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I had a similar but opposite problem with my electric meter. My normal electric bill was usually around THB 5,000. That's for two houses, a barn, and a pump on a well. I've paid a fee like that for years. About half a year ago, my electric bill suddenly dropped to only a few hundred THBs. I asked my Thai wife to notify the electric office when she paid the bill that the meter was not working properly. It took them about two months to come and install a new one. Now, for the past couple of months, my electric bill is only about THB 2,000. So I now wonder if the old meter was not working correctly and charging me too much, or if this new meter is not working correctly and charging me too little! I'm just going to go with this one and not question its accuracy with the electric office.

I agree wholeheartedly with the first part of that statement, but that is far from the ending of anything.

There wouldn't have been Oct 7 attacks if Israel had not been stealing Palestinian land for the past 80 years. I am not "facilitating" more of these attacks. I am explaining why they occurred and how they may continue in the future if they do not reach an agreement on a two-state solution. That's obvious to me and my 14 dogs. "Two more Israeli hostages have been murdered..." How many Palestinians have been murdered by the IDF? I am not SUPPORTING the people responsible for either of these killings. I am simply explaining why they occur and will continue to occur if a settlement is not reached.

I agree with most of what you said above, but this dispute does have a lot to do with religion. The extreme right-wing, nationalistic Jews in Israel think ALL the land of Israel and Palestine belong to them because it was the "Promised Land" given to them by their "God."

No, I do not want more Oct 7s, and I do not want more Oct 8 and onwards bombings and invasions. I advocate a two-state solution, which, I agree, neither side wants. That's what NEGOTIATIONS are all about. Any negotiation is better than terrorist and military actions.

I wouldn't call that "fortitude," more like "disparagment," but I agree with the rest of your statement.

I agree with part of your post above, but have not thought it appropriate to share it on AseanNow up to now. However, since you brought it up with your "sacrifice of the hostages" remark above, I will. If talks continue to break down, Hamas could start making and posting videos of them torturing and even killing a hostage. They could say they will do this to a hostage every day until Israel agrees to a prisoner exchange, a permanent ceasefire, a complete troop withdrawal, and a UN-based peacekeeping force put in place. Then, they would release all the hostages. They supposedly have over 300 hostages, so this could go on for almost a year. This would cause the Israeli public to put a lot of pressure on the Israeli government to come to an agreement.

Why would you think if Haman UNCONDITIONALLY released all the hostages that there would be a ceasefire? I would expect if Hamas releases all the hostages, their only bargaining chip, the result would be an "increasefire."

I agree with some of what you wrote above. My suggestion has always been a UN-enforced negotiation based on the 1948/1949 UN-suggested division of land between Israel and Palestine. Neither side would like that now, but I believe it's the only place to start. It would be ludicrous to start with the division as it is now.

I agree that Netanyahu and most of his government are right-wing, nationalistic, religious fanatics who are moving forward to claim ALL of the "Promised Land" they think they were given by some delusional "god."

Israel and Palestine should come to a two-state agreement.

I agree with all of the above, but I would add that all those who invaded Gaza or were responsible for the indiscriminate bombing and interference with food distribution should be held accountable for their actions and crimes and face justice.

Me too, this is the most astonishing matter to come out of this war. What I have learned after Oct 7 and has certainly opened my eyes is the astounding and disappointing degree of misplaced and deflective self-pity that pro-Israelis on this topic, and presumably, Israelis also, have.

Yes. I would not want any member of a group killed because the group committed atrocities unless that individual was tried and convicted. Just because you belong to a group like the above, or now of Hamas or the IDF, doesn't mean you deserve to be killed.

Yes, that's the childish "He hit me first!" excuse. I acknowledge a response to Oct 7 was warranted, but it's now way past time for a settlement to this "war."

So does that mean "an immediate ceasefire" is not a condition of the "unconditional release of the hostages"?

No, it was Hamas on Oct 7. It was the IDF on Oct 8 and onward to today.

Oh, no, not another. "Others have annihilated people in the past, so it's okay for Israel to do it now."

No, I do not support those who killed all those people in Moscow recently. But, of course, that was not nearly as many as the IDF have killed in Gaza.

Well, I agree with the first half of your statement...

If the state of Israel was eliminated, there would be no repeat of Oct 7 either, right?

And how is that different than "this story"?

It's better to be a fool than a ravager.

I want Hamas to survive. I want all Palestinians to survive. And, yes, I want Israelis to survive also.

Wrong. After six weeks and the return of all hostages, the need to start (continue with) the war again would be twofold: revenge and total control of Gaza.