Israel president Shimon Peres accuses Britain of pro-Arab bias

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

More slaughter overnight.

 

Let's hope Iran get their nuke sorted soon. Purely as an act of "defence" though, obviously. Given that it appears that any amount of innocent casualties is fair game.

[PestiRed]

Reasonably sure that Israel have nukes and would not hesitate to use them in retaliation

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

True. But they're allowed to be quiet about their nuclear capabilities, and omit from signing non-proliferation treaties, despite being the most unpredictable, violent, sadistic murdering nation in the region.

 

Absurd.

[skend04]

Pretty clear that Israel is intent on wiping out the Palestinians. Imprisoned behind walls and even their nutrional intake is carefully rationed by Israel. Bini is doing quite the impression of fascist dictators, he's just a moustache short of being seen for who he really is.

[Jairzinho]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28558433

 

Standard daily report of Israel blowing up schools, etc, but half way down the report is a poll of 600 Israeli jews by a university in Tel-Aviv with some quite depressing results.

 

The link takes you to a PDF.

 

97% support the current military operation.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Well said, you crazy story book folk!

 

http://www.christianaid.org.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/July-2014/christian-aid-statement-on-gaza-impunity-must-end.aspx

 

Christian Aid statement on Gaza: Impunity must end

30 July 2014 - Christian Aid has been working with the poorest people in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory since the early 1950s, when we provided help to Palestinian refugees.Today we are working with more than 20 Israeli and Palestinian organisations to protect human rights, access to services and resources, and to build peace based on justice for all.

Here William Bell, Christian Aid’s Policy and Advocacy Officer for Israel and the Palestinians, calls for an end to impunity on both sides in the conflict through a framework guided by international law and justice.

Christian Aid believes that whilst the scale of destruction and suffering in Gaza is unprecedented, the current crisis should not be a surprise to anyone. It is the result of decades of political failure and continuous Palestinian displacement. We call for an immediate end to all violence against civilians and honest and concrete measures to demonstrate to all those who breach international law that they will be held to account.

This latest outbreak of violence is not about Gaza. The people who are now dying in their hundreds are paying the price for a lethal combination of international political impotence and indifference to decades of Palestinian dispossession and displacement. It appears from its actions that Israel disregards the most basic rights of Palestinians.

Those who have died deserve us to be honest about what is happening. The world cannot claim to be unaware, as it has been paying for the consequences of consistent political failure, weak Palestinian leadership and Israel’s actions since the first Palestinian refugees were forced from their homes in 1947. Billions have been poured into Palestinian ‘development’ aid, while Israeli actions have fuelled ‘de-development’ and undermined a viable Palestinian economy by occupying more land for illegal settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank and restricting access and movement for people and goods.

Israel controls and impacts on almost every aspect of Palestinian life. This includes forcing them through humiliating checkpoints; allowing settler violence to go unpunished; imposing a seven year blockade on Gaza; arresting and holding thousands without charge and demolishing homes and livelihoods.

Anyone bearing witness to these facts on the ground will no doubt conclude that any possibility of a two-state solution has all but failed. Despite the international community’s claim that it is the only solution, it has not acted to stop Israel usurping Palestinian land and natural resources and has allowed Palestinians to become the highest per capita recipients of donor aid in the world.

If there is doubt about the current Israeli Government’s intentions then Prime Minister Netanyahu’s comments in the Times of Israel (13/07/14) clarifies things. “I think the Israeli people understand now what I always say: that there cannot be a situation, under any agreement, in which we relinquish security control of the territory west of the River Jordan.” This clearly means not giving a Palestinian state full sovereignty.

For Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory to be truly secure, democratic and peaceful, then occupation must end and all within it must be treated equally. If the international community continues with the same approach to this conflict, then it is complicit in the current situation. Christian Aid believes that relationships must change between Israel, the Palestinians and third party states and be transformed into ones that centre on accountability.

Christian Aid believes that in order for there to be security for both peoples, the climate of impunity must come to an end and each individual and collective action be accounted for through a framework guided by international law and justice. This is the essence of peace: building new relationships founded on equity. If non-violent forms of justice, such as respect for international law, are routinely ignored, then the international community will continue to fund an unsustainable status quo.

Accountability mechanisms have been sidelined due to a lack of political will within the international community to demonstrate to Israelis and Palestinians that its commitment is to a just peace. States have consistently chosen politics over law in dealing with Palestinians and Israelis, subverting the possibility that applying legal standards to both parties could serve as a vehicle for peace and support efforts to end violence.

By holding Israelis and Palestinians to account for their actions, as so many of our Israeli and Palestinian partner organisation work towards, a new reality can emerge within a less asymmetric context. It creates a secure platform from which each party can then negotiate issues and attempt to come to terms with the reality in which they currently live: Palestinians and Israelis living side by side on the same land without peace and security. Until they are treated equally, any attempts at peace will continue to fail.

After the Israeli offensive on Gaza in 2008/9, known as ‘Operation Cast Lead’, a UN Fact Finding Mission to Gaza was deployed to investigate serious violations of international law perpetrated by Israel and Palestinians. The Mission warned that if the violations identified in their report were not addressed, the climate of impunity would ensure continued violence and disregard for civilian protection. What we are witnessing in Gaza today, the devastation of lives, is testament to the accuracy of this analysis.

What does accountability mean for Palestinians and Israelis? It means that those who carry out attacks targeting civilians, whoever they may be, are brought to justice. There can be no justification for continued lack of accountability and the unwillingness of the international community to act in the face of gross violations.

