Monday October 9, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC
News commentary by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Only a few days ago, the longstanding political strife of the Middle East was on few people’s daily news radar.
Now there is on-the-ground fighting between Israel and Hamas (which controls the government of Palestine). US warships are on approach. Israeli reservists have been called up by the hundreds of thousands.
What seems to hit home most for people here in North America is how Israeli civilians were rounded up by Hamas as hostages — with what has been seen as an extreme level of brutality. Israel is expected to try and get as many hostages out of Gaza as possible before unleashing what it has promised will be an intense retaliation. Israel’s next-steps are intended to entirely demobilize if not flatten the Gaza territory.
Importance of news media:
The most up-to-date news coverage can be found on CNN, with coverage as well through a Canadian lens by CBC, CTV and Global TV (all of which have sent reporters directly into the war zone area).
This is a time to be reminded of the importance of on-the-ground news reporting by trusted sources, and the role of journalism in maintaining an informed society and a counterbalance for the maintenance of democracy.
Calling for peace:
The United Nations is calling for peace, saying war is not the answer.
Military leaders and political analysts who have been covering the Middle East situation for decades mostly still suggest that the two-state solution is the only way to resolve the conflict, i.e. Israel as its own country and Palestine as a country in its own right as well.
The two-state message was repeated today in televised address by the United Nations Secretary General.
