• Anybody Else Watch Al-Jazeera?

    From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Sat Dec 30 20:40:18 2023
    I am still amazed that we get something like Al-Jazeera English free-to-
    air here in NZ. Sure, they have their biases (e.g. Qatar domestic
    matters), but they have an amazingly diverse crew of worldwide
    correspondents, including quite a few NZers.

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  • From Mutley@21:1/5 to Lawrence D'Oliveiro on Mon Jan 1 09:17:09 2024
    Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    I am still amazed that we get something like Al-Jazeera English free-to-
    air here in NZ. Sure, they have their biases (e.g. Qatar domestic
    matters), but they have an amazingly diverse crew of worldwide >correspondents, including quite a few NZers.
    Haven't watched them since they took the stance of Hamas good ,
    Israel bad .

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to Mutley on Sun Dec 31 21:36:57 2023
    On Mon, 01 Jan 2024 09:17:09 +1300, Mutley wrote:

    Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    I am still amazed that we get something like Al-Jazeera English free-to- >>air here in NZ. Sure, they have their biases (e.g. Qatar domestic
    matters), but they have an amazingly diverse crew of worldwide >>correspondents, including quite a few NZers.

    Haven't watched them since they took the stance of Hamas good ,
    Israel bad .

    It is true that Hamas launched a brutal attack on Israeli civilians (and soldiers) on October 7, such that it was hard to see how that could be overshadowed by anything worse. Yet that is exactly what Israel has
    managed to achieve in the unremitting brutality of its destruction of Gaza
    and its populace in the days since then.

    See what I did there? It’s called “nuance”. And AlJ’s reporting has had a
    lot of that.

    Also I give respect to our local TV news, for also making clear the extent
    of the carnage in Gaza. Apparently that’s not something very common in certain quarters of the Western media, like in the US.

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  • From Willy Nilly@21:1/5 to Lawrence D'Oliveiro on Sun Dec 31 22:34:45 2023
    On Sun, 31 Dec 2023, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
    . Yet that is exactly what Israel has
    managed to achieve in the unremitting brutality of its destruction of Gaza

    Perhaps you don't understand what "war" is -- try looking it up in the dictionary. I suppose you think that after the attack on Pearl
    Harbour, the USA should simply have sunk an equivalent weight of
    Japanese shipping, and called it evens.

    See what I did there? It’s called “nuance”. And AlJ’s reporting has had a
    lot of that.

    You are so clever -- not. At least try not to be a self-parody.

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  • From Gordon@21:1/5 to Willy Nilly on Mon Jan 1 03:39:23 2024
    On 2023-12-31, Willy Nilly <wn@qwert.com> wrote:
    On Sun, 31 Dec 2023, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
    . Yet that is exactly what Israel has
    managed to achieve in the unremitting brutality of its destruction of Gaza

    Perhaps you don't understand what "war" is -- try looking it up in the dictionary. I suppose you think that after the attack on Pearl
    Harbour, the USA should simply have sunk an equivalent weight of
    Japanese shipping, and called it evens.

    However the Japanese did not attack civilians. They went after the battle
    ships in the harbour.

    In todays wars, while civilians do get caught up in the war it is not considered okay to blast the area where the enemy are hiding and not have
    any consideration as to the numbers of civilians killed.

    Two wrongs do not make a right.



    See what I did there? It’s called “nuance”. And AlJ’s reporting has had a
    lot of that.

    You are so clever -- not. At least try not to be a self-parody.


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  • From Rich80105@21:1/5 to Gordon on Mon Jan 1 17:22:24 2024
    On 1 Jan 2024 03:39:23 GMT, Gordon <Gordon@leaf.net.nz> wrote:

    On 2023-12-31, Willy Nilly <wn@qwert.com> wrote:
    On Sun, 31 Dec 2023, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
    . Yet that is exactly what Israel has
    managed to achieve in the unremitting brutality of its destruction of Gaza >>
    Perhaps you don't understand what "war" is -- try looking it up in the
    dictionary. I suppose you think that after the attack on Pearl
    Harbour, the USA should simply have sunk an equivalent weight of
    Japanese shipping, and called it evens.

    However the Japanese did not attack civilians. They went after the battle >ships in the harbour.

    In todays wars, while civilians do get caught up in the war it is not >considered okay to blast the area where the enemy are hiding and not have
    any consideration as to the numbers of civilians killed.

    Two wrongs do not make a right.

    And there are a lot of wrongs and very little right about that war: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/505875/israeli-minister-repeats-call-for-palestinians-to-leave-gaza




    See what I did there? Its called nuance. And AlJs reporting has had a >>>lot of that.

    You are so clever -- not. At least try not to be a self-parody.


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  • From BR@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Mon Jan 1 18:15:20 2024
    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 04:43:44 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Mon, 01 Jan 2024 17:22:24 +1300, Rich80105 wrote:

    And there are a lot of wrongs and very little right about that war:
    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/505875/israeli-minister-repeats-call- >for-palestinians-to-leave-gaza

    Netanyahu and his far-rightists are no longer shy about admitting their >intentions with respect to evicting or exterminating Palestinians and >stealing their land.

    A lot of these statements will make compelling evidence in a future war >crimes trial.

    Hamas have never been shy about their intentions for Israel, which
    calls for the total extermination of the Jews, same as like the Nazis.
    It's no secret; read their charter. When the Jews vowed "never again",
    they weren't kidding.

    Bill.

