If Obama Is Serious

And while we are at it, bajan man, if some Arabs want to continue living in Israel, or if some Arabs want to move to... Baltimore, they are free to do so. No one is crying "illegal settlements", but a few Jews want to live in the West Bank, and there is war... If Arabs are so offended by Jewish neighbors, maybe we ought to reciprocate and throw all Arabs out of the US and Europe. There is plenty of under-inhabited areas of North Africa, and you guys are even taking over Somalia...

For starters, stereotypical comments about an entire race (i.e. "the Jews worry") are uncalled for, inappropriate, and serve to undermine much of Miller's authority. Next, it should be noted that Israel is an independent democracy (one of the only ones in the Middle East). Support from the Obama administration and the US government must be appreciated. However, in no ways does this support give the US the right to act as the all- knowing-parent and make unilateral decisions. Have we learned nothing from the war in Iraq and our world image as a haughty, meddlesome nation these past several years?

Finally, readers of this article should bear in mind that while the Israeli government (like our own) is far from perfect, it is a democratic, compassionate government (what other nation makes house calls to warn citizens to leave preceding the bombing of a military site?). In contrast, HAMAS is a declared terrorist organization bent on violence and the destruction of the State of Israel and the Jewish people; this is the doctrine being widely promulgated (including in the school systems). Comparing the ???mistakes??? of both sides is like comparing mistakes a victim might make whilst defending themselves and their family with the "mistake" of the abuser/terrorist in harming the victim. Miller needs to take a look at the facts: mistakes may have been made on both sides ??? yes ??? but when a country is under constant terrorist attacks, aimed specifically at innocent children, by an enemy that lives next door...well, I'd like to know how the superior US and Miller would react if such a situation were to take place in our country. Israel, and their restrained, compassionate, and sometimes misguided military and government have my support. HAMAS does not and never will. We should NOT EVER negotiate with terrorists.

For starters, stereotypical comments about an entire race (i.e. "the Jews worry") are uncalled for, inappropriate, and serve to undermine much of Miller's authority. Next, it should be noted that Israel is an independent democracy (one of the only ones in the Middle East). Support from the Obama administration and the US government must be appreciated. However, in no ways does this support give the US the right to act as the all- knowing-parent and make unilateral decisions. Have we learned nothing from the war in Iraq and our world image as a haughty, meddlesome nation these past several years?

Finally, readers of this article should bear in mind that while the Israeli government (like our own) is far from perfect, it is a democratic, compassionate government (what other nation makes house calls to warn citizens to leave preceding the bombing of a military site?). In contrast, HAMAS is a declared terrorist organization bent on violence and the destruction of the State of Israel and the Jewish people; this is the doctrine being widely promulgated (including in the school systems). Comparing the ???mistakes??? of both sides is like comparing mistakes a victim might make whilst defending themselves and their family with the "mistake" of the abuser/terrorist in harming the victim. Miller needs to take a look at the facts: mistakes may have been made on both sides ??? yes ??? but when a country is under constant terrorist attacks, aimed specifically at innocent children, by an enemy that lives next door...well, I'd like to know how the superior US and Miller would react if such a situation were to take place in our country. Israel, and their restrained, compassionate, and sometimes misguided military and government have my support. HAMAS does not and never will. We should NOT EVER negotiate with terrorists.

As usual Aaron Miller remais naive and clueless about the Middel East.

Someone please refresh my memory, I seem to have forgotten... There was something about Hitler and V1 rockets... Duuuh.. were the Brits OK with that or did they end up invading Hitler's Germany... ... And when little tiny Imperial Japan sunk a few of our ships at Pearl Harbor, was that something to go to war over...? Mr. Miller, maybe you would just be very happy with the world wide Caliphate the Islamic world is hankering for...

The Zionist dream has turned into perpetual war.

To borrow a line from a friend, "you've got a better chance of seeing god." When the Palestinians stop shielding the members of their community that diliberately target Israeli day-care centers and nursing homes, then maybe we can talk about ending the blockade. There isn't a blockade in the other Plaestinian areas of control are there? No. Get real. Hamas isn't an innocent victim in this and neither are the civilian Palestinians who are caught in the crossfire.

