Hamas strike on Israel - Threadbans in op - mod warning in OP updated 19/10/23

Ireland is only a nasty spot on the ass of decent countries.

Most respectable countries and governments hold back on such nonsense until Hamas is destroyed and their influence in Palestine is eradicated

Great group of countries, ireland fits in well

The only thing strong about Ireland is its debit balance.

Still owes a s#itload of money that hasn't been paid back.

That comment was made the guts of 4 months ago but anyway..

I've heard that saying for years, and given the worst of Hamas and its ideology, there is a lot of truth to it. The Palestinian leadership are more than happy to sacrifice its people for a reactionary, fascist, religious and political cause.

Do you actually know how many countries recognise Palestine?

Yep. Most respectable well governed countries dont

You are confusing two things. Prior to October 7th great strides were being made to normalise relations between Saudi and Egypt and Israel. Iran was deeply uncomfortable with this and October 7th was a vicious assault by Iran on these forward movements. Iran does not want to see anything that improves Arab Israeli relations as it means tolerating and accepting Israels right to exist. We are now effectively in a proxy war between Iran and Israel as Hamas are nothing but Iranian terrorist stooges. I have no doubt the Russians diplomatically encouraged this with Iran as it suits Russia, as it splits the West and distracts out attention from Ukraine. South Africa just another useful idiot in the Russian camp with the ICC nonsense. Israels immediate task is to elimate and degrade as much of Hamas's capacity as possible to protect itself. Where we go after that who knows and unless the Iranian regime collapses I won't hold out much hope of peace anytime soon as Hezbollah are more Iranian stooges on Israel's doorstep. The innocent civilians in Gaza I am afraid are just caught in the middle of all of this being used as pawns by Hamas to move Western sentiment against Israel and its working to some extent as you see with useful idiots like Harris and Spanish and Norwegian mistakes today as well. The problem is many people have conflated what is occurring here with the much older Israeli/Palestinian question but really what we have is a state Iran who wants to wipe Israel from the planet or failing that being viable, disrupt and involve Israel in warfare and controversy to at least prevent closer and peaceful ties with other Middle Eastern countries. While I am fully conversant and aware of the historical and continuing Arab Israeli questions, this I am afraid is another issue entirely and it's one which I fear will continue to run unless we see a dramatic collapse in Iran's awful regime.

Yes, calling Simon Harris a useful idiot is a profound critique of Irish foreign policy.

Recognising the sovereignty of another state isn't virtue signaling and calling it that demonstrates a total lack of understanding of international relations.

Not trying to make anything 'work' and well aware of what has been going on in the West Bank. Plenty to be discussed and critiqued on both sides in the long running Arab / Israeli issues. But what is going on right now is a different matter. I honestly think many people struggle to understand this. I am very happy to discuss and look at issues on all sides in that long running conflict be it Israeli or Arab but now is really not the time. Iran and it's support for Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis etc (who are happy to sink and shoot at Western ships and tie up American, British and other naval vessels protecting your goods being delivered from the Far East….) is the issue at hand here. Hate to say it but behaviour from Harris today, Spain and Norway is exactly what HHH and Iran wants, we are literally playing into their hands. Of course the right wing nature of the current administration in Israel isn't helping optics or realities but Iran is more than aware of this as they do all they can to tip Western countries against Israel. Every bit of help we provide is being carefully noted in Tehran and Moscow too.

United national movement?

Permit me to jog your memory. First, there was the Irish Parliamentary Party, still a force in 1919 and that had been the third largest party in Westminster at the outbreak of the First World War. Then there was Sinn Fein which swept the election in 1919. They stuck together for about three years until the Treaty was proffered, then they started shooting the crap out of each other in the Civil War and beyond. More people killed in the Civil War than had been in the War of Independence. Then further splits into Fianna Fail, Republican Congress, down through the years to Official IRA, Provisional IRA, INLA, Real IRA, Continuity IRA etc etc.

All the while, south of the border there were political assassinations, reprisal killings, firing squads, hangings, internment……and that's without mentioning the Unionists. Or Labour.

Unified national movement…..my arse!!!