Londoner

The High Season may be closer than you think....a recent and visible influx of Russian visitors over the last few days.
Anyone planning to be here in the JC over Christmas and the NY should reserve a room, quickly. Once Moscow temperatures set in.....

Oh another cheap shot and lazy variation of that old "you're an anti-semite" chestnut. Same same when they play victim and throw the word "hate" at you for criticising their genocidal actions. Newsflash: it doesn't work anymore. Israelis aren't a race and I criticise them for their actions and behaviour. I couldn't care less about their skin colour, the language they speak or what god they worship. One could say attempting to purge Palestine of its non-jewish citizens would be bigotry and racism. Zionism is racism.

My immigration form stated that I could not use the electronic gates because my previous entries- about one hundred of them- had not been recognised in the system.
Accordingly, I lined-up at the Priority, whereupon an official looked at my passport , saw numerous stamps and sent me to the electronic gate. I passed through in twenty second

My immigration form stated that I could not use the electronic gates because my previous entries- about one hundred of them- had not been recognised in the system.
Accordingly, I lined-up at the Priority, whereupon an official looked at my passport , saw numerous stamps and sent me to the electronic gate. I passed through in twenty second

My immigration form stated that I could not use the electronic gates because my previous entries- about one hundred of them- had not been recognised in the system.
Accordingly, I lined-up at the Priority, whereupon an official looked at my passport , saw numerous stamps and sent me to the electronic gate. I passed through in twenty second

My partner- active in Pattaya a couple of decades ago- preferred Asians, particularly Japanese, because they paid better and more frequently offered overnight stays. Perhaps things have changed.

My immigration form stated that I could not use the electronic gates because my previous entries- about one hundred of them- had not been recognised in the system.
Accordingly, I lined-up at the Priority, whereupon an official looked at my passport , saw numerous stamps and sent me to the electronic gate. I passed through in twenty second

My immigration form stated that I could not use the electronic gates because my previous entries- about one hundred of them- had not been recognised in the system.
Accordingly, I lined-up at the Priority, whereupon an official looked at my passport , saw numerous stamps and sent me to the electronic gate. I passed through in twenty second

My immigration form stated that I could not use the electronic gates because my previous entries- about one hundred of them- had not been recognised in the system.
Accordingly, I lined-up at the Priority, whereupon an official looked at my passport , saw numerous stamps and sent me to the electronic gate. I passed through in twenty second

Once upon a time, I think I wrote here that I have mixed feelings about e-gates - the usual paranoia that I have no entry stamp or exit stamp in my passport to show that I have not overstayed, in case some corrupt official wants to earn extra money by claiming otherwise.
On the other hand, as more and more countries adopt the technology, it was proving embarrassing to have an abundance of Thailand immigration stamps in my passport, compared to increasingly non existent stamps from other countries I have visited. My passport, with too many Thai stamps, was almost inviting questions from other countries' immigration officials! So maybe it's good now to have e-gates.

In 2004, I made a promise to a Palestinian lawyer; what I write now is part of my attempt to keep it.
I met him in his office in Bethlehem. He wanted me to meet six boys, aged between twelve and fifteen, who had just been released from Israeli custody. They had a story to tell. They had been sexually abused by their captors whom I took to be Shin Bet' operatives. One had also been water-boarded.
"I want you to meet them," he said, "so that they can tell their stories themselves." I said no. What could I say to them? what could I do to help them? and anyway, I wasn't qualified to talk to survivors of sexual abuse. These were my words but , in reality I was too frightened of what my reactions would be were I to meet them.
"Ok," the solicitor said, "but I want you to promise me that when you arrive home you will everyone what is being done to our children."
At that time I knew from my professional work, a member of Tony Blair's Government. I wrote to her . She raised the issue of Israeli sexual abuse at Cabinet and soon I received a letter from the Foreign Office.
Yes. They knew all about it, in particular the torture and rape of a fifteen year -old boy in the Occupied Jerusalem Police HQ. HM Government, the letter said, "had made representations " to the Israel Government.
Nothing has changed. The abuse has continued. No; it has become more prevalent under the present government. And the up-coming elections will change nothing.

