The contrast between the august library at a well-respected think tank in central London and the 43-minute film screened within it was acute. This organisation is devoted to fostering measured research and civilised debate, men and women employing humankind’s best attributes to try to solve differences and problems. The images screened at its headquarters last night, however, showed our species at its absolute rock-bottom worst.
You know, intellectually, that we humans are capable of behaving like this. But to read about such brutality happening long ago is one thing; to watch what happened in southern Israel seven weeks ago on a screen, much of it joyously filmed by the perpetrators, is something else. There were about 30 of us in the room, hardened hacks, defence
