The Topsy-Turvy world of the Israel Gaza conflict – First thoughts on the UN’s report

My new post is up at Patheos

Extract:

"Assuming it is serious about protecting its own people, one day Israel is going to have to sit down and talk to Hamas. When it does it will need to adjust its topsy-turvy world view.

In the real world, Hamas is weak, not strong. Neither Hamas politicians nor Hamas militias have a stranglehold on Israel. The reverse would be more accurate.

And there's no point in demanding that they first renounce their racist charter, or recognise the essential Jewishness of the State of Israel, or embrace pacifism and lay down their arms before any conversation can start. If they do that they will have nothing left to negotiate with.

The IRA declared its war against the British was over and decommissioned its arms at the end of the negotiations NOT at the beginning!"

You can read the full post at Writing from the Edge on Patheos