cynical lady Posted January 7, 2009 1 | Lewis P. Walter, Monday Jan 05, 2009 Don't be discouraged by the ignorant or knowing supporters of the despicable Hamas and other terror groups like them. Here in the U.S. I am afraid there is a residual anti-Semitism in some quarters which inevitably slants news reporting against any actions Israel may take, even self defensive operations. Living across the Detroit River from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, I have used the example of "what if Detroit was being bombarded by rocket fire from nearby Canada?" Obviously, immediate, decisive strikes would result from our side. Why ask Israel to continue to be a sitting duck? Hang tough! 2 | M.Robinson, Monday Jan 05, 2009 There's none so blind as he that will not see. Everything you say seems obvious to you and me, Mr. Harris, and the only reason the 'Palestinian' supporters do not see it is a total lack of understanding of (or concern about) what faces Israel, and then the wider world, if these monsters are allowed to win. They have been blinded by years, decades, of Arab propaganda of which Goebbels would have been jealous. I pray for Israel, and the peace of Jerusalem. 3 | Leon, Paris, Monday Jan 05, 2009 Well said! i wish every government in Europe would read this, not to mention every anti-Israel demonstrator in the streets who has even a shred of integrity and self-respect. 4 | Jeremiah, Singapore, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 Well written and to the point. The conflict is not only between terrorists and Israel but one of idealogies and culture, one which celebrates life and one which celebrates death. 5 | Asia, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 A well deserved 5* commentary. It baffles me, how European politicians, with their experience with terrorism, could somehow not appreciate that Israel is doing the right thing, doing its part to weed out terrorism. If Israel is defeated, and USA minds its own business, then the Europe will have to do the job themelves. 6 | amni, hyderabad, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 INDIA, SHOULD BE LEASED TO ISRAEL. OUR PEOPLE, LEADERS ..ALL HINDUS LACK COURAGE.. NO ACTION AND COURAGE TO TALK AND TACKLE.. I SUPPORT AND ADMIRE QUICK ACTION.. 7 | Klaus, Hamburg, Germany, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 If this isn't a clear-cut struggle between democracy and despotism, then I don't know what is. But then again, in our world of moral relativism, some would insanely argue that "good" and "evil" or "right" and "wrong" are anachronisms. Israel, ignore your detractors. Anyway, no matter what you do, you won't satisfy them. But you are valiantly helping the rest of us -- Jews and non-Jews alike -- who reject everything Hamas stands for. 8 | Mrs CAROLE BROWN -- NORTH WALES, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 Just want to offer my support to the IDF , putting their lives on the line for the civilians of Israel. My prayers are with you all at this difficult time. 9 | Ruth London, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 Asia the reason why European politicians will not stand up for Israel is that they are terrified of Islamic terrorism being unleased in their own countries. The Islamicists have, like the Nazis and other totalitarians before them, used terror to subdue criticism. Just look at how the Spanish are fawning to them. 10 | M.Robinson, London, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 David Le Page, Cape Town, the reason Israel does not talk with Hamas is because Hamas WILL NOT negotiate. They are interested only in the total destruction of Israel. This is the absolute fact that 'Palestine' supporters cannot seem to get through their thick skulls. You cannot make peace with a bomb; it's going to explode and kill you no matter what you say or do. 11 | Manikam from Malaysia, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 Islamic terrorism must be stopped no matter what.From Asia to Europe Muslims are a problematic group.Hope Isreal will get to the root of all this terrorist problems and make Isreal a safe place to live.IDF keep flushing those terrorist who claim to be a political party(Hamas) 12 | George, London, England, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 Fox News had an interesting programme on the son of an Hamas leader who had escaped from Hamas, converted to Christianity, and is now seeking asylum in the US. He had been in a prison where Hamas tortured and killed Muslims who did not obey them. Unfortunately so many people are naive and unaware of the evils of Muslim militant extremists like Hamas, who are true fascists. All those opposed to terrorism need to stick together and fight it together. God Bless You all. 13 | Lawrence, CA, USA, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 May G-d bless the IDF, Israel, and all of the worlds supporters of Israels' defensive actions. Israel does not want to kill innocents, Gaza forces them to by hiding behind them, using their houses to store guns and ammunition, and killing anyone who disagrees with them. Like yesterday when they were found to have shot Fatah supporters in the legs "so they cannot help Israel"--this to their OWN people. Imagine what they have in store for the rest of the world. 