It's not all in the details

It takes a lot of courage to speak the Truth, especially when you know the type of backlash you may get (as evidenced even by this article.) Unless you've experienced these checkpoints, how can you be so sure these are all lies? The humiliation of the Palestinians, the lies and cover ups are all true. You people who are personally attacking Amira Hess. Stand back. Think about it. She's not the only one writing about these deplorable conditions. (Have you heard of the United Nations or Amnesty Internation? They've been systematically documenting cases since at least the 1967. It's all on public records.) Personal attacks are an attempt to distract from the Truth. What are you afraid of?

I think Amira should stop trying to be a journalist and instead do something she'd really enjoy- ferrying terrorists into Israel, hidden in the trunk of her car. That would give her so much satisfaction, being able to help the terrorists she loves so much, and really stick it to the Jews she seems to revile. I really do think she should convert to Islam. We'd all be better off.

To those of you who deny the facts of Palestinian suffering and the misery caused by Israeli collective punishment have 1)never been to the OCCUPIED Palestinian Territories and 2)are as bad as those who deny the extent of Jews suffering in the Holocaust. It is equally despicable.

Hi Marlene That is amazing about Amira's mom. My friend Greta told me this fall how an old woman holocaust survivor who came to help protest the wall was forced to strip naked and bend over for a cavity search by Israeli soldiers because they were mad she was sympathetic to Palestinian suffering. She is 82 years old. She endured that humiliation to march against the wall in Bil'in and she and other non-violent protesters were beaten, tear gassed and one boy died from a so called rubber bullet.This is the reality of this democracy. These walls encircle Palestinian cities and are stealing land. They are not in Israel.

Amira Hass is a credible journalist. She also lives in the West Bank. Marco is blind to the brutality of this ocupation......suicide bombings...Marco have you seen what happens when a missile hits Palestinian bodies or bombs dropped from f-16s? Or the body of a small 13 year girl old murded by an Israeli soldier and then shot full of more bullets to mutilate her body. Or how did Rachel look after an Israeli ran over twice with a giant bulldozer. over 4000 Palestinians have been killed by Israelis but also look at the scourged lands ,orchards gone, land confiscated,schools, hospitals, mosques, homes gone thousands of buildings damaged. And how does anyone live in such despair? How do so many participate in this cruelty? Thank God for Amira. She has a conscience that for most Israelis appears to have shut down...and Marco what's your excuse?

With the dawning of the New Year let us join hands and together work for the fulfilment of "I have a Dream" for all our sakes, for the future of our children for the future of this planet. Amen We can do it, the question is do we want to?

you would have to wonder whats happening here. the khalids,tareks,johaness,ramis.seems to be able to post here as many posts as they like and will be heard.they can spew the worst poisinious venomous bilge about israel and they will still get through.out of 258 post 9 were of khalids. yet some of us arent heard even once. this is the sort of behaviour you would expect from the P.A.(i hope this gets posted)

IT is an excuse to make roadblocks to humiliate and "torment" the palestinians. He said there were not suicide bombers in 1967. Before the war the of 1967, there 1200 border crossing incidents alongside the Jordanian borden involving fedayyens crossing to israel to attack civilians. yesterday Shahids detonated himself ar the checking point killing an officer and filling two palestinian bystanders, and injuring 6 palestinian who were taking to Israei hospitals. As we can see terrorism makes life miserable for everybody not only to soldiers in constant danger but also to palestinian people waiting on line.

Thank you, Amira, for your relentless defense of the human rights and life. Thank you for your precise words and for the information you bring to the world. I wish all your articles were translated and reproduced by Brazilian newspapers. I am an altogether different person since I started to read your brilliant articles in Haaretz.

amazing in their clarity and force. That some 250 responses are posted within a day is evidence that people are listening to her voice and responding to her message. She is the most articulate spokesperson of the Palestinian perspective reporting today, a breath of fresh air in the battlefield of jingos and shopworn slogans. That she writes like an angel only antagonizes those of opposing views. Amira--keep up the good work. You have many devoted followers who need to hear your voice of reason.

Maybe I missed something, but when was Israel ever a humanitarian nation? Expelling a majority of the population to maintain the "Jewish character" of the state is not exactly my idea of "humanitarian."

You know Dutch according to you until five years ago, with the first intifada, you started a "conversion process": from israel supporter to terrorist supporter..." -israel lost its humanity -you said- Very interesting the curriculum you invented about yourself, about the preception of this conflict; THIS WAY YOU MORE CREDIBITILITY OR LEGITIMACY to your arguments. Imagine if I show up in this Forum playing the same game.

I've been to Qalandiya, and plenty of other checkpoints, crossing points, roads, etc. What Amira Hass writes here is not genuine. While the checkpoint and the fense are real, so are the endless successful attempts to sneak around them. Not unlike her recent article about the "Hermetically Closed Rafah Border" when she blamed Israel for turning Gaza into a jail - while at the same time every other organization waas reporting thousands pouring in through the open border, complete with pictures and interviews. Madame Hass never lets facts interfere with he theory of "original sin" for Israel. Better a "moral", dead Jew, than an "occupying" live one. I wonder if she would apply the same rules to herself?

The Warsaw Ghetto was a holding point for Jews being deported to Treblinka, which is why the starved jews decided to fight given it was the choice between being gassed and dying fighting. Also maybe you can name the 10,000 Germans - equivalent of 1000 Israelis - killed by the Jews prior to the erection of the Ghetto wall. Maybe you can name the Polish Jewish groups calling for the destruction of Germany. Maybe you can mention the League of Nations resolutions against the Nazis or failing that the international action groups going to Warsaw to interpose themselves between jews and the SS - or for that matter, between the Bosians and Serbs, Tutsis and Hutus, Kurds and Iraqi army, Southern Sudans and the Sudanese army, etc. As for 7/7 in Britain, 57 dead people in the UK corresponds to 6 people in Israel and Israel started putting the wall up after 800 Israelis were killed - the equivalent of 8,000 UK civilians - are you telling the UK would have done nothing? Maybe you are forgetting the new laws your government is currently passing...... Not that different from the laws that mandate laws that are in effect in the territories.

The Warsaw ghetto was not to house a "alien and hostile" force but Jews who had been a stable part of Warsaw society. Maybe if you had read a book instead of quoting tired anti-israeli cliches, you might now that the fighting in the Warasaw ghetto happened 4 years AFTER the ghetto wall went up, not continuously for 5 prior to it going up. Also if all the Nazis were doing was building walls and checking Jews coming in an out of their homes, then I would guess most Holocaust survivors would be less traumatised - not to mention around 6 million of them still being around.... The simple fact is that the number of Israelis killed went down dramatically after the wall went up. That is why Israelis support it.

Again, who is this Marco guy anyway? Instead of arguing against Amira's arguments with valid counter-arguments of his own, he seems to excell only in mud-slinging. I don't need to defend Amira, she's more than capable to do that herself - but I guess that from his comfortable abode in Venice it's quite easy to launch verbal attacks with little knowledge of the facts. Actually, who can possibly deny what Amira is describing here - and in all her other articles, for that matter -if one has ever lived here, both sides of the fence?

And who cares what the contributors choose to name themselves? Most people here don't use their real names. And so what? What is the point in identifying yourself with your real name? What matters is the content of the posts. And S is right. Look at what's happening around the world: terrorists blowing themselves up everywhere. I have never seen S expressing racial or ethnic hate, as you say. From what you say, terrorist are a race or an ethnicity, which is the most racist idea I have ever heard.

I cannot believe what I am reading on your post.

To the anonymous "S" who hides behind an initial. Thanks for attempting to demolish my education and my humanism. Thanks for exclaming "HOW DARE YOU", and thanks for implying that my humanism is a very biased one. I'm so glad to see that on these pages there are people like you who have a monopoly on "the truth" and who still use Stalinist techniques to silence people who might think differently. You can state your slogans until your last breath - "Peace is a dirty word for the Arabs" you say. I have rarely heard anything more ridiculous outside a farce by Moliere. So Monsieur Tartouffe (alias "S") - the steam of ethnic hatred pours out of your writing, as it does from so many other keyboards represented here. In short, it seems your argument boils down to this: kill the people you deem to be an enemy before they have a chance to make peace with you. What a great philosophy you have.

First it was Arafat, he can not be trusted they said, then came President Abbas. No one can say he can not be trusted, as he is credible and given the opportunity, he will deliver. Sharon's government has an agenda, it was never to empower Abbas or to help him, Israel refused to allow Palestinian security forces to be adequately armed, it did all it can to humiliate Abbas by its daily arrests and killing of Palestinians in the cities of the West bank and Gaza despite the declared Hudna, it strangled the palestinian society, it continued building more Jewish settlements, it suffocated Arab East Jerusalem, it is imprisoning more than 10 thousand Palestinian man woman and young boys including children born in prisons. It is torturing the palestinian population collectively, not one single Palestinian is spared this torture be they live in the West Bank or Gaza Christian or a Muslim, a young man or an old man, a man or a woman. In view of this very sad situation, what does Israel expect the palestinians to do. Petty, they are not convinced yet to withdraw from the occupied Palestinian territory to Israel proper, petty that they dont realise yet their peacefull existant depends on Palestinian acceptance, petty that this acceptance is pushed further and further everyday. separation is the solution. The palestinian people want to be free. Mahmoud Abbas is a president who can deliver. It is regrettable that Sharon is not grabbing the opportunity.

That is IF Ha'Aretz deemed it printable as it condemned some of their "pets" In actual fact an ISRAELI was killed & a number of Palestinians injured in the checkpoint blast referred to. Are there still morons out there who feel the checkpoints are a hindrance & must go??

A terrorist has just exploded seriously wounding two Israelis. You should be ashamed to support those beasts (my apologies to beasts)

Kim, There is a big difference between the capabilities of a resistance group and the fourth largest army in the world. Nevertheless, under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the Palestinian people have a right to resist an unlawful occupier (UN 242) whereas Israel does not have the right to declare war on a civilian population in accordance with the Fourth Geneva Convention. Thank you, Dutch

Israel is by no means obliged to let the Palestinians from the territories in. Too many of them turned to be suicide bombers. I think it's beter to close all the checkpoints one and for all.

On the one hand, the desire of the Israeli state is to hurt, humiliate, and torment the Palestinian people, who are a living reminder that the land Israel occupies was taken from others. On the other hand, Israel wants to think of itself as a modern, civilized, western country. So to satisfy both desires simultaneously, such subterfuges as the one described have come into being. The point is not to enhance security; it is to inflict misery on Palestinians while pretending to enhance security. The laughing stormtrooper presents himself as a conscientious servant of a democratic state. One can simultaneously laugh with the stormtrooper and see oneself as an enlightened Westerner. Works, apparently.

"Isnt it amazing, you go off on a tangent on a daily basis questioning people`s honesty, integrity. calling them mendacious and the list goes on. i strongly suggest you look in your own backyard before leveling accusations at me". Marco, While I agree the Palestinians need to look in their own backyard as well--I feel it is very important to bear in mind who holds the balance of power in this conflict and how that has affected the solutions. Indeed, I would argue this is the very problem in this conflict--the imbalance of power. That shocking and unacceptable difference between the occupier and the occupied. This is what must end. Thank you, Dutch

Israel is a nation under siege and relentless wars and political, religious and terror attacks from all Muslim nations bent on its destruction. It should be commanded to having retained ANY kind of democratic system and humane attitude in face of this rabid stream of hatred coming from the direction of your kind. Don't preach Israel about "humanitarian status" Mr. Troll. Show me ONE Arab state or leader enlightned enough to even reach Israel in this (or many other) matters. Throwing mud at Israel does not even begin to hide the cruelty, tyranny, backwardness, lies, theft, murder and fratricide that plague 99% of the Muslim nations and leaders - and absolutely - any other nation out there. No, Mr. Troll - Israel will remain a democracy and no amount of "political-correct" journalistic venom will weaken it.

"Yes the al aqsa like many other groups are a rabble in many respects and subject to the mutinous behaviour of their discontents, particularly when money is in short supply. This as shown above, does not dissociate or even distance Arafat from his attack dogs. They were vital to his policy of "talk peace" with one hand "send in the suicide bombers" with the other. Wise Up Tareq. Ezreal, It seems to me you make sweeping accusations without providing any real evidence. Thus your own vilification comes flying true instead. Dutch

Dear Amira Hass - if we are arguing about dictionaries here, let's add to the oe you're trying to redefine: "Humanitarian" = "lie" "Occupation" = "lie" "Occupied Territories" = "Disputed Territories" "freedom fighter" = terrorist "militant" = terrorist "suicide bomber" = "homicide bomber", "action" = "terror attack" "shooting attack" = "terror attack" "stabbing attack" = "terror attack" "Qassam fire" = "terror attack" and last but not least: "Palestinian" = "Arabs originating in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, who have been brought or migrated with the beginning of the Muslim conquests era. Not to be confused with the Phillistines" Shall I go on Mrs. "Politically-Correct-Double-Talk Clueless-Liberal"?