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 1 04:43:44 2024
    On Mon, 01 Jan 2024 17:22:24 +1300, Rich80105 wrote:

    And there are a lot of wrongs and very little right about that war: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/505875/israeli-minister-repeats-call-
    for-palestinians-to-leave-gaza

    Netanyahu and his far-rightists are no longer shy about admitting their intentions with respect to evicting or exterminating Palestinians and
    stealing their land.

    A lot of these statements will make compelling evidence in a future war
    crimes trial.

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 1 05:19:48 2024
    On Mon, 01 Jan 2024 18:15:20 +1300, BR wrote:

    Hamas have never been shy about their intentions for Israel, which calls
    for the total extermination of the Jews, same as like the Nazis.
    It's no secret; read their charter.

    Which version? Also have you read the Likud charter? The one that says “between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty”?

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  • From Rich80105@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Tue Jan 2 08:47:59 2024
    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 05:19:48 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Mon, 01 Jan 2024 18:15:20 +1300, BR wrote:

    Hamas have never been shy about their intentions for Israel, which calls
    for the total extermination of the Jews, same as like the Nazis.
    It's no secret; read their charter.

    Which version? Also have you read the Likud charter? The one that says >between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty?
    Not addressing the issue of Al-Jazeera, but interesting on the Israeli
    / Palestine conflict: https://www.kiwipolitico.com/2023/12/further-thoughts-on-a-couple-of-things-near-and-far/

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  • From BR@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Tue Jan 2 09:20:43 2024
    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 05:19:48 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Mon, 01 Jan 2024 18:15:20 +1300, BR wrote:

    Hamas have never been shy about their intentions for Israel, which calls
    for the total extermination of the Jews, same as like the Nazis.
    It's no secret; read their charter.

    Which version? Also have you read the Likud charter? The one that says >between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty?

    You talk about that as if it was a bad thing. The greater Israeli
    sovereignty there is, the more freedom there will be under that
    sovereignty. Israel is a democracy, the only one in that part of the
    world.

    If Israel did to Hamas what Hamas would like to do to Israel, the Gaza
    strip would be replaced by a hole in the gound.

    If Hamas were to succeed in their stated intent and exterminate all
    the Jews, all the shaky alliances formed against Israel between the
    various tribal and religious groups would collapse. Israel's land,
    wealth and prosperity would be plundered as these diverse factions
    fight over the spoils, including the nukes. Can you see where this is
    going?

    Bill.

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 1 21:29:19 2024
    On Tue, 02 Jan 2024 09:20:43 +1300, BR wrote:

    You talk about that as if it was a bad thing.

    So it’s OK if Israel does it, but not OK if Palestine does it?

    The greater Israeli sovereignty there is, the more freedom there will be under that sovereignty. Israel is a democracy, the only one in that part
    of the world.

    It is a Jewish state, not a democratic state. Democracy has to be secular,
    not based on any religion or ethnicity.

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest,
    detention, torture and general harassment.

    If Israel did to Hamas what Hamas would like to do to Israel, the Gaza
    strip would be replaced by a hole in the gound.

    They’re already part of the way to achieving that.

    If Hamas were to succeed in their stated intent and exterminate all the
    Jews ...

    Feel free to point out where that is currently part of their stated
    intent. And how you reconcile that with their actions in returning at
    least some Jewish hostages unharmed and unexterminated†, and their stated intent to return more, if they’re allowed to.

    †Except the ones who were exterminated by their own side.

    Israel's land, wealth and prosperity would be plundered ...

    Seems like the current widespread military callups are not exactly doing wonders for Israel’s economy as it is.

    Can you see where this is going?

    Let’s just say, Netanyahu and his co-massacrists keep talking about a “day after Hamas”, but I suspect that the “day after Netanyahu” will come first.

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  • From Rich80105@21:1/5 to blah@blah.blah on Tue Jan 2 11:12:19 2024
    On Tue, 02 Jan 2024 09:20:43 +1300, BR <blah@blah.blah> wrote:

    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 05:19:48 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Mon, 01 Jan 2024 18:15:20 +1300, BR wrote:

    Hamas have never been shy about their intentions for Israel, which calls >>> for the total extermination of the Jews, same as like the Nazis.
    It's no secret; read their charter.

    Which version? Also have you read the Likud charter? The one that says >>between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty?

    You talk about that as if it was a bad thing. The greater Israeli
    sovereignty there is, the more freedom there will be under that
    sovereignty. Israel is a democracy, the only one in that part of the
    world.

    If Israel did to Hamas what Hamas would like to do to Israel, the Gaza
    strip would be replaced by a hole in the gound.

    If Hamas were to succeed in their stated intent and exterminate all
    the Jews, all the shaky alliances formed against Israel between the
    various tribal and religious groups would collapse. Israel's land,
    wealth and prosperity would be plundered as these diverse factions
    fight over the spoils, including the nukes. Can you see where this is
    going?

    Bill.

    No I cannot, Bill. Your conjecture is based on big conjectures - sadly
    for all those affected.

    The partition of the Holy Land turns out to have been as successful
    as that of Ireland, where religious wars were also a problem for so
    long. It does however demonstrate the importance we can place on
    avoiding such religious and racist bigotry in our own country, and
    hope that though our example our diplomatic efforts to save lives on
    all sides of such conflicts can prevent bloodshed as soon as possible.

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 1 23:03:51 2024
    On Tue, 02 Jan 2024 11:12:19 +1300, Rich80105 wrote:

    It does however demonstrate the importance we can place on avoiding such religious and racist bigotry in our own country ...

