Hamas is to blame for Israel's failure to aid Gazans

Do you have anything good to say about Israel?

Yom-Tov Samia says that Israel "must hit every enemy without mercy" enough said he explains the problem himself...

rules Gaza and fires rockets into Israel, Gaza isn't entitled to receive one drop of water or one measly crumb of bread Show me a single instance of any country feeding another while she's being shot at by the other country

it's not true, the palestinian government sent aid to haiti, they sent what they can send, not a full hospital, but some clothes, medicines, toys, etc. and not just the cisjordanian part of palestine, also gazans!!!

Qatarm, Emirates and Iran have partaken in the haitian effort. The israeli team did a great work. Thanks and Peace.

It's not Hamas, it's Israel that decides which amount of aid to send to Gaza, and which gazan patients will be allowed to leave the Strip to seek treatment abroad - sone are not and die. The blockade is a total failure: Hamas is still in power, Shalit is unhappily still not free, rockets are still being launched and Israel's image abroad is drowning.

The Gazans fired over 40 rockets into Israel on the very day Israeli left Gaza completely in 2005 and didn't stop before or after Hamas took over. I would not expect the Israelis to allow aid into Gaza with a government that was voted in on a platform of destroying Israel and killing all Jews. Just as I would not have expected aid to Hitler who had the same aims as Hamas vis a vis Jews. The ironic thing is that Israel does allow aid into Gaza while Egypt, their brother Arabs, not only never allowed aid into Gaza but is building a wall to stop the tunnels as well. Where is the international outrage. Hypocrits all you Jew haters.

Hamas has tunnels on the Egyptian border, dozens and dozens of tunnels. They drive cars though these tunnels Mark L. and have the choice of what to smuggle in. Hamas chooses weapons and building materials for rockets(Qassams). Instead of what's needed by its people. The point is Hamas makes a lot of money(smuggling) and Hamas receives a lot of money from Iran, Syria, Hezbollah etc., money that is conditional. The money gets cut off if they make peace with Israel. But still Hamas could use some of the money and their smuggling network to bring building materials(or anything else), they choose NOT to. That's why blame must be assigned to Hamas, who could by the way, stop the attacks and have the blockade lifted, anytime they want.

Hamas is the bully!!! The express aim of Hamas is to eliminate all of Israel and for that matter all Jews. Hamas was elected by the "innocent" Gazans as their government when they were fully aware and supported these aims. Hamas made and imports rockets with one purpose- to fire them on Israeli civilians, wich they subseqently did. Over 8,000 rockets and mortars on a peaceful Israeli town and its surrounds over 8 years. Most of these rockets were fired into Israel after Israel completely vacated Gaza in 2005. The battlefield was chosen by Hamas:- Hamas stored and fired the rockets from civilian areas, homes, mosques and schools. Hamas trained its soldiers and maintained its army within the built up areas, behind, civilian men women and children. These areas are the areas which Hamas picked in order to fight. This was their chosen battlefield. The Hamas strategy is to fight in and amongst the civilian population so that when civilians are killed during fighting it is a PR victory for Hamas because Israel will be blamed just as Will Self is doing. Israel loves and protects its children by building shelters and warning devices. Hamas puts its children in mortal danger by using them as human shields.

E: "#77 How about all the Qassams that PRECEDED the blockade? And even preceded Olmert. Hundreds of them." The blockade was imposed as a collective punishment of the Palestinians for being foolish enough to vote for Hamas, rather than for the party that Israel wanted them to vote for. It was AFTER that siege was established that the Gazan militants responded by dramatically escalating their qassam rocket-fire into Israel. You appear to have your cause-and-effect the wrong way 'round.

Hamas is in its comfort zone and that's the way they want it. This should be pretty obvious by now to anyone with sense. They are not above hurting their own population to advance their genocidal agenda. It's a fact that their headquarters was under a HOSPITAL. Goldstone was threatened by Hamas and in his cowardice helped them with their falsehoods. People... think!

Thank you for describing Hamas so accurately

I am tired of hearing everyone blame Israel for blockading an entity which is sworn to it's destruction. Why doesn't Hamas get everything they need from their Arab brothers in Egypt. Oh what is it you said. The Egyptians can't stand Hamas either. Go lay some blame on Egypt who is not at war with Hamas. or are they?

