Monday November 19, 2012, 9:56 am
One of Israel's tremendous propaganda victories is that it has been accepted as a victim of the Palestinians, both in the view of the Israeli public and that of Western leaders who hasten to speak of Israel's right to defend itself. The propaganda is so effective that only the Palestinian rockets at the south of Israel, and now at Tel Aviv, are counted in the round of hostilities. The rockets, or damage to the holiest of holies - a military jeep - are always seen as a starting point, and together with the terrifying siren, as if taken from a World War II movie, build the meta-narrative of the victim entitled to defend itself.

Every day, indeed every moment, this meta-narrative allows Israel to add another link to the chain of dispossession of a nation as old as the state itself, while at the same time managing to hide the fact that one continuous thread runs from the 1948 refusal to allow Palestinian refugees to return to their homes, the early 1950s expulsion of Bedouin from the Negev desert, the current expulsion of Bedouin from the Jordan Valley, ranches for Jews in the Negev, discrimination in budgets in Israel, and shooting at Gazan fishermen to keep them from earning a respectable living. Millions of such continuous threads link 1948 to the present. They are the fabric of life for the Palestinian nation, as divided as it may be in isolated pockets. They are the fabric of life of Palestinian citizens of Israel and of those who live in their lands of exile.

But these threads are not the entire fabric of life. The resistance to the threads that we, the Israelis, endlessly spin is also part of the fabric of life for Palestinians. The word resistance has been debased to mean the very masculine competition of whose missile will explode furthest away (a competition among Palestinian organizations, and between them and the established Israeli army ). It does not invalidate the fact that, in essence, resistance to the injustice inherent in Israeli domination is an inseparable part of life for each and every Palestinian.

The foreign and international development ministries in the West and in the United States knowingly collaborate with the mendacious representation of Israel as victim, if only because every week they receive reports from their representatives in the West Bank and Gaza Strip about yet another link of dispossession and oppression that Israel has added to the chain, or because their own taxpayers' money make up for some of the humanitarian disasters, large and small, inflicted by Israel.

On November 8, two days before the attack on the holiest of holies - soldiers in a military jeep - they could have read about IDF soldiers killing 13-year old Ahmad Abu Daqqa, who was playing soccer with his friends in the village of Abassan, east of Khan Yunis. The soldiers were 1.5 kilometers from the kids, inside the Gaza Strip area, busy with "exposing" (a whitewashed word for destroying ) agricultural land. So why shouldn't the count of aggression start with a child? On November 10, after the attack on the jeep, the IDF killed another four civilians, aged 16 to 19.

Wallowing in ignorance

Leaders of the West could have known that, before the IDF's exercise last week in the Jordan Valley, dozens of Bedouin families were told to evacuate their homes. How extraordinary that IDF training always occurs where Bedouin live, not Israeli settlers, and that it constitutes a reason to expel them. Another reason. Another expulsion. The leaders of the West could also have known, based on the full-color, chrome-paper reports their countries finance, that since the beginning of 2012, Israel has destroyed 569 Palestinian buildings and structures, including wells and 178 residences. In all, 1,014 people were affected by those demolitions.

We haven't heard masses of Tel Aviv and southern residents warning the stewards of the state about the ramifications of this destruction on the civilian population. The Israelis cheerfully wallow in their ignorance. This information and other similar facts are available and accessible to anyone who's really interested. But Israelis choose not to know. This willed ignorance is a foundation stone in the building of Israel's sense of victimization. But ignorance is ignorance: The fact that Israelis don't want to know what they are doing as an occupying power doesn't negate their deeds or Palestinian resistance.

In 1993, the Palestinians gave Israel a gift, a golden opportunity to cut the threads tying 1948 to the present, to abandon the country's characteristics of colonial dispossession, and together plan a different future for the two peoples in the region. The Palestinian generation that accepted the Oslo Accords (full of traps laid by smart Israeli lawyers ) is the generation that got to know a multifaceted, even normal, Israeli society because the 1967 occupation allowed it (for the purpose of supplying cheap labor ) almost full freedom of movement. The Palestinians agreed to a settlement based on their minimum demands. One of the pillars of these minimum demands was treating the Gaza Strip and West Bank as a single territorial entity.

But once the implementation of Oslo started, Israel systematically did everything it could to make the Gaza Strip into a separate, disconnected entity, as part of Israel's insistence on maintaining the threads of 1948 and extending them. Since the rise of Hamas, it has done everything to back up the impression Hamas prefers - that the Gaza Strip is a separate political entity where there is no occupation. If that is so, why not look at things as follows: As a separate political entity, any incursion into Gazan territory is an infringement of its sovereignty, and Israel does this all the time. Does the government of the state of Gaza not have the right to respond, to deter, or at least the masculine right - a twin of the IDF's masculine right - to scare the Israelis just as Israel scares the Palestinians?

