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Last update - 21:19 22/12/2008
Can the First Gaza War be stopped before it starts?
By Bradley Burston
Tags: Israel News, Hamas, IDF 

Click here for more from Bradley Burston

Doing nothing is no longer an option.

The week began with Palestinian rockets slamming into the Negev an average of nearly once an hour, around the clock.
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"There's a moral problem here," says Brigadier General (Res.) Shmuel Zakai, former commander of the IDF's Gaza Division.

"The basic obligation of a nation is to see to the security of its citizens. The factual situation is that the state of Israel is not doing so, where the residents of the south are concerned."

Zakai told Army Radio this week that Israel's real options are down to three. The first is the option that many have taken routinely to call unavoidable: a broad military offensive.

The IDF station began its central morning newscast with an unnamed security source saying that Israel's three top leaders had decided to end the policy of military restraint, and that "the Hamas organization will be surprised by the might of Israel's response."

The scope of rocket attacks, their increasing range, and the fact that there are potential launch sites from Beit Lehiya in northern Gaza to Rafah in the south - coupled with an intensive Hamas effort to arm, booby trap, and fortify entire regions, especially areas where civilian populations and military units are congruent - all but mandates that if Israeli troops launch an offensive, the result will be a war in which then IDF invades and progressively reconquers the entire length of the Strip, at a horrible cost in civilian and military casualties to both sides.

That old familiar cringe has hit the air, the unmistakable feel of the slope turning slippery.

Is it already too late to stop the First Gaza War?

It already has a name, courtesy of cabinet minister and ex-Shin Bet chief Avi Dichter. It already has goals, which are as well defined as they are unrealizable. It has already had its tactics publicly spelled out and thus undermined before the fact.

Still, there are signs that the coming war, which has come to routinely be termed unavoidable, can be halted before it starts.

The most startling of these signs may be realism.

The Israeli military is certainly capable of a Gaza conquest, and at any given time, Zakai, once Israel's top soldier in the Strip, said on the army-run station. "But the question that we must ask ourselves is this: 'Okay, we've conquered Gaza - what now?' We're ruling over a million and a half Palestinians. Israel's economic situation is known to everyone. Will Israel's tax revenues now be used for rehabilitating the sewage and education of a million and a half Palestinians? What, exactly, will this give us?

"In recent years, we've made every effort to separate ourselves from the Palestinians. Are we now going to take a step that will bring us back a million and a half Palestinians to rule over? This lacks all sense. "

Zakai believes Israel should take a different approach, essentially combining two other options with a fundamental reappraisal of how Israelis should regard Hamas.

At heart, he says, "The state of Israel must understand that Hamas rule in Gaza is a fact, and it is with that government that we must reach a situation of calm."

Israel must also understand that Hamas is a pragmatic organization, Zakai continues. "The moment that the organization understands that Qassam fire is contrary to its interests, it will stop the fire.

"We need to work in an integrated manner. The situation is a complex one. There is no kuntz [trick], no patent [gimmick] that you can just turn on, in order to end Qassam fire.

"An integrated approach, on the one hand, includes demonstration of military might, a demonstration of the heavy price Hamas would have to pay if the firing continues, and on the other hand, also using a carrot, to cause Hamas to understand that refraining from firing exactly serves their interests.

In Zakai's view, Israel's central error during the tahadiyeh, the six-month period of relative truce that formally ended on Friday, was failing to take advantage of the calm to improve, rather than markedly worsen, the economic plight of the Palestinians of the Strip.

He believes that Hamas would have - and still would - accept a bargain in which Hamas, the only power who holds sway over the multiplicity racketeers and gunmen of Gaza's many armed groups, would halt the fire in exchange for easing of the many ways in which Israeli policies have kept a choke hold on the economy of the Strip.

"We could have eased the siege over the Gaza Strip, in such a way that the Palestinians, Hamas, would understand that holding their fire served their interests. But when you create a tahadiyeh, and the economic pressure on the Strip continues, it's obvious that Hamas will try to reach an improved tahadiyeh, and that their way to achieve this, is resumed Qassam fire.