They're still firing the rockets into Israel Ask your elders what the thought when the Nazi's rained V1 & V2 rockets down on England, maybe you'll understand how Israel feels Since the "International" NGO's aren't undergoing enemy fire, they can take their opinions snd place it where the sun don't shine, you can join them in the effort

One of the countries that attacked Israel in 1948, sheltered Araft and his band of thugs, allowing them to use Lebanese soil as a platform for laucnghin attacks into Israe The very same Lebanon that allowed Hezbollah to place their weapons in the midst of civilian housing, while taking payment from Hezbaollah for doing so Poor ole Lebanon, that allowed and assisted Hezbollah when Nasrallah's gunmen fired rockets into Israeli civilian towns and settlments I cry for Lebaon, they're such a bunch of suckers, falling for Iran's threats You're like Nasrallah, hiding where it's nice and safe, shooting off your mouth without the guts to put your finger on the trigger

that Israel, like the USA, has limits to what it will endure before she takes corrective action Would you mind letting us know the last time the USA fed it's enemies when both parties were engaged in active combat?? The way it really goes is first you render the enemy incapable of fighting, then feed the survivors How about a an example or two of the USA feeding the Japanese or Germans while the shooting was still going

Never in the annals of history has one been forced to feed their enemy while combat is still going on Name just ONE country, other than Israel, that was stupid enough to supply their enemy with any type of supplies, while the enemy was busy shooting at them as a token of appreciation Somehow or other, I must have missed reports of American & Britain feeding Nazi Germany during WW2, there's no mention of the U.S. airdropping supplies to Japan while the battles were ongoing Ask yourself if you would offer your neighbor a sandwich & a cike while he's busy throwing Molotov cocktails and rocks at your house or popping some shots at your family

returns fire against Hamas militants firing from outside the UN school? Must israel have a 100% accuracy rate? surely that's a tad outlandish especially when this is not asked of anyone else. Patrick Martin a foreign correspondant for the TOronto Globe and Mail magazine wrote an article and drew a great diagram of what he say days afterwards. He said the artillery shells had hit outside the schools not the schools themselves. The Globe charges for archived articles but i downloaded the picture, and article. email alwayslearning@live.ca for it.

And even preceded Olmert. Hundreds of them.

From which website are you downloading your stuff? Why are 1000 tunnels getting in amunition to Hamas but not food? And are not the Egyptians letting in food and medicines? Why not?

The Aid became more than a trickle since Hamas was voted into Power - Yaknow, in a Democratic election. Israel is still blockading any kind of Materials to rebuild in Gaza - Is that Hamas's fault (as far as I'm concerned Fatah and the PLO still had weapons). This perception that somehow it's Hamas's fault is completely hollow considered when you see the facts on the grounds.

"People living here in Israel, specifically those on the southern border regions in line of Gazan missile fire" Are far outside of what was designated for the "Jewish state" upon Partition. "this taking place for eight long years since Israel left every last centimeter of Gaza" And encircled it with walls and guntowers, artillery and military emplacements, and routinely bombarded the Palestinians. When the Israeli Navy shelled a Gaza beach, killing an entire Palestinian family, Hamas ended a unilateral 2-year cease-fire that was met with increasing aggression. "A country needs to defend its children - period." Are you saying that, because the Palestinians are deprived of a country by Zionism's rejectionists, they don't share this right? "the world has no idea what kind of trauma 8 years of unrelenting Quassam fire does to a child`s development." Are you suggesting that Palestinian children - and men and women - do not experience trauma?

Haiti does not think killing sleeping kids, shooting at women in cars is heroic resistance. The God that Haiti pray to does not promote lies - or taqiyyeh ( two faced lying without an iota of shame. So save Haitians, and stop treating Hamas like a poor ol enemy.

lb: "When you lay down with dogs [hamas] you wake up with fleas." And the role of an occupying power is to be both a dog-catcher and a health inspector. But not according to leoblue i.e. "they" are all tainted by mere proximity to The Bad Guys, and that alone is cause for their (collective) punishment by "his" Good Guys. W.a.r. C.r.i.m.e.

have partaken in the haitian effort. You can google it. The israeli team did a great work. Peace.

CJK: "firing missiles into israel cannot be considered resisting the 'occupation.' " Why not? They certainly aren't firing them for fun, and they know that they can't "exterminate the Jews" with them. CJK: "first, it is an act of aggression against a sovereign state." Cippie, that sovereign state is ALSO the occupying power i.e. you are rather late (42+ years, in fact) with your finger-pointing about "acts of aggression". CJK: "second, firing missiles into civilian populations is a war crime." Cipora-logic insists that it is impossible to "resist an occupation" by "resorting to war crimes". Why not? Using an illegal tactic in pursuit of a legitimate goal is perfectly possible, even if it is inexcusable. After all, replace: 1) "firing rockets" with "collective punishment" 2) "ending occupation" with "peace and quiet" and who do you have?

have partaked in the Haitian effort. You can google it. The israeli team dit a great work. Peace

What Avi Shlaim omits from his commentary is the fact that the 1947 borders were not accepted at that time either by the Arab countries. Mr. Shlaim admits to Israel's legitimacy and to the 1967 Green Line border but the neigboring countries did not. History is full of land and border changes. When the neighborhood allows Israel to exist, the israelis can be amenable to border shifts.

rc: "Now tell me exactly why Israel is responsible for the welfare of the gazans who are at war with israel, who fire rockets daily at israel, who daily smuggle weaponry into gaza for the purpose of trying to kill any jew in israel." Israel is the occupying power. There are 1.5 million Gazans. There are - at most - 10,000 Gazans who insist on shooting bottle-rockets at Israel. So, to answer your question: 1) Israel is obliged to shoot back at those 10,000 militants whenever they threaten her. 2) Israel is also obliged to provide for the basic needs of the remaining 1,490,000 Gazans. That's what occupiers do, you see. THIS occupier insists that it can do something else altogether i.e. it insists on putting all its troops into the watch towers, locking all the gates, and then watching as the joint descends into chaos. Anything else I can help you with?