14 | Matthew, Canada, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 Hamas is as violent, dangerous and fanatic as the Israeli right namely the Likud, and since last week, most of the significant political parties in the Knesset. While Hamas' charter states that there is no place for a Jewish state in Palestine, the Israeli right is still imbued with the dream of Eretz Israel, a Jewish majority land(which effectively means the displacement of a part of its Arab population). However, on the two sides, there are moderates, but their voices are silent when they're needed the most, in times of war. The current situation involves 2 extremisms that are irreconcilable 15 | Jan, Australia, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 The future is already written. Within a few years Hamas may only be a bad memory. The Hamas quotes sound like the tone of the Quran. But the Torah say those that hate and plot will have their devices turned on them by the God of Israel (Leviticus 19:16-18, Deuteronomy 7:10). Hamas will not prosper as history has already shown, as Jephthah said to the Ammonites when they said Israel had taken their land, 'do you not possess what your god gives you to possess?' The people of Gaza do indeed possess what Hamas's god has has made, they live in the violence they made. But Israel will have Peace. 16 | Michael - Phenix City, Alabama USA, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 I really often wonder where to go for common sense anymore. Current global indoctrination favors militant Islam and uses websites like rense.com to spread hatred and anger against Israel under the label of anti-zionism. More troubling is that I see how this campaign is gathering minds here in the US because we no longer trust our mainstream media. Especially the young, they are drawn to the rhetoric and propaganda that pretends to be humanitarian but as we both know, carries death wherever it goes. I hope that someone, somewhere will counter this and help bring Americas young back to their senses. Israel and the US need each other like the US and England found they did. Only together will we stand and survive what lies ahead. God bless you and. may God teach us the will to fight and win. 17 | Robert from Seattle, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 I always thought that if someone refused to recognize my existence...vowed to destroy me...shot rockets at me...and blew themselves up on my buses and in my markets...that person wants to fight me....Hamas is the ELECTED party in Gaza...Hamas represents Gaza...Therefore Hamas and Gaza wanted this fight...now...they have it 18 | Jerry Premo Washington St ate, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 The Israeli Arrmy must kill or capture every member of Hamas to insure their existance. Jerry Premo Washington state Former military personnel. Also, why does the American Jewish population continually vote for the Democrats when The Republicans are the only political party in America who support the Jewish state? 19 | Mary Sperling, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 Until I visited Israel, I too was ignorant. Facts I didn't know: 1) History of 1947 intention of Britian to create two states, one Jewish and one Arab in the Holy Lands which didn't happen because 2) Jordan took over the West Bank in 1947, occupied it until 1967, and only in 1988 released its claim. 3) "Palestinians" are Arabs who live in the West Bank, Jordan, parts of Syria, and Lebananon. Jews are viewed as European invaders 4) Christians are being driven out of the Holy Lands, yet the Christian West doesn't complain. Why? 5) Humas as zero tolerance for both Jews and Christians. 20 | R. Markowitz, Western Shomron, Israel, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 B"H The people of Gaza are held hostage by their own political choice. If they voted Hamas they are all Hamas. If their leader use them as shields or cannon fodder or even fertilizer for next year's crops, you cant blame Israel. Israel is only guilty of ********* and believing in fantasies. Land for peace doesn't work. If we train and arm their security forces, they use these weapons to kill us. All of our humanitarian concerns make us look weak in their eyes. Where were all of the concerned people when missiles were only falling on Israeli children? The world is to blame for its' indifference. 21 | RONIE OF PHIILIPPINES, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 France,Britain,spain and most of Europe's leaders appears to be tough but in reality they are cowards.they're afraid to make a stand to islamist threat.they are playing blind and ignorant to the true motive and plan of islamist to someday dominate their country.wake up europe! before its too late. israel is doing the right thing of defending their own country,their lives,their freedom so that we too can enjoy life.we should thank and pray for israel's success bcause of doing things beneficial for our existence. GO ISRAEL 22 | Than Lwin, Singapore, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 No army in the world is more professional than Isreali defence forces, no democracy in the world is more mature than Isreal's, no decision or action is thoroughly debated and well-consulted than the one come from Isreali leaders, nobody's ideology and implimentation of it in it's activities (in terrorism) is more terrifying and more dangerous to civilizations than Hamas' & Hizbullah's. What else choice Isreal can have other than destrying them and taking them out from existance in this world? Despite being an Asian far away their land, I cannot find any reason not to feel for Isrealis. 