It has bombed schools, hospitals and areas declared, by the Israelis themselves, “safe havens” for these people turning them into piles of rubble. All this is in response to the vicious Hamas attack on Israel on 7th October 2023 when many hostages were taken and some are now dead!
Some form of retaliation was to be expected as part of Israel's stated aim which is the destruction of Hamas. This stated aim now looks a little fragile and the real reason for the Israeli onslaught is not the eradication of the “terror group” but the destruction of the Palestinian people. In fact, it could be argued, it is in Israel’s interests to have Hamas around because they, like the Israeli Government, do not want a ‘two state solution’ to the present situation. As I have alluded to previously in TPQ Israel have the capabilities to take out a small group like Hamas without this ‘carpet bombing’ using their elite ‘special forces’ and secret services like Mossad.
Back in the early nineteen-sixties Mossad travelled and brought back from Argentina Nazi fugitive Adolf Eichmann, rightly so, for trial in Tel Aviv. If they could do this under the noses of the right-wing Peron regime in Argentina they could surely have gone into Gaza and eradicated the Hamas leadership! Their infantry could then have taken care of the Hamas rank and file fighters, those who would not surrender. Instead, Israel chose to use area bombing, killing thousands. Such a strategy is not consistent with their stated aims! To give this suspicion of Israel's real intentions credibility the Israelis themselves have given much evidence of their capabilities in carrying out specifically targeted individuals which they have recently done in Lebanon.
On Tuesday and Wednesday 17th and 18th September 2024 in the Lebanon Israel targeted individual leading members of an organisation they perceive as “terrorist” called Hezbollah. They targeted certain individuals numbering many by booby trapping their pagers and mobile phones with explosives. This was no easy task and proves the capabilities the Israelis possess and their ability to carry out such a covert operation. Very few, if any, civilians were killed and injuries light. The Israelis have also reportedly targeted and executed two leading Hezbollah commanders once again demonstrating the technology is there to hit targets without civilian casualties. Hezbollah claim these actions have breached ‘international law’, a concept which exists in nothing but name. Many leading countries around the world including the USA, UK, Israel, Russia, China, Iran, Iraq and many others have broken so-called ‘international law’ when it suits their purpose. Hezbollah themselves are not above breaching this so called unenforceable ‘law’ and neither are Hamas. Hezbollah have targeted Mossad Headquarters in Israel with their rockets and these offices are perfectly legitimate targets in a war. So far, all missiles have been intercepted by Israeli air defence.
On Tuesday and Wednesday 17th and 18th September 2024 in the Lebanon Israel targeted individual leading members of an organisation they perceive as “terrorist” called Hezbollah. They targeted certain individuals numbering many by booby trapping their pagers and mobile phones with explosives. This was no easy task and proves the capabilities the Israelis possess and their ability to carry out such a covert operation. Very few, if any, civilians were killed and injuries light. The Israelis have also reportedly targeted and executed two leading Hezbollah commanders once again demonstrating the technology is there to hit targets without civilian casualties. Hezbollah claim these actions have breached ‘international law’, a concept which exists in nothing but name. Many leading countries around the world including the USA, UK, Israel, Russia, China, Iran, Iraq and many others have broken so-called ‘international law’ when it suits their purpose. Hezbollah themselves are not above breaching this so called unenforceable ‘law’ and neither are Hamas. Hezbollah have targeted Mossad Headquarters in Israel with their rockets and these offices are perfectly legitimate targets in a war. So far, all missiles have been intercepted by Israeli air defence.
Maybe these tactics adopted by the Israelis are sinister and have taken things in the theatre of war to a new level but are such methods not better than bombing the crap out of Palestinian civilians? Having secured good results, from their point of view, the Israelis not satisfied with this have started ‘carpet bombing’ Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah. This organisation is far more powerful than Hamas and has “waged war” on Israel in support of their brethren in Hamas. Both are, in my view, religious nutters as are, from a differing theological standpoint, the Zionist regime in Tel Aviv.
