I don’t think I’ve ever suggested you should not socialise with anyone. I think it’s good for one. Russians yes and for sure they have learnt to be compliant but they are a fascinating culture with a complex history. I learnt Russian for 6 years and my degree major was Russian language and literature. In my view both - and history - are critical to understanding a culture, a people and a nation. I’ve been to a wedding in Kazakhstan (my unofficial adopted sons wedding) and it was the most curious mixture of western whatever, Soviet bureaucracy, Muslim practices and central Asian minor corruption
my exposure to Judaism has been my own family history, working for a Jewish organisation and cousins, some of whom are in the diaspora and some in Israel. At the beginning of this mess I was horrified by Jewish actions and had never quite approved. I still don’t really. But a comment from someone made me do a lot more reading - in detail - to try to understand both sides
my view after all that is that it is complex and events have reflected historical context and there is not really one true owner of Palestinian land.
I understand the experiences and the control over movement happens. I think I’d be as horrified as you. But my view is that terrorism also makes people nervous and fearful. And when people act out of fear they do things that make no sense
I’ve been in a controlling, coercive and violent relationship (strangulation being the favoured method of control, punishment and retribution for not doing what he wanted). During that period I did and agreed to things that were downright stupid and have affected me financially. In the end one becomes broken in some ways. That manifests itself differently in different people
I believe that the Arab war, the terrorism and the uncertainty have created a reaction that also reflects what was most likely the fear and anxiety of a deeply traumatise post war population.
had the Palestinians been prepared to sit down and negotiate at the start rather than waging war both directly and through proxies we might have had a different outcome. But they weren’t
i don’t believe we can argue ancient or recent ownership of that land. If we do so all the countries that were created post ww1 and with the conclusion of the British mandate have to be in question.
country borders are fluid and always have been - even more recently. That’s life in a way. But we want to treat Palestine as a special case
and we want to do so because we don’t like what Israel has done. but I think we also need to understand both sides - Israel and Palestine - if we want to have a comparatively peaceful ending. It does not work to bully people into submission (and both sides have tried that). It does not do to scheme and manipulate because it eventually backfires. It does not do to hate or be determined to get what you think you deserve (when sometimes it is provable that you are not entitled ) and it does not do to make errors of judgement that mean others think you are a prat.
it is that which israel has succeeded in. Whether or not they are justified
into this mix I add Netanyahu. I don’t like him, don’t trust him and think he is a narcissist. There is evidence that narcissists will create failure - both from inner self loathing they aren’t aware of and from the stupidity of pursuing their own views of what is right.
it has been a recipe for disaster from beginning to end
but i will not tar all Jews with his brush. I will not support a terrorist organisation whose stated aim has been destruction of Israel. And I will not be fooled into thinking this is only about land. It is also a religious war and that will continue and he extended to the west. Of that I am certain.
