Blinken says cost of conflict on children far too high

[ozimoron]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

You guess a lot, carry on the guessing. 

 

Try condemning the indiscriminant bombing of civilians and somebody might believe you.

[Bkk Brian]

5 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

In case you missed it a country complained to the ICJ making the same accusations. They are far from baseless. The photos of kids blown apart is enough, let alone the mass bombings and the thousands of victim accounts.

So as a said, baseless allegations:

 

14 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

The IDF are doing their duty. Those commanding them are war criminals. Those IDF officers following illegal orders are also war criminals.

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, ozimoron said:

 

Try condemning the indiscriminant bombing of civilians and somebody might believe you.

ditto reply, not playing baiting games 

[Morch]

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

 

War criminals are terrorists too.

 

 

@ozimoron

 

No, that's just one of you daft one-liners.

War criminals may or may not be terrorists, that's dependent on details, circumstances and legalities.

As for you tossing 'war criminals' about - already addressed numerous times.

[Bkk Brian]

4 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

 

War criminals are terrorists too.

 

What war criminals are you referring to? 

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

ditto reply, not playing baiting games 

 

I'm well justified in not believing you when you refuse to concede any fault by Israel no matter how trivial, let alone something of this magnitude.

[Summerinsiam]

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Ask Nelson Mandela. Even Ariel Sharon admitted that if he was a Palestininian he would take up armed resistance.

[ozimoron]

1 minute ago, Bkk Brian said:

What war criminals are you referring to? 

 

Netanyahu, the entire Israeli cabinet and the upper echelons of the IDF. And those who occupy equivalent positions in Hamas.

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, ozimoron said:

 

I'm well justified in not believing you when you refuse to concede any fault by Israel no matter how trivial, let alone something of this magnitude.

I have no need to answer you baiting question, perhaps check previous posts of mine to see rather than make more baseless inflammatory accusations

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, ozimoron said:

 

Netanyahu, the entire Israeli cabinet and the upper echelons of the IDF. And those who occupy equivalent positions in Hamas.

Pure trolling again, leave you to it, 

[Morch]

3 minutes ago, Summerinsiam said:

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. Ask Nelson Mandela. Even Ariel Sharon admitted that if he was a Palestininian he would take up armed resistance.

 

I don't think Mandela would have described the mass rapes carried out by Hamas on 7/10, or still perpetrated on hostages in the Gaza Strip, as 'freedom fighting'. And it was Barak, not Sharon.

[Bkk Brian]

Israel Says Its Military Is Starting to Shift to a More Targeted Gaza Campaign

U.S. officials say they believe the number of Israeli troops in the northern part of Gaza has dropped to less than half of the roughly 50,000 soldiers that had been present as recently as last month during the height of the campaign. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.
Still, Israeli officials have made clear to U.S. officials that, while they hope to complete the transition by the end of the month, the timeline is not fixed. If Israeli forces encounter Hamas resistance that is stiffer than expected, or discover threats that they did not anticipate, the size and pace of the withdrawal could slow, and intensive airstrikes could continue, they said.

https://archive.ph/vq8E7

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/08/us/politics/israel-military-gaza.html

[300sd]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

which include Israel agreeing to a "clear pathway to the realisation of Palestinian political rights and a Palestinian state" which he said was vital for long-term peace.

I think it's the other side that needs to agree to a Palestinian state!

[freeworld]

5 minutes ago, 300sd said:

I think it's the other side that needs to agree to a Palestinian state!

Suggest reading the 3 No's

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

But he said he had heard a new and powerful message from Israel's neighbours over the last three days.

I'll bet he did and IMO they would have been telling him to make the israelis stop the bombing and let enough aid in.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

You guess a lot, carry on the guessing. 

Why not acknowledge they have gone too far - been too indiscriminate in their bombings and not taken reasonable steps to limit damage to life and property. It is not to say the war was not justified but that they have at times gone too far. I have only read a percentage of your posts on this topic, I admit, but you seem reticent to do that. 

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, CharlieH said:

America's top diplomat told a press conference in Tel Aviv that leaders in the region shared US concerns about the "dire humanitarian situation" on the ground.

If the US is actually "concerned" and not just making the right noises, all they have to do is stop sending bombs and shells to israel.

I suspect it's all just noise though.

[Bkk Brian]

5 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Why not acknowledge they have gone too far. It is not to say the war was not justified but that they have at times gone too far. I have only read a percentage of your posts on this topic, I admit, but you seem reticent to do that. 

He asks me that  a

lot, but fails to read my posts, here's just one that acknowledges that.

 

The same can be said of this war. Hamas carries out war crimes systemically and daily, its part of its make up, how it fights. Using human shields are a war crime as is using the civilian infrastructure to fight from and of course rockets fired indiscriminately into civilian areas into Israel, along with a good percentage of those landing back in Gaza killing its own civilians. This is without even mentioning the 7th oct atrocities. The IDF has also made mistakes in its bombing campaign and admitted as such in some incidents, they could if investigated be possible war crimes?