Part of my questions to the Madagascar guys is, do you know @Olddaddy ......

But yes, I've had mostly good experiences and repeats with the guys from there...... Nice size piece is all relative, to a chihuahua a hot dog looks like a telephone pole 😆

Cuts force World Food Programme to end support for half a million Palestinians in Gaza
Two-thirds of population face crisis levels of food insecurity and 200,000 people are in danger of famine
Emma Graham-Harrison in Jerusalem and Seham Tantesh in Gaza
Mon 19 Oct 2026 10.54 BST
More than a year after a Trump-brokered ceasefire came into force, promised reconstruction has not begun, there are few jobs and the vast majority in Gaza still rely on aid to eat.
This summer, WFP programmes helped feed three-quarters of Gaza’s population, about 1.6 million people, but funding has fallen by more than half from 2025 levels.
As a result, from October, aid has been scaled back to 1.1 million people each month. Cuts to deliveries of ration boxes, cash stipends to buy food in markets, and hot meals at community kitchens have already been rolled out.
The WFP needs more than £300m over the next six months to restore and maintain critical programmes in Palestine.
A year of large aid shipments ended a famine declared in summer 2025 and reduced the most severe hunger, but without steps to rebuild Gaza’s economy, most families still rely on food handouts.
Gaza was self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables before the war, but the vast majority of farmland has been occupied by Israel’s military. The sophisticated greenhouse and irrigation systems that supported agricultural production have been destroyed.
Fish has historically been a key source of protein in the territory, but the Israeli navy bars fishing boats from waters off the coast.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/19/cuts-world-food-programme-end-support-palestinians-gaza
https://www.wfp.org/support-us/stories/donate-now?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=14484934461&utm_content=128338538564&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=14484934461&gbraid=0AAAAACOf4Hof07F_WbC__6x7jXlfLTCod&gclid=CjwKCAjwotzWBhBFEiwA1JhPoFC8HHh62cbHq79A7UWgm0fgHqyPwdc9YqaktHtWGRU86sEbC5aYvhoCzYQQAvD_BwE

In 2004, I made a promise to a Palestinian lawyer; what I write now is part of my attempt to keep it.
I met him in his office in Bethlehem. He wanted me to meet six boys, aged between twelve and fifteen, who had just been released from Israeli custody. They had a story to tell. They had been sexually abused by their captors whom I took to be Shin Bet' operatives. One had also been water-boarded.
"I want you to meet them," he said, "so that they can tell their stories themselves." I said no. What could I say to them? what could I do to help them? and anyway, I wasn't qualified to talk to survivors of sexual abuse. These were my words but , in reality I was too frightened of what my reactions would be were I to meet them.
"Ok," the solicitor said, "but I want you to promise me that when you arrive home you will everyone what is being done to our children."
At that time I knew from my professional work, a member of Tony Blair's Government. I wrote to her . She raised the issue of Israeli sexual abuse at Cabinet and soon I received a letter from the Foreign Office.
Yes. They knew all about it, in particular the torture and rape of a fifteen year -old boy in the Occupied Jerusalem Police HQ. HM Government, the letter said, "had made representations " to the Israel Government.
Nothing has changed. The abuse has continued. No; it has become more prevalent under the present government. And the up-coming elections will change nothing.

In 2004, I made a promise to a Palestinian lawyer; what I write now is part of my attempt to keep it.
I met him in his office in Bethlehem. He wanted me to meet six boys, aged between twelve and fifteen, who had just been released from Israeli custody. They had a story to tell. They had been sexually abused by their captors whom I took to be Shin Bet' operatives. One had also been water-boarded.
"I want you to meet them," he said, "so that they can tell their stories themselves." I said no. What could I say to them? what could I do to help them? and anyway, I wasn't qualified to talk to survivors of sexual abuse. These were my words but , in reality I was too frightened of what my reactions would be were I to meet them.
"Ok," the solicitor said, "but I want you to promise me that when you arrive home you will everyone what is being done to our children."
At that time I knew from my professional work, a member of Tony Blair's Government. I wrote to her . She raised the issue of Israeli sexual abuse at Cabinet and soon I received a letter from the Foreign Office.
Yes. They knew all about it, in particular the torture and rape of a fifteen year -old boy in the Occupied Jerusalem Police HQ. HM Government, the letter said, "had made representations " to the Israel Government.
Nothing has changed. The abuse has continued. No; it has become more prevalent under the present government. And the up-coming elections will change nothing.

