Anzac Day (the anniversary of the disastrous Gallipoli landings in 1915) is always a sad day, but even more so this year, with the horrors unfolding before us in Gaza.
The carve-up of the Ottoman Empire by the British and French, of which the Gallipoli campaign was part is the direct cause of the current catastrophe. As well as grabbing colonial possessions for themselves, the Allies made promises to Jews (seeking a homeland) and Arabs (seeking independence from Turkey) which could not both be kept. The resulting conflict has never ended.
The war in Ukraine is also a consequence of the disaster that was rightly called the Great War, and of which the 1939-45 War and the Cold War were continuations. But that’s enough sadness for one day.
John Quiggin 
It seems that the ANZACS fought for colonialism and it was colonialism that fostered anti semitism and islamophobia.
Lest we forget.
Just to state what may be obvious … silence doesn’t mean I don’t care. I’m just not sure what to say. Also I don’t want to come un-armed to a history fight, since even though I’ve read David Fromkin’s book, it was very complicated and I’ve forgotten most of it. I guess I tend to think that after a certain amount of time has gone by, it’s not useful to talk about what may or may not have been a mistake 100 years ago. (Obviously Hamas disagrees.) It seems to me there is room for two countries there, if people could accept that. If they can’t, I don’t know what to tell you. I wish all those people hadn’t been killed, regardless of side.