Israel/Palestine Thread

The Palestinians aren't colonising Israeli territory.

Seems there is a significant change of mood, at least in Europe, as regards Israel. Perhaps Ben-Gvir's video is the last straw.

"The video of Israeli authorities' treatment of flotilla protesters has "accelerated" the mood at EU level for action against Israel, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said.

Mr Martin said there was "a lot of anger" across the EU at the video of the Gaza aid flotilla protesters' treatment, which he said had "shocked the world".

He was speaking after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, after which he said Mr Macron "shared my concerns with the behaviour of Israel"."

But I ask you honestly, what do you think would be a reasonable and fair solution to this conflict and ultimately a fair outcome for long term peace?

Off the top of my head and in no particular order:

1. Israel to implement all the requirements of the International Court of Justice issued last year (vacate illegally held land and pay reparations)
2. All Palestinian prisoners in administrative detention to be released immediately or be charged and prosecuted
3. Negotiations to commence on a two-State solution
4. ICC Arrest warrants for alleged Israeli War Criminals to be executed and alleged perpetrators to face justice
5. All atrocities committed by identified IDF soldiers, Settlers, Hezbollah and Hamas to be investigated and prosecuted in full
6. Any and all measures decided in the ICJ Genocide case to be fully implemented and adhered to
7. Israel to comply with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
8. An independent enquiry into Oct 7th and in particular, the killings of Israelis by the IDF

That's mostly very reasonable, and I think if we had better leadership from both sides (And with the election coming in Israel, it's not impossible at all), most of those would fly pretty well, except for 7.

That just ain't gonna happen in the real world. For several obvious reasons. Firstly Isreal has never signed that treaty, so is not bound by it. Secondly, I think we can safely say they're not going to sign it. Thirdly, we all know they have multiple warheads and several means to deliver them (hence point 2). Fourthly, those warheads are probably the single most strategically important capability the Israeli military/state possesses.

It'll take something like EU-like levels of trust in the Middle East between Israel and all its neighbours before they'd contemplate giving them up. That's the realpolitik here.

Israel has "confiscated" at least some of the vessels. Sounds like piracy for sure.

the point of the whole flotilla was protest and trying to highlight the plight of Gazans who are desperate for aid.

As regards protest, is say those brave people achieved their goal though I doubt their injuries and treatment by Israel were/are pleasant. Fair play to them.

Not sure what you find strange?

I wonder were the "Hezbollah militants" just like those 12 Hamas terrorists in Gaza that were dressed as medics?

Or is it possible the IDF are just lying? Again.

Haaretz:

The Israeli military said it had killed five Hezbollah militants on Thursday after troops identified them entering a militant command center in Lebanon, as well as two other armed militants on Friday morning it said were spotted approaching the Israeli border.

Earlier Friday, Lebanon's Health Ministry said that at least 10 people had been killed in Israeli strikes on Hezbollah-affiliated medical facilities overnight, with six paramedics and a child among those killed and numerous others wounded. It was not immediately clear whether the casualties referenced by the IDF and the Lebanese Health Ministry were regarding the same incidents.