U.S. warns Israel not to harm Abbas or Palestinian civilians

Odd that Washington can warn Israel with a straight face in view of her shoddy performance involving civilians in Iraq!

It is more than ridiculous that we, American taxpayers, must pay for your destruction of the infrastructure that you destroy----perhaps even with weapons that the US has sold to or given to Israel. Israel's complete control of the air space, sea lanes, water, power, roads into and out of Gaza make Israel's continual control of the Palestinians more and more odious to the rest of the world. I have lost all respect for your country. Bob Wilson

The US is hiding behind Israel. Eventually, this will lead to war with Iran and Syria, both US targets. That is not a coincidence.

"I wander if those of you who are bashing the U.S. realize that Israel would not exist without America. Just a bit of food for thought." I totally agree, and have been eating that "food" for years. It is one of the reasons that people like me are bashing the U.S. You're right. Israel owes its very existence to the U.S. (Sob!)

The Israelites/Jews have existed for the past 4000 years since the time of their forefathers-Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. America should never forget that it was the contribution of their brilliant Jewish scientists in the Manhattan Project that made America the Super Power of the world. The Free World recognizes the brilliant contributions of the Jewish people in High Technology and the Sciences.

The only time the us got it right was in wwii when they had to fight an unretrained war. They have made so many poor judgements in their assesment of the facts and political realities. From 1956 they pressure Israel to return Sinai, to protecting the plo in Lebanon and being thanked and repaid by Hezbullah bombing marine barracks. Because of them the PLO and Hezbullah are there today. They had a great opportunity to combine with Israel, Syrian kurds to bring down assad, caprure the iraqui insurgent leadership in syria, get moved wmd and prevent further insurgency in iraq originating in Syria. What could be better than having an enemy in chaos? US keeps getting quagmired because they have poor judgement. Israel has always been restrained by US resulting in disadvantage to both.

I sense much hostility towards America and American interest. I wander if those of you who are bashing the U.S. realize that Israel would not exist without America. Just a bit of food for thought.

there is no understanding for destroying power plants and infrastructure. how ironic to call these terrorists the most moral army of the world.

Probably David's a more capable thinker than Holling's worth

That is the biggest joke of all times. The US warning Israel that must be a mistake in print. If this is the case, Israel will let lose its dogs on the White House and President Bush will need Israel's permission to travel to Texas. Common on, someone must be joking.

Your conclusion seems to imply that Israel is perfect, above reproach and any criticism of a specific action of a particular government in power can only come from racist bigots (antisemites). It seems only one of two conclusions can be drawn from your proposition: Either Israeli public opinion is completely monolithic or that Israeli's who are critical of government policy must be anti-semites. Please feel free to clarify or further explain your reasoning.

I hope Condi has somethng to say about Hamas' threats to blow up schools. Of course, the Pals probably will contend that they are legitimate targets, since the children will grow up and be drafted. And they are just Jews anyway.

rabin and neteyahoo said the pa is a contractor to kill freedem fighters-there is a signed agreement ,how can israel harm abbas ,dahlan or any body from oslo or geneva papers;then who will spy on the palstenians if fatah leaders r killed!!!???.be sensible usa.

The Israel people wich produce excellent cientists, bright medicin Doctors, marvelous professors, also accepts very poor politicians. Politicians with the main interrests its to maintain its jobs. The Israel politicians uses short view to Israel main problem. Peace to produce prosperity. Whats is the real cost for the Israel society to maintain the ocupation? No politician speaks the true. They don't mind for the future, only for the present. How an intelligent society do not perceive it ?

clickfool wrote: "Israel gets what it wants, or it`s war forever." That's funny, I see exactly the opposite: the Pals get what they want, the complete eradication of Israel, or it's war forever. Is that not written in the Hamas Charter? Correct me if I am wrong, but it is Hamas policy that Israel be destroyed, in writing, and despite pleas from the world, Hamas steadfastly refuses to change this written policy. Your argument, therefore, has no merit, and is proven wrong by the very people you support, namely Hamas. Harry PS: don't listen to the US, Israel, do what is right for you in this war.

Israel has to remain resolute in defending her citizens from external aggressions and threats. Israel should not allow external interferences to her national security interests and defense strategies. The fact is there are no angels among the savages.