In 2004, I made a promise to a Palestinian lawyer; what I write now is part of my attempt to keep it.
I met him in his office in Bethlehem. He wanted me to meet six boys, aged between twelve and fifteen, who had just been released from Israeli custody. They had a story to tell. They had been sexually abused by their captors whom I took to be Shin Bet' operatives. One had also been water-boarded.
"I want you to meet them," he said, "so that they can tell their stories themselves." I said no. What could I say to them? what could I do to help them? and anyway, I wasn't qualified to talk to survivors of sexual abuse. These were my words but , in reality I was too frightened of what my reactions would be were I to meet them.
"Ok," the solicitor said, "but I want you to promise me that when you arrive home you will everyone what is being done to our children."
At that time I knew from my professional work, a member of Tony Blair's Government. I wrote to her . She raised the issue of Israeli sexual abuse at Cabinet and soon I received a letter from the Foreign Office.
Yes. They knew all about it, in particular the torture and rape of a fifteen year -old boy in the Occupied Jerusalem Police HQ. HM Government, the letter said, "had made representations " to the Israel Government.
Nothing has changed. The abuse has continued. No; it has become more prevalent under the present government. And the up-coming elections will change nothing.

In 2004, I made a promise to a Palestinian lawyer; what I write now is part of my attempt to keep it.
I met him in his office in Bethlehem. He wanted me to meet six boys, aged between twelve and fifteen, who had just been released from Israeli custody. They had a story to tell. They had been sexually abused by their captors whom I took to be Shin Bet' operatives. One had also been water-boarded.
"I want you to meet them," he said, "so that they can tell their stories themselves." I said no. What could I say to them? what could I do to help them? and anyway, I wasn't qualified to talk to survivors of sexual abuse. These were my words but , in reality I was too frightened of what my reactions would be were I to meet them.
"Ok," the solicitor said, "but I want you to promise me that when you arrive home you will everyone what is being done to our children."
At that time I knew from my professional work, a member of Tony Blair's Government. I wrote to her . She raised the issue of Israeli sexual abuse at Cabinet and soon I received a letter from the Foreign Office.
Yes. They knew all about it, in particular the torture and rape of a fifteen year -old boy in the Occupied Jerusalem Police HQ. HM Government, the letter said, "had made representations " to the Israel Government.
Nothing has changed. The abuse has continued. No; it has become more prevalent under the present government. And the up-coming elections will change nothing.

I never claimed you supported American sanctions. I gave examples to show that sanctions and restrictions affecting innocent people are nothing new. That was the point, not an attempt to say something about your political beliefs. In fact, I asked whether you support similar restrictions against Israel.
But let's not forget where this discussion started. Your original objection was to a quote about Zionists, not Israeli tourists. You presented it as an example of hatred. Zionism is a political ideology, (that's is not something I made up) and being against it is not automatically hatred of Jews or Israelis. You said that I'm moving from Zionists to Israelis, yet those were two separate issues until you brought them together. I clearly said what I thought should happen to Zionists and that was very different with what I said about Israelis.
And this is exactly what I mean about getting lost in semantics. I want political pressure on the Israeli government and on Zionism, and that starts with restrictions like on Russia. That doesn't mean I believe every Israeli is a Zionist or supports Netanyahu. My point is that we are standing by and do nothing, or not enough. Russia was banned from Eurovision, but Israel continues to participate. Five countries boycotted in 2026, and so far only two of those have confirmed they will continue their boycott in 2027. So yes, when I see people taking a stand, even on a small scale, I see hope. Nothing makes me angrier than this total lack of action.
Lastly, I am not dismissing your criticism of Department_of_Agriculture, I am ignoring it. He could have said that all gays (including me) should be jailed, or worse than that, I would still judge the quoted statement on its own merits.

