Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran … War

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by Damien

They would, but they're a terrorist organisation. We expect more of democratic governments, especially ones that are our allies.

Are they our allies? Those days might be over. Their PM is wanted by the the International Criminal court.
https://www.icc-cpi.int/defendant/netanyahu
If he came to the UK he'd be arrested.

Originally Posted by Damien

They would, but they're a terrorist organisation. We expect more of democratic governments, especially ones that are our allies.

This sounds like an argument against frying a wasp’s nest just because the wasp that stung you is only doing what you expect a wasp to do.

Hamas might be behaving as predicted but they don’t deserve any slack for it. I appreciate you were demanding high standards of Israel rather than apologising for low standards from Hamas, but if you set uneven expectations it ends up the same, whichever end of the see-saw you look at.

Originally Posted by Chris

This sounds like an argument against frying a wasp’s nest just because the wasp that stung you is only doing what you expect a wasp to do.

I am fine with frying the wasp nest, but this is bombing the neighbourhood where the wasp nest is located and everybody in it. I appreciate that there is collateral damage in war, especially when you have terrorists like Hamas who embed themselves in a civilian population, but this is now indiscriminate. Levelling entire population centres and limiting aid.

Hamas might be behaving as predicted but they don’t deserve any slack for it. I appreciate you were demanding high standards of Israel rather than apologising for low standards from Hamas, but if you set uneven expectations it ends up the same, whichever end of the see-saw you look at.

I don't think it does. I expect higher standards from the police than from criminals, I expect higher standards of Western-aligned governments than I do of terrorist groups.

I used to defend Israel by saying that if Hamas had all the power, they would destroy Israel, whereas if Israel had all the power, they would just want to live in peace. I feel pretty stupid about that now.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Damien

They would, but they're a terrorist organisation. We expect more of democratic governments, especially ones that are our allies.

No, you expect “less”, you expect Israel to capitulate to the terrorist organisation.