Israel's actions against Hamas in are abhorrent, but given the history of the area, can anyone really blame them? argues Herald columnist Alan Simpson.

Imagine, if you will, what it would be like to be entirely surrounded by people who want to see you dead and will stop at nothing to make it happen.

I think we would all feel rather uncomfortable with that and would probably try and get our retaliation in first by lashing our or we would arm ourselves with an arsenal of weaponry that might deter attackers.

Regardless, it would not end well for either party and would just end up being a permanent stand-off with the occasional flare-up.

This, of course, is how Israel has felt ever since it declared independence in 1948 and has pretty much been in a permanent state of war which remains to this day.

It is hard not to see the harrowing pictures coming out of Gaza and feel immense anger at the suffering of the ordinary citizens as Israel seeks to destroy Hamas once and for all.

Netanyahu and his barmy army of hatchet men, zealots and moon howlers are certainly not doing themselves any favours and are at very serious risk of becoming an international pariah state.

They could even be kicked out of the Eurovision Song Contest which would be the ultimate humiliation. I jest of course.

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