23 | r nevies london, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 excellent articulate analysis. it should be front page news on every paper in the world. when so many apparently intelligent people controlling the media in the west are willfully ignorant and indifferent, the only explanation is hatred of the jew. 24 | Stuart Kidder, Tampa FL, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 A Christian in Tampa who supports the actions of the IDF and your political leaders. Those who vow to destroy Isreal, will not just stop at the river and the sea, but will continue to spread their version of hate and destruction. God bless the nation of Israel. Do what you you must do, do not worry about "international pressure" and don't finish till Hamas is completely wiped out. 25 | John David, British Columbia, Canada, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 What's that expression, "Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are"? Who are the friends of Hamas? Well, let's see, to begin with, there's thuggish Venezuela, belligerent Iran, and represive Syria. That's more than enough to persuade me, a non-Jew far from the Middle East, that I stand with Israel. Shouldn't the same choice be obvious to anyone who cares not just about the Middle East, but the larger state of the world? 26 | David. California, USA., Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 No other nation in the world would tolerate having Qassams filled with ball bearings and other vicious weapons raining down on its towns and forcing its population to live in constant terror. I pray that G-d may protect the men and women of the IDF and that they may rid the world of the likes of Hamas, for Israel and the civilians' sake. Israel has shown remarkable restraint in dealing with these cowardly terrorists. Where is the international outcry when Israeli children are killed by rockets? Godspeed to Israel and her citizens! 27 | m.raynor USA, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 Dear Sir, You are right on the ball. The west has become bankrupt in more than one way. The politicians have lost the right to be in the positions they are in,as they will not speak up nor stand up in defence of their voters. They have no moral commitment, to explain to the masses what is at stake.All of the democracies are in the firiing line,if not today then tomorrow. Their own childeren and grand childeren are in danger. Yours sincerely, M.Raynor. 28 | tzina, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 Thursday 6 pm at Gan Soccer, Jerusalem, Israel there is to be a rally to support OUR IDF TROOPS! Please wear blue and white and bring YOUR ISRAELI FLAGS! 29 | Paul - Netherlands EU, Wednesday Jan 07, 2009 Yea right, most people commenting in the western countries have never been in the M.E. If I hadn't been to Egypt I would not understand why borderguards at Raffah keep the gates closed if they see fellow muslims suffer on the other side of the fence. If I hadn't seen Israel with my own eyes, I wouldn't know the difficulties in living side by side of Arabs, Bedoeins and Israeli (and Druze) while Israeli's come from Russia, France, USA etc.etc. On top of that there are Pals PLUS some hard line Hamas ******. Politicians in their armchairs in Europe etc. should shut up commenting. IDF go !! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cynical lady Posted January 7, 2009 Sunday Jan 04, 2009 JPost.com Double Standard Watch: Israel's actions are lawful and commendable Posted by Alan M. Dershowitz Israel's military actions in Gaza are entirely justified under international law, and Israel should be commended for its act of self-defense against international terrorism. Article 51 of the United Nations Charter reserves to every nation the right to engage in self-defense against armed attacks. The only limitation international law places on a democracy is that its actions must satisfy the principle of proportionality. Israel's actions certainly satisfy that principles. When Barack Obama visited the city of Sderot this summer, he saw the same things that I had seen during my visit on March 20 of this year. Over the last four years, Palestinian terrorists - in particular, Hamas and Islamic Jihad - have fired more than two thousand rockets at this civilian area, which is home to mostly poor and working-class people. The rockets are designed exclusively to maximize civilian deaths, and some have barely missed schoolyards, kindergartens, hospitals, and school buses. But others hit their targets, killing more than a dozen civilians since 2001, including in February 2008 a father of four who had been studying at the local university. These anticivilian rockets have also injured and traumatized countless children. RELATED The Warped Mirror: 'We are Hamas' - the newest development Abe Foxman: Preventing the weapons flow to Hamas David Harris: Why Israel had no choice Living with Rockets: Hamas's winning strategy The residents of Sderot have fifteen seconds from the launch of the rocket to run into a shelter. The rule is that everyone must always be within fifteen seconds of a shelter, regardless of what they are doing. Shelters are everywhere, but the aged and the physically challenged often have difficulty making it to safety. On the night I was in Sderot, a rocket landed nearby, but there had been no "red alert." The warning system is far from foolproof. In most parts of the world, the first words learned by toddlers are "mommy" and "daddy." In Sderot, they are "red alert." The police chief of Sderot showed me hundreds of rocket fragments that had been recovered. Many bore the name of the terrorist group that had fired the deadly missiles. Although firing deliberately to kill civilians is a war crime, the terrorists who fired at the civilians of Sderot were proud enough of their crimes to "sign" their murderous weapons. They know that in the real world in which we live, they will never be prosecuted for their murders and attempted murders. Barack Obama reacted to what he had seen in Sderot by saying that if his two daughters were exposed to rocket attacks in their own homes, he would do everything in his power to stop such attacks. I hope and believe that President Obama will take the same position he did as candidate Obama. The residents of Sderot were demanding that their nation take action to protect them. Most seem to