Gaza under attack yet again.

[MickiQ]

Driven primarily by strategic geo-politics mainly, no?


(btw France asks police to ban pro-Palestinian protest in Paris )

That surprises me to be truthful, most Western governments tend to offer lukewarm support to the US line but the French have always shown a bit of independence at least up until now.

 

[kebabking]

That surprises me to be truthful, most Western governments tend to offer lukewarm support to the US line but the French have always shown a bit of independence at least up until now.

Other way round I'd suggest - the European states are as supportive (in broad terms) of Israel as the US is, they just use less spicy language.

To be fair to the French, there kind of a fairly reasonable, non-political and non-zionist reason for them to be not overly keen on the idea of 50,000 (or whatever) people standing in a big crowd in the middle of Paris and then getting on the public transport system. If they had forbidden a far right demo on the grounds of previous violence and C-19 risks no one would bat an eyelid....

 

[two sheds]

Watch: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez makes impassioned speech against Biden policy on Israel crisis.mp4

Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has heavily criticised President Joe Biden’s response to escalating tensions in Gaza, asking if “Palestinians have a right to survive?” On Wednesday, Mr Biden had said that he expects the violence to end “sooner rather than later” and that...

www.independent.co.uk

She'll no doubt get a kicking for this from republicans (particularly)

 

[TopCat]

Most Americans probably don't give a hoot one way or the other what happens in the Middle East but there is a vocal and influential minority that is massively pro-Israel and no counter-balance.
Biden probably isn't as pro-Israel as Trump (who's actually only pro-Trump but saw a chance to win applause from his supporters) but with a knife-edge majority in the Senate and plenty of problems to deal with at home, he isn't going to do anything other than issue the occasional vague platitude. The US's response to anything that happens in Israel is always driven by domestic politics. No other nation on the planet is remotely capable of applying any influence or pressure at all and neither the Israeli nor Hamas give a fig about condemnation or international opinion.

George Bush senior threatened to remove loan guarantees to Israel in the 90’s. Do you think this was due to domestic pressure?

 

[Pickman's model]

George Bush senior threatened to remove loan guarantees to Israel in the 90’s. Do you think this was due to domestic pressure?

Less mickiq and more mickiqluless

 

[belboid]

George Bush senior threatened to remove loan guarantees to Israel in the 90’s. Do you think this was due to domestic pressure?

The first president to explicitly support the call for an independent Palestinian state.

it was an attempt to build up wider support amongst Arab states rather than simply relying on Israeli support, IMO.

 

[MickiQ]

George Bush senior threatened to remove loan guarantees to Israel in the 90’s. Do you think this was due to domestic pressure?

TBH I didn't know that but whether he would have followed through who knows, but I think US Politics has definitely grown ever less willing to be critical of Israel, I seriously can't imagine Biden doing anything at ll.

Less mickiq and more mickiqluless

That's better than some of the snide little comments you aim at other posters, I'm mildly impressed 5/10

 

[Sasaferrato]

Yes mate, I think of little else, and my every waking moment is devoted to the tallying of Israeli casualties. I've got a spreadsheet and everything.

Hamas seems to have upped the ante with its own missiles, which are not the Heath Robinson-ish held together with sticky backed plastic jobs of yore. Which raises the question, how did they get hold of them?

Iran I should imagine.

 

[frogwoman]

Just got this email:

I don't know if I'm going to go but might be good. Na'amod are the best of the various Jewish anti occupation groups on this stuff imo

 

[hitmouse]

Just got this email:

I don't know if I'm going to go but might be good. Na'amod are the best of the various Jewish anti occupation groups on this stuff imo View attachment 268173

Guessing that's an online thing?

 

[frogwoman]

Guessing that's an online thing?

Yeah. I was meant to be going to a Shavuot picnic and might still go but I feel like I'm coming down with something so maybe I'll go to that instead.

 

[teqniq]

Blimey:

 

[kebabking]

The IDF pulled of a neat trick last night....

Hamas' ingenuity for, and dependence on, tunnels has long been known - it's how they move around Gaza, how they bring in weapons etc..