Not all. The anti-semitic label or, more accurately, accusation, is still a powerful and effective weapon when used against babyboomers who grew up conditioned into thinking that Israel could do no wrong due to the horrors of the Holocaust, and who in their later life fed off pro-Israeli media such as the BBC, CNN, Fox News and Sky News. Even those who are aware of the injustices Israel have committed against the Palestinians over the last 78 years are afraid to speak the truth out of fear of being cast with the anti-semitic accusation. As you've correctly pointed out, they can't even call what's happening now a genocide which Israeli human rights organisations like Bet Salem and Israeli Holocaust specialists themselves have called a genocide. The babyboomers would tiptoe when discussing Israel, as if it was on a bed of eggshells instead of the land of Palestine, and the slightest criticism of Israel would need to be cushioned by bringing up the Holocaust.
And I haven't brought up the overwhelming influence of Christian Zionism which is arguably is even more venomous than Zionism itself and deserves an entire post/chapter/library by itself.
But things look more promising as we move down the generational line with the millenials, Gen Zs and those at the tail end of Gen X, such as myself. The anti-semitic label has lost its cache and doesn't cut much ice anymore. We consume news differently and are generally pro-active in doing our own research when it comes to issues of social justice especially when we see innocent women and children being gleefully murdered by the "most moral army" in the world.
As a born and bred Southeast Asian, the anti-semitic label, with its western origins, isn't applicable to me. I don't criticise Israeli behaviour because they are jewish, but because they are cruel, immoral, criminal and inhumane. I didn't grow up with stereotypes of jews as immortalised by Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice. On the contrary, my grandparents would reminisce fondly of their Sephardic and Baghdadi jewish friends in Penang and how they would have a meal together and go out dancing after. All that changed with the establishment of Israel in 1948 and jews in Malaysia were constantly harrassed by Israeli terror groups, so that they would all migrate and populate the new state. The same thing was happening to diasporic jewish communities in West and South Asia to induce them to migrate to Israel even though they had lived uneventfully and mostly thrived in those areas for generations.

