Essays in Idleness

It was very sad that the German people had to be seriously inconvenienced during the Second World War, but the brutal bombing and invasion of German territory proceeded, without consulting them. This followed from German non-consultation about the invasion of Poland, &c, but to coin a phrase, “war is war.”

The inhabitants of Gaza have been told to clear out of the northern half of their rather small homeland, and deprived of electricity and a few other things which were previously supplied (for free in many cases) by Israel — food, drinkable water, and common medicines being among the greatest necessities. However, Jewish like Christian religious principle insists on making arrangements, and international law, founded on Judaeo-Christianity, demands that efforts shall be made. Institutions like the Red Cross (and its Muselmann partner, the Red Crescent) may be called into service.

Nevertheless, the inconvenience is likely to cost several thousand lives, not all of them Hamas agents, though most of them Hamas supporters, judging from reports. Similar reports came out of Germany after 1939: that the majority of Germans were loyal to the Nazi regime; and there was little to contradict this appalling fact. That many Germans didn’t know what was happening in Auschwitz, let alone Berlin, has been charitably received as a tall tale.

An immense tunnel complex running under Gaza city environs, and extended beyond Israeli and Egyptian borders whenever there is opportunity, will simply have to be excavated and filled. So will all the rocket-making and launching facilities and indeed, all the other “assets” of Hamas and friends.

This will cause quite terrible inconvenience but, just like the Second World War, it will be over, eventually.