"However by using the phrase "Jewish lobby", he showed the whole world that he is actually anti-Jewish." Hey, prolixreal, is David one of this forum's "capable thinkers?" Can we include him along with you, Tulip, Gina, Cipora, et al. in that exalted category of true intellects? LOL

Why does Clickfool refer to a "Jewish" lobby and not a "pro-Israel" lobby or somesuch? Many people with his views complain that they get labeled as anti-Semites whenever they criticize Israeli policy. However by using the phrase "Jewish lobby", he showed the whole world that he is actually anti-Jewish. The Israeli operation in Gaza will soon come to an end, but Clickfool will continue to be an anti-Semite for the rest of his miserable life.

"No harming Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas; no harming civilians and avoid damaging infrastructure" This is only PR. Otherwise, it might be heeded. Everything Israel is doing is completely sanctioned by GWB's administration. Probably even planned while Olmert was here.

I have a Swedish uncle who once served as an ambassador to the United States. He once lived in a New York City neighborhood where he was underappreciated as a blond, blue-eyed Jew who had the fortune of his father's looks and name and the curse of his mother's blood-line. He liked his mother. She was a good woman, but she gave him a Hebrew name and hell when he tried to tell her he was adopted. She may not have been Swedish, but she was his mother. His mother, my great-aunt, came to live as a pioneer in Israel at the very beginning of its creation. She wore boots, and she dug holes, and she helped plant trees in a swamp. My uncle, bless him, has grown past his resentment for his mother, has understood the Freudian tendencies that befall us all, and is now an ardent-support of Rabbi Frumin in the West Bank. He believes in sacrifice. He is a vegetarian. I asked him if he weren't, if he ate meat, would he put marinara sauce on his meatballs. He was offended by the question.

Israel as done almost everything possible to insure that its captured soldier will indeed be harmed. The whole point of this latest military incursion is to inflict as much damage as possible on the Palestinian infastructure and people. Israel's arrogance, inhumanity, and greed will be its undoing.

Pre-Israel people stop pointing to other issues and focus on your own crimes. Just because others are killing civilians that does not make the IDF actions lesser criminal activities. It is not open season on muslims, stop hiding your ugly actions behind other terrible crimes.

Ok, so we can't harm the leader, the citizens or the infrastructure, so where is the war? Where is object of the exercise? How will they know they are doing bad if they are not punished? Did the US in Afganistan not destroy just about everything including weddings? Was the US not trying to kill and destroy as much as possible in Iraq? So we shoot some very expensive rockets into an open field. Well, we sure told that field now didn't we....Destroying the enemey is the object of war, however and whatever that means. Innocent civilians are not the enemey but if used by their own people as shields, then they must and will suffer the same fate. Personally I propose going after the leaders, but, we, unlike the US and the rest of the world are prohibited from doing this. Now why do you think the US wanted Sadam and all his cronies? Is this yet another example of do as I say, not as I do???????

You malign me. I do indeed believe that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish State, but within the pre-1967 borders. All the stolen real estate, however, has to be handed back, or exchanged for equivalent Israeli land of equal quality.

Actually the British papers are more interested in England's disastrous match against Portugal than in any politics in the Middle East. The captions that do deal with Israel are hopeful and low key. "Palestine ready to trade" Guardian. "Israel holds back after Egypt plea" Herald Talk about spin on your part!!

Interesting message. There will only be peace if the Jews of Israel get their way. No possibility, then, of a meeting of minds, where Israel goes some way towards recognising the needs and grievances of the Palestinian people? Where men of vision and magnanimity on both sides sit down together without preconditions? I see. Israel gets what it wants, or it's war forever. War forever it is, then, Steve. I see that, posting from Illinois, you don't actually live in the hellhole that the place has and will become? Armchair Warriors for Israel usually do post from a safe distance. I heard them once described very aptly as SHOUTERS NOT SHOOTERS. There are a lot around.

So you refuse to answer my question... So, like our American Arab and Islamics, you ALSO believe Israel has no right to exist as a Jewish state. And then you all deflect and blame the "Jewish Lobby" ... ROTFL!! I've also heard Arab representatives from Arab Lobby groups refer to all Israelis as "Jewish soldiers". This YOUR opinion, too? This the reason why you didn't bother to condemn the abduction and murder of the Israeli civilian this past week?

The only time there will be peace is when Jew haters are out of the land promised by the creator to the Jewish people; or the Jew haters transform into supporters of the Jewish people.