"Palestinian kids do not need to be taught to hate Israel, Israel provides them with tons of reasons to hate it(home demolition, raid,s attacks, detentions, torture, checkpoints, thenic cleansing etc). Since Israel declares itself as the manifestation of the Jewish dream, people are forced to make the link. Israel is nourishing the feelings of hate and contempt". Mazen , Well said. That's how many people on my side of the Atlantic see Israel too. I will go so far as to say Isreal has instutionalizes hate by its polices towards the Palestinian people. Thus Israel has lost its status as a compassionate and humanitarian nation. Now it represents violators of Human Rights violators; breakers of International law; racists, arrogance and tyrants. These things don't represent freedom but the enemy of freedom. Dutch

Also a priurient interest and ghoulish imagination regarding cruelty and sexual abuse. And some remarkably nasty friends.

The "Pals" commit terrorist attacks, and terrorism is against Human Rights. Defending oneself is in accordance with human rights. A country has to defend the first human right, which is the right to not be murdered or maimed.

The "Pals" don't erect roadblocks in the heart of Tel Aviv because they cannot do so. If Israel didn't defend itself, they will erect roadbloacks everywhere to nail all the "Pals" who were against the terrorists who would rule them. Besides they don't need to erect roadblocs anywhare because the Israelis don't blow themselves up on "Pal" school buses.

Lawyer = Liar The truth will set you free!!!!!!!!!

The "Pals" don't want to be good neighbors with Israel but to destroy it. I don't accept the cruel practices of the "Pals" against the Israelis.

207 Prior support Name: Dutch was a long time supporter before Israel declared war on a civilian population five years ago ------------- It was the "Pals" who declared one of their wars on Israel. Remember they started the second intifada, rejecting what was offered to them in Camp David (98% of their demands).

You only have to think of the many countries in the world where there is danger of terrorists attacks. They have permanent or temporary (it depends on cases) roadblocks and checkpoints. Some examples: Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Kwait, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Tunis, etc.

Rami: "As a matter of fact, the PA isn`t really a government either, since it has no sovereignty or ultimate authority over anything or anybody it is supposed to govern " Nonsense. The majority of the Palestinian population has been under the authority of the Palestinian Authority from 1993 until their silly intifada in 2000. The Palestinian people vote for their representatives (until the representatives cancel elections). The Authority can make arrests, hire law enforcement, etc. You simply gibber nonsense to hear yourself speak in clueless anti-Israeli paradigms.

Khalid: "I mean Hass is dealing with a situation where Israel controls, torments, and humiliates another people in a systematic and institutionalized manner." Maybe those "humiliated people," should quit being violent and compromise on an offer for a country of their own. Instead, they have rejected every offer for an independent nation in favor of violence. They have "institutionalized" terrorism. Israel has "institutionalized" its response to Palestinian terrorism.

For Palestinians, there are many. One you might recognize is Hanan Ashrawi. If you read Arabic (which most people who enjoy criticizing Arabic media do not), see www.alquds.com and www.al-ayyam.com for our daily op/ed columnists who are constantly bashing both Israel and the Palestinian Authority (most of the time correctly). As for other Arab governments, you'd have to ask a non-Palestinian, but chances are that, outside of Lebanon and Palestine, you probably won't really see much, since they are mostly dictatorships (but I won't speak further for Arabs outside Palestine because I don't read their material nor do I really care to). As a matter of fact, the PA isn't really a government either, since it has no sovereignty or ultimate authority over anything or anybody it is supposed to govern (which you may notice, is sort of a problem).

Hi Peter, there are many, but the situation is not symmetrical. I mean Hass is dealing with a situation where Israel controls, torments, and humiliates another people in a systematic and institutionalized manner. If your question is why there are no Palestinian Amira Hass, the answer is because Palestinians don't erect roadblocks in the heart of Tel Aviv and don't force Jewish women to give birth in the mud and don't force Israeli workers to drink human urine, etc. When that happens, and I am sure it will never happen, then there will be not Just one Palestinian Amira Hass but many. I am a strong critic of the PA government. I was arrested twice for speaking up against torture. But most despotic Arab regimes happen to be supported by the US. Look at Egypt for example, and Saudi Arabia. Khalid

You state that Amira Hess's "life is one despicable lie" yet you didn't state what she lies about. Is she one-side, yes for the most part. Do you complain about the one-sided anti-Palestinian articles and writers? If not, doesn't that make you one-sided? You state, "Palestinians absolutely love to blow up Jews" this isn't a lie?!? Terrorists maybe, plus I wouldn't use the word "love". You state: "[I]n Ms. Hess's hateful/sick mind the Israelis deserve to be blown up." Can you elaborate? When has she stated this? I know you wouldn't complain about a biased writer for lying and then show biasness and lie...Nah, that would make you a hypocrate. I guess you are not a fan of debate either? (You must hate living in San Fran too - all those American hating libral's right? Oh well, just some of the sad, childish rantings that people post....

Hey- what's everyone arguing about here? Do you all realize that the author of this article was found guilty, by a Jerusalem court, of lying with the malicious intent of damaging the Hebron community?s reputation, in one of her previous articles? She was fined her more than $60,000 for that offense. Your beef should be with the publication that gives her a forum.

On the other thread, you justify the terror of civilian populations by the pals by saying "end the occupation and end the resistance" Resistance is what you call killing civilians- if they are jews ofcourse.

The irony of what you said-did you read it?! Anyone who "declared war on a civilian population" That IS the entire essence of PAL TERROR. WHAT PLANET ARE YOU ON? You support them right? What that nursery school they tried to bomb yesterday-not civilian enoufh for you? Hypocrite. Stop supporting terror - really.

I wouldn't be bragging about being an international lawyer specializing in human rights, because you of all people should be well aware of what the laws are, and they should apply equally to all. Many laws emanated from the horrors of World War II such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which Israel is a signatory, but probably its worst offender. Perhaps as a human rights lawyer, you ought to start reading about what human rights groups are saying about Israeli crimes, such as B'tselem, instead of making lame excuses for these crimes.

Life at a checking point is very tense for the soldiers, any mistake you make with the checking and searching protocols; you are dead! Sometime ago a gunman with a hidden kalusnikov, waited on line until he had a clear firing range against the soldiers, as a result two soldiers got killed, and other bystanders (palestians) waiting on line died during the cross fire. But the reality fo the situation is that this checking points are necessary to stop the suicide bombers. So Palestinan waiting on line can not expect "custumers service", from tense soldiers; The same way that Palestinians, like to dance in the streets and distribute candy, when a Palestinian blows up an israeli bus; the Israelis need the checking points to PREVENT THIS THIS TO HAPPEN.

Dear Khaled: Purely as an intellectual exercise, I wonder if you could tell me who you think most resembles the Arab world's version of Amira Hass, that is to say, which Arab writer is the most outspoken critic of his/her own government[s] and their policies? Thank you.

Amira Hass' mother died a few years ago, but I remember reading about her and how Amira Hass recalled an important moment in her mother's life as she was being marched from a cattle train to the concentration camp of Bergen-Belsen in 1944. Amira said that her mother and some other women had spent days in the train from Yugoslavia, and they were very sick and some were dying. Then her mother saw some German women looking at the prisoners, only looking. It was her mother who taught her to despise others who were looking from the side...just as many of you who made responses here, and just as much of majority of the Israeli people who just look with complete indifference or make justifications for the horrendous crimes, humiliation and abuse that Israel carries out collectively against all Palestinian people. Does Amira write anything positive? You bet she does. Her mother would be quite proud of her, and no doubt ashamed of many of you.

Hopefully you will see this tomorrow when you look into 'previous editions'. By that time I would have caught up with your articles. I also found a couple interesting ones. Cheers.

when one is faced with muslim women and kids who blow themselves up, roadblocks, walls etc are necessary. sorry if you cant understand that concept.

Dear # 207 I was a long time supporter before Israel declared war on a civilian population five years ago. That was no way for Isreal to solve its human problems. People must talk and come to agreements that will help their people not harm them. Dutch

Checkpoints (with all the inconveniences) have contributed to avert suicide bombers. Palestinian old and young, women (very young 11 yrs. olds) have been caught trying to smuggle bombs; even trying to detonated the bomb in the same checking point, regarless of danger posed the the other palaestinians waiting on line. The has been shoting incidentes from terrorist shoting against the soldiers at the checkpoints, and using the other palestinan waiting on line as human shields. In the Erez crossing two yeras ago (Gaza) a paletinian woman faking a broken leg, detonated the bomb when the israeli women soldiers aproached to help her through the metal detector. Four soldiers were killed in this incident just to mention one.

In the Warsaw Ghetto, the nazis sent 7,000 Jews EVERY DAY to the gas chambers at Treblinka. The "poor, oppressed, occupied" Arabs want to co-opt the Warsaw Ghetto for themselves--can someone tell me who is murdering Palestinians at the rate of 7,000 per day?

Tigidou: "Please give us some examples of roadblocks and checkpoints in territories or country occupied by democracies." Interstate 5 northbound in North County San Diego, just south of San Onofre, there is a "roadblock/checkpoint." Interstate 8 westbound between San Diego and El Centro there is a "roadblock/checkpoint."

Peter, every day that you wake up you should say some prayers of thanks that The Age does not print stories like this one by Amira Hass. Did you see the opinion piece by Gwynne Dwyer in today's Age? That's the sort of garbage you like to read.

I have never, ever seen a post y you support anything about Israel nor condemn any terror act against her. Surely you jest.

I do not dispute that the lives of the Palestinians is a sorrowful lot. I saw a documentary on this subject recently. But this is only of their own making. I was in Israel before the intifada. The Palestinians had a much better lifestyle and it was improving steadily. But Yassar Arafat did not see that as a bonus of his vision for his people. Better for them to suffer in the eyes of the world. So let's start Intifada 2. Well folks. You made your bed. Now lie in it. You want change. Then change your attitude.

Dutch: "I want Israel to get along with its neighbors and respect their rights. But I can tell you now if Israel doesn`t change its attitude and ways they will be kicked out of the Middle East." See, Dutch, that's the problem. Israel doesn't simply "disappear" for its neighbors, so its neighbors keep trying to kick it out of the MIddle East. Then, they get their butts kicked, and people like you whine ad nauseum. If you want Israel to get along with its Arab neighbors, tell your Arab buddies to stop attacking Israel.

Jeff: "Uh, where did the Palestinians get the right to their confisacted land? Try 2000 years of living there." You're joking. In the 1880s, the population of "Palestine" was around 150,000 and that included Jordan. Most of the people who call themselves, "Palestinians" today are descended from people who immigrated to the region from the 1880s onwards. Who do you think you're fooling with this, "they lived there for 2000 years," nonsense? "Lets see...one side says God gave them the land, and the other side lives there." The other side didn't live there and one side went in and purchased property from landowners. " If I dont hold any irrational religious beliefs, it seems that the people who have inhabited land for millenia have the right to it." Your fiction about people living there for millenia is simply that . . . fiction.

Dutch: "-I feel so sorry for them It is cruel to block anyone`s way. " Awwwww, blocking the way of a suicide bomber is cruel, is it? Too bad.

Hello Jaques I have just posted two more,not knowing if Ha'aretz will put them out.When I just went to see the number where I mention you and your interest I found that I had made a mistake.The best thing for you to do is go to all Kim's posts to me and you will be replete with many websites she recommends. Bon Chance Et au-revoir S

Please give us some examples of roadblocks and checkpoints in territories or country occupied by democracies. Please spare us Iraq. This is an illegal invasion.

Hello Jaques I have been thinking about you and as soon as I sow your post I mailed you one.Something happened and I lost it.I was a bit dubious whether Ha'aretz would put it out,but better still if they get this one out please go to Kim's to me, numbers: 79 and 158.The first one is with his highness' picture and of course the articles which I will read.Tomorrow I will try the few extra ones that Kim sent me,I think they are multiple and are on the number:158 Au-revoir Happy New Year S

The surest sign of one's lacking the intellectual ammunition to make coherent and convincing arguments is when one resorts to labeling, name-calling, and other ad-hominem attacks. Most here are quite familiar with Kim's well-reasoned arguments and this attack on her only shows that you cannot make arguments based on fact to refute Kim's point of view. Your wild and unwarranted attack does nothing to undermine Kim's credibility. It's secure.

Hass despises Israel and her very own Jewishness. She is a sick self-hater, devoted to Israel's annihilation. As that is the case, she has no respect for the truth and is entirely unprofessional as a so-called reporter.

No wonder the whole world can't stand any more American Bullshit like yourself. Meanful and bastardry galore. I would not wish such hardships on my worst enemy like yourself .. let alone innocent people. That is also why the world will see no peace, because of the Vermin that is born amongst us, with only hatred in their hearts and minds. I pray that God will act in the same way he did with Sodom and Gomorah. The Tsunahmis, were delivered in the wrong place!!