But Gaza is not a state. Gaza is under Israeli occupation, despite all the verbal acrobatics of both Hamas and Israel. The Palestinians who live there are part of a people whose DNA contains resistance to oppression.

In the West Bank, Palestinian activists try to develop a type of resistance different from the masculine, armed resistance. But the IDF puts down all popular resistance with zeal and resolve. We haven't heard of residents of Tel Aviv and the south complaining about the balance of deterrence the IDF is building against the civilian Palestinian population.

And so Israel again provides reasons for more young Palestinians, for whom Israel is an abnormal society of army and settlers, to conclude that the only rational resistance is spilled blood and counter-terrorizing. And so every Israeli link of oppression and all Israeli disregard of the oppression's existence drags us further down the slope of masculine competition.

Monday November 19, 2012, 10:38 am

Wow!

(And this is from Israel's largest and oldest newspaper?)

Thank you, Angie.

Monday November 19, 2012, 10:40 am

And thanks as well for posting the article in its entirety since "The full text is available for subscribers & registered users."

Monday November 19, 2012, 11:28 am
I would like to add here some words from a dear friend that lives on Gaza:

Yes my dear Xxxxxxx Every insani humanitarian person is really crying and protesting from the buttom of his heart we do understand it and I am expecting and feeling your thoughts and all my friends in Xxx Xxxxx group and others in Xxxx X which is highly appreciated and I am proud of and used to tell my family friends here about your feeling and we have human insani people who are with us by heart , thoughts and praying for the safety of every single person ...

You need to know that Apatchy and F16 all the 24 hours over the area firing rockets everywhere buildings are destructed on the sleeping families children, women, aged, patients, muslims, christians do not distinquish between any one.

I hesitated to tell you that a friend house completely destructed and we found a young girle under the alive catching her cat and crying kissing her cat no one from the family left even the cat this is an example, a new established church boumbed , schools everythingthey are killing everything even trees and animals from sky and sea .

The real problem is the green light they took from the preasident of the biggest country in the whole world and told Natanyahou go ahead this is the newly elected one and had the peace priz 4 years ago .

Now they are waitting Obamas agreement for entering the most crowded area in the whole world (about 1, 750,000 in 360 Km2) with the army and prepared 75000 soldier for that is about 1 soldier to 2-3 civilian person this means that they are going to crush every one by the Bildozers and .......and we are under siege blockade to the boarders since years years and lacking everything needed from the basic human needs to survive .

I know that the majourity of The US people refuses that and zionest want it which occupies the minds of the US leaders and administration , I am afraid they will occupy US as a whole the Europe if they are not and in the way to establish the Zionest Empire and then they will kill everybody ... the IDF Rabiee said few years ago killevery one even babies .

I do not know what to do with my homeless cats they donot want to enter inside the house they go and come stay in the garden and F 16 is fiering all farms and gardens my heart is breaking crying but cannot do any thing give them food water and observe them.

We must not pay the bill of the Hulocost .

Sorry for disturbing you but everybody must know tha fact the hidden one the truth not lies .

Again thank you sooooooooo much for your feeling and thoughts , will meat hopefully if still alive, we keep praying and ALLAH will do his Miricle soon .

Xxx

Monday November 19, 2012, 11:32 am
And...

On the first 5 days of the Fire 72 were killed 25 on the fifth day, over 650 injuried 220 children, 113 women.6 journalists injured last night some had amputation of extremity.

The fire on the fifth day is destructing houses over the inhibitance ... Dalol family 11 killed 5 are children, Al Salah family 20.

Schools, University , completely destructed.

To night is sooooo hot firing everywhere from the sea, F 16 , and Apatchy .. houses are shaked no one can sleep, children are scared and crying.

Firing all moving objects .

Any how the people are at homes although it is not safe but what can be done .

The Gazian people worthy all respect as they are Insani ones love to live and love thier children , wants to develop , progress like other people, they want justice to return to thier mother home and pray for peace and safety to all creatures in the world.

thank you sooooo much for your concern , prayers and thoughts by your help and other Insani ones justice will be .

Please pass my thanks to all who pray for us and for justice.

Thanks for your concern.

Xxx

Monday November 19, 2012, 11:34 am
What's with the author of this article making it into some 'masculine'- oriented thing. Pure rhetoric. Just what everyone needs, add gender to the whole thing.
And 'carte blanch'? Generality. Opinion. What Western leader has 'given' Israel 'carte-blanche'?

Opinion is opinion, whether from an 'oldest Israeli newspaper' journalist or anywhere else.

It would be very silly indeed for anyone to try to sell the idea that Israel is a pure sweet innocent little victim who has never done anything wrong, or that the Palestinians are poor sweet innocent victims who have never done anything wrong. I mean, really.

Monday November 19, 2012, 11:38 am
Yes, I know that Carole, i swhy I did it in full. This is in a more detailed description what Abdessalam has already posted days ago when he mentioned about these killed youngsters and it also reflects what Rabbi Wassow has submitted.
Bottom line. YES, the West could/should have known! But they prefer to turn a blind eye, as always before.