What you consider to be a war crime is irrelevant, Gina. Any action taken by a state whose purpose is to intimidate, terrorise or otherwise punish a population at large for the actions of a few is a war crime. If you would take the trouble to use Google to study the effects of Israel's sonic boom policy you'd see why it is considered a war crime. But I don't expect you want to be exposed to any information that might change your opinion. Open your mind, Gina, and see the awful truth about what Israel has become.

Americans know what the American media tell them. American media present events in the Middle East in a way that is satisfactory to the American Jewish Lobby. The very brave Harvard Study, which was received with such fury by the American Jewish Lobby, revealed the truth.

I don't consider "sonic booms" a war crime. You know -- if every action taken by Israel is termed "a war crime", soon everyone loses interest and no one cares.... But if you consider "sonic booms" a war crime, how sad you don't pressure the Palestinians to release the soldier..

Nice try Clickfool.... Americans know what the Islamic Arab world stands for .. and reject it vehemently. Again, if an Arab Islamic representative states that a country like Israel has no right to exist, why would Americans support their interests? I suppose that is your opinion as well?

The Palestinians could have had a state back in 1967. What's your opinion as to why they said "NO!"?

You appear to be supporting Israeli war crimes again. Shame on you.

Gina - you have the cause and effect reversed. The American public supports Israel because of the massive control that AIPAC and other fellow-travellers for Israel have over US media. Any journalist, any medium that has the effrontery to suggest that Israel is in the wrong, or committing terrible war crimes is subjected to the most vitriolic hate campaign, which has in the past manifested itself in readership boycotts, advertising boycotts, vicious email campaigns, phone calls to editors etc. We even had the ridiculous sight at one Walt Disney Company shareholders meeting of Zionists standing up to complain about the coverage of events in Israel by ABC. Journalists, being idle fellows who want an easy, profitable existence, soon get the message and happily sing from the Israeli hymnbook. So we get a US public that is pro-Israeli. Surprise, surprise! Let's hear it for propaganda and spin.

It they don't wish Israelis in their communities, they must imprison their own terrorists. It's quite simple.

Without American support there wouldn't be any occupation.

All the messages on Talkback from Israelis urging yet more violence against the Palestinians, a policy that has worked so well for them over the past 50 years, remind me of that famous telegram from a compulsive gambler in a casino. SYSTEM WORKING WELL. PLEASE SEND MORE MONEY.

Who do we think we are? We are the people who give you billions of dollars. You don't want to listen, don't take our money - we have things to spend it on here in our own country.

"The Israeli Air Force is carrying out further collective punishment of the Palestinian people in the form of sonic booms over Gaza every hour." And all Hamas had to do is release the soldier.. No tears for those Palestinians who support the abduction of Israeli civilians and soldiers.

If they are going to fight against Jews coming in, taking over their country, killing thousands, exiling hundreds of thousands, stealing their land, and oppressing those who are left, what other tactics are available to them? If they had the military strength to do anything else, they wouldn't use guerrilla warfare. As it is, they are taking the only course open to them (other than surrender).

"Israel totally controls US foreign policy in the Middle East." Incorrect. The vast majority of Americans, the vast majority of American Christians, support Israel. Why wouldn't we? We should support moral idiots who randomly kidnap and murder civilians? If the Arab Islamic Lobby isn't reaching the American people, one of the reasons might be, is because every time I have personally heard one of them speak on tv or on the radio -- they refuse to Palestinian suicide bombers, "evil", they refuse to acknowledge publically, on air, that Israel has a right to exist, they refuse to call Hamas the terrorist group that it is. Which is in direct conflict with the sentiments of the majority of Americans, as the majority of Americans DO consider Hamas a terrorist group, Israel DOES have a right to exist as a Jewish state, and suicide bombers are simply evil trash that do NOT go to Paraside.

What gives us the right? You take our money. You don't want our money, ignore what we say.

you are bought and paid for, sonny. you don't like it then put away your begging bowl. It is far beyond the time when America should have stopped funding vicious little Israel. You have become a serious liability to American interests.

The headline in this morning's Observer newspaper says it all. ISRAEL'S ACT OF WAR IS INEXCUSABLE.

the venom directed against the EU and other European States shows that of course Israel should have nothing to do with such nations. fine - all EU-Israeli trading should be stopped immediately since it obviously offends the Israelis. all in favour ?