"The carrot is improvement of the economic situation in the Gaza Strip. You cannot just land blows, leave the Palestinians in Gaza in the economic distress they're in, and to expect that Hamas will just sit around and do nothing. That's something that's simply unrealistic."

In the end, Israel must realize that "we can't impose regimes on the Palestinians. We can't cause the Palestinians [to decide] who will rule over them. Hamas took over the Gaza Strip. This is a fact. I do not believe that the state of Israel should cause another ruler to come to power in Gaza borne on the bayonets of the IDF. "

"It's just like after the disengagement. We left Gaza and we thought that with that troubles were over. Did we really think that a million and a half people living in that kind of poverty were going to mount the rooftops and begin singing the Beitar hymn? That is illogical."

Previous blogs:

The Madoff betrayal: Life imitates anti-Semitism
Hebron, Feiglin, and the self-hating Jews of the right
The Jihadi as Nazi, from 9/11 to Mumbai
Thanksgiving in the Holy Land - Grace and 4 Questions
Debate over Museum of Tolerance - an exchange
Dividing Jerusalem, one bad wall at a time
Obama, and the first Arab prime minister of Israel
For Republicans, two words of advice and comfort
Dire fears for Obama in Rabin's long shadow
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  1.   ONLY TWO WEEKS AGO 10:32  |  indrajaya 22/12/08
  2.   It can EASILY be stopped 10:46  |  observer 22/12/08
  3.   This Will Cover The Education Portion Bradley... 10:59  |  Yosemite 22/12/08
  4.   Indrajaya 11:08  |  Daniela 22/12/08
  5.   right on observer 11:12  |  Jane 22/12/08
  6.   One "tahadiyeh" after another 11:15  |  David G 22/12/08
  7.   above 11:18  |  moishe 22/12/08
  8.   #1 Indrajaya 11:18  |  H 22/12/08
  9.   bradley burston you can always beg 11:20  |  amos 22/12/08
  10.   "All these Israel attacks were well-documented" 11:23  |  Esther 22/12/08
  11.   hamas has screamed at us till they are blue in the face 11:23  |  meir 22/12/08
  12.   Israel and Hamas or Asterix and Obelix in the Middle East.... 11:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/12/08
  13.   observer #2 11:32  |  Esther 22/12/08
  14.   Observer 11:33  |  Tareq 22/12/08
  15.   Even my little dog knows that Israel, not Hamas, is the villain 11:40  |  KMS 22/12/08
  16.   Yosemite #3... you neglect to mention... 11:46  |  Esther 22/12/08
  17.   KMS #15...just wondering... 11:54  |  Esther 22/12/08
  18.   KMS has a very stupid little dog 12:07  |  SDHD 22/12/08
  19.   Israel can NOT win this war 12:20  |  spyguy 22/12/08
  20.   #15, KMS and his little dog 12:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/12/08
  21.   Then you`re obviously no smarter than your little dog, KMS 12:25  |  Haaretz hater 22/12/08
  22.   good point, Observer! 12:26  |  Ernst 22/12/08
  23.   To the doubters 12:34  |  Choni Davidowitz 22/12/08
  24.   And what do we learn from all of this....???? 12:36  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/12/08
  25.   #15 KMS 12:40  |  H 22/12/08
  26.   #22, Ernst 12:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/12/08
  27.   some dubious premises 12:50  |  raymond deane 22/12/08
  28.   The factual situation is ... 12:52  |  Edith 22/12/08
  29.   These Palestinians do not throw these ... 12:55  |  Edith 22/12/08
  30.   Zakai (and his dog) is a smart dude 13:01  |  Roo 22/12/08
  31.   introduce your dog to farfur 13:11  |  Jeff 22/12/08
  32.   realism 13:15  |  Richard 22/12/08
  33.   Hamas is terrorising its own population 13:39  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/12/08
  34.   Hamas plans 13:44  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/12/08
  35.   Scoundrels like Burston brought about the Gazasituation,their nag 13:45  |  Absolute Sweden 22/12/08
  36.   According to Swiss (Dino) theory: peace will be achieved... 13:46  |  Israeli cititzen 22/12/08
  37.   KMS #15.... suspect a case of dog-exploitation... 13:48  |  Esther 22/12/08