Monday November 19, 2012, 11:46 am
All colonizers will never stop colonizing, doesn't matter where, entire continents or islands, or piece of land.
Colonizers have justified the most horrific crimes as did Columbus landing in the Caribbean islands.
horror is done under smiles, flag waving and national anthems to sooth all residues of guilt.
the mind is so easily deceived and molded into submission where food is plenty.

Monday November 19, 2012, 11:48 am
Kenneth, of course opinion, what else? EVERYTHING said and done these days from anyone is opinion after all.
What's there to complain about?

Monday November 19, 2012, 11:56 am
Sandra, thank you for sharing that heartbreaking very personal report there.
And thanks Richard for that very valid comparison, this was exactly also my thoughts.

Monday November 19, 2012, 1:38 pm

I have seen many times, people extracting the quote from Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". Though often attributed to the wrong author. I think one might take a look at the development of our world and realize that we learn very little from our past failures and do continue on our path of attempting to win bloody victories. We forget, that he also said, "Only the dead have seen the end of war."

Sure we all want to fall back on the idea that every country has a right to self-defense, it's a very old thinking that continues to justify war at any price. Newspapers, videos, the most popular patriotic propaganda of each country makes excuses for war. At what price? Israel is an industrialized nation, in the areas of science and medicine they have achieved great things. I keep wondering why these great minds are willing to sacrifice all for yet another war of adventure? Is really that difficult to find a settlement that no one wins and no one loses? One that allows for and accepts the differences of each.

I read that many use the justification of two very different cultures can not possibly share this spit of land. I believe that is a choice, not an indisputable fact. There are numerous wars that are happening, the war of bombs that does kill both children and their childhood, the war of propaganda that allows leaders to take a populace into the war of bombs, the political war, of who is more mighty.

I believe this is also a war of egos. I read the letter a few days ago of the Israeli woman pleading for her country to not defend her, not like this. Pleading that her government realize that even the young children know the difference between an Israeli bomb or one coming from Gaza. This is the legacy being given to children, a legacy of continued war, war-like rhetoric, deeply ingrained hate of those who live so near, but so far apart in what they can or will offer to their children. This is battle unchanged for 64 years, a battle of ideas and ideals, that has kept these two cultures from teaching their children the simple idea of acceptance.

Being an American I can speak to this, my own country lived, and for many still does, in ideas that those who didn't look the same, didn't cook the same foods, possessed a different language base, perhaps even have different clothing are therefore inferior. We did fight a very bloody wars, a fight to all but eradicate the people most Native to these lands, then those who were brought and kept here in chains, now those who left their land of birth to taste the American Dream, which for many is a nightmare.

We can look to many countries and see that war leaves a population mentally and emotionally flawed , even the victors are flawed with homes, business even the most basic needs of water, food and sanitation are disrupted because of flying missiles.

I am speaking from emotion here and not addressing the many issues that I have learned about the state of Israel or the state of Palestine, I think any one wishing to learn pure unbiased facts can and will find them. If your desire is for nothing more than reinforcing what you all ready believe that is what you will find, should any one wish to learn more, to face some harsh realities that too is easily available online.

The use of terror is not new to this world, terror may well be the oldest of all war tactics. Is it really more acceptable because it comes from one side of a fence or the other? According to the calendars we use this is the 21st century, but we all know that people have contrived reasons war for far more millennium than a couple of thousand years. Isn't time to grow up and learn to treat to each other as the human brothers/sisters we are?

All of this sickens me. I can not rid my mind of the children that will follow the path spread before them. How can there be peace when children are taught war?

Thank you, Angelika - Haaretz is a good dependable source.

Monday November 19, 2012, 1:40 pm

Sorry Angelika, I didn't realize that the comment would be so long or take up so much space.

Monday November 19, 2012, 2:20 pm
By all means you are excused Kit! I love your comment coming straight from the heart and from a very clear mind, a mindset that should be shared by EVERY sane human.
But i still have hope that "the magic number" perhaps has been reached now, with 100 vs 3 casualties.!. It makes me wonder just where the West, Obama to mention first, has set the "red line"here? Besides, with regard to the headline of this post, how can you claim "self defense" in light of those numbers?

Monday November 19, 2012, 2:36 pm

We Angelika are on the outside looking in, we can freely either takes sides or take the side of peace. We do not live with this propaganda as a part of our daily lives. We live with a different kind of propaganda that guides our lives, perhaps not as directly deadly but not always in our best interest.

In these wars, Israel has the greater fighter power, with bombers, missiles and a navy to launch both rockets and fire shell. Many Israelis, do believe that every day their lives are in danger and, the lives of their children are in danger. While those in Gaza live without even those things that we consider the basic necessities of life, they too have reasons they deeply believe and also want to protect their children. The governments of both countries hold the fear of the people hostage while they play out this (again) war of egos. I have no idea what Obama can or will do, nor do I expect that information to be released to the public, it's all caught up in govnernemental power plays, cloaked as diplomacy.

