Gaza
Is that a ‘no’ then, Owen?
To my simple suggestion that Owen Jones apologise for claiming that an 11-month old child killed by a Hamas rocket was in fact killed by an Israeli ‘so-called targeted strike’,… Continue reading
106 Comments
Will Owen Jones apologise?
Last November, during another exchange between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza, the left-wing columnist Owen Jones appeared on BBC Question Time. Invited to comment on recent events, what he… Continue reading
259 Comments
Did Israeli settlements in the West Bank kill the two-state solution?
When did the dream of a two-state solution die? When it became clear that there are already two Palestinian states – the Hamas-run Gaza and the Palestinian Authority-governed West Bank?… Continue reading
62 Comments
Operation Pillar of Defence leads Israel to strategic failure
Last night’s ceasefire is a strategic failure for Israel. While the end of military action must be welcomed, it is hard to see what Netanyahu has achieved beyond the killing… Continue reading
46 Comments
A moral distinction in the Gaza conflict
Hamas have claimed responsibility for a bus-bombing in Tel Aviv earlier today. It is worth watching this video, which went out a few hours ago on Hamas’s ‘Al-Aqsa’ TV. Over… Continue reading
42 Comments
PMQs: Ed Miliband goes mainstream
A muted PMQs today. But Cameron opened a fresh offensive which may prove to be a blunder. The leaders began by discussing the Gaza crisis in bland and soporific tones.… Continue reading
22 Comments
Hopeless in Gaza
I have already tweeted my feeling of utter despondency at the situation in Gaza. I feel hopeless, both in the sense of having no hope and in the sense of… Continue reading
25 Comments
Ceasefire in Gaza?
A ceasefire is expected in Gaza later this evening, but is yet to materialise. Unsurprisingly, agreement has been hard to reach. Indeed, it has become a tool of propaganda. Hamas… Continue reading
46 Comments
The Gazan conflict poses a dilemma for Mohammed Morsi
As tensions between Israel and Gaza continue to flare, the real story is what’s happening in Cairo. The conflict represents an acute crisis for the Muslim Brotherhood, which knows the… Continue reading
40 Comments
Bigotry on the Beeb
I have only just caught up on the latest episode of BBC Radio 4’s ‘Any Questions’. In that programme, from All Saints Church in Somerset, a Mr Stephen Bedford asked… Continue reading
92 Comments
Can Hamas contain Gaza’s other terrorist groups?
One of the things to watch for as tensions escalate between Gaza and Israel is the extent to which Ismail Haniyeh’s authority is eroded within the Strip. Hamas is clearly… Continue reading
31 Comments
The Gazan double standard
The journalist Tom Gross notes a story that you may have missed. One hundred and twenty families in Gaza have lost their homes. ‘Ma’an and other Palestinian news agencies report… Continue reading
11 CommentsHamas splashes out
There are many questions arising from the prisoner swap between Israel and Hamas, not least whether it opens the door to a more lasting deal in future. But one question that… Continue reading
6 CommentsRelations between Turkey and Israel deteriorate
Last summer, I spoke to Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, about the Mavi Marmara row. Davatoglu was not only animated, but clear on what he thought. Unless Israel apologised, he… Continue reading
13 CommentsMiddle East round-up
Reuters is reporting that Libyan rebels have taken control of Libyan state TV – one of the last organs to remain in Gaddafi’s hands. It’s another indication that the dictator’s… Continue reading
3 CommentsTensions rise in the Middle East
The escalating crisis in Gaza and Sinai is worrying. Egypt is to recall its ambassador to Israel after 3 security personnel were killed in confused scuffles after an Israeli bus… Continue reading
15 CommentsThe Gaza flotilla raid was legal – but stupid
Yesterday saw the publication of a report into Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, the Hamas-run part of the Palestinian crypto-state, and the Israeli military’s raid on a flotilla of aid… Continue reading
20 CommentsTrimble frozen out of government
The announcement that Lord Trimble will join the Israeli review into the flotilla incident is a reminder that he has no role in the current government. Trimble takes the Tory… Continue reading
6 CommentsHague pitches it right
It would be wrong to pass comment on the loss of life on the Gaza Flotilla; the facts are not established. Israel is right to investigate convoys that it feels… Continue reading
45 Comments