Ross Meurant: No Happiness is the Enemy

For some time now, media reports in our nearest and most valuable neighbour, Australia, have been reporting on elevated antisemitic pro Palestine tensions.  Melbourne in particular.

Most recently, Breakingviews has carried opinions lauding Netanyahu’s response to Lebanon based Hamas-led militant groups surprise attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which involved a rocket barrage and a few thousand militants breaching the Gaza–Israel barrier, attacking Israeli civilian communities and military bases.

On 28 December 2024, Ashley Church penned a potent justification for Netanyahu’s response: Fighting Fire with fire. (1)   In “comments” Madame Blavatsky penned an equally forceful condemnation.  I penned a more objective (I hope) comment devoid of the passions of Ashley & Madame - as might, “The Man on the Clapham Bus”.

Whatever.  In any debate, there will be opposing views, and it’s healthy that Breakingviews tolerates such discourse.

Observation One:   Wars don’t fix “the problem”.

Resolution of the Ukraine Russian conflict (in my view, will most probably happen during 2025), will not fix “the problem”.  In fact, the brutality of modern-day trench warfare i.e. deadly accurate drones viz random artillery and rifle snipers, and “collateral” (i.e. civilian) casualties – on both sides – from missiles, will surely, only have deepened the century old hatreds which re-surface during Nazi Germany’s use of Ukraine personnel as guards of Russian POWs. (2)

History can be a Bitch. (3)

Netanyahu’s reaction to 7 October, i.e. As of 10 December 2024, over 46,000 people – 44,786 Palestinian and 1,706 Israeli –killed, (4) may well justify Madame Blavatsky’s opinions, especially as the “collateral” damage is overwhelmingly - women and children. 

Hospitals have been targets for Israeli strikes – invariably justified by Netanyahu on the grounds that a cell of Hamas was within the hospital.

For example, on Friday 27 Dec 2024 an estimated 50 people, including medical staff were killed in Israeli air strikes targeting the vicinity of the hospital (the health ministry said).  Israeli forces detained and interrogated medical staff after forcibly evacuating the last major hospital in northern Gaza. (s)

The IDF said it had carried out an operation there, alleging the hospital was a "Hamas terrorist stronghold". (6)

When Lord Kitchener (whom I recently referred to in 2025 Resolutions (7)) took command during the 1899-1902 Boer War, he embarked on a slash and burn campaign; destroying by fire every Boer farm house and incarnating women and children in a newly devised “concentration camps”.  In so doing, he lit the fires of hatred.  In every Boer heart, there was a new resolution:

“Fight till we die for there is nothing left to lose but our lives and they are worth nothing for we have lost all that is dear to us.”

As Formula One driver Nikki Lauder said:

Happiness is the enemy. 
Happiness is something to lose. 
One become afraid to lose. 
One does not take risks.                                                                                   

The problem Netanyahu seeks to eradicate, has highly probably, created a new problem, for he has created many men & boys, who have lost their families and loved ones – and are no longer harnessed by happiness.

As always; be careful for what you wish.

 Ross Meurant BA MPP.  Company Director. www.gena.co.nz  Former Police Inspector, Member of Parliament & Honorary Consul.

References:
(1) https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2024/12/ashley-church-fighting-fire-with-fire.html
(2) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_collaboration_with_Nazi_Germany
(3) https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2024/11/ross-meurant-history-can-be-bitch-once.html
(4) https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/10/9/israel-hamas-war-in-maps-and-charts-live-tracker
(5) https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx26v70n5z4o
(6) Ibid
(7) https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2024/12/ross-meurant-2025-resolution-time-for.html