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

The Israeli politicians are absolutely loving this. What a position they are in now. They can do absolutely what the want with no fear of any negative push back from Trump.

I really selfishly fear what our government might do with the occupied territories bill and our economy. Israel has so much power and influence in America and especially now.

If the government were smart they would shelf it until next election cycle

Then float the issue, it will cause the left wing parties to self implode and concentrate all their attention on this bill. Just look how the Democratic Party spent a whole election cycle arguing over Gaza instead of concentrating on the deplorable opponent

if the occupied territories are occupied by US which means electorate then will have to chose between Palestinians and our biggest trading partner and largest employer direct and indirect

Not sure subsist is the right word here at all.

Israel get around $4bn a year to spend on US supplied weapons, important aid for Israel obviously, but it's about 15% of their dedicated military budget and 3% of their national budget, or like 1.5% of GDP.

To say Israel "subsists" on US aid would be very misleading. It implies that Israel would be unable to function either militarily or as a state without US financial aid which is not true at all.

I think sometimes people mix up "US Aid" with "US supplied weapons that are bought and paid for by Israel". The latter is not aid it's one country selling weapons to another.

If the actual US financial aid stopped, Israel would still be fine.

If the supply of weapons stopped, Israel would be in a lot more trouble.

That's not how the ICC and the ICJ work. There are no foregone conclusions—they have a right to a fair trial, and that should be the starting point. I think you need to prepare yourself for a surprise on this one. If Bibi & Co. can provide evidence to prove their innocence, they will be cleared of all charges.

Your definition of the word 'we' suggests that you may be viewing this issue from a somewhat isolated perspective.

Your last point doesn't make sense. Russia invaded Ukraine long before October 7th.

I can't speak for them, obviously, but I can speak for my Israeli friends, and they don't know what to make of it. That interview felt like a Netflix show—Bibi even looked shocked. It's a topic of discussion and debate for us over here, but it's a very serious matter for them.

An odd rebuttal, but are there pictures of plumb fat Jews emerging from concentration camps? I dont think I've ever seen one. We all know what genocide looks like. We can see pictures of the Armenian Genocide, The Holocuast, and Rwanda as examples.

Sure, Gaza is a war-torn section of the world, but just because a war is happening in a place, does not mean the Genocide is taking place at the same time.

Since the ceasefire, images and vidoes coming out of the region shows people who are generally safe, happy and well fed. Happy enough to pose for photos with Hamas Terrorists for their social media accounts..

I said exactly that during the election, Yagan. Slow and steady is exactly what Israel needs from its allies, and Harris would have provided that. Would it surprise anyone if Trump did a complete 180 next week and proposed something entirely different?

You need to look at what is motivating Trump, real-estate.

Trump's plan is to get the Saudis, Qatars and the Emirs to intervene and do the rebuilding, we can't let the US do this, but Gaza needs rebuilding, so we will do it, in return for ownership and guarantees, normalise relations with Israel, yada, yada. His family will get in on the concessions. He doesn't care who lives that, so long as they can pay big bucks. The Palestinians will do the mundane jobs.

100%. Serious lack of awareness of the Irish economy for someone to suggest we should re-evaluate our relationship with the US.

Without uncle Sam's money, Ireland would resemble Romania.

Ireland in not assisting Israel in ethnic cleansing or in war crimes, and suddenly we are the bad guys? If we are bad, then Israel must be considered atrocious.

Alleged War Criminal # 1 and Convicted Criminal - like two peas in a pod. What a gushing luv in it was.

Perhaps they can meet again soon and invite Russian War Criminal #1. The perfect troika.

God bless your positivity…

No "forgone conclusions" yet you state the poster needs to "prepare for a surprise". That's some contradiction.

I've stated the reasons for my opinions on why I believe Israel has committed Genocide.

Perhaps you'll list out the evidence that you believe will exonerate Israel for Genocide?

You might as well throw in the evidence Netanyahu and Gallant will provide to the ICC to exonerate themselves.

Them being in the run of course is not a good look and smacks of guilt.

Civilization has had a homeland in Gaza millennia before there was a Torah, a Bible or a Koran. Why shouldn't there be Gazans in the future?

Should there even be such a thing as a religious homeland for any cult in the 21st century?

Israel are already required by the ICJ to provide reparations for their illegal occupation of Gaza, The West Bank and East Jerusalem. Since that ruling, they are also now illegally occupying South Lebanon and Syria.

Israel must rebuild Gaza - then all the Israelis can move in to the new Mediterranean Nirvana and the Gazan Palestinians can move into Israel and be closer to their families in the West Bank.

Seems there aren't any takers for the Gaza Plan. Even Israelis are against it.

Haaretz:

• In a joint call on Wednesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed that any displacement of Gaza's population would be a severe breach of international law and would impede a two-state solution.
  
• Former Israeli PM Ehud Barak called Trump's plan a "fantasy" in an interview on Israeli radio, adding that it "looks more like a trial balloon, or perhaps an attempt to signal support for Israel." Barak further suggested that Trump's comments were meant to pressure Arab leaders, saying "This is what awaits you if you don't wake up, propose a practical path for Gaza, and help remove Hamas from power."
  
• Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Trump's proposal "is a continuation of the Zionist regime's plan to completely wipe out the Palestinian people."