Why Egypt won't take Gazans, Ukraine's future and American irony
Malcolm (MetroTalk, Thu) asks why Egypt isn't taking in refugees from Gaza.
The reason is Israel has historically refused and is currently refusing the rights of Palestinians to return to land that Israel controls or occupies, so Egypt doesn't want to assist in permanently displacing a population.
Israel is also a neighbour of Palestine but has not processed or taken any refugees, despite having two crossings compared with Egypt's one.
I'm sure a well-funded state such as Israel has the capacity to sift out terrorists. It seems to know who they are when it uses 'targeted attacks' on Gaza.
Malcolm says Israel is 'as responsible for the deaths in this war as the Allies were in killing the millions of innocent civilians in Germany and Japan in World War II'.
International law is clear on the matter of civiliacns being killed in war and had those laws – and a willingness to enforce them – existed at the time, the Allies would have been in breach.
Crimes in the past do not excuse crimes in the present. Paul Smith, Bristol
Malcolm wonders why Egypt won't fling open the Rafah gate and whisk 2.3million Gazans into Sinai, as though refugee policy were a drive-thru.
Egypt manages one crossing while Israel controls airspace, sea and every other exit. When Israel bombs the Rafah gate and then occupies it, Egypt can hardly run an open-door policy.
Egypt remembers 1948, when Palestinians fled and were never allowed home. Opening Sinai now would help turn temporary 'shelter' into permanent expulsion.
When your neighbour's house is on fire because someone else set it alight and blocks the exits, you don't blame the neighbour for not jumping through your kitchen window.
Israel imposed the siege, launched the air strikes and controls the crossings – that's where accountability lies. Az Moss, London
It's not only deeply troubling but simply exasperating to see zealots congratulating themselves for being arrested for showing support to Palestine Action, a proscribed terrorist organisation (MetroTalk, Wed).
How does supporting the perpetrators or terror and blind hatred do anything for the people of Gaza? And their calls of Israeli 'genocide' are similarly misguided and an affront to the millions around the world currently suffering genocide – such as those in Sudan and Yemen. Sara, London
How do we bring peace to Ukraine and Russia? We need Ukraine restored to its 2014 borders in return for giving up attempts to join Nato and the EU.
We also need Nato to pull back from eastern Europe and the establishment of demilitarised zones on Russia's side of Nato's border as well as on both sides of the Ukrainian-Russian border. The only obstacle to this is Nato and the EU, especially the latter as it wants to absorb Ukraine to exploit its markets.
Since the Soviet Union's collapse, the Warsaw Pact buffer zone has been gobbled up by Nato and the EU. Alan Meadowcroft, Oldham
It is farcical the US is trying to accuse other countries of going backwards in terms of human rights and free speech. More Trending
This is from the government that set up Ice, whose officers hide their faces when they arrest people for deportation, despite many being US citizens.
A government that has been voting to take more rights away from its people.
And a government that threatens to sue people because they dare to report on the president's sordid history and refuses to let certain circles of the free press attend White House briefings because it can't handle answering questions that don't blindly praise everything it says or does.
The UK is not perfect but it's laughable for a country determined to take so many rights and freedoms away from its people to be so desperate to divert attention from itself that it attacks how other countries handle this. Matthew, Birmingham
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ITV News
44 minutes ago
- ITV News
Ukraine cause akin to Second World War Allies, Starmer says before Alaska talks
Ukraine is fighting for the same values as the Allies did in the Second World War, Sir Keir Starmer has said ahead of a summit in Alaska that could see an end to the conflict against Russia. The Prime Minister addressed a reception, including veterans, to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, which marked the Allies' defeat of Japan. Speaking in Downing Street, Sir Keir said: 'I sat on this terrace this very morning with President (Volodymyr) Zelensky, who is fighting for the same values as we were fighting for. And so when we say never forget, we must pass on the stories of those who have gone before us.' It came as US President Donald Trump suggested European leaders could be invited to a second meeting if the summit is successful, which could pave the way to peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Mr Trump will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday at the summit which could see the drawing up of peace terms for Ukraine. Mr Trump and Sir Keir have spoken optimistically about a potential ceasefire, including at a virtual meeting of Ukrainian allies on Wednesday. Leaders of the European-led 'coalition of the willing' could then join talks between Mr Trump, Mr Putin and Ukrainian leader Mr Zelensky to end the war. The possibility was raised by Mr Trump in the White House on Thursday, before he flew to Anchorage where he will meet Mr Putin. He said: 'We have a meeting with President (Vladimir) Putin tomorrow, I think it's going to be a good meeting. 'But the more important meeting will be the second meeting that we're having. We're going to have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelensky, myself, and maybe we'll bring some of the European leaders along. Maybe not.' The PA news agency understands that Sir Keir will attend a meeting if he is invited. He has been a central player in the coalition group which also includes French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Mr Trump added: 'I think President Putin will make peace. I think President Zelensky will make peace. We'll see if they can get along. And if they can it will be great.' The head of the British armed forces, Sir Tony Radakin, said the West should not be 'cowed' by Mr Putin and praised the strength of Britain and Nato. Writing in the Telegraph on the anniversary of VJ Day, he said: 'Putin doesn't want a war with Nato because he would lose. So we should not be cowed by his rhetoric or his campaign of sabotage, outrageous as it may be. 'The one weapon that is most needed in our arsenal is confidence. Despite the global instability, Britain is secure at home. Nato is strong. Russia is weak. It is not complacent to point this out.' Sir Keir met Mr Zelensky in Downing Street on Thursday. They both said there was 'strong resolve' for peace in Ukraine. The two leaders embraced as the red carpet was rolled out for Mr Zelensky's arrival in Downing Street, and they later discussed the conflict. They expressed cautious optimism about the prospect of a truce 'as long as Putin takes action to prove he is serious' about ending the war, a Downing Street statement said. In a separate statement, Mr Zelensky said there had been discussions about the security guarantees required to make any deal 'truly durable if the United States succeeds in pressing Russia to stop the killing'. But concerns linger over the prospect of Kyiv being excluded from negotiations over its own future, and pressured to cede territory, after Mr Trump suggested any agreement may need to involve 'swapping of land'.
The Independent
44 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ukraine cause akin to Second World War Allies, Starmer says before Alaska talks
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