Putting the current war into a historical context
Thoughts and News
It is always worth examining history to help make current day decisions and it is said as by both the philosopher George Santayana and Winston Churchill “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. The chat of a Palestinian State being born out of this war is nothing more than idle chatter birthed by the delusions of the left in the blood of both Israelis and Palestinians.
In what become known as Black September, the leader of the PLO (the forerunner of the today’s PA) Yasser Arafat attempted to overthrow the Jordanians , which resulted in the expulsion of tens of thousands to Lebanon and Tunisia. 25,000 Palestinians were killed.
Jordan together with parts of the West Bank known as area A and parts of area B, is the natural home, since the partition in 1948, of the Arabs who call themselves Palestinians. However, with the Jordanian King being a minority Hashemite, he is understandably afraid to be overthrown by his Palestinian majority, so he continues in his support for the creation of an additional Palestinian State.
In 1976 the Palestinians tried to overthrow the Lebanese Government, butchering thousands of Lebanese civilians at Damour. Many Palestinians relocated to the Gulf States where they settled and remain as refugees.
Since 2007 Fatah and Hamas have been at odds with each other . Hamas killed hundreds of Fatah when they took over Gaza in 2007. Hamas have been responsible for tens of thousands of deaths both in Gaza and Israel.
Many Jews could also class themselves as Palestinians as they were born in pre 1948 British Mandate Palestine . Golda Meir once famously said “I am a Palestinian”!
The UNWRA that has had so much attention this past week due to its involvement and close association with Hamas have perpetrated the myth of Palestinian refugees world wide. UNWRA has grown 5.6 million refugees from around 700,000 1948 refugees. It’s not a very successful genocide. Even the anti Israel ICJ couldn’t bring itself to rule that Israel was committing genocide.
Of course, all the Arab countries have been complicit by refusing these Palestinian Arabs citizenship and civil rights. Hence, today we have millions claiming refugee status and living in so called refugee camps, which are in fact cities.
Despite all of the above in 2005, Gaza was evacuated as a first step towards state building, but it quickly degenerated into a terrorist stronghold whose only ambition was the destruction of the Jewish State.
Israel has suffered so many terror attacks that they cannot be listed here. In 2022 alone there were over 5,000 terror attacks (Orly Goldshmidt, Embassy of Israel), including car rammings, stabbings, shootings and bombings.
Attempts to sign peace agreements were made 1993, 2000. 2008 and 2014. We all know how 2023 ended, so all this fake news swirling around that Israel is going to withdraw from Gaza and reward the Palestinians with a State is just a dream . History has told us loud and clear that the Palestinians have zero interest in a State and their only objective remains to destroy Israel and kill Jews.
The objective of the Israeli war cabinet is to destroy Hamas’ capability to carry out their charter to destroy the State of Israel. Simultaneously, the government believes through military action they will be able to bring enough pressure on Hamas to release the hostages .
Meanwhile, talks with the terror supporters Qatar, who are acting as the mediators continue and perhaps a ceasefire will be negotiated and a few hostages will be released. Hamas are also demanding the release of convicted killers from Israeli jails. The statements coming from Israel and the statements coming from Washington do not align and there is a lot of fake news around this week.
What we do know is that 136 hostages remain and the Red Cross has still not seen them and no one has reported on their condition.
The IDF are continuing to destroy terror tunnels but its painstaking and difficult.
The IDF have mostly taken control of Khan Yunis and are moving onto the Philidelphi crossing (Egyptian border with Gaza).
Egypt are very keen to see the war end and for the status quo to be restored in Gaza as they have their own problems with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt who are affiliated to Hamas. They are terrified that the Gazans may try to enter Egypt . One solution for “ the day after” would be for the strip to be retuned to Egypt and the people granted Egyptian citizenship.
Nearly 13,000 rockets have been fired at Israel.
1,400 Israelis including woman and children have been murdered
8,000 plus soldiers are injured
224 soldiers have fallen in Gaza,5 in the north and 3 in the West Bank.
Activists in Israel are trying to block the aid trucks from entering Gaza with some success.
Missile fire continues from Lebanon into northern Israel towards Metula and Kirayt Shmona. The IDF have struck back at the source of the fire. Israel and Lebanon are edging closer to a war neither side really wants. Hezbollah have not yet moved back as demanded and the deadline set by Israel has passed .
Houthi continue to attack ships in the Red Sea despite a multi national task force being present and trying to defend the ships. India has deployed 12 war ships into the Red Sea.
Shipping costs have risen by around 400% which will effect all consumer goods entering Europe.
Nearly 200,000 Israelis are displaced and unable to return home to the South or the North.
Yesh Atid’s Yair Lapid is considering joining the government as Justice Minister. This would strengthen the government and Bibi would not be held to ransom over the demands and refusals of the extreme right wingers.
Biden has issued an executive order against 4 Jewish settlers, which is rather strange as he has issued an executive order against the leaders of Hezbollah, the Houthi or Hamas or even Abbas who supports “the pay to slay’ policy !
Shabbat Shalom
Kind Regards
Carolyne Davis