The Israeli Air Force is carrying out further collective punishment of the Palestinian people in the form of sonic booms over Gaza every hour. The apologists for Israel may view this as a minor thing, but the consequences for the old, the sick and children are severe, and the UN hasalready warned Israel on a previous occasion about this war crime. Israel is a terrorist nation, totally out of control. It can have no idea how badly this is playing for Israel in countries other than the US, where media are singing to the Israeli hymn sheet.

do not listen to anyone ! we dont need permission from usa or another country to safeguard our people our boys our soldiers. whatever needs to be done we can and have to do if Abbas is a partner then safeguard him but if he is an obstacle remove him i say. we only have to respond to the Almighty above remember this dear Israeli leadership

So bush wants his toy boy abas unharmed. it was also a yanky pres who saved arafart. So apart from u.s. finance of terror the u.s. is complicite in safehousing terrorists.DK

I can understand why you read Haaretz, to get the real facts about Israel. The American Jewish Lobby makes sure that US media sing from the Israeli hymn book, or God help them, they'll pay for it in the form of hate e-mail campaigns, reader boycotts, advertising boycotts, phone calls to journalists, phone calls to editors, pressure on compliant US lawmakers etc. UK papers are much better, and have been tearing into Israel's brain-dead Gaza policy recently. I read Haaretz to get more detail and news. God bless Haaretz.

So Israel's public diplomacy efforts have borne fruit, with US papers supporting the IDF cruelties. Let's hear it for the American Jewish Lobby, once again spinning and working like fury for Israel. The Harvard Study was entirely right. Israel totally controls US foreign policy in the Middle East.

Because the Israelis are fighting mostly on the battle field while the Palestinians are fighting mostly on the world stage. Israel must be more aggressive in telling the people of the world it's side of the story. The media will not do it for you, even though it is their job. The main stream media (NY times, BBC, Reuters, AP, AFP, etc...) even edit the comments and statements by Palestinian and other terrorists to make them sound better. When Kofi Annon spoke with Olmert regarding the targeting of Qassam launchers he actually admitted he didn't know about all the Qassam launches from Gaza (not that he would care even if had known). Which is bazaar considering that he was criticizing the targeting of Qassam launchers.

I don't know much about Arab culture, but news stories suggest there's a heavy influence on martyrdom. And suicide bombers are apparently an indication of it. Israel might be bombing people who don't mind dying as much as Israelis might mind dying. The willingness to die (and to suffer privation while living) is a powerful weapon. Would Moslems go through the efforts of the IDF to free a single prisoner or even more than one? The violence of the IDF and IAF might not be very effective weapons in the end. Is there something else that would work better?

Glad to see a response finally- however Israel has already committed a war crime by punishing the whole population-

A jihad conquered. Arabs slaughtered Jews and Christians & Hindus then kept them dhimmis for more than a millenia. Samed now claims that conquerers have absolute right to lands, except when those conquerors are the Jews who freed a tiny portion of their land from the invaders. The Arab League declared war in Israel in 1948, because dhimmis aren't supposed to rule. They're still in that State of War. The PLO declared a war of destruction on Israel in 1965, two years before the "occupation." Hamas, Islamic Jihad and every other Palestinian political organization also call for ISrael's destruction. We could also add to that: North Africa, the Iberian Peninsula, the Balkans, Eastern Europe to the gates of Vienna, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India... Meanwhile, Israel has never called for the destruction of an ARab State and has a 20% minority Arab population. Samed can't honestly admit that its his Arab Muslims with a history of repeated violence stretching almost 1400 years

Christians, who make up 10 percent of Syria?s population and a much higher share of its professional classes, are in a similar minority position and are probably more at home in cosmopolitan Damascus than anywhere else in the Middle East. ...Half a million Palestinians dwell in slum-like refugee camps around Damascus, and they are a political wild card, a potentially volatile element in Syria?s politics. Assad says they could return to a Palestinian state on the West Bank; he postures not at all about their possible return to ancestral homes in Haifa. Official Syria is altogether realistic about Israel?s existence and eager to reap the practical benefits of a peace settlement. http://www.amconmag.com/2006/2006_07_03/cover.html

Israel needs no guidance from the US about avoiding harm to Palestinian civilians (a curious moniker); they do a better job of avoiding such harm than do US forces. But Gaza is the staging ground for myriad criminal and terrorist organizations committed to an unending struggle against its neighbor. Last Sunday's cross-border action was nothing less than an act of war. I therefore have no problem plunging Gaza into darkness, though Israel could have accomplished it with more finesse by simply ordering Israel Electric to cut the power. Gaza can avoid further pain by returning that Israeli soldier, laying down its arms, and suing for peace. But there's a certain mealy-mouthed hypocrisy coming out of the State Department which can't even bring itself to say on its Rewards for Justice website that the terrorists that have taken the lives of Americans in Israel, Gaza or Judea/Samaria are Palestinians. Who do they think they're fooling?

