Danielle,

English is an ancient artificially-reviving language with own specific as any language is, mostly verbal nuances vary among different geographical regions even in the same land-grabbed lands sustaining an Anglo-sphere, of which structurally-grammatical primitivism grounds its spread following “enduring a freedom round a globe” easily.

Probably, your late intention to deploy interpreters will allow providing the relevant answers on topic-related questions and would very much be appreciated in a case of my healthy curiosity particularly.

So, Danielle, what is more important: the discriminatorily applying “international law”-playing “Israeli occupation"-related endless playing words in pro-islamists environments especially, or a commonsense approach, where launching kassam at Israeli condominiums should be responded with at least two rockets non-discriminatorily?

Thank you in advance for eventual delighting on an issue concerned

Peachy,

Resolution 242:

Whilst calling on Arab States to make peace with Israel, the Security Council quite deliberately did not say that Israel withdraw from “all” the territories occupied since the Six-Day War. Those who drafted the resolution confirmed this:

On October 29, the British Foreign Secretary told the House of Commons that withdrawl did not envisage from “all” territories.

Later, Lord Carandon stated: “It would be wrong to demand that Israel return to its positions of June 4, 1967, because these positions were undesirable and artificial.”

US Ambassador, Arthur Goldberg, explained: “The notable omissions - which were not accidental - in regard to withdrawal are the words “the” or “all” and “the June 5, 1967 lines” ... the resolution speaks of withdrawal from the occupied territories without defining the extend of withdrawl.” ...the parties were to make ... “territorial adjustments in their peace settlement encompassing less than a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from occupied territories, inasmuch as Israel’s prior frontiers had proved notably insecure.”

In Resolution 424 there is no requirement that Palestinians be given political rights or terroritory; they are only alluded to in the second clause of the second article which calls for “a just settlement of the refugee problem.”

Arab States, whilst accepting 242, defined it as requiring Israel’s total, unconditional withdrawal from the disputed territories.

Since Oslo, Israel has transferred virtually all civilian authority to the PA, whilst retaining its power to control its own external security and that of its citizens. 98% of the Palestinian population in the West Bank and now Gaza came under PA authority. Israeli presence in those areas has been due to violence against Israel. The way to end dispute over territories is for Palestinians to fulfil their obligations under the road map, and the PA to
stop the terror and negotiate a final settlement.

In 1937, 1939, 1947, 1979, 1993 and 2000 there have been opportunities for the creation of a Palestinian State; in 2000 Barak offered this, Arafat rejected it.

As Abba Eban remarked: “Palestinians have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”

cont...

The pre-1967 border, the Green Line, was not an internationally recognised border, but an armistice line between Israel and Jordan pending the negotiation of a final border. Israel’s fence is not a political statement, but a barrier against the prevention of terror, taking into account topography, population density and threat assessment to the area. Much of the fence runs along the Green Line, some places inside the Green Line. Rather than incorporate Ariel, a town of some 20,000 people, which would have meant extending the fence 12 miles into the West Bank, a separate fence was built around it.

Israeli negotiators have always envisaged the future border to be the 1967 “frontier” with modifications to minimize security risk to Israel.

The original route was 484 miles, but has been repeatedly modified. Under israel’s June 2004 Supreme Court decision, the barrier is being further altered closer to the 1967 cease-fire line, making it less burdensome to the Palestinians. The fence is now expected to be 385 miles, incorporating 7% of the West Bank. More than 140 miles has been completed, after being finished, Israel will decide whether to allow Jews to remain in communities on the “wrong side” and when they will be either offered compensation to move, or forcibly removed.

Every effort is made to exclude Palestinian villages from the area within the fence; and no territories are being annexed.

The land used is for security purposes, is not confiscated, remaining the property of the owner. Legal procedures allow every owner to file an objection to seizure of their land, and Israel has budgeted $US 22 million to compensate Palestinians for their land.

When, and if Palestinians negotiate an end to conflict, the fence will be removed.

Even without change, a Palestinian State could be established theoretically in 93% of the West Bank, with the territorial dispute reduced to negotiation of 90 square miles.

Earthrise,

I have an academic background, so like intellectual research and rigour, not assumptions based on poor evidence. I am not a Zionist, nor Israeli, nor even a Jew.

Earthrise,

I am a little surprised that you have gone back to your old ways. Flinging accusations and insults might make you feel better but it does nothing for the debate.

I challenge you to provide an example of any ‘shrill’ comments made by either Danielle or myself, in the last weeks posts.

I and Danielle have provided evidence for all our assertions. In your last post there is not a single statement you have backed up with a reference. It’s all unfounded personal opinion, with a bit of hysteria thrown in.

I am frankly astounded that you think white, middle class men are responsible for the tragedy in the Middle East. Racism isn’t a great look for a ‘progressive’.

How exactly is it that Israel is acting as the US’s vassal? Any evidence for this?

There is no benefit to me to defend the Israelis either. I am not a Jew, or an Israeli. And I am not sure how you think Israel helps us get cheap oil, any suggestions?

Paternalism? Are you joking? Women’s equality is a central tenet of Western society ( we have made great progress), yet many feminists happily champion the Islamic cause. It’s incredible, If you were at all interested in banishing sexism from the world you would be out there protesting against Islam’s treatment of women.

It’s becoming very clear that you lack the basic facts to support your conclusions. In fact it is you who is becoming SHRILL and DESPERATE. An example.

Earthrise. “Everyone who defends Israel does it for selfish reasons”.
What!! I am fairly sure I haven’t heard anything more inane from you yet. How do you come up with such preposterous nonsense?

Earthrise. “You are only here to perpetuate the suffering of the Palestinian people, and Karma is coming for you.”
Oh dear, I think you need a little bit of a lie down. I really don’t know how YOU could call anyone shrill and desperate after your most recent post. Clearly you have no fear of hypocrisy

Danielle,

We know history.
Where is answer on my question repeated steadily?

Is this message written in enough plain English, is it?

MichaelK.

I apologise for not responding sooner, I have been very busy. I do not know of the attack of which you write, however, Kassam rocket launchers are often lined up in an extended row (see PIJ's Qudsway Website, September 3, 2007), so depending upon the intelligence, line of command and other variables, within the IDF it is impossible to know the situation at that time.

Most of the Kassam rockets are locally manufactured and have an approximate maximum range of 9 kilometers (6 miles), although some have a range of 12.5 kilometers (7.3/4 miles). In addition, also launched are standard 122 mm rockets with a range of 20.4 kilometers (12 2/3 miles) which had been smuggled into the Gaza Strip.

Since the beginning of the cease-fire with the Palestinians on 26 November 2005, Kassam rocket and mortar attacks have been made on Israel, it seems a case of “you cease, and we fire”.

After the 40th Kassam rocket attack, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, 6 December, 2006, said: "Israel has not responded even once to the rockets that have been fired since the beginning of the cease-fire, but it is impossible to be reconciled to this for long."

Since Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip in mid-August 2005 until the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip 1,826 missiles were fired into Israeli territory from Gaza as follows:

15 August - 31 December 2005: 270
1 January - 31 December 2006: 1020
1 January - 14 June 2007: 536

(In May this year , Palestinians launched some 300 Kassam rockets from Gaza at Sderot and the western Negev. Hamas openly claimed responsibility for the attack.)