You are correct!

Badi Ali says: “Why? Because Israel must use its military hardware indiscriminately against those who only seek to be granted justice and to be free from an inhumane occupation, siege and ongoing oppression that continuously defies comprehension by any civilized observer.”

Another reason Why: They answer to no one. They are accustom to their allies just shaking their heads in disbelief. They believe that America will back them no matter what. It took 5 years before Bush would look in Arafat’s direction in the U.N. while the previous President Clinton had Arafat at the White House 17 times during his 8 year administration.

I really firmly believe that this is being done now, prior to Obama’s inauguration. Obama stated today that as far as international issues he had nothing to say because there is intense negotiations ongoing, and he didn’t want two presidents sending different messages to Israel or Palestine. Obama IS going to be different. He knows and understands history, plus he is a uniter not a
divider.

We can all be cynical, or we can hold out hope. That is what the Palestinians have been holding onto for a long time. Surely if they can hope; we can as well.

President-Elect Obama said that he wouldn’t want his children living somewhere were a rocket could be fired and hurt them. This has been taken to mean that he agrees with Israel, but either side is just as dangerous. I think that has been interpreted incorrectly.

So if the mission is impossible, why carry it out? Why not do as Israel has done in the past. Why a full scale war. I think it is politics. President Bush is firmly on Israel’s side, so they can do what they want with him still in office. President Obama is not just going to look the other way. The neo-cons are in a rush, and when they are in power and in a rush they don’t think anything through. Consequences do not matter to them.

This is just Israel’s excuse, and we have no way of knowing the real reason why Israel is attacking. It could be politics, it could be to overthrow Hamas. But it certainly isn’t because of a few homemade fireworks.

And anyway, these rockets are THEMSELVES a response to the 6 month Israeli seige of Gaza.

Barack Obama is the key

The Gazans have no free speech and cannot say anything against Hamas or they’ll be ‘dealt’ with.

Hamas was elected democratically by the Gazan, though it was more of a protest vote against the corrupt Fatah-based government. Still, Hamas was always a radical Islam group and democratic, western values is something it actually rejects and despise.

Once Hamas took over (in a very bloody clashes with Fatah – slaughtering Fatah members and families), new rules were issued and anyone voicing discontent or objection was either jailed or killed.

Men were warned not to shave their face since it’s ‘not Islamic’, and other religious rules were starting to pave in – including putting in effect Sharia punishments (Islamic laws like in Iran). ( http://is.gd/efKI )

To understand how strongly Hamas objects any other opinions other than his, on Nov. 12 2007, the year day to the passing away of Yasser Arafat – The first president and leader of the rival group Fatah, a big crowd gathered in Gaza to mark the day. The Hamas members (inc. police) just took positions above that crowd and started shooting automatic fire into it. ( http://is.gd/efJH )

Israel has shown restraint for long enough, now Hamas must either go to war or leave Israel alone, but not shoot rockets at innocent people when they want to.

Israel is a sovreign coutry and has a right to defend itself. Why does Hamas sourround themselves with innocent people!!!!!

They *DON’T* want peace with Israel. They prefer to die as martyrs then live in peace.

Look how Israel is talking with Abbas in the west bank – of course there issues Israel and the Palestinians in the west bank don’t agree on, but there are talking about them! No siege, food and people move freely, Palestinians from the west bank work inside Israel…

It’s not the Israeli government that is the problem here, it’s Hamas. And the people in Gaza suffer because of that.

Have you looked at the staggering statistics of the number of Palestinians killed vs the number of Israelis? Between Sept. 2000 and Nov. 2008 4,876 Palestinians vs 1062 Israelis have been killed. (http://www.ifamericansknew.org/) Israeli response is always excessive and one has to ask why…some of us know.

Why don’t you go and live in Gaza for a while with no hope and no dignity. And then come back and we’ll see what you have to say. Do you remember when the Turks occupied Greece? How was that?

It is difficult to live beside a neighbour you don’t trust but I think the majority of people, given the option of peace would take it – and I’m not talking about the governments or the extremists on both sides – real people who have families, and jobs, and lives to live. Hope will eradicate the need or desire for weapons. Let the Israelis go back to the originally agreed upon boarders, give the Palestinian’s back what is rightfully theirs, including their dignity and freedom. Then there may be peace.

Israel pulled out all their settlements in the Gaza strip to enable the inhabitants to build autonomy. Money was poured into Gaza. Instead of industry – tunnels. Weapons instead of Hospitals, terrorists training instead of universities. Rockets are fired on Israeli towns any hour of the day or night.

The day the Pals put down their weapons, there will be peace. The day the Israeli’s put down their weapons, there will be no Israel.