gaza conflict

[paddy no 11]

Something slightly strange is happening in the media. About a week ago we suddenly had these:

The Independent saying 'End the defending silence on Gaza - it is time to speak up'.
The FT writing of 'The West's shameful silence on Gaza'.
The Times asking 'Why we are closing our eyes to Gaza's horror?'
The Economist: 'The war in Gaza must end'.
And the BBC does seem to be (almost) condemning Israel these days and hinting at the possibility of *genocide* a little more clearly.

What is happening? Has a secret signal gone out? Has the British media discovered a conscience (after 19 months)? Do they now finally see the truth? Are they realizing that the horror of Gaza cannot be hidden and when fully revealed will brand Israel's supporters as supporters of genocide for all time?

It has been said that one day everyone will always have been against it . . . maybe that time is approaching.

It'll be a while before a friend of Israel like Keir Starmer will change course but perhaps at long last there will be a bit more pressure from the media (not all of it obviously, not the Sun or Telegraph).



Related - some analysis of the biases coverage of Gaza in the press:

https://www.newarab.com/analysis/number ... r-coverage
https://novaramedia.com/2024/08/01/we-r ... ered-gaza/

I think starving kids and bombing hospitals is the line that can't be crossed and maybe a critical mass has been reached?

[paddy no 11]

I see that MP took to the floor in the commons and called it out today, fair play to him

Mike ryan from WHO another one who has been very frank about the situation

The whole Kneecap debacle hasn't harmed either

[paddy no 11]

Oh and killing 15 medics in cold blood, do you really want to be onside with those guys, yes if your a fundamentalist, no for everyone else

[Son of Mathonwy]

Just got back from the London march. Big, big crowd. Most of them there to see Corbyn .

[paddy no 11]

I went to the one in cork today, still between 1-2k for 18 months now

[paddy no 11]

The Israel rigs the eurovision song contest documentary can't be far away now

[Son of Mathonwy]

The Israel rigs the eurovision song contest documentary can't be far away now

The rigging is that they're in the competition at all. And/or there's no Palestinian entry to focus the anti-Israel vote. Admittedly that would make it more of a political vote than a pop vote, but IMO that's the only reason why Israel does well anyway.

If Russia is banned, so should Israel be (especially because it's further from Europe than Lebanon, and Palestine isn't in the competition). But there's no government pressure to ban Israel as there was for official enemy Russia.

As an aside, I don't get Eurovision. Either it's a European competition or it's not. Why is Australia in it? And not pop-crazy Korea? Are they planning to expand it further to other former European colonies in the Americas and Africa? If not, why have any non-European countries at all? Dare I say is there some racist reason why certain non-European countries are included?

[paddy no 11]

Lindley suggesting the don has enough of Netanyahu and that Netanyahu is in a bit of bother

[Son of Mathonwy]

Hilarious 'journalism' from the Independent. Why did Keir Starmer wait so long to take 'action' on Israel?

Yes, we are all wondering this. Why did it take 19 months for the situation to become 'intolerable' for the PM and for the shattering blow of suspending trade talks to be unleashed on an unsuspecting Israel?

A total lack of decency and empathy? A deep seated belief that an Israeli life is worth 50 Palestinian lives? Slavishly following whatever narrative is occupying the print media in the UK? Complete amnesia of his former life as a human rights lawyer? Zero concern for anyone but Keir Starmer?

Nah. Jeremy Corbyn's to blame.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/w ... r-AA1F9jmg

[paddy no 11]

So kneecap or specifically one member have been charged with terrorism.......should be a great trial

Hopefully they bring up stuff like this to show the absolute hypocrisy of the charge

[Which Tyler]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy9vr10n732t

I hope to the gods that I'm being way too cynical here, but it seems awfully convenient that this has happened a day or two after EU, UK and even the US started to apply some mild pressure on Israel.

[Puja]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy9vr10n732t

I hope to the gods that I'm being way too cynical here, but it seems awfully convenient that this has happened a day or two after EU, UK and even the US started to apply some mild pressure on Israel.

I had been assuming that it was the Jeremy Corbyn problem - the complete and unquestioning orthoxy of backing Israel in the West has led to the situation that any statement of support or sympathy for Palestine is taken by anti-Semitic nutters as "Finally, someone's on our side!" (probably not helped by the Israeli government/shills loudly and continually reacting to all support for Palestine/any criticism of Israel by conflating it with hatred of Jews). So even mild criticism of an actively ongoing ethnic cleansing has resulted in the bigots feeling validated and emboldened.

Puja

[paddy no 11]

On the above see the quotes from moshe feiglin yesterday, where actually calls for the killing of every child in gaza

[Puja]

On the above see the quotes from moshe feiglin yesterday, where actually calls for the killing of every child in gaza

Meanwhile, on the BBC, let's make sure we get quotes from someone who says ethnic cleansing isn't occurring. For balance.