I do indeed understand Israel's limited options for Hamas and I believe they have chosen the worst of all options by closing the entire population in a ghetto in the name of containment. The theory was - close them in until they overthrow Hamas and that clearly didn't happen. What we are left with is Gazan men women and children locked in a prison without resources much like the Palestinian camps where radical Islamist terrorism began. Gaza has nothing to offer its people beyond terrorism and I believe Israel contributed to the situation as much as Hamas and other impotent Palestinian leaders over the years. Israel has played right into their hands and they know it. Until Israel takes a different tack it will be increasingly viewed as brutal and inhumane towards Gaza and that is more dangerous to the Jewish State than any terrorist group.

When you lay down with dogs [hamas] you wake up with fleas.

People living here in Israel, specifically those on the southern border regions in line of Gazan missile fire have lived the brunt of chronic attacks upon their homes and communities, this taking place for eight long years since Israel left every last centimeter of Gaza, until Israel finally moved in to quell the attacks last winter. It was a long overdue military activity from the Israeli army. A country needs to defend its children - period. The only thing that held back Israel for this agonizingly long time was the realization that moving into densely populated Gaza will cause a great deal of civilian harm to the Palestinians which JUST ABOUT NO ONE HERE has the stomach or the desire to do. My wife is a child counselor in this region, and I promise you, that the world has no idea what kind of trauma 8 years of unrelenting Quassam fire does to a child's development. Israel's entry into Gaza was unfortunate,far from our desires but was long overdue.

"The Mission concludes that the conditions resulting from deliberate actions of the Israeli armed forces and the declared policies of the Government with regard to the Gaza Strip before, during and after the military operation cumulatively indicate the intention to inflict collective punishment on the people of the Gaza Strip." Report of the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/12session/A-HRC-12-48.pdf ALERT: Annapolis a Charade: Israel Plotting Massive Aggression 12/11/2007 http://scotland.indymedia.org/node/3773 How Israel brought Gaza to the brink of humanitarian catastrophe Oxford professor of international relations Avi Shlaim served in the Israeli army and has never questioned the state's legitimacy. But its merciless assault on Gaza has led him to devastating conclusions. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/07/gaza-israel-palestine

?the main culprit responsible for the Gazans' condition is Hamas, which ?? Blame the Victim is a shameful tactic, much overused by those supporting Zionism?s war on the Palestinians. Israeli rejectionists, like Netanyahu, don?t want to deal with Hamas because they know the group can?t be manipulated, like the demonstrably-corrupt Fatah. If they were serious about peace, they wouldn?t fear honest negotiations and real compromises. Olmert imposed the illegal Blockade immediately following the elections which brought Hamas to power, ignoring warnings from the Defense Staff that the policy "will provoke a violent response, in the form of rockets" and the Attorney General, who said it "could be viewed as constituting a War Crime".

Dear Jane, Your comments are troubling to me because I think you misunderstand the options open for Israel regarding Hamas and Gaza. Hamas is an organization whose central ideological core is to destroy Israel and to place an Islamic State in its place. Their leaders state this openly and repeatedly. It is in their constitution. They ACT to fulfill this bloody purpose. Israel cannot force a unilateral peace upon her neighbors! Ther is aboslutely no peace partner here. The best we can achieve from Hamas is so that they agree to a "Hudna", which is according to their ideology is a temporary cease-fire arranged to give them the opportunity to strengthen their military in order to attack Israel with greater force in the future. I wish peace for my children and that for all children no matter their religion. This does not mean that we in Israel needs to blindly run to make peace with an entity that will reciprocate by acting to mobilize their forces to destroy us. No thanks!

"Hamas is to blame for Israel's failure to aid Gazans" Sure, it is also to blame, but certainly not only to blame or even mostly to blame. Nobody is forbidding Israel to let in medical equipment and medicine. See: http://doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=4137&cat=field-news "The war caused considerable damage, but the embargo in place since 2006 in the Gaza Strip prevents building materials from entering and limits food and medical supplies. The health care sector is thus in considerably worse shape today." "Most medical equipment is unreliable and the embargo makes it impossible to obtain certain spare parts. Similarly, medical units also face drug shortages." "Patients who cannot be treated in the Gaza Strip should be cared for outside the territory, but requests for authorization to travel are so complicated to obtain ? on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides ? that some cannot leave Gaza in time to arrive for their appointment."

