The West has united in backing Israel since Saturday's armed attack by Hamas. And western governments have avoided criticising the intensive Israeli bombing of Gaza. So how is western policy towards Israel and Palestine over decades, affecting the situation today? 

Presenter: James Bays 

Guests: 
Abdullah Al-Arian, associate professor of history at Georgetown University in Qatar. He is a specialist on U.S. Middle East policy. 

Maria Luisa Fantappie, head of the Middle East and Africa program for the Italian think tank, Instituto Affari Internazionali.

Richard Boyd Barrett, a member of the Irish Parliament with the People Before Profit Party.