# 455 – Protest

Protest

I was sent a video of some Japanese on the March in favour of Israel.

The Paris protest on Sunday was big. Today’s event in Washington DC will be very big.

We won’t go into actual numbers, ‘cos that’s not the point. Or maybe it is……Maybe the ‘Silent Majority’ is a factor.

Many times in the last few weeks, I have been warmly reminded that ‘we are with you’. ‘We’ may not be protesting in the streets, but ‘we’ are there.

So I am encouraged that there are still some sensible, decent, peace-loving people out there, who, in this particular case, understand that Israel is not ‘the guilty one here’.

(And let me remind you for the umpteenth time that nothing is perfect, that 80% is pretty good. What I mean is that, in a democratic society like Israel, with ALL the horrors that have befallen their people over the years, there’s ‘human error’, ‘human reaction’, ‘democratic politics’, ‘self defense’, etc. etc.).

Just had a chat with a friend, mentioning the interview I saw by Piers Morgan (in-your-face-interviewer) of Jeremy Corbyn (quite obviously anti-Semitic ex-leader of the British Labour Party), and his buddy, Len McCluskey (ex-trade unionist and big supporter of Corbyn). It became VERY ugly. I told my friend that these were ‘educated’ guys, in the knowledge that ‘education’, especially ‘university education’, nowadays swings you to the Left. But is so happens that neither of these 2 made it to university. Both are self-taught antisemites.

And they became leaders; Corbyn almost had a go at being PM! That’s what we are faced with. That’s ‘democracy’, with an extremely small ‘d’.

Surprise, surprise…Joan and Matt contacted me, through our mutual friend. They didn’t like the way our conversation ended. Seems they felt I was attacking their neutrality.

Good to talk to you again. What’s happened? What’s changed? 

We felt that you had concluded we were anti-Israel in some way, and we didn’t like that label.

So why don’t you start. Ask me some questions?

OK, we totally condemn what Hamas did on October 7. But why is Israel now doing the same? They know that they are killing thousands in Gaza. Israel is breaking International Law.

Sorry, but this is not the way to start a conversation with me. International Law? The IDF is possibly the most moral, well-behaved and decent army that ever defended its country. Our behaviour in battle goes way beyond the demands of International Law.

But the killing of so many innocent civilians, over 40% of whom are children….

Oh, there are so many answers. Let’s start with the Hamas claim that they won a democratic election. That’s what they say. If true, then the ‘innocent civilians’ voted for a organisation (more than just militants) who vowed to annihilate Israel. If I were such a civilian, I’d at least have voted the provision of shelters for the civilians ahead of the planned war. Oh, Hamas built underground protection, but not as shelters for the people, as we now know.

But –

Sorry, I have not finished. It was a big subject you brought up. 

We are the only army in the World who tries to warn the population to evacuate before bombing. We drop leaflets, make announcements, make thousands of phone calls, arrange up to 4-hour pauses in the fighting to try to get the civilians out of harm’s way. 

You seem to refuse to believe that Hamas has been not only preventing citizens from fleeing, they have been shooting them. 

Now let’s get to the Hamas infrastructure. Hospitals, schools, etc.

Yes, you cannot attack hospitals.

When will you get it into your heads that Hamas is not playing by any rules. Their main infrastructures are hidden underneath the very buildings to which people rush in times of crisis. 

That’s not fair! There’s no proof of all that.

There was, there is, and there will be. But, like some recipients of my Letters since 25 years, you people refuse to face the truth. 

OK, but Israel would gain so much respect if they announced a ceasefire to at least help the evacuation of injured, the influx of humanitarian help etc.

Humanitarian….another sadly misused word. Let me remind you that there were ‘officially’ 239 hostages from the Oct 7 attack still in Gaza. I say ‘were’…Yesterday, it was confirmed that a female soldier missing since Oct 7 was pronounced dead. Images have shown that. So 238. Then it has been confirmed that one of the hostages has given birth to a child. So, we are back to 239. Hamas leaked the news that 60 hostages were dead, killed by Israeli bombing. So 199? No confirmation; just their word. 

Humanitarian? 

Every Israeli, and so many more, lost someone on Oct 7, either in the disgusting attacks, or being held as hostages. And you want us to declare a ceasefire? First of all, a ceasefire needs both sides to agree. Only one would be seen a capitulation. 

Second, until the very last second, how can we believe anything said by Hamas?

Third, you really expect us to agree to let Hamas get away with this? (I did write that if an arrangement were made to release ALL hostages against Hamas being allowed to escape, Israel would more than likely agree – that’s how much we treasure the life of a decent person). Don’t you see that Hamas cares ZERO for their people. The leaders are safe while the people suffer. Why can’t you see that?

Hmmmm. OK. But another question. Like the right wing here in London, are you against free speech?

Some countries ban free speech if it is seen to incite violence (Germany bans anything to do with Nazism, and now anything to do with Hamas-support). So, yes I ‘d start putting guidelines down, and let the courts judge if all free speech is acceptable. 

Look at the situation within your own country. Yesterday’s Cabinet-shuffle and the move to the centre shows that Sunak has no idea which way to go. In my opinion, the Government needs a Suella Braverman, but with a much more acceptable ‘manner’. (Perhaps someone like Douglas Murray). David Cameron will prove to be far too tolerant in the face of the negative changes to society. It’s interesting that Sunak’s mistakes have been handing the power over to Labour, according to the polls.

But then Keir Starmer showed sympathy for Israel, and immediately was faced with a front-bench resignation (Mr Hussein from Bradford East – 1/3rd Muslim) and threatened with the loss of 1.5 million votes (Muslim). 

OK, OK, Stephen. You’ve made your points clear. Let us think about it. We’ll be in touch.

I hope so. And say hi to London for me. 

Stephen