Hi Jules,

Here's another hypothetical: that Israel will make common cause with Iran, although perhaps neither would admit it, against the fascist Islamic State. Before Christmas.

Another hypothetical: that the al-Nusra Front will join the Islamic State, perhaps on its own volition, perhaps under orders from al Qa'ida. Before Christmas.

That might force a strange, bits-and-pieces, on-and-off, working arrangement between Assad, the US, Iran, Israel and Russia, each with its own battle-front and preoccupations.

Meanwhile the Saudis will tut-tut from the sidelines, even though Islamo-fascism is, at least in part, something of their own creation.

Like it or not, the US will be drawn back into a war to keep Iran and the Saudis apart at all costs.

Gaza will be little more than a speck on the radar in all that.

Joe

Dear Avw,

On the 16th of last month I put to you;

“A compliant, demilitarised Gaza will not process the peace process one iota. A compliant Fatah has seen huge areas on the West Bank now occupied by settlers and hopes for a two state solution becoming more and more like a pipe dream. Hamas would be mad to give up its weapons as they most certainly have a right to defend themselves plus they are the only thing that keeps Israel at the table.”

News from yesterday;

“JERUSALEM, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Israel announced on Sunday a land appropriation in the occupied West Bank that an anti-settlement group termed the biggest in 30 years, drawing Palestinian condemnation and a U.S. Rebuke.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/31/israel-west-bank_n_5745498.html

Prior to the latest invasion of Gaza Fatah helped the Israelis move in on Hamas members in the West Bank, it assisted in raids, in kidnappings, in destruction of Hamas charities and their actions spoke of echoes of the Judenrat.

“Often, a Judenrat had a group for internal security and control, a Jewish Ordnungspolizei. They also attempted to manage the government services normally found in a city such as those named above. However, the requirements of the Nazis to deliver community members to forced labor, deportation or concentration camps placed them in the position of helping the occupiers.”
Wikipedia

Then it was people now it is land being delivered up to the occupiers.

A heck of a lot of Gaza may well lay in ruins thanks to the Likud war criminals but at least the land remains intact. It is the largest contiguous piece of Palestinian land in the world.

Many of us hear Emiliano Zapata's words “I rather die on my feet than live upon my knees.” and think it is a noble sentiment, that is until it is applied to the Gazans.

I for one wish them the best in their struggle for freedom and in any other situation so would you. Why is this different?

Shadida Steele: Hamas would be mad to give up its weapons as they most certainly have a right to defend themselves plus they are the only thing that keeps Israel at the table.”

If Hamas gave up its weapons the Israeli's wouldn't have any reason to defend itself against the never ending Rocket & Mortar attacks. There wouldn't be any War & the Palestinians could live in peace in Gaza.

Shadida: in destruction of Hamas charities.

Or the fronts for arming Hamas.

Shadida: It is the largest contiguous piece of Palestinian land in the world.

Actually shouldn't Gaza be given back to the Philistines after all it what the Egyptians gave them after their island of Thea (now Santorini) blew up.

Shadida: I for one wish them the best in their struggle for freedom and in any other situation so would you.

Nah, they'll fail because their average IQ is about well below 80 whereas the Israelis average IQ is about 100 to 115.

Dear SR:

I’m afraid your “News from yesterday” quote doesn’t make your point any more valid.

You said:

“A compliant, demilitarised Gaza will not process the peace process one iota”

We know that several wars have been fought in the territory since the militarisation of Gaza following the violent takeover by Hamas. The barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel continues unabated. Are you suggesting that hostilities and bloodshed are preferred to the negotiations taking place in the West Bank? Are you suggesting the violence somehow advances the cause of peace?

Parts of Gaza may well be in ruins, but it’s mostly thanks to Hamas criminal actions and the support they get from westerners such as yourself advocating the continuation of violence and terror. It is hardly any consolation that your land is intact when your home is in ruin, your friends and relatives are casualties, death squads are roaming the streets, you have no power, no water and are fearful for your life on a daily basis. In comparison, the West Bank is a Palestinian paradise. Are you seriously suggesting that the Gazans are better off and their West Bank brothers should follow them on their path to destruction?

As for Fatah helping the Israelis to move in on Hamas members in the West Bank: as tempting as it might be to bring up Nazi Germany, unfortunately it’s completely irrelevant. Far from being on the same side, Fatah loathe Hamas just as much as they do Israel. Hamas murdered a large number of Fatah members when they violently took power in Gaza, and are now threatening to overthrow the PA in the West Bank. It is clearly in the interest of Fatah to assist the Israelis to round up as many Hamas members as possible.

“I…wish them the best in their struggle for freedom and in any other situation so would you. Why is this different?”

The path you are urging them to follow is violent path to destruction, not to freedom. How has the violence over the past 10 years advanced the peace process one iota?

Avw: Are you suggesting the violence somehow advances the cause of peace?

silly question. We are talking about the Middle East. There will "never" be peace. There has never been a time of real peace in the Middle East, "ever."

Avw: Are you seriously suggesting that the Gazans are better off and their West Bank brothers should follow them on their path to destruction?

Hamas will try to Capitalize on what happened in Gaza with propaganda & influence the West Bank into attacking Israel. Hopefully they won't be persuaded, but they will be & we will see the destruction of the West Bank & Israel remove the Palestinians from there permanently. It's really up to them, but Arabs, with such a low IQ they'll take the bait.

AVW: Fatah loathe Hamas just as much as they do Israel.

Your enemy will side with you against a third party if it will put him in power then once in power he will attack you. That's the way it has been since the rise of city states some 8000 years ago.

Dear Avw,

You said;

“I’m afraid your “News from yesterday” quote doesn’t make your point any more valid.”

Of course it does, particularly from the outside, but I understand with your perspective it would be difficult to see it.

Permit me to look at each of your points with that different (perhaps more legitimate) perspective and see what we are left with.

You said;

“We know that several wars have been fought in the territory since the militarisation of Gaza following the violent takeover by Hamas.”

What violent takeover by Hamas are you talking about? Their party Change and Reform won the 2006 Palestinian Legislative elections with an outright majority of seats. The withdrawal of aid by the major donor countries and the extremely harsh blockade of Gaza by Israel meant the Palestinian version of the 'Ordnungspolizei' took the opportunity to violently seize control against the wishes of the majority of the Palestinian people.

You said;

“The barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel continues unabated.”

And the attacks on Gaza continue unabated, so does the blockade, the targeted assassinations, the shooting deaths of rock throwing teenagers in the West Bank, the settler violence, the demolition of Palestinian homes, the theft of water, the brutal crack downs, the cancer of Israeli settlers and the Occupation.

You asked; “Are you suggesting that hostilities and bloodshed are preferred to the negotiations taking place in the West Bank?”

What negotiations are you talking about? All the people of Gaza see is a continued theft of land in the West Bank and an Israeli government determined to use any excuse to take more. While the Gazans trade lives to hold on to their land we have Israelis are trading lives for land that is not theirs. Every time there are Israeli lives lost the default reaction is to demolish more Palestinian homes, to announce fresh settlements and to steal more land. It has become so monotonous that only the blind could fail to see what is happening.

Cont..