  38.   Earth to Bradley 13:55  |  judith 22/12/08
  39.   It will be a major incursion very soon not a war,Brad. 13:58  |  Sarah 22/12/08
  40.   #30, Roo, I do not care about the elections 14:01  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/12/08
  41.   Gaza War 14:01  |  Chris 22/12/08
  42.   #33 "terrorising its own population" 14:07  |  spiro 22/12/08
  43.   KMS #15 Leave your dog at a Korean restaurant and stop listening 14:22  |  S 22/12/08
  44.   Therte never was peace to start with, so in effect 14:25  |  Kris Lazar 22/12/08
  45.   roo "no brainer" 14:31  |  imran khan 22/12/08
  46.   Cipora #34 14:32  |  Esther 22/12/08
  47.   roo since you came out with gems 14:34  |  yirmi 22/12/08
  48.   Where has Mr. Zakai been for the past six months? 14:40  |  sh 22/12/08
  49.   Iniquity of positions, iniquity of reactions 14:41  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  50.   When starving Gaza Palestinians grub for food on rubbish tips 14:49  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
  51.   KMS -Wanna stop the Siege? Simply stop Hamas shellling 14:49  |  Lee (the real one) 22/12/08
  52.   To Dutch Ernst 14:54  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  53.   Avoid Disproportionate Violent Response by Israel 14:56  |  michel 22/12/08
  54.   4th Geneva Convention, Part 3, Article 1, Section 28 15:01  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  55.   # 36 Sorry, Israeli citizen, but you are a "distorter" at best... 15:09  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/12/08
  56.   clickfool gazans have more food then the unemployed in brighton 15:10  |  brighton rock 22/12/08
  57.   Mr Clickfool, you also hurried to shout "Jewish!" to Maddoff... 15:12  |  Israeli cititzen 22/12/08
  58.   zakai was a good soldier 15:19  |  harzion 22/12/08
  59.   Both Sides are Trying 15:21  |  Mark Lincoln 22/12/08
  60.   To German Chris 15:23  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  61.   My detractors are mostly ignorant 15:24  |  KMS 22/12/08
  62.   #52 Motty Levi 15:25  |  Mark B. 22/12/08
  63.   observer 15:27  |  A.M. 22/12/08
  64.   Cipora #40... is "treasure" a poetic word for "gelt.".? 15:27  |  Esther 22/12/08
  65.   Perilous policy and militancy dilemmas 15:30  |  allang 22/12/08
  66.   Michel 15:31  |  Peter Williams 22/12/08
  67.   S #43... shame on you...! 15:33  |  Esther 22/12/08
  68.   For Israeli Citizen # 57 15:34  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
  69.   Stopping the Gaza War 15:35  |  Fred Goepfert 22/12/08
  70.   What peace? 15:36  |  Cynic 22/12/08
  71.   yirmi/harzion #47 here are some of your *gems* 15:37  |  Roo 22/12/08
  72.   Two missing parts 15:37  |  Ron 22/12/08
  73.   Tareq 15:38  |  observer 22/12/08
  74.   War, Truce And Peace 15:40  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  75.   A straight lie from Brighton Rock # 56 15:41  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
  76.   Swiss (Dino) , I did`nt post about your person... 15:43  |  Israeli cititzen 22/12/08
  77.   The "Gaza War" can be stopped: All that need to be done is for... 15:46  |  Jehudah ben-Israel 22/12/08
  78.   spyguy#19 15:51  |  Cynic 22/12/08
  79.   #20 Cipora JK....A change of pace 15:52  |  Lynn 22/12/08
  80.   Gaza`s new borders 15:55  |  Harry 22/12/08
  81.   Just surrender 15:56  |  steve from raleigh 22/12/08
  82.   Swiss (Dino) your quotation is inexact... 15:58  |  Israeli cititzen 22/12/08
  83.   # 50 Clicky.....you should check out the 15:59  |  Lynn 22/12/08
  84.   i agree with zakai 16:07  |  paulo2005 22/12/08
  85.   To Mark B. from Mokkum/EU 16:09  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  86.   Answer to Mr Clickfool, short of memory? 16:13  |  Israeli cititzen 22/12/08
  87.   #19 spyguy in San Fransicko 16:15  |  John Allen 22/12/08
  88.   Feeling bad! 16:16  |  Stranger 22/12/08
  89.   #28 Edith. 16:20  |  John Allen 22/12/08
  90.   no foolish idea. 16:23  |  ralph 22/12/08
