Israeli attack on Gaza leaves 200+ dead

[Scholty]

Okay, Abbas the president of the Pali's is blaming Hamas for starting this mess.  Yup, blame the Israeli's.

Funny that since they withdrew all of their troops and settlements from Gaza the bombings, rocket attacks didn't stop but got deeper into Israeli territory.

Israeli's call homeowners before their homes are targets.  Yup, totally unhumane. 

BOTH sides are to blame for this mess but the rest of the Arab world is enjoying this WAY to much then offering a solution to this.

[ufojoe]

Palestinians are blaming Hamas? You mean, blaming the Israelis?

Blame Hamas for instigating the Israelis but once again, the response was over the top. Do they actually think that killing so many Palestinians is going to change the situation at all? It's certainly not going to make the Israelis safer. Unless they kill every Arab around the world.

[kmitchell]

I agree that Israel should protect itself with military strikes against Palestinian militants firing rockets from the Gaza Strip, but bombing a police graduation ceremony is pitiful.

[DBrooksIsMyDaddy]

I agree that Israel should protect itself with military strikes against Palestinian militants firing rockets from the Gaza Strip, but bombing a police graduation ceremony is pitiful.

K, don't be naive.  These are not like the police in your town, these are military police organized to fight Israel.  The Palestinians early this year began training a 50,000 man force to "patrol" the West Bank.  This translates to 1 police officer per 42-70 citizens, depending upon which population estimate you are going by.  In Los Angeles, for example, it's 2.3 officers per 1000 citizens, though the crime rate in L.A. is much higher.  This 50 thousand is a seven-fold increase, though crime actually decreased during this time period.  This violates the 1995 agreement that limits the force to about 20,000. 

I feel as if the world is becoming completely anti-semitic again.  I'm not Jewish, but if I were, I'd be watching my back.  Police graduation ceremony, my a.s.s.

Oops, edited to post the link to my stats.  Read the article, it's really good.  http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=2&x_outlet=118&x_article=1444

[alldaway]

The truth is in the middle as both sides distort the truth.

On one hand it is true that not all those graduating were to become simply police officers.  On the other hand it is true that some were graduating to simply become traffic officers for example, and had no intention of carrying out terror tactics against the Israelis.

[ufojoe]

I feel as if the world is becoming completely anti-semitic again.  I'm not Jewish, but if I were, I'd be watching my back. 

In this country, the Madoff scandal doesn't help.

I think you have to separate the Zionist leaders from the Israeli people. Unfortunately, a lot of people won't do that.

[Balls Out]

I have a theory that the Israeli government is working with Hamas in keeping the status quo of perpetual war due to money and staying in power. This ensures the Israeli government has the Israeli citizens on their side while Hamas remains in power.

I think the more likely scenario is that Israeli intelligence (Mossad) is launching relatively harmless mortars into Israel in order to justify they goal of ethnic cleansing.
Mossad's motto:'By Way of Deception, thou shalt do War'

Having said that, I don't think that's the case either....the Israeli gov't gives the Palestinians plenty of good reasons to hurl bombs their way...and Israel responds accordingly.

[Scholty]

Palestinians are blaming Hamas? You mean, blaming the Israelis?

Blame Hamas for instigating the Israelis but once again, the response was over the top. Do they actually think that killing so many Palestinians is going to change the situation at all? It's certainly not going to make the Israelis safer. Unless they kill every Arab around the world.

Nope.  He is blaming Hamas: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2008/1229/1229728603324.html

[ufojoe]

Palestinians are blaming Hamas? You mean, blaming the Israelis?

Blame Hamas for instigating the Israelis but once again, the response was over the top. Do they actually think that killing so many Palestinians is going to change the situation at all? It's certainly not going to make the Israelis safer. Unless they kill every Arab around the world.

Nope.  He is blaming Hamas: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2008/1229/1229728603324.html

Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Depends on how the Palestinian people feel.

[kmitchell]

Two jewish guys I know got in a fight over this at a party on Saturday. One was born in Israel and defends all actions taken by the IDF, and the other was born in CA and thinks that every time IDF carries out an attack, it increases militant recruitment, and in the end, hurts Israel even more. Never mix beer and talking about politics, but it was a fun fight to watch though.

[T-Bone]

Only people in America think fighting back and actually protecting yourself worsens your postion. Not many people believe this but the ones that do you'll find concentrated in this country because Americans have never lived through anything like that ever. Worrying about death every day, every step, friends, family, ...Let Israel handle theirs and we mind our own - thats what I say.

[ufojoe]

Only people in America think fighting back and actually protecting yourself worsens your postion. Not many people believe this but the ones that do you'll find concentrated in this country because Americans have never lived through anything like that ever.

Only people in America? LOL. Go to Western Europe and talk to those folks. My friends over there think the same as I
do on this: Israel is making things worse by killing as many Palestinians as they can. It's just not going to work. It's
common sense. Unless, that is, they can kill every Arab in every country. And thus, no Arabs left alive to retaliate.

Worrying about death every day, every step, friends, family

Sounds like the Palestinians.

I have a jewish friend who was born in Israel and a Palestinian friend who was born in Palestine. Both think
the IDF is out of control.

Obviously, Hamas is not without blame. I don't feel I have to state the obvious with regard to them.

[ufojoe]

Israelis Get Truth About Gaza Attack
by Ira Chernus

If you get your news from the American mass media, you know that there's a nice simple explanation for the massive Israeli attack on Gaza. That explanation comes straight from the Israeli government, via the White House: Hamas, the group that controls Gaza, is responsible for all the violence. "These people are nothing but thugs," a White House spokesman said. "Israel is going to defend its people against terrorists like Hamas." End of story. As usual, Israel is depicted as the innocent victim of an evil it did nothing to provoke.

But if you read Israel's most respected newspaper, Ha'aretz, you find out that things are rather more complicated. (All the quotes below come from Jewish journalists writing in recent editions of Ha'aretz.)

You know the reality of Gaza today: "The tremendous population density in the Gaza Strip does not allow a 'surgical operation' over an extended period that would minimize damage to civilian populations." "There are many corpses and wounded, every moment another casualty is added to the list of the dead, and there is no more room in the morgue. . A mother whose three school-age children were killed, and are piled one on top of top of the other in the morgue, screams and then cries, screams again and then is silent."

And you know that some Israelis are outraged: "Israel's violent responses, even if there is justification for them, exceed all proportion and cross every red line of humaneness, morality, international law and wisdom."

Read more quotes from Ha'aretz...

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/12/29-0

[mjs020294]

The US media coverage of the Israeli/Palestine conflict is ridiculously biased.

[ufojoe]

The US media coverage of the Israeli/Palestine conflict is ridiculously biased.

Ha'aretz is an amazing newspaper with views from all sides. I didn't include the pro-Israel side but it's in there.