About 600 of their number have already been killed in retaliatory air strikes against the armed Palestinian group Hamas, who have been in control of the strip since 2007.

The attacks, which saw more than 3,000 rockets being fired into Israel, were timed to mark the end of a religious festival and recalled the shock of the 1973 Yom Kippur war, one of the defining world events of the past 50 years, when an Arab coalition led by Egypt and Syria attempted to regain territory lost in the Six Day War of 1967.

Such symbolic dates are usually subject to enhanced scrutiny by Tel Aviv’s internal and external spy agencies, Shin Bet and Mossad.

The 1967 and 1973 wars created circumstances and territorial changes which cause resentment, and conflict to this day. 

Tension with Hamas had been stabilised since 2021 through incentives for residents of Gaza to work in Israel or on the West Bank. 

But this weekend’s startling assaults have damaged the security credentials of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government in the same way that premier Golda Meir was tarnished by the Yom Kippur invasions.

The bloody evidence, much circulated throughout social media, of actions by Hamas gunmen, and the taking of hostages plus the blow to Netanyahu’s credibility mean that there is no swift point of settlement. 

In addition, Netanyahu has been facing strong domestic protests over plans to weaken the Supreme Court while he is on trial for corruption.

Peril already attends upon the world in Ukraine, and we now have a new front being renewed in Palestine. Every step moves us closer towards the void.

Ageing well

As anthems go, ‘Ireland’s Call’, has both its fans and its detractors, but its third verse might have been written with Cork’s Peter O’Mahony, the steely colossus of Saint-Denis, in mind.

“We will fight, until we can fight no more ‘Til our final requiem is spoken” it proclaims, and the words fit Ireland’s latest centurion as snugly as the 100% recycled polyester match shirt which he modelled at the kit launch back in July.

Some broadcasters devoted a feature before the thunderous game with South Africa a fortnight ago to the dominance of the Leinster influence in Ireland’s success. 

They will have to rewrite that script after the impact of O’Mahony on Saturday and, perhaps, include a chapter on how to deliver a world-class glower after Australian referee Nic Berry interposed his body to end a potential try-scoring move.

There have been few disappointments in a career of great moments and achievements. One might be his sending off and suspension following a crucial encounter with Wales in the Six Nations two years ago. 

Another would be his dropping by Warren Gatland for the second and third tests between the Lions and the All Blacks in 2017, a tour on which he became the first Cork man to captain the side since Tom Kiernan.

But for now, the former Presentation Brothers pupil is walking, talking proof that the crafts of the forward, like most red wines, only improve with age. 

As he stared into the hordes of green in Paris — dubbed Dublin-sur-Seine by one journalist — O’Mahony might have spared a thought for his next opponent, one who achieved his 150th cap for New Zealand this weekend, Sam Whitelock, who plays his rugby for Pau in the Pyrenees. 

It will be the clash of the 34-year-olds. You wouldn’t want to be caught between them.

No such thing as free money

There’s an attention-grabbing moment in the Netflix documentary about David Beckham where the former Manchester United player explains his policy on money: “Get it, spend it.” 

This raised the eyebrows of Roy Keane, his then captain, who recounts: “He came in and he was like ‘I’ve just bought a fancy pen,’ and we were like ‘Who the fuck buys a pen? Who buys an expensive pen?’ Shirts and clothes I get all that and cars, but who buys a pen?”

The anecdote about what people might do with disposable income might commend itself to ministers Michael McGrath and Paschal Donohoe as they put the finishing touches to Budget 2024 which could arguably be the last financial reckoning on their watch depending on the date of the next election.

Most of the sage advice is that the high summer of public finances is coming to an end with recent declines in corporate tax receipts; the looming expenses of climate change; the costs of an ageing population; international markets for government borrowing getting the jitters and terrible, and potentially long-term, instability in Ukraine, and now the Middle East.

So, the conflicts tomorrow will be between prudence, demands from spending departments in politically sensitive areas such as health, housing, and childcare, and an electorate looking for some respite from relentless inflation which started to rise in April 2021.

Given that Ireland has substantial reserves and cash it is going to be difficult to resist demands for expenditure across a wide range of pet projects and ambitions and to counsel restraint to ensure that resource is properly targeted to ensure reliable financial returns and social and structural progress in the future.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin says Tuesday’s package would aim to “future-orient” Ireland for the economic and environmental challenges ahead. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said the benefit to a middle-earning worker will come to more than €1,000.

Back in 2004, in what seemed simpler and less complex days, there was a chart-topping album in Ireland by the English rapper Mike Skinner entitled 'A Grand Don’t Come For Free'. 

Given the current popularity of songs from that year in the public soundtrack, it would be a good idea to have it playing while the fiscal statement goes to print. 

With perhaps an updated lyric warning about the dangers of pursuing an expansionary programme while inflation is still running high.