This week, anyone with an interest in the Middle East should take a moment to acknowledge the unimaginable suffering of the Israel hostages of Hamas and their families and friends. This week a year ago was the start of a series of events that has caused unimaginable suffering to Arab families, also. So...'Why?' We do not know for sure, but do not forget this: In Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the UN this time last year, weeks before the terrorist act on Israel's soil, he advocated, for all to see very clearly, his vision which was the total abolition of Palestine, in its entirety - even holding up a map to the General Assembly to make Israel's position crystal clear. This seems to have been forgotten? For those who justify Israel's war on the grounds that Israel faced/faces a threat to its very existence, here is a reminder for you (this extract is taken from Israel Times 22 September 2023): "Netanyahu brandishes map of Israel that includes West Bank and Gaza at UN speech [picture of Netanyahu giving speech at the UN brandishing map of Israel that includes West Bank and Gaza as within its borders] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu uses a red marker on a map of 'The New Middle East' as he addresses the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, September 22, 2023. (AP/Richard Drew) Palestinian Ambassador to Germany Laith Arafeh calls out Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for brandishing a map of the Middle East in his UNGA speech that showed the West Bank and Gaza as part of Israel. “No greater insult to every foundational principle of the United Nations than seeing Netanyahu display before the UNGA a ‘map of Israel’ that straddles the entire land from the river to the sea, negating Palestine and its people, then attempting to spin the audience with rhetoric about ‘peace’ in the region, all the while entrenching the longest ongoing belligerent occupation in today’s world,” Arafeh tweets." end article. The sincerity of Netanyahu's speech was of course being backed up by increased border creep activity through an aggressive settlements policy at the same time. The Jewish people have a place in this world, just like the rest of the world. They are a wonderful people. But this is just a reminder to all of something we seem to be quick to forget, which is where this current round of violence started.