agree with the Israeli decision to end its occupation of the Gaza Strip, to withdraw its soldiers and settlers despite the reality that during the occupation, rocket attacks increased against the residents of Sderot. But Israel's post-occupation military options were limited, since Hamas deliberately fires its deadly rockets from densely populated urban areas, and the Israeli Army has a strict policy of trying to avoid civilian casualties. The firing of rockets at civilians from densely populated civilian areas is the newest tactic in the war between terrorists who love death and democracies that love life. The terrorists have learned how to exploit the morality of democracies against those who do not want to kill civilians, even enemy civilians. In one recent incident, Israeli intelligence learned that a particular house was being used to manufacture and store rockets. It was a clear military target since their rockets were being fired at Israeli civilians. But the house was also being lived in by a family. So the Israeli military phoned the house, informed the owner that it was a military target, and gave him thirty minutes to leave with his family before the house was attacked. The owner called Hamas, which immediately sent dozens of mothers carrying babies to stand on the roof of the house. Hamas knew that Israel would never fire at a home with civilians in it. They also knew that if, by some fluke, the Israeli authorities did not learn that there were civilians in the house, and fired on it, Hamas would win a public relations victory by displaying the dead civilians to the media. In this case, Israel did learn of the civilians and withheld its fire. The rockets that were spared destruction by the human shields were then used against Israeli civilians. This, in a nutshell, is the dilemma faced by democracies with a high level of morality. The Hamas tactic would not have worked against the Russians in Chechnya. When the Russians were fired upon, they fired against civilians without hesitation. Nor would it work in Darfur, where janjaweed militias have killed thousands of civilians and displaced 2.5 million in order to get the rebels who were hiding among them. Certain tactics work only against moral enemies who care deeply about minimizing civilian casualties. Over the past months, a shaky cease-fire, organized by Egypt was in effect. Hamas agreed to stop the rockets and Israel agreed to stop taking military action against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip. The cease-fire itself was morally dubious and legally asymmetrical. Israel, in effect, was saying to Hamas: if you stop engaging in the war crime of targeting our innocent civilians, we will stop engaging in the entirely lawful military acts of targeting your terrorists. Under the cease-fire, Israel reserved the right to engage in self-defense actions such as attacking terrorists who were in the course of firing rockets at its civilians. Just before the hostilities began, Israel offered Hamas both a carrot and a stick. Israel reopened checkpoints to allow humanitarian aid to reenter Gaza. It had closed these point of entry after they had been targeted by Gaza rockets. Israel's prime minister also issued a stern, final warning to Hamas that unless it stopped the rockets, there would be a full scale military response. This is the way Reuters reported it: Israel reopened border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Friday, a day after Prime Minister warned militants there to stop firing rockets or they would pay a heavy price. Despite the movement of relief supplies, militants fired about a dozen rockets and mortar shafts from Gaza at Israel on Friday. One accidentally struck a house in Gaza, killing two Palestinian sisters, ages 5 and 13...the deliveries could ease the tensions that might have led to a military action to end the rocket attacks. Palestinian workers at the crossings said fuel had arrived for Gaza's main power plant and about a hundred trucks loaded with grain, humanitarian aid and other goods were expected during the day." The Hamas rockets continued and Israel kept its word, implementing a carefully prepared targeted air attack against Hamas targets. On Sunday, I spoke to the Air Force General, now retired, who worked on the planning of the attack. He told me of the intelligence and planning that had gone into preparing for the contingency that the military option might become necessary. The Israeli Air Force had pinpointed with precision the exact locations of Hamas structures, in an effort to minimize civilian casualties. Even Hamas sources acknowledged that the vast majority of those killed have been Hamas terrorists though some civilian casualties are inevitable when--as BBC's Rushdi Abou Alouf, who is certainly not pro Israel--reported that "the Hamas security compounds are in the middle of the city." Indeed his home balcony from which he observed the bombing of a compound was 20 meters from that military target. There have been three types of international response to the Israeli military actions against the Hamas rockets. Not surprisingly, Iran, Hamas, and other knee-jerk Israeli-bashers have argued that the Hamas rocket attacks against Israeli civilians are entirely legitimate, and that the Israeli counterattacks are war crimes. Equally unsurprising is the response of the United Nations, the European Union, Russia, and others who, at least when it comes to Israel, see a moral and legal equivalence between terrorists who target civilians and a democracy that responds by targeting the terrorists. The most dangerous of the three responses is not the Iranian-Hamas absurdity, which is largely ignored by thinking and moral people, but the United Nations and European Union response, which equate the willful