    “The greatest tragedy in human history may have been the hijacking of morality by religion.”
    -- Arthur C Clarke

    I think you should feel free to believe in whatever sky fairy you want.
    But when you start claiming justification from your sky fairy for your doctrines of right and wrong, and saying things like “my god is the only
    true god, all other gods are false” ... that’s when the trouble starts.

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  • From BR@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Fri Jan 5 08:37:20 2024
    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 21:29:19 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Tue, 02 Jan 2024 09:20:43 +1300, BR wrote:

    You talk about that as if it was a bad thing.

    So its OK if Israel does it, but not OK if Palestine does it?

    If you had a choice between being ruled by an Israeli government or
    any other government in the region, what would you choose? Palestine
    is not and has never been a country. None of the surrounding countries
    want anything to do with these "Palestinians", many of whom have been
    kicked out of those countries because they won't put up with them,
    preferring instead to make them Israel's problem.

    The greater Israeli sovereignty there is, the more freedom there will be
    under that sovereignty. Israel is a democracy, the only one in that part
    of the world.

    It is a Jewish state, not a democratic state.

    Israel is the only functioning democracy in that part of the world.

    Democracy has to be secular,

    None of the surrounding Muslim governments are secular, so why pick on
    Israel?

    not based on any religion or ethnicity.

    There are Muslims in the Jewish Knesset.

    The people living in Gaza had an opportunity to form their own
    democracy but they blew it when they elected Hamas in 2005. Big
    mistake. However most of them are Muslims who have been taught to hate
    Jews from an early age, so no surprises there.

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest,
    detention, torture and general harassment.

    Israel is in a war fighting for it's survival. When a country is at
    war, the only thing that matters is winning. The welfare of the
    enemy's citizens should not impede that mission. However, unlike
    Hamas, killing civillians should not be the overriding objective, but
    if they get in the way then too bad. Dictatorships like Hamas have no
    problem placing their own citizens in the crossfire so that outfits
    like Al Jazzera can whip up anti-Israel sentiment around the world.
    Hamas alone are to blame for the suffering of the people of Gaza, but
    if they really have the support of the majority of Gaza residents,
    then the Gazans are the architects of their own misfortune.

    If Israel did to Hamas what Hamas would like to do to Israel, the Gaza
    strip would be replaced by a hole in the gound.

    Theyre already part of the way to achieving that.

    Hamas could stop the destruction at once by laying down their arms and surrendering.

    If Hamas were to succeed in their stated intent and exterminate all the
    Jews ...

    Feel free to point out where that is currently part of their stated
    intent.

    Go and read the Hamas charter. It's no secret and is easily accessible
    online.

    And how you reconcile that with their actions in returning at
    least some Jewish hostages unharmed and unexterminated, and their stated >intent to return more, if theyre allowed to.

    So why don't they just do it?

    Except the ones who were exterminated by their own side.

    Are you claiming that Israel deliberately murdered its own citizens?

    Israel's land, wealth and prosperity would be plundered ...

    Seems like the current widespread military callups are not exactly doing >wonders for Israels economy as it is.

    War is expensive and it is brutal. Israel did not start this conflict.
    What should they do, just roll over and take it?

    Can you see where this is going?

    Lets just say, Netanyahu and his co-massacrists keep talking about a day >after Hamas, but I suspect that the day after Netanyahu will come
    first.

    Netanyahu might well be defeated in the next election; that is the
    nature of a democracy. Gaza is run by brutal dictators and terrorists
    whose top brass live in luxury in Qatar hotels. They will never
    relinquish power and go quietly. They must be stopped.

    Bill.

    --
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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to Because you on Thu Jan 4 20:23:22 2024
    On Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:37:20 +1300, BR wrote:

    If you had a choice between being ruled by an Israeli government or any
    other government in the region, what would you choose?

    Given that Israel would treat me about as badly as any of the others?
    Really??

    Palestine is not and has never been a country. None of the surrounding countries want anything to do with these "Palestinians" ...

    You frame it in such a bizarre way, as though Palestine’s neighbours would welcome its people being forced out of their own homes and land and onto theirs. We have a term for what is happening here: it’s called “ethnic cleansing”.

    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 21:29:19 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    It is a Jewish state, not a democratic state.

    Israel is the only functioning democracy in that part of the world.

    Tell that to its Arab citizens, and to Palestinians living under its occupation. They don’t get to enjoy much, if any, of this “democracy”.

    (This one law for one group, a different law for a different group is the essence of “apartheid”.)

    Democracy has to be secular,

    None of the surrounding Muslim governments are secular, so why pick on Israel?

    Because you said it: it claims to be the only “democracy” in the region.

    There are Muslims in the Jewish Knesset.

    You mean the ones who were liable to get expelled?

    The people living in Gaza had an opportunity to form their own democracy
    but they blew it when they elected Hamas in 2005. Big mistake.

    Hamas won in a democratic election, like it or not. That was their choice
    at the time. You claim to be a “democracy”, yet you don’t seem to be so keen when others try to practise “democracy”.

    However most of them are Muslims who have been taught to hate Jews from
    an early age, so no surprises there.

    You use their hatred of you as an excuse to inculcate more hatred in them.
    They use your hatred of them to inculcate more hatred in you. How long do
    you think this can go on?

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest,
    detention, torture and general harassment.

    Israel is in a war fighting for it's survival. When a country is at war,
    the only thing that matters is winning. The welfare of the enemy's
    citizens should not impede that mission.

    “Citizens” of what? Just a little further back, you were claiming that “Palestine is not and has never been a country”. So what “country” is it,
    whose “citizens” are you fighting against?