If I was you I wouldn't quote Gerald Kaufman. His words are worth absolutely nothing after he was caught with his hands in the till with the MP's expenses scandal in the UK. He is a laughing stock and only idiots quote him or listen to him.

so we are to believe that thaT isrl is saintly? lol yeah right

There is no data to support your claims. Foreign journalist aren't allowed in to report such things, and Israel has not released such claims. As usual, you made them up. The only outrage re Gaza is the Israeli blockade that represents the worst human rights violation taking place in the world today. Israel permits an average of 80 truckloads a day of aid to enter gaza. An admission of genocide. According to UN World Food Program, Gaza, with a population of 1.5million, requires daily 400 trucks of just food to meet basic nutritional needs. Israel forbids entry of everything from building materials, to medicine, to spare parts for cars and machines, to coffee, to shoes. UN relief agencies report 80% of Gazans depend on meager trickle of International aid Israel permits. 450,000 (30%) are without clean water; patients are in dire need of medical care. WHO reports not enough IVs. Blood must be kept in plastic bottles. The blockade is a violation of article 33 of the 4th Geneva Convention.

ahahaha good one replace the star of david with a pointing finger. i wish i thought of that!! bravo Natallie, that was an excellent!!

The way you are using international emergency aid for propaganda purposes is real bad. "... there are at least three reasons why it is prudent to send aid..." "The first is what distinguishes us from other nations: the Jewish culture and tradition that command us to preserve life, not just in Israel" This is nationalistic drivel. Almost all people try to preserve life. The murder rate in Israel is not specially low. "The second reason ...." "The third reason is that Israel's standing in world public opinion is not stellar, so aid missions and the like can help here." This statement is incredible. You claim that medics are patching up people for the glory of Israel. I bet you made some of them quite angry. The real reason to help is you help because you can, no more no less.

Does this sound familiar? Bullying... is a form of abuse, and bullies - and unenlightened employers - often go to great lengths to keep their targets quiet, using threats of disciplinary action, dismissal, and gagging clauses. What bullies fear most is exposure of their inadequacy and being called publicly to account for their behavior and its consequences. This makes sense when you remember that the purpose of bullying is to hide inadequacy, and people who bully to hide their inadequacy are often incompetent. A bully is a person who ? has never learnt to accept responsibility for their behaviour ? wants to enjoy the benefits of living in the adult world, but who is unable and unwilling to accept the responsibilities that are a prerequisite for being part of the adult world. ? abdicates and denies responsibility for their behaviour and its consequences (abdication and denial are common features of bullying) ? is unable and unwilling to recognise the effect of their behaviour on others ? does not want to know of any other way of behaving ? is unwilling to recognise that there could be better ways of behaving. Bullying is obsessive and compulsive; the serial bully has to have someone to bully and appears to be unable to survive without a current target

Hamas controls the government of Israel? The flip-side to those who blame Israel for everything is those who blame others for everything Israel does.

Maj. Gen. (res) Samia is the former head of the Israel Defense Forces' Southern Command from January 2001 to December 2003, ending 29 years of military service as a Major General and was President & CEO of the BARAN Group, is currently (2008) President of "Yam Deshers" LTD, President and CEO of Israel Corp (Biofuels), S. B. Security, Katz Logistics, Orgad Holding, E.D.S. Isarel, Girit Celadon Israel (Gates and Checkpoints systems). A fine and not doubt neutral fellow to provide an unbiased view.

I think for this completely-out-of-touch lass to side with Israel, she, as a woman, has to live in an Arab society that oppresses women, forces her to wear the niqab and threatens to kill her (or anyone else for that matter) who dare speak out against Hamas (or Hezbollah, or Saudi Arabia...).

Roo writes "Today however their former peaceable activities are somewhat constricted, ergo their military endeavors are more prominent." Their peaceful activities were never once the problem with Israelis. Their agressive activities were always there. Do not flip details to make Hamas look saintly.

Look up how many times the IRA perpetrated terrorist attacks on london. The UK didn't imprison Ireland and drop bombs on civilians. And as far as Hamas goes. Israel has undermined every moderate power elected into Palestinian office. After decades of humiliation and degradation is it really surprising that the Pals would turn to Hamas? Bottom line this situation is Israel's creation. Israel is to blame for Hamas and for Gaza.

After Israel's withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas stepped up efforts to build and expand widely its terrorist infrastructure, never ceasing to launch its Kassam rockets on communities in Southern Israel (some 500 rockets and mortar shells only in 2005). They had the choice to move towards friendly relations with their neighbours, but it was, it is, it will not be their goal, as Meshal once again has reaffirmed last week. Why this unexplained lack of basic accuracy, Roo? Or maybe a system behind?