murder of civilians with legitimate self-defense pursuant to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. This false moral equivalence only encourages terrorists to persist in their unlawful actions against civilians. The United States has it exactly right by placing the blame on Hamas, while urging Israel to do everything possible to minimize civilian casualties. There are some who claim that Israel has violated the principle of proportionality by killing so many more Hamas terrorists than the number of Israeli civilians killed by Hamas rockets. That is an absurd misapplication of the concept of proportionality for at least two reasons. First, there is no legal equivalence between the deliberate killing of innocent civilians and the deliberate killings of Hamas combatants. Under the laws of war, any number of combatants can be killed to prevent the killing of even one innocent civilian. Second, proportionality is not measured by the number of civilians actually killed, but rather by the risk of civilian death and the intentions of those targeting civilians. Hamas seeks to kill as many civilians as it can. It aims its rockets in the general direction of schools, hospitals, playgrounds and other entirely civilian targets. The fact that it has not killed as many civilians as it would have liked to is a tribute to Israel's enormous devotion of resources to the building of shelters and to the construction of early warning systems. Hamas, on the other hand, refuses to build shelters, precisely because it wants to maximize the number of Palestinian civilians inadvertently killed by Israel's military actions. It knows, from experience, that when it forces Israel to take military actions that result in the deaths of even a small number of innocent Palestinian civilians, many in the international community will condemn Israel. Israel understands this sad reality as well, and goes to enormous lengths to reduce the number of civilian casualties, even to the point of foregoing legitimate targets that are too close to civilian areas. Accordingly, Israel's actions satisfy the principle of proportionality as well as the principle of self-defense against armed attack. Until and unless the United Nations and the rest of the international community recognize that Hamas is committing three war crimes--targetting Israeli civilians, using their own civilians as human shields and seeking the destruction of a member state of the United Nations--and that Israel is acting in self-defense and out of military necessity, the conflict will continue and perhaps escalate. If Israel succeeds in destroying the terrorist organization Hamas, it may well lay the foundation for a real peace between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. But if Hamas persists in its capacity to target increasing numbers of Israeli citizens, Israel will have no choice but to persist in its self-defense efforts. No democracy would do otherwise. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cynical lady Posted January 7, 2009 http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/ 3#3267 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cynical lady Posted January 7, 2009 Gaza and the Yo-Yo Effect by Tzipora Liron What is going to happen the day after? Everyone who ever tried a diet knows it and hates it. The Yo-Yo Effect. You spend hard weeks fighting against your stomach with strange food regimes, and feeling hungry day and night. Then, you've finally lost 10 pounds. Even the best of military operations has to come to an end one day. With a sigh of relief you go back to your normal life. That is, until one day you discover that the zipper on your favorite dress refuses to close. Slowly, the terrible truth dawns on you: the 10 pounds are back; 12 pounds actually. One doesn't have to be a genius to understand that the only way to prevent this is a permanent profound change of eating habits and awareness. Now stop looking at your tummy and try to apply this to the situation in the Gaza Strip. After almost three years of letting Hamas grow fat in Gaza, thousands of Kassam rockets later, finally something is done. A quick, strong strike. Awesome. When, after Shabbat, the first TV news came in, I felt a sense of relief and satisfaction; this is going to cut Hamas back to ground level, I thought. Combined with a ground offensive, it might stop the Kassam rockets and that trouble with Hamas once and for all. Wait a moment. Once and for all? What is going to happen the day after? The week after? The year after? This is the million-dollar question. Imagine that Operation Cast Lead will be a full, fantastic success. No more Kassam rockets and the Hamas regime disabled. And then? Who is going to fill that power vacuum in the Gaza Strip? I don't know, but I'm fairly sure it won't be a suddenly emerging Arab Peace Now movement. Maybe it will be Mahmoud Abbas, the crumbling leader of the Palestinian Authority whose term will end next month and his last loyal Fatah troopers. How long will he last? What will replace him - a coalition of several assorted Islamist groups? It's also not unlikely that a severely bruised Hamas somehow resurrects itself and creeps back to power. Even the best of military operations has to come to an end one day. The last fighter jet will return to its base, the last tank will rumble away. With a sigh of relief, Israel will return to normal life. Whoever manages to grab control of the Gaza Strip on that day is not going to be our friend. As soon as they've cleared the streets of debris, the Gaza population will begin seething with the desire for revenge and will support anyone who promises it. So, whoever will be in charge, even if they remain silent for a while and lick their wounds, The Gaza population will begin