Monday November 19, 2012, 4:20 pm
Free, I don't remember what the newly elected Obama had said then or if he said anything. But this time we heard him say explicitly that, while Israel has the right to self defense, it must avoid civilian casualties. Where are the protests? It is totally unacceptable if the Israeli govt keeps claiming that Hamas "is using human shields" everytime their strikes hit a large numer of civilians and still insist on "surgical strikes". If they know so well where the Hamas militants and rocket launchers are located they must avoid those spots amidst civilians, that is what they said they would observe.
I am totally shocked by the polls showing a majority of Americans justifying Israels actions.

Monday November 19, 2012, 4:53 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Angelikanomail because you have done so within the last week.

Monday November 19, 2012, 4:59 pm
Both sides have the right to defend themselves, however Israhell should return to Palestine what was stolen from them. Start with a clean slate! Innocent civilians are being killed through this & for what! Mend the differences & respect each other as we are all interconnected as One! This bloodshed must end if we ever want to see Peace to be had in this world! No one is better then the next person, We are all God's children.

Monday November 19, 2012, 7:21 pm
So, which of you would not defend your home, your town, your state, your country??????????

Monday November 19, 2012, 9:19 pm
noted, with great sadness...

Monday November 19, 2012, 10:19 pm
Angelika: 'what's there to complain about'? I have no idea what that's supposed to convey.

From what I've read, hundreds of rockets have been fired at Israel. Most have fallen and not killed anyone, the rest stopped by their IronDome system. That doesn't make those rockets any less intentionally deadly.

Does Hamas station, hide, keep any militants in Gaza? Anyone in Gaza support, fund, protect, hide militants? Any Hamas guide activities from Gaza? Anyone in Gaza condone, encourage, even covertly, missile strikes against Israel? Of course. Any strikes by Israel not perfect or precise or a mistaken target? Of course.

Let's face it, propaganda is spread by both sides in every conflict. Then there's counter-propaganda, counter-counter propaganda. For any side to say they speak the 'truth' and that the other side is just speaking propaganda is naive. As someone said on another thread, there has been so much fear and hate and vengeance in the Israel-Palestine issue for so long by leaders, gov'ts., and civilians, that 'the truth' isn't even possible anymore, viewpoint is 'truth'.

War is ALWAYS harmful for innocent civilians.

Monday November 19, 2012, 10:24 pm
Btw Angelika, my point about opinion is opinion is quite capable sometimes of stirring up fear, hate, and even violence. ex. My opinion is your neighbor is a thief. Collective opinion is he's a thief. Start the lynching.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 12:44 am
Noted and really do not want to respond. There are so many things that only people living in Israel (and I am a left wing person who believes in peace and in returning the captured territories) know and are aware of. The outsiders, reading newspapers, internet and watching TV are really not getting the complete and whole picture. This time Israel was forced to retaliate and we are very sorry about civilians getting killed and injured, but the Hamas have forced us into this situation and do not care about the civilians in Gaza. They need them for their propoganda...

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 3:05 am
What all of the anti-Semites have never explained is why Israel is not allowed to protect itself from years of ongoing terrorist attacks. I can only assume that the traditional double standard applies in that, if anyone of you were living under rocket attacks then you would be screaming for your government to protect you. Unless, of course, not one of you cares whether or not your children/parents/husband/siblings etc were to be blown into little pieces either to die or to live maimed. That is your choice if you want that but why should others?

All Israel wants is to stop the rockets and to not hurt anyone other than the terorrists. It is not Israel's fault that Hamas uses innocent people as shields because they know that bleeding hearts like yourselves attack Israel when they do protect themselves. I lay the blame where it belongs, onto an illegal terrorist organisation and on to all of you who support the terrorists by believing and supporting their propaganda. If anyone of you moaning minnies really understood what was happening then you would be agreeing with me.

As for peace, as long as Israel is Jewish then there can be no peace. I, and all others, wish it were otherwise.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 3:07 am
I offered Carole a challenge and she could not answer it. I am going to issue this same challenge to all of you haters and detractors here. I doubt that anyone of you will take it up.

Can you find anything in this extract from the charter, or the whole one, that would give anyone hope for peace? Is there anything in the quotes from their religious texts bearing in mind that the early texts do not count, the later ones of hatred are the ones that are to be used, Mohammed said so.

