If Obama Is Serious

I agree with much of this editorial, except for the implication that America should have more say-so in Israel's actions and policies when dealing with her neighbors. Israel is an independent nation and has the right to ultimately govern its own policies. Hamas has been firing rockets into Israel's territory, not America's. I think Israel has a right, within reason, to make any security demands she believes is needed to maintain peace and stability.

I've been hearing many Americans denouncing Israel's actions over the past three weeks, but I can't help but wonder why. So what if Israel sealed Gaza off from economic participation? Egypt did exactly the same thing on her end shortly after the Palestinians captured the Gaza territory. But you don't hear anyone screaming about how unfair the Egyptians have been to the Gazans. Also, many regions are often barred from economic participation with nearby countries and territories. Cuban embargo sound familiar? And why should Israel open the border to Gaza as long as the territory harbors people whose soul joy in life is to see Israel destroyed?

More food for thought: Hamas claims to be fighting for the freedom of the "oppressed" people of Gaza. Yet, they initiate a shoot-out with a much more powerful opponent knowing exactly what the consequences would be. And when the U.N. and the U.S. attempt to broker a peace deal, Hamas says, "We won't stop, let alone come to the table to talk, unless Israel agrees to our demands first." And Israel is being unfair to the people of Gaza? Please! Hamas is clearly out to discredit and destroy Israel, and is using the Gazans as a shield in the process.

Emmilly, Bravo!!!! Thank you for saying so elegantly and succinctly what we have been trying to express this evening!!

Sorry, I didnt mean to put 2 comments in...they pretty much say the same thing. Thought the first one didnt get in. My bad

Iran is pulling the strings and is threatening not only Israel but also all the secular Arab countries, like Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Iran's way of exerting power is by proxies of terrorist groups in each of the countries.
Israel now is fighting the battle of the entire Western and secular world.

Without Israel- Iran will do to egypt - what Iran did to Lebanon with Hizballa and Hamas in Gaza.
Iran wants to rule the Middle East as first stage for their exerting influence.

Europe will be next to follow since there are so many muslims abiding by Iran's lead and will easily destabilize.

Before Europe the USA will be the target of an Iranian financed terror that will create Chaos in the US and will neutralize the US economy- which will live America out of the game- unable to help Europe and to stand up to the world Jihad.

If you studied the IRan- Iraq war- you would know that Iran doesn't have value to their own civillian's lives and are happy to sacrifice them for the cause of Jihad (or even winning a war).

They had women and children walk as human shields to Iraqi soldiers- when their ammunition ran out, until the Iraqi ammunition ran out.

They would have no problem if millions of their own people would die in a Jihad war.

Mr Miller, you have seriously underestimated the intellegence and moral strangth of the average American - clearly they are in support of the democrartic Jewish state - review your point of view!

Last comment to Haidara (sorry so long, can only put 3000 characters a time)
3. You question who the real terrorists are in the current fighting. Hamas IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. It does not matter if their rockets don't inflict much damage in the civilian populations of Southern Israel, that is not their goal here, they keep poking and prodding at Israel trying to provoke a response out of them that will lead to civilian casualties, the ultimate goal of Hamas is to garner as much negativity and hatred for Israel that the moderate Arab nations begin supporting them , they aim to discredit Israel and inflame antisemitism worldwide. But lets be clear here for a moment, Hamas DOES NOT represent the mainstream Palestinian, Hamas is a group founded on hatred and suffering, the more Palestinians that die as a result of this conflict sadly only support their extremist cause. Its time for a real and credible voice emerge from within the Palestinian population that embodies progression and a denunciation of militant tactics, until then however I pray for those innocent civilians on both sides Israeli and Palestinian who are caught in this crossfire, maybe someday we'll have a real solution to this ancient struggle.

I don't know of any country in the world that would show such restraint for 8 years.

I do not know of any other country that would have tried to negotiate and work on a peace process and a political solution when 8 years its schools and home residents are under attack.

The Palestinians have chosen again and again that they choose violence over nation building.

Racism and anti-semitism over building roads.
They teach their children to hate, their school books are filled with anti western and anti-semite lies. Instead of paying for peace they pary at the mosques for a world under the rule of Islam and Jihad.

So since the essence of the dispute is not territorial- I am not sure what can the Israelis or for that matter- the European or American can offer them?

You don't appease violnce and racism - you fight it. Take a look at Germany and learn the lessons of history.