seething with the desire for revenge and will support anyone who promises it. as soon as possible they will begin to rearm themselves and to take revenge by all available means - homemade rockets, terror attacks, etc. The Gaza Strip will have to be sealed again, blockaded at all crossings; they'll have arms smuggled in through tunnels.... Sound familiar? Well, it seems that the 12 pounds are back and the zipper got stuck. Until the next military operation. And the one after that. The only way to prevent that? A permanent profound change of attitude. On our side. The realization that unilateral disengagement was a terrible mistake that brought today's situation about. “Miracle diets” do not work and neither do unilateral disengagements. The problem tends to come back; only, it's worse each time. So how to break out of this circle? First of all, what is needed is the prevention of a power vacuum by reestablishing a strong permanent Israeli presence in the Gaza Strip. However, if that presence is a military presence only, its permanence and even its justification is questionable. You can't forever keep troops in an area with which you have no connection. And public opinion inside Israel will sooner or later wear down and get tired of it. If, however, the terrible mistake of 2005 would be corrected and the Jewish settlers that were transferred and ethnically cleansed out of Gaza were permitted to return, then there would be an incentive and a good reason for a permanent Israeli presence. There would be a connection, a renewed justification, a vested Israeli interest in Gaza. To all who now cry out in agony about “settlers” and “occupation”, please remember exactly in this context the astute observation of ex-IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon last November that in the eyes of Hamas, the majority of the Palestinian public and the majority of Israeli Arabs, we are all “settlers” - in Tel Aviv-Yafo, in Sderot, in Haifa. They - the majority of Arabs, according to polls - do not want us in the Gaza Strip. And they also want us nowhere else. Reestablishing Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip would mean the ultimate defeat of Hamas terror, the worst possible blow to their ideology. It would help put an end to their claim that terror pays and succeeded in forcing Israel to withdraw step by step. Even the general Arab population in Gaza would, in a way, derive benefit from the reestablished settlements; their economic situation was better before 2005. It could become better again, with no need to perpetually seal and blockade the Strip and without a Hamas regime embezzling a huge part of the aid that comes in. And, with a friendly smile in the direction of world opinion, do you realize that the human rights situation in Gaza would actually improve under permanent Israeli control? It would mean the end of the murder of political rivals, as seen in the ongoing Hamas-Fatah power struggle, the end of “collaborators” hanging from lampposts or shot while in hospital, as happened just in recent days, and the end of regularly applied torture and random arrest. Reestablishing Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip would mean the ultimate defeat of Hamas terror. Last July, a Haaretz article quoted a “recent survey of Gaza residents, indicating that 45 percent of them would leave if possible. Their preferred destination: Egypt, of course.” As long as Hamas is in charge, Egypt takes great care to keep its Gaza border sealed. They know why. They don't want them over there, either. Under permanent Israeli rule, that restriction would most likely be eased and Gazans would be free to travel to Egypt without having to break through the barriers by force. A few more bitter words on world opinion and international pressure. Did the international community appreciate Israel for Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement? Did the international community appreciate Israel for bringing about a Hamas state in Gaza? For then having to seal and blockade it? Or for silently enduring thousands of Kassam rockets? Does the international community appreciate Israel for what our fighter jets have to do now? Was there ever a single positive aspect about the disengagement? Did it bring the “peace” envisioned by all those Mideast peace initiatives? If the answer to all these questions is “no”, could it be that something went fundamentally wrong? And could it be that trying to repeat the 2005 mistake in the future in Judea and Samaria would bring about even more terrible results? How far is it from those areas to Tel Aviv? Do we really need a second “Hamastan”? Let's break out of the circle and undo the mistake, forever. Now is the time. Stop the nightmare - reclaim Gaza for good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Haarun Posted January 7, 2009 The western governments murder our women and children and their people parade behind their governments,all done in the name of democracy of course.This is not new to us and this won't be something to amaze us.The best any one can do is to not ignore these comments or articles but take them in and hopefully strive for the better. P.s.Cynical,do u think that Hamas is responsible for all this as ur signature suggests or? Patria o muerte Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fabregas Posted January 7, 2009 MR Tzipora Liron can go to Israehell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sir-Qalbi-Adeyg Posted January 7, 2009 "If, however, the terrible mistake of 2005 would be corrected and the Jewish settlers that were transferred and ethnically cleansed out of Gaza were permitted to return, then there would be an incentive and a good reason for a permanent Israeli presence. There would be a connection, a renewed justification, a vested Israeli interest in Gaza. " You have go to be kidding me, these zionists are shameless. How much more land do they want to steal and how long do they think they can subjugate and oppress the people of palestine? You would think, some of these people would learn from the experience of the holocaust. But no, the jews today are not only profiting from their own tragedy by marketing the holocaust every year with holocaust books and movies, they are also in the process of trying to start a holocaust of their own. And somehow, in the eyes of the western world, it's israel that is the victim. Just look at this map. