Israel PM vows further Gaza campaign

[ezzra]

Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits

other than being donkey riding, backward, fragmented tribal society ruled by tyrants and mad man

bent on endless wars and destruction of other nations???? I mean what contribution to science, medicine

technology, agriculture? how many Noble prizes have they won? none, Nada, zilch...

Israel has won 12 Noble prizes so far, and is in front line of every sciences know to man

as well as being the democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights

to their Jewish fellow citizens, sure not all is rosy there, but this is a fully pledged democracy

there, and no one gets his head chapped off......unlike other Arab counties....

[CBR250]

Hamas is an operable cancer whom the Palestinians on mass voted into power knowing full well the ideology and doctrine of this organization dedicated to the annihilation of the Jewish race and the destruction of the state of Israel.

The Israelis are totally justified in the actions they are taking by way of retaliation and also in their position that requires Palestine to be demilitarized. Anything less would be a waste of time.

This is a war between ideologies where there is little distinction between combatants and civilians and civilian casualties are a norm in such actions. We hear only about the Israeli attacks with little about the myriad of Hamas rocket fired covertly and indiscriminately into Israeli territory.

If Israel wanted they could totally destroy Palestine but they don't, they send in retaliatory strikes to Hamas aggressions. They show that they have both tactical and logistic superiority in order to try and impress the Palestinians as to the inept and futile acceptance of Hamas as representative of the rights of the Palestinian people.

If the Palestinians truly want peace, then they who placed this cancer in power, have to become part of the solution in its absolute removal and accept the conditions imposed in order to avoid any further repetition. Under such condition the state of Israel would aid them in their development to grow and prosper.

Hamas was voted into power because they were an alternative to the corruption of Fatah at that time, and also because they were the only organisation offering extensive welfare and social support (school funding, soup kitchens, health clinics etc). I doubt that their ideology was the central consideration in 2005. Although the fact that Israel had blockaded Gaza since 2001, preventing the entry of essential supplies, prohibiting travel, destroying the local economy etc may have encouraged a more hardline stance from many Palestinians. I daresay that had you been living under the occupation at that time you may well have voted for Hamas too.

And I remind you that Hamas in May this year agreed to the temporary Unity government with Fatah. This Unity Government recognised the right to existence of Israel, and the need for a negotiated peace. Hamas even agreed to NOT have Hamas members in that government so that Israel couldn't object. A perfect opportunity to start having a friendly little chat one would think. So, what did Bibi Netanyahu, Lieberman and the other Colonists in the Knesset do? Spat the dummy. Refused to recognise the Unity Government. Also asked the US and EU to refuse to recognise them - and wasn't Bibi peed off when they didn't! Bibi started a war less than a month later. Face facts - the current Israeli government has absolutely no interest in peace. They use the war as a means to maintain power, and as a smokescreen for the continuing theft of Israeli land on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

[winstonc]

Hamas is an operable cancer whom the Palestinians on mass voted into power knowing full well the ideology and doctrine of this organization dedicated to the annihilation of the Jewish race and the destruction of the state of Israel.

The Israelis are totally justified in the actions they are taking by way of retaliation and also in their position that requires Palestine to be demilitarized. Anything less would be a waste of time.

This is a war between ideologies where there is little distinction between combatants and civilians and civilian casualties are a norm in such actions. We hear only about the Israeli attacks with little about the myriad of Hamas rocket fired covertly and indiscriminately into Israeli territory.

If Israel wanted they could totally destroy Palestine but they don't, they send in retaliatory strikes to Hamas aggressions. They show that they have both tactical and logistic superiority in order to try and impress the Palestinians as to the inept and futile acceptance of Hamas as representative of the rights of the Palestinian people.

If the Palestinians truly want peace, then they who placed this cancer in power, have to become part of the solution in its absolute removal and accept the conditions imposed in order to avoid any further repetition. Under such condition the state of Israel would aid them in their development to grow and prosper.

i like that bit israeli territory...whose was is before...???...we all know.dont we...best not say though truth seems to hurt to many..bit like mentioning the name of the scottish play....