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1315885-netanyahu-rejects-claims-accusing-israel-of-genocide-in-gaza/page/9/#comment-18599707

 

[freeworld]

36 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Israel Says Its Military Is Starting to Shift to a More Targeted Gaza Campaign

U.S. officials say they believe the number of Israeli troops in the northern part of Gaza has dropped to less than half of the roughly 50,000 soldiers that had been present as recently as last month during the height of the campaign. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.
Still, Israeli officials have made clear to U.S. officials that, while they hope to complete the transition by the end of the month, the timeline is not fixed. If Israeli forces encounter Hamas resistance that is stiffer than expected, or discover threats that they did not anticipate, the size and pace of the withdrawal could slow, and intensive airstrikes could continue, they said.

https://archive.ph/vq8E7

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/08/us/politics/israel-military-gaza.html

Strange they would be doing this now considering the looming court case hearings starting about the same time.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and some troll posts contravening our Community Standards have been removed.

[Bkk Brian]

19 minutes ago, freeworld said:

Strange they would be doing this now considering the looming court case hearings starting about the same time.

Is that not to be expected since they have now dismantled Hamas in Northern Gaza, why on earth would they keep so many troops there?

[Yellowtail]

19 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If the US is actually "concerned" and not just making the right noises, all they have to do is stop sending bombs and shells to israel.

I suspect it's all just noise though.

It is all just noise. 

 

We (the US) know Israel is doing the best they can in a tough situation, and that Hamas must be eradicated if there is ever to be peace in the region. 

 

To be clear, civilian deaths are terrible, but they are not happening in a vacuum.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, ozimoron said:

 

Netanyahu, the entire Israeli cabinet and the upper echelons of the IDF. And those who occupy equivalent positions in Hamas.

 

@ozimoron

 

That's just you saying thing you believe in. These aren't legal facts, regardless of how you misleadingly persist in presenting them.

[Morch]

35 minutes ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Why not acknowledge they have gone too far - been too indiscriminate in their bombings and not taken reasonable steps to limit damage to life and property. It is not to say the war was not justified but that they have at times gone too far. I have only read a percentage of your posts on this topic, I admit, but you seem reticent to do that. 

 

There are a whole lot of people making comments about 'reasonable steps' etc, without the benefit of having a clue, or even bothering to compare the current campaign with others, on this score.

 

Biden aide: Israel taking steps to protect civilians that even US might not have done

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/biden-aide-israel-taking-steps-to-protect-civilians-that-even-us-might-not-have-done/

 

People don't seem to realize what the conditions and circumstances are, or are somehow expecting war in densely populated urban setting, with terrorists embedded within civilian population (and using it as shield) to be 'clean'.

 

 

[Morch]

38 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If the US is actually "concerned" and not just making the right noises, all they have to do is stop sending bombs and shells to israel.

I suspect it's all just noise though.

 

@thaibeachlovers

 

You mean like your 'condemnations' of Hamas?

[Morch]

28 minutes ago, freeworld said:

Strange they would be doing this now considering the looming court case hearings starting about the same time.

 

It was in the works before South Africa's move.

[Bkk Brian]

Other points Blinken mentioned, missed by the BBC:

 

"Hamas could have ended this on October 8th by not hiding behind civilians, by putting down its weapons, by surrendering, and by releasing the hostages. 

None of the suffering - none of the suffering - would have happened if Hamas hadn't done what it did on October 7th and had it made different decisions thereafter."

 

 

Blinken calls genocide case against Israel ‘meritless’

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday denounced Israel being referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for alleged genocide during its war in Gaza, calling the claim “meritless.”

The Biden administration, he said, believes the submission against Israel “distracts the world” from efforts such as securing the remaining hostages taken by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack of Israel, addressing the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, and preventing the conflict from spreading.

“And moreover, the charge of genocide is meritless,” he added. 

https://thehill.com/policy/international/4398781-israel-gaza-blinken-genocide-case-meritless/

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, freeworld said:

Strange they would be doing this now considering the looming court case hearings starting about the same time.

 

could be scaling back because of those X,s appearing on the wanted list ?

The Aces and Kings and Queens aren't in Gaza 

 

 

[freeworld]

10 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

could be scaling back because of those X,s appearing on the wanted list ?

The Aces and Kings and Queens aren't in Gaza 

 

 

20 out of 52 is about 38% seems scaling back is one interpretation of the reason.

[Bkk Brian]

12 minutes ago, freeworld said:

20 out of 52 is about 38% seems scaling back is one interpretation of the reason.

They planned this over 3 weeks ago:

Dec 14th 2023

Israel’s current large-scale operation is the last one in Gaza
Generals prepare for a lower-intensity campaign against Hamas

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2023/12/14/israels-current-large-scale-operation-is-the-last-one-in-gaza

https://archive.ph/9X1ya