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It's not anti-Semitic to criticise the government of Israel for human rights abuses and war crimes, when they have done this. Or do you think Israel should get a free pass for anything they do, no matter how abhorrent?

Begore I call BS, show evidence. - and that it is systematic. Even Australia has its eveil people - Roberts Smith hasn't even been tried while the whistleblower languishes in prison. Doesn't mean Australia is systematically war criminals 9but it seems to harbour their own, anyway). You think consant firing of rockets at civilians over the years.. and then breaking through and brutally killing 1500-ish people and taking hostages is throwing stones? So far peacepul Palestinian protestors? And now that? Give me a break about no antisemetism

Well it was on the tele at the Shed, but I couldn't hear it. Others talking over the top of him, making jokes, and someone in the workshop using the belt sander. But I knew he was lying, his lips were moving.

I'm just upset that the conflict between Isreal and the Arab world has caused to deterioration of how ethnic relations in Australia have been hurt.

To be honest, I think it is throughout the western world.

Even if it were true, by that definition most of the middle eastern states are engaged in some form of terrorism. Haven't heard anyone call Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, etc a terrorsist state yet? Or is Israel held to a higher standard than anyone else? In other words (and this is not to yourself in particular, Nev), even if Israel did do everyting they are alleged to have done, they receive a lot of venom when there are others that do much much worse, and nary raise an eyebrow. I call it anti-semitism.. You can hide behind "I am criticising a Zionist government", but even that is anti-semetism.. Because since when is the belief in a Jewish state a problem when there are numerous Christian, Muslim, Hindi, etc states. Maybe people should have to live - not just visit or layover or attend business meetings in some of these places. And then form a judgement.

Isreal has been a major manufacturer of weapons for yonks. Israel’s industry is heavily dominated by high-technology, innovation, and advanced manufacturing, driven by a strong R&D sector and over 350 multinational centers (e.g., Intel, Apple, Google). Key sectors include electronics, cyber security, defense, pharmaceuticals, and chemical products. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has become a net exporter of natural gas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Israel Also, like the Arab nations supplying petrol dollars to Arab militants, international Jewry, especially American Jewry, has been funding all sorts of things in Isreal.

Yes it is a complicated situation. How far do you actually want to go back. Its been going a lot longer than that.

That's right. The nation originated from the migration of Indo-Iranian tribes (Medes, Persians, Parthians) from Central Asia to the Iranian Plateau around the 2nd millennium BC. They established some of the first civilisations in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. Their religion was Zoroastrianism. It is one of the world's oldest monotheistic faiths, founded in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) by Prophet Zoroaster. Its influence was reduced by Islamisation during the 7th Century CE. A lot escaped to India where they mainly live in Mumbai. Persian (Fārsi) is the official language of Iran, spoken natively by roughly 50-70% of the population and understood by most others. As an Indo-European language, it is unrelated to Arabic, though it uses a modified Arabic script.

Of course it's not ok. But do you think the response was proportionate?

Yes. I think he just read out the last four weeks of his midnight Truth Social rants.

So its OK if they come into a country, kill 1400? civilians as well as other incursions over the last few years. Is Israel just supposed to talk about and contact their local Employee assistance program to help them get over it?

Provocation is the excuse of bullies, tyrants and murderous regimes. So, when a child throws a rock at a invading tank, that's sufficient to shoot them dead? Happens daily and Israel just justifies itself.

So you think they haven't been provoked at all?

Netanyahu's strident Interference HERE affected my views. All People who kill other People have something to answer for and there's a Question of Proportionality and care not to Kill Women and children Medical people and Journalists. Nev

I think the 0ctober 7 attack was the straw that boke the camels back.

We export 100,000 tonnes of carrots (mostly from W.A.) to the rest of the world annually, and 48,000 tonnes of that goes to the Middle East. But the blockage of the SoH has effectively blown up that market, with $2M worth of Australian carrots currently on the water, unable to reach its destination. There will be serious losses for Australian carrot growers if the blockade continues, and there will be a lot of people in other parts of the world who will go without food, because of the blockade. I'd rather be here, than in a place relying on Australian produce, right at present. And we have no need to import frozen veggies, we can grow all we need right here. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-20/middle-east-conflict-may-end-some-carrot-farmers/106474078

I tend towards the view that BP guidelines are a bit like BMI guidelines - they were decreed many decades ago, without taking into account, enough of the factors that affect them. I've seen people who lived with high levels of hypertension for years, whereas others with relatively modest levels of hypertension, keeled over early.