    Hamas could stop the destruction at once by laying down their arms and surrendering.

    We saw what happened to unarmed people who tried to do that in Gaza: the Israeli soldiers shot them and killed them without a second thought. These weren’t even Palestinians, remember: they were Israeli hostages who had managed to free themselves.

    So this already proves the point, as though there was any doubt: the idea
    that Israel is not deliberately setting out to kill civilians is just
    nonsense.

    Feel free to point out where that is currently part of their stated
    intent.

    Go and read the Hamas charter. It's no secret and is easily accessible online.

    There are two versions of that. Let’s just say, the current one doesn’t seem to be quite as strident on that point as the position of some parties
    in the current Israeli government.

    Except the ones who were exterminated by their own side.

    Are you claiming that Israel deliberately murdered its own citizens?

    Yes. Besides the above case, there was an incident recently in the West
    Bank as well, where an armed Israeli tried to help with a fight against
    some Palestinians, and got killed by his own side for his efforts.

    War is expensive and it is brutal. Israel did not start this conflict.
    What should they do, just roll over and take it?

    At some point they have to recognize that their adversary has its own
    right to exist.

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  • From Rich80105@21:1/5 to blah@blah.blah on Fri Jan 5 13:14:27 2024
    On Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:37:20 +1300, BR <blah@blah.blah> wrote:

    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 21:29:19 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Tue, 02 Jan 2024 09:20:43 +1300, BR wrote:

    You talk about that as if it was a bad thing.

    So its OK if Israel does it, but not OK if Palestine does it?

    If you had a choice between being ruled by an Israeli government or
    any other government in the region, what would you choose? Palestine
    is not and has never been a country. None of the surrounding countries
    want anything to do with these "Palestinians", many of whom have been
    kicked out of those countries because they won't put up with them,
    preferring instead to make them Israel's problem.

    The greater Israeli sovereignty there is, the more freedom there will be >>> under that sovereignty. Israel is a democracy, the only one in that part >>> of the world.

    It is a Jewish state, not a democratic state.

    Israel is the only functioning democracy in that part of the world.

    Democracy is not a term with a single interpretation: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/12/israel-protests-judicial-curbs-supreme-court-challenge

    Look at the land distribution of Israel: https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/132121

    and then of New Zealand: https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/17888/maori-land-in-the-north-island-1860-1939

    (I presume there is an equivalent map for the South Island, but could
    not find it quickly)

    Being a Democracy is not a guarantee that all will be able to vote, or
    that each vote has the same effect, or that a country will not
    discriminate against minority groups, or of Freedom, however defined.


    Democracy has to be secular,
    No it doesn't.

    None of the surrounding Muslim governments are secular, so why pick on >Israel?

    not based on any religion or ethnicity.

    There are Muslims in the Jewish Knesset.

    The people living in Gaza had an opportunity to form their own
    democracy but they blew it when they elected Hamas in 2005. Big
    mistake. However most of them are Muslims who have been taught to hate
    Jews from an early age, so no surprises there.

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest,
    detention, torture and general harassment.

    A shining example being the USA? Remember the racism against Black
    people, remember prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. Remember the power of
    elected small town Sheriffs?

    Israel is in a war fighting for it's survival. When a country is at
    war, the only thing that matters is winning. The welfare of the
    enemy's citizens should not impede that mission. However, unlike
    Hamas, killing civillians should not be the overriding objective, but
    if they get in the way then too bad. Dictatorships like Hamas have no
    problem placing their own citizens in the crossfire so that outfits
    like Al Jazzera can whip up anti-Israel sentiment around the world.
    Hamas alone are to blame for the suffering of the people of Gaza, but
    if they really have the support of the majority of Gaza residents,
    then the Gazans are the architects of their own misfortune.

    With every new government there will be a group of people who will be disappointed and surprised by what a new Government does - here in New
    Zealand for example very few would have been aware before the new
    NAct1st government was formed of the NZ First policy to reverse a law
    that was moving towards making New Zealand smoke-free.

    If Israel did to Hamas what Hamas would like to do to Israel, the Gaza
    strip would be replaced by a hole in the gound.

    Theyre already part of the way to achieving that.

    Hamas could stop the destruction at once by laying down their arms and >surrendering.

    If Hamas were to succeed in their stated intent and exterminate all the
    Jews ...

    Feel free to point out where that is currently part of their stated
    intent.

    Go and read the Hamas charter. It's no secret and is easily accessible >online.

    And how you reconcile that with their actions in returning at
    least some Jewish hostages unharmed and unexterminated, and their stated >>intent to return more, if theyre allowed to.

    So why don't they just do it?

    Except the ones who were exterminated by their own side.

    Are you claiming that Israel deliberately murdered its own citizens?

    Israel's land, wealth and prosperity would be plundered ...

    Seems like the current widespread military callups are not exactly doing >>wonders for Israels economy as it is.

    War is expensive and it is brutal. Israel did not start this conflict.
    What should they do, just roll over and take it?

    Can you see where this is going?

    Lets just say, Netanyahu and his co-massacrists keep talking about a day >>after Hamas, but I suspect that the day after Netanyahu will come
    first.

    Netanyahu might well be defeated in the next election; that is the
    nature of a democracy. Gaza is run by brutal dictators and terrorists
    whose top brass live in luxury in Qatar hotels. They will never
    relinquish power and go quietly. They must be stopped.

    Bill.