  91.   #29 Edith 16:25  |  John Allen 22/12/08
  92.   #41 Chris. You are `right on`. 16:32  |  John Allen 22/12/08
  93.   #85 Motty Levi, indeed you put the finger on a moral abomination 16:37  |  Mark B. 22/12/08
  94.   The real Middle East problem 16:37  |  John Allen 22/12/08
  95.   #53 michel 16:45  |  John Allen 22/12/08
  96.   Re: #77/ To Yehuda Ben Isra`el 16:46  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  97.   Motty, 96, I agree with your observation but not with the tone... 17:23  |  Jehudah ben-Israel 22/12/08
  98.   First gaza war has started already ! 17:25  |  Gary 22/12/08
  99.   spyguy appesment is not the solution 17:44  |  Aby 22/12/08
  100.   Sorry, Yehuda Ben Isra`el 17:56  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  101.   clickfool "stupid mouth" 18:01  |  brighton rock 22/12/08
  102.   clickfool unrwa has done the gazans no favours 18:07  |  brighton rock 22/12/08
  103.   #95 Allen - the US lost in Vietnam 18:07  |  spyguy 22/12/08
  104.   Lynn #79 a change of pace 18:12  |  ave 22/12/08
  105.   First Gaza War?? History? 18:15  |  Ralph levy 22/12/08
  106.   Gaza and Hamas are not a polliticum, they are a real problem! 18:17  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  107.   Israel being sucked in by Hamas--they never learn 18:19  |  Labhras 22/12/08
  108.   #103, Vietnam : We won the battles 18:21  |  Gary 22/12/08
  109.   Shmuel Zakai carefully explained what will be necessary... 18:22  |  BBSNews 22/12/08
  110.   As response to spyguy #19 San Fransisco 18:28  |  Mir 22/12/08
  111.   Re#1 Not really so... 18:29  |  Ines 22/12/08
  112.   To Motti Levy 18:31  |  Ernst 22/12/08
  113.   Re: #104/G-d is a totally neglectable factor in all this! 18:32  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  114.   Re# 2 Right Observer ... 18:36  |  Ines 22/12/08
  115.   Re# 3 Well that was not only war against Germany 18:44  |  Ines 22/12/08
  116.   `before it starts`? 18:45  |  Arie 22/12/08
  117.   Ines, Israel is not a Jewish State... 18:47  |  BBSNews 22/12/08
  118.   Re: #105/Wars or Battles? 18:47  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  119.   Re# 4 Well may be Indrajaya doesn`t really 18:49  |  Ines 22/12/08
  120.   KMS - Blame Egypt for "Siege" 19:01  |  Lee 22/12/08
  121.   Re: #112/ Voor Ernst van Mokum 19:05  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  122.   # 82 Israeli citizen, sorry but wrong again..... 19:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/12/08
  123.   Antarctica is the solution 19:22  |  Mark Lincoln 22/12/08
  124.   Earth to Ralph, Earth to Ralph, come in Ralph! 19:42  |  Mark Lincoln 22/12/08
  125.   Gary repeats the big lie 19:46  |  Mark Lincoln 22/12/08
  126.   Do not bother them with possibilities Labharas 19:52  |  Mark Lincoln 22/12/08
  127.   Re# 6 Right David 20:00  |  Ines 22/12/08
  128.   Write on, Ines 20:14  |  observer 22/12/08
  129.   Lee on the Egyptian border... 20:20  |  BBSNews 22/12/08
  130.   to A.M. 20:29  |  observer 22/12/08
  131.   Re ; Right Moshe...terrror tactics.. 20:40  |  Ines 22/12/08
  132.   Bankrupt BSS 20:41  |  observer 22/12/08
  133.   Mark Lincoln - 20:45  |  tad chase 22/12/08
  134.   Re: #128/ Not even air attacks, let the enemy come in front of yo 20:46  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  135.   Re: #129/ What an offence! 20:51  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  136.   Whoa!!! down boy!!! easy there big fella...... 20:52  |  tad chase 22/12/08
  137.   Hamas`s surrender to Fatah `d set the Gazans free 20:59  |  Alicia 22/12/08
  138.   People of Gaza; take to the streets to demand Hamas`s surrender 21:01  |  Alicia 22/12/08
  139.   The term "siege" 21:06  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  140.   leftists 21:11  |  seth 22/12/08
  141.   #91 Mr. John Allen 21:11  |  Edith 22/12/08
  142.   To Alicia 21:12  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  143.   The UN/EU must demand Hamas`s immediate surrender to Fatah! 21:19  |  Alicia 22/12/08
