To feel sorry for Ed Sheeran.....

Yes. Many expelled from their homes across the Middle East .
I can understand why they feel vulnerable and why US supports Israel.

This is worth a listen . Gets to Israel and Gaza half way through.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-andrew-neil-report/id1896865845?i=1000787673254

Arab nationalism is a myth. They don't actually like each other very much as witnessed in their civil wars.

Ed Sheeran's tears on stage is reminiscent of a Maoist struggle session or any public shaming and denouncement which various communist regimes came up with over the years. Fascist regimes too. All of them rely on public shaming, denouncement and transportation to concentration camps for punishment or re-education. We are not at that particular stage yet but it's coming.

I can see them ethnically cleansing the Palestinians but surely they won't go to that level would they.

I recommend this podcast - it might add a bit of balance to your understanding.

I didn't get the link.

The Andrew Neil one you posted earlier I assume. Okay, I will listen to it with an open mind.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-andrew-neil-report/id1896865845?i=1000787673254

Yes - sorry . I forgot to add.

Bear in mind, I have read The Cauldron, The Making of the Modern Middle East. It's a bit like a geopolitics for dummys book but I will listen to the podcast.

😆 Oh well. I’m sure you will have nothing to learn from it then .

Bloody hell. It's over an hour long. I'll give it a shot but if I fall asleep will carry on tomorrow.

Well the reviews for The Cauldron are in

The Times an 'essential primer' which rejects 'any self-loathing western narrative'

The Literary Review 'immensely informed, humane and highly readable'

The Telegraph 'masterful survey'

The Jewish Chronicle ' a masterpiece, a book so superbly written, so judicious in its wisdom, so compelling in the scope of its analysis and storytelling'...'Will serve both expert and lay readers'

Squeezingwildoranges 'geopolitics for dummys (sic)'

As SSM says 'Ignorance is the father of righteous certainty… '

Who'd have thought you couldn't reduce the history of the Middle East to a few soundbites and wrap in up in 20 minutes?

Haha well I will need to read the book.

Even the review by Oranges calls to me.

He has been very vocal about his support for Ukraine, there's even a pic of him holding up the flag after doing some fundraising. So he can't pretend he likes to keep politics out of it, he just wants to keep certain politics out of it.

Who in this country doesn't support Ukraine? Its hardly political especially as there is broad political agreement, apart from fringe politicians. And he doesn't make a big deal of it at every concert.

The Ukraine war isn’t controversial in the UK in the same way as the Gaza war.

There hasn’t been a rise in attacks against Russian individuals & organisations in the UK. People aren’t questioning whether Russia even has a right to exist.

Ed Sheeran isn’t an overly political artist, that doesn’t change just because he once did a fundraiser for Ukraine. And just because he takes a stance on one war, that doesn’t mean he is obliged to take a stance on every conflict around the world.

You do know the "for dummies" series are established introductory books on a variety of subjects. As an introduction to Middle East geopolitics for anyone who doesn't know anything on the subject, the Cauldron is an excellent book and easy read. You should definitely read it.

Your responses on here are very one sided for someone who claims to be so well informed.

Why would I not know that? Odd post.

So you think it is possible to learn just one side of a subject. That's interesting. Benny Morris is very right wing and argues the Palestinian expulsions were a tragic military necessity for Israel's survival. I would recommend reading his book "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem" and then for contrast Ilan Pappes "The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine".

As usual you are twisting. That is not what she said, is it?

That's how I read her post. If I misinterpreted it, perhaps Ophelia could explain what she meant.

I think she is absolutely fine.