Dear Joe,

I support both peoples being allowed to live behind secure borders with the right to defend themselves against invasion and occupation.

Let's look at the conflict through the lens of the other side.

After the tragedy of the deaths of the three Israeli boys hitchhiking in the occupied territories the Israeli government propagated the lie that they thought the victims were still alive then proceeded to kill, wound and kidnap those they considered aligned to Hamas living in the West Bank. They demolished homes, charities and businesses all the while attacking targets within Gaza with missile strikes and artillery rounds. These were not actions around supposed rocket fire from Hamas because there wasn't any to speak of before the killings. What do you expect Hamas to do? Sit there and take a brutal crack down and slaughters of their citizens by the occupiers?

Indeed what do you think was an appropriate response to the targeting of the four young boys playing on the beach in Gaza, or the 5 Israeli missiles that hit the hospital, or the Israeli mortar shell that targeted a play ground? Do you think they should say 'okay you have beaten us and we will comply with your demands'?

Time and time again the Israelis have been found guilty of collective punishment of the Palestinian people, are not the rockets the only means of Hamas doing the same?

You see the script is similar for either side and we might despair at the warped logic from them both but the inescapable fact is that only one of them is exacting a monstrous toll in civilian lives that should be an affront to any civilized person.

Cont...

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Do I think there is hope for the peace you described? Not with the current Israeli government, they will not allow it as it would mean complying with UN resolutions to withdraw from the occupied territories. As Bill Clinton said;

“ You know, you can't re-create the conditions that existed when I put together a proposal that Israel accepted and that Arafat didn't accept. But I do think it's worth remembering that at some point after the late Prime Minister Sharon became Prime Minister, at some point after that, Arafat said he would accept it and we needed to fill in the blanks. Then, after that, when Mr Abbas became the president of the Palestinians he said that he would accept it. By then the internal politics of Israel had changed quite a bit.”

IMFA Bulletin for 29 Jul 2014

"4 IDF soldiers killed in mortar attack in Eshkol region. Hamas claims responsibility. 5 soldiers killed thwarting infiltration from Gaza through a tunnel. Shifa Hospital in Gaza site struck by failed rocket attacks launched by Gaza terrorists."

You've seen all those ISIL terrorist recruitment videos helpfully (to the terrorist cause) played again and again by ABC and SBS.

Well here's "Targeting Hamas' terrorism against Israeli civilians" at http://youtu.be/Bunxinu6eNQ

Oh how my heart bleeds for those poor besieged overlords having to put up with armed resistance from the submen. Stubborn armed resistance. Unending armed resistance. For as long as the overlords encroach on their homeland.

Makes one think of the angst of their Nazi predecessors: if only the Resistance would see reason and accept the Reich’s right to occupy their land and daily bully their people. All they had to do was see reason and the punishment battalions and Einsatzgruppen would return to barracks.

Not that the Zionists need the Nazis as the source of their self-image. After all, they had the Bible for reference, with the grand plan already laid out for example at Deuteronomy 20 – read it at http://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/20-17.htm to get the drift.

Thankfully, humanity doesn’t work like that and hopefully it never will. All we need to do is pick a side.

@ Daffy Duck
If you believe anything that comes from Gideon Levy , you must believe the tooth fairy

Dear Julian,

<<All we need to do is pick a side.>>

If I were living in Gaza, then I would clearly pick the Israeli side (that is unless I were a fanatic Muslim).

When Israel ruled Gaza, ordinary Gazans had more freedom and prosperity than ever, including under Egyptian rule. There was a time, before the intifadas, when they worked and travelled in Israel without restrictions, not even roadblocks. Israelis too built factories in Gaza and went there shopping. Now when Hamas came to power, dissenters were thrown off roofs or shot at (minor dissenters were only shot at the knees). Beforehand, Gazans could do what they like and enjoyed the beach and a Western lifestyle - but now they are faced with modesty-patrols which cover the women and do not allow unmarried men and women to meet.

Can you also imagine what happens to a Gazan family which refuses to dedicate a room in their home for missile-storage as requested?

Now pick for yourself. Do you favour the Gazan people, or their oppressors?