Yesterday there was a lot of political and twitter talk about the IDF conducting a ground operation into Gaza, while IDF said 'no comment' and lots of pictures of tanks on low loaders and comments about the Israeli army's poor operational security did the rounds - so Hamas' pulled it's people into the tunnel complexes in order to be able attack the Israelis when they turned up, and then disappear to fight another day.

Except that the Israelis have obviously gone to a lot of effort to map the tunnel systems, and when Hamas' went underground, the Israelis put 150 aircraft in the air in one go, and dropped 450 guided bombs into the tunnel complexes.

Today the Israelis have - with a wink and a grin - apologised to the various media outlets they briefed for misleading them...

In more political news, it looks like both sides are quietly briefing that they might be responsive to the other side wanting to talk about talks. Might be true, might not be...

 

[bimble]

Blimey:

I think the writing there is wrong, they’re not ‘attempting to clash’ w the idf they’re civilians supporting, standing in solidarity w Palestine. They have made it across the Jordon border now too.

 

[teqniq]

Seen similar reports on the borders of Lebanon, Syria and Egypt nothing actually confirmed as of yet though:

 

[not-bono-ever]

Israeli/ Palestine conflict Death ratio was running between 50 and 250 :1 over the past few years. This is looking to be a record breaking year I think

 

[not-bono-ever]

I think the writing there is wrong, they’re not ‘attempting to clash’ w the idf they’re civilians supporting, standing in solidarity w Palestine. They have made it across the Jordon border now too.

Allenby bridge I assume ?

 

[bimble]

Allenby bridge I assume ?

i didn't think so but looks like yes. The same few videos are all over the twitter.

Pro-Palestinian protestors in Lebanon storm border fences and enter Israel

Social media showed crowds on the northern and eastern borders push through fences

www.independent.co.uk

Jordanian Gov is supportive of the protestors:

Popular protests represent Jordanian solidarity with Palestine: government

Popular protests represent Jordanian solidarity ....

en.royanews.tv

 

[teqniq]

 

[bimble]

Lebanon border:

'Intense Mobilization' at Israel-Lebanon Border, IDF Tanks Fire at Protests

Israeli tanks opened fire in an effort to halt mass protests that crossed the border from Lebanon into Israel, reportedly injuring two and prompting the Lebanese military to respond to the scene.

www.newsweek.com

Looks like one of the young Lebanese men who attempted to get through the border fence is dead, shot at the border by IDF. Claims circulating already like ten mins later that he was Hezbollah member.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

A death count that will only rise ffs

 

[Pickman's model]

A death count that will only rise ffs

And not among the people who have engineered this situation

 

[frogwoman]

My mates been staying in Jenin, which is 'fine' apparently, for Eid and has to get to Ramallah tomorrow, the road is really dangerous and takes around two hours he said.

I didnt want to really ask him any more but does anyone know, is it dangerous because of settlers or just general 'clashes'? I hope he's going to be ok.

 

[frogwoman]

Settlers attack Palestinian vehicles south of Jenin

I've just seen this I am a bit worried he might get hurt now.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Watch: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez makes impassioned speech against Biden policy on Israel crisis.mp4

Democratic representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has heavily criticised President Joe Biden’s response to escalating tensions in Gaza, asking if “Palestinians have a right to survive?” On Wednesday, Mr Biden had said that he expects the violence to end “sooner rather than later” and that...

www.independent.co.uk

She'll no doubt get a kicking for this from republicans (particularly)

In the US, you really don't dare to criticize Israel if you value your political or academic career.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

 

[josef1878 2.0]

Iran I should imagine.

Which raises the question, what else do they have?

 

[Pickman's model]

Which raises the question, what else do they have?

Don't spoil the surprise. Which probably won't be much of a surprise if you saw the guardian article which talked of anti-tank missiles

 

[josef1878 2.0]

Don't spoil the surprise. Which probably won't be much of a surprise if you saw the guardian article which talked of anti-tank missiles

I didn't see that article but did see a mention somewhere. They do seem to have better quality hardware this time around.