On day one Mahuta’s measured response to Israel and Gaza showed foreign Minister experience and good judgement as she condemned the horrific attack. While Christopher L played footsie with Winston and David to form a a rightist government and equivocated as Gazan’s were slaughtered, and the Israeli PM pouted and raised hell. Chris H knew he must speak - as Christopher L should have also. Oh for a PM again who can accurately assess in short time and act to the needs without even a night’s sleep on it.
It’s a disgrace that it’s taken this long and, as you point out Nick, involved some pretty nasty internal finger pointing. Israel has made a massive error in squandering the wide sympathy and support it’s enjoyed since establishment of the Jewish state almost seventy years ago. It has been lose-lose since Israel counter-attacked Hamas, sparking the Palestinian genocide. Our pathetic leaders should have stood up months ago.
Christopher Luxon doesn't have the depth of thought or intelligence to know how to react to such situations. So he leaves the hard stuff to the boys on the level below. Well, he's done that all his working life, I guess. Thanks for your writing, Nick.
Chops to John Minto who was pepper sprayed. He stands up for his beliefs. I was in Napier all those years ago,when the Police used long batons on the protestors. He was there as well, protesting racism.
One action that can be taken is to question Kiwisaver providers about their Israeli shareholdings and encourage them to ditch them. Simplicity did drop a couple of Israeli banks. And check out BDS for companies to boycott. When it hits the bottom line some people decide to take it more seriously
I liked your tongue-in-cheek suggestion, Nick, that we send our news reporters to Washington if we want to find out what our government is going to do in the near future....
I have given up expecting anything requiring ovaries from this useless CoC, so Winston's tuppenny happorth-worth is too little too damn late. Thankfully Chris Hipkins stood up to have the Labour Party counted early on!
I am wondering if there is any thought anywhere internationally about setting up something like the Nuremberg trials to hold Israel accountable. Don't be stupid, Marilyn, of course there's not! No responsibility, no accountability, no integrity.
And Nick, I am sure I am not alone in this next thought: I am more than happy for you to make your posts free for all to read. I am happy to keep paying so others can get the benefit of your discourse. Maybe you could ask if other paying subscribers are thinking along the same lines?
It's all a little too late and smacks of the pathetic 'on record' approach to accountability. They said 'something', so in their minds it absolves them from standing back and doing nothing when they should have, months ago. Thousands of lives ago. It is unforgivable, it is not complicated.
Well said Nick. I have been listening to this amazing discussion by Gabor Matè and his 2 sons on being Jewish and being against the actions of the Zionist state of Israel. Dr Gabor Matè is a Hungarian born (during the Holocaust) now living in Canada, world renowned expert on individual, collective and generational trauma. I can't help but compare the similarities of the situation in Palestine to our own experience here of colonization of our tangata whenua and the unfairness of how the dominant power continues to make the rules.
I used to often watch Al Jazeera Nick. I have come to see them as being very good at the in depth way they explore globalissues. Not just the middle East. Lately their main focus is of course Palestine/Gaza and they have no compunction about callng the mass slaying of the people of Gaza as being GENOCIDE.It seems to me that is what it is.!! I have seen a small eight year old boy shot dead-in the back by Israeli soldiers as he was running with an older brother away from them. The boys had done nothing- they were just scared and wanting to get away from the soldiers who came around the corner of a building and saw them. His brother was also killed. I have heard a translation of Israeli soldiers where they call Palestinian people human vermin. No surprise really - the leader of their army has openly described Palestinians that way when interviewed. Israel has had a lot of support, and goodwill over the years given the collective guilt Europe andother western countries have had to acknowledge given the atrocities of the Holocaust. Jews were dehumanised during the Holocaust.They are now dehumanising the Palestinian people. I do know it is not a simple issue. The Israeli person I have contact with is very shook up by the whole situation but not really sympathetic to the peopleof Gaza. She says the hostages should be released before there could be a ceasefire. Unfortunately there would need to be a ceasefire before the hostages could be safely released. It seems at least 20 of the hostages have been killed. within that number is ayoung mother and her two children- a beautiful baby , and a toddler. Videos of them were being shown just after the Hamas attack within Israel. Terrible!. But of course the same applies to all of the Palestinian mothers and children killed by Israeli bombs,and rockets.Many children in Gaza have lost limbs and some have been amputated without proper anasthesia. Also terrible-inhumane the whole war on innocent people. From Hamas,and from the well resourced Israeli army. My Israeli friend does experience the criticism of Israel as being anti-semitic. I was surprised at this because I know she loathes Netanyahu,and his corrupt family. She has pointed out to me that she has no sense of family history because the people who came before her parents were all annihilated in the Holocaust. There is a fear of that happening again given the nation of Israel was founded on displacement of some of the Palestinian people living there, and the displeasure of the surrounding Arabic countries, who haveconstantly threatened the establishment of an Israeli state. She points out that Israel is a small country that has to have a strong army because they are constsntly under threat. I knew some of this but of course have not experienced it . I feel for her- her teenage son was having a gap year in Israel when Hamas struck. She managed to get him out within a few days with not too much help from the NZ govt. I nolonger turn to Al Jazeera very often because I know I am going to see things that will upset me. I am told that what Hamas did to especially Israeli women when they attacked was terrible . I believe that to be true-women , and children are always victimsof war. Rape is a tool of war to get at the "owners" of those women. Barbara Erenreich, and other feminists have researched, and written about this. It goes both ways. Whatever the truth of the atrocities from the Hamas attack-- NOTHING JUSTIFIES THE DISPROPORTIONATE SLAYING OF, DISPLACEMENT OF, AND STARVATION OF THE INNOCENT CIVILIANS OF GAZA.