[Thaiready]

Just like a Liberal......they think if they keep spewing the same crap it makes it right..sometimes you just can't fix Stupid......"Roll on Israel"

[winstonc]

Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits

other than being donkey riding, backward, fragmented tribal society ruled by tyrants and mad man

bent on endless wars and destruction of other nations???? I mean what contribution to science, medicine

technology, agriculture? how many Noble prizes have they won? none, Nada, zilch...

Israel has won 12 Noble prizes so far, and is in front line of every sciences know to man

as well as being the democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights

to their Jewish fellow citizens, sure not all is rosy there, but this is a fully pledged democracy

there, and no one gets his head chapped off......unlike other Arab counties....

true why chop their heads off just bomb them.....that seems to be the norm...israel deserves everything it gets...they stole the land in 47..and have been expanding ever since...and they wonder why..no-one likes them..except a few blinkered people...still feeling guilty about the holocaust...remember the words from roger walters..(amused to death) the germans kill the jews..the jews kill the arabs..the arabs kill the hostages..

[dexterm]

ezzra wrote,

"that's is the different between the Israelis and the Arabs, the Israelis

don't hate the Arabs, while the same can't be said about the Arabs."

Maybe you should tell a few of these Israelis who apparently love Arabs so much that they have lapsed a little lately in their warmth and cuddliness.

Jewish terrorist gangs on a daily basis humiliate, and beat up Palestinians then vandalize their property

Try http://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/Price%20tag-1.477120 for a few Haaretz headlines

Israeli police force must tackle hate crimes

'Price tag' vandals hit settlers' home being built by Palestinian laborers

Palestinian car vandalized in an alleged 'price tag' attack, West Bank.

Teen from West Bank settlement charged in Abu Ghosh hate crime

Anti-Christian graffiti spray-painted on Be'er Sheva church

Galilee man indicted for hate crimes against Arabs

Police caught Adir Yosef slashing the tires of a car in Upper Yokne’am on the eve of Israeli Independence Day.

Three settlers charged with hate crimes in Arab Galilee town

Yitzhar youths indicted for puncturing tires on 44 Arab-owned cars and writing anti-Arab graffiti.

Israel Police arrests three youths over hate crimes in Arab town

Suspects, all learn at the same yeshiva high school in the settlement of Yitzhar.

Four suspected of spraying anti-Arab graffiti, other property damage in Yokneam; another four accused of attacking Arabs in Jerusalem, and coordinating attacks via WhatsApp.

The Jewish youths who burnt to death the Palestinian teenager last month had affiliations with the La Familia Fan group of Soccer club Beitar Jerusalem... “ [the focus of investigation] is likely to end a long-standing refusal by the Israeli government and football association to crack down on rabidly anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim soccer club Beitar Jerusalem FC and its notorious La Familia fan group. The club has long enjoyed the support of Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and other prominent right-wing personalities.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-dorsey/israeli-investigation-int_b_5562375.html

[winstonc]

Hamas is an operable cancer whom the Palestinians on mass voted into power knowing full well the ideology and doctrine of this organization dedicated to the annihilation of the Jewish race and the destruction of the state of Israel.

The Israelis are totally justified in the actions they are taking by way of retaliation and also in their position that requires Palestine to be demilitarized. Anything less would be a waste of time.

This is a war between ideologies where there is little distinction between combatants and civilians and civilian casualties are a norm in such actions. We hear only about the Israeli attacks with little about the myriad of Hamas rocket fired covertly and indiscriminately into Israeli territory.

If Israel wanted they could totally destroy Palestine but they don't, they send in retaliatory strikes to Hamas aggressions. They show that they have both tactical and logistic superiority in order to try and impress the Palestinians as to the inept and futile acceptance of Hamas as representative of the rights of the Palestinian people.

If the Palestinians truly want peace, then they who placed this cancer in power, have to become part of the solution in its absolute removal and accept the conditions imposed in order to avoid any further repetition. Under such condition the state of Israel would aid them in their development to grow and prosper.

Hamas was voted into power because they were an alternative to the corruption of Fatah at that time, and also because they were the only organisation offering extensive welfare and social support (school funding, soup kitchens, health clinics etc). I doubt that their ideology was the central consideration in 2005. Although the fact that Israel had blockaded Gaza since 2001, preventing the entry of essential supplies, prohibiting travel, destroying the local economy etc may have encouraged a more hardline stance from many Palestinians. I daresay that had you been living under the occupation at that time you may well have voted for Hamas too.