No its not an individual talking its the elected government of Palestine

...of HAMAS & Co was the cause of problem?

a. Hamas refuses to accept Israel b. Hamas refuses to accept/reconcile with the Palestinian Authority c. Hamas refuses to release Shalit unless 100% let me repeat my self unless 100% of their demands are met. This is a harsh leadership group that would prefer to allow their people to suffer rather than negotiate fairly even just ONE of the above 3 steps. You John ...you give every Israeli "a break"

Israel has (and does) lied SO many PROVABLE times that the world no longer believes you. QED

fuel distribution point,Hamas uses metal to make Qassams. Hamas are a bunch of Islamofascist racist liars and genocidal wannabees whose statements the apolgology machine ignores.. Like yesterday they said they will not recognise the "Zionist entity" Thery are the elected government of Palestine. Israel did not elect them the Pals did Israel did not create them they were there before Israels creation. One wonders how many apologists here are EU taxpayer NGO funded

Hamas and its cynical use of the population is sad. Hamas perpetuates their misery gaining PR advantage in times of rearmament. Then during war uses its civilians as shields. This double whammy on its own people is then exploited for PR value to elicit undeserved world sympathy. It has worked well in the past and to this day continues to be the most successful PR campaign to misinform the world for sympathy. How many times do writers here complain about starving Gaza, even though there has never been a single death in Gaza due to starvation? You never see pictures of emaciated people with swollen bellies...like in Darfur...because none exist, nobody is starving. The self inflicted problem in Gaza is just that! Self inflicted for cynical PR use by Hamas.

The problem was not, and it is not whether Hammas is being elected or not in Gaza . The problem is Hammas deeds and political and military objectives. No state in the world can restrain itself if a mortal enemy entity grows up in front of its face, even if it is democratically elected. Hammas aspires to arm itself and continue resistance until the "roots of evil"(Israel)in their mind are uprooted. Any country would have reacted as Israel and even worst. Israel bounded itself because of humanitarian reasons. Next time, if rockets will continue to be fired on Israel, Gaza should be destroyed.

How many of you blatehers out there on Talk-back might even conceive that both sides are motivated by fear, pain, and history rather than pure evil, maliciousness, or pre-meditation? Don't you folks have even a modicum of knowledge of human nature and the human condition? Your ignorance only adds more fuel to the fire. Thank God you all have no influence, but are only venting......

the whole world is taking part in helping the people of haiti and israel is showing to be among the best. but israel remains guilty for the disaster it caused in gaza and to the people of gaza. this guilt cannot and will not be removed. israel is also guilty for the blockade of gaza, no other excuses.but some people prefer to keep their ears shut while pursuing their own dreams.

Complaining that Hamas the legitimate and elected government of Gaza and the West Bank should not be intercepting aid is gibberish. This is merely a symptom of the Israeli insistence that Hamas be regarded as the illegitimate usurpers in Gaza rather than the chosen leaders. This is part of the reason for Israeli acts of terror on the wider Gazan community and acts of collective punishment since Cast Lead. To force the people to reject Hamas. " Also, Hamas prefers to invest in rearmament rather than civilian infrastructure " Also unsubstantiated tittle tattle. Actually Hamas was 90% a social and welfare organization and only 10% a military group until Israel turned it into evil incarnate for the purpose of putting Palestinian statehood on permanent hold. "Approximately 90 percent of its work is in social, welfare, cultural and educational activities". Reuven Paz, PhD, Senior Research fellow at The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) in Herziliya, Israel. Today however their former peaceable activities are somewhat constricted, ergo their military endeavors are more prominent. Here the author delves into the murky waters of exceptionalism, [aided by cognitive dissonance] frequently used to excuse itself from the ramifications of its blatant excesses: "The first[reasons for aiding Haiti] is what distinguishes us from other nations" Only much poorer and more ostracised nations do rather more than Israel. Cuba for example. Even the beleaguered Palestinians sent financial aid! What *distinguishes* the author here is his inflated EGO. "the Jewish culture and tradition that command us to preserve life" Then why the; "It must hit every enemy without mercy" in the previous paragraph, when hitting without mercy seems to allow the slaughter of hundreds of women and children in Cast Lead and Lebanon 2006 and Lebanon 1982 etc etc as well as the destruction of water treatment facilities, use of white phosphorous and obliterating or placing out of limits up to 80% of agricultural land so that Gazans can not possibly feed themselves. Is the bible, or *Jewish custom* merely a convenient vault from which journalists and public relations peoplemay pick and choose as convenient means with which to excuse themselves and justify their acts which repulse so many, even committed Zionists like Goldstone? "The third reason is that Israel's standing in world public opinion is not stellar, so aid missions and the like can help here" At long last a simple admission as to the value of some good old, much needed PR as being a fundamental justification for the aid.

.... on the boderline to Israel, as Hizbollah is in the North. And Iran does not make secret what its aim towards the Jewish state. Iran and its proxies base their very reason for being in the innamovible core idea of Islamic hegemony in ME and beyond, Israel is thus for them a absolutely inconceivable reality to be destroyed, sooner or later. Only Israel's might and deterrence prevent them from acting in this sense. But they believe if not now or in the next future this final goal will be achieved in the long-term. What they can not achieve today with the strength, is attempted by any other means available, terrorist attacks, propaganda, education, public relations, political and diplomatic pressure, attempts to charge Israeli officials and so on. That's why we should not and never expect a softening of their position, much less an improbable peace. And the world, the majority of Muslim countries and parts of Western media and politics, joins them, unaware or simply condescending.

