As The Spectator notes in an email this morning:
Israel looks likely to expand its war in Gaza. Journalists in Israel were briefed yesterday that the cabinet will meet later this week to discuss full occupation. ‘The die is cast – we are going for a full occupation of the Gaza Strip,' one senior Israeli official reportedly said.
That is about as succinct an explanation as I have seen, hence my choice of source.
What does it mean? Three things.
First, the USA has almost certainly given Israel the green light to do this.
Second, now we know why Starmer is recognising the delay in recognising Palestine: it won't be there to be recognised by the time he gets around to it, so he will not need to bother, which will be his excuse for not doing so.
Third, let's not pretend that Israel's agenda has been anything other than this: this was always about ethnic cleansing, the subjugation of a civilian population and their displacement from their land. And no, I am not going to apologise for opposing Israel and all it is doing, which is ethically, legally and politically totally unacceptable.
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Ethnic cleansing it is – agreed.
And why does America support it?
Growth through real estate. And I’m not joking either.
“Growth through real estate”. Yes, just like us since 1979.
Oh, I forgot to add AIPAC as well.
And it’s worthwhile pointing out the Guardian report on Lord Dannatt this morning.
It is a total mess compounded with inhumanity.
Andit gets worse.
The Skwawkbox tells us that the surveillance flights carried outsince 2023 by the RAF, over Gaza, for the Israeli military, and cause of much protest, have been outsourced to an American company.
https://skwawkbox.org/2025/08/04/uk-spy-flights-for-israel-over-gaza-continue-but-through-private-contractor/
This is beyond outrageous.
How far deep down will our own government stoop?
I am ashamed that my Government and its Members of Parliament, have not yet voted against “a policy which “is ethically, legally and politically totally unacceptable.”
I have written to MP quoting your post in full and adding:
Your Party must come clean on this – no matter what the consequences might be. The US Government may ‘punish’ us. That would be a price that we should pay. Clearly, President Trump is unlikely to be appeased whatever our country decides to do. Neville Chamberlain and 1939 comes to mind.
Very well said Joe.
I have followed your example and again written to my MP (one of the Labour rebels) who I know supporter of the Palestinian cause.
1945 – “never again”. & yet here we, in one of history’s regular “jokes”:…….. the victims becoming the perpetrators.
However, as the ancient Greeks observed, there is one certainty: Nemesis always follows hubris.
In the fullness of time, the Israelis will discover this eternal verity.
And the long held plan (see Likud charter, see the public utterances of Israeli politicians and military) includes West Bank, East Jerusalem, undefined areas of Lebanon and Syria, and then, there remain the Arab citizens of Israel who will experience further erosion of their civic status.
Israeli spokespersons should be asked to tell us what the borders of Israel ARE. They will resist the question.
The goal of maintaining a Jewish majority within Israel’s borders will not be helped by Israeli emigration.
It is ironically tragic that the Zionism that seeks a safe refuge for Jews, is endangering both Israeli and diaspora Jews.
Agreed
I call that a tragedy, because I care about Jews, as I do all people.
Not just that, Egypt east of the Nile, north Saud, the vision is Eretz Israel from Turkey south to Egypt, indeed some include Cyprus. This is Zion.
I read this last night and immediately went “what war??” This isn’t a war, it’s extermination, and everyone including neighbouring arab countries and states are letting it happen.
From 1st Aug, (Times of Israel) “There will be no more partial deals,” the official was quoted as saying, explaining that Israel and the US now concur on the need to “shift from a framework for the release of some of the hostages to a framework for the release of all of the hostages, the disarmament of Hamas and the demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.”
“At the same time,” the source was quoted as saying, “Israel and the US will work to increase the humanitarian aid, while continuing the fighting in Gaza.”
“let’s not pretend that Israel’s agenda has been anything other than this: this was always about ethnic cleansing, the subjugation of a civilian population and their displacement from their land.”
Isn’t that the basis of Israel’s entire existence.
