Aid workers accused of taking part on 7/10 attack on Israel - appalling !

[Lanabigbanana]

https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/official-statements/serious-allegations-against-unrwa-staff-gaza-strip

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-palestinian-refugee-agency-investigates-staff-suspected-role-israel-attacks-2024-01-26/

From the Guardian 5 hours ago;

"UK suspends UNRWA support after Israeli allegations The UK has temporarily paused future funding of UNRWA, saying it is “appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel”.
A statement sent to the Guardian by the UK’s foreign, commonwealth and development office said:
'The UK is appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK government has repeatedly condemned.

The UK is temporarily pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations.'

We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it."

Exactly, it was the repeated deadly attacks by Jewish terrorist groups that prompted the pull out.

https://warontherocks.com/2021/07/july-22-a-pivotal-day-in-terrorism-history/

"Seventy-five years ago today, at approximately 11:45 a.m. on July 22, 1946, a stolen delivery truck pulled up to the basement service entrance at the front of Jerusalem’s King David Hotel. Five terrorists from the Irgun Zvai Le’umi — a Jewish underground organization commonly known as the Irgun — exited the vehicle and, disguised as Arab workers, carried seven large milk churns into La Regence, the hotel’s chic nightclub located in the basement. Each churn contained approximately 50 pounds of high explosive. Fifty-two minutes later the bombs detonated, killing 91 people and injuring 45."

Are there any other reasons?

It really is bizarre. But sadly not surprising at all. It seems to be the usual go-to on the list of things to do.

So there is an agreement that both sides have reasons for feeling threatened? And it is clear that while action against military targets might sometimes be necessary, deliberately targeting citizens is never ok regardless of past wrongs.

I don’t actually care. It’s illegal, it’s morally wrong. It should end.

I’m sure Putin had his reasons for invading Ukraine. I’m sure China has its reasons for rounding up Uyghurs in forced labour camps. Are we going to debate their reasons too or is it only Israel whose “reasons” for war crimes and breaches of international law we’re being asked to understand?

You really don’t get it do you. These two sides are not equal in their wrong doing. Israel is the occupying power. So recognized and acknowledged under international law. The two sides do not have the same responsibilities towards each other and should not be judged by the same yardstick. Israel is the aggressor in the context of the context of this entire mess. If it doesn’t want to feel “threatened” it should end its aggression against those it is occupying.

Part of it ending is understanding the reasons, even if they are unpalatable. It will never end unless the full motivations of both sides are understood.

For example, if the Israeli military are occupying Palestinian territories because they fear terrorist attacks, it is helpful to understand this even if you don’t agree with it. It would be helpful to know why Israelis who are not religious fundamentalists might support it, given that Israel is a democracy.

It is also helpful to know why Hamas launched their murderous attack on Oct 7th. Was it to undermine warming relations in the ME? Was it just an opportunity to be barbaric? Or something else? I can see why understanding that is helpful.

I honestly have said all I have to say on this topic. I suggest you read this and then ask me again to understand Israel’s “reasons” as an occupying power for terrorizing the people it occupies.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68141039

But this is obviously contested. Many people don’t agree that Israel bears all responsibility and see the necessity of military action. From what I can see there is complexity that needs to be understood.

Israel has lived in a more or less continuous state of war and I can’t believe any population wants this. There must be people who believe in good faith that ending the occupation won’t result in peace.

"I honestly have said all I have to say on this topic."

I suppose we should be grateful for small mercies

Thank you for posting that. (I'm quite surprised you haven't been jump on by now!) As to why so many try to rewrite history is beyond me as it is all there for people to see.

Some people will never be able to recognise or admit what is happening. They ignore the facts and evidence. They instead keep coming back to the same old thing.

I don't know how some people can behave in this manner considering the reality of the situation is that children, women and men are being murdered constantly. It really does show some people's true colours and it is not a pretty sight at all.

"There must be people who believe in good faith that ending the occupation won't result in peace"

The population has been constantly bombarded with their politicians coming out with all sorts of lies. Poisoned lies designed to try and keep people in a state of fear and alarm.

The hatred for a certain people is taught nonstop from a young age. (There is plenty of evidence of this and they also keep on uploading videos to TikTok mocking Palestinian children)

There are numerous other examples I could give about what is happening. It is all designed to instill fear and hatred.

Focusing on October nonstop is not going to give you the answers. There is so much history going back many years. But this does not seem to fit in with what some people seem to want to believe.

Agreed.

I saw someone holding a sign at a protest which read:

“Is it complicated, or are you just a shitty person?”

I think that sums it up quite well.

Absolutely.

I think that when we seek to understand why people behave in ways which are morally, and legally indefensible, we shouldn’t forget that they are ultimately accountable for their actions.

Perhaps you should have watched some footage of the 75 years preceding October 7th or the 115 days since then, where 27,000 innocent Palestinians have been killed, 70% of whom have been women and children. Not to mention the millions facing starvation, thirst and living in the open air in freezing conditions.

I'm well aware of the history of the region and I don't think Israel is blameless, particularly with the settler issues in the West Bank, but 7 October was utterly beyond the pale. It was clear to me that that point that Israel could not continue to have Hamas as a neighbour.

I also believe that removing Hamas from Gaza will be in the best interests of the Palestinians living there, both for the opportunity not to live under terrorists who don't act in the populations best interests and kill and brutalise any opposition, and to hopefully have a government in charge that doesn't commit acts of terror against a well-armed neighbour and then hide behind their civilian population when the inevitable retaliation occurs.

So the reason is fear, but a fear you say stems from brainwashing rather than anything in reality?

If the reason is fear, even if that fear isn’t justified, I suppose that is why terrorist attacks or even just aggressive rhetoric from Hamas/Hezbollah/Iran etc perpetuate the problem.

If the occupation ended and Palestinians were able to live in their own state, free from Israeli terror, things might be calmer in the region. A long as Israel refuses to allows this, and continues to besiege, occupy and terrorise, groups like Hamas will exist.

Excuse me - I know someone who was there and in the British Army at the time, a friend's grandfather.

He told me the British Army was being shot at from both sides. In his own words he was "sick of the whole damn lot of them" and glad when the Mandate ended.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Anabta

This.

It does indeed.

Hamas is there due to the brutality of the Israeli regime.

There is no "removing" them as long as the regime is continuing on the way it is.

@BackandForthRoundandRound There are Islamic Brotherhood organisations (partner organisations of Hamas) in many other countries. There has been organised violence by Muslims against Jews throughout history. What makes you so sure that Hamas is a response to Israel?