There is no excuse for the US to commit itself to Israel. Israel is just another country and it has used us. Cut off their weapons and their foreign aid and let the figure out what to do.

r u kidding us
emanuel rahm s dad was a wanted terrorist who created israel and was wanted for bombings killing brits and endless civilians in the british protectorate in palestine
u think obama will get tough with israel
he will send them a nuke to get rid of gaza for good
please get real -do you guys really think the world is as stupid as you will them to be -
learn to appreciate sense before teaching sensibility

Mr. Miller, your article is, although mild, a step in the direction of fairness in reporting about this issue which has been sorely lacking for 10-15 years and hopefully there we will see a change too, how the government and media within the US handles criticism on both parties on this conflict. It's utterly frustrating to have to, before saying anything critical of Israel, go through the litany of "I'm a supporter of Israel, some of my dear friends are Jewish, of course Israel must be a state..." before saying anything critical of it. Because criticizing European countries, Asian countries, Latin American countries and even the US is somehow more acceptable than criticizing Israel, which implies all other countries are less than. Ironically, Israeli newspapers go deeper on their criticism towards their country than we do.

I say that what you state in this article in on point and I wish that here in the US, we can drop the double-standard too; if we are to continue spending tax payer's money in solving this issue, by God we'll have a fair discussion about this issue. The thing is that no Senator wants to be seen as "less pro-Israel" than others and certainly the media pounces on anyone whose criticism of Israel veers off the mild and conventional. It's interesting how Michael Richards can get carried away (and let's be fair - he wholeheartedly apologized) in using the "N" word against members of an audience, which gets about a day's mention in the news, while a drunk Mel Gibson criticizes Israel during an arrest (which contents should not have been released) and that earns him national condemnation for three weeks straight in the media. What that tells me is that neither the government nor the media sees us, in this sense, equally. There are radicals on BOTH sides of this conflict, let's stop acting like everything is cut-and-dry.

"Yes, we can" as the saying goes. US can make a huge difference. If the action Israel is taking against Hamas could have a legitimate backing from the world powers, if the Palestinians were assured that the world is looking at the calamity befallen them because of Israel with sympathy and seriously taking actions to remedy their injured bodies and souls and pride, it would all be different. All those palestinian free souls who hate Hamas for their violence and conservatism could at least stand neutral at the violence against violence. Instead we have swelling crowds all over the world protesting against Israeli brutality.

Israel is G-d's gift to the Jews, and, as such, it has been the 'Holy Land', for the past 5000 years of the world. Time has proven, again and again, that Arab terriosts don't want the land, and moving Jews to Canada wouldn't help...Arabs want to kill Jews. They are terriosts. And they should be treated as such. They murder Americans, Britons, Spanish, French,....they kill in the name of killing, and the world should thank Israel for pounding Gaza instead of demanding an end. Go Israel!!

YOU MEAN OBAMA HAS TO GET TOUGH WITH THE TERRIOSTS!! ISRAEL SHOULD DO EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO COMPLETELY OBLIVERATE AND ANNHILATE THESE TERRIOSTS, AS WOULD ANY COUNTRY WHO HAVE LOST THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS TO THESE INHUMAN ANIMALS WHO KILL IN THE NAME OF KILLING

People's Memories are usually very very short.
How many times will the Palestinians take the West for Fools, have a great time at Camp David, Shake hands under Carter to Clinton and still wage war against all that do not submit to their wishes?

The Hamas Covenant Has Not Changed. - READ IT for those who whine about Israel.

Ariel Sharon's request for the Israelis to leave Gaza, a sacrifice the Israelis did in order to hand over an Israeli Free Territory to the Palestinians. Gaza was Free of encumbrance handed over to the Palestinians more in particular Hamas
Followers.

February 20, 2005
8,000 Jewish settlers and the soldiers that protect them will withdraw from Gaza. Four small West Bank settlements will also be given up.

Why is Hamas using EU / US financial Contributions for the production of Rockets to fire at Israel instead of Nation Building?

