Hamas/Israel conflict: news and discussion

[PTK]

Balfour was let's say 'a zionist of convenience'. He didn't believe in a state of israel as an ideal; he simply thought a state of Israel existing would give all the jews somewhere to go, so there wouldn't be a 'jewish question' in britain any more.

Did Balfour also want a "loyal little Ulster" in the area?

 

[Coffeecup]

Will Trump get the praise for this if it happens?

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/qatar-hands-israel-hamas-final-draft-gaza-ceasefire-deal-official-tells-reuters-2025-01-13/

Trump already sidelined the Palestinians in his last Presidency.

 

[mojo pixy]

Did Balfour also want a "loyal little Ulster" in the area?

I guess it's possible he imagined that was approximately what a jewish state in the middle east might amount to. Perhaps Rothschild believed it too. But I'm pretty sure neither of them could have imagined auschwitz, or masses of destitute and traumatized refugees arriving by the uncontrollable boatload, as happened in the wake of ww2. Or every neighbouring country banding together to squash it as soon as it announced itself. Or a stream of spoiled middle class american racists who like bullying arabs, as happens now.

 

[teqniq]

There appears to be a real possibility of a ceasefire deal and the likes of Smotrich are not happy:

Netanyahu's Far-right Allies Hurl Last-minute Wrecking Ball at Hostage Negotiations

This appears to be one of the reasons there is significant movement:



Here is an archived English translation of the Haaretz piece linked to in the BlueSky post:

Trump's emissary forced Netanyahu to agree to the outline of the deal that he repeatedly rejected

 

[Flavour]

See? Exactly like he said. Trump the peacemaker

 

[_Russ_]

How many times have we heard the bollox that a ceasefire is close?

 

[teqniq]

How many times have we heard the bollox that a ceasefire is close?

When something seems too good to be true and it involves Trump it's perfectly reasonable to be suspicious and say it is. However the reportage is in a reputable publication, Haaretz so who knows?

 

[planetgeli]

There appears to be a real possibility of a ceasefire deal and the likes of Smotrich are not happy:

Netanyahu's Far-right Allies Hurl Last-minute Wrecking Ball at Hostage Negotiations

Nutters gonna nut.

The far-right Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has described the prospective of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas as “terrible”, and called on Israel’s finance minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him in opposing it.

In a lengthy post to social media, Ben-Gvir said doing a deal would “erase the war achievements that have been achieved with much blood by our fighters, so far, in the Gaza Strip.”

He said that withdrawing his support from the government would not topple Benjamin Netanyahu or prevent the deal alone, hence calling for Smotrich to join him.

Ben-Gvir also appeared to claim having prevented previous attempts to agree a ceasefire, saying “over the past year, through our political power, we have managed to prevent this deal from coming to fruition, time after time.”