Gaza Perspective and Opinion plus Hanan Ashrawri
Is the Real Target Hamas Rule?
The likelier result of a destruction of the Hamas infrastructure, then, would be chaos, anathema not only to the people of Gaza but also to those hoping for peace in southern Israel.
Tel Aviv rally decries Gaza assault
America’s Hidden Role in Hamas’s Rise to Power
Stephen Zunes, AlterNet – ForeignPolicy: No one in the mainstream media or government is willing to acknowledge America’s sordid role interfering in Palestinian politics.
Hamas in the eyes of an expert
Hanan Ashrawi, the prominent Palestinian politician, is cautiously optimistic about the impact Barack Obama, the US president-elect, and his administration will have on the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
“We have a disastrous situation of a leadership that doesn’t know the meaning of a graceful exit,” Ashrawi said.
“… I must caution against any type of unrealistic optimism … right now the Israeli public is moving to the right.
Palestinian peace negotiator Hanan Ashrawi said that she does not accept Israel’s argument that it is acting in self-defense. “Israel is an occupying power,” Ashwari said in another interview with CNN on Monday.
“In Gaza, they’ve been under siege for months now, deprived of the most basic needs. … And now Israel has decided that if the victims do not lie down and die quietly, it’s going to shell them relentlessly from the air,” she added.
UN Secretary General calls for immediate stop of Gaza operation
EU Officials to Head to Mideast Amid Israeli Ground Offensive
Arab and International Efforts Needed to Save Israel and Hamas from Their Predicament
Raghida Dergham – Israel and Hamas have set traps for themselves and for each other; these traps will bring about dangerous repercussions as the escalation in Gaza lacks a clear-cut objective and an exit strategy. Both sides need help to escape this predicament.
Patrick Seale – Israel’s war in Gaza is an act of political insanity. It is the product of a deeply disturbed society, able neither to curb its military arrogance nor calm its profound paranoia. The consequences are likely to be painful for Israel’s long-term prospects.
The never ending conflict and war over Gaza, the Palestinians and who is responsible for what, has ruined a whole people. The land was what it was about at first. Now it is the principle. People just get in the way. After Israel’s party is over, what has been accomplished? Hamas, on a good day may be defeated, or castrated. But, in its place will be another angry mob with another name, with the same objective. What is the objective, after all? Well, there was this fairy land called Palestine … people were fairly comfortable with their hard won status.
The anti-Semitic climate in Europe in the 19th century had much to do with the influx of Jews into Palestine, a situation that was largely responsible for the beginning of civil and religious unrest there and the subsequent involvement of some of the world’s most powerful nations. During the early to mid 1800’s, Palestine was held by the Ottoman regime and while the elements of interaction between the Palestinians and the Ottomans were tense, this period served to develop for the Palestinians a number of survival strategies that were built around the Ottoman system of political and economic power.
By 1840 major changes on the civil level were already underway in Palestine. The Palestinians themselves were becoming more comfortable with state institutions and the burgeoning economy that was created by Muhammad ‘Ali’s influence also created new opportunities for the Arabs. Both the 19th century and 20th century colonization of Palestine introduced and generated the development of capitalism and ultimately Palestine’s position of political and economic significance to other countries. By the time the British took Palestine in 1918, they had already been formulating its purpose as a stepping stone to gaining other regions as well as a Zionist outpost. At the very same time that it was playing Zionism against the Arabs, The British were utilizing Arab nationalism against Turkey. In order to elicit the help of the Palestinian Arabs against the Turks, the British promised their independence after World War I. To gain the assistance of the Jews, the British promised them a national home.
Palestine History: Country study from Library of Congress
It is very interesting to see the twists and turns of Foreign Policies as nations change their minds. Palestine is but one example of how manipulation, betrayal and changing alliances can damage credibility. Credibility is too soft, hypocrisy is better. Recent headlines reveal how modern media can totally ignore how this disaster came to be. Conveniently ignored is also the mental deterioration of a nation. From sympathetic holocaust victims to followers of a pathetic policy of holocaust, starting with creation of the Palestinian Ghetto, Israelis are acting out their personal vision of the cleansing their homeland of undesirable people, because they are in the way of Zion and they fight back.
Israelis need a country. Palestinians need a country. The never ending tug of war morphs with new reasons for violence. Each appear to consider that there is not enough land or property to accommodate both peoples. The historical play book illustrates how genocide solves problems. So! What will be the outcome. The 1950s, B-Movie nature of this conflict is that an unlikely hero will emerge to slay the monster … Oh my! Who is the monster? The ones who started it all back at the turn of the century, or the ones who are living it now? What makes this a world problem is the Arab World could take sides and inspire Israel to push that button we deny they have. Iran stays eerily silent …
Depleted uranium found in Gaza victims
60,000 Jordanians march for Gaza
Muslim states cold on Gaza talks
Iran: Gaza will become Zionist cemetery
Iran questions Western human rights talk
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TruthHugger 
Am totally hates Terrorism as we would lose every thing and not gaining at all with these kind of activities, Terror and violence is never the answer we should get more awareness and give our fellow people the same..
Kobi Leket, There is enough blame and human damage on both sides. No one here is supporting Hamas, and no one here is supporting Israel. From the safety of my workspace in Texas, I research until I am exhausted. I was taught to do that before I make a fool of myself.
Terror and violence is never the answer, we should all be educated enough to realize that. Terror and violence is self perpetuating … kill one and two more pop up. A coin toss will not fix anything. Becoming monsters does not solve anything.
The right wing of any nation will advocate violence in place of mediation and solution, its faster and gets more profit.
The US is finally getting a grip on that attitude. If any blame is to be pointed to, it lays, historically, on the shoulders of the Colonialists, Europeans and Americans.
Violence rooted in history and legacy based on fifty or hundreds or thousands of years will never solve the situation facing Israel, Palestine, the Middle East, SE Asia or the Orient. We should have enough logic to see that everyone has immediate needs not being addressed. Notice, I did not say fairly. Fair is but a fairy tale. Someone will always have to give a little.
Stop Hamas Terrorism. Stop terror everywhere. Israelies withdraw completely from Gaza 3 years ago. What we got? continuation of shelling bombs and rockets on Israeli towns and villages, targeting civilians only.
Stop the lies. 400 terrorist got killed and 100 “uninvoved” (civilians). This is 100 too much but this is not a deliberate massacre. You want to see a deliberate civilian massacre? look at this, (from LA Times):
“Female suicide bomber kills up to 38 in Baghdad
The explosion comes at a crowded checkpoint where Shiite Muslim pilgrims were en route to a holy shrine.
By Usama Redha and Kimi Yoshino
January 5, 2009
Reporting from Baghdad — As Shiite Muslim pilgrims made their way to a holy shrine in Baghdad this morning to mark one of the sect’s most important religious holiday, a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives at a crowded checkpoint, killing as many as 38 people and wounding 72, Iraqi police said.
It was one of the capital’s worst attacks in months and the second major bombing in the predominantly Shiite neighborhood of Kadhimiya since Dec. 27, when a minibus exploded, killing 24.”
Is this the world you want to live in?
Would you protest had Hamas rocket hit a kindergarden killing many kids?
Why havent you protest against terror?
I blame Arafat for the defeat of the Oslo process for peace, which I had supported, and the Hamas for what is happening today.
You people, including Arabs and Palestinians, you give automatic support to any Palestinian evil. This is why chances for Peace diminish and suffering prevail.