Nobody mentions the sectarianism that is rampant in India. Hindu -v- Muslim, with the Sikhs and other minorities thrown into the mix. The partitioning of India and Pakistan was supposed to ease tensions, but there are still heaps of Muslims in India for Hindus to target.

Several of my friends didn’t make it to 80 but I plan on doing better. Five pills a day for me at present.

They have two farm properties about 100km apart and need to move machinery and trailer rams etc between them. They spend a lot of time on the road.

I will keep it short this time. I don't ignore the daily reports - I know that the media has to sell and there is nothing like sensationalism nor whipping up hatred that sells. We seem to accept that on the reporting of the local issues with Muslim population, but accept blindly what is reported about Israel. So, I try and look behind the reports amd find the context. Even the "killing a country's civilians until the terrorists are disarmed" is very simplistic and ignores many other things, IMHO. I didn't say criticisng Israel's invasion was anti-semetic. I would ask you read what I wrote again. I said a lot of people hide behind criticising Zionism as being anti-semetic (or holding Israel to a different/higher standard than others is anto-semetic). They are two very different things. If you can tell me why actos of other countries you mention or those that were far worse (I provided the numbers) don't generate the same backlash as Israel (not on these fora, but more across the population) who that is not anti-semitc, I am happy to be wrong.

Time will tell. The Victorian election later in the year will be the test of how lasting the swing is. If they do well there it will get the peanut gallery well and truly hyperventilating.

What a sad result. Hopefully they implode sooner rather than later.

Jeezus Jerry, I'm almost afraid to say anything now in case it brings forth another 50,000 words of reply! 😄 Look. If you want to ignore the almost daily reports of civilian killings, starvation, refusing to allow food and medical delivery by truck or ship, lack of any legal consequence for extrajudicial killings, targeting of noncombatants, etc - that's up to you. And no one is trying to hold Israel to any higher standard than anyone else. Is Hamas a terrorist organisation that should be disarmed? Of course it is. Do you keep killing a country's civilians until that terrorist organisation is disarmed? No you bloody don't. And as for throwing around the anti-semitic label at anyone who dares to speak out against Israel's invasions - Lebanon too now, as well as Iran - that's just lazy. I'm totally against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Trump's invasions of Venezuela and Iran, Hamas's October 7th invasion of Israel, and anyone else who takes uninvited military action in a country that isn't theirs. But because I'm also against Netanyahu's invasions of Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, I'm somehow anti semitic?

Now you fellas have got me on a rant 🙂 Not because I am some blind supporter of Israel - I hope the post above where I agree, there probably has been part motiviation to punish and agree that israel should be accountable to that extent. But. let's go. OK.. what war has not seen civilian casualties - especially where military assets being targeted are purposely hidden behind civilians? I'll get to proprotionality later. I absolutely agree that any government should be criticsied and held accountable for war crimes. What I am not seeing is anywhere near the eleve of criticism heing directed to other regimes for the same thing and worse. Stats given in other threads. Nor the level of criticism for Hamas inviting and wanting this conflict to kill their own civilians. Yet, everyone seems willing for the free pass to Hamas, or the Iranian government, or teh then Syrian giovernment, Saudi, Afghans, Oman, Libya, etc. Only appears to be the Israeli government that gets the criticism for far less. It doesn't excuse the justified criticism, but isf Israel does something, it is as if almost whetever that was done to provoke them into it is not even taken into account. DO you havbe inside information of why a normal enemy's intelligence was a) provided; b) the accuracy of that intelligence, and c) why Israel decided to ignore it. Are you insinuiating it was willing to let 1500 people die so it could invade Gaza and colonise it. I see no evidence there is a plan to colonise it even now (Chump;s plan doesn't give Israel control of Gaza). Before October 7, there were no attacks or plans for attack; Israel privided Gazans work in Israel, medical services to Gazans not available in Gaza, etc. All while Hamas was attacking it.. That doesn't sopund like a regime that wants to take it over by force. The question of proportionality is an interesting one. If you are saying is the cost of 70,000 lives a propritionate response to the loss of 1,500 lives? Clearly not. But is that the measure for proprotionality? Or is the pursuit of destruction of military capability poropritionalte to the ongoing attacks that well preceded October 7 and those that would continue after this war? Well, that is a different question? Of course, the cost of civilians lives has to be taken into account relative to the objective and imprtantly the ongoing threat to life. But why should Israel live under constant threat by those not willing to negotiate nor seek peace and have to constantly disproprtionately invest in defences to protect their people ? And should Hamas not be held at least equally, if not more responsible for the deaths of their civilians in a war they perpetrated and which they use their civilians as defences? Do I think the nuetralisaton of Hamas military capability is proprotionate? Yes, I do. Do I think it should be pursued at all costs? As a non-Israeli and not under the threats they live in, no I don't, but in the absence of anything coming to the peace table, I understand why those who live under threat may have a different opinion. I don't think it was all about that. Israel is more of a democracy than most; not the highest in the world, but top quartile or third by this index: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/democracy-index-eiu And, so I would expect that while that is certainly part of his motivation, if that was all of it, but didn't accord with the rest of his government, it wouldn't be happening. I'm really sorry; these two situations are so far apart, it isn't comparing apples with oranges, but IMHO, apples with the moon. You are comparing a lone murderer who commits an act of terrorism on his own behalf or the behalf of some obtuse and random right wing nut job group, whee there is no state sponsored terrorism and there is no historical or continuous threat that Australia itself is not actively working to thwart to the response of an attack from a coordinated government and military of a region, that is part of a wider regional state backed military with the sole intention of not only eradicating your country (NZ in this case) but the total genocide of your people (that Hamas, Hezboll, Houtis and Iranian regine have openly stated many times and is part of their documented charter - as close to a constitution as they can be), where they, and their predecessors, often with other states involvement have consistently attacked, killed, and threatened you and will continue to do so unabated given the first opportunity. Well, if Australia, or an Australian backed milita did that to NZ and of course, that milita or Australias defence assets were hidden under Australian hospitals, schools, and other civilian areas, would I be surprised if NZ attacked after this milita broke though NZ's defences and many Aussies civilians were killed as a result? Probably not; and I would siggest there would be few who would be surprised nor think it was unfair. Another Pauline moment - can you please explain to me a) the similarity of your analogy to Hamas and b) how you're not holding Israel to a totally different standard to others?

