To feel sorry for Ed Sheeran.....

What has Epstein got to do with it?

What country obeys international laws in war? Sudan? Rwuanda? Syria? Libya? Go on. Name a few. How about the knee capping IRA or ETA who blew up civilians in the street? All causes which I think the left have enthusiastically supported over the years. Very happy with it.

I initially felt mildly sorry for him. Until I saw him apologising for having had to apologise during his first concert. Now I don’t feel remotely sorry for him. He bowed to Epstein’s billionaire buddies. An artist of his stature would have had negotiating power in this situation but he chose not to use it. His support acts, and in particular, his own in-house band departing the tour is very telling.

So you would prefer Nazi Germany undefeated?

I think that's a trite and frankly ridiculous comparison. You may disagree with Israeli government policy and the way they have conducted the war but there is no comparison between the state of Israel and the authoritarian death cult of Hamas which exists to destroy Israel.

Well they're in good company because so do Israel.

Wow. Okay. So the Geneva conventions were rewritten in 1949 specifically to address the events in WWII, specifically Arthur Harris' and others stated intention to target the civilian families of German soldiers. Hamas committing atrocities on October 7th does not legally or morally permit the use of starvation or collective punishment against millions of civilians. I know one country doesn't believe those international laws apply to it but most of the rest of the world would disagree. You're about to see how much they disagree when Bibi steps up to the podium in a couple of hours.

The problem is, Hamas like war very much.

The younger generation don't understand war because they have lived comfortable lives in European countries which have been peaceful since WW2. Undoubtedly today, people on the left would have said you can't firebomb civilians in Hamburg and Dresden and that is a war crime. After the war, the civilian population in Germany were kept short of food in order to curb insurrection. That could also be described as a war crime but was necessary in order to obtain total defeat of Nazism. Hamas launched a war on Israel on October 7th. "They reaped the wind and sowed the whirlwind." War is won when one side is obliterated and gives up. If you don't like war, don't start one.

To be honest - you’re the one putting words into my mouth by misinterpreting me.

@OpheliaWasntMad, are you okay with other posters speaking on your behalf effectively putting words in your mouth? Personally it would drive me mad.

I hadn’t heard of him before, no. Probably the wrong demographic and my daughter would have heard of him but he’s certainly more famous - possibly infamous- now.

It’s clear what Ophelia meant and there’s no point explaining it if her words will just get twisted again.

Do you not remember when I posted this to you. "Unable to defeat Israel on the battlefield, Arab countries turned that anger toward their own Jewish citizens. Totally unfair and wrong".

He knows what Macklemore is like he has form for speaking out ! Anyway it’s put Macklemore on the map I’m guessing not many on here had heard of him !

Strange - because your posts show no empathy or understanding of an Israeli perspective.

I have. Avi Shlaim covers that subject extensively from a first hand experience.

Isn't that what having an opinion is all about? I examine both sides, weigh the evidence and come to a conclusion based on that evidence. I'm hardly going to agree with something I fundamentally disagree with. For example the Cauldron is a good read but is naturally light on details. How can you possibly fit 120 years of history covering I think about 20 countries, into one book. Ataturk was a pivotal figure in Middle Eastern geopolitics but you can learn more historical details about him in Louis De Bernieres' novel "Birds without wings" than Montefiore has the space to provide.

“ not read anything which leads me to believe that the treatment of the Palestinians over the decades has been anything other than awful “

I think nearly everyone would agree the Palestinians have suffered terribly.
You appear to want to hold Israel solely responsible. If you have read as widely as you claim you should know that Israel is not the only reason why the Palestinians are suffering.
You would also read about the sufferings of the Jewish people across the Middle East who were expelled from Arab countries and now live in Israel.

“The only conclusion that can be drawn from that is I'm ignorant of any other views.”

No - there is another conclusion. You ignore facts and views that don’t fit with your preconceived views. You seize upon facts that do conform to your preconceived views. Confirmation bias.

It’s no so much a case of being “ignorant” of other views - it’s more dismissing or misinterpreting other views so that your “consistent” view isn’t challenged.

Okay, let's dissect what you said. "Your responses on here are very one sided for someone who claims to be so well informed."

The only conclusion that can be drawn from that is I'm ignorant of any other views. My contention is that how could someone properly learn a subject without learning both sides. The other conclusion, of course, is that I am consistent in my opinions of what I assess the situation to be.

I was referring to your tendency to misinterpret what posters write on here.

It’s important to read what is written- and not what you think has been written. Otherwise - however much reading you do - you won’t actually learn anything.

I'm not going to aplogise for that. I draw my conclusions from what I read and I have not read anything which leads me to believe that the treatment of the Palestinians over the decades has been anything other than awful.

I didn’t say it was possible to learn just one side.
I said YOUR responses were very one sided.
You claim to have read a lot about this subject but it might be your comprehension that is at fault as it seems you often misinterpret what is written.

I think she is absolutely fine talking for herself.