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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Fri Jan 5 00:48:41 2024
    On Fri, 05 Jan 2024 13:14:27 +1300, Rich80105 wrote:

    Democracy has to be secular,
    No it doesn't.

    It is inherent in the idea that everybody counts equally. So you cannot discriminate based on ethnicity or religion or whatever.

    You would agree with the “ethnicity” bit at least, would you not? So why not the “religion” bit?

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest, >>>detention, torture and general harassment.

    A shining example being the USA? Remember the racism against Black
    people, remember prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. Remember the power of
    elected small town Sheriffs?

    Given how low the USA scores on international measures of democracy and
    press freedom, I think you are just reinforcing my point.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Tony@21:1/5 to Rich80105@hotmail.com on Fri Jan 5 02:37:51 2024
    Rich80105 <Rich80105@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:37:20 +1300, BR <blah@blah.blah> wrote:

    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 21:29:19 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro >><ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Tue, 02 Jan 2024 09:20:43 +1300, BR wrote:

    You talk about that as if it was a bad thing.

    So its OK if Israel does it, but not OK if Palestine does it?

    If you had a choice between being ruled by an Israeli government or
    any other government in the region, what would you choose? Palestine
    is not and has never been a country. None of the surrounding countries
    want anything to do with these "Palestinians", many of whom have been >>kicked out of those countries because they won't put up with them, >>preferring instead to make them Israel's problem.

    The greater Israeli sovereignty there is, the more freedom there will be >>>> under that sovereignty. Israel is a democracy, the only one in that part >>>> of the world.

    It is a Jewish state, not a democratic state.

    Israel is the only functioning democracy in that part of the world.

    Democracy is not a term with a single interpretation: >https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/12/israel-protests-judicial-curbs-supreme-court-challenge

    Look at the land distribution of Israel: >https://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/132121

    and then of New Zealand: >https://teara.govt.nz/en/map/17888/maori-land-in-the-north-island-1860-1939

    (I presume there is an equivalent map for the South Island, but could
    not find it quickly)

    Being a Democracy is not a guarantee that all will be able to vote, or
    that each vote has the same effect, or that a country will not
    discriminate against minority groups, or of Freedom, however defined.


    Democracy has to be secular,
    No it doesn't.

    None of the surrounding Muslim governments are secular, so why pick on >>Israel?

    not based on any religion or ethnicity.

    There are Muslims in the Jewish Knesset.

    The people living in Gaza had an opportunity to form their own
    democracy but they blew it when they elected Hamas in 2005. Big
    mistake. However most of them are Muslims who have been taught to hate
    Jews from an early age, so no surprises there.

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest, >>>detention, torture and general harassment.

    A shining example being the USA? Remember the racism against Black
    people, remember prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. Remember the power of
    elected small town Sheriffs?

    Israel is in a war fighting for it's survival. When a country is at
    war, the only thing that matters is winning. The welfare of the
    enemy's citizens should not impede that mission. However, unlike
    Hamas, killing civillians should not be the overriding objective, but
    if they get in the way then too bad. Dictatorships like Hamas have no >>problem placing their own citizens in the crossfire so that outfits
    like Al Jazzera can whip up anti-Israel sentiment around the world.
    Hamas alone are to blame for the suffering of the people of Gaza, but
    if they really have the support of the majority of Gaza residents,
    then the Gazans are the architects of their own misfortune.

    With every new government there will be a group of people who will be >disappointed and surprised by what a new Government does - here in New >Zealand for example very few would have been aware before the new
    NAct1st government was formed of the NZ First policy to reverse a law
    that was moving towards making New Zealand smoke-free.
    Except that is a lie, once more. They are doing no such thing, and we (the sane and honest) know it.

    If Israel did to Hamas what Hamas would like to do to Israel, the Gaza >>>> strip would be replaced by a hole in the gound.

    Theyre already part of the way to achieving that.

    Hamas could stop the destruction at once by laying down their arms and >>surrendering.

    If Hamas were to succeed in their stated intent and exterminate all the >>>> Jews ...

    Feel free to point out where that is currently part of their stated >>>intent.

    Go and read the Hamas charter. It's no secret and is easily accessible >>online.

    And how you reconcile that with their actions in returning at
    least some Jewish hostages unharmed and unexterminated, and their stated >>>intent to return more, if theyre allowed to.

    So why don't they just do it?

    Except the ones who were exterminated by their own side.

    Are you claiming that Israel deliberately murdered its own citizens?

    Israel's land, wealth and prosperity would be plundered ...

    Seems like the current widespread military callups are not exactly doing >>>wonders for Israels economy as it is.

    War is expensive and it is brutal. Israel did not start this conflict.
    What should they do, just roll over and take it?

    Can you see where this is going?

    Lets just say, Netanyahu and his co-massacrists keep talking about a day >>>after Hamas, but I suspect that the day after Netanyahu will come >>>first.

    Netanyahu might well be defeated in the next election; that is the
    nature of a democracy. Gaza is run by brutal dictators and terrorists
    whose top brass live in luxury in Qatar hotels. They will never
    relinquish power and go quietly. They must be stopped.

    Bill.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Sun Jan 7 22:23:21 2024
    Not a report from Al J, but I think an illustrative example of how the
    rest of NZ media views the conflict: <https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/israel-hamas-war-israeli-inspections-slow-vital-aid-delivery-into-gaza-us-senators-say/LFLTZD4JE5FG7LKORZDQ5R3M3I/>.

    When you hear about Western media minimizing the importance of
    Palestinian casualties and suffering, somehow I don’t see that in our
    local media. I see reports on what happens to both sides, as you would
    expect from any reasonably competent media network.