Puja

[paddy no 11]

On the above see the quotes from moshe feiglin yesterday, where actually calls for the killing of every child in gaza

Meanwhile, on the BBC, let's make sure we get quotes from someone who says ethnic cleansing isn't occurring. For balance.

Puja

The BBC as a news organisation is a non entity since allistair Campbell got greg dyke fired

[Son of Mathonwy]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cy9vr10n732t

I hope to the gods that I'm being way too cynical here, but it seems awfully convenient that this has happened a day or two after EU, UK and even the US started to apply some mild pressure on Israel.

I had been assuming that it was the Jeremy Corbyn problem - the complete and unquestioning orthoxy of backing Israel in the West has led to the situation that any statement of support or sympathy for Palestine is taken by anti-Semitic nutters as "Finally, someone's on our side!" (probably not helped by the Israeli government/shills loudly and continually reacting to all support for Palestine/any criticism of Israel by conflating it with hatred of Jews). So even mild criticism of an actively ongoing ethnic cleansing has resulted in the bigots feeling validated and emboldened.

Puja

This brutal shooting is not dissimilar from the IDF assassinations of nonmilitary Hamas staff, except that the killer didn't blow up a hospital, the targets' children or any bystanders in the process.

Interesting how, despite the killer saying 'free Palestine' and the targets being workers for the Israeli state (rather than random Jewish Americans) everyone is calling this antisemitic, rather than what it obviously was, anti-Israel.

[Which Tyler]

EU outrage grows after Israel fires ‘warning shots’ at diplomatic delegation

#MostMoralArmyInTheWorld

[Which Tyler]

And now Israel attacks Iran (again)
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-857575

[Son of Mathonwy]

Hooray, the UK didn't help Israel fight Iran* (this time). Shame that's not true of Gaza.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ ... ck-on-iran

* although Badenoch would have. What a star.

[Danno]

Hooray, the UK didn't help Israel fight Iran* (this time). Shame that's not true of Gaza.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/ ... ck-on-iran

* although Badenoch would have. What a star.

God she's absolutely fucking rancid

[Which Tyler]

I find myself torn on this action by Israel
On the one hand, fuck the mulahs, and fuck Iran as it is.
On the other hand - I'm not sure I can ever be a fan of one country unilaterally attacking another unprovoked (yes, I know the nuclear thing is huge, and a clear and present danger for Israel if it ever actually happens - and I can't say I'm up to date enough to know if that's "weeks away" IRL or "weeks away" in the same way it has been for the last decade or so). Was it just that the opportunity was there? Russia and Syria are busy, Iran's defence was degraded last year in the tit for tat, whilst Hamas and Houthis are thoroughly neutralised.
And on the third hand - how often has regime change actually had the desired results beyond "not that"

Beyond that, I gather that the timing is awfully convenient for Bibi, the day before a vote that would potentially lead to an election and see him lose power

[Puja]

I find myself torn on this action by Israel
On the one hand, fuck the mulahs, and fuck Iran as it is.
On the other hand - I'm not sure I can ever be a fan of one country unilaterally attacking another unprovoked (yes, I know the nuclear thing is huge, and a clear and present danger for Israel if it ever actually happens - and I can't say I'm up to date enough to know if that's "weeks away" IRL or "weeks away" in the same way it has been for the last decade or so). Was it just that the opportunity was there? Russia and Syria are busy, Iran's defence was degraded last year in the tit for tat, whilst Hamas and Houthis are thoroughly neutralised.
And on the third hand - how often has regime change actually had the desired results beyond "not that"

Beyond that, I gather that the timing is awfully convenient for Bibi, the day before a vote that would potentially lead to an election and see him lose power

If Netanyahu's always at war, then it's always treason to speak against him. He's just running from one "crisis" to another, creating them as he needs to.

Regardless of the malevolence of the Iranian regime, it's wicked to be taking military action against a neighbour for your own domestic politics, especially when you know you can do it without any risk given the US will defend you from any retaliation.

Quite apart from anything else, it's exacerbating the problems in the region for the next generation. "Iran hates us and wants to destroy us," could at some point dissipate, but this is keeping it very current.

Puja

[Puja]

Just been reading up how there's no evidence that Iran were even remotely trying for a bomb and that no-one in the international intelligence community was remotely concerned about any risk.

They'll probably try for one now, mind.

Puja

[Which Tyler]

If that's true, then if Iran does decide that having a nuke is the only way to stop this shit from happening again... I won't be able to blame them.
It's still an horrific idea, and would see their neighbours immediately trying as well - which is at least as scary - but I couldn't blame them.

And again, it all comes back to Obama making a joke at the... Met Gala Ball wasn't it?

[Danno]

And again, it all comes back to Obama making a joke at the... Met Gala Ball wasn't it?

Yeah, pretty much. I wish that kid actually got bullets into him last year.