her left hand.'The bullet entered and split my fingers,' she said. 'I shouted to him, 'Gali, they destroyed my hand!'The pain was so extreme she passed out, and came to moments later to the terrorists shouting at her beloved pet Cockapoo Chucha.'I hear them saying, 'Dog! Dog!' in Arabic. Chucha is sitting, looking at them, and they shoot her. Chucha's bullet is the one that entered my leg.'Emily was then lifted and carried into her own car, alongside Gali, and they were blindfolded and kidnapped into Gaza.'And here is me thinking Israel was destroying the Palestinian health services.

John Hawkes ● 52d

Mr CarterI hope you and Ms Carter do not find my response rude, but  your response is both a classic example of gaslighting and devoid of any logic.'Ukraine is defending itself from an actual army of an enemy four times it's size, admittedly an incompetent one that's reckless of the damage it causes,  whereas Israel faces a much smaller terrorist group: dreadful, but several orders of magnitude less than the forces attacking Ukraine'.Why do you bring up the topic of the Russian invasion at all  ?Everyone agrees this is wrong and inexcusable.'whereas Israel faces a much smaller terrorist group'.So that's all right then.You think Putin and the Israeli government are similarly in the wrong.And these Hamas terrorists, which you never acknowledge have a published and avowed objective of annihilating Israel and its Jewish citizens and are continually and actively trying to do so: should be treated how ?Is Hamas not threatening Israel's existence and reckless in the damage it causes ?Two sentence answer will suffice.However I am sure you feel warm in the glow of the gesture Hamas is currently making.From MailOnline - 'Hamas has said it is willing to release 10 living Israeli hostages and hand over the bodies of 18 others in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, but only if key amendments are made to a US-backed ceasefire plan that Israel has already accepted.In a dramatic development, the terror group submitted its counterproposal to a framework drawn up by Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East. While the response stopped short of outright rejection, it has been widely condemned as a stalling tactic amid mounting international pressure'. Humane and generous no ?Can't run a civil society but good at trading in hostages and dead bodies.Still I am sure no pressure coming from West Putney.

John Hawkes ● 52d

Nobody is an IDF apologist Richard. This is a war of Hamas own making. Israel cannot survive with terrorists on her border. The fact that so many Palestinians have sadly died is ALL on Hamas. It amazes me that this one particular war has had countless threads on the forum. I do not support Netanyahu or his Right Wing Knesset colleagues BUT, once again, as Mr Hawkes continues to point out, what would any other country do when their citizens are in peril? I have relatives in Israel. They want the war to end, as we all do, and the constant threat of terrorist activities and rocket attacks to stopTry and imagine, if you will, having to be on constant alert for air raid sirens and finding yourself and your family a safe room nearby. This has been a constant way of life for far too many years in Israel.If Hamas was serious about their fellow Palestinians safety and future wellbeing the millions of $$$ sent to Gaza would have been used to build shelters for civilians. Instead the money went to build their tunnels underneath homes, hospitals etc and to procur armaments and rockets. Please don't @me that Netanyahu was complicit in any way - he may well have been - but that isn't the point.Jewish people all over the world today are in fear. The anti semitism we face is on a par with that my mother faced as a child in 1920s Germany. I am not exaggerating. Mainstream media rarely reports the attacks on Jews or their homes or businesses. The Jewish diaspora rightly has no say in how Israel is governed and yet the armchair warriors on here and elsewhere on the internet appear to expect us to turn our backs on our Jewish brethren in Israel. I for one, as I've stated before, will never turn my back on them. ALL the hostages, alive or not, need to be sent home before Israel withdraws from Gaza.

