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Why Israel had to fight to look after its people
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
It’ll be no surprise to anyone familiar with this column that I am 100% behind the Israeli action against Hamas in Gaza.
For the militant Palestinians in Hamas, their malevolent twins in Hezbollah, and their even more malevolent arms-suppliers in Iran, the only solution to the ‘problem’ in the region is the termination of Israel.
That’s not misrepresentation. That’s root-and-branch the expressed view of those three ghastly partners in terror. It’s the very essence of Hamas. Stupid, unsophisticated, self-sacrificial — persuading the gullible to kill themselves by suicide bomb — and exploiting the lowest possible urges of a people certainly embattled and cornered.
It’s also the reason why Hamas was able to win elections in Gaza, routing the PLO under President Mahmoud Abbas, dubbed by one Hamas leader, Khaled Meshal, as “a merchant selling Palestinians' rights”.
So, when Israel is attacked, it’s the price that nation of interlopers must pay for being there in the first place.
If they retaliate, as any democracy would be expected to do, the hue-and-cry from the usual sources in the West is deafening.
How dare they fight back! If they weren’t there in the first place, they wouldn’t be attacked! Do they not know they should welcome Palestinian outrages as atonement for their rape of the Palestinian nation?
And other such guff.
Larded with the traditional, routine, by-now barely-concealed anti-Semitism of the Western Left and the British Labour movement in particular. Hence, one newspaper in this very city can publish a cartoon so breathtakingly racist and anti-Semitic that it’s no longer even commented on as out of the ordinary.
But am I wrong in thinking that the hue-and-cry has been rather less raucous than usual?
Certainly, there’s been little noise from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan — and even Syria has been keeping its powder dry. Pakistan has been notably quiet also.
In other words, every country with an investment in the region — and which would normally have been among the first to rattle sabres — have kept their counsel. Why?
Maybe because of the woman suicide bomber, corseted with ball-bearings, who blew herself up outside a Shiite mosque in Baghdad on Sunday, killing more than 40 people.
Maybe because of the suicide attack, also on Sunday, which killed seven in north-west Pakistan.
Maybe because last week, four months after a local militia stood up to the Taliban and threw them out of their village, killing six of them, the Taliban murdered 40 people in Shal Bandal in north west Pakistan, many of them children, in a car bomb.
Maybe because they’ve all felt the consequences of dallying with the Hezbollah, Hamas, al-Qaida, Taliban mindset. And they all know who’s really calling the shots in Gaza. You know too. He was on TV delivering his Christmas message to Britain, courtesy of Channel Four.
I’m no war-monger. I’d like to see Mugabe hunted down for his crimes over a quarter of a century in Zimbabwe, not just those committed when he became an embarrassment to the Western Lefties. I was glad to see Saddam closed down — that’s one nation which isn’t keen to join any Iranian-backed scheme to capitalise on the sufferings of the people of Gaza.
And they are suffering, no question. As of today, however, there is equally no question that Hamas ‘soldiers’ are suffering more than civilians.
But as long as Hamas is sanctioned by anyone to hurl 200 rockets a day into towns where ordinary people live, it is insane not to expect Israel to. It’s their right and their duty to their own people.
Israel, remember, spent the whole of the first Iraq War showing restraint as Saddam’s SCUD missiles rained down on them.
But there’s a limit to provocation. And that limit was passed 12 days ago.
The Israelis didn’t learn tolerance from the industrial slaughter of Jews by Germany. The idea that because they were subject to a ‘final solution’ they would somehow be ‘nicer’ in future to people who wanted to obliterate them is both offensive and stupid.
What they learned was precisely what it is they will never tolerate again.
And if no one else does — ever — I for one will support that democracy.
All the way.
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Comments
82 Comments
Gail
Rabid opinion pieces such as this confirm what I have thought for years, that your natural home is at the Daily Mail. But it's your newspaper's owners and their endorsement of an editorial line that reeks of appealing to the "shires" of twenty years ago but with a Norn Ireland accent that depresses most. I am looking forward to your follow up piece reflecting on the death toll, justifying the contrast in the statistics and your defence of all those "luvvies and lefties" at the BBC, the sort of people you love to berate, and who've shown a poverty of objectivity in refusing to show the DEC appeal on the grounds or protecting the BBC's impartiality. Not that impartiality is a concept familiar to you. You are the journalistic equivalent of the reactionary elderly relative many families would recognise, and to whom they give a fool's pardon. But your readers can't.
Posted by Veritas | 31.01.09, 16:31 GMT
Actually both Jews and Arab Muslims are Semitic just different religions
I think also there are Arab Christians who are Semetic as Ramallah was comprised of mostly Christians.
Its not clear how the term got applied only to those of the Jewish faith
It is complicated in determining if Judiasm is a religion or a race of people and interesting how many Jews from Russia etc have blonde hair blue eyes etc which normally one does not associate as decending from Abraham
The term in my opinion is misunderstood
Posted by BILL COOK | 16.01.09, 13:45 GMT
How is being critical of Israel's policies anti-Semitic? There are many Jews around the world who believe that Israel is in the wrong here.What Israel is doing to the Palestinians is truly a crime against humanity. Anyone with an unbiased view can see that. Their land stolen , then crowded into a small area with no way to escape, their resources cut off. Then bombarded by a U.S. backed military. I don't know how you , or any supporter of Israel ,can keep a straight face when they say that Israel is just "defending" itself. Israel wants to cleanse the land of Arabs and take it for themselves. And the more "tin cans" Hamas fires at them, the more they will justify this act of genocide.