"They were vital to his policy of "talk peace" with one hand "send in the suicide bombers" with the other." That is how you chose to see it. That doesnt make it true though... You seem to have forgotten that by Nov. 2003 (the time of the interview) peace talks had broken down completely - i.e. after (during?) Sharon's defensive (offensive) shield operation.

peace willingness than the other side to save her soul and her people.

kim, I want Israel to get along with its neighbors and respect their rights. But I can tell you now if Israel doesn't change its attitude and ways they will be kicked out of the Middle East. Many like myself won't accept their cruel practices towards the Palestinian people anymore. I am a long time supporter too. But I am no supporter of cruel and inhumane practices towards the Palestinian people. Isreal must be fair and kind to others--that's essential for its own security too. Security is far from just being about military force but by being good neighbors to one another. Dutch

Pointing me to your antijewish web sites means nothing. I can make web sites too - any monkey with Frontpage can make them as well. What you do show me is a page by page, topic by topic copy of the David Duke, Iranian President play book on how to smear Israel and Jews in general. Israel does NOT want to babysit these people, we dont want them in our lives, we dont want them around our children, we dont want them in OUR COUNTRY. We wish them luck with thier LOVING arab breatheren. Making up stories doesnt help. Learn some history before you spout off - whop was there first, when and why things happened.

What he is, is a left wing European "elitist" - one who beleive Jews have no place in the world. The ones who helped the Nazis round up Jews in ww2. The Israelis have ZERO wish to even be bothered with these people - but he beleives its Israels goal in life to be "in the faces" of the arab populous. All they wish for is for the Arabs/Pals to leave them ALONE, and go back to the 23 countries they came from. We will NOT surrender our history to them, share yes - surrender NO.

None of it is true and thats the crux of it all. Hass is a left wingers fantasy come true. Her lines come right out of the muslim play book for spreading lies about Jews. First its the trees, then its the non existant massacres, and on and on. The arabs have 23 other countries, the Jews have NONE, yet they are still not satisfied - until the cresent is everywhere. The christians left - you beat them - but you WONT chase us out - not with the lies. Why dont you claim we use kids blood for matzah? or is that the NEXT one?

There are checkpoints and roadblocks in other countries. Why is it only wrong for Israel and it is right for the others? Why doesn't Israel have the right to defend itself from terrorism? You want Israel annihilated, don't you?

" Kim, you are here to try to endear jews to your religion. But Jews won`t be dragged or induced or duped to the worship of Jesus." hehehe. "He who meets Jesus meets the Jews". (Pope Benedict). "YOu should also realize that your pathalogical hatred of Islam and Arabs won`t help you." I don't hate them so deeply as they hate me. I haven't thought of blowing myself up killing Muslims. blah, blah, blah You are too grown up for these games.

When you post hateful trash as in Post 154. It's a disgusting and totally inapropriate response to a fair comment from Jane. Of course the borders to palestinians will be closed if they dont decide to call a halt to the suicide attacks and attempted attacks which are often nipped in the bud, as well as the continuous rocket attacks. This includes al aqsa and Islamic Jihad actions. No nation in the world would open its borders to a people so frequently hell bent on causing carnage and chaos within their neighbours sovereign territory. Even if you disagree with that assessment you will instantly alienate moderates with your vile and tasteless exaggerations. This is not about the "hilltop settlers" who dont have the numbers,power or influence to carry out measures anything like you talk about even if they wanted to. (And none do) Have all your posts been this facile?

So, mon ami, you are fulminating and pontificating from ... Bordeaux ? Why aren't you here to put your money where your mouth is, and kick the rascals across the Jourdain where Renaud de Chatillon once terrorized Arabs and Christians alike ? On a froid aux pieds, mon cher ?

Hi S, Did the sites not produce any results because they didn't have the info you wanted or you couldn't get them to open up? Also, I'm a little confused as to the origin of the request for the bio. Did you want Khalid's or Amira's. I'm curious for the first's, but for the latter's I don't care much for hers, as she's not much different than Khalid in my eyes (unless there's something else about which I don't know). I love research! I read Arabic, so I can dig into Arabic sites. Cheers.

Uh, where did the Palestinians get the right to their confisacted land? Try 2000 years of living there. Lets see...one side says God gave them the land, and the other side lives there. If I dont hold any irrational religious beliefs, it seems that the people who have inhabited land for millenia have the right to it.

In the meantime histroy has shown that it is the Jews who were gassed, the Jews who have been shunted around,persecuted and killed indiscriminately throughout the ages by rampages barbarians, the Jews who have been used and abused by kings and leaders who gave them safe harbor and empty promised when they needed them and then found ways to get rid of them when they were no longer "useful". Don't fall into the anti_semitic trap of blaming Jews for things they have never thought of, had intention of doing or done. Be ashamed for your imaginary analogies.

you can laugh all you want. Arab terror against Israel started long before 1967. (jews dont engage in teroor, we engage in buiding cities in west bank)

Marco, I listen to Amira and so do my friends in the divestment and boycott movement. This is a dispicable system Israel has created.Those poor boys --I feel so sorry for them It is cruel to block anyone's way. Shame on Israel--it has become so inhumane in its ways. Dutch

if you say Israel kills children then you must be right. How do we know Hamas didnt send her on a suicide mission? They send lots of kids on suicide missions and pregnant women too. Only an ostrich with his head in the sand would believe you !

"The cause is your theft. As long as you don`t give the stolen goods back to their rightful owners, you will have problems with those people." Israel is a sovereign nation. The Jewish state is not leaving anytime soon. As long as the Palestinians allow their leaders to refuse peace offers from Israel, the Palestinians will be subject to Israel's security measures.

war is messy, people get hurt, killed, etc. You cant attack Israel and when you lose, blame them for 'taking your land' Only a simpleton would agree to that logic. IF anyone has the 'stolen goods' it would be suha Arafat. Last i heard she is living in Paris with her new boyfriend spending the money that was earmarked for your people !!! FREE ELI COHEN www.elicohen.org

As opposed to the terrorist enemy, I do not advocate genocide even of the vicious enemy. I do however believe it is high time to stop playing their game, responding to their needs and wants, and to start thinking about what is good for Israel and the Jewish people. I have come to the conclusion that to admit any Palestinians to Israel for any reason is dangerous even with security checks. The Palestinians will never create their own institutions, hospitals and industries until they are allowed to fend for themselves. It is obvious that all the donated funds and international intervention has done nothing to help them towards self-suffiency and ending terrorism against my people. Israel allows them to enter Israel and all they do is complain about the security measures being cruel and torturous. I am not interested in torturing anyone and I am tired of their complaints. I don't really care any more if they get a state or not since all they care about is OUR state and not building one of their own.

By the way, how do you justify your statement: "Whether Abbas has as much influence as Arafat undoubtedly had, is a moot point." I justify that statement for some of the reasons which you yourself have drawn attention to in your post 96. The general anarchy which has accompanied Abbas leadership begs the question, "how much leverage does he have with the militants"? (Moot meaning debateable). As for Arafat's undoubted influence, I'll stand by that comment. You are simply parroting the PA monologue uttered throughout Arafats tenure post Oslo. "we dont have the infrastructure and arms to control the suicide bombers from within Fatah"! It never washed. "When Arafat calls for a ceasefire, we will respect his decision and stop" Zakaria Zubaydi, al-Aqsa leader. The interview was carried out by the BBC and I saw the question answered by Zubaydi myself. URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3243071.stm Zubaydi adds, "When Arafat calls for a ceasefire, we will respect his decision and stop." (nov 2003)Why would you want more proof? Yes the al aqsa like many other groups are a rabble in many respects and subject to the mutinous behaviour of their discontents, particularly when money is in short supply. This as shown above, does not dissociate or even distance Arafat from his attack dogs. They were vital to his policy of "talk peace" with one hand "send in the suicide bombers" with the other. Wise Up Tareq.

1) Have there ever been Palestinians, young or old, men or women, caught in a checkpoint trying to smuggle a bomb? Yes___ No ____ 2) If the above answer is Yes, do you think that catching these people in the checkpoints has contributed to avert additional suicide bombers? 3) What is more important if you had to choose? Saving lives or causing inconvenience at the checkpoint?

Many thanks. Enjoy the reading.:)

I haven't heard all the allegations Franzen makes, so I'll comment only on the ones I know of. Judging from the fact that all the ones I know of are either unfounded, out of context, or lies, the ones I haven't heard about are likely similar. 1) The woman giving birth in the mud. A fabrication by Palestinian journalists and hospital officials, it is debunked in "The Road to Jenin," and in Second Draft's "Pallywood," available for download here: http://www.seconddraft.org/movies.php 2.) The urine drinking and the toxic fluid drinking. This is the same episode. The journalists reporting on it couldn't at first make up their mind as to the nature of the fluid. It turned out to be caustic cleaning fluid. The woman forced to drink it disguised it as a personal drink, with the intention of throwing it in the Israeli soldiers' faces once she got past the checkpoint. She never drank it, since she confessed to the nature of the contents of the bottle and was arrested. I am often asked to drink the contents of water bottles I carry in my hand before entering concerts or going through airport checkpoints. I don't whine about it. 3. The Sad Tune The anti-Israeli media claimed that the soldiers forced the Palestinian to play his violin. In reality, the soldiers asked him what was inside his violin case and the Palestinian took out his violin, playing it voluntarily. 4. The Donkey allegations. Completely unsubstantiated. Apparently it's vogue in Palestinian circles to make up this libel, and a prior case of this happening exists. The 22-year old man in that case claimed that soldiers tied his hands with the reins of his donkey, laid him on the ground, and tried to get the donkey to move. It is completely impossible to do this due to the shortness of the donkey's reins. http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/tours/israel/images/P.Mount_Herzl/P_images/P04.jpg&imgrefurl=http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/tours/israel/images/P.Mount_Herzl/winterim124.html&h=338&w=504&sz=25&tbnid=AX7j5G3_b7cJ:&tbnh=85&tbnw=128&hl=en&start=26&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpalestinian%2Bdonkey%26start%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

"The cause is your theft." Is that right? And when did the people who call themselves, "Palestinians" today own this land that they claim was, "stolen" from them? How much of it did they own? "As long as you don`t give the stolen goods back to their rightful owners, you will have problems with those people." Sorry, whining that you own something that you never owned doesn't turn back the hands of time and make it yours. Say, how come there were Jews living in the West Bank and Gaza before 1948, then when Egypt and Jordan captured those territories, every single Jew was kicked out? Then, when Jews move back in 19 years later, you claim they, "stole," land from the Arabs? "The young are now more committed and more dedicated to recovering their rights and land than the dead." You can't "recover" something that was never yours to begin with. Please, tell us all when this land belonged to "Palestinians" as an exclusive homogenous group of Arabs. "It is a shame that you people insist on claiming what belongs not to you as yours." It's a shame you don't invest in a device known as a MIRROR. "Shame on you." You know precisely where you can stuff your shame.

It is crystal clear that your source is Medieval anti-Semitic propaganda.

Mr R. Harris from London do you compare like with like?that I believe is what University education requires. So did you. You compared,inter alia,over one thousand deaths from suicide bombing in Israel(a country with one tenth of your population),to 50 deaths in Great Britain.Whilst any loss of life is tragic one does expect different responses under different cicumstances.I hope you do not need to eat your words. We antipodeans from the colonies urgently need guidance in logical comparison from thems who gets to University.

Kim, you are here to try to endear jews to your religion. But Jews won't be dragged or induced or duped to the worship of Jesus. YOu should also realize that your pathalogical hatred of Islam and Arabs won't help you. If you can hate people you disagree with that deeply, then you might one day hate Jews as well. In short, jews don't need hateful people as allies. People like you may be a propaganda asset for now..but most certainly, you and people like you are a moral liability.

The cause is your theft. As long as you don't give the stolen goods back to their rightful owners, you will have problems with those people. don't say the old will die, and the young will forget. The young are now more committed and more dedicated to recovering their rights and land than the dead. It is a shame that you people insist on claiming what belongs not to you as yours. Shame on you.

You quite something. You have been stopping number of my answers. Would you list the criteria that your policy will allow us to deliver. It is a quai censorship: wow, how could such a liberal newspaper choose to impose its own censorship when the content of the post is not according to its ideology. Go and figur. Post the BENLOLO answer to franzie.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

The problem can only be resolved by a concerted effort on both sides. As long as Palestinian armed groups are determined to destroy Israel and to destroy the prospects of peace the Israelis have to err on the side of caution where the security of its citizens is concerned. The most irresponsible actions in this dispute have come from Abbas who has failed to live up to his international obligations to reign in his own terrorist groups. When the leader of the PA says that Quassam rockets are Israel's problems he is inviting continued hardship on his own people - one can understand why many Israelis respond by their apathy to hardship to Palestinians. The PA must do more to help bring an end to this conflict.

Dishonest Jew: "Jane, send them to the gas chambers...! isn`t this what the Hebron settlers want?" I haven't seen any Arabs being led to the gas chambers, have you?

Here we go again with the gas chambers. That's what you would like to do to the Jews, wouldn't you? Otherwise, there is no explanation for your ranting about the Holocaust, the gas chambers, etc. You are frustrated, aren't you? Why don't you speak out? You don't need to be shy.

