The discovery of the bodies of six hostages in one of the many tunnels underneath the Gaza Strip has unleashed an intense round of pain and fury in Israel. Hamas bears responsibility for their deaths – the seizure and holding of civilians is a war crime. At the same time, the failure of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to agree a ceasefire deal now faces an unprecedented level of scrutiny at home.
Crowds estimated by Israeli media to number up to half a million would be impressive in any country, let alone one with a population of fewer than 10 million people. They are demanding that Netanyahu do more to ensure the return of the remaining 101 hostages held by Hamas, of whom it is understood that a third are dead.
To that end, unions have called for a general strike, which succeeded in shutting Ben Gurion Airport as well as a range of municipal services in Tel Aviv. Opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid added his support. The question is whether direct action at this level of intensity can be sustained, and if it will have any impact on the direction of the war.
What has been apparent throughout his career has only grown more obvious in the last 11 months. Netanyahu cares only about ensuring his own political survival, and the fate of all others – from the hostages to that of the nation itself – must come a distant second.
What’s the story, Ticketmaster?
From the excitement of the initial announcement to the frustration of actually trying to secure a ticket. The whole Oasis reunion has had an air of inevitability about it.
Consider the fans stuck in a virtual queue for hours, only to be told that the cost had doubled due to ‘dynamic pricing’. It has upset enough people that the Government has vowed to investigate the practice.
There will always be expensive tickets and disappointed fans when it comes to big name concerts. And they don’t come much bigger than an Oasis comeback tour. But there should not be an expectation that music (and nostalgia) lovers will be raided for everything they have got. For the sheer brazenness, Ticketmaster and its ilk ought to expect a little government intervention.
Paris keeping the rings
Listen, Paris. London loves you like a brother, and we were even happy to act as the unofficial overflow city for the 2024 Games. No bed bugs here. But the idea that your city should keep the Olympic rings in perpetuity deserves a Gallic snort of epic proportions.
Mayor Anne Hidalgo says Paris has fallen in love with the Olympics and wants “the two to remain married”. Has she asked the permission of the Games’ other special friends?
That the rings should remain on the Eiffel Tower is perhaps a form of cosmic justice, forever aggravating traditionalists and locals alike, many of whom have long viewed the structure as something of an embarrassing eyesore.