US sanctions and embargoes, past and present

Country
Period
Main restrictions
Cuba
1960 onward
Extensive trade, financial and investment embargo
Iran
1979 onward
Banking, oil, trade, investment and financial sanctions
North Korea
1950 onward
Extensive trade, financial and technology restrictions
Vietnam
1964–1994
Broad US trade embargo
Iraq
1990–2003
Comprehensive economic sanctions, alongside UN measures
Libya
1980s–2004, renewed 2011
Oil, trade, aviation and financial restrictions
Syria
1979 onward, substantially changed in 2025
Trade, financial and sectoral sanctions
Sudan
1997–2017, plus targeted measures
Broad trade embargo, banking and asset restrictions
Russia
2014 onward, expanded 2022
Banking, energy, technology, investment and asset restrictions
Belarus
2006 onward
Financial, trade and government-linked sanctions
Venezuela
2005 onward, greatly expanded 2017–2019
Financial, petroleum and government-related sanctions
Myanmar (Burma)
1990s onward, varying
Trade, investment, military and financial restrictions
Nicaragua
1980s, renewed targeted measures from 2018
Trade embargo historically; later targeted financial sanctions
South Africa
1986–1994
Anti-apartheid trade, investment and financial restrictions
Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)
1960s–1979
Economic sanctions against minority-rule government
Zimbabwe
2003 onward, restructured 2024
Targeted sanctions against officials and associated entities
Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro
1990s
Trade, financial and investment sanctions
Haiti
1991–1994, later targeted measures
Trade embargoes, asset freezes and other restrictions
Afghanistan
1999–2002, renewed targeted measures after 2021
Taliban-related financial and asset restrictions
Lebanon
Various periods, especially since 2007
Targeted sanctions against individuals and organizations
Somalia
1990s onward
Arms restrictions and targeted financial sanctions
Yemen
2012 onward
Targeted financial and organizational sanctions
South Sudan
2014 onward
Asset freezes, arms restrictions and targeted measures
Democratic Republic of Congo
2000s onward
Arms-related and targeted sanctions
Central African Republic
2014 onward
Arms restrictions, asset freezes and travel restrictions
Mali
2017 onward
Targeted sanctions related to political instability and conflict
Liberia
1990s–2010s
Arms embargoes and targeted sanctions
Sierra Leone
1990s–2000s
Arms, diamond trade and other restrictions
Angola
1990s–2000s
Sanctions targeting UNITA, including diamonds and arms
Rwanda
1994 onward, subsequently relaxed
Arms restrictions
Côte d'Ivoire
2004–2016
Arms, financial and diamond-related sanctions
Eritrea
2009–2018
Arms and targeted financial restrictions
Ethiopia
2021 onward, varying
Targeted sanctions and trade-preference restrictions
China
1989 onward, expanded in later decades
Arms embargo, technology, investment and entity-specific restrictions
Pakistan
1979 onward, intermittently
Nuclear-related aid, military and economic restrictions
India
1998–2001
Nuclear-test-related financial and technology sanctions
Indonesia
1990s–2000s
Military assistance and arms restrictions
Cambodia
1990s onward, varying
Targeted sanctions and trade restrictions
Turkey
2019 and 2020 onward, targeted
Sanctions related to military operations and Russian defence purchases
Guinea-Bissau
2010s
Targeted sanctions associated with political instability
Just a list of your country's activities when it comes to targeting countries that also have innocent people. Sure, some things might only hit governments but the rest does a lot more. So we don't have to treat this as something new.
Russia: Visa restrictions, banking sanctions and exclusion from international sporting and cultural events have affected ordinary Russians, including those who oppose Putin. Why is this not imposed on Israel and do you think it should?
Then you referring to a classroom experiment from decades ago...Palestinian children are dealing with actual discrimination, intimidation, displacement and physical violence this year...today.
Palestine
Children shot, stabbed and pepper-sprayed in occupied Wes...
while in Gaza tens of thousands with life-changing injuries lack access to treatment and rehabilitation, UN agencies warned on Tuesday. “We're seeing attacks become increasingly coordinated,” UN ChildPalestine
Child and man killed near school in Al Mughayyir as settl...
In Deir Dibwan, settlers entered the village and clashed with residents with an armed settler shooting and killing 25-year-old Odeh Awawdeh. Israeli security forces raided the town and closed its entrhttps://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/settlers-block-palestinian-pupils-path-west-bank-school-with-barbed-wire-2026-04-16
UNICEF UK
Childhood defined by struggle for survival in the Gaza Strip
Your explanation of "Never Again" misses the weight of what it actually means.
I have not heard you acknowledge that it is a genocide btw, only that Netanyahu is responsible for what is going on. Like he is doing that in a vacuum and doesn't need support of voters. Israel is having elections in 8 days so we will see where they stand. Until now it is, never again unless we do it.
And yes, I see hope when Israel gets boycotted and it is not as black and white because their government is a murderers bunch. Apparently the behavior of Israelis has been so bad in Thailand that the Thais felt that they had to organize a protest in front of the embassy.
You used a quote in your post:
For me, it doesn't matter who wrote this. I 100% agree with that statement about a disgusting political and national ideology. I understand that your issue with OP runs deeper than this, but quoting that and then talking about hatred...how can you not hate what they stand for?
I am sure that anyone can pick apart everything I have been saying but I hope I am not the only one tired of the semantics and the gaslighting.

Misbehaviour in Thailand by foreign visitors always angers us; our hosts are so generous and warm. Granted that it is a business relationship but seasoned travellers will agree, I'm sure , that there is something particularly welcoming about our reception in Thailand..... as long as we respect the culture and , in particular, the religion.
As far as the Israeli tourists are concerned, we must try to understand why they act like this. There is universal conscription in Israel with very few exceptions apart from Haredim. Most, nearly all, including many women, are either ex or serving soldiers, people who only recently have been engaged in a genocide. engaging in acts of extreme violence and overwhelming , uncontrollable anger directed at an ethnic group.
Many ex soldiers are now under therapy, suffering from PSD, traumatised by what they have seen and done. Such visitors are likely to act offensively. The lack of legal and political consequence engenders a sense of entitlement and so they expect to be granted carte blanche. When they aren't, the anger is palpable. And not just anger; astonishment.
Accordingly, Thais are paying the price for the impunity governments like mine have granted Israel for eighty years.
"Be not deceived; for as ye sow, so shall ye reap."