I should not be surprised, because of Trump’s remarks not long ago. Land grab. Tens of thousands killed, more maimed. No reply to my letter to my MP yet – I usually get one, but this matter is urgent. Many thoughtful comments above, Robert J I agree, tragedy not just for Palestinians.
Yesterday Michael D Higgins called for UN chapter 7 military action to protect aid, in Gaza.
Ireland on the right side again.
Good to note.
Yvette Cooper has said Palestine Action’s future plans are deeply disturbing completely ignoring the fact that her government’s arming of a genocidal Israel are off the Richter Scale in disturbance terms! If ever there was an issue to convince caring voters to never again vote Labour this is it! Vote Labour – vote genocide!
100,000 people came out to march across Sydney Harbour Bridge, police say – as it happened https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/aug/03/australia-news-pro-palestine-march-sydney-harbour-bridge-melbourne-nsw-wild-weather-sunday-ntwnfb?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-688f07738f081ec98bf05e6d#block-688f07738f081ec98bf05e6d
Richard, thought you might like to see this Australian Guardian article on last Sunday’s Sydney Harbour Bridge pro-Palestinian protest march. Organisers say there were about 300,000 marching on the day. The bridge was shut for about 6 hours! Here in Adelaide we had about 3,000 people.
I saw this. It was brilliant.
Yes, it was!
Israel’s territories should be pushed back to the pre-1967 boundaries. What it is doing cannot go unpunished.
I agree.
Gets worse. The UK military is training IDF soliders. Not squaddies but senior officers to the rank of Colonel.
Furthermore, this is occuring whilst the IDF is committing genocide. In turn this means that the Uk army (& it is the army) part of the UK state is helping to train those committing genocide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQiY9Ma00CE
The sheer deparvity of this is amazing.
& the video covering this is very recent – & obvs Starmer’s rabble (it is not worthy of the name government) is trying to cover it all up.
I can’t believe, given Israel’s intelligence resources, that they did not know what Hamas was planning on October 7th. I think the Israeli government wanted it to happen so that they could ‘cleanse’ Gaza of Palestinians and take the land for themselves.
Thanks. Prompted by your piece, I wrote to my MP this morning:
Dear Callum
How can our government continue to support the IDF in its quest to eliminate the peoples of Palestine? RAF flights… training IDF officers… allowing export of military equipment to Israel etc.
The Israeli government now seems intent upon occupying all of Gaza (and probably more). This is genocide and the British government must call it what it is.
The time to recognise Palestine is now & unconditionally so.
The time to stop giving political cover to the atrocities in Gaza & beyond is now.
The time to stop supporting the Israeli government is simply… Now.
Can you – as my MP – take action to prevent more Palestinian children starving or being shot while queuing for food?
Or are you going to walk on by?
Sincerely yours
Jon
Let us be clear. The creation of the state of Israel was not primarily to provide a homeland for Jews. As the governor of Jerusalem after WW1 ” ,Sir Ronald Storrs wrote ” the implicit purpose of the Zionist colonisation of Palestine formed a little loyal Jewish Ulster in a sea of potentially hostile Arabism. Storrs was a loyal satrap .He saw Israel as a means to continue control of the Middle East and its oil. After 1945 the occupation of Palestinian land continued . The USA replaced Britain as the real power . It is now after the genocide in Ghaza that the public are waking up to the reality of American hegemony. I watched the President of Brazil detail the criminal interference in South and Central America. Nations seeking independence but prevented by American sanctions and military force. He named several countries ,including his own .Brazil is standing firm. Hopefully ,this will be the beginning of the end for the USA. They are NOT our friend and ally. They present the threat to the world I have been told since I was a boy came from Russia. A turning point has been reached. Shamefully our government are on the wrong side.
…When you think things can’t get any worse… they do.
I’m ashamed our government and the USA can allow Israel to carry on with this killing.
Let’s make it a war – Arab nations, European Countries and all caring countries of the world should unite in creating an army to resist and and supress Israel. This cowardly attitude by the ‘West’ cannot be permitted to continue.