The attacks on Lebanon raise the stakes somewhat because this is a nation-state, unlike Gaza, with its own government, armed forces and police. They have a GDP of 23.13 billion US Dollars and has recently been reclassified by the World Bank as a “lower middle-income” country down from an “upper middle-income” country in 2022. Its army numbers around 80,000 and is equipped to fight. The Lebanese Airforce is small and is in the process of re-equipping with modern jet fighters. In the past the Lebanese Airforce have had Mirage fighter jets, Hawker Harrier Hunters and many other state of the arts, relative to the times, aircraft. The question is; where are the protests to Israel by the Lebanese Government and where are the countries armed forces? They are been bombed severely by a foreign power and many Lebanese civilians have been killed as a consequence of said bombing and the government sit back and do or say nothing! It beggars belief!
The attacks on Lebanon raise the stakes somewhat because this is a nation-state, unlike Gaza, with its own government, armed forces and police. They have a GDP of 23.13 billion US Dollars and has recently been reclassified by the World Bank as a “lower middle-income” country down from an “upper middle-income” country in 2022. Its army numbers around 80,000 and is equipped to fight. The Lebanese Airforce is small and is in the process of re-equipping with modern jet fighters. In the past the Lebanese Airforce have had Mirage fighter jets, Hawker Harrier Hunters and many other state of the arts, relative to the times, aircraft. The question is; where are the protests to Israel by the Lebanese Government and where are the countries armed forces? They are been bombed severely by a foreign power and many Lebanese civilians have been killed as a consequence of said bombing and the government sit back and do or say nothing! It beggars belief!
Whether Israel are hunting Hezbollah or not, it is outside the pale in these actions of carpet bombing another country. Could anybody imagine the Dublin Government sitting back if Britain had bombed the 26 counties during the war taking place in the six counties? No, for all their faults which are many, sitting back and saying or doing nothing they were unlikely to have done!
When Israel invaded Lebanon back in 1982 again the Lebanese Government were relatively silent, though at the time a political crisis was in process, and Lebanon had no President for two years at the time. A situation no doubt the Israelis exploited in their pursuit of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) led by Yasser Arafat and were the legitimate liberation force of the Palestinian people. Back then the USA held much sway in the region and arranged safe escort for the PLO to evacuate Lebanon. Today, with the Israelis carpet bombing parts of southern Lebanon the government in Beirut are asking the USA, the very people who supply Israel with weapons, to intervene on behalf of Lebanon. So far, the Israelis have taken no notice of US demands for ceasefires which probably indicates how the US influence in the region has declined over the last forty years! Despite these demands the USA continue arming the Israeli terror government!
Anybody who criticises the Israeli Government and its killing machine are deemed ‘anti-Semitic’ which is of course not true. The world’s leaders, including Britain, have redefined and revised the meaning of ‘anti-Semitism’ to suit their own agenda. The new British Labour Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has expelled former Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, from the party for what he, Starmer, claims is anti-Semitism by Corbyn. This claim is absolute revisionist rubbish as Corbyn is no more anti-Semitic than the Chief Rabbi!
Anti-Semitism in its true form has terrible historical examples and consequences for Jewish people. Not withstanding the evil regime in Germany, 1933-45, when Jewish people were first of all persecuted then murdered on an industrial scale there have been many other sick examples. In London, between August and November 1888 - during the ‘Whitechapel Murders’ often called “the Ripper Murders” - elements in the population were quick to point the finger of guilt at the Jews. Minor pogroms occurred in London’s East End as Jewish persecution followed each murder. Of course, these terrible butcherings had nothing whatsoever to do with Jewish people, they were just a handy scapegoat. Starting in the late 18th century and lasting util 1917 in the western Russian Empire Jews were allowed to live, or perhaps exist would be more apt, in an area of land known as; “the Pale of Settlement”. They were not allowed to live anywhere else in the jurisdiction and anti-Semitism was rife.
