So Britain, Canada and France want Hamas to disarm, do they? Who, other than the IDF, do these governments figure will compel Hamas to do that? It's not as though 2006's UNSC Resolution 1701 which required Hezbollah and "other forces" to retreat to north of the Litani River and not rearm was ever enforced by UNIFIL.
It's also not as though these three countries haven't continued to fund UN agencies operating in Gaza that have been rather spectacularly unsuccessful of ensuring that Hamas doesn't use UN premises as bases of operation or prevent the theft of massive amounts of humanitarian aid by Hamas which is how Hamas has managed to carry on financing its war and also provides the leverage Hamas uses to control Gazans. I get why these governments have been concerned about civilians suffering under truly grim conditions, but if they want the IDF to withdraw, someone needs to send in troops to prevent Hamas from retaining its grip on Gaza. As retired British Paratroop Major (Ret) Andrew Fox wrote in his most recent Substack newsletter, Hamas still maintains control over a substantial amount of Gaza's civilian infrastructure, keeping Gazans dependent on the terrorist group for pretty much all their needs.
And yes, the "disproportionate" argument is one of the biggest BS arguments thrown around at the IDF's conduct of war, not just because of the extreme difficulty of fighting an enemy as ruthless as Hama has been in embedding itself among civilians, but also because the IDF has run low on more precision bombs and these same countries have placed embargoes of sorts on supplying the IDF with munitions.
And announcing the intent to investigate dual Israeli Canadian reservists for war crimes is another classy move from Canada, which once upon a time used to send in peacekeepers. Don't misunderstand me. War crimes do demand prosecution, but what capabilities and powers do Canadian investigators have to carry out a bona fide investigation on their own or is this announced action what David Frum posits is the typical Liberal Party move to appease the more left leaning members of its caucus so that they will support fiscal constraints that the Carney government is very likely to introduce in order to put the country's finances in order?
Agree 💯. This is exactly what should happen. Unfortunately it never will. Not as long as there are politicians like Anita Anand, who on her first day as the new foreign minister falsely accused Israel of “aggression against the Palestinians” and of using food as a political tool the very day Israel restored aid deliveries. This calumny was followed less than a week later by the reprehensible Joint Statement with the UK and France.
Not only are these “leaders” vilifying and threatening Israel unjustly, but they are also endangering the Jewish communities in their own countries. To add insult to injury, Carney told a Muslim audience that the values of Islam are Canadian values!
And, F Carney. F Macron. F Starmer. Israel’s reaction to October 7th is “entirely disproportionate”????? Really? Hmmmm, wonder how any of these out of touch, privileged clowns would react if tens of thousands of their citizens were massacred/raped/kidnapped? Would they be falling all over themselves to accommodate those who attacked them? Actually, knowing them, they just might.
The slide of society toward antisemitism is indeed a sign that free civilization as a whole is sliding. In the dark history of antisemitism, the norm was to exclude Jews--and those who acted against this norm were celebrated by the Jews as heroes. Today, the norm should be constructive collaboration with Israel to protect free society, but it seems that we are sliding back toward a more antisemitic set of norms.
Why aren’t you in charge of the world, Pat? It’s astonishing how hating Jews will always take precedence over saving all of civilization. Who needs self-preservation when you can stick it to the Jews instead?
".... if not because we give a damn about Israel then because our entire fricken civilization depends on it. Roll your eyes now — it will be good practice for the lolling when the jihadis scythe off your head."
Sadly I think most'a the 5 eyes are on a self-destructive giant carnival slide goin' down as fast as possible, no brakes! They jus' want Israel ta go down first ta make their descent easier... I do believe some cool jewelry/clothin' designer needs ta make fun chop-proof but flexible neckware fer those of us in "da Vest" that DO hope ta keep our heads! (kevlar's purdy tough stuff....)
Pat, what a great piece. Absolutely right in disarming Hamas and bleaching the jihadists from western society.
One only has to look back at Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan .. all three have kicked the palestinian leadership out of their countries over the years.