Israel needs no guidance from the US about avoiding harm to Palestinian civilians (a curious moniker); they do a better job of avoiding such harm than do US forces. But Gaza is the staging ground for myriad criminal and terrorist organizations committed to an unending struggle against its neighbor. Last Sunday's cross-border action was nothing less than an act of war. I therefore have no problem plunging Gaza into darkness, though Israel could have accomplished it with more finesse by simply ordering Israel Electric to cut the power. Gaza can avoid further pain by returning that Israeli soldier, laying down its arms, and suing for peace. But there's a certain mealy-mouthed hypocrisy coming out of the State Department which can't even bring itself to say on its Rewards for Justice website that the terrorists that have taken the lives of Americans in Israel, Gaza or Judea/Samaria are Palestinians. Who do they think they're fooling?

"The strongest anti-Israeli responses have come from Sweden and Norway" Those two countries are almost entirely lutherian. Luther wrote some of the worse antisemitic texts ever written, calling black on white for the genocide of the Jews. Those texts are even worse than Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'. Till the beginning of the 20th century, those two countries were forming one lutherian kingdom, in which Jews were totally forbidden to enter. This fanatical antisemitism has not yet disappeared.

Just who does the American administion think they are telling us what we can and can not do in our war on terror? What nerve! I hope our government is strong enough to tell them Israel has every right to protect it's citzens and do whatever is necessary to finish the job. Abbas is a terrorist in a business suit. He has to go.

No, Americans do not forget how quickly Palestinians are to celebrate "death". Unlike the Palestinian supporters, I don't believe the Palestinians are animals, incapable of morality or moral thought. I have no issues holding them accountable for their present predicament. If they are going to follow lockstep with the Islamic world and support the depravity of the lack of values which teaches enemy civilians should be blown up in restaurants, abducted and murdered, etc, I would hope that Egypt and Jordan would annex their areas or create some sort of Federation with them, instead of being granted a free "Palestine".

The US realizes it is the Palestinans who are responsible for the escalation of events. Why do you believe it is ok for Palestinians to launch hundreds of qassams at Israeli cities?

"The U.S. thinks that it can absolve itself of Israel`s terrorism by saying nice things, but it is thoroughly guilty along with Israel of CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY." Make sure to file a report with the UN. So, have you posted anywhere yet calling for the release of the soldier? Just wondering...

I don't mind a few terrorists being killed, but I gotta wonder what's in the mindset of the Palestinians to believe they have anything whatsoever to gain by constantly making war on Israel.... Dead terror filth, loss of electricity, darkness, Israeli soldiers back in Gaza .. yep they always seem to have the best interests of their civilians at heart..

I just wonder the world claims and rejects the arbitrary setting of borders as unacceptable to bring peace to the Middle East, which can only be achieved by and through negotiations, so can any intelligent political savvy politician give the answer to whom should Israel turn to make peace with, there is no such entity of a cohesive leadership in the Islamic nations, nor do they honor or perform according to any agreements that was accepted by their so called leaders, or does the free world concur with the Islamic demand that Israel must be disbanded to bring the elusive peace to the Middle East. And if such event does occur just what will it achieve will it stop the Iranian design of conquest, the Kurdish issue with Iraq, Syria and Turkey, the Somalia conflict, the genocide occurring today in the Sudan (not a historical event), the Chechnya insurrection, the continual terrorist acts perpetrated in the name of Islam against the Christian populations living under Moslem rule in Africa, which to date more then 2,000,000, yes TWO MILLION non believers in Islam were murdered in the name of the Islamic God. Will such event stop the Osama Bin Laden?s outright continual harpings or incitements against the free western democracies. If the answer yes then the world must convince the Jews that they as a people are not wanted in this world nor should they be authorized to be self governing and they should for the sake of peace disband so that the world will live in peace, but if the answer is NO, then the world must not allow the continual injustice inflicted upon Israel. To criticize, condemn and to arbitrarily reject any actions taken by Israel to defend and protect their citizens is very easy, what is missing from that equations is a realistic reasonable fair and just solution, the same solution as the country that proffers such course of action will be willing to take in the event they are subjected to the same terror acts that Israel is forced to suffer on a daily basis.

