Fundamentalism, Bushbred?

Where do you see any fundamentalists on the Israeli side?
Israel is fighting for its home, struggling to survive. period. what's fundamentalist about it? yes, there are some lunatic Jewish fundamentalists in the West-Bank, but where are they in this war? while 1000's of Katyusha and other rockets fell on northern Israel, causing immense destruction, not a single rocket fell on their homes and many of them refuse to participate in the fighting in Lebanon because they despise the Israeli army which recently evacuated some of them from their illegal settlements. They are indeed a shame, but only a fringe that does not represent Israel in any way and does not take part in this war.

"the ones without weapons"?
so 13,000 rockets, including long-range, and top-of-the-line anti-tank missiles, artillery and much more, held by the Hezbullah are not weapons, just children's toys, right?

US pilots??
not a single one of them: all pilots are Israeli - and you know what, Israel would not allow an American to fly its war-planes and helicopters, because the Israeli pilots are the best in the world!
Those pilots sleep like babies at night (when not on duty), because those heroes know that they fought well and saved their country and the world from evil terrorists who try to kill every man, woman and child.

Yes, Israel does most killing - because they are better. You should not count casualties - but intentions:
How many people does Israel wish to kill? 0
How many people does Hezbullah wish to kill if they could? 6,000,000 Jews to begin with, followed by the rest of us "infidels" throughout the world, as well as even Moslems who are not strict enough or do not adhere to their particular sect.

I find James McConvill's opinion piece disappointing as it seems to be largely filled with emotional anti-semetic rhetoric rather than well considered argument.
I live in a Middle East country and am therefore all too aware of the dangers presented by organisations which sanctify death and only elevate the status of women as mothers of suicide matyrs or perpetuators of honour killings.
But actually, I am usually arguing against similar rhetoric used against muslims. Most muslims are not terrorists quite the contrary, and most do not support suicide killings or the hatred that is encouraged by these organisations. The outcry about the war has been far less here than in Western nations. Many Arabs have more to fear from Hezbollah, Al Qaeda or the Taliban than they do from Israel.
Peace agreements and withdrawals have been kept by Israel but Hezbollah's real agenda (and it is vocal about this along with Iran and Syria) is against the existence of Israel.
There have always been Jews in Israel and 20 per cent of the population is Arab. Palestinians both within Israel and on the West Bank and Gaza are entitled to a fair and equal life and this will include I hope, educational reforms for women with the aim of eliminating honour killings and other deaths in the name of Allah.

One other aspect: Israel's losses have been lower due to the national provision of bomb shelters for the population. Hezbollah should have had the same policy particularly as it has stored missiles and other armaments in civilian quarters and given the fact that in the last 20 years it has killed 800 people and might expect retaliation.

"I say that you need to read the biography of Mohammed written by Karen Armstrong before you make any claims of 'genocide'."

Please read Salman Rashdie's "Satanic Verses" i.e Koran verses and read the definiton of Genocide (Oxford Dictionary) so that you can understand what is a 'Genocide'.

Jihadists who murder are indeed following Koran/Satanic verses.. they simply follow the 'Mass-murderer', the Father of all Jihadists mohammed.

Oklohama? So, you got 1 christian killing in the name of Christianity? (Did he ever say that I am blowing up this for Christian God as dictated in the Christian Book??)

Find somthing else

Rayann, Karen Armstrong's biography of Muhammad is a fawning whitewash of Islam. Theory is nice, but let's look at how Islam is actually practised - now, who would like to live in Saudi Arabia or Iran as non-Muslims

Perhaps we Aussies should show some fortitude,develop our own nuclear weapons,and become independant from the US.We can have it all.We have 40% of the world's uranium huge coal and gas reserves with a small population to share it all.

Why involve ourselves with this Middle Eastern nonsense?We can become independant of Middle East Oil, the Jews and North America.I say stuff em,we don't need this religious hate and ignorance.Make money not war!

I agree with dinkum but I also think that the following statement by bushbred is most profound:-

"Yes, it is scary, Geoff, do we go after the ones doing the most killing, or the ones without weapons who wish they could."

He has been misunderstood. I don't think he really meant that US pilots were involved here.

There is a real conflict here and fundamentalists on both sides have nearly produced a disaster. I know an Israeli born woman who told me "on both sides there are people who don't want peace."

And anti Islamism is just as vile as anti semitism.