Also to Haidara...2. You mention the dispute between the Israelites and the Palestinians over land that has been occupied by the Palestinians for the last 2000 years and the ongoing crisis. To argue this statement one must be fairly knowledgeable of the Christian bible, and I being a Christian can supply you with this verse, Exodus chapter 23 verse 31 "And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee." As of 1020 B.C., the kingdom of Israel was established by the 12 tribes of Israelites with Saul as their first king, within a hundred years however this kingdom was split in two: Israel and Judah. To make a long story short, the current placement and boundaries of ancient Israel are almost correct, with the areas of Palestine and Israel/Judah falling into the hands of many nations and groups throughout the years: first Persian, Hellenistic rule, Hasmonean rule, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Crusader, Ottoman, Egyptian, Ottoman again then to British Mandate and now present day boundaries. Of course defining these boundaries gets very heated i.e current Middle East situation, but ultimately from the bible "Israel" comes to mean the land that was settled by the 12 tribes of Israel that were promised by God to Abraham which is present day Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, parts of Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and even to a lesser extent Iraq. Other verses from the bible give boundaries: Numbers 34:1-15, Ezekiel 47:13-20. Either way, the Jews were there first, there is evidence dating all the way back to 3000 B.C. of Canaanite civilization and religious practices in present day Israel and Palestine.

Christan_Posh, sorry...you have the wrong person.

To Haidara, there are many things I want to comment on in your post: 1. How on earth can you accurately use Native Americans as a parallel to whats going on in the Middle East today? If you know anything about American History (which you don't) you'll understand that Native Americans don't view property and private ownership in the same sense that we do, i.e mother nature is a gift to them and Native Americans share the land and resources with each other as they needed it, it wasn't uncommon for a tribe to set up camp and then move to a better spot within a year, so in their mindset no one owns the land however the Europeans were very different in this mode of thinking, their mindset rested on building wealth and attaining high social standing within their groups which ultimately meant the acquisition of property and assets, now these two ideologies cannot coexist with each other, the natural position of the Europeans was progression and expansion, the Native Americans' natural position was openness and acceptance which led to the assimilation of the Native Americans into the new "American" culture. This was simply a case of dominant and recessive human behavior. Not to say however that there were horrible tragedies and killing in the process, that part I am disgusted by as any moral human being should rightfully be.

The Palestinians want Israel to be destroyed and the Jews killed. They elected the Hamas based on this agenda and the Hamas has been doing whatever it can to kill and injure as many jews as possible.

Israel withdrew from Gaza more than 3 years ago and only wanted quiet.

For the past 8 years the South of Israel had to suffer rocket attacks that targeted schools, hospitals and the homes of ordinary people.

How do you negotiate your right to exist? to live?

No hate at all...but isn't it a "policy" in the "Koran" to strap yourself up with bombs and kill as many "infidils" as possible? Just out of curiousity...how many virgins do you get?
BTW
ezekielnow..is your real name Yechaskel? & are you in Baltimore at the time being?

I have to say I Love the jewish people to.They have been threatened all their lives one way or the other,Palistines strapping bombs on themselves and trying to kill as many jews as they can what's that all about?Hate for someone they don't even know.It's time to throw the hate in the ocean,not the jewish people they are you know GODS chosen.Better be careful w/ the stones you throw their way.Boones Mill,Va

aden, That is a wonderful prayer! Just out of curiousity...what God are you invoking?

What have you been smoking?, If say Mexico was firing missles into Ca. or Texas saying that they wanted the land back that we took from them in the past wars, we would wipe them off the map and we wouldn't even sit down to talk about returning any part of the millions of acres that we have taken and made a part of this country. Ask the Native Americans
when was the last time we gave them a state? Never!! and we never will. Israel has made numerous attampts to reach agreements with the Arabs including returning land. I say shame on you and shame on the Arab people, who I might add are good people , but who allow a small group of thugs and killers pretending to be freedom fighters make living in the region a living hell

The problem here is we are NOT! going to be fair so long as Israel sets a policy only acceptable to them, and for us well
Israel showed they have no respect for what we think, As a citizen of this country of ours we the people need to wake up
because my tax Dollars are at work in GAZA!!! seems to me our foreign policy is writen in Tel Aviv. GOD HELP US!!!!

Personally, I think modres is right and that this article is just one more stepping stone being printed to lead Obama down the garden path. But then, not being Muslim, Jewish, Palestinian, nor Israeli, maybe I have have it all wrong. I doubt it.

thank you... babyno1....I tottaly agree with you...