I don't know about all the other posts you are referring to, I have not read them and have no opinion. I do think it is wild that you use this quote as something that must represent hate. Truer words were never spoke! NEVER AGAIN, remember? Well, it is happening right under our noses and we do not protest enough.
Zionists are the Nazis of our time. Instead of enjoying a peaceful holiday in Thailand, they should be arrested for crimes against humanity. Every time I walk past a restaurant where they announce that Israelis are not welcome it feels like there is still hope. Or is that treatment only just for Russians by way of restricting visas? In Europe that sure seems to be the case.

Misbehaviour in Thailand by foreign visitors always angers us; our hosts are so generous and warm. Granted that it is a business relationship but seasoned travellers will agree, I'm sure , that there is something particularly welcoming about our reception in Thailand..... as long as we respect the culture and , in particular, the religion.
As far as the Israeli tourists are concerned, we must try to understand why they act like this. There is universal conscription in Israel with very few exceptions apart from Haredim. Most, nearly all, including many women, are either ex or serving soldiers, people who only recently have been engaged in a genocide. engaging in acts of extreme violence and overwhelming , uncontrollable anger directed at an ethnic group.
Many ex soldiers are now under therapy, suffering from PSD, traumatised by what they have seen and done. Such visitors are likely to act offensively. The lack of legal and political consequence engenders a sense of entitlement and so they expect to be granted carte blanche. When they aren't, the anger is palpable. And not just anger; astonishment.
Accordingly, Thais are paying the price for the impunity governments like mine have granted Israel for eighty years.
"Be not deceived; for as ye sow, so shall ye reap."

Misbehaviour in Thailand by foreign visitors always angers us; our hosts are so generous and warm. Granted that it is a business relationship but seasoned travellers will agree, I'm sure , that there is something particularly welcoming about our reception in Thailand..... as long as we respect the culture and , in particular, the religion.
As far as the Israeli tourists are concerned, we must try to understand why they act like this. There is universal conscription in Israel with very few exceptions apart from Haredim. Most, nearly all, including many women, are either ex or serving soldiers, people who only recently have been engaged in a genocide. engaging in acts of extreme violence and overwhelming , uncontrollable anger directed at an ethnic group.
Many ex soldiers are now under therapy, suffering from PSD, traumatised by what they have seen and done. Such visitors are likely to act offensively. The lack of legal and political consequence engenders a sense of entitlement and so they expect to be granted carte blanche. When they aren't, the anger is palpable. And not just anger; astonishment.
Accordingly, Thais are paying the price for the impunity governments like mine have granted Israel for eighty years.
"Be not deceived; for as ye sow, so shall ye reap."

Misbehaviour in Thailand by foreign visitors always angers us; our hosts are so generous and warm. Granted that it is a business relationship but seasoned travellers will agree, I'm sure , that there is something particularly welcoming about our reception in Thailand..... as long as we respect the culture and , in particular, the religion.
As far as the Israeli tourists are concerned, we must try to understand why they act like this. There is universal conscription in Israel with very few exceptions apart from Haredim. Most, nearly all, including many women, are either ex or serving soldiers, people who only recently have been engaged in a genocide. engaging in acts of extreme violence and overwhelming , uncontrollable anger directed at an ethnic group.
Many ex soldiers are now under therapy, suffering from PSD, traumatised by what they have seen and done. Such visitors are likely to act offensively. The lack of legal and political consequence engenders a sense of entitlement and so they expect to be granted carte blanche. When they aren't, the anger is palpable. And not just anger; astonishment.
Accordingly, Thais are paying the price for the impunity governments like mine have granted Israel for eighty years.
"Be not deceived; for as ye sow, so shall ye reap."