Lucille Grant ● 53d

Richard, I disagree with almost every word of your post earlier today: 1) The argument that Israel’s response is ‘disproportionate’ rests on the assumption that its campaign in Gaza is retaliation for the pogrom of October 7. On that logic, presumably,  given that over 1000 Israelis were murdered, in many cases raped  and mutilated before being murdered, the Israelis should have limited themselves to murdering 1000 Palestinian civilians. You fail to understand that the Israeli response is not retaliation but an attempt to eliminate the threat from Hamas who have promised to repeat their murderous assault ‘again and again’.2) It is all very well for you, sitting safely in Putney, to assert that Hamas lacks the means to fulfil the terms of its genocidal charter by exterminating the Jewish population of Israel. But Hamas has certainly proved that it has the means to murder at least 1000 Israeli citizens  and if left unchecked Hamas may in the future acquire the weapons from Iran or elsewhere to carry out even more terrible assaults. If your family were living in souther Israel, would you say, ‘It’s all right. They can’t kill us all’?3) If Hamas released the hostages, Israel would certainly call a ceasefire, at which point there would be an opportunity to discuss the future of Gaza, which cannot be decided by Israel alone.4)  There has been a tragic loss of life in Gaza but this is mainly due to Hamas using the civilian population as human shields. A large number of Palestinians killed, probably almost a half, are actually Hamas militants, a figure which compares favourably with other counter-insurgencies e.g. the American campaign against Isis in Syria where the death toll was around 6 civilians killed for every militant.5) The use of the word genocide, which means the extermination of an ethnic group, is wholly inappropriate in this context. It is obvious that the IDF are not trying to exterminate the Palestinians. If they has wanted to do that, they could have done so on October 8 given their huge arsenal. Many people have died, but that happens in war, which is always ugly. Almost a million people have been killed or injured in Ukraine, many of them civilians. Has anyone accused Russia of genocide? Is Russia facing a charge of genocide at the ICJ?6) The unwarranted use of the word genocide is particularly hurtful for Jewish people who 80 years ago were the victims of possibly the worst genocide in history. The accusation is essentially anti-Semitic, as if to say, ‘You Jews are always going on about the Holocaust, but actually you are just as bad as the Nazis’. So no, anti-Semitism has not been weaponised. Some of the comments on the Forum are anti-Semitic. This does not imply that all criticism of Israel is anti-Semitic. Many Israelis are critical of their own government.7) Michael Brigo’s post, justifying Hamas’ refusal to accept a ceasefire, shows that it is not a ‘foul lie’ to suggest that contributors to the Forum have shown support for Hamas. I don’t imagine for one moment that Michael approves of the pogrom of October 7 but his post effectively supports the strategy of Hamas, which is to stay in power, keeping the hostages as a bargaining chip and a human shield. His post by the way is rather obtuse. A ceasefire is not the same thing as a permanent cessation of hostilities. It offers a pause in the fighting so as to allow the distribution of humanitarian and further talks. The idea that Israel will immediately start bombing Gaza at the end of the ceasefire is an unjustified assumption. It depends on what 3merges from the talks. Hopefully Hamas will return all the hostages and leave Gaza, which is more than some of them deserve, so as to allow the Palestinian population under a moderate leadership to rebuild their lives.8) The critics of Israel have no monopoly on compassion.

Steven Rose ● 53d

Good morning Steven, Thank you for your post and I would like to make the following comments: 1) "Israel blockaded the Gaza Strip at various levels of intensity in 2005–2006. Israeli-imposed closures date to 1991.[11][12][13][14][15] In 2007, after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip, Israel imposed an indefinite blockade of Gaza that remains in place, on the grounds that Fatah and Palestinian Authority forces had fled the Strip and were no longer able to provide security on the Palestinian side.[16] Israel has said the blockade is necessary to protect itself from Palestinian political violence and rocket attacks, and to prevent dual use goods from entering Gaza."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockade_of_the_Gaza_Strip#:~:text=In%202007%2C%20after%20Hamas%20seized,security%20on%20the%20Palestinian%20side. 2) It is retaliation as it is a reprisal by Israel of the attack of 7 October 2023 and to prevent any repeat of the attack by Hamas "again and again". 3) Excuse my rudeness, but do you understand English? "People who support the Palestinian cause" who are they? It is very obvious to me that you are very particular when it comes to perceiving the intended meaning of posts.
Perhaps you are correct that there is no evidence that the Israeli government is planning to expel Palestinians from Gaza. Only that famous meeting between Netanyahu and Trump when it was clearly expressed that neighbouring countries should take Palestinians in and that Gaza would become the Riviera of the Middle East......