And I remind you that Hamas in May this year agreed to the temporary Unity government with Fatah. This Unity Government recognised the right to existence of Israel, and the need for a negotiated peace. Hamas even agreed to NOT have Hamas members in that government so that Israel couldn't object. A perfect opportunity to start having a friendly little chat one would think. So, what did Bibi Netanyahu, Lieberman and the other Colonists in the Knesset do? Spat the dummy. Refused to recognise the Unity Government. Also asked the US and EU to refuse to recognise them - and wasn't Bibi peed off when they didn't! Bibi started a war less than a month later. Face facts - the current Israeli government has absolutely no interest in peace. They use the war as a means to maintain power, and as a smokescreen for the continuing theft of Israeli land on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

doubt youl get many likes for writing the truth..people dont like it on this forum..

[CBR250]

Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits

other than being donkey riding, backward, fragmented tribal society ruled by tyrants and mad man

bent on endless wars and destruction of other nations???? I mean what contribution to science, medicine

technology, agriculture? how many Noble prizes have they won? none, Nada, zilch...

Israel has won 12 Noble prizes so far, and is in front line of every sciences know to man

as well as being the democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights

to their Jewish fellow citizens, sure not all is rosy there, but this is a fully pledged democracy

there, and no one gets his head chapped off......unlike other Arab counties....

"Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits"

Actually, much of modern medicine, architecture and mathematics is a result of the work of Arab scholars. Recently they haven't done a lot, but I guess the Palestinians could argue that they have had other preoccupations.

Nobel prizes?

Palestine has one. Egypt has 5. Iran has 1.

"...democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights to their Jewish fellow citizens".

You must be one of the few people in the world who actually believe this propaganda. The Israeli State Commission of Inquiry into the 2000 riots reported that:

"... structural and systematic discrimination (is) suffered by Arab citizens".

Haaretz (a Jewish organisation) 10 years later claims nothing has improved - discrimination is still widespread. They note, for example, that while there has been equal growth rates in the populations of Arab and Jewish Israelis, the government has built over 700 new settlements for Jewish Israelis. For Arab Israelis? Not one. (http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.550152)

and:

"While Palestinian citizens of Israel do have the right to vote they are otherwise second class citizens. They suffer from systematic discrimination on most every level. Over 50 Israeli laws against Palestinian citizens of Israel. They benefit from less public services than Jewish Israelis, experience discrimination in housing and employment, and the few elected Palestinian members of Israel’s Knesset are constantly under attack". (http://mondoweiss.net/2014/07/silences-palestinian-citizens.html)

A good idea to check your facts before you jump in feet first.

[Morch]

Here's my last word on the subject. It the only fact we really need.

Israel should never have been established in the first place.

Nearly every country in the world evolved from another scenario. Would that we could fine tune allegiances to suit our individual fancies. Perhaps Manchuria would revert to being a state of Japan, Burma would be English, Ethiopia would be part of Italy, Tibet would be independent, Singapore would be part of Malaya, ....and so on. But for the brief 5,000 years that people have been the dominant species on Earth, military might has usually been the deciding factor. Israel is keeping that tradition going, though with slight alterations: Israel could have kept the Golan Heights which it took from Syria. It could have kept the Sinai Peninsula, instead of giving it back to Egypt. Israel, using military might, could expel all Palistinians from Gaza and the West Bank if chose to do so. It doesn't, because it's seeking a political solution. Palestinians aren't and prove it by continually not agreeing to options put forth by mediators. Or they appear to agree, then walk out of negotiations, and resume fighting. It's a like a boxer who loses a fight, but continues to get up and continues to get bloodied and knocked down.

Israel actually kept the Golan Heights, and annexed it in 1981.

To say that Israel seeks a political solution would be stretching reality. The current Israeli government is not after any kind of peace deal involving major concessions and compromises. It mostly plays for time, although it is not quite clear to what end.

The lack of decisive military action on Israel's side does not equal being pro-peace. More to do with a stalemate between not wanting to let go and not willing to go too far. The result is a futile continuation of the same old. This ongoing no-policy remains in place also due to the actions and stance of a similarly gutless Palestinian leadership.

