ttbn,

You should know better but you've been doing it for years
to me.

You thrive to jab.

And silly me, I react. Especially when I read the BS
being posted. My training steps in.

But here's something to appease:

An Add I saw recently that's perfect for you:

Vintage spoon. Hand engraved with the words "shyte-stirrer"
on the open face. Mode to order for Father's Day.

Especially for you.

You're welcome.

Fester,

Sorry. Foxy’s petulant ‘last word’ got in the way of your last post.

I don't know whether or not you are suggesting that I am not courteous. My generation was brought up to be courteous, and I generally agree with you. But these days, courteousness does not have a high priority and, frankly, too many people don't deserve it.

I just treat people the way they treat me. It works pretty well.

As for Foxy and her obvious lack of socialisation and her dogmatism, my better self says that I should ignore her. That’s the only thing that's going to work with a person like her, and I'm really too old now to bother myself with idiots. I have seen the best of life in this country, and I should leave the arguments to those who are going to have to deal with what is coming for them.

I am certainly past the stage of bothering myself with why “people think as they do”, and I judge people according to my values and my 80 plus years of experience. I don't stick to some formula. My family, like yours, has its fair share of people with opinions different from mine; but they are real people, not anonymous keyboard warriors who can talk any old bullsh-t as they hide behind a computer.

You should do your own thing, but you are wasting your time (as I have been) with the likes of Foxy.

Hi ttbn,

All I'm saying is that everyone presents much better in a discussion when they are courteous. Good arguments speak for themselves.

Foxy,

"Israel historian would strongly disagree with your take
on Israel and what it's been doing for over 70 years."

Tell then Foxy: When was the last time a two state solution was agreed to by the Palestinians and rejected by Israel?

I enjoyed this comment from Quora:

"They were offered a state in 1948 - which they refused, because it wasn’t “from the river to the sea”

They could have merged the west bank with Jordan in 1967, when Israel offered to give back all the land it won in the war for peace. Again refused.

They were offered a state in 2000 (and Billions for reparations and economic aid) and Arafat walked, and launched the 2nd Intifada.

Was each state offer smaller than the one before? Well, that’s what happens when you keep declaring war, and losing.

Oh - and as for the delightful answer of “why should they accept part of the land when European Colonists stole the rest”. It’s amazing how much mis-information can be contained in one sentence. Without judging whether it’s deliberate, or just out of ignorance, I’ll just point out.

1) Nothing was “stolen” in the 19th century and early 20th - everyone acknowledges that the jews that migrated to what was then the Ottomon empire bought the land.

2) By the end of WW II, Jewish population of “Transjordan” had reached ~500,000 people. All there legally.

3) When the UN Partition plan was declared, not only did the Arab states reject the plan, they forcibly ejected the jews living there. Hundreds of thousands of people in thriving communities in Bagdhad, Tehran, Alexandria, and Yemen reduced to basically nothing.

About 50% of Israeli Jews today is descended from these refugees. Since then, are there loud calls for reparations, or right of return, for all that those families lost?

Nope. But maybe, just maybe if it’s better understood we can put to rest this nonsense of “european colonization”"

Hi Foxy,

I totally agree with the points Penny Wong made, like the majority of world opinion, Australia supports a two state solution as the only viable outcome that can give a semblance of peace and stability. BTW I also agree that there is no place for Hamas in any future Palestinian state.

Having a couple of the forums nut jobs accusing others, particularly you of antisemitism and Jew hating because they offer a rational opinion against their position of lunacy is laughable.

As for ttbn and a claim of "courtesy", that coming from the forums number one narcissist, and he refers to you as the "mad old bat".

Fester, the position today is far different from that of 1968. I agree, at one time the Arab world was hell bent on the annihilation of the state of Israel, that is no longer a possibility, Israel with US backing is far to strong militarily. The Israeli offers of a separate Palestinian have been hollow, heavily biased in Israels favour.

Provocation against Iran by Israel attacking the Iranian consulate in Syria, killing 7, in retaliation for Iran supporting anti-Israeli forces such as Hezbollah. Israeli attacks on targets in Syria is not new, they have been going on since 2017, but this latest attack could result in a wider and more deadlier war across the Middle East, lets hope not.

Hi Paul,

All this arguing is getting tiresome.

All any person has to do is research. The historical
facts speak for themselves. What Israel has ever offered
was always only on their terms, and of course their
terms were refused.

There is so much material out there that's currently
available - you don't have to look very far to learn
the reality of the State of Israel.

http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/01/1145807#

'Nuff said.

Hi Paul,

Don't concern yourself about the slur of "mad old bat."

Bats are actually unique. They are beneficial. They eat
insects and pollinate plants and play an important role in
keeping ecosystems healthy and in balance.

Many myths are associated with bats, such as the saying,
"blind as a bat." This isn't true. Bats can see quite well.
Nor are bats destructive pests like rats and mice.

However, I've heard that with human pests, if being polite
doesn't work - and nothing else that you've tried, works.
I've heard a baseball BAT is quite effective.