Ivonne Holliday ● 55d

Mr Rose'Just a few points,Ivonne:'I fear you are wasting your time responding point by point to people like 'Yvonne' and many others of her ilk who post on this Forum.Their fanatical obsession with Israel seemingly verges on the psychotic and in my observation is rooted in antisemitism."If it talks like a duck....".Why do they only highlight what they see as failings by Israel and not by the Palestinians ?Why is Israel the only country whose alleged 'crimes' are called out daily ?I respectfully ask them to explain why else this is so if it is not rooted in antisemitism albeit subconsciously.But let's end on some good news."Israel PM says Hamas's Gaza chief Mohammed Sinwar has been killed" - BBC News'Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says its military has "eliminated" Hamas's Gaza chief Mohammed Sinwar, one of its most wanted men and the brother of the group's late leader Yahya Sinwar.Mohammed Sinwar was reportedly the target of a massive Israeli strike on the courtyard and surrounding area of the European hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis on 13 May, which the Israeli military said destroyed Hamas "underground infrastructure".Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, was killed by Israeli troops last October.Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response the unprecedented cross-border attack 600 days ago, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.'They can run but they can't hide and as the Queen song goes - 🎼🎵🎶"Another one bites the dust".In my opinion Israel should show more political nous in its defence against existential attacks by Hamas and other extreme Palestinians.1) Show public sympathy to the Gazan Palestinian people, who it should be recalled, never voted to be ruled by Hamas and are suffering the consequences of this fact.2) Pick off the Hamas terrorist leaders one by one to put the fear of God into them.3) Set up a military cordon sanitaire between Gaza and Israel.4) Take a firm hand to the extreme Israeli settlers trying to occupy the West Bank and who tarnish the cause of Israel's survival. All are necessary to stop the spread of Palestinian/Arab extremism spreading from the Middle East through Europe to the UK.Hence Starmer is right to carefully control immigration as we cannot be certain of the objectives of some of them for coming here as is reflected in the arrest of Iranian potential terrorists. BBC News - "Seven Iranian nationals are among eight men arrested in two major counter-terrorism investigations that took place separately on Saturday.Five of the arrests were part of a "pre-planned" investigation into an alleged plot to "target a specific premises", the Metropolitan Police said".Let's have less nonsensical squeals about 'racism' and 'Islamophobia' and focus on protecting ourselves.

John Hawkes ● 55d

Hello Steven,You have admitted, indirectly, that 70% of the Palestinians do NOT support Hamas.  That is a much larger number than those who support it.You also mention the elections in 2005.  That was 20 years ago!!!  It is typical of autocratic systems and dictators.It just happens that in 2005 Israel withdrew its troops and settlers from Gaza but, surprise surprise, maintains total control over its borders, seashore and airspace.  Meaning, Gaza has been under siege ever since.  Not a situation conducive to good relations, would you not say?  Should Israel call a unilateral ceasefire?  Absolutely not.  It should be an agreed ceasfire and, better still, a total cessation of hostilities.  Also, Israel banning aid into Gaza is verging on criminality as it is using hunger as a "war weapon".  Yes, the pictures from Gaza are incredibly distressing.  Homes, hospitals and infrastructure destroyed, malnourished children....  Unforgivable!!  Not to say the number of body sacks everywhere and people trapped under rubble....One could easily say that Israel's reaction to the abhorrent attack of 7 October 2023 has been totally out of proportion.  Retaliate for the attack?  Absolutely!  But Netanyahu's aim is perhaps to release the hostages but certainly to empty Gaza of Palestinians (not just Hamas) and for Gaza to come under Israel total control - I suppose to the delight of Daniella Weiss. Once he has achieved this, what will happen to the West Bank?

Ivonne Holliday ● 56d

Mr Rose'My remark about a monopoly on humanitarian sentiment was intended as a reply to Michael Brigo's comment that those who support Israel are lacking in humanitarian feeling. The pictures from Gaza are distressing. But what is the alternative? Should Israel call a unilateral ceasefire, leaving Hamas in control of Gaza, ready to mount further murderous attacks in the future? I also think your distinction between Hamas and the Palestinian population of Gaza is misleading. The people of Gaza voted for Hamas in 2005 despite its genocidal charter and continue to support Hamas in large numbers (around 30% according to polls), providing an army of roughly 30 000 militants who include rapists and psychopaths in their ranks'.All of this is absolutely true.Especially the growing support for Hamas amongst Palestinians (not all it must be said), encouraged no doubt by international support for the group amongst bien pensants and leftists (as on this Forum) of a self-proclaimed anti racist bent.But you will never convince those that are themselves psychopathically full of hatred towards Israel and wish it harm or even extinction.Whilst at the same time supporting belligerent Palestinians with whom they have nothing in common and are used as a tokenistic stick to beat Israel and Jews.And also choose to ignore all of the other inter-racial conflicts around the world that have resulted in far more deaths and destruction.Such psychopathy of course veers towards antisemitism.They may wring their pearls and cry 'infamy' but by their comments will they be judged.

John Hawkes ● 56d