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allamagan Posted January 8, 2009 Cynical lady, to hell with all your zionist list! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cynical lady Posted January 8, 2009 P.s.Cynical,do u think that Hamas is responsible for all this as ur signature suggests or? What I think is irrelevant my dear, I simply don’t have the time nor inclination to join the SOL bandwagon. The avatar and signature has purpose find it. Cynical lady, to hell with all your zionist list! It’s not my fault that your simpleton, and missing the point behind this thread. Now do me favour and get hold of yourself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blessed Posted January 8, 2009 Asia, Tuesday Jan 06, 2009 A well deserved 5* commentary. It baffles me, how European politicians, with their experience with terrorism, could somehow not appreciate that Israel is doing the right thing, doing its part to weed out terrorism. If Israel is defeated, and USA minds its own business, then the Europe will have to do the job themelves. Protests against Israel’s ‘war’ on Gaza are taking place across the world, the evil of its attacks are frighteningly obvious, so why are people in power still letting it happen? In his excellent book ‘Future: Tense’, author - and former 7DAYS contributor - Gwynne Dyer quoted American journalist Sydney J Harris; “‘Terrorism is what we call the violence of the weak and we condemn it; ‘war’ is what we call the violence of the strong, and we glorify it”. And so it is with the self-fulfilling prophecy that is the “War on Terror”, and now, horrifically, Israel’s latest atrocities in Gaza. Palestinians, war-loving savages. Israelis, peace-loving victims. How much longer can we have our intelligence insulted? And how much more misery can be heaped on the Palestinians? World leaders continue to demand an end to hostilities “triggered” by Hamas firing rockets into Israel. Triggered by Hamas. Not by the crippling one-year blockade that has devastated, and starved, Gaza. Not by the continuous incursions by the Israeli army. Not by 61 years of oppression and misery. But by Hamas’ feeble rockets. Astonishingly, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni at the weekend denied that the Gaza Strip was suffering a humanitarian crisis after a week of Israeli air raids. “Is there a humanitarian crisis? There is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza,’” she said as the bodies piled up. You can understand her confusion as she barely qualifies as a human being herself. How many people have to be wrong for Israel to be right? Peace in the region will remain a dream until world leaders find a cure to their paralysing fear of offending Israel. No one is holding their breath on that one. You can use the bully metaphor, you can use the cornered animal metaphor and you can draw parallels with the horrors of the Holocaust. You can show them pictures of severed limbs. Of bombed mosques, of bombed schools, of dead babies. You can tell stories of people scrounging in garbage for food. Of overcrowded hospitals. But it just won’t make a difference. Israel will simply say it has the right to “defend” itself against the might of Hamas, just like the rest of the world has the right to fight Al Qaeda. Never mind the fact that “Operation Cast Lead” was planned six months ago even as a ceasefire was being agreed, and that it was Israel who broke the truce on November 4 while the rest of the world was preoccupied with events in the US. When it comes to the US and Israel, the tail has been wagging the dog for a very, very long time now, but even by his pitifully low standards, George W Bush plumped to what many of us thought were unattainable depths of cowardice when he urged the international community to put pressure on Hamas to stop this conflict. Condoleezza Rice, fearing someone out there is even more shameless than her, piled in with a little gem of her own. “We are deeply concerned about the escalating violence. We strongly condemn the attacks on Israel and hold Hamas responsible.” This prompted a brilliant comment from The Independent’s Mark Steel who said she should be asked about teenage knife-crime to see if she’d say: “I strongly condemn the people who’ve been stabbed, and until they abandon their practice of wandering around clutching their sides and bleeding, there is no hope for peace.” President-elect Barack Obama might be infinitely preferable to the democracy-spreading mob currently running the White House, but the world will shortly discover that when it comes to standing up to Israel, the motto is a strict “no we can’t”. Middle Eastern countries are, as ever, utterly, but predictably, helpless. The notion of them uniting to take action against Israel is so outrageous as to be laughable. But is it too much to ask of some leaders not to be complicit in the deaths of Palestinians? And so what is left is a race that has been forsaken by the rest of the world. As politicians continue to pay lip service to a “lasting peace” in the Middle East, what happens should the guns were to fall silent and “peace” really was to dawn on the