From the Hamas Charter:
THE COVENANT OF THE HAMAS - MAIN POINTS

=======================================

The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement was issued on August 18, 1988. The Islamic Resistance Movement, also known as the HAMAS,

is an extremist fundamentalist Islamic organization operating in the territories under Israeli control. Its Covenant is a comprehensive manifesto comprised of 36 separate articles, all of which promote the basic HAMAS goal of destroying the State of Israel through Jihad (Islamic Holy War). The following are excerpts of the HAMAS

Covenant:

Goals of the HAMAS:

'The Islamic Resistance Movement is a distinguished Palestinian movement, whose allegiance is to Allah, and whose way of life is Islam. It strives to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine.' (Article 6)

On the Destruction of Israel:

'Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.' (Preamble)

The Exclusive Moslem Nature of the Area:

'The land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf [Holy Possession] consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgment Day. No one can renounce it or any part, or abandon it or any part of it.' (Article 11)

'Palestine is an Islamic land. Since this is the case, the Liberation of Palestine is an individual duty for every Moslem wherever he may be.' (Article 13)

The Call to Jihad:

'The day the enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Moslem. In the face of the Jews' usurpation, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised.' (Article 15)

'Ranks will close, fighters joining other fighters, and masses everywhere in the Islamic world will come forward in response to the call of duty, loudly proclaiming: 'Hail to Jihad!'. This cry will reach the heavens and will go on being resounded until liberation is achieved, the invaders vanquished and Allah's victory comes about.' (Article 33)

Rejection of a Negotiated Peace Settlement:

'[Peace] initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement... Those conferences are no more than a means to appoint the infidels as arbitrators in the lands of Islam... There is no solution for the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are but a waste of time, an exercise in futility.' (Article 13)

Condemnation of the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty:

'Egypt was, to a great extent, removed from the circle of struggle [against Zionism] through the treacherous Camp David Agreement. The Zionists are trying to draw other Arab countries into similar agreements in order to bring them outside the circle of struggle.

...Leaving the circle of struggle against Zionism is high treason,

and cursed be he who perpetrates such an act.' (Article 32)

Anti-Semitic Incitement:

'The Day of Judgment will not come about until Moslems fight Jews and kill them. Then, the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and trees will cry out: 'O Moslem, there is a Jew hiding behind me, come and kill him.' (Article 7)

'The enemies have been scheming for a long time ... and have accumulated huge and influential material wealth. With their money, they took control of the world media... With their money they stirred revolutions in various parts of the globe... They stood behind the French Revolution, the Communist Revolution and most of the revolutions we hear about... With their money they formed secret organizations - such as the Freemasons, Rotary Clubs and the Lions - which are spreading around the world, in order to destroy societies and carry out Zionist interests... They stood behind World War I ... and formed the League of Nations through which they could rule the world. They were behind World War II, through which they made huge financial gains... There is no war going on anywhere without them having their finger in it.' (Article 22)

'Zionism scheming has no end, and after Palestine, they will covet expansion from the Nile to the Euphrates River. When they have finished digesting the area on which they have laid their hand, they will look forward to more expansion. Their scheme has been laid out in the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'.' (Article 32)

'The HAMAS regards itself the spearhead and the vanguard of the circle of struggle against World Zionism... Islamic groups all over the Arab world should also do the same, since they are best equipped
for their future role in the fight against the warmongering Jews.' (Article 32)

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 3:10 am
Peace will come when the Arabs will love their children more than they hate us. Golda Meir

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 3:41 am
Palestine have also a right to selfdefence!

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 5:13 am

Miss Kitty, I commend you for your incisive and well-stated comment:

In particular:

"Sure we all want to fall back on the idea that every country has a right to self-defense, it's a very old thinking that continues to justify war at any price. Newspapers, videos, the most popular patriotic propaganda of each country makes excuses for war. At what price? Israel is an industrialized nation, in the areas of science and medicine they have achieved great things. I keep wondering why these great minds are willing to sacrifice all for yet another war of adventure? Is really that difficult to find a settlement that no one wins and no one loses? One that allows for and accepts the differences of each."

We could sit in these forums 24/7 arguing about who is right and who is wrong and who has the moral upper hand, but it means NOTHING if it is not a step toward peaceful resolution of the conflict. Let the international courts decide that. By spending our time demonizing one side or the other and exchanging vitriol and name-calling, instead of pushing for the carnage to cease, we are creating our own non-productive and ugly war . . . verbally, but also damaging.

My heart goes out to ANY human being in ANY country subjected to the horrors of war (civilians and soldiers alike).

We need to stop vilifying differing opinions and start pushing for the UN and governments involved to put their collective heads together and STOP IT!

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 5:21 am
Arid,

Palestine contains Israel, Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, pieces of Syrian and Lebanon. I agree, each one of them has a right for self-defense, but not to plan war and destruction of their neighbors.

The hate to Israel promoted in this article and whole bunch if built-in lies do not make peace closer. They make war more close. And when Arab extremists go fanatical, people get killed. It is seen in Israel, in US, in Iraq, in Pakistan, in Afganistan - pretty much everywhere.

The task of peace-loving people is to stop aggression of Islamist militants and extremists no matter where it would be happening.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 5:28 am
I just wonder how could a nation which has been through the holocaust do this to another nation?!