Posted by Daniel | 16.01.09, 00:09 GMT
Gail, any views on the 300+ Gazan children now killed by Israel? No. Thought not. Sure they voted for Hamas - well, their parents did - so what did they expect, eh? That the Telegraph published this article marks a sad day for journalism in Ireland.
Posted by brian | 15.01.09, 15:00 GMT
Very biased poor piece of journalism, Maybe stop watching Fox News for 5 mins and do some actual research, embarassing to read that rubbish. 0/10
Posted by John | 14.01.09, 19:06 GMT
Gail, go back to what you do best - commenting on the length of the skirts of Belfast school girls and leave the big issues to journalists who actually know what they're talking about. What a pathetic piece of journalism. I think I've bought my last Belfast Telegraph.
Posted by Kieran | 12.01.09, 23:28 GMT
Permit me to enlighten Sander and G Bernard.
Look up the Irish Anti War .org which organisation was and is critical of the US in its premptive strike on Iraq and is opposed to the billions of aid and weaponry given to Israel by US actually more than all of aid to sub sahara Africa latin America and Carribean combined. app 4 billion plus loans etc.
As for terrorism acc to Ramza Yousef who failed to bring down the trade centres and Bin Laden who succeeded the stated reason given by both documented in the world press was due to the treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis with the total support financilly and in the UN vetoes of the US
Posted by BILL COOK | 12.01.09, 13:15 GMT
I thought I'd stumbled onto The Onion's website instead there for a minute. Is it any wonder newspaper circulations are plummeting if this is one of its marquee columnists ... a total lack of understanding of the history of the region with the facts airbrushed is matched only by a total lack of sympathy for the countless children murdered by the brave warriors of the IDF ... cmon, Gail, this weekly charade of trying to out right-wing the Daily Mail is becoming very boring ... at least some of the Mail's columnist can present a cohesive argument for their extreme views
Posted by Fireman Sam | 11.01.09, 17:00 GMT
Your article was to the point!!!! Well done!!! Anyone who writes against this artivle is simply ignorant!! The world unfortunately listenes to lies. The media is full of lives and is very biased. The worl today is suffering because of Hamas!!!!!!!!!!! Why do we have to remove our shoes when going through a security check in the airports?? Because of Hamas... Why can't we travel with liquids in our hand luggages there? Because of Hamas... Hamas are the terrorists and the innocent civilians in Gaza who are being killed know that it is Hamas to blame. Hamas are the ones who dont let the civilians leave..and in that way they have more support from the world that ''Israel are killing inoccent children.''
Posted by George Bernard | 11.01.09, 16:07 GMT
Excellent article Gail and congratuations on having the courage to express your opinion. Israel has every right to defend itself from these Hamas psychopaths, and the responsibility for civilian deaths and suffering lies foremost at the door of Hamas. Soon-to-be President Obama has stated this and he is correct. I find it pathetic that so many verbally militant Irish critics of the Israeli action, who burn the flag of Israel and shout support for the "Palestinians", lack the strength of their convictions to also criticize the USA. If anyone seriously opposes the actions of Israel, they must also oppose the USA. Why are the Irish so scared of doing that? Can anyone enlighten me?
Posted by Sander | 11.01.09, 14:44 GMT
This is scandalous. The fact that one of my compatriots can spit this utter filth is beyond me. The fact that this woman can know absolutely nothing about this most complicated of conflicts and write an opinionated article on the subject detracts from the very idea of journalism as being informative. As a Northern Irish woman, surely she would know that the solution to a conflict like this cannot be as simple as murdering hundreds in illegal artillery strikes? If the British government's response to an I.R.A bombing was to annihilate the Falls Road, there would be even greater outrage amongst the world's population not just "Western Lefties" getting their knickers in a twist. But because this is Israel, people like Walker seem to think that it is okay to pull the anti-semitism card and to throw themselves behind a country that is killing hundreds of people in the name of "democracy". I leave with some statistics: 800 Palistinian dead, 13 Israeli dead. Fair response?
Posted by Anonymous | 11.01.09, 02:00 GMT
Hamas are terrorists and must be exterminated if peace is to be given a chance in the Middle East.
well done in speaking out Gail.
posted by syd.
Posted by Syd. | 10.01.09, 16:21 GMT
For someone who sees destruction at every opportunity, it's a rather unfortunate route you took,from Belfast at the height of the troubles to the part of Tel Aviv that Isabel and Shayna have obviously missed!! In relation to the people who voted for Hamas ... its their own fault etc. I'm not just as close to Gaza as you allege to be but I seriously doubt that the 250 kids stuck their X in a ballot box. Just to point out, I don't even own an armchair, a two seater and a three seater, sorry.
