Israel

Lyse Doucet is currently the most senior BBC reporter in the region, she is Canadian and has a background in International Affairs . She has reported from every country in the middle east and has been able to report at all levels from the man in the street to country leaders. Her reporting is highly regarded and there are countless examples of her challenging leaders on all sides.

She is more often heard on the radio, especially the world service but tomorrow (Monday) she is presenting a programme about the children of Syria on BBC2.
Incidently, she has frequently reported on suicide bombings.

 

How can they possibly be on the verge of doing what was done to them during the war????
If you could only see some of the records, my own family's included.
Again, I do not condone any violence done by either side.

 

But it sounds like you do?

Trying to wipe out a population of civilians I mean, obviously not on the same scale, but mass murder what ever way you want to look at it.

 

Motive on both sides I'm sure is complex, most of what we hear is about justification not reason. What I am sure about is that the effect can't be justified but that there are leaders on both sides who won't acknowledge that because their own power over their own people is at stake.

 

I'm personally not interested in the rights or wrongs of the politics in any of this. I simply don't know enough about it. But as an ordinary chap, a family man with a wife and two young kids, I know that if I went out one day and came back to find that not only was our family home levelled, but there wasn't even enough of a landmark left for me to be sure exactly where it had once stood, then there would be no chance of piece as long as I was alive. That would be enough to make the most tolerant, understanding, patient, mild mannered person flip and become something else entirely. This is of course the problem. This is why there can never be peace with this approach.

Think of it another way. We're not without our own problems with terrorists in the UK. With all the focus on Islamic extremists, and now the latest troubles in Israel/Gaza, it seems easy to forget that we had the blight of the IRA. Where would Britain be now if we'd levelled whole sections of Northern Ireland indiscriminately? I dread to think.

 

Agree Clueless, one death is one too many and life is never cheap.

 

Quite right 'Mandy'

It's apparent to me (at least) that there are some polarised opinions, and in a way, that was bound to happen. I think that everyone agrees though that it is a tragic situation. As I see it, there have been no major issues between members, just healthy debate. I do though understand your concern as a mod. No-one wants to see a falling out between members.

 

I too would hope there wouldn't be a falling out.

Sadly Armandii I don't think we can be fully aware of the history as it is rarely discussed until there is this type of conflict and when each period settles we tend to forget about it until the next time. I've just read back through the whole thread, most comments are either asking for clarification or giving information which is generally either factual or acknowledged to be from memory.

It is a highly emotive subject as we all know and in addition it is still the hottest topic in the news so posts are probably also influenced by the latest bulletin. What does come through all of the thread though is members obvious concern for others.

 

Some conflicts like this, I often think that they've almost forgotten what they actually think they're fighting for, it's just 'us and them' now :(