P.K.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you... Proof, if proof were ever needed, that Gaza in it's present form is untenable...

I would never say it's acceptable to wipe out an entire population simply because I find the idea of genocide abhorrent. Put it in perspective. Hamas report at least 30,000 civilians dead. The IDF claim at least 9,000 Palestinian Resistance Fighters killed by them. So if there are 2.1m refugees "living" in Gaza then 1% have been killed in this conflict. That's a dreadful figure in itself but it's certainly no genocide.

The IDF have been tasked and like good little soldiers everywhere they will carry out their orders to the best of their abilities. Fighting an insurgency by it's very nature will always mean civilian casualties. Obviously the Palestinians in Hamas simply don't care about that. They take their orders from Tehran despite the fact Iranians are not Arabs. Don't try to put words in my mouth again. At no time have I ever said I don't care about human lives. Although I must admit since the early seventies I have come to want all murderous terrorist vermin stamped out completely in whatever guise they come...

You're the one deflecting with your constant references to the Troubles which were completely different. For a start the last time I looked the Six Counties were not an untenable refugee camp full of stateless people! My solution is simple. All the killing would instantly stop if Hamas and Islamic Jihad surrendered and gave up their Israeli hostages. But they don't seem to want to do that. It's almost as if they don't care that their actions have brought death and destruction across all of Gaza. And if they don't care about their fellow Palestinians then you have to wonder why should anyone else...?

@HeliX Totally unimpressed. You know as well as I do that Palestinians are weaned on a hatred of Israel and all things Israeli. That's how Hezbollah are such a potent force in Lebanon. Incidentally how do you stand on the indiscriminate rockets fired into Israel by the Palestinians for the last 20 years or so. Presumably you support them...?

Now you're just being ridiculous. Interestingly the Catholic population in NI has recently exceeded the Protestants. They will be voters in 18 years time but still unable to gain an outright majority. So what is your solution to Gaza? After all, their position is untenable without basic aid like food. Lots of it...

That's because more layers of management have to sign it off! The curse of small businesses being sub-contracted by a massive pyramid structure - late payment!

So what is your understanding of the situation? I suppose you could argue that the problems began when "control" of Gaza passed to Israel with the signing of the accord with Egypt that cost President Anwar Sadat his life. Too late for that. Why else do Palestinians join the terrorist organisation known as Hamas...?

I recall a newspaper article that went: "To some people gambling is a disease. "That makes the Isle of Man a nasty little pool of infection in the Irish Sea" Although how you can have a pool in a sea was never explained...

Neither am I. Unlike the Palestinians of Hamas who did exactly that. Much to the delight of the world-wide Palestinian diaspora. "Don't bite the hand that feeds you..." - you have heard of this no doubt... The fact remains that Gaza is not and never will be a viable entity. There are just too many people crammed into too small a space which is why most of them are living off handouts. Egypt originally created the enclave to give refugees fleeing the surrounding Arab nations first attempted destruction of the fledgling State of Israel somewhere of relative safety until they had completed the job and pushed the Israelis into the sea. Well, who knew...

More trolling...

It's hardly a stupid question. Simply because if you tried to look dispassionately at the situation, as I do, you would realise that the only way to rid Gaza of the murderous thugs of Hamas, which is made up of Palestinians, is to go in and root them out. Sure that doesn't sit well with your "Israelis = bad, Palestinians = good" ethos but tragically there is no other way. If there was another way the IDF would be using it. Especially if it meant they took fewer casualties. And all the while this is going on the Palestinians are still indiscriminately firing rockets into Israel to try and kill Israeli citizens. Like they've been doing for the last twenty years ffs! I don't recall the likes of you ever complaining about that salient fact. Why is that I wonder? Incidentally all this talk about "single state" or "two state" so called "solutions" to the "refugee" problem have been well and truly bollocksed by the sheer brutality of the assault. That was celebrated the world over by the Palestinian diaspora. Disgusting people aren't they? To actually celebrate all those brutal murders...

@The Voice of Reason This was your question: This was my answer: Bearing in mind that newspapers are mass-produced and the fact that the island lacks critical mass shipping the finished article across is bound to be the most profitable way of doing it. I used to use the term "cost effective" but I've dropped that in favour of telling the truth...

What a load of nonsense that deserves ridicule. The paper has to be imported in the first place so you might as well import it with words and stuff already printed on it. Simples...

You obviously don't like the explanation simply because it doesn't suit your agenda. But now I have your attention what would be your strategy to root out Hamas from Gaza, Hezbollah from Lebanon and so forth? The floor is yours... ETA : @TheTeapot

Of course, it never occurs to you that the only reason they would open fire is because they thought they were under threat. Then the training would have taken over. Which is why an insurgency is such a terrible conflict as any civilian might suddenly turn and kill you or worse your mates. The IDF are having to make these split-second decisions all day every day. To expect them to get every call right in the nightmare landscape of Gaza is clearly a nonsense. Those IDF troops will now have to carry in their heads for the rest of their days how they killed their own. Good luck with that one. But they will be out of the line because now they're at too much risk of hesitating when they just can't afford to... War is a nasty, dirty, miserable business. Pity Hamas didn't care about that when they launched their assault. But I guess they were just obeying orders from Tehran who don't want to see a Saudi-Israel accord.

They will simply play the "parity with the UK" card like they always do. That's how they've got so many folks very over graded and thus very over paid. The job title and commensurate salary may be the same but the level of responsibility is miniscule compared to the UK. For example IOM Constabulary has a Chief Constable, which is ridiculous, and no less than five Superintendents. What on earth are they all doing to justify not just the salary but the at least plus one and a half times for all the bennies ...? It's a nonsense which is dragging the place down... Of course, the threat is that if they lose parity they may vote with their feet to get it back. Well, I view that as a win/win...

With their time served and dead man's shoes promotions it would appear the Peter Principle is alive and well and absolutely thriving in IOMG...

Thanks for that. But surely what's at stake is the IOMSPCo bottom line which transmogrifies itself into a government divvy? Minus operational costs of course which would include forward purchases that need to be made. Surely the advantage of the arrangement is that both sides know the figures so why is it seemingly contentious? Interesting times ahead...

Worth a read on the background to the Hamas assault. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/21/what-is-the-real-hamas

After Tynwald has thrown £squillions of taxpayers money at Half Tide Dock to turn it into a viable berth I've no doubt they're now all sitting back astonished that Peel Ports are going charge handsomely for it's use. After all it's the bright, shiney, brand-new addition to the Peel Ports money-making portfolio! From zero to hero you could say. The zero being the £amount it's cost Peel Ports... Errrr shouldn't the onward costs have been part of the original agreement...? No doubt lessons will be learned from the whole farrago (again and again ad infinitum...)

Is she back from the Malta jolly yet? Have to say works on the "High Street" could make it tricky re access to the village social hub that is the Albert...

Actually I do know what it means if folks plead guilty. I absolutely don't need it explained in any other way as I'm sure you know. I also think you're not paraphrasing the first part of my post at all as I haven't said anything about all the myriad of reasons why people end up in court nor how do we prevent it from happening. You're just grandstanding...

Ah yes, the master of the obvious. Look and do what about that situation exactly...? As the CS/PS are the biggest political lobby on the island I don't see the situation changing anytime soon. Do you? Nothing of the sort. I was simply reiterating what we all read about court appearances all of the time. I suppose these folks appearing before the beak might be getting convicted due to a lack of decent representation but the process on how it all works is of no interest to me.