Rami: "Do you realize how long the checkpoints have been there, and have you compared that to when the terror started? (The Palestinian terror, I mean, not the Israeli terror)." Terror against the Jews in the region started in earnest in the 1920s. I already told you that. The checkpoints have been there because the Arabs haven't stopped terrorizing the Jews in the last 80 years. Please, do try to keep up and get a basic freaking clue.

Khalid: "Lilly, are you serious? You don`t seem to know much. The roadblocks have been in place since 1967." And Jews have been consistently attacked by Arabs in the region steadily since the 1920s. The Arabs launched a war against the Jews in 1948. They captured the West Bank and Gaza and emptied those territories of all Jews. They declared another war in 1967, lost control over the territories, and have yet to negotiate an end to the conflict. Israelis have been experiencing terrorism against them since 1948. Now you know why there are checkpoints. "They are meant to torment and humiliate." No, they are meant to stop terrorists. "They have nothing to do with suicide bombings." They have EVERYTHING to do with the fact that the Arabs in the region haven't ceased their hostilities toward the Jews in the region.

When finishing off a 13 year old wounded schoolgirl is described as SOP's (standard operational procedures), then you can stop that lie about not targeting children. Israel do indeed target children and have murdered over 600 Palestinian children so far, but the night is young.

franzie, what a cocoo you are, even if you were such a compassionate guy, even if you forget the DARFURIAN, you know the poor Muslims thaat are getting killed, raped, spit on, loosing their lives their livelihood their children their wives and mothers, threir fathers and very old people: where are you franzie, I don't hear you; I don't see you you hypocrite, you slammy, you who in jis sauna looks at his picture and all he can see is a monster, not a reasonable man or woman.franzi got to other pasture drink your own urine, you so smart as to criticise a nation that has given you more of the aminities that you are enjoying in Sweeden. Wake up franzie, wake up and look what the Arabs are doing in Soudan, Chad, Niger: killing and maiming thousands of people.franzie, where is your priority?!!!!!!!!

-"None of that stuff is even remotely true"- Every word of it is true and widely reported, but you made my point by denying it. Now if you would like a Link to were you can read about these attrocities, then just ask and I will provide you with sources. Which special attrocity don't you believe in. Women giving birth in the mud at checkpoints? Surely even you must have read about this fascist sh-t, "the sad tune", the urine drinking, the breaking of bones, the toxic liquid forced down a womans throat, the "Hebron Lottery", where the Palestinians can choose which bones they would like broken, the Donkey Treat, the burning of childrens testicles, the "confirmed kill" of children etc etc etc etc etc.....just ask. Just saying "None of that stuff is even remotely true" don't make the facts go away, it just makes you complicit in the deeds.

"100% total nonsence - no wonder non jews hate us - beacuse of lies spread by people like you !" people hate you because of your crime. Every word Franz wrote is true. If you don't have the honesty and moral courage to face your own crimes and shame, then this is your problem.

Hi Kim Thanks,I will try those too as well. Perhaps tomorrow aftrnoon or whenever. Interesting isn't it.The last one was easy and got it without any problem. Will see how these lot unveils themselves. And yes,of course I speak and read french dear. May I take this opportunity to wish you- A Happy New Year S

"It is because, as their moderate, peace loving, and Holocaust-denying leader insists after every one, ?suicide bombings hurt the national interests of the Palestinian people.? Who else do they hurt, Mr. Abbas? Dear Palestinian people, who else do they hurt?"

Franzen is a watcher of Palestine Media Watch.

Hello Daniel Nice to see you here again. I will be very brief. Mainly if you have such low esteem of the respondents here,then what are you doing on this forum--if you don't mind my saying so? Your post is very good and enlightening,I do appreciate what you wrote and agree to a certain degree.But,when you get the antagonists trying their hardest to obfuscate the truth,accuse our people of various acts which are false surely you would try and retaliate,wouldn't you? I am sure you wouldn't sit idly by and let them get away with MURDER,would you now? I was going to suggest what BG said to Orquest try a "diet of spinach a day" It does sound a bit puerile doesn't it,I mean spinach,what! And the mention of Galen too. It never seems to amaze me to read the gift of repartee from my people.Some of them are so well endowed with it and I do love them so... Hagsameach S

Jane wrote "when we retaliate they cry. Well boo hoo hoo. Close the gates and let them fend for themselves. " Jane, send them to the gas chambers...! isn't this what the Hebron settlers want?

Rami: "I don`t "bray" Actually, you do. "but if you`d like to translate for me, that would be nice. Your personal attacks truly show your character, " Hey, you started it, now you're whining that you're the victim? That figures. It's kind of like the Arabs starting all the wars, then whining when someone fights back and kicks their butts. "and trying to convince me of your righteousness while engaging in rude and obscene behavior, while not unexpected by the likes of you (a hater), makes it unnecessary for me to respond to you any further." In other words, you have problems with the salient points which are presented and have no argument, except to whine as if you've been victimized. "In the meantime, go read some non-hate material (learn the real history)," I thought you weren't concerned about history. Now you claim you know the real history? Okay, what was the "real history" behind the Arab attacks against the Jews in 1921, 1929, and 1936-39. Please enlighten us. " and take some classes in etiquette," Sorry, the rantings of hypocrites only humors me. I don't take it seriously. Maybe you should show etiquette yourself before you prescribe such a thing to others. " it wouldn`t hurt to learn not to call somebody an `idiot` simply for disagreeing with you." Yours wasn't a simple disagreement. You were being a pompous ass. " Otherwise, have the courage to get over here and stand at a checkpoint to see for yourself instead of spewing verbal sewage from the comforts of San Diego." Okay, my new name for you is "Ms. Manners." Freaking hypocrite.

"When terror stops against Israelis (including arabs etc) and order is restored you can be sure that all checkpoints will be removed. " That is hilarious- I laughed out loud on that one. Do you realize how long the checkpoints have been there, and have you compared that to when the terror started? (The Palestinian terror, I mean, not the Israeli terror).

Lilly, are you serious? You don't seem to know much. The roadblocks have been in place since 1967. They are meant to torment and humiliate. They have nothing to do with suicide bombings.

check-points are not so bad an experience i will warrant you as being blown to smithereens. what say you rami? is that an obscene remark too?

Me: "." . . No Jews blowing themselves up in public places, attempting to muder as many innocent civilians as possible " Unconscious Jew: "We drop one-ton bombs on apartment buildings" Really? More than one? We did this ONCE and the intent was to take out a lead terrorist. The intent was not to cause maximum civilian casualties. "and boarding schools" One school, at night, no civilians present, that was owned and operated by Islamic Jihad. Oh, what a horrible crime! "and crowded streets..and we murder hundreds ..without feeling any guilt..." Name ONE Israeli attack where hundreds were killed. It's not murder unless you deliberately target civilians. Israeli forces do not deliberately target civilians. Palestinian terrorists do. "Have we become a barbarian people?" Israel is quite civilized. Start naming any other country in the Middle East which would act as restrained as Israel has acted over the decades. You're not a barbarian when you have a war declared on you and you fight back -- especially since Israel DOES NOT target civilians. Imagine how much higher the death toll would be if Israel did. It would start resembling the civilian death toll in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Sudan, Chechneya, Bosnia, etc. But, we don't hear you whining about the death toll over there, do we?

Wow what a list - where did that come from? Is that Hass's next article? None of that stuff is even remotely true - there are hospitals in Gaza, Israeli arabs get treatment in Israeli hospitals. Drink urine/toxic liquid? Have you seen this? Dig wells instead of tunnels for smuggling arms! Ask UNWRA to help you truck in clean water instead of ferrying terrorists in ambulances! Israelis slapped/kicked/dragged - in Gaza when Sharon forced them to leave. Israelis killed for the last 100+ years before the state by maruading bands of arabs! "Yes it is wrong to kill, but not Jews""All Jews are legitimate targets". Yes it is wrong to steal, but not from Jews", so lets ignore history, war, conquest and pretend none of it happened - oh and remove all the Jews from the 23 arab countries they lived in. 100% total nonsence - no wonder non jews hate us - beacuse of lies spread by people like you !

Did you forget to read the article? All you can come up with is "Palestinians have mostly themselves to blame for their troubles." Dr. Klein, your attitude shows your inherent racism. No people should be subjected to the indecencies the Palestinians suffer at the hands of the Israelis. Seriously Dr. Klein, if it was your wife giving birth in the mud, or your father being tied to a donkey before it is set running, you may think differently. Instead, you see the Palestinians as sub-humans who somehow "deserve it" because they cant control their citizens. Well, "Dr." Klein, use your logic. Take away the reason to live from millions of people, humiliate them, degrade them, and what do you expect. You seem have the typical american view: Israel is peaceful,and just wants to survive. The Arabs hate jews and want to wipe Israel off the map, therefore, everything Isreal does is justified. Well, Dr. Klein, this view is ignorant. It is one perpetuated by our media, and one that, sadly, most Americans hold. Please, Dr. Klein, take time to educate yourself about the reality on the ground in the West Bank. Do so objectively, realizing that BOTH Israelis and Palestinians have the right to life and happiness.

all checkpoints are unfortunate, however, saving lives are more important than the inconvenience of palestinians. When terror stops agaisnt Israelis (including arabs etc) and order is restored you can be sure that all checkpoints will be removed. salaam/shalom

"No one will ever forget a humiliating moment at a crossing or at a check point or on the way home, no one." It's not as if their is no recoure. Why act as if the fault lies with Israel. You're very intelligent. Write to the Palestinian media and encourage the Palestinians to demand that their leadership imprison Palestinian murderers and terrorists (as in done in civilized societies) Shame your terrorist filth in your media and in your mosques!! Encourage Palestinian media to discourage the recruitment of children as suicide bombers. Encourage the Palestinian media to quit referring to martyr trash as "martyrs" and to refer to these murderers as the odious scum that they are. QUIT BLAMING ISRAEL FOR THE FACT THAT ISRAEL NEEDS TO PROTECT ITSELF FROM PALESTINIAN MURDERERS THAT YOUR SOCIETY HONORS!!

I don't "bray" but if you'd like to translate for me, that would be nice. Your personal attacks truly show your character, and trying to convince me of your righteousness while engaging in rude and obscene behavior, while not unexpected by the likes of you (a hater), makes it unnecessary for me to respond to you any further. In the meantime, go read some non-hate material (learn the real history), and take some classes in etiquette, it wouldn't hurt to learn not to call somebody an 'idiot' simply for disagreeing with you. Otherwise, have the courage to get over here and stand at a checkpoint to see for yourself instead of spewing verbal sewage from the comforts of San Diego.

Stop the suicide bombings and the check-points will vanish.

Amira Haas represent the Israeli Left who care more about the human rights of the Palestinians than the lives of the Israelis. Why doesn't she blame the Palestinian leaders for the plight of their people? They are the ones who send suicide bombers to blow up Israelis. The check-points are there to prevent them from doing so.

Finally, and article by an Israeli who understands the real situation on the ground for Palestinians...and is sympathetic! It sure is a relief to know that beyond all the polarity, there is a semblence of sanity.

"Moreover, when it comes to thievery, Israel is the world`s grand thief." As long as you engage in melodrama, the western world will fail to be sympathetic.

Rami: "I was born into a situation where a foreign army controls my every move and decision on the planet." Do you have to raise your hand and ask permission every time you want to use the restroom? Give us a break. You're in the position you're in because of this 80-year-old ethnic war against the Jews that your people refuse to terminate.

"5. I think there is a solution for this conflict: One secular state where everyone is equal, plus allowing the refugees to return." Perhaps once upon a time ages ago. But not practical today. The Israeli and the Palestinian societies share different values. Palestinians support terrorist attacks directed at children and civilians. This is so heinous in the minds of most civilized people, yet Palestinians are mystified why others would be so horrified. Palestinians honor the most evil of persons in their societies. Palestinians do not jail their murderers. Instead they shelter their murderers. With their leadership, their media, and their mosques, Palestinians encourage their children to become martyr trash. NO. Until the Palestinians teach their children that it is NOT HEROIC to become suicide bombers, the Palestinians need to remain isolated from Israeli society.

." . . No Jews blowing themselves up in public places, attempting to muder as many innocent civilians as possible " We don't have to kill ourselves like we did at Massada. We drop one-ton bombs on apartment buildings and boarding schools and crowded streets..and we murder hundreds ..without feeling any guilt... Have we become a barbarian people?

since amira haas is unable to write without rendering us speechless could she not contact the donkey robert fisk for help?i understand he is a fan?

I agree with you completly when you say"it should be a battle of moderates versus extremists" Hass is giving a beautifull example. One should first to defeat the hatred and revenge in hisself to defeat this cycle of violence and injustice.

