7 October 2023

Israel has the most advanced defensive and offensive capabilities in the world. The country has also developed one of the most advanced and successful intelligence systems, as had been recently illustrated by the state’s elimination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders internationally. The murder of Israeli citizens on the 7th October 2023 (regardless of context) was unforgiveable and horrific. But what also shocked me was the ease by which Hamas operatives were able to cross into Israel at several border crossing points virtually unhindered. Even more shocking was the response of the Israeli emergency and armed services to the desperate calls from Kibbutz inhabitants and music festival visitors. In the witness reports I have seen it took between 8-12 hours for the IDF (Israel Defense Force) to arrive with many desperate calls for help going unanswered. How many victims and hostages could have been saved if the detection and response took place much sooner.

In one of the interviews with an injured Kibbutz resident who lost a child and wife in the attack observed:

“The government completely failed us. The army, the air force, were useless”

It’s hard to believe that a government and force with the capabilities to inflict enormous death and destruction; as has been shown in Gaza, The West Bank and Lebanon; could have failed so catastrophically. It is my firm view that this abject failure to protect and aid its citizens is at least partially to blame for the scale and depth of the Israeli response which has led to the almost total destruction of Gaza and the death toll of over 42,000 (with thousands missing under rubble and over 100,000 injuries, many life-changing, in Palestine).

The Parallel

I have started to read the history of the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’. It struck me that there are similarities to what has happened in Palestine:

The conflict lasted for many decades and it largely hinged on three major factors:

It was partially a sectarian conflict between Catholics and Protestants.
It was caused by the discrimination suffered by the catholic population.
It was territorial with one part of the population wanting to return to being part of the Irish Republic, while the other wanted to stay part of the United Kingdom.

It also appeared that the British government was biased towards those wanting to stay as part of the UK.