  144.   tad chase 21:20  |  observer 22/12/08
  145.   KMS 61 21:24  |  David 22/12/08
  146.   Motti on where I find great chutzpah... 21:35  |  BBSNews 22/12/08
  147.   #125, Nixon was actually no conservative 21:44  |  Gary 22/12/08
  148.   For Tad Chase # 136 21:47  |  Clickfool 22/12/08
  149.   #125,Part 2 21:49  |  Gary 22/12/08
  150.   To KMS #15 21:54  |  Israeli Abroad 22/12/08
  151.   #123, That would an environmental disaster 21:57  |  Gary 22/12/08
  152.   First step toward peace 22:23  |  Jim 22/12/08
  153.   Israeli #150 22:34  |  Esther 22/12/08
  154.   Burston Quotes Another So-Called Israeli Military Expert 22:35  |  Tod Zuckerman 22/12/08
  155.   Observer 22:38  |  tad chase 22/12/08
  156.   Second step toward peace 22:45  |  Jim 22/12/08
  157.   Alicia #143 a better way 22:48  |  Roo 22/12/08
  158.   Final step toward peace 23:03  |  Jim 22/12/08
  159.   Israel is dominated by the ghost of not messing it up again. 23:21  |  Fortuna Benmayor 22/12/08
  160.   BBS - Breaking News: Israel Isn`t Occupying Gaza 23:24  |  Lee 22/12/08
  161.   #1 Indrajaya 23:25  |  Jim 22/12/08
  162.   #79, LYNN 23:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/12/08
  163.   Clickfool - No one is "punishing" Gazans 23:34  |  Lee 22/12/08
  164.   The problem BBSnews (129) is not unilateral action 23:39  |  Jew- and Bookburner 22/12/08
  165.   Does anyone know how many Palestinians have starved? 23:41  |  Lee 22/12/08
  166.   tad chase 23:42  |  observer 22/12/08
  167.   Speaking dialects on each side of the room 23:47  |  allang 22/12/08
  168.   #6 David G. 23:50  |  Jim 22/12/08
  169.   I`m a yored and don`t love getting branded by anybody 23:52  |  Motty Levi 22/12/08
  170.   #113 Motty Levi.Indeed there is no connection between their Gods 23:55  |  KATHY 22/12/08
  171.   #11 meir 00:07  |  Jim 23/12/08
  172.   to ad (83) a clan there collected in no time $ 32.000 00:09  |  Jew- and Bookburner 23/12/08
  173.   To Fortuna from Cartagena 00:12  |  Motty Levi 23/12/08
  174.   #159 Fortuna Benmayor 00:21  |  Jim 23/12/08
  175.   For Kathy 00:25  |  Motty Levi 23/12/08
  176.   To solve the problem without losses why shouldn´t Israel turn 00:34  |  Jew- and Bookburner 23/12/08
  177.   #135 Motty Levi...With you all the way about Jima Carter.. 00:36  |  KATHY 23/12/08
  178.   #126, MarkL, repeating a big lie himself 00:39  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/12/08
  179.   #160 Lee 00:45  |  Jim 23/12/08
  180.   #169, Motti Levy 00:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/12/08
  181.   #160 Lee is another one..... 00:48  |  Johnboy 23/12/08
  182.   roo supports hamas 00:51  |  amir drori 23/12/08
  183.   roo there are problems in kashmir and afghanistan 00:59  |  dan laner 23/12/08
  184.   roo "the main issue is the establishment of a palestinian state" 01:01  |  imran khan 23/12/08
  185.   #172 Jew-and bookburner 01:16  |  Jim 23/12/08
  186.   Hamas no looking for a "fair" deal from Israel 01:53  |  Pablo B 23/12/08
  187.   Of Course 01:54  |  Shimon Cleopas 23/12/08
  188.   #163 Lee 01:59  |  Jim 23/12/08
  189.   #182/3/4 (harzion) 02:08  |  Roo 23/12/08
  190.   Mark thank you for clearing up "MY" thoughts 03:19  |  Labhras 23/12/08
  191.   Very good analysis. Israel must lift the siege on Gaza and let .. 03:27  |  The Bedouin 23/12/08
  192.   KMS-#61-claims that Hamas doesn`t threaten Israel are mendacious 03:36  |  Daniel Leopold 23/12/08
  193.   Tareq-#14-you`re wrong 03:48  |  Daniel Leopold 23/12/08
  194.   Johnboy # 181 The Warsaw Ghetto Was A Neighborhood (part 2) 04:01  |  Jeff Northridge 23/12/08
  195.   Johnboy mangles reality to suit his own purposes -- again 04:15  |  SDHD 23/12/08
  196.   Wrong Lee, Israel does indeed occupy Gaza... 04:33  |  BBSNews 23/12/08
  197.   For Motti Levi # 173 and Jim # 174. 04:37  |  Fortuna Benmayor 23/12/08
  198.   Stopping the Gaza war? 05:37  |  Frank 23/12/08
  199.   To Mark Lincoln (#123) and his chilling idea 05:48  |  Morris Valentine 23/12/08