[ezzra]

ezzra wrote,

"that's is the different between the Israelis and the Arabs, the Israelis

don't hate the Arabs, while the same can't be said about the Arabs."

Maybe you should tell a few of these Israelis who apparently love Arabs so much that they have lapsed a little lately in their warmth and cuddliness.

Jewish terrorist gangs on a daily basis humiliate, and beat up Palestinians then vandalize their property

Try http://www.haaretz.com/misc/tags/Price%20tag-1.477120 for a few Haaretz headlines

Israeli police force must tackle hate crimes

'Price tag' vandals hit settlers' home being built by Palestinian laborers

Palestinian car vandalized in an alleged 'price tag' attack, West Bank.

Teen from West Bank settlement charged in Abu Ghosh hate crime

Anti-Christian graffiti spray-painted on Be'er Sheva church

Galilee man indicted for hate crimes against Arabs

Police caught Adir Yosef slashing the tires of a car in Upper Yokne’am on the eve of Israeli Independence Day.

Three settlers charged with hate crimes in Arab Galilee town

Yitzhar youths indicted for puncturing tires on 44 Arab-owned cars and writing anti-Arab graffiti.

Israel Police arrests three youths over hate crimes in Arab town

Suspects, all learn at the same yeshiva high school in the settlement of Yitzhar.

Four suspected of spraying anti-Arab graffiti, other property damage in Yokneam; another four accused of attacking Arabs in Jerusalem, and coordinating attacks via WhatsApp.

The Jewish youths who burnt to death the Palestinian teenager last month had affiliations with the La Familia Fan group of Soccer club Beitar Jerusalem... “ [the focus of investigation] is likely to end a long-standing refusal by the Israeli government and football association to crack down on rabidly anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim soccer club Beitar Jerusalem FC and its notorious La Familia fan group. The club has long enjoyed the support of Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and other prominent right-wing personalities.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-dorsey/israeli-investigation-int_b_5562375.html

No one disputes the fact that in Israel there are some stupid, hot headed people, and most of you wrote is true, but again, Israel is a democracy, for better and worse, unlike other societies surrounding this

tiny sliver of land, so what is the answer? Israel doesn't do anywhere and the Arabs will forever

will bleed and die.. that's how it was and that's how it will be, unless some one will wake up and

decides that enough is enough....

[ezzra]

Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits

other than being donkey riding, backward, fragmented tribal society ruled by tyrants and mad man

bent on endless wars and destruction of other nations???? I mean what contribution to science, medicine

technology, agriculture? how many Noble prizes have they won? none, Nada, zilch...

Israel has won 12 Noble prizes so far, and is in front line of every sciences know to man

as well as being the democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights

to their Jewish fellow citizens, sure not all is rosy there, but this is a fully pledged democracy

there, and no one gets his head chapped off......unlike other Arab counties....

"Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits"

Actually, much of modern medicine, architecture and mathematics is a result of the work of Arab scholars. Recently they haven't done a lot, but I guess the Palestinians could argue that they have had other preoccupations.

Nobel prizes?

Palestine has one. Egypt has 5. Iran has 1.

"...democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights to their Jewish fellow citizens".

You must be one of the few people in the world who actually believe this propaganda. The Israeli State Commission of Inquiry into the 2000 riots reported that:

"... structural and systematic discrimination (is) suffered by Arab citizens".

Haaretz (a Jewish organisation) 10 years later claims nothing has improved - discrimination is still widespread. They note, for example, that while there has been equal growth rates in the populations of Arab and Jewish Israelis, the government has built over 700 new settlements for Jewish Israelis. For Arab Israelis? Not one. (http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.550152)

and:

"While Palestinian citizens of Israel do have the right to vote they are otherwise second class citizens. They suffer from systematic discrimination on most every level. Over 50 Israeli laws against Palestinian citizens of Israel. They benefit from less public services than Jewish Israelis, experience discrimination in housing and employment, and the few elected Palestinian members of Israel’s Knesset are constantly under attack". (http://mondoweiss.net/2014/07/silences-palestinian-citizens.html)

A good idea to check your facts before you jump in feet first.

Nobel prizes?

Palestine has one. Egypt has 5. Iran has 1.

