Which one should be excluded from the Olympics?

In the Olympic football match between France and Mali, the tension between Palestinians and Israelis emerged. According to a report by The Finnish Broadcasting company Yle, it was mainly about pro-Palestinian demonstrations and the reactions of Israelis to them. However, direct violence was avoided.

The report mentioned - once again - that "due to the Gaza war, some countries participating in the games have demanded the exclusion of Israel from the Olympic movement. This has not happened, which has raised the security threat towards the games."

This demand is peculiar because the current events in Gaza were triggered by an exceptionally brutal terrorist attack carried out by Palestinians, during which a large number of hostages were taken. And Israel's actions are specifically a response to this.

Thus, the first step towards calming the situation in Gaza should come from the Palestinians, more specifically their terrorist organization Hamas. In practice, this would mean the release of all hostages and the return of the bodies of any individuals who may have died in their hands.

From this perspective, everyone can of course draw their own conclusions about which party should be excluded from the games if such action were to be taken. Israel, which has gone to war as a result of terrorism, or - likewise participating in the games - Palestine, which has not clearly distanced itself from Hamas, but whose administration has even sought reconciliation with it?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
According to the Israeli army, Hamas cannot be defeated
Two out of three Palestinians support October 7 attack
University of Helsinki gained an anti-Semitic reputation

According to the Israeli army, Hamas cannot be defeated

Israel is stuck in its war in the Gaza Strip. As a result, it has also had to admit that terrorism and the terror-driven Hamas cannot be ideologically destroyed.

According to the army spokesperson, "Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a party. It is rooted in people's hearts. Those who think we can destroy Hamas are wrong." He concluded that the only way to overcome Palestinian terror is to find an ideological alternative to it.

Against this backdrop, it was interesting to see an anti-government demonstration in Tel Aviv yesterday, which perhaps had as many as 150,000 participants. The former head of Israel's internal intelligence service also spoke at the event, stating that he considers Netanyahu the worst prime minister in the country's history.

The demonstration, which included rather wild situations as evaluated from a Finnish perspective, demanded two things: new elections and the release of hostages. In other words, the fall of the current Israeli government and goodwill from the terrorists.

The news report did not mention who the participants were, but based on the pictures, they appeared to be Israeli citizens. Thus, the unity of the Jewish state against the enemy seems to be breaking down more seriously.

It remains to be seen how this will affect the ongoing war and its outcome for the Palestinians, the state of Israel, and the hostages. However, it is clear that increasing opposition to the war will not improve Netanyahu's position in the eventual peace negotiations, nor will it improve the situation of the hostages.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Two out of three Palestinians support October 7 attack
University of Helsinki gained an anti-Semitic reputation
The first casualty of war is the truth - but whose truth?

Norway and Ireland are awarding the terrorists a prize

Norway, Spain and Ireland are going to announce their recognition of the State of Palestine, which in reality does not even exist. There is only the West Bank, dependent on Israel, and the Gaza Strip, controlled by terrorists before the ongoing war.

The timing chosen by Norway and Ireland to recognize this non-existent state is, to say the least, peculiar. The part of it governed by Hamas has started a war with one of the cruelest terrorist acts in history and taken numerous hostages. During the offensive operation launched to rescue these hostages, Palestinian fighters have used hospitals as bases and shielded themselves behind civilians, leading to unnecessary loss of life.

From all this, Norway and Ireland have now concluded that it is time to reward Hamas by recognizing the State of Palestine. How should I put it: this is simply sick.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
United Nations, corruption and terrorism
Palestinian responsibility
Palestinians: acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom!

During the Eurovision song spectacle, the incompetence of EU officials was revealed

During the Eurovision spectacle, the confrontation between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has escalated to a new phase. This means that the terrorists' last stronghold is becoming the target of an Israeli attack, and therefore the army of the Jewish state has ordered civilians to evacuate from the eastern Ramallah area.

There seem to be three reasons for this. Firstly, to prevent civilian casualties, and secondly, to prevent them from being used as human shields by terrorists. Thirdly, reducing the population may facilitate the discovery of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

All of this is happening despite the disapproval of Israel's evacuation orders by Charles Michel, the Belgian chairman of the European Council. So, would he, as a high-ranking EU official sometimes referred to as the EU president, think it better if Palestinian terrorists were given the opportunity to use human shields, thereby increasing the number of civilian casualties in the Gaza conflict? Or should the hostages captured by Hamas be left in their hands?

According to Michel, "all efforts must continue to achieve a sustainable ceasefire agreement. The EU is committed to a just and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution."

This repeats the mantra that only complicates the situation in the Holy Land, as not all Palestinians accept a two-state solution, nor will Israelis sit idly by in the face of continued rocket attacks and other acts of terror. Therefore, to solve the Palestinian problem, creative thinking is needed instead of incessantly advocating for a two-state solution, as I provided an example last Christmas.

It would also be good if the President of the European Council had heard of Finland´s former President Juho Kusti Paasikivi and understood that acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom.

In the short term, this would mean following the example of US President Joe Biden. That is, understanding that a ceasefire would begin tomorrow if Hamas released the hostages. According to Biden: "Israel said it's up to Hamas, if they wanted to do it, we could end it tomorrow. And the ceasefire would begin tomorrow".

This (too) raised the question of how the European Union chooses its high-ranking officials. Apparently, not based on logical reasoning or strong understanding.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Christmas gift to the Holy Land
Palestinian responsibility
Palestinians: acknowledging facts is the beginning of wisdom!