I was so confused about the Govt's sudden concern about Rafah - but of course they were minions following their masters.
When they decided to send troops to the Red Sea, saying the Houthi attacks weren't anything to do with Gaza, was probably one of the biggest facepalm moments of all time.
They are either stupid or evil, and I don't know what's worse?
America did the same in Vietnam and we followed them then. Did we not learn anything? Are our men just a pack of greedy bloodthirsty sheep? Let women take the reins for a bit, they’re generally known for nurture not inihilation
Good point...kindness & compassion are not solely a female's domain, eg: Chris Hipkins, James Shaw, Grant Richardson...Nick & most (if not ALL) of the men commenting here.
On another slightly different note, but worth promoting, as it exemplifies so many things politics and money bring to civilian life in a negative way; I watched Murky Skies (on DocPlay - and if you're not a member, you can get a 14 day free trial) about a disastrous Boeing El Al crash in Amsterdam in the early 1990s. The obfuscations; the finger-pointing; the declaration that asking serious questions was "antisemitic" - the lies amidst the confusion, anger and grief. The links between Israel and the US......
Made by an Israeli film-maker, Noam Pincas.
And....does anyone remember that in the midst of our own tragedy - the Christchurch earthquake - there was some Israeli activity? Stories later came out that Netanyahu rang Key several times in one day. Why? I don't think that was ever answered.
Beyond thinking, beyond understanding. Why cry now and not before? From the beginning it was vengeance. Wicked old men careless of life. Twenty lives for one. No one sleeps sounder after this. Except those who sleep forever.
On day one Mahuta’s measured response to Israel and Gaza showed foreign Minister experience and good judgement as she condemned the horrific attack. While Christopher L played footsie with Winston and David to form a a rightist government and equivocated as Gazan’s were slaughtered, and the Israeli PM pouted and raised hell. Chris H knew he must speak - as Christopher L should have also. Oh for a PM again who can accurately assess in short time and act to the needs without even a night’s sleep on it.
Well spake Nick. Our house has been wondering about the timing of this too, we know for sure that it will not be based on morality…
It’s a disgrace that it’s taken this long and, as you point out Nick, involved some pretty nasty internal finger pointing. Israel has made a massive error in squandering the wide sympathy and support it’s enjoyed since establishment of the Jewish state almost seventy years ago. It has been lose-lose since Israel counter-attacked Hamas, sparking the Palestinian genocide. Our pathetic leaders should have stood up months ago.
Christopher Luxon doesn't have the depth of thought or intelligence to know how to react to such situations. So he leaves the hard stuff to the boys on the level below. Well, he's done that all his working life, I guess. Thanks for your writing, Nick.
Chops to John Minto who was pepper sprayed. He stands up for his beliefs. I was in Napier all those years ago,when the Police used long batons on the protestors. He was there as well, protesting racism.
One action that can be taken is to question Kiwisaver providers about their Israeli shareholdings and encourage them to ditch them. Simplicity did drop a couple of Israeli banks. And check out BDS for companies to boycott. When it hits the bottom line some people decide to take it more seriously
I liked your tongue-in-cheek suggestion, Nick, that we send our news reporters to Washington if we want to find out what our government is going to do in the near future....
Or just go straight to Atlas, and get their agenda.
Nick,
I have given up expecting anything requiring ovaries from this useless CoC, so Winston's tuppenny happorth-worth is too little too damn late. Thankfully Chris Hipkins stood up to have the Labour Party counted early on!
I am wondering if there is any thought anywhere internationally about setting up something like the Nuremberg trials to hold Israel accountable. Don't be stupid, Marilyn, of course there's not! No responsibility, no accountability, no integrity.
And Nick, I am sure I am not alone in this next thought: I am more than happy for you to make your posts free for all to read. I am happy to keep paying so others can get the benefit of your discourse. Maybe you could ask if other paying subscribers are thinking along the same lines?
Cheers and keep it coming,
Marilyn
On these issues, spreading understanding is important. Pay, or not.
It's all a little too late and smacks of the pathetic 'on record' approach to accountability. They said 'something', so in their minds it absolves them from standing back and doing nothing when they should have, months ago. Thousands of lives ago. It is unforgivable, it is not complicated.