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 5:59 am
President Obama: Stop Israel's Attacks on Gaza

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/641/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=11938

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 6:03 am
If the Palestinians would use their resources for bettering the lot of their population, instead of underground weapon storage,launchers, rockets, bunkers, etc. there would be no blockade and no self-defence attacks on these military position whihc are used to indiscriminately bombard Israeli civilians.Remember there are no Israeli soldiers or civilians in Gaza, so why didn't the Palestinians use this opportunity to improve the lives of the population as was done by the Palestinian Authority in the year 2000 - when I visited there as a tourist. Then the Hamas came and turned it into a rocket launching pad against Israel.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 6:11 am
 
Protest in Israel Calls for End to "Elections War"
 
A shared Jewish-Palestinian protest march calling for an immediate cessation of fighting in Gaza and southern Israel took place in occupied Beit Jala, on 17/11/2012. Protesters called on both governments to stop unnecessary bloodshed and start negotiating.
 
 

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 6:22 am
Send a Green Star to Giana Peranio-paz
Sending a Green Star is a simple way to say "Thank you"

You cannot currently send a star to Giana because you have done so within the last week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Giana Peranio-paz (84)
Tuesday November 20, 2012, 12:44 am
Noted and really do not want to respond. There are so many things that only people living in Israel (and I am a left wing person who believes in peace and in returning the captured territories) know and are aware of. The outsiders, reading newspapers, internet and watching TV are really not getting the complete and whole picture. This time Israel was forced to retaliate and we are very sorry about civilians getting killed and injured, but the Hamas have forced us into this situation and do not care about the civilians in Gaza. They need them for their propoganda...

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 7:34 am
This is pure opinion and deflective rhetoric.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 9:07 am
You would think the only refugees in the world Are the Palestinians. The Palestinians are the only refugees who are still considered refugees after 3 generations. This is unheard of among other refugees in the world. The only reason the Palestinians suffer is because of their intransigant leadership who, for religious reasons, cannot accept non-Moslems having sovereignty over Moslem religious sites or over a Moslem population. This is the reason they cannot accept the concept of Jewish self-determination.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 9:48 am
David E. :"Remember there are no Israeli soldiers or civilians in Gaza," - unfortunately this is NOT reality.
IDF has made it a routine to cross over into Gaza, and instead of dismantling the illegal settlements as Israel was demanded to do, they expand them- and have you forgotten all the demolitions and destruction of the recent weeks and months? I can only repeat: Israel needs to stop the settlements on Palestinian land and end the occupation.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 10:04 am
Angelikanomail Roll: You just show how little you know. The IDF does not cross over in Gaza and there are no settlements in Gaza since 2005. The Hamas cruely threw out the Palestinian Authority (2007) from Gaza and started sending rockets indiscriminately into the Israeli civilian population. You also probably do not know or understand the demographic history of the area beginning over 100 years ago.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 10:06 am
Thanks Carole for that link-and thanks for having folks here make notice of the reason for this war! But Israels leadership is not only blind to what their people want but just too eager to win reelections, seems so familiar from the US campaigning. We can only hope that the result will be identical and they get what they deserve.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 10:33 am
David, what I certainly DO UNDERSTAND is what the UN has demanded of Israel for decades and NONE OF WHICH Israel has fulfilled! As much as I condemn the violence of Hamas and as cynical as this may sound, but I wish the rockets would have knocked down the ILLEGAL Wall, what they call "the fence", which was also by international courts found against international law.
As for crossing over to Gaza, please get the facts! Indeed they had crossed into Gaza just prior to this war and killed Palestinian children, THAT is how all this began!
(http://www.opednews.com/articles/Gaza-Israel-Violence-The-by-Rabbi-Arthur-Wasko-121116-181.html )
Excerpt:
IMEU Timeline:

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8

Following a two-week lull in violence, Israeli soldiers invade Gaza. In the resulting exchange of gunfire with Palestinian fighters, a 12-year-old boy is killed by an Israeli bullet while he plays soccer.

Guess you will probably call all this a lie.- No use in further disussing.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 12:07 pm
When Arabs did not send suicide bombers to bomb discos and pizza shops, Israel did not have to build a fence to protect its people at a great cost.

Arabs often do something nasty to Israel and then get upset at the consequences, be that a security fence moving Gaza car thieves out of business, or bombing back Hamas rocket launchers.

What goes around - comes around!