    By the way, it’s interesting that both the US Senators mentioned in
    the above reports (I looked them up) are Democrats. Why didn’t the Republicans send someone? Most likely because they just don’t want to
    know.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to Willy Nilly on Mon Jan 8 02:07:23 2024
    On Mon, 08 Jan 2024 01:41:04 GMT, Willy Nilly wrote:

    Never take the side of people who want you dead.

    Speaking of which:

    “If the international media is objective, it serves Hamas. If it
    just shows both sides, it serves Hamas.”
    -- Yair Lapid

    If you start believing that reality itself is part of a conspiracy against
    you, then it is time to go curl up in a comfortable corner of that nice
    padded cell and spend the rest of your life sucking your thumb.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Willy Nilly@21:1/5 to All on Mon Jan 8 01:41:04 2024
    On Sun, 7 Jan 2024, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
    (mindless drivel)

    Never take the side of people who want you dead.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rich80105@21:1/5 to Willy Nilly on Mon Jan 8 16:09:57 2024
    On Mon, 08 Jan 2024 01:41:04 GMT, wn@qwert.com (Willy Nilly) wrote:

    On Sun, 7 Jan 2024, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
    (mindless drivel)

    Never take the side of people who want you dead.

    Has that been a problem for you, Willy Nilly?

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From BR@21:1/5 to ldo@nz.invalid on Mon Jan 8 19:25:33 2024
    On Thu, 4 Jan 2024 20:23:22 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:37:20 +1300, BR wrote:

    If you had a choice between being ruled by an Israeli government or any
    other government in the region, what would you choose?

    Given that Israel would treat me about as badly as any of the others?

    Really??

    Israel is a western style democracy with regular elections and freedom
    of expression. Try preaching the gospel or being openly homosexual in
    any of the surrounding Islamic countries and see what you get.

    Palestine is not and has never been a country. None of the surrounding
    countries want anything to do with these "Palestinians" ...

    You frame it in such a bizarre way, as though Palestines neighbours would >welcome its people being forced out of their own homes and land and onto >theirs. We have a term for what is happening here: its called ethnic >cleansing.

    Israel doesn't want to kill them, they just want to be left in peace.

    Many of the so-called Palestinians have been kicked out of the
    surrounding countries because they are fanatical troublemakers who
    teach their children to hate. Not that the surrounding countries are
    paragons of freedom and prosperity either, but why the hell should
    these reprobates be exclusively Israel's problem?

    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 21:29:19 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    It is a Jewish state, not a democratic state.

    Israel is the only functioning democracy in that part of the world.

    Tell that to its Arab citizens, and to Palestinians living under its >occupation. They dont get to enjoy much, if any, of this democracy.

    The people living in Gaza are the masters of their own destiny. Their
    elected representatives had made their intentions clear. They voted to
    be ruled by fanatics who want all Jews dead. For many years they have
    been firing rockets into the rest of Israel, all aided and abetted by
    the mullahs of Iran whose intentions are no different to those of
    Hamas.

    (This one law for one group, a different law for a different group is the >essence of apartheid.)

    Democracy has to be secular,

    None of the surrounding Muslim governments are secular, so why pick on
    Israel?

    Because you said it: it claims to be the only democracy in the region.

    I said it was the only functioning democracy in the region. One
    election does not a democracy make. There is no Jewish version of
    Sharia law. You speak as if the only legitimate parliament is one made
    up exclusively of atheists.

    There are Muslims in the Jewish Knesset.

    You mean the ones who were liable to get expelled?

    No I did not mean that.

    They are part of the Israeli government. There are many nationalities
    including Arabs in Israel who are happy to live there and live in
    peace with their fellow citizens. The Gaza residents are ruled by a
    bunch of power hungry genocidal Islamic fanatics whom they were
    foolish enough to elect. They are getting what they voted for.

    The people living in Gaza had an opportunity to form their own democracy
    but they blew it when they elected Hamas in 2005. Big mistake.

    Hamas won in a democratic election, like it or not. That was their choice
    at the time. You claim to be a democracy, yet you dont seem to be so
    keen when others try to practise democracy.

    A functioning democracy needs to have regular elections. The Gazans
    voted themselves into tyranny in just one election. There's a lesson
    in this. It is possible to vote away your right to vote. Be careful
    who or what you vote for.

    However most of them are Muslims who have been taught to hate Jews from
    an early age, so no surprises there.

    You use their hatred of you as an excuse to inculcate more hatred in them. >They use your hatred of them to inculcate more hatred in you. How long do
    you think this can go on?

    I remember back in the 90s when the Islamic terrorists were planting
    bombs on Israeli buses. Every time a bus was blown up, Israel would
    retaliate with military strikes. One day a bus was bombed and Israel
    said they would not retaliate that time in order to end the
    tit-for-tat agression. The terrorists were given the opportunity to
    end the bloodshed, but they ignored it and set off another bomb on a
    bus. All the hate is on the part of the Islamic fanatics.

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest, >>>detention, torture and general harassment.

    Israel is in a war fighting for it's survival. When a country is at war,
    the only thing that matters is winning. The welfare of the enemy's
    citizens should not impede that mission.

    Citizens of what? Just a little further back, you were claiming that >Palestine is not and has never been a country. So what country is it, >whose citizens are you fighting against?

    Gaza is part of Israel. The "Palestinians" in Gaza were given a
    measure of autonomy in 2005 and in 2006 an election was held which was surprisingly won by Hamas. Gaza has never been an independent state.