I'm a Jew with long standing ties to Israel, including my grandfather who was Irgun. When I lived in Haifa in the 80's, I was very aware of the peaceful Palestinian protests to either gain statehood or at least autonomy -anything to alleviate the pain of occupation. There was very little in the way of violence but Israel's answer was F/U go away any be good little boys and girls. As a result of the ineffectiveness of non-violence, the Palestinians tried upping the stakes with the minimally violent Infitada I in 1987. Since that got them no where, they finally adopted the Jewish method of throwing off the occupier - killing. Forget the myth that Irgun etc only went after British soldiers since my grandfather participated in numerous arab marketplace bombings in what was then known as Jaffa. Keeping the Palestinians stateless or confined to Iraeli controlled "reservations" cannot last forever. Just as the Palestinians cannot drive the Jews from Israel, the reverse is equally true

Sharon's idea that the people of Gaza would eventually turn against Hamas clearly failed and as a result Israel is left with a PR nighmare. Israel is now seen as ghettoizing Gaza and as evil as those who created the Warsaw Ghetto. Successive Israeli governments have been blind to the fact that Gaza feeds the beast of anti-Israel rhetoric and could ultimately bring down the Jewish State. As a Zionist it is becomming increasingly difficult to support Israel's actions and the lack of any substantial movement toward peace-making is alienating not only the larger world but more importantly the very people who are most committed to Israel's well being. Is Hamas to blame or is Israel to blame for handing Hamas a moral victory on a silver platter?

civillians by Hamas from amongst their civillians?

No Mr Neil Israel bashers Durson's style never change sides. They rather suicide that recognizing truth. They just will keep lying and screaming all the time it takes. Now they are frustrated about Obama. They thought he will do the job, but if there is any job he might do,if any, it will be to tackle Iran and not get tough with Israel.

"Occupation"? In quotation marks? Well, I guess we can start placing "Israel" in quotation marks as well, then.. And second, "... act of aggression against a sovereign state"?? Are you trying to say you dont know that this "sovereign state" of yours is building illegal settlements on illegally occupied land, and while slowly strangling the occupied nation?? Or are you trying to imply that all that is not an act of aggression? Or are you trying to say that the right to self-defense belongs only to Israelis?? I might not be supporting missle attacks on civilians, but dont you dare try to make it seem that Israel is innocent in all this mess!

lying you would realize how evil are Hamas actions against its own people. Start reading!!!

lying you would realize how evil are Hamas actions against its own people. Start reading!!!

It is our obligation as part of the human race. We are indeed the remnants. Of those who went before us, as those who will come after us will become our remnants. Shearith Israel. That's my congregation here in Montreal. Yes, people can be stubborn on both sides of the fence, unfortunately. Human nature. Everyone struggles w/his evil inclination and strives to do good, because we do not want Hashem to give up on us, which is why He gave us a set of laws to live by. What Isreal is doing in Haiti is "Gemilut hasadim".

Bombing and shooting crossings.Using metal for Qassams to bomb Israeli civillians The hypocrisy of the selective outrage

which is going the way of zimbabwe!! like so many posters his knowledge is minmal .

You conveiently ignore the fact that Hamas is responsible for the plight of the people of Gaza. Stop blaming Israel for its justified retaliation to rocket attacks on Sderot . How many of you would stand idly by if your neighbours were shelling you with rockets and attacks? Hamas is just using the people of Gaza to further its political aims. But you fools cannot or will not admit their true motives. You only care about the enfeeblement of Israel.

But Israel is to blame for the Gazans having such dire needs in the first place! Israel is still under the COMPLETE ILLUSION that punishing the people of Gaza - keeping all borders closed (almost no food, no medicines, no construction materials) - will lead to the Gazan population being motivated to overthrow the "terrorists" and to return Gilad Shalit. It hasn't worked that way, but the sadistic policy continues.

...and another? #28 As in using phosphorous in urban areas in full view of TV cameras as well as destroying water treatment plants and flour mills and destroying vast tracts of agricultural land and hitting hospitals???? Well?

The civilians in Gaza would probably prefer food rather than food for thought. And I must say that I'm getting tired of seeing people advocating collective punishment to get to the terrorists. That's exactly what you are doing up there; claiming that people who don't agree with the inhumane treatment of the Palestinian people support Hamas. You list three reasons why Israel should aid a population hit by a natural disaster, I fail to see why the same reasons can not be applied to a man-made disaster created by Israel. I've been thinking about this thought-experiment: What if Gaza was Jewish? How would the Israeli government have handled a Jewish terror-group hiding among a Jewish population? Would anyone like to claim that Israel would have carried out Cast Lead and this embargo anyway? I know the author said that Israel couldn't show any mercy for its enemies. But in this case there would be a problem: the civilians (who are also shown no mercy) would not be of another ethnicity.