Yes, Yeses Arafat, the Arch terrorist got one and Iran is not an Arab country,

Quoting lefties media sources is what make Israel a true democracy and the only signatory

to the human protection treaty in the region, unlike the other Arab courtiers around Israel, including

Gaza, where freedom of speech is undulated and you risk the chance of being shot or jailed

for speaking your minds..

[dexterm]

Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits

other than being donkey riding, backward, fragmented tribal society ruled by tyrants and mad man

bent on endless wars and destruction of other nations???? I mean what contribution to science, medicine

technology, agriculture? how many Noble prizes have they won? none, Nada, zilch...

Israel has won 12 Noble prizes so far, and is in front line of every sciences know to man

as well as being the democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights

to their Jewish fellow citizens, sure not all is rosy there, but this is a fully pledged democracy

there, and no one gets his head chapped off......unlike other Arab counties....

You sound like Monty Python... What have the Arabs ever done for us?....

err.... algebra,algorithms, astronomy, early aeronautics, medicines, astrolabe, surgery

.well yeah, but apart from that What have the Arabs ever done for us?

Better educate yourself, ezzra..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8472111.stm

[Morch]

Hamas is an operable cancer whom the Palestinians on mass voted into power knowing full well the ideology and doctrine of this organization dedicated to the annihilation of the Jewish race and the destruction of the state of Israel.

The Israelis are totally justified in the actions they are taking by way of retaliation and also in their position that requires Palestine to be demilitarized. Anything less would be a waste of time.

This is a war between ideologies where there is little distinction between combatants and civilians and civilian casualties are a norm in such actions. We hear only about the Israeli attacks with little about the myriad of Hamas rocket fired covertly and indiscriminately into Israeli territory.

If Israel wanted they could totally destroy Palestine but they don't, they send in retaliatory strikes to Hamas aggressions. They show that they have both tactical and logistic superiority in order to try and impress the Palestinians as to the inept and futile acceptance of Hamas as representative of the rights of the Palestinian people.

If the Palestinians truly want peace, then they who placed this cancer in power, have to become part of the solution in its absolute removal and accept the conditions imposed in order to avoid any further repetition. Under such condition the state of Israel would aid them in their development to grow and prosper.

Hamas was voted into power because they were an alternative to the corruption of Fatah at that time, and also because they were the only organisation offering extensive welfare and social support (school funding, soup kitchens, health clinics etc). I doubt that their ideology was the central consideration in 2005. Although the fact that Israel had blockaded Gaza since 2001, preventing the entry of essential supplies, prohibiting travel, destroying the local economy etc may have encouraged a more hardline stance from many Palestinians. I daresay that had you been living under the occupation at that time you may well have voted for Hamas too.

And I remind you that Hamas in May this year agreed to the temporary Unity government with Fatah. This Unity Government recognised the right to existence of Israel, and the need for a negotiated peace. Hamas even agreed to NOT have Hamas members in that government so that Israel couldn't object. A perfect opportunity to start having a friendly little chat one would think. So, what did Bibi Netanyahu, Lieberman and the other Colonists in the Knesset do? Spat the dummy. Refused to recognise the Unity Government. Also asked the US and EU to refuse to recognise them - and wasn't Bibi peed off when they didn't! Bibi started a war less than a month later. Face facts - the current Israeli government has absolutely no interest in peace. They use the war as a means to maintain power, and as a smokescreen for the continuing theft of Israeli land on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

The temporary unity government proposed was supposed to be manned (for the most part) by technocrats and professionals, not by politicians. The "real" government was to be decided following an election. The temporary government's mandate was not to sign new agreements with Israel, but simply to uphold the existing ones.

The Hamas non-participation in person in the temporary government was not just about obvious Israeli objections, but also in accordance with Hamas stance - this way it could still be claimed that they did not officially recognize Israel or make peace with it. The Hamas did not outright denounce any part of its ideology. The move was born of an economic necessity more than anything else. Note that there was no agreement reached as to control over Hamas military wing and weapons stocks.

As much as I do not support Netanyahu's politics, Israel's reaction and stand on this issue was understandable. While Israel was upset with the USA/EU reaction not being clear cut, worth mentioning that said reaction was more of wait-and-see thing, not total acceptance of the Palestinian move. The way agreements between the sides go, Israel had a valid point.

