The PR War in Gaza

On November 29, 1947, the global community voted to partition Palestine, which was then under BRITISH CONTROL (not Palestinian) and to create a Jewish state and a Palestinian state. Subsequently, the Arab world ganged up and declared war on Israel, to prevent the UN vote from taking effect, and the State of Israel's existence because they did not want a Jewish state in their midst. Israel had not done anything, and the Arab states sought to annihilate it. Years later, Israel is embroiled in a better campaign of self-defense? Why? Because years later those same states continue to not want a Jewish state in their midst. What has changed? Perhaps the vote of the global community. Fortunately, however, that initial UN vote is not retractable. If you would like to see an improvement in the situation with Gaza, shift your focus to those who refuse to acknowledge Israel's existence--Israel could refrain from the use of any force, and there would still On November 29, 1947, the global community voted to partition Palestine, which was then under BRITISH CONTROL (not Palestinian) and to create a Jewish state and a Palestinian state. Subsequently, the Arab world ganged up and declared war on Israel, to prevent the UN vote from taking effect, and the State of Israel's existence. Why? They did not want a Jewish state in their midst. Israel had not done anything, and the Arab world waged war to annihilate it. Years later, Israel is embroiled in a better campaign of self-defense, as it was in 1948. Israel could refrain from the use of any force, and there would still be violence in the region, but ultimately, there would not be an Israel. If you would like to see an improvement in the situation in Gaza, shift your focus to those who refuse to acknowledge Israel's existence. Somehow the international community has deemed calls for the destruction of Israel and actions taken to further that end acceptable, while it has deemed self-defense and genuine efforts at peace unacceptable and/or insufficient. If you too believe that there is no place for a single Jewish state in a world that contains a multitude of Christian and Muslim states, than continue on this course. If you think that there is room in the world for a Jewish state, it is time to take a stand, like Canada, against not merely Hamas, but also against "moderates" who couch terrorism-condoning language in meaningless political terms.

js, I feel sorry for the civilians on both sides. What is sad is I do not see an end in sight. I do think there is plenty of fualt to go around on both sides. I do some times wonder if the people who seem to be so anti Israel really care if things get better. You can call Israel terrorist, worse then the Nazi's, but until you come up with a solution for Israel to stop the rocket fire, it seems hard to believe you really care about what happens to the people living in Gaza. As long as the rockets keep coming into Israel, they will respond no matter what anyone else thinks. Please feel free to only comdem Isreael if you want, but when people are one side in the comments such as the UN or anyone else, it makes it easier for Israel to ignore what ever they say. As long as most people can only find fault with with one side, Israel of the Palastinians peace will not be option. There is plenty of fault on both sides right now.

I am sick and tired of America being a poodle for Israel and supporting them no matter what they do. We need to follow our founding fathers advice and cut our entangling alliances. No more weapons and no more billions to Israel.

Pablito, you are shifting the focus here. If you read my comment carefully, you will notice that I am only addressing the "current" state of affairs and why the Palestinians are responsible for their current miseries and sufferings. Pointing to an event which happened in the 80s (not to mention the fact that we are NOT talking about Lebanon here), completely obscures the point of my message. Palestinians are not ready for democracy.

With democracy comes RESPONSIBILITY, and responsibility is based on education and logic, not ignorance and irrationality. Because the Palestinians elected Hamas and tolerate the organization's actions, they are solely responsible for their "current" miseries and sufferings. This is NOT to say that I support Israel's occupation and blockade, but the Palestinians need to get real and understand that they are responsible for the choosing of their own government, and if they can't do that, then democracy is not for them.

The Nazi's created the infamous Warsaw Ghetto, now the Holocaust survivors have created this humanitarian nightmare in the The Gaza Strip. Aryan supremacy and Jewish supremacy .are more similar than different. The USA should dissassociate, disengage and divest from thje apartheid Jewish colonial enterprize.

The final solution may be for Israel to follow the American lead and put the Palestinians on reservations. Then the international financiers can build casinos and grow rich while the Palestinians live in poverty with low paying jobs. You don't see native Americans lobbing rockets into West Chester, do you? i think this is a much better plan than following the German WWII lead of terrorizing the population of occupied territory.