Yom-Tov Samia says that Israel "must hit every enemy without mercy" and therein lies the problem. States or people without mercy are those without a heart, and thus without a soul. Show mercy unto others and it will be shown to you. Has the obscenity of the Holocaust not taught today's Israeli government and its supporters anything? How sad. How terribly sad.

It is crystal clear. We dont need Yom Tov Samia to tell us that, and we dont need to praise Israel tirelessly again and again for its humanity. Hammas strategy is based in the idea that first and foremost Israel should recognize Hammas political status. According to Hammas Israel should let the organization grow, get armed and challange Israel, which should respond as it is dealing with a friendly peace loving entity. In other words, they propose "Hudna-as- a step for the next war" and Israel should comply and play according to those rules. Otherwise,the "Human Rights NGO's thugs will get very nervous. Israel response was the right one. The next one should be a "Putin" style response, and in the meantime Israel should be offering the palestinians civic population the humanitarian means to survive. The bill should be paid by Hammas.

And Hamas blames Israel and that's the reason it sends rockets. "Pretoria blamed the ANC for the plight of Black South Africans" (Richard Pearce)

such an enemy at all? Any help to Gaza goes toward assisting them to continue their war against Israel. This is like the U.S. and allies offering Germany and Japan foreign aide during WW2. Totally insane ! As a condition for assistance: First, lay down all arms Second, out with Hamas. Gaza is heading toward a war of total devastation on a scale of disaster not even seen in Haiti. They will have brought it on themselves. The world will not be able to stop it. Remember I told you so !

Article "The group is also preventing the import of critical building materials to refurbish damaged infrastructure, oddly claiming that this is not one of its priorities." This is news to me. My clear understanding is that Istrael blocked as much as it could to amkie life as miserable as possible for Gazans- until famously pasta at least was forced to be allowed in. Certainly I understood that concrete, steel and other building materials have been blocked because they could be used militarily- even though that claim is marginal. If I am wrong and Hamas is deliberately blocking imports of such things itself, that is certainly news. I don't believe it, but willing to be proven wrong.

There is a line where self defense crosses into an disproportionate response, which is pretty much the same thing as performing an attack. As I recall the Torah suggests that "an eye for an eye" is a good rule of thumb. "A hundred of your eyes for my eye" seems a bit excessive in my opinion.

firing missiles into israel cannot be considered resisting the "occupation." first, it is an act of aggression against a sovereign state. second, firing missiles into civilian populations is a war crime.

The Haitians are poor unfortunate people who are suffering and have done Israel no harm -it's natural to want to help them. Why in earth would they want to help the Gazan's

Now tell me exactly why Israel is responsible for the welfare of the gazans who are at war with israel, who fire rockets daily at israel, who daily smuggle weaponry into gaza for the purpose of trying to kill any jew in israel. SORRY but Israel left gaza to prosper on its own and they have done everything to not prosper. Israel owes them nothing. Gazans elected hamas and they choose confrontation over cooperation. So be it ...Live in your cesspool and the generosity of the world should end their support of the palestinians who have given nothing of value back for the billions they have received...What a joke Israel is responsible

It's food for thought. I like this "food'

Gazans are forced to build houses out of mud, because there is no cement. 85% of goods in Gaza have to be imported through tunnels. The import of noodles is forbidden There is an coastal blockade. Israel is the BLOCKADER. As nasty as Hamas is, it is Israel's blockade. Oh, and remember that Israel helped to support Hamas in its early years as a clever ploy to undermine the PLO! http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2002/06/18/Analysis-Hamas-history-tied-to-Israel/UPI-82721024445587

@Yom-Tov Samia Can you perhaps share with us the sources from which you conclude that more weapons and explosives are smuggled through the tunnels than food? It seems highly unlikely to me.

I have not written or spoken one word of criticism of Israel for its aid to Haiti and I won't, now or in the future. But Yom-Tov Samia's perspective on Gaza is about as perverse as I've read in the three years plus that Gaza has been under siege. Gaza does not want aid from Israel, it wants freedom. If any modicum of freedom had been allowed to Gaza along with the Disengagement, Hamas wouldn't have been elected or come to power at all. Instead, Israel insisted on continuing to control the population registry, and everything that entered or exited Gaza and their entire economy. And Aid from outside Israel was specifically denied to Gaza in 2005 and 2006. Even today, there are hundreds of millions of dollars. maybe billions, sitting in banks around the world to provide relief to Gaza. None of it is Israeli money. There is even a desalination plant sitting in parts, from the EU. Nothing allowed in. Take off the jackboot from their neck. Keep your aid.

How she squirms! NONE of her Arab brethren lifted a finger or showed any human kindness to the Hatian people. Her green with envy response: Yada yada yada...Blame the Jews... yada yada yada. Maybe she should consider switching sides?

As a number of reports show us, including the recent one sponsored by some 14 international NGOs, the prime culprit for the lack of improvement in the state of Gaza a year after the War, or more accurately the Massacre, is the Israeli Government. I expect better of Haaretz Editorials.