Anybody who criticises the Israeli Government and its killing machine are deemed ‘anti-Semitic’ which is of course not true. The world’s leaders, including Britain, have redefined and revised the meaning of ‘anti-Semitism’ to suit their own agenda. The new British Labour Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has expelled former Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, from the party for what he, Starmer, claims is anti-Semitism by Corbyn. This claim is absolute revisionist rubbish as Corbyn is no more anti-Semitic than the Chief Rabbi!
Anti-Semitism in its true form has terrible historical examples and consequences for Jewish people. Not withstanding the evil regime in Germany, 1933-45, when Jewish people were first of all persecuted then murdered on an industrial scale there have been many other sick examples. In London, between August and November 1888 - during the ‘Whitechapel Murders’ often called “the Ripper Murders” - elements in the population were quick to point the finger of guilt at the Jews. Minor pogroms occurred in London’s East End as Jewish persecution followed each murder. Of course, these terrible butcherings had nothing whatsoever to do with Jewish people, they were just a handy scapegoat. Starting in the late 18th century and lasting util 1917 in the western Russian Empire Jews were allowed to live, or perhaps exist would be more apt, in an area of land known as; “the Pale of Settlement”. They were not allowed to live anywhere else in the jurisdiction and anti-Semitism was rife.
The Dreyfus affair in France was another example of anti-Semitism towards the end of the 19th century. These are cases of real anti-Semitism and must never be allowed to happen again. Opposing the Israeli Government policies and attacks on Palestinian civilians does not in any way fit into the criteria of anti-Semitism. and politicians, including the British Prime Minister, have rewritten the meaning of anti-Semitism which is belittling the real thing to suit their own narrative.
The Semite peoples include both Jews and Arabs, though anti-Semitism is usually applied to ill treatment of Jewish people. If the term is used in its generic sense to include the Arabs and, therefore, the Palestinians the charge of ‘anti-Semitism’ could be aimed at Netanyahu and his government in the Knesset! It must be said that many ordinary Jewish people do not support the right-wing policies of the alleged crooked Netanyahu regime which is perhaps why he, Netanyahu, wishes to prolong the punishment of his neighbours because if this situation came to an end he may be on trial for corruption. An election would be called and there is no way, if reports of Netanyahu’s unpopularity are correct, this murdering crook and his gang would be re-elected. Little wonder he, Netanyahu, wants this situation of genocidal murder to continue, his neck may well be on the line.
The Semite peoples include both Jews and Arabs, though anti-Semitism is usually applied to ill treatment of Jewish people. If the term is used in its generic sense to include the Arabs and, therefore, the Palestinians the charge of ‘anti-Semitism’ could be aimed at Netanyahu and his government in the Knesset! It must be said that many ordinary Jewish people do not support the right-wing policies of the alleged crooked Netanyahu regime which is perhaps why he, Netanyahu, wishes to prolong the punishment of his neighbours because if this situation came to an end he may be on trial for corruption. An election would be called and there is no way, if reports of Netanyahu’s unpopularity are correct, this murdering crook and his gang would be re-elected. Little wonder he, Netanyahu, wants this situation of genocidal murder to continue, his neck may well be on the line.
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| Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist. |
We had some anti-semitism here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limerick_boycott#:~:text=The%20Limerick%20boycott%2C%20also%20known,Jews%20to%20leave%20the%20city.. The Labour TD Steven Coughlan justified it. The awful Bewley (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bewley#:~:text=anti%2DBritish%20jibes.-,Anti%2DSemitism,IRA%20quartermaster%2C%20to%20buy%20guns.) was an anti-semite who was an Irish diplomat in Berlin and supported the Nazis. And sadly is exists in the Arab and Muslim world. Being oppressed does not necessarily make one angelic. Irish nationalism always had a conflicts beteeen "Hibernians" and secular Republicans.
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