Terminology, take care. Take care Pearls & Irritations that you don’t fall into the trap – fall into the trap that is being carefully set.

What is the trap? Why, the use of words. What words? Well, words such as ‘Gaza’, ‘Hamas’, ‘Hezbollah’, ‘terrorist’.

What can be wrong with using the word ‘Gaza’ – you say? Well, take the title of Michael Keating’s contribution to Pearls & Irritations edition of 30 November, A ceasefire in Lebanon – Gaza next.

The problem is this. Lebanon is a state, Gaza is a piece of land that forms a part of the State of Palestine. That can be said because the International Court of Justice. (ICJ) has said as much: Advisory Opinion, 19 July 2024. So too has the General Assembly of the United Nations said as much: Resolution – 18 September 2024.

Yes, it is true that Israel does not accept that to be the case. It is anathema for Israel to contemplate the West Bank and East Jerusalem as part of a state called Palestine. Nor would Israel like to see Gaza as a state – particularly one called Palestine. But having all but ended the possibility of human existence in Gaza, Israel can live with, for a time at least, others considering Gaza as a state. Just so long as they don’t look upon Gaza as part of a state, along with the........

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