As for Perry - AGAIN, I don't support Hamas or anyone else that uses force as a means to shape policy, but what's the difference now between Hamas and the Israeli army? by the way i actually quite like myself :)
Posted by worried onlooker | 09.01.09, 22:28 GMT
Laura presumably you live in Tel Aviv by choice ?
People who live in the Jabalya refugee camp do by neccessity.
Not only did I live thru WW2 in Belfast where body parts were put in churches during the blitz numbered with manilla tags no plastic in those days but I recall the big chunks of granite shot out of Bairds Telegraph offices by German planes sirens all clear etc
Thats what the Palestinians suffer nightly being hit with real weapons with real destruction
Back when outside powers divided the land allocating app 55% to Israel and 45% app to Palestinians(now 78% Is) it meant taking land from the Palestinians or Arabs to accommodate this and its all documented and for the computer literate ignorance is no excuse, what would you do if Palestinian
Posted by BILL COOK | 09.01.09, 20:04 GMT
Reply to Laura | 09.01.09, 11:54.
I agree with your comments apart from "Have you ever been on a bus when every move someone makes you except to be blown up at any minute, everytime you wait at traffic lights and someone beside you puts their hand in their pocket you wait to here the noise of an explosion."
I am an Irish Jew from Dublin, in Tel Aviv all the time, do we want people to go visit Israel or what? Do you really think the above every time you get on a bus? this is serious paranoia.. but stay safe! enjoy Tel Aviv... Baruch Haba B'Shem Adonai..
Posted by Shayna Goldfarb | 09.01.09, 19:03 GMT
Laura, some of your daily perils surprise me. I lived in the West Bank and visited Tel Aviv. I didn't see fear I saw a party atmosphere in a carefree population; people dining out, drinking, sunbathing, swimming in the sea.
May I ask have you ever been forced to stay in your home for 104 consecutive days? Have you queued for 6 hours at a checkpoint in the blistering heat just to buy bread? Have you been unable to see your family for years when they live just 10km away? Have you been taken from your bed at night and released 6 months later without explanation? Have you listened every night as tanks invade your city destroying whatever target they feel like? Have you cried in despair because a soldier killed your child for no reason and nobody will hear about it or even care?
If the Israelis really wanted to put an end to their fears, they wouldn’t provide the justification for Hamas violence, start abiding by international law and respect the rights and dignity of all human beings
Posted by Isabel | 09.01.09, 17:19 GMT
Dear Worried Onlooker, you are quite wrong I grew up in Belfast during the 70 and 80's, no I'm not even Jewish, I just happen to live in Tel Aviv, so don't tell me that I don't know what you went through, I very much do. But here it is very different Have you ever been on a bus when every move someone makes you except to be blown up at any minute, everytime you wait at traffic lights and someone beside you puts their hand in their pocket you wait to here the noise of an explosion. Have you ever seen the remains of a suicide bomber and all that he causes, I have and its not a pretty sight. Ever sat in a sealed room with a gas mask for several hours, I don't think so. The people of Gaza voted for the Hamas in doing so they knew what they were getting into. The Hamas don't recognise Israel which is why you can't talk peace with them and that it why Israel talks to the Fatah. So once again please sit back in your quiet surburban arm chairs.
Posted by Laura | 09.01.09, 11:54 GMT
Mickey, you do realise that Iranian nukes on Israel will also annihilate the Palestinians. The Iranians aren't too fond of Sunni muslims like the Palestinians anyway and use their so called suffering as an excuse to satiate their genocidal tendencies.
Posted by James H | 09.01.09, 11:42 GMT
"Bleeding hearts"- I love buzz words. It appears these people who accuse of being "bleeding hearts" have a clear disregard for facts. We have so many justified reasons to voice our opinions.
"if you all feel so strongly about it all, and are so bleeding hearted about the poor suffering palestinians, go out there and take up arms on their behalf. rest assured, no israeli is going to blow you up in royal avenue or on the tube. salad munching, middle-class bleeding hearts."- catholic
That is a direct quote from one of the posters who in the end can amount to nothing more than simplistic name calling. Well done, you just showed your blatant ignorance.
You are right an Israeli is not going to blow me up in Royal Avenue and a member of Hamas will not blow themselves up in Royal Avenue. However if we stood by and did nothing when a rogue state oppresses an entire people it makes us as guilty as them. We have the right to protest and voice our opinions, it's called democracy
Posted by Tristan McCorry | 09.01.09, 08:49 GMT
Shame on you for addressing the symtons only and not the underlying cause. The Palestinians are an oppressed people with a legitimate claim to a homeland that Israel denies. The west feels guilt over the holocaust and so stands by ineffectively while Israel marches onwards and builds new settlements in territories set aside for the Palestinians who are supposed to sit back and say thank you for whatever largesse is imposed on them. Get over the holocaust as we got over slavery and sending children up chimneys and stop imposing the Warsaw ghetto on Gaza. Its time to stop supporting Israel and to start supporting a genuine two state solution with international guarantees and if necessary international troops.
Posted by William Creighton | 09.01.09, 06:40 GMT
82 Comments