"Now, I'm an agnostic so all religions are equally silly in my view,"

Your argument begins and crashes there; the equivalence idea is the modus operandi of political correctness and the left emasculation of the West.

it is also a product of a lazy mind.

Not all religions are equal; none are as aggressive, oppressive and barbaric as islam.

It is not Israel which does not want to negotiate; but who do they negotiate with: Hamas or Fatah, or Hezbolla, or Iran, or Syria?

>>More than 50% of Palestinian children are suffering from illnesses directly related to nutritional deficiencies which are in turn a direct result of Israeli border control policies.>>

Two countries / regions I've called A and B.

Here are some vital statistics:

A:

Maternal Mortality: 66/100,000 births

Infant Mortality: 24.23 / 1000 births

Life expectancy: 72.93

B:

Maternal Mortality: 64/100,000 births

Infant Mortality: 16.55 / 1000 births

Life expectancy: 74.16

(Source: CIA world factbook)

One of these is Egypt. The other is Gaza. Which is which?

Now some facts:

There is no blockade on food. Any amount of food can enter Gaza – at least from the Israeli side

The "blockade" has not stopped Hamas importing thousands of tons of weapons including rockets that are fired on Israel. I would have thought they could smuggle in a bit of baby food if some is needed.

The Egyptians can end the blockade immediately by opening the Rafah crossing. Personally I wish they would. For some reason the new Muslim Brotherhood regime has declined to do so. I wonder why.

I am reasonably certain that Hamas could negotiate a deal in which they give up their weapons imports in return for being allowed to trade with the rest of the world. Unfortunately, as per their charter, killing Jews seems to be more important to them than the welfare of Palestinians.

For me the biggest mystery is why the Egyptians do not simply allow the free flow of goods and services across the Rafah crossing.

Anyone got any theories? Preferably ones that do not involve blaming the Americans. It's getting a bit lame

Get your hand off it singer.
People hate Israel (not jews) because of its murderous attempted genocide of their Palestinian neighbors and the theft of their land.
Until Israel sets its borders permanently and accepts the right of the Palestinians to have their own country, Israel is nothing but a rogue state no different to Nth Korea, Iran or the old Afghanistan.
Indeed they are worse. Only Israel is seeking to expand its territory and settle(by force) land that does not belong to it.
Your propaganda and ceaseless whining are becoming less and less effective as people learn what Israel and the zionists really do to other people in their quest for control of all the land between the Jordan river and the sea. Just like their magical superfriend in the sky promised them all those thousands of years ago.
Makes me want to throw up.

Gaza: -

Infant mortality - 19.5/1000

Life expectancy - 73.4

Israel: -

Infant mortality - 4.0/1000

Life expectancy - 80.73

(source - WHO - 2010)

http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/885BD85F892778F28525772700503A4B

David

There was a time on olo when I was the only person who would refute and ridicule your propaganda articles.

Now there are dozens of people who are doing that... and while I get the urge to comment I find all my arguments are presented, usually more articulately, by everyone else.

And apparently they are all Jew haters ... lol.

Jew hater is something you never ever accused me.

I also note that your supporters are also still able to be counted on the fingers of one hand.

My oh my haven't things changed... since that defeat in Southern Lebanon and since the election of Hamas, in fair democratic elections, as the legitimate government in Palestine.

Oh I've also changed my mind. I now think a one state solution is the only possible outcome.

Correction:

Infant mortality for Gaza is 20.2/1000