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 12:21 pm

" When Israelis in the occupied territories now claim that they have to defend themselves, they are defending themselves in the sense that any military occupier has to defend itself against the population they are crushing... You can't defend yourself when you're militarily occupying someone else's land. That's not defense. Call it what you like, it's not defense. " -- Noam Chomsky

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 12:30 pm
"The outsiders, reading newspapers, internet and watching TV are really not getting the complete and whole picture. This time Israel was forced to retaliate..."
I dare claim this also applies to insiders, I mean the ordinary Israeli living there. -Unless of course you are permanently right in the border area observing closely what exactly IOF are doing..
You are largely depending just the same on the media and what reason would anyone have not to trust a renowned and acknowledged paper such as Haarez and the IMEU. It all comes down to what you read / hear and what you want to believe.One must ALWAYS hear/read both sides.
As for the second part there, "this time...", well "this time" was as each and every time, I cannot recall any time or event when Israel did NOT feel "forced to retaliate" but that may exactly be what the world has been waiting for. Peace loving people do make the first step and we all know Hamas does NOT love peace.
This is especially true when such an obvious disproportionate force is used.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 12:43 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Angelikanomail because you have done so within the last week.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 1:21 pm
 
From Washington Report on Mid-east Affairs:
 
One reader sent a link to a terribly moving letter to President Barack Obama from a Jewish supporter who said how disappointed she is in his response to Israel’s actions in Gaza. It should show the Obama administration that American Jews do not support Israel’s attack. http://righteoustrayf.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/an-open-letter-to-the-president/
 
 

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 1:29 pm
 
In light of the dire situation in the Gaza Strip and Israel's brutal attack on civilians and their institutions, it is my hope that you will take action and sign this petition. Israel must not continue to act with impunity. Please act now to stop the killing of more innocent civilians, on both sides of the conflict. Act now to halt U.S. military aid to Israel until it complies with international and U.S. law. If you're not American, please share with your friends who are.
 
http://www.petition2congress.com/8349/act-now-to-end-war-on-gaza/
 
 

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 1:34 pm
If the little boys keep throwing stones at the big boys, eventually the big boys will be forced to go over and stop the little boys.

Thousands of rockets into Israel, how long can any country just sit there and take it?

Especially when the installations and rockets keep getting more and more elaborate and sophisticated. It's not just a couple of DIY guys shooting homemade rockets out of their backyard anymore.

And where are they getting the millions these rockets cost? Why isn't the money going to help their own people instead of wasting energy and resources on this endless animosity?

Hamas has even set up a base in the biggest hospital in Gaza!

It is so sad that so much is being squandered on what amounts to tribal warfare and a squabble over real estate.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 1:50 pm
What Nelson Mandela has to say... http://t.co/49BdSxMk

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 1:53 pm

How sad that we equate the behavior of leaders to "boys."

Let's hope that one, or both, of them will eventually grow up to become a "hu-man."

Many innocent lives hang in the balance.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 1:59 pm

Sandrea . . . THANK YOU!

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 2:12 pm
petition to Congress circulated, thx dear Carole!

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 2:24 pm
I agree with Arild Warud.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 2:45 pm
My thanks also to Sandrea for this powerful message from Mandela and to Carole for that letter from the bereaved sister, it moved me to tears and I guess so did it to you. Eyery time that I now hear Netanyahu on TV saying "thank you Mr president"-refering to the financing of iron dome- I can feel my blood boil.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 3:20 pm
Those Ill - uminaties make my blood boil too. I cry everytime I read the letter I posted above. I don't even know if this person is still alive. I've seen several tweets by jews that are outraged at Israel, as they should be.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 5:22 pm

I have no idea who did or did not read that letter to the president. If that does not move you, than I suggest there is little hope left for civilization.

I have already signed the petitions and most certainly left my feelings here. My mind still goes back to the children. Not one of them had a choice in any of this, their lives whether injured physically or not, will be forever altered.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 5:42 pm

That is so true, Miss Kitty.

For this generation of children (of Gaza and Israel), these horrific memories will haunt them; and those haunting reminisces will be the stories they tell their grandchildren (should they survive).

It's far from the dreams any parent imagines or wishes for their offspring. And sadly, these young minds, whose futures are the consequences of the decisions of those in power, who were complicit in the nightmares, are not a priority . . . which they well should be.

It's shameful.

Just to be clear, I do NOT judge any government more harshly than my own country.

And I am extremely disappointed.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 10:46 pm
Thank you Angie for this amazing find, as well as *J* for sending it too. All I have to share is I wish to send Kit a million Stars for your personal post at: Monday November 19, 2012, 1:38 pm. I would send you a Star for each piece of information you always share... but am out of STARS for you, as well as others...
A STAR for Abdesallam for keeping me/US abreast of the petitions... Already signed!
A STAR for *C* as well as Angie for all your passions, truth and KNOWLEDGE. I agree Carole, it is TRULY a shame " How sad that we equate the behavior of leaders to "boys." I will read/sign EACH link provided as my computer is being kind to me this evening.
Another STAR for Sandrea re: What Nelson Mandela has to say... http://t.co/49BdSxMk
I apologize for the one HATER who always spews disrespect, as well as as anyone whom would call you ignorant or uninformed.
Off to read each link... PEACE! This is just too Heart Breaking...in response to *C*'s post just above me...
I hope I sent STARS to all who I meant...

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 11:09 pm
Of course my broken computer crashed twice...I will read/sign petition on everyone's info. when able.

Tuesday November 20, 2012, 11:10 pm
My goodness, *J* is meant to be JUST CAROLE, forgive me again please?

