Hamas strike on Israel - mod warning in OP updated 19/10/23

taratee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464912#Comment_123464912

No, I’ve addressed this before. I can only speak for myself and the people I know. I stand with Israel, and I know others here in Ireland who do as well. We understand that what truly matters is what happens on the ground in Israel and Gaza. No amount of protesting, and no amount of vacuous virtue-signalling on the streets of Dublin, is going to change that.

I’ve long believed that these marches are more about the protesters themselves—their need for attention—than about genuine concern for the people of Palestine, or even a deeper issue like underlying antisemitism. The same can be said for the government here and their actions. They had lots to say but they've actually done nothing for the people on the ground in Gaza. It’s often about projecting moral superiority. I know a few people who attended pro-Hamas and pro-Palestine marches, and most of them have since stopped going. It was the same pattern with BLM, with Ukraine, and even during COVID— where they were the first to look down their noses at anyone who didn’t follow restrictions with military precision. The campaign loses it appeal and they move on.

If the war ends tomorrow—and I truly hope it does—they’ll be out protesting something else within a few weeks, and Palestine will become a distant memory for all but a small minority. The ones who genuinely care will remain engaged, but within those protest groups, you’ll also find the true antisemites, hiding in plain sight.

taratee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464666#Comment_123464666

I don't have a number to hand, but it's greater than zero. That, coupled with the fact that they’ve refused to admit defeat, release the hostages, and leave Gaza, means that they are still at war. Don’t you agree? That being said, I totally understand why people look at Gaza and say they have been defeated. I often look at the pictures myself and wonder: what does equate to defeat for these guys? You'd probably need to adopt the same mindset as these guys to answer that question, and that's a place that the vast-vast majority of us, whether we stand with Israel or Palestine, don't want to venture, I'd say.

I'm off for the day now, so I won't reply til tomorrow. I enjoyed discussing this with you today, and look forward to reading to your reply. Have a nice evening.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464923#Comment_123464923

And what about the people of Gaza? You never mentioned them. You know, the ones actually dying on a daily basis.

War crimes aren't a toy by the way. Your bias is outstanding. I wonder why.

thereiver

Theres literally no place safe in Gaza where people can go to be safe from being bombed or killed by the IDF they bomb hospitals or refugee camps .Theres a statement after three months of blocking aid the government will allow basic aid thru eg civilians are at risk of stsrvation and death thru lack of medical aid supplys

dmcdona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464740#Comment_123464740

Using the results of a song contest to make an argument that Israel is "still loved and respected" is probably as low as it gets. And loses the argument.

PokeHerKing

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465025#Comment_123465025

Id agree. So there was no silent majority voting in solidarity with Israel.

And given how many countries with equal or far more popular songs got few to no votes the only conclusion is Israels votes were a propaganda vote.

Sudden Valley

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465395#Comment_123465395

It makes no sense to be a silent majority in a democracy. If there is a ground swell of support for Israel in Ireland as reflected in the Eurovision public vote ha(😊) then they should be out in the streets or voting out politicians who don't reflect their viewpoint.

Kermit.de.frog

UK, France and Canada have just threatened Israel with sanctions.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/may/19/gaza-israel-aid-war-latest-live-news

Frank Grimes

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465515#Comment_123465515

Better late than never I guess, assuming anything will come of it.

SafeSurfer

After 19 months it is time that the title of this thread was changed to “Israel’s Genocide in Gaza”.

dmcdona

There are very powerful news items today from the Haaretz summary.

Netanyahu confirms Israel is occupying the whole of Gaza, will only provide minimal aid for one week only and confirms that Israel needs to avoid the world seeing pictures of mass starvation. Israel must avoid it for diplomatic and practical purposes. Note the absence of "providing aid for humanitarian reasons" - presumably because Israel is devoid of humanity.

Of course, Ben-Gvir has labelled the provision of aid as "a grave mistake". He'd prefer mass starvation in the Concentration Camps Smotrich is a fan of.

And after mentioning "concentration", Smotrich goes one further and copper-fastens his final solution: We are conquering, cleansing and staying in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed. I'm guessing the ICJ result will be a slam dunk on the question of intent to commit Genocide.

For anyone doubting the use of the word "concentration", Israel is closing 400 distribution centres and replacing them with 4 or 5 hubs each serving circa 460,000 people. Given there is no transport in Gaza (no fuel) then all the Gazans will need to be close by each hub so those distributing aid from the hubs can reach them. Concentration.

In a video posted on social media, PM Netanyahu said that Israel is "engaged in intense, large-scale combat in Gaza… We intend to take control of the entire territory. But we must proceed in a way that prevents anyone from stopping us." Netanyahu said that he authorized "minimal humanitarian aid – food and medicine only" to be delivered to Gaza, because Israel was close to "reaching the red line." According to Netanyahu, "our best friends in the world – senators I know as strong supporters of Israel – have warned that they cannot support us if images of mass starvation emerge. We must avoid famine, both for practical reasons and diplomatic ones." On Sunday night, Netanyahu's office announced that Israel would immediately resume humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza "at the recommendation of the IDF, and due to the operational need to enable the expansion of the intensified fighting to defeat Hamas." A senior official told Haaretz that Netanyahu's decision is "a temporary, one-week measure" until the establishment of aid distribution centers is completed.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called the decision to allow aid into Gaza a "grave mistake" that was "made in a hurry," and that his request for a vote in a government meeting was refused, because "they knew I had a majority to overturn this vote." Sources present at the meeting confirmed that Ben-Gvir demanded a vote but was overruled by Netanyahu. Other sources said Netanyahu made the decision unilaterally under heavy U.S. pressure, bypassing a cabinet vote out of concern he lacked majority support.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said that Israel is "destroying everything that's left of the Gaza Strip" and that "the army is leaving no stone unturned. We are conquering, cleansing and staying in Gaza until Hamas is destroyed."