  200.   It is time the Red Cross insisted on visiting Gilad Shalit, 06:01  |  Jane 23/12/08
  201.   occupy those areas of Gaza that are within rocket range of Sderot 06:03  |  JOE 23/12/08
  202.   Morris Valentine - Frozen Chosen 06:08  |  Mark Lincoln 23/12/08
  203.   #2, OBSERVER, egypt can`t and for this reason 06:14  |  VIPER 23/12/08
  204.   Morris you missed the Palicicles... 06:15  |  BBSNews 23/12/08
  205.   Lee on starving Palestinians... 06:26  |  BBSNews 23/12/08
  206.   NONSTARTER 07:01  |  MLK 23/12/08
  207.   BBSNews # 196 You Don`t Know What You`re Talking About 07:03  |  Jeff Northridge 23/12/08
  208.   Mark Lincoln 07:06  |  Yosemite 23/12/08
  209.   "Doing nothing is no longer an option" Bradley Burston. 07:47  |  Akram Zekaria 23/12/08
  210.   Wrong as usual 07:52  |  muselmann 23/12/08
  211.   True, but 08:24  |  KMS 23/12/08
  212.   Israel can`t impose its will on Gazans & determine the outcome 08:32  |  Dutch 23/12/08
  213.   10 Esther, Re: one-sided and simplistic 09:28  |  Dutch 23/12/08
  214.   For Joe # 201 09:32  |  Clickfool 23/12/08
  215.   On whether Gaza is still "occupied" 09:40  |  Clickfool 23/12/08
  216.   Jeff Northridge #207 You don`t know what you`re talking about eit 12:36  |  Serg. Bilko 23/12/08
  217.   #217, Serge Bilgo, wrong 14:08  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 23/12/08
  218.   #157 Roo, Hamas is comparable with Taliban 14:28  |  Alicia 23/12/08
  219.   It can be avoided by simpler military tactic 14:33  |  Yitzhaq Hayut-Man 23/12/08
  220.   Cipora Julianna Kohn#217 comletely wrong 14:40  |  Serg. Bilko 23/12/08
  221.   To BBS Re Starving Palestinians 14:46  |  Lee (the real one) 23/12/08
  222.   Alicia #218 you sound like a missionary 15:00  |  Roo 23/12/08
  223.   #222 Roo, so why didn`t they 15:24  |  Alicia 23/12/08
  224.   #34 Cipora J.Kohn.. do you understand any of it? 16:05  |  Edithann 23/12/08
  225.   219, Yitzhaq Hayut-Man 16:37  |  Harry 23/12/08
  226.   CJK trumps ML with logical fallacy #178 16:44  |  Roo 23/12/08
  227.   #210 muselmann What you say is true,and we all know about it. 17:30  |  Kathy 23/12/08
  228.   Serg Bilko on occupation 19:35  |  Peter Williams 23/12/08
  229.   Edithann no understanding at all 19:51  |  Peter Williams 23/12/08
  230.   yes once hamas accepts israel existance and stops firing rockets 20:07  |  ralph 23/12/08
  231.   Pals Crying Wolf 20:09  |  Lee 23/12/08
  232.   Clickfool - Definition of "occupation" 20:20  |  Lee 23/12/08
  233.   Jim #188. Very well put, my man. 20:22  |  Lee 23/12/08
  234.   To Johnboy 181 re occupation 20:34  |  Lee 23/12/08
  235.   Definition of Occupation 20:47  |  Lee 23/12/08
  236.   Stop lying about the UN Lee... 21:11  |  BBSNews 23/12/08
  237.   BBS - No, YOU should stop lying 22:18  |  Lee 23/12/08
  238.   BBS - Al Jazeera is your source of news? 22:23  |  Lee 23/12/08
  239.   Dutch 212 -- What the heck? 22:30  |  Lee 23/12/08
  240.   Be happy...no doing nothing is a good idea 22:41  |  The Dumbite Kid 23/12/08
  241.   To KMS....change the dog 23:15  |  The Dumbite Kid 23/12/08
  242.   What incentive for the peaceful ? 02:01  |  Paulo Costa 24/12/08
  243.   To BBSNews (#204) 05:43  |  Morris Valentine 24/12/08
  244.   Same to you Morris... 07:00  |  BBSNews 24/12/08
  245.   Tad Chase #155 13:15  |  observer 24/12/08
  246.   Paulo Costa re "incentives for peace" 14:46  |  Lee 24/12/08
  247.   The Answer Is No! 04:16  |  Justin 28/12/08
  248.   Right on LEE! 10:06  |  DAveed 28/12/08
  249.   Can the First Gaza War be stopped before it starts? 22:58  |  Premonition 02/01/09
 Read & React
Obama: Time for Palestinians, Israel to resume peace talks
Responses: 56
Miri Eisin: Is only the Israeli narrative 'the truth' and all the others wrong?
Responses: 33
Bradley Burston: The Gaza War as reality television
Responses: 19
EU aid chief: Hamas 'enormously responsible' for Gaza war
Responses: 60
IDF soldier killed, three wounded, in bomb blast on Gaza border
Responses: 25