When Israel has to make its move in removing Iran’s nuclear capability, it should also place a direct hit on the biggest purveyor of islamic jihad terrorism. A country that you fail to name, but which should always be included when mentioning Hamas .. and that is Qatar.
As much as one does not want to be a warmonger, unless western governments unite in the fight against islamic jihadism, the west’s time as we know it, is against the clock.
Wow, it only takes 600 days for cowardly leaders to kinda hint that maybe their approach so far is, to put a tonne of lipstick over it, not helpfull. Infact, deadly. So they are hedging their bets now, are they? There is no way of knowing yet if this is the proverbial, albeit lame, swallow that ushers in a Spring where- i will need to see it to believe it- Palestinians are held accountable, or if it is balloon that the Islamic inquisition will pop by throwing a temper tantrum and these leaders will retreat to the cosy environment of Israel must be found guilty, always.
Actually, i think the explanation is simple: after jumping on the oh-so-obviously false coverage by BBC about the joint Israeli-US food distribution, these leaders are finding out that slandering Israel is easy but slandering the US comes with consequences. Let's not forget which country saved England and France twice. And let's recognise which country is saving them from the islamic inquisition now.
Add Australia to the list of ‘Western democracies’ hypocritically and cynically condemning Israel’s actions post-Oct 7. Our left-leaning Labor government was just re-elected and answers to the anti-Israel lobby within its base — trade unions, activists, and a large Muslim population in key seats. Our public broadcaster has committed to supporting the ‘Palestinian cause’ — I think they understand (but don’t care) that they are also tacitly supporting Hamas. Thank you for putting this madness in perspective — you’re grappling with huge themes and existential threats, but somehow there’s always clarity and humour.
So Britain, Canada and France want Hamas to disarm, do they? Who, other than the IDF, do these governments figure will compel Hamas to do that? It's not as though 2006's UNSC Resolution 1701 which required Hezbollah and "other forces" to retreat to north of the Litani River and not rearm was ever enforced by UNIFIL.
It's also not as though these three countries haven't continued to fund UN agencies operating in Gaza that have been rather spectacularly unsuccessful of ensuring that Hamas doesn't use UN premises as bases of operation or prevent the theft of massive amounts of humanitarian aid by Hamas which is how Hamas has managed to carry on financing its war and also provides the leverage Hamas uses to control Gazans. I get why these governments have been concerned about civilians suffering under truly grim conditions, but if they want the IDF to withdraw, someone needs to send in troops to prevent Hamas from retaining its grip on Gaza. As retired British Paratroop Major (Ret) Andrew Fox wrote in his most recent Substack newsletter, Hamas still maintains control over a substantial amount of Gaza's civilian infrastructure, keeping Gazans dependent on the terrorist group for pretty much all their needs.
And yes, the "disproportionate" argument is one of the biggest BS arguments thrown around at the IDF's conduct of war, not just because of the extreme difficulty of fighting an enemy as ruthless as Hama has been in embedding itself among civilians, but also because the IDF has run low on more precision bombs and these same countries have placed embargoes of sorts on supplying the IDF with munitions.
And announcing the intent to investigate dual Israeli Canadian reservists for war crimes is another classy move from Canada, which once upon a time used to send in peacekeepers. Don't misunderstand me. War crimes do demand prosecution, but what capabilities and powers do Canadian investigators have to carry out a bona fide investigation on their own or is this announced action what David Frum posits is the typical Liberal Party move to appease the more left leaning members of its caucus so that they will support fiscal constraints that the Carney government is very likely to introduce in order to put the country's finances in order?
Agree 💯. This is exactly what should happen. Unfortunately it never will. Not as long as there are politicians like Anita Anand, who on her first day as the new foreign minister falsely accused Israel of “aggression against the Palestinians” and of using food as a political tool the very day Israel restored aid deliveries. This calumny was followed less than a week later by the reprehensible Joint Statement with the UK and France.
