Israeli family of five killed by Palestinian militants in West Bank attack

[bangkokeddy]

Gathering stones to throw at Israelis? I doubt it.

They do kill them by mistake when targeting active missile launchers that Hamas had purposely put in areas with human shields.

[LaoPo]

It wasn't just me*, concluding it was a very unwise and extremely hasty (within 24 hours) decision by the Israeli government to build 500 more houses on the occupied West Bank in retaliation of the murders....

A responsible government would calm, not escalate

A single cell of murderers has come and changed the trend of Netanyahu and Barak's actions to a toughening of positions and the decision to build 500 new housing units in the settlements.

Haaretz Editorial

The despicable murder of five members of the Fogel family on Saturday is a crime against every human being. But the atrocity in Itamar is not only a criminal act. It was committed in a diplomatic and security context, and we have to examine its background and consequences. Not, heaven forbid, to justify what cannot be justified or grant absolution. Instead, we have to study the complex situation that makes Israel responsible for preventing an escalation that could result in many new victims.

A diplomatic stagnation marks relations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Both sides have contributed to this, as has the ineffectiveness of the U.S. administration under President Barack Obama. Two years after his administration and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government took over, there has been no progress on the formula that ostensibly everyone agrees on: the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. The diplomatic vacuum is enabling extremist elements on both sides - terror organizations (and individuals acting alone ) on the one side and settlers ravenous for more territory and a price tag on the other - to take the initiative and dictate events instead of the leaders.

In recent weeks, under pressure from visitors from Washington, Berlin and other foreign capitals, Netanyahu seems to be signaling he intends to unveil a more moderate policy in about two months. Moreover, he and his partner, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, have explained that the moderation will not be a favor to the Palestinians, but rather what Israel needs. They have also promised to evacuate settlements built on privately owned land stolen from Palestinians. For a moment it appeared that the government, to develop a moderate image, was heading for a clash with the settlers.

Now, a single cell of murderers has come and changed the trend of Netanyahu and Barak's actions to a toughening of positions and the decision to build 500 new housing units in the settlements. This is a terrible decision that will neither placate the settlers nor prevent a revenge attack by the lawless among them. In addition, it is making things difficult for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, angering Obama and feeding the unrest in the territories in advance of tomorrow, a day of planned demonstrations.

A responsible government would act now to calm and not to escalate, to pursue a diplomatic solution and not a belligerent confrontation. But in Jerusalem we don't have a government like that.

From: http://www.haaretz.c...calate-1.349046

* http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__4279117

LaoPo

[Jingthing]

People who think Israelis are all fascists should read Haaretz on a regular basis. Excellent source, LP.

[bangkokeddy]

People who think Israelis are all fascists should read Haaretz on a regular basis. Excellent source, LP.

It think people who quickly label others as fascist don't read so much newspapers at all.

[midas]

What is clear is that you often condemn Israel in a most hateful manner, and apparently feel justified.

I dont think it is necessary to condemn Israel.....but i do believe the world

should wake up to the tactics they use by their own admission

[LaoPo]

Here's one conspiracy theory shot to pieces...

_______________________________________________________

"The alarm was raised by the couple's 12-year-old daughter, who had been at an event organised by a religious youth movement on the settlement and returned home to find the bloodsoaked scene. Two other children, who had been asleep at the time of the attack, were unharmed."

If one believes the Guardian, read more here: http://www.guardian....h-family-killed

That's correct, I've read that too, some 12-14 hours ago; I think we all have to stand corrected since the original news articles reported something different, at first.

That the army is searching and hunting down for the murderers is very understandable but I am questioning the way the soldiers behave towards people, living in their homes....those soldiers behave like animals (but I'm sure someone steps in, telling that the murderer(s) behaved like animal(s) too; that's correct and I fully agree, but does that give the soldiers carte blanche to do the same to innocent people?)

"In Awata, Khalil Shurrab said that "many, many soldiers" had come in the early hours, going house to house to round up people suspected of involvement in the killings. Residents showed visitors spent tear gas canisters and rooms in houses that they said had been trashed by soldiers.

Hilary Minch, a volunteer with a Christian monitoring group based near Nablus, said the army had used live ammunition and stun grenades. "The next 24 hours will be very tense," she said. "The villagers fear retribution by the settlers."

From the link, above -Guardian-

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

People who think Israelis are all fascists should read Haaretz on a regular basis. Excellent source, LP.

Thank you:

"Its editorial pages are considered influential among government leaders"

<snip>

"Despite its relatively low circulation, Haaretz is considered Israel's most influential daily newspaper.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} Its readership includes Israel's intelligentsia and its political and economic elites.^[12][13][14] Surveys show that Haaretz readership has a higher-than-average education, income, and wealth; most are Ashkenazim.^[6][15]Shmuel Rosner, the newspaper's former U.S. correspondent, told The Nation, "people who read it are better educated and more sophisticated than most, but the rest of the country doesn't know it exists."^[6]"

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haaretz

LaoPo

[Jingthing]

As if I needed confirmation of my sophistication ...

[LaoPo]

As if I needed confirmation of my sophistication ...

LaoPo

[Wallaby]

Jingthing you crack me up sometimes.

[metisdead]

One member inquired as to merging the 2 threads, not possible due to Google search, SEO, etc.

As this thread has had more than enough off topic bickering and accusations, will close this one.

CLOSED