Dear Haaretz, why do you think we read your paper to get the facts instead of American ones which aren't worth the paper they are printed on?

readers with such hate and ignorance ,blinded by a tragedy between a people who suffered so much more than six decades ago and the new ghetto madness .

Israel is rewriting the book on how to deal with terrorism. This is why the rest of the world is sitting back and letting Israel go. In general the terrorists have overstepped the invisible bound of going too far. They are operating in too many countries. The countries they are acting out in are more than glad to have an expanded definition of an appropriate and proportoiionate response. The USA is just telling Israel where the too far boundary is. In this sense it works as a reality check for what would turn a welcome response into an absolute mess. (Yes I know this is an absolute mess but this really is Hamas being naive to the point of stupidity. As leaders they have no right to jeopardize the rights of their people just to satisfy their own agenda. Leadership 101.)

What gives you, America the right to dictate to anyone. Such hypocrits and do you think you will go unpunished for all the Jewish deaths at the hands of terrorists? Stopping Sharon from killing the head of the snake when we had the chance, namely Arafat!! Now you dictate to the Israeli gov't how to handle Hamas!! When will you invade Israel, in order to protect your oil supplies. For the spinless leaders of Israel, stop listening to America and stand for yourselves. I know Olmert's brother quoted saying "We are strong" well, even the Arabs laugh at us now as being so weak, and you will prove it again and again. Stand up, haShem will be with you if you have the courage.

Isreal does deserve some praises for its restraint. Humanitarian crisis aside, there could have been alot more terror raining down on the streets of The Strip. Defusing the crisis remains paramount. I stand by my presentation on that. After that, serious consideration needs to be given to the Hamas split personality that prevents it from being an effective ruling party. I believe one side of Hamas wants to serve the street as promised but the other side seems to want to follow an agenda that is more anti-Israel than concern for the street and that agenda does not come from within the territory. But first let's get eyeryone back where they belong.

Jonas Gahr Stoere, a socialist, studied political science at the French institute which churns out useless "leaders".

What hypocrisy is this? The US is actually concerned about Palestinian civilians? Give me a break. Who the hell are they fooling? It makes sense for them to defend Abbas because he is their puppet. No arguments there. Why didn't they come out and condemn the atrocity on GAza beach? And other atrocities that took the lives of innocent Palestinian children? Are Palestinian lives only worth US time whenever it suits the US and its interests? What a bunch of hypocrites the US administration is!

I wonder if American citizens can erase the images of Palestinians dancing in the streets, handing out candies and cheering after September 11 2001. It just shows what nice people they really really are!! Taking handouts from American taxpayers, but at the same time wishing the people giving them money death. I certainly can't erase those images. Therefore it is difficult to feel sorry for a people that voted in a group that condones, plans, and murders innocent men women and children.

Samed I guess that you approve of the U.S. government giving Yasser Arafat hundreds of millions of dollars annually??? Much of that money went right into Yassers personal bank account to keep the Pals living in crap. A lot of it he funnelled to the terrorist infrastructure. Naturally Yasser was a true statesmen. Taking donations with one hand, renouncing terror with the same hand, and diverting and running the terror machine with the other. Had Yasser lived, would Hamas have come to power??? No, he would have wiped out anybody that stood in his way. The hypocrisy by which you view life and this situation is comic and laughable. I would never expect you to think otherwise.

Samed I guess that you approve of the U.S. government giving Yasser Arafat hundreds of millions of dollars annually??? Much of that money went right into Yassers personal bank account to keep the Pals living in crap. A lot of it he funnelled to the terrorist infrastructure. Naturally Yasser was a true statesmen. Taking donations with one hand, renouncing terror with the same hand, and diverting and running the terror machine with the other. Had Yasser lived, would Hamas have come to power??? No, he would have wiped out anybody that stood in his way. The hypocrisy by which you view life and this situation is comic and laughable. I would never expect you to think otherwise.

Obviously someone is aware that destroying civilian use infrastructure is not part of their policy and is only going to cost the EU and US money.

I don't think I'm reaching to say the policy statement from Washington against harming Abbas, and the Israeli bombing of Haniyeh's office, are a matched pair... And surely, while a hundred million Americans are enjoying fireworks extravaganzas Tuesday night, Independence Day, a few bureaucrats in Washington will be offering a silent curse on Hamas, whose idiot timing will have kept them from their family backyard barbecues. Of course, Norway and Sweden combined have a population only five millions fewer than New York State. I think Sweden has a policy against marinara sauce for Swedish meatballs at Independence day picnics. Personally, I have to agree Swedish meatballs don't benefit from the addition of marinara sauce at any time.