Not only are these “leaders” vilifying and threatening Israel unjustly, but they are also endangering the Jewish communities in their own countries. To add insult to injury, Carney told a Muslim audience that the values of Islam are Canadian values!
Absolutely agreed.
And, F Carney. F Macron. F Starmer. Israel’s reaction to October 7th is “entirely disproportionate”????? Really? Hmmmm, wonder how any of these out of touch, privileged clowns would react if tens of thousands of their citizens were massacred/raped/kidnapped? Would they be falling all over themselves to accommodate those who attacked them? Actually, knowing them, they just might.
The slide of society toward antisemitism is indeed a sign that free civilization as a whole is sliding. In the dark history of antisemitism, the norm was to exclude Jews--and those who acted against this norm were celebrated by the Jews as heroes. Today, the norm should be constructive collaboration with Israel to protect free society, but it seems that we are sliding back toward a more antisemitic set of norms.
Why aren’t you in charge of the world, Pat? It’s astonishing how hating Jews will always take precedence over saving all of civilization. Who needs self-preservation when you can stick it to the Jews instead?
This is what I’ve been asking! Why, oh why!?
Wow! Well said! Clear and powerful! Thank you Pat.
100% Pat, THIS:
".... if not because we give a damn about Israel then because our entire fricken civilization depends on it. Roll your eyes now — it will be good practice for the lolling when the jihadis scythe off your head."
https://thcsofdaisymoses.substack.com/p/if-israel-falls-we-are-next?
Sadly I think most'a the 5 eyes are on a self-destructive giant carnival slide goin' down as fast as possible, no brakes! They jus' want Israel ta go down first ta make their descent easier... I do believe some cool jewelry/clothin' designer needs ta make fun chop-proof but flexible neckware fer those of us in "da Vest" that DO hope ta keep our heads! (kevlar's purdy tough stuff....)
Pat, what a great piece. Absolutely right in disarming Hamas and bleaching the jihadists from western society.
One only has to look back at Kuwait, Lebanon and Jordan .. all three have kicked the palestinian leadership out of their countries over the years.
When Israel has to make its move in removing Iran’s nuclear capability, it should also place a direct hit on the biggest purveyor of islamic jihad terrorism. A country that you fail to name, but which should always be included when mentioning Hamas .. and that is Qatar.
As much as one does not want to be a warmonger, unless western governments unite in the fight against islamic jihadism, the west’s time as we know it, is against the clock.
🎗️🎗️
Brilliant. I would send it to my MP but Chrystia Freeland has blocked me and will not return any phone calls. They have decided we are the extremists.
Wow, it only takes 600 days for cowardly leaders to kinda hint that maybe their approach so far is, to put a tonne of lipstick over it, not helpfull. Infact, deadly. So they are hedging their bets now, are they? There is no way of knowing yet if this is the proverbial, albeit lame, swallow that ushers in a Spring where- i will need to see it to believe it- Palestinians are held accountable, or if it is balloon that the Islamic inquisition will pop by throwing a temper tantrum and these leaders will retreat to the cosy environment of Israel must be found guilty, always.
Actually, i think the explanation is simple: after jumping on the oh-so-obviously false coverage by BBC about the joint Israeli-US food distribution, these leaders are finding out that slandering Israel is easy but slandering the US comes with consequences. Let's not forget which country saved England and France twice. And let's recognise which country is saving them from the islamic inquisition now.
Such clear and moral thinking
Sigh…. If only.
Carney has brought shame to Canada. For the Muslim vote and the pay offs from Qatar. Shameful !
Add Australia to the list of ‘Western democracies’ hypocritically and cynically condemning Israel’s actions post-Oct 7. Our left-leaning Labor government was just re-elected and answers to the anti-Israel lobby within its base — trade unions, activists, and a large Muslim population in key seats. Our public broadcaster has committed to supporting the ‘Palestinian cause’ — I think they understand (but don’t care) that they are also tacitly supporting Hamas. Thank you for putting this madness in perspective — you’re grappling with huge themes and existential threats, but somehow there’s always clarity and humour.