war in Gaza

[Anonymous]

I found this video to sum up the situation.
For those that can only base opinions on what we read/hear in the media and can be easily misunderstood,
Here is an excellent video from and Isreali who I salute for being brave enough to speak the truth. And this is coming from and Arab (me) who wishes nothing more than Peace in the Middle East.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA3QzmWTp20&eurl=http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I found this video to sum up the situation.
For those that can only base opinions on what we read/hear in the media and can be easily misunderstood,
Here is an excellent video from and Isreali who I salute for being brave enough to speak the truth. And this is coming from and Arab (me) who wishes nothing more than Peace in the Middle East.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA3QzmWTp20&eurl=http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home

Inshallah.

[Anonymous]

I just dont like how Isreal is always the bad guy here. I agree, the stuff happening to the innocent children and women are horrible and very sad. I too, wish it would stop. Neither side is right. But you can't put all the blame on Isreal or Palestine. I have many friends in Isreal and I would be devastated if something happened to them, I dont agree with innocent killings. I was just trying to point out that Isreal isn't always the bad guy.

[Anonymous]

Israel has the power and they are abusing it. Palestinians caught in the crossfire are powerless and unable to avoid being killed, having their homes destroyed, or getting medical attention once they've been injured in this war.

Your point about Israel always being the bad guy doesn't make much sense given that the US Media coverage is largely positive towards Israel's right to self-defense.

If you think that the killing of over 400 civilians, half of them children is justified, then I wholeheartedly disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

First off, I am actually a British citizen living in America. I get my news from other places not just America. And not once did I say the killings were justified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find this thread littered with hatred for Jews.

It would be intresting to see how you all feel about the Bosnian genocide, the armenian genocide, what happened in Somalia....I realize this is being discussed because it's recent but ask yourself if you'd be as vested or upset if this involved brazil and argentina..or some other non-jewish country.

Don't equate criticism of Israel's conduct with hatred for Jews. I am critical of Israel's actions. Just like I am critical of the U.S.'s actions in Iraq. I am also just as vocal about it. I'm a very proud American and so no, I don't hate Americans.

This is the problem with criticizing Israel. People start calling us racist and anti-Semitic.

[Anonymous]

First off, I am actually a British citizen living in America. I get my news from other places not just America. And not once did I say the killings were justified.

And the point you were making was?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just dont like how Isreal is always the bad guy here. I agree, the stuff happening to the innocent children and women are horrible and very sad. I too, wish it would stop. Neither side is right. But you can't put all the blame on Isreal or Palestine. I have many friends in Isreal and I would be devastated if something happened to them, I dont agree with innocent killings. I was just trying to point out that Isreal isn't always the bad guy.

PP, of course, you are worried about your friends' safety. I would not want Israelis to fear for their lives and I don't want Israelis to live with the fear of being hit by a Hamas rocket. And I am ultimately concerned about the long-term survival of Israel -- and hopefully survival as a more egalitarian democracy which aims to treat all of its citizens equally, as opposed to the institutionalized discrimination that exists now against the nearly 20% of its citizens who are Arab (Palestinians, Bedouins). (I'm talking about their own citizens now, not Gaza or the West Bank. We've have a racist past here but today we would never openly accept the kind of segregation occurring in Israel now or the outright privilege based on ethnicity.)

But Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 2006 and to Gaza now are in the long run strengthening Israel's enemies. What Israel is doing now may be popular within the country among its Jewish citizens but I'm afraid it will ultimately lead to Israel's destruction. It will make Israel less safe in the long run.

Furthermore, I would like to see more Arab countries become more democratic -- which would require more Arab citizens of those countries to mobilize against their governments. But as long as Israel occupies the West Bank and blockades Gaza, it provides a convenient target for the despots who rule those countries (some of whom are our allies) and who can use it to deflect attention away from their own anti-democratic policies. And for all our talk of democracy in Iraq, we allow our allies to go on abusing the human rights of the citizens (and non-citizens) of their countries without much objection.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have many friends in Isreal and I would be devastated if something happened to them,

I would also be devastated if something happened to them. What I hate is when people (rightly and finally!) point to atrocities, probable war crimes committed against defenseless Palestinians - about a third of whom are children - others come on and state that if we are criticizing Israeli military actions, we must want something terrible to happen to Israeli citizens, or the whole nation of Israel, or to Jews around the world. That's basically how discourse has gone in the US for quite sometime, and I have had ENOUGH.

I think all who have posted on this thread do not want anything bad to happen to your friends in Israel. Or any other Israelis. Or any Jews, anywhere. Or ANYONE. The defense of defenseless civilians in Gaza should not be so goddamn controversial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have many friends in Isreal and I would be devastated if something happened to them,

I would also be devastated if something happened to them. What I hate is when people (rightly and finally!) point to atrocities, probable war crimes committed against defenseless Palestinians - about a third of whom are children - others come on and state that if we are criticizing Israeli military actions, we must want something terrible to happen to Israeli citizens, or the whole nation of Israel, or to Jews around the world. That's basically how discourse has gone in the US for quite sometime, and I have had ENOUGH.

I think all who have posted on this thread do not want anything bad to happen to your friends in Israel. Or any other Israelis. Or any Jews, anywhere. Or ANYONE. The defense of defenseless civilians in Gaza should not be so goddamn controversial.

Well-stated, pp! Brava/o!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Israel has the power and they are abusing it. Palestinians caught in the crossfire are powerless and unable to avoid being killed, having their homes destroyed, or getting medical attention once they've been injured in this war.

Your point about Israel always being the bad guy doesn't make much sense given that the US Media coverage is largely positive towards Israel's right to self-defense.

If you think that the killing of over 400 civilians, half of them children is justified, then I wholeheartedly disagree with you.

I was saying that I dont just get my news from the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have many friends in Isreal and I would be devastated if something happened to them,

I would also be devastated if something happened to them. What I hate is when people (rightly and finally!) point to atrocities, probable war crimes committed against defenseless Palestinians - about a third of whom are children - others come on and state that if we are criticizing Israeli military actions, we must want something terrible to happen to Israeli citizens, or the whole nation of Israel, or to Jews around the world. That's basically how discourse has gone in the US for quite sometime, and I have had ENOUGH.

I think all who have posted on this thread do not want anything bad to happen to your friends in Israel. Or any other Israelis. Or any Jews, anywhere. Or ANYONE. The defense of defenseless civilians in Gaza should not be so goddamn controversial.

Well-stated, pp! Brava/o!

I love it too!

[Anonymous]

Let's all hug it out.

[Anonymous]

I'm not a big Israel fan but I know that Israel isn't calling for any other country's demise like some are towards Isreal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not a big Israel fan but I know that Israel isn't calling for any other country's demise like some are towards Isreal.

True, countries should not call for the demise of another country. But it doesn't justify bombing innocent people in order to get to their political leaders. Would it be okay to bomb my house because you missed George Bush's house down the street?

Plus there are Israeli Jews who seek the transfer of the Palestinians away from Gaza and the West Bank and want to expell them to Arab countries and these Israelis have a certain amount of power in Israeli society. Just because they have called for expelling Arabs from their land, does that mean it would be okay to bomb civilians in Tel Aviv? Of course not!