Israel took a dump on Gaza again....

[Daniel]

Daniel,

israel goes for the big stupid. They can have peace if they want it. They dont seem to want to.

Well the arms industry probably has a lot to do with it Well at least some people are getting rich. Some consolation eh?

[BDunnell]

The thing about people not wanting peace is all too true. Why else did people in Northern Ireland go on voting for extremist parties for so many years? That example also proves that negotiation is the best way out, as glib as it may seem to say so. Those on both sides who advocate war as the solution are nothing more than extremists — or, at least, they should be classed as such, by our standards.

[Tomi]

That example also proves that negotiation is the best way out, as glib as it may seem to say so. Those on both sides who advocate war as the solution are nothing more than extremists — or, at least, they should be classed as such, by our standards.

In negotiations you need a "fair broker" that lead the negotiations, sofar that has not happend in Israel/Palestine conflict.
There has been some rumours that Tony Blair might take over, for me its difficult to see him as very fair either, so the conflict will go on.

[Mark in Oshawa]

For a nation with some quite intelligent people (I mean that seriously btw!) Israel does dumb things. At the end of the day all the Palestinians want to do is live their lives in peace and not be killed and not kill anyone..

Really? Why would they then turn around and elect Hamas who have basically said they have no interest in negotiating with Israel and want it GONE.

Sure a lot of hateful people talk big and talk of removing Israel from the map. But down down people don't give a **** as long as they have a roof over their heads, food, healthcare and so on..

They have been offered this a few times. Remember Oslo? Arafat was offered 90% of what he wanted for peace and in the end, he squandered the opportunity and Hamas moved into the power vacuum. I have no problem believing the man on the street in Gaza and the West Bank may want peace but he wants that peace with a lot of Dead Jews and Israel gone if you ask me. To suggest otherwise to ignore the celebratory attitude any time any Israeli casualties announced.

When they have all that they won't care that Israel is there, they simply won't care at all and life will go on. If you leave them alone and allow food, aid and medical supplies in then the people will see that you're trying to help and the millitants will be marginalised and support for them will turn into hatred for them.

They do care and they have been told to care by other Arab nations who have screwed the Palestinians at every opportunity. Egypt could help Gaza with water and humantarian supplies and make Israel look REALLY bad if you buy into the argument that this is mean ole Israel making live miserable for the sake of their own arrogance but Egypt wants nothing to do with Hamas and the Gaza problem. Never has....yet they went to war 3 times to supposively recapture this area for the Arab world.

Lets face a few hard truths.

One, Israel isn't shy about making other's know where the line in the sand is drawn. They have done this probably in a heavy handed fashion.

Two, Hamas has no interest in keeping Israel as a friend because it will defeat their whole purpose politically. They have no real political plan other than a war with Israel.

If they really cared about the poor schmuck in Gaza, they would cease fire, get things improving infrastructure and business wise in the strip and find a way to have Egypt be that conduit of goods and water that the Israeli's wont give them. Of course...that would be helping the Palestinians at the expense of fighting the Israeli's and of course, as I have pointed out they have never stopped their war with Israel on one level or another and why would they stop now?

They are not even smart about this for they have been doing this for years and barely making the Israeli nation do much more than just keep them aside. They have no hope of winning for if they actually WON against Israel they wouldn't have a purpose.

Hating Israel is too easy an excuse for your own incompetance. The fact many on here and a few dopey journalists keep attacking Israel ignores the basic fact no nation will stand for being attacked in this fashion without fighting back. Whatever one might think of the elected and only true democratic state in the Middle East, the leaders there know they have no political legitmacy if they allow their citizens to endure rocket attacks from Hamas and not do SOMETHING. Now we can argue if the response is heavy handed, but the last time I looked, no one won a peace thru war without actually applying force, and in military terms, there is no point in showing your enemy a weakness with a war to win.

[Roamy]

hey i thought israel was building a fence
what happened to that ??

[Easy Drifter]

Right on Mark.
Please stand by for far left wing irrelevant responses from Eki and especially Sod (IT).

[Valve Bounce]

I don't even want to buy into the arguments proferred by several protaganists here so far.

What intrigues me is what the motive was for firing rockets into Israel. They were mostly ineffective, and counter productive in the deadly return fire from Israel; but in the end spurred Israel to a massive response. I have no doubt that with satellite surveyance and other intelligence, Israel was able to identify where the rockets were stored, and where the guys who were firing them came from. They also found out where the rockets were stored, as well as the tunnels beneath the border with Egypt that were being used to smuggle them in. Now these are being destroyed.

Basically, Hamas provoked a terrifying response of biblical magnitude, and I just cannot figure out why. Was it so that the Arab World would contribute even more enormous sums of money to those remaining?

Maybe somebody can tell me why.

[Garry Walker]

Right on Mark.
Please stand by for far left wing irrelevant responses from Eki and especially Sod (IT).

Indeed.

[Daniel]

I'm not going to have a proper reasoned discussion because I find it much easier to brand all of you right wing gun toting nutjobs instead. Anyone who speaks out in opposition of me is a right wing loony!

Since when did branding the other side left wing or right wing constitute an argument?

[Daniel]

Basically, Hamas provoked a terrifying response of biblical magnitude, and I just cannot figure out why. Was it so that the Arab World would contribute even more enormous sums of money to those remaining?

Maybe somebody can tell me why.

The people are work here are extremists. They need not use logic when making decisions.