The same ole song and dance. Just like with the Lebanon war "we dropped leaflets" yeah and along with those leaflets you dropped bombs on their escape routes cutting off their escape, and more bombs on the fleeing people!! We know now and this is why people are so pissed off. Your government began harrassing Hamas and the Palestinians the moment they were elected. Dont play innocent victim. When Israel convinced the USA to freeze the assets of Palestinian fund-raising organizations we should have done the same for israel at the same time. Thank God we protested enough and we were able to have a ban on the sale of cluster bombs to Israel.

Leoblue - why is it so hard to see that the Pals are resisting occupation? that's it, just that, OCCUPATION..

With the largest stockpile of weapons in the Middle East! The same "tiny (nuclear) Israel" that not only receives $billion +++ of US aid/weapons, but (Amnesty International 27.10 09) Israel withholds WATER from the Palestinian people!

They also said that if White South Africans laid down their weapons, there would be no White South Africans. They talked about how the ANC was responsible for attacks on Blacks, and repressed them, how the leaders lived in luxury while their people suffered and died, and complained that Mandella turned down reasonable offer after reasonable offer. But after an incident that was pretty much like others that had come before it caught peoples eyes around the world, people stopped believing those claims (though governments took a lot longer). Just something to think about.

Israel was founded in order for Jews to have a sancuturary from harm, period. Last I looked, Judiasm values and promotes self defence. Heck, so do virtually all other religions and it is a universal principle in domestic and international law. You have been studying too long Miron.

Israel shouldn't take responsibility for anything that you mention. Its job is protect its citizens from those that seek to harm them. If those that seek to harm them surround themselves with innocent civilians, then let Hamas utter the words mia culpa for those words are accurate. One of those observers in Lebanon was a Canadian who reported Hezbollah was snuggling up to the U.N. station. Same thing. If the U.N. and world community want to protect their representatives in the U.N., keep Hezbollah away. When you snuggle up to terrorists, yes you can get hurt.

What's in the boxes that the food comes in? If Pals can send their fighters in ambulances, hide in schools and mosques, kill little kids in cribs and at pizza joints, those little boxes can harbour the instrumentalities of harm.

Its so simple. You help the unfortunate and you try to kill those trying to kill you before they succeed. First and foremost is self defence and if innocents get hurt in the process, that is unfortunate, but not a moral wrong unless Israel is attempting to hurt the innocents. She isn't and indeed, given all of its other behaviour and the real politic of this world, its near impossible to believe otherwise. Glibly saying "give me a break" counts for nothing John.

stop firing your stupid rockets and maybe things will change for you..... it's not hard

It is Israel that is collectively denying sustenance to the population of the Gaza - a crime against humanity - and generally making life as difficult as possible for ALL Gazans as collective punishment for Hamas activities - a war crime. Israel must lift the embargo on trade and allow the Palestinian people to fish in both territorial waters and international waters. Palestinians have the right to trade with whoever they wish and should not be denied free trade. Whilr Palestinians are being squeezed, so the they have the right to defend themselves by taking actions that may deter. Remember, it was the Israelis that pushhed these people into the Gaza. They have a right to fight for their land back. The OneState binational solution is the only solution.

Despite constant rocket fire into Israel, food and medicine IS being sent into Gaza. Is it enough? Stop shooting into Israel and there might be more. Now we wait for Durson's pathetic response. Don't dissapoint us Nuttalie

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The State of Israel does not follow Jewish morality, nor should it be expected to follow it. The state was founded as an act of liberating Jews from the yoke of traditional values. The less we link the behaviour of Israel to the Jewish tradition, the safer both Jews and the state will be.

Israel never, ever takes responsibility for its own actions. The fault always lays with others. Israel kills hundreds of civilians in Gaza and it's Hamas fault. Israel bombs the UN buildings in Gaza and it's Hamas fault. Israel kills a thousand civilians in Lebanon and it's Hizbollahs fault. Israel kills four UN observers in the 2006 war, and it was the observers fault. I have a hundred examples, but I am sure that you all get the idea.

Hamas did not allow the people of Gaza to go to field hospital Israel set up. bRINGS INTO QUESTION WHEN LEADSERS OF HAMAS GOT SICK WHO TREATED THEM???????????

... and never before have seen any column like this. Bravo Haaretz!

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Nonsense. Israel doesn't have to extend aid to Gaza; all it has to do is cease the embargo and allow them to import such innocuous items as pasta and toilet paper. An excuse (however specious) can be found for construction materials, but food?

Stop your crimes against the Palestinian people.

Gazans would not need aid if Israel did not impose its 'Evil Blockade'. Surely Israel's priority ought to be the Humanitarian crisis it has created. It is sickening to see the cheap PR stunts pulled out in Haiti,when there is an Israeli created problem which it Israel could remedy with infinitely more ease.

humanitarian. The stranglehold is still ongoing. And shooting them and offering to treat those unfortunate enough to live? Give me a break.