Dora #16 refers to millions of Palestinians as having "meaningless lives". To say that this is racism would be an understatement. It is not suprising however, since justifying slaughter and terrorism requires complete dehumanization. Zionism: Dehumanize, kill, justify.

Over the last 6 months Hamas has been gradually moderating in line with Abbas and the PA which stands to negotiate with Israel. Before this, there was a negotiated truce because of Abbas's efforts. Either Israel wants this "extremist" sector to moderate with dignity or continue its past operations. A recent, somewhat overlooked, success is the "Prisoner's Document" - a starter. It's been established that Hamas PM Haniyah is attempting to negotiate the release of Gilad Shalit. The extremists factions are operating on their own merit it seems when they planned the tunnels, bombing & kidnapping. See how useless the fence in the West Bank would be if we don't reconcile with the Palestinians? So the situation is too delicate for either Olmert or Bush to comprehend because it seems both don't realize that the Hamas Palestinian constituents are "significant" players to any diplomatic negotiations as a result of deferring negotiations with Arafat & PLO for decade. Don't screw up Olmert!

As George Patton said, It is the destiny of the Americans to rule the world. George III actually believes this and views Israel as a client state. Manifest Destiny is reborn. Get with the program.

Bush to Israel - We'll find a way, if it takes $100 billion, to make Abbas into a Pinochet. We've now got Henry K advising.

I am a U.S. citizen and pay taxes and my vote is for ISRAEL to take Abbas out as he is a terrorist. Haniyeh is also a terrorist and ISRAEL can't afford to deal with this same crew anymore. Itis time for a clean plate. Wipe hamas from the area. ISRAEL is a sovereign nation and don't need U.S. gov't. interference over its own defence. The U.S. had better remember GOD is in control not Saudi Arabia's terrorists.

While america feels they may invade other countries, bomb at will, and hit any target it wants - they have a nerve trying to prevent other countries from doing the same. WHAT HAPPEND TO EITHER YOUR AGAINST THE TERRORISTS OR YOUR FOR THEM _ DOES THIS MEAN AMERICA IS PRO-TERROR- OR - ARE THEY ONLY PRO_TERROR WHEN ITS JEWS NOT AMERICANS BEING TARGETED

The Norwegian government today set three conditions for America's waging of the war on terror. First, no terrorists can be killed; instead they must be either understood or offered political asylum. Second, no American soldier can carry a gun and third, there must be a renewed UN resolution, each day at 6PM to be sure the rest of the world is in agreement and that international law is followed.

You may need to have a few questions to answer soon... and any other jihadist for that matter. Not that hard to find you..., no?

Golly gee willikers. Bush doesnt want palestinians harmed. Which palestinians does he mean... the ones that shoot rockets and send suicide bbombers, or the ones that just voted for a terrorist government. All palestinioans by their voting of Hamas as a government shall forever be linked hand in hand wiuth the events that are bout to transpire. As for the states. Screw off its not your borders being violated , your citizens having to dodge suicide bombers and killer. if it was, the matter would have been delth with harshly. So swan off and dont tell others to handle their problems any less different than the US would

Samed--You are an ingnorant Muslim who does not have a clue as to what terror/terrorism really is. You are nothing more than a drone who can be programmed by the same psycopaths that send teens and young adults to blow up citizens in restaurannts. Israel NEVER intentionally targets civilians and goes too far out of its way to spare meaningless lives when going after real terrorists. There is only one breed on this planet that habitually targets civilians without a second thought towards the value of a human life... (and that's the Arabs). Please wake up, understand the difference between acceptable military response to an act of war and a response that is never accepatable...intentionally targetting citizens. It's not a complex concept; I would expect that even an Arab would get that...but maybe I'm wrong.

Since no protest for iraq massacare,(according to your weird theory), it is ok for you guys to kill innocent civilians in government? so you know al Quaida the terror group is doing the killing in IRAQ and that gives Israel the legitimate right to kill palestinians in gaza? Man, what is wrong with these people.

What right does this bumbling government of mine have telling Israel how to fight terror? Our folks are kindergartners in the school of antiterror operations compared to the Israelis. American soldiers destroy infrastructure, murder civilians for no reason, and commit unlawful acts as a matter of course. Who the hell is our government to get into the holier-than-thou mode when it comes to Israel's defense policy? Buzz off, Dubya.

