Unholy Land

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I watched Sir Keir Starmer's Chatham House speech this morning, which was measured, fair and impartial; diplomatic, shall we say. Given the split in intra-party opinion on the matter - and let's face it, the last thing any of us want or need is for the only party that can actually get shut of this ridiculous and dangerous government at a general election to implode at the last fence - he did a good job in balancing the issues to forestall potential internecine revolt. Hamas have obviously committed an act of extreme terrorism against Israel: fact, and no contesting that one. Israel has reacted, understandably, to this atrocity: but the key issue is the scale and locus of that reaction: they have applied extreme force pretty much without concern for the ordinary Palestinians of Gaza, and continue to do so, with catastrophic effect.

This can only be interpreted as 'collective punishment': there is no other way of looking at it. Claims of acting merely in self-defence have long withered in the face of the cold, hard reality of the Gaza Strip: war crimes are being perpetrated against civilians, largely with the support of the West. That the situation is complex, nuanced and riven through with the historical interference of Imperialist forces is a matter of record. Nevertheless, there are moral and legal boundaries that should never be crossed, and currently, as in the past, Israel has overstepped the mark. This is not about race or religion: like Starmer, I have some Jewish family; and yet I repudiate utterly the conduct of the Israeli government in this conflict: they act not for Judah, but for themselves alone. Shalom, Salaam, Peace.

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