Living here in the UK I have witnessed the massive public outcry over the Israel-Gaza conflict, from both sides, and have seen the reputation of Israel tumble in the majority of the press and media. However, since the start of the Gazan offensive in December I have found myself questioning my natural inclination to side with the Palestinian peoples in order to try and understand the conflict from both sides. This has been accelerated through heated exchanges with people of Pro-Israel leaning, including those of Israeli descent. I have read articles from various news organisations, both here in the UK but also in Israel and the Arab world.

However, Israel’s parliament yesterday announced the banning of two Arab political parties from running in the upcoming general election. The move was proposed by members of two right-wing parties, but backed by members of the majority of the political parties. The Arab parties concerned have been described by Israeli intelligence as a ’strategic threat’ to Israel’s existence.

It is difficult for me to continue to try and take a moderate line in my opinion of the conflict when Israel seems to be stamping out any glimmer of representation for it’s Arab residents – who make up to 20% of the Israeli population. I sympathise with those living in areas of Israel targeted by the Hamas rockets and for those who have lost friends or relatives to the conflict, but if the internal dialogue between Jewish and Arab Israeli’s is extinguished then there is little hope for widespread condemnation of the Israel-Gaza conflict itself and the reconciliation which is needed.

I hope that Israel begins to understand that removing a section of its populace’s freedom of political expression can only add to the lack of understanding – both domestic and international – which surrounds the Gazan conflict.

After commenting on a friends Facebook status I thought it was time to revive my blogging for 2009. I’ll apologise in advance if my blog once again decends into political obscurity and I will endeavour to keep it as lighhearted as possible.

My friend’s status read:

“[Name] is keen to know which news sites people are using to gain info on the offensive in Gaza. He is using a combo of BBC, Haaretz and CNN“

Even though I knew that replying to the thread would once again open the door to hours of Israel-Palestine debate I couldn’t help myself. I commented that most of my news about the conflict in Gaza was from The Guardian newspaper and the BBC News website, even admitting that this mix is a little skewed toward to left of the spectrum. A friend of his posted a link to The Muqata Blogspot which is an Israel-leaning blog of someone living near the Northern Shomron communities. Their was also a comment about the quality of the new coming from Al-Jazeera, the level of quality or lack thereof (not my words) and a joke about someone getting their news from CCTV.

I just think that it’s interesting that the blindingly obvious to a person who gains their knowledge of situations from one source can be completely different to that of someone gaining it from another. If I chose to read the Mail every day, then I should beforehand bear in mind that after a while I may turn into a racist. This [the Mail], thankfully, is best avoided.

In the end, the friend deleted my comments from his Facebook, causing me to ask whether he and China had been sharing tips on internet censorship.