Francesca Albanese

"this article is more than 6 years old"

I'm not going to get into a big discussion about historical grievances and attacks between the 2 sides because we could go on forever going back into history and probably still wouldn't agree who attacked who more often.

Maybe I should have said the two sides were in an "uneasy truce" before 7/10 rather than that they were co-existing peacefully. At any rate they weren't at war but Hamas changed that.

Discusses Israeli policy of “mowing the grass”
See this from 2019
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/07/ten-years-first-war-gaza-operation-cast-lead-israel-brute-force

So you're telling me that the flattening of Gaza and killing its people would have happened regardless of the events on October 7th?

Yes it's a war and Netanyahu is now trying to gain as much as he can out of the situation. But he did not start a war against Hamas despite being so much stronger militarily.

Israeli citizens being massacred isn't an "opportunity" for Israel.

I can't it is behind a paywall.

Co exist with them peacefully? Really
See below from 2021

www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/05/14/israel-gaza-history/

I do not accept the premise that Israel wants to get rid of the Palestinian people. They were prepared to co exist with them peacefully ( apart from the Settlers) before October 7th. The relocation will not be forced though I imagine many Gazans will disappoint Westerners by choosing to relocate. I would in their position because having Hamas in charge has had devastating consequences for Gaza.

Israel wants to destroy Hamas and if Hamas had agreed to put down their arms and leave Gaza months ago, many thousands of civilians would still be alive & the infrastructure wouldn’t be destroyed. Israel would have agreed to a permanent ceasefire months ago if the terms had been right.

The Palestinians also had decades where Israel had completely pulled out of Gaza. Thst doesn't entirely fit your narrative does it? Israel's concern is security, not land.

He wouldn't be much of a strategist if he didn't seize upon this. It's a war after all isn't it? Or not? People need to make up their minds.

He wouldn't be much of a strategist if he didn't seize upon this. It's a war after all isn't it? Or not? People need to make up their minds.

Disgusting to describe the massacre that happened on October 7th as an "opportunity" for Israel.

7/10 was an opportunity? Wow. That's a lot of hate.

Disgusting to describe the massacre that happened on October 7th as an "opportunity" for Israel.

My thought about the October attacks are that they presented an opportunity for both revenge and a cynical land grab. Ridding oneself of ones enemies and gaining land to boot is an opportunity not to be missed. I expect something similar will happen in the West Bank at some point.

The Palestinians have had decades of this.

My thought about the October attacks are that they presented an opportunity for both revenge and a cynical land grab. Ridding oneself of ones enemies and gaining land to boot is an opportunity not to be missed. I expect something similar will happen in the West Bank at some point.

The Palestinians have had decades of this.

My thought about the October attacks are that they presented an opportunity for both revenge and a cynical land grab. Ridding oneself of ones enemies and gaining land to boot is an opportunity not to be missed. I expect something similar will happen in the West Bank at some point.

The Palestinians have had decades of this.

It doesn’t matter who started it though, does it? We all now the difficulties didn’t start on 7/10, although that was a hideous provocation.

It’s a childish response to a tragedy “he started it miss”, a distraction to where we are now. It doesn’t excuse a bully’s behaviour, nor breaking of international law.

Albanese predicted 7/10 would be used as an excuse to wreak vengeance on Palestinians in Gaza. She also has commented on atrocities committed on 7/10.

Sorry are you actually under some illusion that Israel have ever wanted to stop this war? They've made it quite clear this is about taking Gaza for themselves completely, and getting rid of the Palestinian people, either by killing them or forced relocation. They won't stop until they've destroyed every building (check BBC article on that yesterday), made it totally unhabitable, and eliminated as many Palestinians as possible.

So are we saying Israel could have been predicted to act in a way which would lead to people questioning whether they would break international law? I think that is a step too far.

They didn’t need to respond in the way that they have done so and raised concerns around the world!

I'm concerned for how many civilians have died.

A completely avoidable war where neither Hamas nor the people of Gaza will have gained anything by the end of it.

The worse thing is it was obvious from the start that Hamas couldn't hope to defeat Israel militarily so I cannot understand why they keep fighting with more civilian deaths & destruction each day.

Could we please stop pretending this all started on October 7th also, it is insulting to people’s intelligence.