That the current Israeli government is not after peace is a given, which does not mean that the Palestinian leadership is pro- peace.

[Morch]

Netanyahu is under a lot of pressure from some coalition partners and ministers to embrace a hard line stance vs. Hamas, to the effect of cutting negotiations altogether. This domestic political pressure, coupled with nothing much coming out of the negotiations drives the Israeli PM to make bolder statements.

I do not think he actually said something very different than things said earlier, just that with negotiations crumbling down, Israel scoring some hits on Hamas leadership and more rockets fired - the same old speech sounds more militant. Pretty much the same speech when the negotiations started came off as less aggressive.

Amazing how both sides are held hostage by domestic politics, public support considerations and personal backstabbing.

[Lite Beer]

Hamas: three top commanders dead in Israeli air strikes

Tel Aviv/Gaza City - Three top Hamas commanders are dead after the latest round of Israeli air strikes, the Islamist group controlling the Gaza Strip announces.

Mohammed Abu Shamala, Raed al-Atar and Mohammed Barhum were seen as key Hamas commanders in the south of the Gaza Strip.

They are believed to be the highest-ranking commanders dead since the most recent bout of fighting began.

Source: http://www.nationmul...r-30241444.html

-- The Nation 2014-08-21

[craigt3365]

A post violating forum rules has been removed from view:

10) Do not discuss moderation publicly in the open forum; this includes individual actions, and specific or general policies and issues. You may send a PM to a moderator to discuss individual actions or email support (at) thaivisa.com to discuss moderation policy.

[Ulysses G.]

Hamas: three top commanders dead in Israeli air strikes

That will teach Hamas to stop violating ceasefires that they have signed on to.

[Baerboxer]

Israel should never have been established in the first place.

Well it WAS and it is a thriving democracy with one of the best armies in the world. It is not going anywhere

Ulysses G, You adopt a handle attributed to a US civil war general but that association does not make you great. If you feel so strongly about Israels rights why aren't you living there and leading a band of terrorists. I have no way of knowing but I believe you may be a Zionist since you display such blinkered views. The Palestinians did not willingly agree to give up the land in 1947. So NATO and the UK were the first theives. I don't care how many wars the Israelis have won winning does not determine who is right, it determines who is left. Unfortunately the Arabs failed and the Israelis are left but not right.

Go and do some more research so you know what your talking about. Hint - the UK and NATO are not as old as that region's problems and do not have comparable histories. The problems go back way beyond those two.

[Ulysses G.]

Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits

other than being donkey riding, backward, fragmented tribal society ruled by tyrants and mad man

bent on endless wars and destruction of other nations???? I mean what contribution to science, medicine

technology, agriculture? how many Noble prizes have they won? none, Nada, zilch...

Israel has won 12 Noble prizes so far, and is in front line of every sciences know to man

as well as being the democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights

to their Jewish fellow citizens, sure not all is rosy there, but this is a fully pledged democracy

there, and no one gets his head chapped off......unlike other Arab counties....

"Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits"

Actually, much of modern medicine, architecture and mathematics is a result of the work of Arab scholars.

What have Arabs done in the last 800 years and what have the Palestinian Arabs ever done? That was his question. I don't think he was looking for a lecture on ancient history.

Edited August 21, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[vogie]

As long as Hamas keep violating ceasefires and keep shooting rockets into Israel, the military campaign will continue - as it should. Hamas are terrorists. Get 'em Bibi.

Maybe you should change your avatar. A big smiley face doesn't go well with your constant evil wishes for the murder of women and children and for war in general.

Maybe you should educate yourself on the REAL evil in this World......and its NOT Israel.

Oh I see, killing innocent women and children is not evil, well that's a new one on me, but you live and learn.

[Ulysses G.]

Every country on earth that has an Army kills innocent civilians during military campaigns.Sometimes in can't be avoided and particularly when the enemy are terrorists purposely hiding behind them. The real evil is the criminals who target innocent women and children and use them for human shields as Hamas are famous for.

[CBR250]

No one in western media really cares too much about the 3 dead Hamas military commanders. It is as if such an occurrence is totally acceptable. For Netanyahu of course, it is more than acceptable, he will talk it up to try to justify his irresponsible action in attacking Gaza.