I recently had to bite the bullet and take blood pressure medication, mine was around 190/160 after work and 160/140 in the mornings at rest, heart rate was around 44in mornings and 60 ish in arvo. little tablet seems to be lowering it to around 140/ 90 at last check. i recon it is lack of flying causing stress. 3 years since last flew.

One thing l've wondered a lot is, how has Israel, a country of way less than half even our population here, been bombing the hell out of everything over there one way or another 2yrs or however long it's been? How does such a small country have all these weapons and jets , there's not a hope in hell we could do that .

Once they start saying "chosen by God" I'm lost for words. Hitler's Final solution was Diabolical. Settling in the ME is a hard ask.. Nev

apples and oranges, 1 person goes and kills a heap of people is a lot different to a state sponsored mass killing, especially if they have been poking the bear for many years. It is not nearly the same thing!

Harking back to my comments on the previous page, today is the first time I've been back to Forest Hill Chase shopping mall. I had my phone camera with me today. This is the hairdressing booth. You can see the red docket number indicator showing the number of the last customer to enter the booth (the guy being treated). Normally there are two lady barbers working. The guy in the armchair on the left would be customer 210 waiting his turn. A bit closer look shows the customer count, the screen below showing the various cuts which you tap to select, and at the bottom left, the note slot. Bottom right is the cup where your docket drops when printed. The large opening behind the white pillar is the entry to Target, and beyond the booth, to the right, is a travellator to the lower shopping level.

That idiot from Australia went to NZ and gunned down 51 people. If NZ then invaded Australia, killing 2500 people of which maybe 100 were white supremacists, and destroyed masses of public infrastructure including your house, would you think it was a fair response? Because that's what Israel has done.

Yes, it was also about Netanyahu trying to keep himself in power and out of prison.

Maybe, maybe not. I have never been in this position, but I feel it was about more than just this one incident.

I did a deep relax and got 95/55. Nev

Iranians are NOT Arabs. BTW did anyone watch Trumps SPEECH about 2 Hours ago? Nev

A Pinch test will tell you the Amount of fat under the skin. Muscle is also more dense than fat.. Your Build is also Important Nev

April fools....and the jokes on us.

At least the crew won't get scurvy. They may end up the same colour as Trump if they eat all those carrots though.

Expect many lines of groceries to become scarce, especially frozen vegetables. Frozen veggies are now mostly imported, and that requires ships which require fuel.

