tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post1336066081157325534..comments2024-03-21T09:30:11.468+00:00Comments on Man in a Shed: The bonfire of Gaza-DEC vanitiesMan in a Shedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00990902055642035293noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post-90319630231931168762009-01-24T19:41:00.000+00:002009-01-24T19:41:00.000+00:00Anon - you do much better when you use reason.Pers...Anon - you do much better when you use reason.<BR/><BR/>Personally I don't trust all the charities you listed, nor a few of the ones in DEC you didn't. <BR/><BR/>That's why I was careful with where I sent my donation.<BR/><BR/>There will be no shortage of money for Gaza ( there never has been ), there's just a shortage of people willing to do what's necessary to bring peace. [ Just look at the result for Israel of unilaterally withdrawing from Gaza. Even Israel's left now accept that doing the same in the West Bank would be national suicide. ]<BR/><BR/>All the UK political parties see the DEC issue as a way of gaining favour with the public, especially certain sections of the electorate. However, there is a very real problem of providing support for Hamas, or publicity for its use of the Palestinian peoples suffering. The BBC had this right.<BR/><BR/>The best thing would be for Arab countries at peace with Israel to take control of Gaza and give its people a genuine break from all this. <I>But that's not going to happen</I>.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately Gaza will remain with Hamas and what we have seen will repeat itself. That is the true tragedy for the people there.Man in a Shedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00990902055642035293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post-29598098013022245822009-01-24T17:55:00.000+00:002009-01-24T17:55:00.000+00:00Spoken like a true Tory, except your own party dis...Spoken like a true Tory, except your own party disagrees with you. Personally, I trust Oxfam, the Red Cross, Cafod, Christian Aid, Help the Aged etc. more than I do someone who can't spell the word "aid" and thinks that Jehovah sent "manner" to the Israelites in the Sinai.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post-44374181702598906042009-01-24T14:41:00.000+00:002009-01-24T14:41:00.000+00:00Nope - but of course I have now.In short Hamas con...Nope - but of course I have now.<BR/><BR/>In short Hamas controls Gaza. They will control anything that is sent in. They already have hijacked lorries of charities and will control the distribution of food and aid to bolster their position and reassert their terrifying authority. Hence its necessary to chose your charity carefully. ( DEC offers no choice ).<BR/><BR/>The difficulty is that civilian suffering is the weapon of war in this case. On the Israeli side by strangling the economy to try to stop Hamas firing rockets at its people, on the Hamas side to get pictures of dead or suffering civilians on TV's to undermine support for Israel in the west - bringing their ultimate goal of annihilation of Israel closer.<BR/><BR/>In that context the airtime for a DEC appeal constitutes backing one of the sides and taking part in the conflict. A point the BBC seems to have understood, though I imagine it will back down under the current pressure.Man in a Shedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00990902055642035293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post-3482195587695800632009-01-24T12:51:00.000+00:002009-01-24T12:51:00.000+00:00So you haven't spotted "manner from heaven" yet.Ho...So you haven't spotted "manner from heaven" yet.<BR/><BR/>How exactly is Hamas going to use building materials from the DEC appeal, when the DEC says it will not be involved in reconstruction?<BR/><BR/>How will Hamas abuse the blankets the DEC charities plan to buy?<BR/><BR/>Is Hamas going to seize the food parcels and throw them at Israelis?<BR/><BR/>And how is this different from any other humanitarian disaster caused by war?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post-18386811535235828452009-01-24T12:39:00.000+00:002009-01-24T12:39:00.000+00:00Ah - spotted the aid/aide point.Really if you have...Ah - spotted the aid/aide point.<BR/><BR/>Really if you have another view point, why not <I>try</I> and make it.Man in a Shedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00990902055642035293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post-57549315341611681092009-01-24T12:23:00.000+00:002009-01-24T12:23:00.000+00:00Anon - Feel free to try and make a point, if you h...Anon - Feel free to try and make a point, if you have one.Man in a Shedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00990902055642035293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9565399.post-59137171411620310652009-01-24T12:16:00.000+00:002009-01-24T12:16:00.000+00:00Your analysis is as good as your spelling. Crap, i...Your analysis is as good as your spelling. Crap, in other words.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com