Rami: "Incredible - but totally expected: Convince yourself that "they are out to get you", After all the wars, all the pogroms, all the terror attacks . . . if you haven't figured out that the Arabs have been out to get the Jews, you are deluded. "then use that as an excuse for all your hatred." Simple observations of the history of the conflict aren't a manifestation of, "hatred," Einstein. " I don`t care about the 1920s." Clearly. You'd rather pin the etymology of the conflict on some Israeli or Jewish action, and gibber about, "racism" being the cause. " I was born into a situation where a foreign army controls my every move and decision on the planet." And the reason that "foreign army" is there is because of the history of the region, genius. "That has to end." It could have ended so many freaking times already, that it would make your head spin. There was an offer to form a government in the region in the 1920s. The Arabs rejected that offer because it would have given equal rights to Jews. There was an offer to split the land along ethnic lines in 1947. The Arabs rejected that offer and chose war instead. There was an offer in 1967. The Arabs answered the offer with the "Three No's" of Khartoum. There was another offer in 2000 and another offer in 2001. The Arabs rejected that offer. You can whine and bray until the camels come home. You're not going to have a homeland until your people give up on terror and actually accept an offer of a homeland. Instead, you always revert back to this ethnic war against the Jews. "Your musings about an "ethnic war" that you have convinced yourself of after reading propaganda hate blogs or hate sites such as PMW will do you no service." It IS an ethnic war. Are you daft? There are two ethnic groups involved here, Jews and Arabs. "I am Palestinian and I cannot envision Palestine or Israel without freedom for everybody." Really? How come Arabs in Israel have the right to vote, the right to hold public office, the right to practice their religion freely, the right to own businesses and property, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press? Why don't the people in the West Bank have the same rights under the PA? Why do you insist that all Jews have to be out of this, "Palestine" place of yours? " If you continue to convince yourself of your delusions simply by taking the statements of a few (most of whom died decades before any of us were born), and believing in a so called `ethnic war`, you are clearly part of the problem." If you want to ignore basic history, you're simply being an idiot. "The Warsaw Ghetto analogy was to highlight how helpless the Jews were in front of a terrorizing German army that caged them simply because they were of the wrong religion: it is entirely appropriate." Sorry. You're being ridiculous. The Arabs have been engaged in a conflictd with the Jews steadily since the 1920s. The Jews didn't attack the Germans. Your analogy is absurd no matter how indignant you get.

You said as it is ....We are probably emulating our former oppressors. unconsciously...maybe even consciously

"Leave us alone, and there will be no violence and terror and suicide bombings." Uh huh. And that's why the quassams are still flying in from Gaza.

When they are not allowed to enter they cry. When they are allowed to enter under strict security controls so they don't come in with bombs strapped to themselves they cry. When they are given opportunities to negotiate peace they shoot. When we retaliate they cry. Well boo hoo hoo. Close the gates and let them fend for themselves.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1584350199/qid=1135793590/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-4211754-9780117?s=books&v=glance&n=283155 http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?qwork=1821193&wauth=amira%20hass&matches=18&qsort=r&cm_re=works*listing*title Look at this page, banned by the EU: ?Auteurs? (top, right hand) Right column, 5th article. http://luccas.eu.org/index/pays/article2159.html This one is good too. Look at the names of the authors and you?ll see some of our friends on the same page. If you cannot read French, click on the article. On the bottom of the entire article, there is a link to the original version. http://www.protection-palestine.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=14 There are more like this one

Franzen on the Gaza Evacuation: Johanes Franzen, Stockholm: "Drag them out by their curlies and prosecute those that break the law." Any comments he makes should be completely disregarded.

"The free world should stop Israel" The free world will never support a society that celebrates terrorist attacks. It's that simple. Palestinians need to change their values and their image. Once the Palestinians prove that their terrorists groups are as repugnant to them as they are to us, then the support will increase immeasurably.

"They lie when they say it is for security reasons" If this is the case, capture and imprison your own terrorist filth. Prove the Palestinians have Israeli human life a primary concern in your society and that Israelis have nothing to fear from Palestinians hellbent on blowing up shoppers at malls and diners at restuarants. (( Once upon a time the Palestinians used to do imprison their own murderers )) I'm sure the Fence will come down once it is no longer needed for security.

. . . No Jews blowing themselves up in public places, attempting to muder as many innocent civilians as possible . . .

Incredible - but totally expected: Convince yourself that "they are out to get you", then use that as an excuse for all your hatred. I don't care about the 1920s. I was born into a situation where a foreign army controls my every move and decision on the planet. That has to end. Your musings about an "ethnic war" that you have convinced yourself of after reading propaganda hate blogs or hate sites such as PMW will do you no service. I am Palestinian and I cannot envision Palestine or Israel without freedom for everybody. If you continue to convince yourself of your delusions simply by taking the statements of a few (most of whom died decades before any of us were born), and believing in a so called 'ethnic war', you are clearly part of the problem. The Warsaw Ghetto analogy was to highlight how helpless the Jews were in front of a terrorizing German army that caged them simply because they were of the wrong religion: it is entirely appropriate.

People gather at the entrance of an Israeli mall. Many are employees late for work, having to drive through the multiple checkpoints, set up along all the Israeli roads like beads on strings, after a terror alert was declared from the West Bank this morning. The mall security guard checks everyone?s bags, prying into their private life, violated for the sake of life. Why are the Jews checked? They don?t blow themselves at the mall. Perhaps it is the Israeli desire to treat everyone equally, or perhaps it is the fact that the Palestinian suicide bombers have taken to dressing up like Jews. The throng gathers, unsuspecting, like every morning. But this morning is different. A physical manifestation of the collective hatred of people living only kilometers away, an embodiment of their collective desire to annihilate their neighbors, a suicide bomber has reached his target. The bomber knows he can?t enter the mall because the well-trained guard will stop him, but no matter. There is enough flesh and blood for him to rip and spill on the outside. In a savage irony, people are put into harm?s way by the same process that is supposed to make them safe. No one has noticed the Arab?s zombie shuffle, the glazed look in his eyes, the self-imposed abrogation of all traces of humanity as he comes closer and closer to self-annihilation. It is too late. The Arab springs forth, suddenly completely animated, never more alive as he fulfills his destiny as a murder tool in the hand of his handlers, in the hand of his organization, in the hand of his people. Allahu Akbar and a bang. The Arab?s head flies toward the skies, hoping to reach paradise but landing into a muddy puddle, as ball-bearings and nails, dipped in poison and mixed with his entrails fly toward the people next to him. There is blood everywhere, covering motionless bodies, torn limbs, and the personal effects of the victims ? a mobile phone soon to ring with the frantic calls of relatives, a purse with a picture of a lover, a baby carriage lying on its side. Israel mourns, while a few kilometers away there is a celebration. Towns, villages, neighborhoods, and streets are teeming with happy Palestinians. The sounds of ?Allahu Akbar,? ?Death to the Jews,? ?With our souls and blood, we will redeem you, Palestine,? and a potpourri of other vocalizations of pure hatred, pure blood-lust, and pure sin. Before the checkpoints and the raids and the assassinations, 72% of the Palestinians supported suicide bombings. Today, after all the hardships and tribulations, the karma and the vengeance, fear has overtaken hate. Only 49.7% support them now. But it?s not because the death of a Jewish baby has become appalling, or because the cry of its grieving Jewish mother has aroused a dormant sympathy within the hard crust of hate. It is because, as their moderate, peace loving, and Holocaust-denying leader insists after every one, ?suicide bombings hurt the national interests of the Palestinian people.? Who else do they hurt, Mr. Abbas? Dear Palestinian people, who else do they hurt? Two days later, a teen walks through an alley covered with posters of the latest glorious Shaheed. The feelings inside the teen?s heart are as complex as were the efforts to create them by all aspects of his society. There is pride in the achievement of the national hero. There is satisfaction at the number of his Jewish victims. There is envy of the Shadeed?s fame. There is determination. The action that the teen takes next is by no means complex. He walks through a door, says hello to a man, and puts on a belt.

No Israeli women giving birth in the mud, no Israelis being forced to drink urine or toxic liquid.No Israelis being forced to choose between a broken leg, arm or nose. No Israelis being forced to "play a sad tune", no Israelis having their testicles burned. No Israelis being made to wait in the rain for the soldiers to finish eating. No Israelis being tied to donkeys and sent to their death. No Israelis slapped, kicked or humiliated. Because there are NO Palestinian checkpoints in Israel. It is as if the Israelis just can't face their own brutality and have to find ways to sleep at night or how to explain it to their children. "Yes it is wrong to kill, but not Palestinians" "Yes it is wrong to steal, but not from Palestinians" "Yes it is wrong to torture, kill, hit, hurt, humiliate, rob and lie, but not to Palestinians".

Many people, myself included, have gone through checkpoints and roadblocks. It has not been in Israel, Judea and Samaria or Gaza.

Who could ever imagine that over 400 check points exists within such a small area. And what inventive system these Israelis can come up. These checkpoint are out of the future, with gates, bars, tunnels and god knows what. Checkpoints were always there as part of the occupation, before there was an intifada and before there was terrorism. I could never imagine that people who were on the recieving end not so long ago, could commit such horrible crime. I could never understand the the Israeli mind and how it function and how it can see all things around it and find it ok. Yes, the Jewish uprising at Warsaw Ghetto should be taught in both Arab and Jewish schools. I can remember the movie " The Night of the General" with Omar Sharif and Peter Otool. One need to see this very moving movie to appreciat what the Jews went through and what the Palestinians are going through now.

Rami, I don't suppose you can name any action taken by Jews against Arabs preceding the massacres of Jews in 1920, 1921 or 1929, can you? This isn't a conflict based on how Jews treated Arabs. This is an ethnic war launched against the Jews by the Arabs over 80 years ago. You can blubber and gibber all you want about 1994, 1967, or any other nonsensical date you pluck out of your nether regions. The Arabs initiated and maintained this conflict now for over 80 years. The residents of the Warsaw ghetto never launched an ethnic war against Germans. Try to get your analogies straight.

I post hateful messages because I hate terrorism. What's so surprising about it?

I often read haaretz. It's a good quality paper. I then browse the comments section and what is revealed is a bigger problem. point counterpoint argument and rebuttle. An endless merry-go-around for people who aren't dedicated to anything really except the argument and their dislike for each other. None of you show any real compassion for anybody as you are the ones that have become truly disposessed from any semblance of being committed to something more important then your needs to antoganize your opponents endlessly. Have you nothing better to contribute then writing uselessly in the name of nothing but furthering your own disposession though you know it not. All of you, people on both sides consistently frustrate peace in the name of being declared the more righteous party and enable consideration of the other the as the animal. I see the same names here commenting day after day. Will you ever move on in the hope of something better, that it is a declared fact that most on both sides are ready to agree to capitulations that they believe they will be satisfied with. You are the true enemies of peace but you can change that this is a battle of moderates versus extremists rather than Israelis vs Palestinians and Rather than rebuttling me you should all visit onevoicemovement.org

Sorry folks, but for all your whining about how evil Amira is, people who actually defend Israeli actions with excuses that manifest themselves in describing Palestinians in inhumane terms are the main reason why this conflict will never be resolved. To all who complain that Palestinians only want to blow up the Israelis, let them know that such practices (minus the wall) was commonplace decades before 1994 (the first suicide bomb). What was your excuse then? To those who pontificate about Hamas, remember it was created with Israel's blessing and only later did this backfire after Hamas turned on Israel instead of the PLO (as Israel hoped). To those who claim that Palestinians (or like they enjoy saying: 'the Arabs') teach their children hate, I'm so glad that the young soldiers at the checkpoint are there to teach me all about love and compassion. Don't you realize what poverty and humiliation (exactly as Israel plans it) accomplishes? To those who blame the thieves of the Palestinian Authority, nice try playing the well known game of pinning blame on a completely separate and irrelevant topic (It's completely okay if I shoot you in the stomach since your cousin already slapped you in the face). And to those who deluded themselves into thinking that this is all 'our making' and we should take our fate into our own hands instead of blaming Israel (such a racist arrogant thing to say), please teach us what the residents of the Warsaw Ghetto did and we'll try our best to emulate them. Those very few of us left alive after that will try to pass on the lessons learned.

Hey Tod, how do you know the differences between an Iranian newspaper and this jew hater Haaretz? To me it seems very close...

SDHD Their puny minds do not seem to have registered this concept.They poor things think they are being chosen to simply suffer the check-points and whine non stop.They also seem to imply that our Security Service/IDF have nothing better to do and derive pleasure from having these people suffer at checkpoints,when they can be at home with their families and enjoy a peaceful day or night without having to do this damn checking. If they are suffering so badly why don't they object to their leaders to rein in the manifold terror groups who in addition to attacking Israel and its innocent civilians also get recompence for their foul deeds by their supremo Abbas. Now that is adding insult to injury to Israel. Additionally every time these dreadful acts are committed He in turn says and accuses Israel. This affair has no end in sight I fear,not until their leader has the guts to stop them and cut the purse strings once and for all. Incompetence pure and simple.I just don't the asumption by Abbas that he is weak.Nonesense! After abandoning gaza nothing has changed,not an iota.In fact it has become worse. I will not hold my breath about them getting a state,NOT A CHANCE EVER,SORRY TO SAY. S

The only thing I find DESPICABLE is Haaretz giving all this space for Amira's venting of hatred against jews. To call Amira a newsperson is also MORE THAN DESPICABLE. This is a very despicable view from Canada, let me assure you.