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 6:42 am

My dear SuSanne, thank you so much for your gracious support and kind words.

You're a pleasure to know.

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 7:19 am


Prayer for the Children of Abraham/ Ibrahim


For every aspiring ballerina huddled

scared in a basement bomb shelter

For every toddler in his mother's arms

behind rubble of concrete and rebar

For every child who's learned to distinguish

"our" bombs from "their" bombs by sound

For everyone wounded, cowering, frightened

and everyone furious, planning for vengeance

For the ones who are tasked with firing shells

where there are grandmothers and infants

For the ones who fix a rocket's parabola

toward children on school playgrounds

For every official who sees shelling Gaza

as a matter of "cutting the grass"

And every official who approves launching projectiles

from behind preschools or prayer places

For every kid taught to lob a bomb with pride

And every kid sickened by explosions

For every teenager who considers

"martyrdom" his best hope for a future:

May the God of compassion and the God of mercy

God of justice and God of forgiveness

God Who shaped creation in Her tender womb

and nurses us each day with blessing

God Who suffers the anxiety and pain

of each of His unique children

God Who yearns for us to take up

the work of perfecting creation

God Who is reflected in those who fight

and in those who bandage the bleeding --

May our Father, Mother, Beloved, Creator

cradle every hurting heart in caring hands.

Soon may we hear in the hills of Judah

and the streets of Jerusalem

in the olive groves of the West Bank

and the apartment blocks of Gaza City

in the kibbutz fields of the Negev

and the neighborhoods of Nablus

the voice of fighters who have traded weapons

for books and ploughs and bread ovens

the voice of children on swings and on slides

singing nonsense songs, unafraid

the voice of reconciliation and new beginnings

in our day, speedily and soon.

And let us say:

amen.



This prayer for the living is meant to be prayed in community as a responsive reading. It was written by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat. You can follow her work at velveteenrabbi.com/ She is a poet, spiritual director, and the rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel in North Adams, MA.

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 11:43 am
 
From Jewish Voice For Peace:
 
As I write this, a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas has just taken effect. We hope and pray that it will hold.
 
Text of Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement

(AFP) – 1 hour ago 

CAIRO — Israel and Hamas agreed Wednesday to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire accord to end a week of violence in and around the Gaza Strip following days of marathon talks.

Here is the text of the ceasefire agreement which is set to take effect at 1900 GMT:

"Israel shall stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip land sea and air, including incursions and targeting of individuals.

"All Palestinian factions shall stop all hostilities from the Gaza Strip against Israel, including rocket attacks and all attacks along the border.

"Opening the crossings and facilitating the movement of people and transfer of goods and refraining from restricting residents' free movements and targeting residents in border areas. Procedures of implementation shall be dealt with after 24 hours from the start of the ceasefire.

"Other matters as may be requested shall be addressed."

"Implementation mechanism.

"Setting up the zero hour understanding to enter into effect.

"Egypt shall receive assurances from each party that the party commits to what was agreed upon.

"Each party shall commit itself not to perform any acts that would breach this understanding. In case of any observations, Egypt as a sponsor of this understanding, shall be informed to follow up."

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 12:31 pm
Just Carole,

Chomski is just a linguist, a good linguist, a very talkative one. When he turns to politics to make a few bucks, he brings up the nonsense he is paid to voice out.

Arabs do not have valid claims on the land of the West Bank or even Gaza. Arabs never ruled those places, Israel was nice (and crazy) enough to gift Arabs with these lands, hoping they will be happy and will make peace. Tell it to Chomski, he needs some education.

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 12:44 pm

And . . . . (just wondering) . . . What are YOUR credentials, Bob???

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 1:02 pm
Here, in Gaza: http://mondoweiss.net/2012/11/here-in-gaza.html

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 1:40 pm
Here, in Gaza ... Take a good look at the photo! Is the part of Pallywood - Palestinian Hollywood? Look at all the debris; now look at the "actors" including the teddy bear - clean as a whisle. Now if the photo is false, how should relate to the written information?

Wednesday November 21, 2012, 4:41 pm
The bear doesn't look clean to me. Those people weren't in the explosion, why should they be all dirty by just walking through the remains. Are we all supposed to think nothing really happened in Gaza.

Thursday November 22, 2012, 3:08 am
Why would a young man dressed so nicely being carrying a "teddy bear" thru the rubble?

The fake photos are shown over and over again for you to be duped

The BBC recently broadcast a news report showing a man being carried off by four others, seemingly the victim of an Israeli missile strike, only for him to reappear in the same clip a few seconds later wandering around completely unharmed. The same organization’s Jon Donnison yesterday re-tweeted a picture of the dead body of a young girl on a stretcher in Gaza with the headline "Heartbreaking," only for it to transpire that the girl had sadly been killed three weeks earlier in Syria

Thursday November 22, 2012, 3:21 am
why not?... http://t.co/j72ghS4C