A Western diplomat who spoke to Haaretz harshly criticized the planned humanitarian aid distribution mechanism being established in Gaza. According to the diplomat, Israel is set to close 400 aid distribution points in Gaza and replace them with four or five large hubs. "There will be 6000 people who will come to collect food from one hub. Each center will serve 460,000 people…There is no way this will work," said the diplomat, adding that he "desperately hopes they don't make that mistake. It would be awful."

dmcdona

Remember the TikTok videos of the IDF rifling through the knicker drawers of dead Palestinian women?

An IDF force dressed in women's clothing raided the Khan Yunis home of Ahmed Sarhan, a commander in Popular Resistance Committees, a Palestinian militant group, and killed him, according to Palestinian reports.

dmcdona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464923#Comment_123464923

Hostage release is number six in the order of priorities of the Israeli Govt.

Bishop of hope

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465823#Comment_123465823

They care not for the hostages. They are where they want to be, in complete control of Gaza. Hamas are totally defunct and a useless force at this stage and desperate now for a ceasefire, offering to release half the hostages for a two month ceasefire. Israel are hell bent on just continuing, so no ceasefire will be granted now bar the complete capitulation of Hamas. Unlikely even if it did happen. A group of 22 countries demanding Israel readmit aid immediately now, but no call from them for a ceasefire, but no dice on that either. Some countries going to introduce sanctions if the aid isn't started again too.

A hell like situation in Gaza now.

My name is URL

If what they always claim about the enemy stealing from them is true, they really do come out of it looking like idiots. If it's not true they are liars.

Either way their defence ministry are scumbags

TheValeyard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465515#Comment_123465515

I have my doubts that anything will actually happen. And even if it does, it will be mild.

Notice Germany is absent from the list

dmcdona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465873#Comment_123465873

According to the report posted earlier:

We will not stand by while the Netanyahu Government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.

Seems they are saying cease-fire and provide humanitarian aid - or else. Without specifying the "or else" bit, I'm as sceptical as you and @TheValeyard

But clearly, the criticism of Israel is mounting by the day.

NIMAN

So the UK are going to put sanctions in place, are they?

Perhaps if they stopped supplying Israel with the means to slaughter innocent people, that would be a start.

SeanW

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123464638#Comment_123464638

Of course, we're expected to believe that Israel is just attacking Gaza for **** and giggles?

TheValeyard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466026#Comment_123466026

No. Land grab.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466026#Comment_123466026

Absolutely nobody has said that.

Why do Israel supporters always resort to lies.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465643#Comment_123465643

I guess they've reached to "too much" stage even if, as you suggest, it's entirely performative.

SeanW

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466072#Comment_123466072

What lie? Ye go on endlessly about Israel's perceived sins, but you never seem to include the context.

Strazdas

I'm reading that Israel has been threatened behind the scenes with sanctions by the EU and US. Also, that Democrat and Republican representatives in Congress approached the Israeli ambassador with similar sentiments (source: KAN, Israeli TV channel).

Suckler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465063#Comment_123465063

You've trotted out this nonsense continuously and continued to dodge questions & pointed inaccuracies.

It's a misty eyed and contorted view of the conflict you've taken that is devoid of facts and reality.

dmcdona

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466102#Comment_123466102

Perceived sins?

None of this is perceived - there is ample evidence. Eye witness reports, video footage, photographs, satellite images, IDF soldier social media accounts, NGO reports, evidence provided to the ICJ and so on. Much of it has been presented here in many posts.

Asking for the "context" of Israel's current Genocide and War Crimes would rather be liking asking for the "context" of the Holocaust.

Context is utterly irrelevant when discussing the forced starvation and murder of innocent civilians.

You posted some time back that you were against the killing of children. I now have serious doubts. Seems that if the context ticks all the boxes, you'd support the killing of anyone.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123465063#Comment_123465063

I'd imagine the number of Hamas 'rockets' over the last year is < 10 with zero casualties. You have a very simplistic view of it all but there is no way you can consider what's happening over the last year as a war. Be honest with yourself. A war where only Palestinians die. I asked SeanW the same Q and guess what…

If the Israelis do think there is a legitimate target left in Gaza, all they need to do is send in the tanks (again) and neutralise the perceived threat. Killing nearly 500 people (and dozens of children) in 1 week through indiscriminate and cowardly bombing cannot be validated at this point - even by people that "stand with Israel" no matter what they do. How would you explain your stance to your own children? I think they would be horrified.

Only Palestinians.

SeanW

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466205#Comment_123466205

Yet you haven't said how Israel is supposed to wage an all-out war without collateral damage - which Hamas has given them legitimate casus-belli for.

As for context, much of the criticism of Israel today would be like in 1943 complaining about how Britain and the US were "killing kids" etc in Germany. Silly, bizarre stuff that would not be accepted if it were about anyone except the worlds only Jewish state.

Strazdas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466256#Comment_123466256

A 10 hour terrorist event nearly two years ago is the reason Israel is bombing Gaza to smithereens every night and starving the civilian population?

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123466256#Comment_123466256

Jesus H Christ, what a nonsensical post..for the millionth time the Geneva conventions and IHL were brought in after WWII specifically to protect the civilian populations. When will you learn this?

You never answered a single question in my earlier reply re 'war'. A little courtesy please.