Tareq, I'm sorry that you are so clueless about what Israelis have been going through for decades as a result of terrorism. There have been "checkpoints," in public places in Israel for many decades, and there are more "checkpoints" in Israel now than at any time in its history. If you don't think an old woman getting stopped at the entrance to a grocery store, to be searched is a "checpoint," then, I am doubly sorry for your utter ignorance.

Dear Tareq, I hereby formally and publically challenge you to tell the truth. Best of luck. Gee

What surprises me is that you have no qualms postings such hatefull messages.

the picture is truely more brutal, I was stopped myself several times, once I tried to convince soldiers who were young men, that this is immoral and against low, one of them told me there is no low for them, that they are above the low, that they are the low, which is unfortunately true. It is true that pals are the victims but so are the israelis, they are a victim of their power and irrogance and I do not believe that they respect theirselfs for what they do with the helpless ordinary poulation.

lol. Thanks for the comic interlude. How little you know is for us to observe, and you to find out. Good luck.

Your hatred spewing columns add to the terror and add to the suffering. Then you whine. Look in the mirror.

In Israel, you can't go to a movie theatre without being searched. You can't go into a supermarket without being searched. You can't go into many restaurants, clubs, cafes or shopping malls without being searched. Israel started implementing measures to board buses. Why? Because Palestinian terrorists are trying to murder as many Jews as possible. You want to whine about checkpoints? Whine about all the checkpoints in Israel. They are public places, that people would be able to enter normally, anywhere else in the world. However, due to terrorism, they cannot. Israeli children are checked at these, "checkpoints." There are guards at schools. There are guards everywhere. Whine about checkpoints all you want. There are more checkpoints in Israel than there are in the West Bank.

LMAO Tareq - next time though before you answer - learn a LITTLE bit of history - just a smidgeon. The jews were ENSLAVED in Egypt - we werent interested in taking it over - read a bible please. You and Hass want "Sympathy for the devil" and you wont get it here. There never was a Palestine - no government, no schools, no stamps, no military - NOTHING. You dont like it that you have to give up land that you have been squatting on? Too Bad. We gave you Gaza and you fire rockets. Its tought to cross into Israel? Be happy that they allow you to at all. The Pals have YET to demonstrate ANY type of civility - your people voted in Hamas as leaders. What does that say? No one, not Feiglin, Shron or anyone on the right - advocates what Hamas does. Feiglin advocates MOVING arabs, Hamas advocates KILLING Jews - NOT the same thing at all - but you will argue it just the same .... Next time you want to post - learn some world history please :)

is so full of excrement, as is Amira herself - that the whole paper stinks and her eyes are brown!

Anyone who equates the checkpoints with the Warsaw ghetto is a schmuck. Jews weren't attacking German civilians.

. . . Every article Amira writes, mentions the checkpoints. She's myopically obsessed. Is she so freaking daft that she doesn't have a clue about the Palestinians declaring an intifada? How many Israeli lives were saved due to these checkpoints? Poor Palestinians - INCONVENIENCED to save lives.

Saying Marco resorts to calling names. Ha ha ha All you ever do is say, rapist oppressor etc. The lines and checkpoints are there because morons like you keep justifying suicide bombings or bombings of NURSERY SCHOOLS because of an occupation that YOU DID NOT OBJECT TO UNDER JORDAN in 1967. You are the most dishonest person ever and give journalism a bad name. What did you think of the mass grave found in Iraq yesterday- oh- I forgot. You don't really care re:Muslims, just Hateful Jews.

"It is always the same bla bla bla of Madame Hass: the poor, "sweet" and "loving peace" palestinians and the "devil evil zionist entity". " Claude, you are right... I could find a thousand other adjectives to describe the palestinians... But, I couldnt find many other adjectives to describe some of those soldiers manning the checkpoints...

Dear Gee, I hereby formally and publically challenge you to make sense. Best of luck. Tareq

i admire the courage and determination of amira hass, being an israeli, who sees how we palestinians are being treated in our own occupied lands. believe me majority do not support targeting israeli civilians, but this is what the israeli army is doing constantly day and night in the occupied west bank, gaza and arab east jerusalem, so what do u expect?? surrender, capitulation? if u want to close your borders, its fine with us, but do it according to 1967 borders, and we will not feel sorry that we will never deal with u. this is fine with us. what sharon and the so called kadima are doing is making any possibility of co-existance IMPOSSIBLE and this is done systematically, and sorry to say but some acts of the palestinian factions are helping sharon in his policies, but this is exactly what he wants, by the continuos policy of assacinations, roadblocks, expansion of settlements and other destructive policies. we as palestinians and israelies should work togother for a just and fair solution, based on international legitimacy, which was the basis of your state on parts of our historical palestine, which we are accepting now, but we can not make more concessions, we were left with 22 percent of our land, and we want to have our state on this part left for us. any other solutions and specially military will not work on the long term. the israeli actions are so exposed internationally now, that the people world wide are fed up and totally refuses such policies, so if u want a real peace, please do not fabricate history or geography of the middle east, and do not rely forever on your mighty army, this will not last forever and history is a great lesson for that.

Hi S. Happy Hannukah! Haas is a perfect example of a well meaning but inept leftest of the European/Canadian persuasion. It is in vogue to be pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel (call it what you will)in some circles and Haas falls right into that mold. We see it here in the States too in the form of unrelenting attacks by the ACLU and others on our efforts to curb terrorism and stop future terrorist attacks on our soil. They believe that if they show they are bona fide liberals they won't be attacked. The sad part is that it doesn't matter to the terrorists if you are right or left, you are an infidel to be killed. If Haas fell into terrorist hands I shudder to think what would become of her and her bleeding heart. They'd put it on a poker and parade it around for all to see. Al Queda in Gaza would teach her a lesson about being a woman and Jewish and the price of freedom.

Have you not noticed the innumerable headlines over the past year describing how Al Aqsa brigade members attack, regularly, PA offices demanding jobs and integration in the security forces? Do you think Abbas pays them to attack his head quarters? If you were willing to see, you would have notice considerable changes since the passing of Arafat. Even Arafat TRIED to maintain control over the group by making them dependent financially upon his kickbacks, but it was clear - especially in his last years - that he couldnt control the bunch. This is clearly evident in the chaos caused by members of this group in the northern West Bank (for example) especially after the capture of Barghouti. The same happened with Israel and Hamas. Israel nurtured its development early on, then bit its fingers in regret after losing its control over the group. By the way, how do you justify your statement: "Whether Abbas has as much influence as Arafat undoubtedly had, is a moot point."

Hi Kim I've got it.And who would have thought it,he doesn't look like an Arab does he,but then one musn't make gudgements I suppose.What I am interested about it is the fact of finding the site,and I'll keep it for future reference. Clever girl! Now we can inform Jaques of Toronto if and when the opportunity arises. back to work eh? Bless you dear girl S p/s Ha'aretz please let Kim see and read this post

"Well put, now all have to do is educate yourself on who is doing all the stealing." The Arabs are doing all the stealing. Am very well educated thank you. "If, by the way, you would like to refer to the Jewish kingdom 3000 years back, why not add a few more years and claim Egypt." Therin lies the difference between Arabs and Jews. First off the land belongs to the Jews under four different international treaties, the Arabs one worthless opinion. Second we want what is ours and nothing more. Try it, the results might surprise. Third when we same this is what we want we never increase our demands. Compare it to any Arab bargaining, the difference is very startling.

As I read many of these reactions, some obviously sincere though strikingly ignorant of the reality on the ground (and understandably so since the writers are not allowed to go and see for themselves), one sad fact emerges : the real separation fence is in the minds of people.

It is always the same bla bla bla of Madame Hass: the poor, "sweet" and "loving peace" palestinians and the " devil evil zionist entity". It is all Israel faults, the palestinians and their terrorists ( sorry! "freedom fighters") are never responsible for anything! Oh my heart is bleeding for the palestinians!! Tears on my eyes! Oh the sweet and peaciful palestinians! let's send them to Jordan where they belong, and send Madame Hass with them! or maybe she will be more comfortable in Iran or Saudi Arabia! Claude

It is all the same, because terrorists are known to be around there. So if they are caught in Judea and Samaria or wherever, it is OK for me. Many thanks for the information, anyway.

I'm all for a final deal with the Palestinians but Jewish blood is not a freebee. Israel has every right to safeguard its citizens. No doubt the checkpoints are tougher than ever the result of being attacked by suicide bombers. Frankly, Amira, the Palestinians have mostly themselves to blame for their troubles.

"Inhumane is a people and a culture bent on eradicating another by sheer lies and land theft" Well put, now all have to do is educate yourself on who is doing all the stealing. If, by the way, you would like to refer to the Jewish kingdom 3000 years back, why not add a few more years and claim Egypt.

http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/662735.html Above URL for yesterdays reply to my earlier post. POST 118. Interested to hear what you have?

"If they were caught entering Israel in such a strange manner, it is logical for the security forces to think they were terrorists." Kim, The mentioned checkpoint is WITHIN the West Bank. It does not stop people from entering Israel, it stops people from the West Bank to reach other parts of the West Bank. You should find a better excuse to support the humiliation of the Palestinians.

Israeli people, When the time comes to pay for the crimes of your elected governmnet, you will not be able to say: WE DIDN't KNOW!

Hey Harris I suggest you get a good history book and re-educate yourself thoroughly before making inane remarks and invalid comments.Especially when you compare the situation of the Ghettos and the pursuant deportations to the DEATH CAMPS! HOW DARE YOU,HOW DARE YOU! You mention your univercity education,I wonder on which subject you specialized and obtained your degree? That would be very interesting indeed.It may clarify to which extent your education excells.I have a feeling yours is just a minor and an unimportant one. And with that I'll leave you to ponder on the suject of Israel and the situations its people find themselves in. Not only now,but since the Re-Birth of the State,also prior to its established one.Peace is a dirty word for the Arabs surrounding Israel.They have never stopped their attacks,propaganda since its inception.If you do not know that then there is nothing further to discuss. Enough I say to all who mention the appelation of ZIONISM. Whatever name you wish to give to the State of Israel doesn't make a penneth worth of differece.Just get that into your puny minds and accept it,or reject tough! As an addendum Harris,yours seems to be "Selective Humanism" and obviously a very biased one at that. S

Here you have a couple of samples http://www.zmag.org/meastwatch/amira_hass.htm http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2004/02/11/the-village-against-the-fence

some years ago the magazine ran a "pseud's corner".readers would send examples of pretentious writing for the editor to print. it seems that amira haas's entire column would fit in snugly into a pseud's column.

Walid, yes give the article to George Bush but.....would he understand all the words? But if he could read the article, would he feel anything? Would he care at all?

More crimes that your lot? Huh, you're killing each other and please don't accuse the West, yet again. I'm proud to a be a Jew, I'm proud of Israel and I'm proud of the Israeli soldiers - they are the BEST. Saving Jewish lives are more important to me than letting through your murderous lot. If you ever win any of the wars(lo aleinu), neither Amira Hass nor any other disillusioned Leftwinger in Tel Aviv or in Israel will be spared by your swords - afterall the rocks will tell you where the Jews are hiding so they can be slaughtered.Correct? Of course correct.Pack it in Khalid-look how Sunnis kill Shias and vice versa.You don't have to read Jewish newspapers to have a voice heard. Try Arab newspapers-obviously PA is the world reknowned example of democracy, so you have nothing to be afraid of.

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D6E44D5F-813B-4544-8F73-E86086B21C55.htm

"however even the imporant matter-that is the huminatarian deception-is only one detail in a full set of details in which no single detail is representative in itself." phew!i know amira haas has fans who wish to read her stuff.but has the lady no pity?

This women should quit writting her so called non fiction, and take up either 1) general mouthpiece for the Pals - shes better then Bagdad Bob 2) write fiction novels like Jane Austin. She drones on and on and on - those mean Israelis - how dare they inspect the enemy who want to come into the country to do harm. You MAY insult thier "sensitivities" (meanie!). By some weird twist of logic she thinks Israel is compelled to let them in in the first place ! Inhumane is a people and a culture bent on eradicating another by sheer lies and land theft! Can she and her friends the Pals not read a history book? Do they not know who was there first ? Do they not know there was never a country "palestine"? Do they not know Judism existed and flourished 500+ years before Mohamed? Guess not. Its easier to just blame those Israelis.

Amira Hass's article detailing the abuse of the palestinian minors at the Qalandia Check point make me very upset.I thank her for writing about this and letting the world know about these abuses and maltreatments. The Israeli government and the military are destroying their society by turning these young soldiers into cold, inhumane being who do not care about other human beings.These soldiers are robots not human beings.These practices creat more animosity and hatred. These soldiers who practice these kind of abuses will most likely fail to become caring loving fathers , husbands and stable cisizes in general. One should treat others as he would like to be treated.