More Headlines
13:57 IDF soldier killed, three wounded, in bomb blast on Gaza border
14:14 Tzipi Livni: Israel must respond immediately to Gaza bomb attack
10:27 Israel stymies French push to lift European boycott of Hamas
14:11 Sarkozy to update Shalit's father on latest efforts to free son
03:31 ANALYSIS / Recognizing that Israel's effort to topple Hamas has failed
14:09 Egypt: Palestinian reconciliation talks to begin on February 22
12:25 Police arrest Jewish teens for allegedly assaulting Arab youth in Galilee
13:35 U.S. Jews to quit UN Holocaust memorial if host attacks Israel
13:33 Kadima kicks off campaign with threat to assassinate Hamas chiefs
13:32 After 60 years, Jewish siblings separated in Holocaust reunited
13:32 Israel to face 'catastrophe' without Palestinian state, says Jimmy Carter
13:45 Shas to endorse Likud's Netanyahu as next prime minister
11:22 Auschwitz survivors gather to mark Nazi death camp's liberation
09:05 Police say case against Lieberman boosted by newly revealed documents
09:11 Barak seeking to 'Putinize' image to attract Russian vote
02:20 Head of right-wing think tank: Settlements must be evacuated
11:24 Israel Eurovision singers skip benefit concert for Gaza civilians, citing political tug-of-war
04:15 Gideon Levy / My Shabbat dinner with Rabbi Avraham Ravitz
08:13 Suspect in Tel Aviv pedophile case ran child prostitution ring
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