Well said Nick. I have been listening to this amazing discussion by Gabor Matè and his 2 sons on being Jewish and being against the actions of the Zionist state of Israel. Dr Gabor Matè is a Hungarian born (during the Holocaust) now living in Canada, world renowned expert on individual, collective and generational trauma. I can't help but compare the similarities of the situation in Palestine to our own experience here of colonization of our tangata whenua and the unfairness of how the dominant power continues to make the rules.
https://youtu.be/azxtxKyHntA?si=hwxKljG6NUReycKQ this is so worth watching.
I used to often watch Al Jazeera Nick. I have come to see them as being very good at the in depth way they explore globalissues. Not just the middle East. Lately their main focus is of course Palestine/Gaza and they have no compunction about callng the mass slaying of the people of Gaza as being GENOCIDE.It seems to me that is what it is.!! I have seen a small eight year old boy shot dead-in the back by Israeli soldiers as he was running with an older brother away from them. The boys had done nothing- they were just scared and wanting to get away from the soldiers who came around the corner of a building and saw them. His brother was also killed. I have heard a translation of Israeli soldiers where they call Palestinian people human vermin. No surprise really - the leader of their army has openly described Palestinians that way when interviewed. Israel has had a lot of support, and goodwill over the years given the collective guilt Europe andother western countries have had to acknowledge given the atrocities of the Holocaust. Jews were dehumanised during the Holocaust.They are now dehumanising the Palestinian people. I do know it is not a simple issue. The Israeli person I have contact with is very shook up by the whole situation but not really sympathetic to the peopleof Gaza. She says the hostages should be released before there could be a ceasefire. Unfortunately there would need to be a ceasefire before the hostages could be safely released. It seems at least 20 of the hostages have been killed. within that number is ayoung mother and her two children- a beautiful baby , and a toddler. Videos of them were being shown just after the Hamas attack within Israel. Terrible!. But of course the same applies to all of the Palestinian mothers and children killed by Israeli bombs,and rockets.Many children in Gaza have lost limbs and some have been amputated without proper anasthesia. Also terrible-inhumane the whole war on innocent people. From Hamas,and from the well resourced Israeli army. My Israeli friend does experience the criticism of Israel as being anti-semitic. I was surprised at this because I know she loathes Netanyahu,and his corrupt family. She has pointed out to me that she has no sense of family history because the people who came before her parents were all annihilated in the Holocaust. There is a fear of that happening again given the nation of Israel was founded on displacement of some of the Palestinian people living there, and the displeasure of the surrounding Arabic countries, who haveconstantly threatened the establishment of an Israeli state. She points out that Israel is a small country that has to have a strong army because they are constsntly under threat. I knew some of this but of course have not experienced it . I feel for her- her teenage son was having a gap year in Israel when Hamas struck. She managed to get him out within a few days with not too much help from the NZ govt. I nolonger turn to Al Jazeera very often because I know I am going to see things that will upset me. I am told that what Hamas did to especially Israeli women when they attacked was terrible . I believe that to be true-women , and children are always victimsof war. Rape is a tool of war to get at the "owners" of those women. Barbara Erenreich, and other feminists have researched, and written about this. It goes both ways. Whatever the truth of the atrocities from the Hamas attack-- NOTHING JUSTIFIES THE DISPROPORTIONATE SLAYING OF, DISPLACEMENT OF, AND STARVATION OF THE INNOCENT CIVILIANS OF GAZA.
Timing is everything!
I was so confused about the Govt's sudden concern about Rafah - but of course they were minions following their masters.
When they decided to send troops to the Red Sea, saying the Houthi attacks weren't anything to do with Gaza, was probably one of the biggest facepalm moments of all time.
They are either stupid or evil, and I don't know what's worse?
50:50 :(
America did the same in Vietnam and we followed them then. Did we not learn anything? Are our men just a pack of greedy bloodthirsty sheep? Let women take the reins for a bit, they’re generally known for nurture not inihilation
Willis? Richardson? Thatcher?
Good point...kindness & compassion are not solely a female's domain, eg: Chris Hipkins, James Shaw, Grant Richardson...Nick & most (if not ALL) of the men commenting here.
Well said again, Nick.
On another slightly different note, but worth promoting, as it exemplifies so many things politics and money bring to civilian life in a negative way; I watched Murky Skies (on DocPlay - and if you're not a member, you can get a 14 day free trial) about a disastrous Boeing El Al crash in Amsterdam in the early 1990s. The obfuscations; the finger-pointing; the declaration that asking serious questions was "antisemitic" - the lies amidst the confusion, anger and grief. The links between Israel and the US......
Made by an Israeli film-maker, Noam Pincas.
And....does anyone remember that in the midst of our own tragedy - the Christchurch earthquake - there was some Israeli activity? Stories later came out that Netanyahu rang Key several times in one day. Why? I don't think that was ever answered.
Beyond thinking, beyond understanding. Why cry now and not before? From the beginning it was vengeance. Wicked old men careless of life. Twenty lives for one. No one sleeps sounder after this. Except those who sleep forever.