Hello Jane Just a brief response.Amira's humanism seem to be a selective one. Merely for the PALS and damn her Jewish brethren that get blown off constantly. Disgusted with her ilk S

"isolated fragments of the reality are read as being tolerable or understable"

"Hence, when I suggest that the West Bank is like a large Warsaw Ghetto in terms of the hardships inflicted daily upon the Palestinian population, I think that the comparison is justified." Then I suggest that you better learn about both, since it is a fact that you know absolutely nothing about neither. Nobody is straving on the West Bank, there is medical care, they have the right to leave anytime they want, etc. etc. "but you might notice that the British police have not built a wall around Bradford or Southall and that generally these incidents have not engendered a psychotic anti-Islamic anti-Christian polemic" How many terrorist attacks did you suffer again? After the first 100,000 we decided to build checkpoints and a fence, big surprise. By the by I might inform you that 65% of those 'poor' people support the bombings in London and want more. Just an aside there. "we do not see pregnant women or grandmothers pulled aside on the tube "in order to prevent the next suicide bombing"." And how many of your hospitals, schools and supermarkets have been attacked by the 'pregnant women'? "I am absolutely certain that the conscripts, brought up on a diet of anti-Arab hatred, do in fact bully their victims" We don't have any diet of hatred of anybody. Please show us an example of this so-called diet. That type of propaganda is illegal here, but the opposite is the case for the PA. I think that you have no idea about the MiddleEast. Until the current wave of terrorism got to such a terrible level there was no checkpoints, no fence. Each of these were built by the terrorists literally on the bodies of their victims.

In the sewers. No there was no UNWRA delivering food,health care and education for the Jews of the Warsaw ghetto. Nor was there an annual billion dollars in foreign aid. The Jews were not firing Qassaems randomly at German civillians. Otherwise you are spot on. So Mr Harris if someone criticises your impeccably logical and historically accurate comparisons they are trying to limit you. Does that apply when you criticise somebody elses posting? By the way Britain has had only one round of suicide bombings how many has Israel had? Ten times as many did not get through. Try comparing like with like.

I read one of your articles a few days ago, one with a photo of yours on top. Could you please send the link? I would like to read it again. Many thanks. Kim

Khalid, lying again ? "Israel stole an entire country". You NEVER HAD A COUNTRY to begin with. Ancient Israel wasn't our country. Ancient Judea wasn't your country. Roman Empire's renamed Israel-Palestine wasn't your country. Ottoman Empire's Palestine wasn't your country. Land that belongs to the Jewish people as written in your "holy" quran isn't your country either. You've got to be stupid, a liar or ignorant, to make such a statement.

R. Harris fabrication is a deliberate lie. harris was never in Warsaw Ghetto. He did not even visit the ruins of warsaw Ghetto after the war. I was there as a 5 years old child and saw the Ghetto. I also saw the checkpoints on West Bank. The separation fence on WB and in Gaza are fences like between N. Ireland and Ireland. USA is planning to build a fence on the Mexican border. Children on West Bank and in Gaza are dressed in designers clothing and nike running shoes.Children in Ghetto were starved and in ruggs waiting their turn to be shipped to Treblinka and Aushwitz. Harris can meet with Simha Rotem of the Avengers while he is still alive and get a confirmation of what I said rather then rely on Amira Hass. Amira Hass would call the Gulag Vorkuta camp as a recreational facility for the enemies of socialism.

Almokhrebi, if I misspelled your name, it will mean terrorist/ Mokharebbin, but you do. All you need is read the majority of the post and see how they lump every one together and how they define Islam as a terrorist religion and they way they disgrace the Quran. I mention the world Jewish community, because the Jewish community plays a major role in the affairs of Israel and it has a very very effective influence on domestic and international policy of Israel. When I mentioned the incident at the Allenby Bridge and the French delegation, in my mind, the French delegation was a partner in my humiliation together with my toddler children. They were very proud of the way the Israelis were handling these "Arabs". Yes, I do think the Jewish community is a partner in what is happening in Israel, from the settlements to property theft to raising money etc. It is a parnership that you could not ignore.

Comical khalid is at it again. Liar teaching others about "honesty". Distorter telling others about "facts". Racist teaching others about "tolerance". Hater of Christias and and Jews talking about "brotherhood". Hypocrisy at its worst.

Someone mentioned that Amira Hass didn't bother bringing up any history before 2000. How about the fact that Arabs murdering Jews in cold blood predates not only the settlements and checkpoints, but predates the birth of Israel and goes back to the the early 1900's. It's nonsense to continue these arguments about how the Israelis are causing the hatred. The hatred has always been there, has never stopped, and using the checkpoints as the latest excuse ignores historical reality.

If Palestinians are unwilling to stop the terrorist attacks and to crack down on terrorist groups, well, then they should not complain at all. Stringent security measures that stop attacks against Israeli civilians do work in the absence of Palestinian will to do what's required of them in the Roadmap to Peace. Stop the whining and become responsible for the actions of your people.

The Christian Churches will start preacing not the gospel fo Jesus Christ a myth created, to eradicate Jews and Judaism. When Islam will stop their campaign of lies against jews and denial of holocoust Until then Israel is justified to ensure our survival. Those that don't like it can go and drink from the Dead Sea (Arafat's favorit musing)

Hello Kim I hope they put this out although not important,and not relevant to the subject at hand. Last night Jaques from Toronto sent us both a reminder that he too was interested it now seems.He did give us a few sites but it didn't produce any results and thought as to why we should want or see this individual remember? Well now he too is CURIOUS. S p/s Ha'aretz please let Kim read this.

Dear S, Why do people here (you and PEter in Melbourne)think you can set the parameters of discussion. The Warsaw Ghetto was a Ghetto - and not an extermination camp - they were elsewhere. Hence, when I suggest that the West Bank is like a large Warsaw Ghetto in terms of the hardships inflicted daily upon the Palestinian population, I think that the comparison is justified. Also, my short-term memory is not such that I have forgetten 7 July in London - I was on the tube during the incident, but you might notice that the British police have not built a wall around Bradford or Southall and that generally these incidents have not engendered a psychotic anti-Islamic anti-Christian polemic, and that we do not see pregnant women or grandmothers pulled aside on the tube "in order to prevent the next suicide bombing". In answer to your other point, I think that high-ranking security personel in Israel do not gain pleasure from physically humiliating Palestinians in person, but I am absolutely certain that the conscripts, brought up on a diet of anti-Arab hatred, do in fact bully their victims. Hence the need for stringent checks in army procedures.

Why don't you try to be coherent? So you now mean that checkpoints are the reason for terrorism. Give me a break. Those checkpoints are the consequence of terrorism, they are there to prevent terrorist attacks.

The Israeli army doesn't invent that "Pal" infiltrate into Israel and commit terrorist attacks murdering Israelis.

They are your govenment at the moment. Yes the world is full of hypocrisy thats why the Palestinians have their own special deals in the UN not available to anyone else. A billion Moslems and endless pero-dollars are a powerful political force.Forcing nations to do things they would not do otherwise.

I am sorry I have been unable to find that photo so far.

If the people weren?t stopped, the checkpoints and roadblocks would be useless. As for the people who jumped over the fence, it was normal for them to be detained. If they were caught entering Israel in such a strange manner, it is logical for the security forces to think they were terrorists. The soldiers were right to catch them, because what if they had been terrorists?

Harris Firstly you should desist your comparison to the Warswa Ghetto it is insulting to do so and I would suggest you STOP RIGHT HERE! Think for just minute and say to yourself thus:Do you think that our security personell enjoy doing this job and it is merely a daily business they have to carry out to derive some pleasure from? If this is your assumption then you are as deluded as the rest of the detractors of Israel. Please remember what happened on7/7 in London,and what the consequence was. Also we don't want any further platitudes we have enough of them without the likes of you obfuscating the issues. S

-"And among all the details, the reality of colonialism intensifies, without letup or remission, inventing yet more methods of torture of the individual and community; creating more ways to violate international law, robbing land behind the legal camouflage, and encouraging collaboration out of agreement, neglect or torpor."- What has then happened to the Jews of Israel? It wasn't to long ago they were on the recieving end and their mothers and fathers humiliated by snot nosed soldiers. It wasn't to long ago when they were at the mercy of the tormentors. It wasn't to long ago they were the ones waiting for the midnight knock on the door. It wasn't to long ago they were the ones the world didn't care about. It wasn't to long ago they were robbed of their possessions, put into camps and ghettos, tortured and killed, spat at by the fascists swines that held all the cards and loved it. What on earth happened to the Jews of Israel? Have you totally lost all sense of justice and humanity? What have you turned into? Thank GOD for the Jews that speak out against this insanity, because your voices are being a proof of that not all of you have sold your souls to the Devil, but most though choose to look the other way, shame on them.

It is time to close the doors completely to Palestinians wanting to enter into Israel. That would certainly eliminate the "torture" of the scrutiny they indure trying to get in. Let them spend the billions given to them by productive tax-paying citizens of the world on building industries and hospitals instead of spending it on weapons,funding terrorist's families and their corrupt leaders pocketing the leftovers. Amira has a big heart but only for radical Islamist supporting Palestinians and not her own people.

Khalid, You're going about like a Monty Python clip screaming " look everyone I'm being repressed, I'm being repressed, the Israelis are denying me supreme executive power.? You and your ilk are the reason Arabs are in the state they are in. Stop repeating silly lies and hate. Take some responsibility man and start building something. You won't be able to destroy Israel by the force of lies or irresponsible breeding. If you continue to stand in the way of Jews living in peace and dignity after centuries of persecution by your ancestors among others then you can expect to get hurt and regardless of how hard we try to save you from yourself it may not be just a ?flesh wound?.

The humiliation of your father was a disgrace. The current shelling does nothing to help the Palestinian cause or peace,unfortunately that seems to be the idea.

Mr.Mazen Of course we can understand about the conditions that the people have to go through.We do not have to see it to believe!This is tne nature of the beast-as they say.They have brought it up upon themselves through their terrorists among them and their leaders who do not rein them in but even recompence them with monies still for their dastardly actions! What an evil and insidious lot they all are! Also remember one thing,incovenience regretful though it is,at the end of the day they will remain in one piece rather than being blown to smithereens with bits of their body parts strewn arround for people to pick. I say better an incovenience then dead! S

"...these restrictions are due to inherent Jewish evil becasue this is not the case..." Of course israelis or jews and palestinians or arabs, no one can said inherently bad or cruel ...Anyway you should consider with more attention the story of the attitude of zionist and israely leadership in order to make arab-palestinian weaker and to press them, to urge them to leave their homes and land or pieces of land...I am italian, not jew not arab, but i feel very involved in this conflict...In italy we had the experience of resistenza against nazi-fascism and we discussed of subjects like: must we torture prisoners fascists or german in order to know informations and save life of comrades and so on... we though to a new moral order and sometimes maybe we lost comrades to save our integrity and that of the future world... forgive my bad english

O.K. so in the same way you put the Jews and the Israelis in the same level of concocting means and ways to humiliate the Palistinians, then it is game when I'll put all the Arab-Muslim people as associate to various Islamic murderers, and helping the extrem terroristsin Britain, France Italy Spain, all the same. You always bring your personal experience when coming in contact with the Israeli authority, you have yet to transcend your buas and try to add some other positive situations you might have encounter with the Israelis. As far as the Jews is concerned, try and put yourself in a Jewish foot for centuries enduring humiliations upns desperation, forced conversion and destruction of their property. Now, imagine that you live in Darfur, being chase by Janzebine , millions of your Muslim brethren, my human brthren , imagine how I feel when I see the people from Darfur, Suda, being raped and killed by their fellow Arab_muslim compatriot. That is what I wish for you to put your whole humanity. Am I making the history of the Jews from Arab and Muslim lands, where they were persucted for centuries as my main basic for my humanity: Sure look at Chad, Niger , Sudan where people in their theousands are dying. You bring anecdotes, I'll tell you true story. Now, nobody is perfect: :Both sides have to face their respective blame, including you and I for not being able to transcend our personal history.

Telling the world that a large number of Israelis should be expelled because they do not fit your racial stereotype is racist. So is your racist OFFICIAL media denigrating Jews and non-Jews alike.