Scwampfish: How does a uniform legitimise acts of aggression?

Amori: As an Anglo-Saxon I can well understand the racist Israel regime and your analogy about the Indigenous people of Australia's is a fair one (and in a way - less violent but equally damaging - they are still being deprived of adequate food and medicine by the white dominated and oriented regime) so they would be justified in aggressive action against the colonialist power. Perhaps they would lob missiles at Adelaide if they could ??? I couldn???t blame them for wanting to. I am also sure Israel has learnt from the colonial experiences in Australia, the US and Canada in their attempt to find a final solution to their 'Arab problem'. But it is not so easy in this century.

There is no difference between terrorists and militants -so the Israeli army is a terrorist organisation and the US, the Australian army etc (all involved in non-defensive military action) are terrorists. OK i can agree with that. Only self-defence is militarily justified - Israel is occupying Palestine and starving the population. It isn't self defence when you have invaded another country and have no right to be there. Go back to the pre1967 boundaries (or better yet a one party democratic state) and then i will defend Israel's right to self defence against any attacks.

If Indonesia was attacking Australia it would be self defence. If we invaded half of indonesia and the other half of indonesia started attacking us, they would be totally justified in their actions.
i repeated my comment because i didn't think the first attempt at posting worked... you should be able to remove your own posts.

Scwampfish: Your crude analogy fails to make the mark. What you mean is if the aborginal people started firing rockets at adedlide (In Australia), provided they were barricaded behind walls, deprived of food, medication, and electricity. Indonesia is another country, not even on the same landmass. Israel is yet-another white apartheid supremicist regime, now I'm sure the Anglo-Saxons can relate to that....

"the best intentions of U.S. policymakers" surely no one believes this utter and dangerous rubbish. The US have supported the worst of dictators in the middle-east (often up until they decide to bombing them into the "stone age" - eg Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein in Iraq) and are now openly "squeezing" a democratically elected government in Palestine. On top of this they have the nerve to preach about democracy and stability - all a not-so-subtle ruse for war crimes.

Pablo (Melbourne, Australia)

1) Hamas is at WAR with Israel. Or else they are responsible for their citizens rocketing Israel. Just as Australia would respond if Indonesia started having problems with "uncontrolled" rocket fire being lobbed into Australia...

2) "Israel drops bombs on children" Perhaps if Hamas gave a darn about their children they wouldn't shoot rockets into Israel. Israel has stopped attacking Hamas before and all it earned them was Hamas in better shape. And if the Palestinians want the violence to stop they have a DUTY to not vote for a political party that has as its platform the destruction of Israel.

" little choked up when they heard the news that Zahar's 20-year-old son, Husam, a militant in Hamas's Izzedine al-Qassam militia, was killed during a recent Israeli incursion into northern Gaza. Husam is the second of Zahar's three sons to have been killed by Israeli forces; in 2003, Zahar's son Khaled died when an F-16 dropped a bomb on his father's house in an assassination attempt. "

Umm 1) Its NOT an assination attempt if you are attacking someone that is bent on killing you. Its called self defense!
2) A militant is different than a terrorist how? If he was acting aggressively against another sovereign state (like Israel) and was not in uniform, he is a terrorist BY DEFINITION.

"the best intestions of US policy makers" - what utter rubbish, surely no one believes this. Especially when you then admit that they are actively destabilising a democratic government. You can't have it both ways, either you support democracy in the middle east (as claimed) or not (as is evident in support for dictators like Saddam in the 80s, the Saudi Arabian regime et al). If you support democracy then you don't "squeeze" democratically elected governments because you don't like them.
Paul (Melbourne, Australia)

Why is Kevin Peraino trying to imply that the suffering of Gazans is some sort of PR strategy? It looks bad to the world when Israel drops bombs on children and keeps fuel away from millions of innocent civilians because it IS bad. If Israel and the Bush administration want some better PR, maybe they should do something serious to help the people of Gaza.

The Neocon Agenda Continues:

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