'The strongest anti-Israeli responses have come from Sweden and Norway.' Ergo, Sweden and Norway are the most anti-semitic countries in the world.

Hey Samed, then wtf are you doing living in my country?? why don't you leave the states and go live somewhere else like palestine for instance, i'm sure they don't train death squads or commit terrorism there... you seem smart, haha

The US funds a lot of things. The US funds the school of the Americas, a terrorist training camp; the US inadvertantly also funded 911. Where there is a will, there is a way, and just because terrorists have a way to find money doesn't change the fact that they are still terrorists. Its faulty logic to think that just because they have money they must use it for their own ends. The fact that they are terrorists is their own fault, not the fault of those, who unfortunately happen to fund them. The fact remains, however, that Israel isn't a terrorist state like Palestininans have made theirs. They don't spend their nights planning rocketfire on innocent civillians, nor do they chant the name of God before committing atrocities. If the palestinians spent less energy attacking Israel, and more energy building and bringing their people out of poverty, they could just one day join the civilized world. Until then, I hope Israel succeeds.

Fair enough, I'm sure that Israel will be fastidious in assuring that its conduct is Gaza will be no nastier than US conduct in Iraq, Afganistan or Serbia, regarding collateral damage to civilians and "infrastructure". Bush knows he can hardly complain. But...the thought counts, even though Iraqi rockets are not falling on US soil, or US soldiers stationed in Iowa are not being kidnapped by Iraqi terrorists, or that Israel is entitled to the protection and exemptions of UN Article 51 (self-defense of its soil), which does not apply to the US in Iraq (not that anyone cares about the UN and its silly-assed rules, anyway). Just make sure Abbas doesn't pose for any photo-ops near Hamastan PM Haniyeh -- not a safe place to be.

I assume that the US also waited for Israeli permission before responding to 9/11? What type of boot licking idiots are running the Israeli gov't? Other than the anti-Semites running the State Dept (whose first concern is placating the Saudis who are the major source of funding for the terrorists), the US Congress and Senate would not just support Israel but they would stand on their seats and cheer if Israel were to lay seige to Gaza and 100K Pals died of hunger (who gave 70% of their vote to the terrorists Hamas), or flattened Gaza with their armor, or lined up 1000 terrorist prisoners before a firing squad in order to get their soldier back. Most clear thinking people in the US are quite disappointed by Olmert and Peretz's spineless response to the terrorists. I assume that most clear thinking Israelis are disgusted.

Since 1981, the Iran has been funding Palestinians with Millions to use for torture, collective punishment, and brutal occupation. The Iran thinks that it can absolve itself of Palestinian terrorism by saying nice things, but it is thoroughly guilty along with Palestinians of CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. This type of statement is common. As the Iran trained death squads to rape nuns in Lebanon in the 80`s, it was always making all types of nice remarks about being nice to civilains. Only people who know nothing of history belive this propaganda. FREE LAND OF ISRAEL.

The infrastructure will be damaged (tough); and civilians were never the target. Now arab rockets on the other hand are designed to kill civilains and have been launched by the thousands.........

Mr Abbas should resign and desolve the PA and cosider OSLO is null and void . putting the elected officials in prison is a sharp reminder to MR Abbas that the PA creation was a joke and in fact it is a humiliation . resign MR Abbas ,and aske your cabinet to do the same . give back the keys to the occupayion ...when the occupation decides to pull back to 1967 line ,have them call you . otherwise it will be occupation VS resistance ..let us not kid ourselves .

United States and other scandinavian countries have double standards when it comes to terrorism. When they are killing innocent people it is fighting against terrorism but when countries like Sri Lanka and Israel are fighting true terrorism it is a violation of human rights. Why is this?

Samed's like, you bring up a good point. We Muslims can kill and no one will say a word about it.

Inordinate tolerance will eventually cause these two nations much grief. How long, do they believe, before this world jihad recognizes it for the weakness it is.

Since 1967, the U.S. has been funding Israel with billions to use for torture, collective punishment, and brutal occupation. The U.S. thinks that it can absolve itself of Israel's terrorism by saying nice things, but it is thoroughly guilty along with Israel of CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. This type of statement is common. As the U.S. trained death squads to rape nuns in El Salvador in the 80's, it was always making all types of nice remarks about being nice to civilains. Only people who know nothing of history belive this propaganda.