Of course, at the moment we are talking about Gaza. But this conflict is also about the occupied West Bank with all its illegal settlements and the refugee camps in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territory. It’s about the security of both Palestinians and Israelis. It’s about stopping more death and destruction and treating every life as sacred and of equal value. It’s about condemning and acting on the injustice that we are witnessing in Gaza.

The British Government has been clear in its condemnation of Hamas’s rockets, as are we. It needs to be equally clear in its condemnation of the killings of civilians and destruction of medical facilities and homes by Israel. Any imbalance, perceived or real, could undermine genuine efforts to achieve a ceasefire. Future attempts at peace will have to be inclusive and respect the rights and dignity of all if they are to stand any chance of success. Something that hasn’t happened so far.

To find out more about our appeal or to donate please visit the Christian Aid website at www.christianaid.org.uk or visit the appeal page here. Text HELP to 70007 to give £5.

 

If you would like further information or to arrange an interview with spokespeople in Gaza or the UK please contact Johanna Rogers jrogers@christian-aid.org, 020 7523 2460 or the 24 hour press duty phone – 07850 242950

[TheBitch]

Russell Brand. Fox News. Some cunt called Shaun. Terrorists.

 

[skend04]

Israel already broken the humanitarian ceasefire. No depths they won't plumb to.

[lifetime fan]

Israeli military tells people in Gaza it is resuming operations as ceasefire crumbles.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Fucking cunts.

[Jairzinho]

Israeli military tells people in Gaza it is resuming operations as ceasefire crumbles.

 

Not before stating it was Hamas that broke the ceasefire.

 

A four year old probably threw a stone.

 

"Yep, that'll do for us. Roll the tanks in."

[ODZ]

Not before stating it was Hamas that broke the ceasefire.

 

A four year old probably threw a stone.

 

"Yep, that'll do for us. Roll the tanks in."

 

Or maybe Hamas executed a well planned attack, taking advantage of the ceasefire, and kidnapped an Israeli soldier.

 

Just throwing that out there.

[stringvest]

Even if they did, Israel is pulling innocent civilians off the streets every single day for years. Or is that not the same?

 

Just throwing that back.

 

[Paulie Dangerously]

BBC headline 'Militants seize Israeli soldier' and underneath '27 Palestinians killed in shelling'

 

I know it's not tragedy top trumps but that points to bias .

[Jairzinho]

Or maybe Hamas executed a well planned attack, taking advantage of the ceasefire, and kidnapped an Israeli soldier.

 

Just throwing that out there.

 

Even if that narrative is true, and that was the order of events, I'm sure Israel will respond accordingly. Oh, they have. Murdering some more children.

 

I also don't see any reason for Hamas to accept a ceasefire. This isn't a 50/50 situation. During a ceasefire Palestinians still have to live like rats in an apartheid system, living in what is essentially an enormous prison and, as it turns out, still getting murdered.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

If Hamas have breached the ceasefire their actions, whilst understandable (the fight for freedom never ends), are a bit stupid.

 

But, it still won't justify the disproportionate response from Israel which is inevitable to follow.

 

I found it telling that the two biggest assaults on Gaza came just after Israel suffered it's two biggest hits, IDF casualty wise. The strikes seemed more like vengeful, punitive strikes rather than defence. I think we'll see the same again.

 

Plus, we're constantly told by the Israeli politicians that they do their best to avoid civilian casualties, in a "these kind of things happen in a war" manner.

 

Soldiers get taken captive in war too. Whilst not wishing to sound blasé, he's a legitimate target.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Some 1,460 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict, health officials say. Sixty-three Israelis, mostly soldiers, have died. -- Small font on the BBC.

[Jairzinho]

Some 1,460 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in the conflict, health officials say. Sixty-three Israelis, mostly soldiers, have died. -- Small font on the BBC.

 

Two Israeli civilians, and one Thai visitor, that have died isn't it?

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Two Israeli civilians, and one Thai visitor, that have died isn't it?

Not sure. All three are a tragic loss of life, no doubt about it, but I have to admit that it isn't the number that worries me most.

[Stu Monty]

It's collective punishment. 

 

It's a war crime. 

 

Anyone who would try and refute that gets very short shrift from me.

[Hand Shandy]

Hamas militants captured.

 

Israeli soldiers kidnapped.

[JBarnes]

All the while the US are handing more rockets to Israel to fire at Gaza. They then condemn the rocket attacks on civilians, well then stop fucking giving them the means to fucking do it. 

 

In a not too round about way the US are as complicit in this as Israel but that's a bit too unpalatable for most to consider so it's generally ignored by most.

[ODZ]

For the record, I'm not defending what's happening in Gaza right now, because there isn't much to defend.

 

Hamas are a bunch of cunts, and so are the Israeli government.

 

I'm part of the 3% in that poll, I guess.

[bouncebrigade]

I think Hamas could have reached the point of no return.  What's the point in reverting to the status quo, living like dogs.  They might just keep on firing rockets until they get a few concessions from Israel.

 

Netanyahu talks about destroying the tunnels, ceasefire or not.  That's grand, but why not also lift the blockade.  Human beings, for the most part committed to peace, deserve better.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

The captured soldier is a British Israeli. Is he going to be arrested upon his return to the UK, for travelling abroad to fight in a foreign conflict.

 

He's reportedly the cousin of the Israeli Defence Minister. They've caught themselves a massive catch there, political capital wise.