    Hamas could stop the destruction at once by laying down their arms and
    surrendering.

    We saw what happened to unarmed people who tried to do that in Gaza:

    Where did you see it?

    the Israeli soldiers shot them and killed them without a second thought. These >werent even Palestinians, remember: they were Israeli hostages who had >managed to free themselves.

    So Israeli soldiers DELIBERATELY shot the hostages? Is that what you
    were told?

    So this already proves the point, as though there was any doubt: the idea >that Israel is not deliberately setting out to kill civilians is just >nonsense.

    Deliberately? What advantage would there be for them to do that?

    Feel free to point out where that is currently part of their stated >>>intent.

    Go and read the Hamas charter. It's no secret and is easily accessible
    online.

    There are two versions of that. Lets just say, the current one doesnt
    seem to be quite as strident on that point as the position of some parties
    in the current Israeli government.

    OK, so they've updated it and watered it down for propaganda purposes.
    Only a fool would believe that their mission has changed. October the
    7th is proof of that.

    Except the ones who were exterminated by their own side.

    Are you claiming that Israel deliberately murdered its own citizens?

    Yes. Besides the above case, there was an incident recently in the West
    Bank as well, where an armed Israeli tried to help with a fight against
    some Palestinians, and got killed by his own side for his efforts.

    There was an incident where a bomb was dropped on a hospital that
    killed around 500 civilians. That's what the media reports were saying
    shortly after it happened. It turned out that the bomb was a Hamas
    rocket that had malfunctioned and had hit an adjacent carpark.

    In any war there are always going to be mistakes made on both sides.
    Of course, the likes of Al Jazzera will megaphone any errors made by
    Israel and ignore the rocket launchers and arms depots placed in
    hospitals and schools by Hamas for the express purpose of painting
    Israel as the bad guy, and without any regard to their own civillian
    victims whom they conveniently define as martyrs.

    War is expensive and it is brutal. Israel did not start this conflict.
    What should they do, just roll over and take it?

    At some point they have to recognize that their adversary has its own
    right to exist.

    Maybe they should go and exist somewhere else other than in Israel.
    There is plenty of unused land in Iran which already has the Sharia
    law they so desparately crave. How about Israel's right to exist? It
    has to cut both ways. Israel says: "Let's do a deal". Hamas says: "We
    want you all dead". Gaza was given it's autonomy and the current
    situation is what it has led to. So much for any two state solution.
    The Jews are not going to commit suicide so that hordes of Islamic
    fanatics can plunder and fight over what's left of their nation.

    Bill.

    --
    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG.
    https://www.avg.com

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Rich80105@21:1/5 to blah@blah.blah on Tue Jan 9 09:10:01 2024
    On Mon, 08 Jan 2024 19:25:33 +1300, BR <blah@blah.blah> wrote:

    On Thu, 4 Jan 2024 20:23:22 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    On Fri, 05 Jan 2024 08:37:20 +1300, BR wrote:

    If you had a choice between being ruled by an Israeli government or any
    other government in the region, what would you choose?

    Given that Israel would treat me about as badly as any of the others?

    Really??

    Israel is a western style democracy with regular elections and freedom
    of expression. Try preaching the gospel or being openly homosexual in
    any of the surrounding Islamic countries and see what you get.

    Palestine is not and has never been a country. None of the surrounding
    countries want anything to do with these "Palestinians" ...

    You frame it in such a bizarre way, as though Palestines neighbours would >>welcome its people being forced out of their own homes and land and onto >>theirs. We have a term for what is happening here: its called ethnic >>cleansing.

    Israel doesn't want to kill them, they just want to be left in peace.

    Many of the so-called Palestinians have been kicked out of the
    surrounding countries because they are fanatical troublemakers who
    teach their children to hate. Not that the surrounding countries are
    paragons of freedom and prosperity either, but why the hell should
    these reprobates be exclusively Israel's problem?
    Do you have any evidence to support that assertion?
    See https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-and-non-jewish-population-of-israel-palestine-1517-present



    On Mon, 1 Jan 2024 21:29:19 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence D'Oliveiro
    <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

    It is a Jewish state, not a democratic state.

    Israel is the only functioning democracy in that part of the world.

    Tell that to its Arab citizens, and to Palestinians living under its >>occupation. They dont get to enjoy much, if any, of this democracy.

    The people living in Gaza are the masters of their own destiny. Their
    elected representatives had made their intentions clear. They voted to
    be ruled by fanatics who want all Jews dead. For many years they have
    been firing rockets into the rest of Israel, all aided and abetted by
    the mullahs of Iran whose intentions are no different to those of
    Hamas.

    (This one law for one group, a different law for a different group is the >>essence of apartheid.)

    Democracy has to be secular,

    None of the surrounding Muslim governments are secular, so why pick on
    Israel?

    Because you said it: it claims to be the only democracy in the region.

    I said it was the only functioning democracy in the region. One
    election does not a democracy make. There is no Jewish version of
    Sharia law. You speak as if the only legitimate parliament is one made
    up exclusively of atheists.

    There are Muslims in the Jewish Knesset.

    You mean the ones who were liable to get expelled?

    No I did not mean that.

    They are part of the Israeli government. There are many nationalities >including Arabs in Israel who are happy to live there and live in
    peace with their fellow citizens. The Gaza residents are ruled by a
    bunch of power hungry genocidal Islamic fanatics whom they were
    foolish enough to elect. They are getting what they voted for.

