He's right though - modern day Israel was carved out of Arab lands known as British Palestine. It was stitch up of the Arabs by the British and Americans. Swanny should have made the comparison with the Romans rather than the Spanish though.
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[News] World’s happiest countries
- Thread starter Live by the sea
- Start date
BadFish
Huge Member
- Oct 19, 2003
- 17,148
Australia's answer to the 2008 gfc was in part an encouragement to spend and stimulate the economy. Many people were given a stimulus payment $1000 if I remember rightly. A fair cry from the austerity if the UK which still seems to be disabling the country while in Australia 2008 is a distant memory (albeit with a lingering international debt - not close to the UKs though).
On my second visit to Israel, I was driven through Tel Aviv by an old (former Bulgarian) Jew. Top lad. Works in my area (which is why I was there). Ferocious experimentalist.
He pointed at some buildings with what looked like pock marks on the walls......
"That's where I shot at the British in 1946" he said. And laughed*.
History. His story. Other stories are of course available.
(*I raised an eyebrow and let loose a titter. A nervous titter, while looking at my host. Who had by then subsided into a mood of relaxed complacency. And who could blame him?).
He pointed at some buildings with what looked like pock marks on the walls......
"That's where I shot at the British in 1946" he said. And laughed*.
History. His story. Other stories are of course available.
(*I raised an eyebrow and let loose a titter. A nervous titter, while looking at my host. Who had by then subsided into a mood of relaxed complacency. And who could blame him?).
BadFish
Huge Member
- Oct 19, 2003
- 17,148
We can agree that what we are seeing is the result of British colonial f*** ups.
I got very interested in the situation years ago after reading John Pilger's work on the subject. A highly complex situation that needs a complex solution as well as the will of the protagonists.
Live by the sea
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2016
- 4,718
- Thread starter
- #105
John pilger was famous for being very hostile in his views towards Israel , so if you looking for balance you are not likely to find it reading his articles .
BadFish
Huge Member
- Oct 19, 2003
- 17,148
Yep. But his work is well researched and intellectually robust. I would agree that it certainly gives a certain point of view. Very useful when balanced with other information though.
My conclusion was, and remains that it is pointless being tribal about this conflict and trying to apportion blame to one side or the other. It is the lack willingness to fix the problem on both sides that is the problem.
BadFish
Huge Member
- Oct 19, 2003
- 17,148
I am going to add to this: I disagree with the posters use of the word 'hostile' but if you are not critical of Israel's actions over the last 50 years then you are really not paying attention.
List of United Nations resolutions concerning Israel - Wikipedia
Of course these have to sit in the context of the rest of the situation and the actions of Hamas, Syria etc etc.
Pilger's work on the actions of Israel is sound (IMHO) what is lacks is context and an appetite for the condemnation of the Arab nations around Israel, or recognition of their influence on the situation.
To be clear this is not about Team Israel or Team Palestine. I am for team moderate and team living in a third world hell hole surrounded by soldiers because of the actions of extreme leadership.
But, apply the filter, and there is some insight. Pilger was a brilliant journalist. The reportage was top notch. You can draw your own inferences (I never let another man or woman draw my inferences for me. That sort of opinion feeding is for the brain dead Mail and New Statesman readers).
It's a a true shame that Pilger seems to have gone off the rails in recent years.
jakarta
Well-known member
But, apply the filter, and there is some insight. Pilger was a brilliant journalist. The reportage was top notch. You can draw your own inferences (I never let another man or woman draw my inferences for me. That sort of opinion feeding is for the brain dead Mail and New Statesman readers).
For what is is worth in my opinion the whole of the Middle East has been a shit show for years but no-one was bothered with it until oil was discovered.
For what is is worth in my opinion the whole of the Middle East has been a shit show for years but no-one was bothered with it until oil was discovered.
John Pilger has many strong views:
Blair is a war criminal.
The BBC was propaganda machine for Blair’s war.
Obama is an Uncle Tom.
Putin’s fighting Ukrainian Nazis.
Brexit - “The majority vote by Britons to leave the European Union was an act of raw democracy. Millions of ordinary people refused to be bullied, intimidated and dismissed with open contempt by their presumed betters in the major parties, the leaders of the business and banking oligarchy and the media”.
The Salisbury murder and poisonings - a carefully constructed drama by the UK, US and NATO.
Blair is a war criminal.
The BBC was propaganda machine for Blair’s war.
Obama is an Uncle Tom.
Putin’s fighting Ukrainian Nazis.
Brexit - “The majority vote by Britons to leave the European Union was an act of raw democracy. Millions of ordinary people refused to be bullied, intimidated and dismissed with open contempt by their presumed betters in the major parties, the leaders of the business and banking oligarchy and the media”.
The Salisbury murder and poisonings - a carefully constructed drama by the UK, US and NATO.
dannyboy
tfso!
i just bought a plot of land to build a house in Taupo.... oops
Live by the sea
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2016
- 4,718
- Thread starter
- #113
Coincidentally I know his son who’s a sports journalist lives in London . He doesn’t share his fathers view on Israel .
Live by the sea
Well-known member
- Oct 21, 2016
- 4,718
- Thread starter
- #114
Exactly- not a credible journalist many would take seriously except a few very lefty guardian readers !