But, if Hamas were able to obtain the high tech weaponry that Israel has, and killed Moshe Ya'alon, Yoram Cohen, Benny Gantz or a few other equivalent high level military leaders, would we avoid charges of "double standards" and accept that as readily? I suspect not. The bias in the media is readily apparent once one plays the game of "substitute". That is, wherever a story says "Israel" substitute "Gaza", and vice versa. Then see if you feel the same about the war in Gaza.

[Seastallion]

Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits

other than being donkey riding, backward, fragmented tribal society ruled by tyrants and mad man

bent on endless wars and destruction of other nations???? I mean what contribution to science, medicine

technology, agriculture? how many Noble prizes have they won? none, Nada, zilch...

Israel has won 12 Noble prizes so far, and is in front line of every sciences know to man

as well as being the democracy in the Mid east where Arab Israeli citizens have equal rights

to their Jewish fellow citizens, sure not all is rosy there, but this is a fully pledged democracy

there, and no one gets his head chapped off......unlike other Arab counties....

"Pray tell, what have the Palestinians have ever contributed to the world's well being and benefits"

Actually, much of modern medicine, architecture and mathematics is a result of the work of Arab scholars.

What have Arabs done in the last 800 years and what have the Palestinian Arabs ever done? That was his question. I don't think he was looking for a lecture on ancient history.

So now you recognise the Palestinian Arabs as a distinct group.

Good. You're making progress.

[7by7]

One of the arguments presented by some on the pro Israeli side I find confusing is that they trumpet that Israel is a democracy, whilst ignoring that it is a democracy where a significant minority of the population have far fewer rights than the majority, but then say that the Palestinians deserve to be bombed, killed and maimed in their thousands because they voted in a government which Israel doesn't care for!

It seems some posters here only believe in democracy when the side they support wins!

As for who broke this latest ceasefire; as is to be expected, each side blames the other, and only they know the truth.

But as I have said many times before; Israel should take the moral high ground and say that whilst they reserve the right of individual IDF units to defend themselves, they will not retaliate if Hamas break the ceasefire by firing rockets into Israel.

In addition they should say that even though you, or break away groups of yours, are still firing rockets at us, we want to talk and so we will not be provoked into bombing and killing and maiming even more Palestinian civilians. They should say that they want to talk and to resolve this conflict peacefully.

But I fear that they wont do any of that.

All the indications are that the Israeli government don't want peace, they want to destroy Palestine.

[Ulysses G.]

So now you recognise the Palestinian Arabs as a distinct group.

Who could argue with Arafat - their first leader - who was an Egyptian and decided to start calling them that after losing yet another war in 1967?

Edited August 21, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[7by7]

Arafat was born in Cairo, but his father was Palestinian from Gaza.

[Seastallion]

So now you recognise the Palestinian Arabs as a distinct group.

Who could argue with Arafat - their first leader - who was an Egyptian and decided to start calling them that after losing yet another war in 1967?

Your posts are getting more and more illogical.

I was going to do the "jerk" smiley, ( ) as it allowed on here, but the "crazy" one came up first on the list and was just as apt.

[Seastallion]

So now you recognise the Palestinian Arabs as a distinct group.

Who could argue with Arafat - their first leader - who was an Egyptian and decided to start calling them that after losing yet another war in 1967?

So now heritage is important? Double standard!

[Ulysses G.]

It seems some posters here only believe in democracy when the side they support wins!

The same old discredited talking points.

No one - but apparently you - thinks that the Palestinians "deserve" to be bombed, but they certainly should have expected it when they voted in a violent terrorist group dedicated to the destruction of Israel and far from capable of carrying it out. There are consequences for foolish actions.

As to your suggestion that Israel not retaliate when Hamas breaks the ceasefire and fires rockets into Israel. I'm pretty sure that they would think that was idiotic and so would pretty much any country in the world, if it were happening to them.

[dexterm]

Every country on earth that has an Army kills innocent civilians during military campaigns.Sometimes in can't be avoided and particularly when the enemy are terrorists purposely hiding behind them. The real evil is the criminals who target innocent women and children and use them for human shields as Hamas are famous for.

Out come the old chestnuts, that have been answered many times before.

Thank you, Mark.