    The people living in Gaza had an opportunity to form their own democracy >>> but they blew it when they elected Hamas in 2005. Big mistake.

    Hamas won in a democratic election, like it or not. That was their choice >>at the time. You claim to be a democracy, yet you dont seem to be so >>keen when others try to practise democracy.

    A functioning democracy needs to have regular elections. The Gazans
    voted themselves into tyranny in just one election. There's a lesson
    in this. It is possible to vote away your right to vote. Be careful
    who or what you vote for.

    However most of them are Muslims who have been taught to hate Jews from
    an early age, so no surprises there.

    You use their hatred of you as an excuse to inculcate more hatred in them. >>They use your hatred of them to inculcate more hatred in you. How long do >>you think this can go on?

    I remember back in the 90s when the Islamic terrorists were planting
    bombs on Israeli buses. Every time a bus was blown up, Israel would
    retaliate with military strikes. One day a bus was bombed and Israel
    said they would not retaliate that time in order to end the
    tit-for-tat agression. The terrorists were given the opportunity to
    end the bloodshed, but they ignored it and set off another bomb on a
    bus. All the hate is on the part of the Islamic fanatics.

    And democratic states do not subject people to arbitrary arrest, >>>>detention, torture and general harassment.

    Israel is in a war fighting for it's survival. When a country is at war, >>> the only thing that matters is winning. The welfare of the enemy's
    citizens should not impede that mission.

    Citizens of what? Just a little further back, you were claiming that >>Palestine is not and has never been a country. So what country is it, >>whose citizens are you fighting against?

    Gaza is part of Israel. The "Palestinians" in Gaza were given a
    measure of autonomy in 2005 and in 2006 an election was held which was >surprisingly won by Hamas. Gaza has never been an independent state.

    Hamas could stop the destruction at once by laying down their arms and
    surrendering.

    We saw what happened to unarmed people who tried to do that in Gaza:

    Where did you see it?

    the Israeli soldiers shot them and killed them without a second thought. These
    werent even Palestinians, remember: they were Israeli hostages who had >>managed to free themselves.

    So Israeli soldiers DELIBERATELY shot the hostages? Is that what you
    were told?

    So this already proves the point, as though there was any doubt: the idea >>that Israel is not deliberately setting out to kill civilians is just >>nonsense.

    Deliberately? What advantage would there be for them to do that?

    Feel free to point out where that is currently part of their stated >>>>intent.

    Go and read the Hamas charter. It's no secret and is easily accessible
    online.

    There are two versions of that. Lets just say, the current one doesnt >>seem to be quite as strident on that point as the position of some parties >>in the current Israeli government.

    OK, so they've updated it and watered it down for propaganda purposes.
    Only a fool would believe that their mission has changed. October the
    7th is proof of that.

    Except the ones who were exterminated by their own side.

    Are you claiming that Israel deliberately murdered its own citizens?

    Yes. Besides the above case, there was an incident recently in the West >>Bank as well, where an armed Israeli tried to help with a fight against >>some Palestinians, and got killed by his own side for his efforts.

    There was an incident where a bomb was dropped on a hospital that
    killed around 500 civilians. That's what the media reports were saying >shortly after it happened. It turned out that the bomb was a Hamas
    rocket that had malfunctioned and had hit an adjacent carpark.

    In any war there are always going to be mistakes made on both sides.
    Of course, the likes of Al Jazzera will megaphone any errors made by
    Israel and ignore the rocket launchers and arms depots placed in
    hospitals and schools by Hamas for the express purpose of painting
    Israel as the bad guy, and without any regard to their own civillian
    victims whom they conveniently define as martyrs.

    War is expensive and it is brutal. Israel did not start this conflict.
    What should they do, just roll over and take it?

    At some point they have to recognize that their adversary has its own
    right to exist.

    Maybe they should go and exist somewhere else other than in Israel.
    There is plenty of unused land in Iran which already has the Sharia
    law they so desparately crave. How about Israel's right to exist? It
    has to cut both ways. Israel says: "Let's do a deal". Hamas says: "We
    want you all dead". Gaza was given it's autonomy and the current
    situation is what it has led to. So much for any two state solution.
    The Jews are not going to commit suicide so that hordes of Islamic
    fanatics can plunder and fight over what's left of their nation.

    Bill.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Willy Nilly@21:1/5 to Lawrence D'Oliveiro on Mon Jan 8 19:22:41 2024
    On Mon, 8 Jan 2024, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
    On Mon, 08 Jan 2024 01:41:04 GMT, Willy Nilly wrote:
    Never take the side of people who want you dead.

    If you start believing that reality itself is part of a conspiracy against >you, then it is time to go curl up in a comfortable corner of that nice >padded cell and spend the rest of your life sucking your thumb.

    Oh, of course, 9/11 never happened. You are so wise.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Tue Jan 9 21:57:58 2024
    Interesting to compare more media reports, from yesterday, about Joe
    Biden’s address at that church in Charleston, North Carolina.

    The Al-Jazeera version showed the part where he was heckled by pro-
    Palestinian demonstrators in the audience. TV3 left out this part. Could
    be, I’m guessing, because they sourced their report from a US network,
    which itself omitted that part.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Lawrence D'Oliveiro@21:1/5 to All on Sat Mar 9 05:40:15 2024
    On Mon, 08 Jan 2024 19:25:33 +1300, BR wrote:

    Israel doesn't want to kill them ...

    Of course Israel wants to kill them and steal their land. We have seen
    repeated statements to that very effect from senior levels of leadership.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)