Lets see which country on this planet would put up with the behaviour of Hamas for as many years as Israel has done? How long would we put up with Hamas/Hezbollah Harassment/take over?

another anti semitic article missing the facts - the gaza strip and west bank were created by arab countries - left the palestinians there with no citizenship, jobs, future ...the current situation is untenable, hamas shooting rockets for years , even after israel pulled out - so pardon the interuption but stop blowing yourselves up, stop hiding missles and rockets and bombs in mosques, homes, schools, and then hiding behind civilians - it is a farce.

sorry the quout marks come out as ???

PART THREE

This is a war of survival for the Jewish people. The palestinians on the other hand have Jordan. It is a testament to the Judeophobia of the world that instead of insisting that the minority Hashemite Dictator of Jordan hold democratic elections for the 80% of his population that are palestinian, they demand chunks of Israel. The fact is that with a democratic election in Jordan the problem is solved. When Jordan was created it was always intended to be the Arab country made from the original Trans-Jordan.

Read all the statements of the palestinians during Black September in the early 1970s, right up to the modern day statements of Hamas. The palestinians will take Jordan, but only after they get as much of Israel as the Americans are prepared to give them.

One has to be very careful when proffering wisdom on this subject not to make more of a mess than we already have. If as you suggest you are an advisor to the US presidents past, then I suggest you do some swatting up before you advise the new incumbent. To put it politely, you seem out of touch.

Let us not forget the world is full of Judeophobics. Look no further than people like Mel Gibson who despite immense wealth and success still cannot help themselves from spewing irrational, primordial and irrational hatred for an entire people. Do not tell me any Judeophobics have met all Jews please! The hatred that led to pogroms against Jews in Europe from the time of the Romans, leads through the Holocaust right up to the present day genocidal policy of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran.

The solution is in the interpretation of the Qumran, not in maps of border-lines in the desert. Advise the president to talk to the top Imams in the world. Until killing Jews has been proclaimed un-Islamic, these problems will continue.

PART TWO

This is related to your second misnomer; you say:

???Israel has every reason to defend itself against Hamas. But does it make sense for America to support its policy of punishing Hamas by making life unbearable for 1.5 million Gazans by denying aid and economic development? The answer is no.???

Well this is more double standards: The palestinians voted for Hamas to become a majority government in full knowledge of their policy to engage in a war of genocide against not only Israeli Jews, but Jews in the entire world. Do not take my word for it; read the last quote in article seven of their charter. It calls for the death of every Jew in the world. The Gazans are not being ???collectively punished???. They are experiencing ???electoral responsibility???.

What you and many apologists for Hamas seek to do is to absolve the Gazans from responsibility for voting for a genocidal war. If you look in your history books the Japanese and Germans got rougher justice from America for their support of their own war-making leaders than the Israelis are giving to the Gazans. If America says to the world, you can vote in warmongering leaders with no consequences then the world will become a very dangerous place indeed. In fact the Israelis are setting new precedents for the care they are taking not to kill civilians. Contrast this with Hamas who fire only at civilians and do so from amongst civilians! So you purposefully frame the situation totally inaccurately.

Then thirdly you complain about past administrations that you say were guilty of:

???Giving Israel a veto over American negotiating tactics and positions, particularly when it comes to bridging gaps between the two sides, is quite another.???

This is ridiculous when the Arabs have presented Israel with a ???Saudi Plan??? on a take-it-or-leave it basis. The Israelis have already given back Sinai, half of Lebanon and Gaza and for what? All it has done is to have encouraged the extremist movements that have majority electoral support. They have majority electoral support due to the blood curdling Judeophobic propaganda broadcast without exception, by every Muslim country.

So finally we get too the rub. Your entire article ignores the theological aspects of this conflict. Your article ignores the fact that so-called palestinian Arabs were allied to Hitler and adopted his policy towards the Jews. Your policy ignores the fact that the only reason people call East Jerusalem ???Arab???, is because the Jews were ethnically cleansed from there by the local Arabs (and from Hebron too in 1929).