Israel's exploding pagers plot looks like a masterstroke but it puts peace further away

Israel may be privately celebrating its ingenious sabotage of the pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah, but we should remember that among the fatalities from the explosions were two ­children aged under 12.

This may have been a tactical masterstroke by Jerusalem but it has come at an unacceptable price. It is also questionable whether the subterfuge will bolster Israel’s security.

If anything, the provocation is more likely to inflame tensions on the Lebanese border, increasing the risk that the conflict will ­escalate into a regional war.

A humiliated Hezbollah will be determined to seek revenge. In such a scenario, the primary victims could be innocent civilians in Lebanon who are left yet again fearing they will be dragged into another war.

The possibility of peace looks as distant as ever but the possibility of more innocent people dying looks increasingly likely.

READ MORE: Fresh Lebanon explosions kill 14 - walkie-talkie blasts wreak havoc as Israel declares new war phase

Tories’ legacy

The decision by pharmacists to ballot on industrial action will not have been taken lightly.

Members of the National Pharmacy Association are well aware of how many people rely on their services.

But they argue they have no alternative if they are to halt the decline of local chemists.

Over 1,500 have closed in the past decade, after Tory government funding was cut.

Without additional support more will go to the wall to the detriment of patients and the wider health service. Closures will also put more pressure on GPs at a time when they are already struggling with their workload.

It falls to a Labour government to put right yet another problem they have inherited.

Scupperware

After more than 70 years the party is finally over for Tupperware.

Some are questioning whether the firm could have survived but others claim its demise looks like an open and shut case.

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