Can't remember if she put IR up before the fuel thing but l reckon rates should be dropped again right now bc everything's gonna be going up 12mths now. Bc as typically , even if the war ended tomorrow well in this case it would take time to get things flowing again, providing Chump doesn't blow all that up to butttt. Our mobs whether it be supermarkets, fuel, food, hardware , everything, always milk these events for all they're worth and take triple time to drop prices later so if things could be normal again in 3 mths , they'll keep ripping us off 12, you can guarantee that. And the Gov will take 12mths to react to the continuing ripping off. They all know that and play us like a fiddle soooo. Long and short of it , struggle home owners especially, do not need interest rates on top of it it's so not fair , they'll already be getting hit from 50 angles from here.

That's mine, too. But they still say I have hypertension. You start to think that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand knows.

According to the movie old Neddy boy really copped it too.

My tablets are- Apixaban - a blood thinner prescribed for my pacemaker Allopurinol - prescribed for gout (2 per day) Metoprolol - stroke prevention Panafcortelone - myalgia rheumatica Thyroxine - thyroid

Allowing no reporting - by Israel? Are you serious? Journos were killed.. Were they actually targetted as journalists? How much reportng do you get from Iran once the protests started and before the war? What evidence do you have that journalism is systematically suppressed where it is physically safe (i,e, they are not going to be directly in the line of fire) by Israel? I have to admit, I am flummoxed by these assertions.. But if you can provide evidence to support that position, I am fine.. otherwise, are they not rabid? Re essentials of life - it is the UN who had decided not to enter Gaza nor allow the other organisation to distribute their supplies.. on what premise? As I understand, it is alleged what UN essentials were being distribnuted were ending up in Hamas' hands largely and not the people. Of course, that could be wrong because the press don't report these things all the time. But, that is my point.. A lot of aspersions are cast with scant evidence, and sensationalistic reporting by the very journos Israel are supposed to suppress. The default position is Israel is wrong, and I will challenge it if the facts don't fit (on anything). Sorry. I am an argumentative SoB. BTW, we all criticise the Iran war, and rightly so given the US objectives. But so far, the one Iranian I know (and it is only one) is still supportive of it. And I prefer to take people with their experience of it on the ground than us armchair experts. Oh, and by the way, she thinks Israel has gone too far on accoasions, but is generally supportive of Israel. They give her reiligion a home free of prejudice, which cannot be said of the Iranians, where the religion was born.

Sorry... What? OK.. the milita of a country invade your country... but don't target your military - but your defencelss and well separated from the military civilians.. illegally under intenational law; you legitimately retaliate and target their mitilary assets, which they hide behind cilvilan assets - and you target their military assets legally, but because they use civilians aas part of their defence (which is not really even contested by them) and, by the way being totally legal under the rules of war as long as they are targeting legitimate military assets - and Israel is the terrorist? Yeah - they took the West Bank - but not through some arbitrary decision - it was the resuilt of a war waged on them.. Or have I missed something. And in exchange for peace, the Palestinians (which even Arabs don't class as a separate Arabic identity) were offered 96% of it back, but rejected it at the last minute.. Now, there are tensions, because Ramalla is a Palestinian controlled territory on the West Bank, and tensions in a war between Israel and Gaza are going to surface. Is it right? No! But no country has never been hostile to those of "enemy" ancestry in their territory (which I know, the UN doesn't sanction, but at the end of the day, it was territory siezed as a result of a war perpetrated on Israel). And did they actually target the journos and NGOs, or was it a) friendly fire or b) mistaken identity - IN A WAR, FFS.. I think in Kosovo (BTW, an illegal war as there was no direct threat to NATO states, and there was no UN security resolution, and humanitarian reasons ions not a defence), journos and NGOs were killed by firendly fire, as was that in Afghanistan, and the list goes one. In fact, the betrayal of firendly Afghans by the west doesn't need to be brought up again, eoither. What terrorism did Israel actually commit. Where, without procvocation, did they go in and wantonly kill people as a country/defence force? Sorry dude - you and I live in a different world when it comes to this. (Apologies, that was condascending and I take it back) You may disagree with what they are doing - and I don't agree with it all, either, but it is not terrorism.

My daughter is looking for a big Yank ute. I told her to wait a couple of months and people will be giving them away.

I have decided it is time to get back into flying. Trundling off to Dunkeswell to do my SEP renewal. Although this post should probably go onto the mother site, it was a random thought that popped up inot my head. Will try and book it for Thursday this week; if not, it will be Tuesday following week.

That was at breakfast time. Now I'm plane watching 😊

I only have a ring around the sides, bald on top. So I get a No. 3 buzz cut to keep the edges neat.