Mr.Zuckerman Isn't it always the same with Amira.When will she ever,ever write about the attrocities committed by these so-called people to our innocent civilians AND WHY IT IS THE PEOPLE SHE IS SO CONSERNED ABOUT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE CHECK POINTS. I have yet to read anything concerning the suffering our people have to go through. I would also like her to tell us as to what happened before the year 2000? Not a mention on that subject. On her last post I suggested she'd be very welcome in Al-Jazeera and should transfer over there pronto and leave our lot in peace from her constant drivell! S

I have a dream that one day that Israel will rise up and live out the true meaning of a sovereign nation; we are treated equally as other nations. I have a dream, that one day on the hills of Judea the sons of Issac and the sons of Ishmael will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream, that one day even the state of Saudi Arabia, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream, that my children will one day live on a planet where they will not be judged by their religion but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day, down in Iran, with its vicious racists, with its president having his lips dripping with the words of denial and genocide; one day right down in Iran little Jewish boys and Jewish girls will be able to join hands with little Muslim boys and Muslim girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today! I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain and the crooked places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith that I live with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our planet into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together that all nations are treated equally, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day, free to worship, free to walk to mall and not be blown up. This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to live, and not be murdered because of their beliefs! And if Israel is to exist, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of Jerusalem. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of the Golan. Let freedom ring from the heightening around Dimona. Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Mount Hermon. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of Carmel. But not only that. Let freedom ring from Haifa. Let freedom ring from Eilat. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Judea, from every mountainside, let freedom ring! And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Muslims, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing without fear from terrorists. Until the day comes when one man?s terrorist is considered an international criminal and brought to justice. Where no nations of the world are singled out for crime of existing, when murdering people because of the their religion is a crime, regardless of their religion, until that day none of us will be free. Adapted from ?I have a dream? by Martin Luther King, Jr.

I said British, not you personally. The fact is Israeli troops have to protect Israelis from threats that the British never faced. Your allusion to Australian Aborigines shows you do not understand that when there is a problem at home one fixes that first then tells others what to do.So just get out of Ireland and pay compensation,then tell others what to do.Meanwhile I am more than happy to stand up to selectively outraged humanitarians. There are numerous Israeli peace groups and outside observers already reporting on and hindering Israeli soldiers facing death at any moment. How do you Mr Harris in London, propose telling Hamas and their ilk that their actions and their charter(Jihadist destruction of Israel) does not bring out the best in soldiers facing child and women suicide bombers. That would help instill more humanity,I beleive that was the subject of Ms.Hass's article.

well said.

I think in Israel, like in the Arab world, there is someone who is in charge of and who is entrusted with coming up with the most horrendous ways to make life miserable for people. In Israel the whole nation and beyond it the Jewish community at large always come up with new ideas to make life more difficult for Palestinians. The checkpoint is only one of the creative ways Israel can manage and humiliate Palestinians on a daily basis. I only wish that Israeli trade places with Palestinians for one day. Just like in the movie of the same name starting Eddie Murphey. Then Israelis can see they are killing whatever hope there is for peace. You could not treat people like like that and expect them to forget it. I had couple of experiences with my late father who was called a donkey in front of me and was forced past midnight to go down and paint over a solgan on the wall in the middle of winter. The other when I was arriving from Switzerland through Amman, with my children, all US citizens and we made to wait at the Allenby bridge for over 8 hours, and while there the security officer was showing a delegation of French Jews how Israel was dealing with Palestinians. If this happens to Jews every one will cry anti-semitism and when it happens to Arabs it is security. No one will ever forget a humiliating moment at a crossing or at a check point or on the way home, no one.

"So, the poor Palestinian woman or school child is forced to circumvent two or three kilomters to reah his or her home only a few meters away? This doesn`t happen once a year, this is a daily routine here." The moment your conniving murderers stop trying to make cynical use of your people and try every which way to enter Israel to kill Israelis all this will stop. You know this Khaled. All that is needed to ease the plight of Palestinians is to halt attacks on Israel. You know this Khaled. Don't try make out as if these restrictions are due to inherent Jewish evil becasue this is not the case. You know this Khaled. Don't make out that Israelis wake up every morning and say "How can we make the lives of Palestinians harder today?" You know this Khaled. So you are inherently dishonest. If the plight of your women, babies, the aged and the sick was so important to you, you would do everything in your power as a journalist to help encourage your people to find alternative ways to oppose the occupation other than murder. You would encourage them to build instead of destroy and to seek peace instead of Israel's destruction. But you know all this Khaled. It simply however would not suit your agenda.

I know that Arabs teach their children that the State of Israel does not exist, because when one looks at their maps all you see is Palestine. But most Palestinians are too poor to even be able to afford pens and paper and even simple little children books. Most cannot even read words let alone a map. Most Jewish children are very very well-educated, perhaps more than any other religion. Judaism encourages the growth of the intellect. Perhaps Jews can learn to love ones neighbor like Judaism teaches. Two thousand years ago the Romans destroyed the Second Temple a few years after Yehoshua was executed. Or did he really die?

"In the meantime, those who Israel needs to reach most in the Palestinian population - the middle class, the eductated, the skilled - those who can drive accountability on the part of the PA leadership, become more and more alienated from the idea of settlement, as they face daily humiliation at every level. So support for the militants continues, and even grows." Agreed. Well said.

I know where it is. Spent enough time there myself. The point is that those checkpoints stop terrorism, which is an international war crime. Somehow you have gotten the stupid idea that Israel is a legimate target, and Jews have no rights. Please name a single country in the world that has ever put up with a single rocket launched into their territory. Feel free to name it. Name one that tolerates foreigners planting roadside bombs, and shooting at their civilians. Please do name them. No other country is expected, but the morons of the world seem to think this is the norm for Israel.

So you insist that israeli's are looking after roadblocks and security checs just for fun? Yoy truly are stupid if you really believe that kind of crap. Most of them just wish to go home and do just about everything else but to look after palestinians. It's boring and it's expensive. However, it is needed because we all know how much palestinians would like to se every single israeli to be blown into pieces. There is no such thing as "good will" in middle east, only harsh realities that are not going to change if current development stays. It is simple: if you continue your terrorism, refuse to bring them under control and stop demanding impossible, roadblocks will stay because there is NO credible alternative for it. Nobody is willing to put his own life or lives of his fellow citizens at risk for you. That would be most foolish. So, you have two choices: - you put your terrorists under control, return order and start negotiating with some relevant and realistic demands. Maybe then you can actually have something better. or - you continue in your current path and bring more suffering onto yourselves. There is no way that you can be those bosses and masters dictating everything to others, as you have trie to do so far. And there is no way you can achieve just and lasting solution by your current attitude and way of actions. And your objections to this is most irrelevant - it does not change the facts. You either adjust your actions to realities or you fail.

"And now Hass and Khalid have the audacity to tell us not to defend our lives against murderous Islamic terror. What a sick joke..." Well, just as Germany brought upon itself "murderous Russian terror" and "murderous British Terror", "murderous American terror" and even "murderous Jewish terror" for occupying Europe, Israel is also bringing upon itself murderous Palestinian "terror" for raping Palestine and savaging its people. the forces of racism and oppression shall not win.

Amira knew that she was sitting on a precarious epaphany of the "Israeli Humanity", and that is why she had to put a proviso:"The whole article has to be read as a whole...otherwise ..the sequences would dim its severity". What a concocted logic , false indignation, overlooking any individual or collective kindness from the Israeli side, and unfortunate mischieveness from the Arab side. To be legitemately considered as a good reporting, the content has to be realistic and trhthful. What Amira is saying that we have to consider the Democratic countries around the world who happened to have prisons and police forces to establish some kind of law and order, are basecally colonial and inhuman. According to Amira, you have to collect all the prisoners of a democratic state "in order to see the extent of the severity, if you take one prisoner, the impression might dim the severity of the whole". This whole article is based on a banckrupt person whose motivation are hate and disregard for the truth. Eric Rouleau even in his most voceforous articles against Israel never stoop to the level of Amira's article.

Shalom of London, you must be embarrassed by the lady's articles. Oh, you must be facing a lot of difficulties explaining to your goy neighbors the gap between what you tell them about 'the only democracy in the world' and what they read in Amira's articles. your way of thinking is very strange indeed. For instead of seeking to stop your people's shameful actions and crimes, you are castigating and fulminating against the messenger for exposing these crimes. "the robe of lie is always short" An Arab proverb

You make a lot of assumptions about me. How do you know for one second that I was not on pro-IRA demonstrations while I was at university? It seems pretty ludicrous for you to try to blame the whole of Britain's colonial past on my own supposed inaction - what's more it seems pretty facile for any Australian who is not an aborigine to make these accusations. Your posting is yet another example of the old tactic - don't address the issue for attempt to denigrate and slander the correspondent. So now, Mr Peter in Melbourne - how do you propose reducing the mass punishment of Palestinians and trying to instil some humanity into the daily operations of the Israeli army? I believe that was the subject of Ms Hass's article.

"In other words, we push an entire people into impossible situations, blatantly inhumane situations, in order to steal its land and time and future and freedom of choice, and then the plantation owner appears and relaxes the iron fist a bit, and is proud of his sense of compassion." No, "we" do it because the Palestinians have constantly rejected peace so they could blow up more babies in pizza parlors. Did they accept the partition that the Jews accepted in '47? No, they tried to commit Jewish genocide. Did they accept peace in 2000? No, they launched a four year terror war. And now Hass and Khalid have the audacity to tell us not to defend our lives against murderous Islamic terror. What a sick joke...

It is sad to see that there are so many apologists for what is the most obvious of blemishes on the character of the IDF and Israels. In its justifiable search for security, the IDF has implemented the most sophisticated, restrictive and intricate system of movement control on the planet. This system, when left to the whim of 18 year old, bored soldiers, will obviously be abused to a degree that, whilst not official policy, becomes a defacto policy of degradation. In the meantime, those who Israel needs to reach most in the Palestinian population - the middle class, the eductated, the skilled - those who can drive accountability on the part of the PA leadership, become more and more alienated from the idea of settlement, as they face daily humiliation at every level. So support for the militants continues, and even grows. Meanwhile, Mofaz and his cronies continue in their futile search to force a military peace on the region to no avail...there can be no military solution to Israel's search for security.

"KHALD Hamas is popular because you are lead by a bunch of thieves" Ok, if they are a bunch of thieves, why does Israel helping them by opening banck acounts in Tel Aviv? Why is Isral doing business with them and giving them all sorts of facilities? And then why the US, EU and your won countries giving them millions? It is eitehr you are stupid, or hypocrite or thives like them Moreover, when it comes to thievery, Israel is the world's grand thief. Israel stole an entire country and continues to steal on a daily basis. Just yesterday, Jewish hilltop settler thugs stole in broadday litght 14 sites in the West Bank..and the Israeli government and army watched passivly... ...and they call Israel "a democracy" ...and " a state of law" , when it is actually a state of lie rather than a state of law.

G-d only knows how many Jews have been spared from your 'peaceful' friends and neighbours...Thankfully, someone in Israel things straight and not like Left-wing losers...Amira Hass please move to Saudi Arabia and we'll see if you'd be able to speak, or any other state in the ME for that matter...

The Irish never wanted to destroy Britain. Where were the loud pro-Irish protests in Britain.?Where was your Yesh-Gvul,your Shalom Achshaw,your Machshom watch? Get your settlers out of Ireland,pay compensation,then come back and pontificate to the Israelis. It is all so simple isn't it?

Qalandia checkpoint ( not terminal) is a horrendous checkpoint that should be removed, it has no justification what so ever. It has no security value, it is a disgrace, it is the result of a twisted mentality and defamed thinking. It separates Palestinian nieghborhoods from each other, it separates pupils from their schools, it separates workers from their work places,it stops sick people from reaching hospitals. What is said here is facts, the reason is for the Israeli occupiers to control Arab East Jerusalem better, to make it so difficult for the population of Arab East Jerusalem outside the wall to function, to deprive the Palestinian citizens inside the wall in Arab East Jerusalem from normal living, to enable Israel to judiaze the city with minimum difficulties, to get rid of as many Palestinians in Arab East Jerusalem as possible. This is the reason, security is an execuse and can be a by product to make it easy Israeli planners to sleep at night. If serios about its security, Israel should put the wall on its borders and close all gates, not on Palestinian land. Qalandia checkpoint is a machine that creates hate and disperate acts. The world should apply maximum pressure on Israel to remove it immediatly. The western media and western diplomates in Jerusalem and tel aviv are not doing their job properly and by doing nothing, they are perpetuating an ugly situation and preparing the grounds for more violence, and making prospects for peace more distance.

A billion dollars a year in aid is unaccounted for. When the barriers come down,Israelis are immediately murdered from that area.Gaza is another example. Sad you don't know this,no insight no cure.

Sadly, you cant have a full understanding of the situation: 1. Yes, I've seen the sight after a suicide bombing, first hand experience. 2. A lot of Palestinian rely on Isreal to earn their living because Israel obstructed the economic development of the Palestinians and transformed them to third class employees who earn below the market wages and contribute to the growth of the Israeli economy, simply, modern age slavery. 3. I've studied in a Palestinian school, nobody told me anything about Jews being being beneath contempt. On the other hand, academic researches prove the Israeli curricula is designed to spread hatred against, and create stereotypes of Palestinians and Arabs, visist:http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/0999/9909019.html. 4. Palestinian kids do not need to be taught to hate Israel, Israel provides them with tons of reasons to hate it(home demolition, raid,s attacks, detentions, torture, checkpoints, thenic cleansing etc). Since Israel declares itself as the manifestation of the Jewish dream, people are forced to make the link. Israel is nourishing the feelings of hate and contempt. 5. I think there is a solution for this conflict: One secular state where everyone is equal, plus allowing the refugees to return.