region? How do you wipe away the misery and humiliation of the last six decades. Are Palestinians just expected to forgive and forget? Just lay down their weapons, give up their land and accept horrendous living conditions in their ghettos. And be thankful about it. For a race that has suffered historically, it is beyond comprehension how the Jewish nation continues to heap such unimaginable atrocities on a race that was not in any way responsible for their suffering. And as people around the world voice their anger against this extermination, can we please leave the Holocaust denials and “Hitler was right” rubbish out. Denying others’ - even your enemy’s - suffering only takes away your right to rage against yours. One day this “war” will end, and when it does, you want to be able say that in spite of all the horror, you, unlike Livni, and others, were able to maintain your humanity. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cynical lady Posted January 8, 2009 Spare the Pieties on Gaza by Jack Engelhard Israel is a Jewish State. Is that your problem? Frankly, given a choice, I prefer the skinheads and other brutes who express their anti-Semitism openly. In such places, we know the enemy. But please spare me the pieties and the righteous indignation of those “good people” protesting throughout Europe You called it “peace” as long as the Arabs were doing the killing and the Jews were doing the dying. against Israel’s defensive operation in Gaza. True, thousands have taken up banners in support of Israel. At the same time, however, the streets of Europe (and even some in America) are in an uproar. These are the “humanitarians” - the good, the noble, the refined, who chant “peace.” Now you’re up and about? Now you speak? Where were you when, throughout the years, thousands of jihadist bombs fell on Israel? The streets of Europe were empty. There were no pictures in the newspapers of grieving Jewish mothers and fathers. You called it “peace” as long as the Arabs were doing the killing and the Jews were doing the dying. All was well with the world. Suddenly, as Israel answered back, you found your Cause; and how self-righteous you are in your Cause. You are the best and the brightest of Europe. You are educated. You attended the finest schools. You care for the birds, the bees, the bears, the trees. You favor free speech and freedom of religion. Strange it is that the one and only place in the Middle East that shares your world-view is Israel, and it is Israel that you slander. Israel is a Jewish State. Is that your problem? At the first hint of Jewish self-defense, how quickly you show your true colors. I’ve seen the photos of your candlelight vigils along the streets and boulevards of Europe, all of it; all these tears in the service of those terrorists whom you call your brothers. Indeed you are related to Hamas (and Fatah) as once before, a mere generation ago, you were related to Hitler’s stormtroopers. Your angelic faces are touching - and disgusting. Your hypocrisy is transparent and nauseating. You speak of disproportion. You want proportion? Give Israel a population of 300 million residing in 22 countries, similar to the Arab Muslims who surround and ambush Israel - instead of five and a half million Jews in one single country. There’s plenty of “proportion” coming from your BBC, which delights in presenting one side of the story and picks up where Der Sturmer left off. Now, with this type of “news”, we know how Europe was conditioned for a Holocaust. Already we see Nights of Broken Glass. Thank you, Europe, for reminding us why America was discovered just in time (and why Israel was redeemed many generations too late). You dare judge Israel? In your deportations, your expulsions, your forced conversions, your inquisitions, your pogroms, you have no moral authority over Israel or even within your own borders. You gave all that up from 1492 to 1942. To those on the Left who sought peace, well, dear peace-lovers, peace brought this on. “Land for Peace” made this happen, as Land for Peace became Land for Jihad. “Painful Concessions” caused this war. “Goodwill Gestures” You have no moral authority over Israel or even within your own borders. backfired. Want more “peace”? Give up the Golan Heights. Give up the entire West Bank. Give up Jerusalem. Imagine the “peace.” As for those “innocent civilians” in Gaza, they were given a choice and they chose Hamas. They chose this pestilence. As for those “refugee camps” - why are they “refugee camps” when Israel handed over all that territory for a nation to be built in peace and security alongside Israel? Why are all Palestinians automatically refugees even after they’ve been given a home? The only true refugees are the thousands of Israelis who were driven from Gaza and still live in trailer parks. No tears for them in this world that still dreams of Auschwitz. On this day, in response to a column I wrote about Theresienstadt, someone responded that I was incorrect; that Theresienstadt was not a prelude to Auschwitz, but rather “a vacation resort.” I wrote back wishing this person a lifetime in such vacation resorts. I wish the same lifetime vacation resorts to all those parading throughout the streets of Europe with banners crying, “Death to Israel.” God bless the IDF! Go Israel! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Posted January 8, 2009 ^Stuff and Nonsense,What a load of iistupid shiid! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted January 8, 2009 ^They are people born in EU or US. Their parents born in EU or US. Their grand parents born in EU or US and so on and so forth. The Europeans and US gave them the idea of a home of their own when on a guilt trip post World war II. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
