Opportunism in Gaza

Thanks to the Labour leader here, Chris Hipkins, for finally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Has the new National-led Government lost its sense of history there?

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has openly promoted Hamas to lead the Palestinians because he knows that will halt majority international support for a Palestinian state. With the election of the acknowledged most right-wing government in Israel's history, Israel has taken a course of desperation in Gaza. We should be careful to call the Hamas attack a massive failure of Israeli intelligence. It has given Netanyahu what he wanted, a chance to unleash an apocalyptic response.

Richard Keller, Wellington