If you’ve been following the Israel/Palestine conflict on the mainstream media (I haven’t) it seems you may have been led to believe that the attack on Israel by Hamas was pure evil.

Palestinians have been accused of kidnapping children, raping women, murdering indescriminately. Has torture been in the mix?

Meanwhile, what has been said about the reasons given by Hamas for launching its attack in the first place? The constant – several times daily – abuse and occasionally murder of Palestinians (including children) by Israeli occupation forces? Anything?

The social media seems to have offered a more balanced view, as I hope to demonstrate below – with one caveat: there has also been a lot of foaming-at-the-mouth hatred – mostly towards Israel. This Writer can’t tell whether that has been by genuine lunatics or bad-faith actors trying to paint supporters of Palestinian independence as genocidal anti-Zionists.

Here’s some of the back-and-forth, as it appeared on my ‘X’ feed:

Let’s start with Keir Starmer saying there is “no justification” for the Hamas attack – and Jackie Walker’s response, explaining that it is a retaliation against Israel’s illegal occupation and colonisation of Palestine, that is itself an act of war:

This is self-explanatory – an Israeli minister evading questions about what her government and its armed forces have been doing to Palestinians:

Armed struggle by Palestinians against illegal occupiers is legitimate under international law:

Double-standards of Israel’s international supporters is demonstrated by their attitude to the same tactic as Hamas has employed, being carried out in Ukraine:

Former Cabinet minister Sajid Javid says Hamas has been proscribed by the UK as a terrorist organisation. The question is: was that decision justified in the light of what Israel has been doing to Palestine and Palestinians?

Israeli journalist Gideon Levy provides more insight into why people in Gaza might want to resist Israel:

Andrew Feinstein at Double Down News shows footage of what Israel has been doing in Palestine and demonstrates that Israel’s supporters in other countries like the UK are supporting this barbarity by silencing comment on it, many because they see Israel as the centre of an ethno-fascist movement of which they want to be a part:

UK broadcaster Adil Ray points out that Israel’s retaliation is not helpful:

Michael Walker of Novara Media points out how Israeli policy has attacked the very existence of Palestine. Why is it forbidden to question the existence of Israel when Israel illegally erodes the existence of Palestine?

https://twitter.com/michaeljswalker/status/1710571617472897253

Rapper and activist Lowkey explains the reality of the Israel/Palestine conflict:

https://twitter.com/DoubleDownNews/status/1710756124998222169

Right-wing commentator Dan Hodges tries to score points against UK left-wingers by claiming that a movement that should support international peace has support for terrorism as the “price of admission” to fashionability (whatever that means):

An interesting historical note. I haven’t verified this, though:

Senior political correspondent for the Daily Express attacks Labour MP Apsana Begum for supporting Palestinian freedom from Israel. He seems shocked that Palestinians would say the attacks on Israel were due to Israel’s own behaviour:

More than half of British people feel “unfavourable” towards Israel, according to a poll:

Adil Ray (again), while approving of the messages of support for Israel, suggests that Palestinians might welcome support for their right to an unoccupied homeland:

Supporters of Palestinian independence celebrate the attack on Israel in London. Right-wing commentator Nile Gardiner wants them arrested as possible terrorists themselves, or even illegal migrants, on the basis that they support a strike for freedom from occupation.

Keir Starmer wrongly says there is “no justification” for the attack on Israel; we know there is a reason. He says the perpetrators have “deliberately pushed back the prospect of peace agreements”. Was there any such prospect?

Important context is being ignored by the UK’s news media:

Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’s going to bomb Gaza into dust, and the people there should leave. This commenter asks the obvious question:

It seems the Hamas incursion into Israel included firing on people at the “Supernova Festival” – a rave held near Gaza. The event is being touted as a “festival for peace” by propagandists:

UK right-wing commentators say Hamas has been targeting civilians – raping women and kidnapping children. Here’s a response:

Renowned journalist John Pilger responds to claims that the Hamas attack was “unprovoked”:

Polling suggests more people in the UK want Palestine recognised as a state than don’t – although it is still a minority:

Here’s a 10-minute criticism of the United States for supporting Ukrainian resistance to Russia’s occupation while supporting Israel’s “occupation/ethnic subjugation” of Palestine. Isn’t that appalling hypocrisy?

Right-wingers respond to a tweet pointing out that Palestinians can’t leave Gaza:

This is self-explanatory:

A report on what is happening in Gaza as Israel retaliates. It seems the Israeli military response is not concerned about harming civilians:

Labour shadow minister David Lammy mourns the death of a British citizen who was in Israel and was killed in the Hamas attack, and supports Israel’s response. Former Labour MP Chris Williamson asks an obvious question and makes a pertinent comment:

Labour’s Wes Streeting supports Israel’s response – and then suggests that a peace deal might still be possible.

More will undoubtedly follow.

---

Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:

Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:

1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the right margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.

2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical

3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/

Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com

5) Join the uPopulus group at https://upopulus.com/groups/vox-political/

6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical

7) Feel free to comment!

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!

Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.

The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here: