Philip Tang "The Palestinian/Israeli conflict has been turned from a political one into a "religious" jihadists"
We must be careful when we mix up the religious with politics.
Some may try to convicted us about it but I am sure Palestinian are less religious than Bush.
Palestinians are not Talibans That's sure and WELL KNOWN WORLD WIDE, WHAT ANY AMERICAN EXTREMIST WRITE ABOUT IT IS AN OTHER STORY. DO NOT FORGET THAT AMERICAN IS IN DICLINE OF CAUSE ITS DERTY POLICIES.
American people have realized how terrible wrong is their policy and ACCORDING TO LAST WEEK'S SURVEY ONLY 10% OF AMERICANS AGREE WITH THE DIRECTION FROM THEIR COUNTRY.

Paul.L, "a two state solution. Maybe in 50 years.."
If the Israel will not solve its problems with Palestinians and its neighbors with in 15 years and enter in European Union then it it will HAS HUGE PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE.
1. Did you see who was the co-chairman in the meeting for the Mediterranean Union? The president of Egypt, The Israel was there next to Syria!
2. The America is in huge decline and soon they could not support or be ready to support Israel as now.
3. The oil is finishing and soon the region will lose its strategic value and USA will not need it so much as now.
4. International community understand both sites BUT OVER ALL IT IS INTERESTED FOR THEIR OWN BUSINESS! The Arab market is huge comparing with the tiny market of Israel! You know it.
Israelis started to understand their conditions and follow their own policy, different from USA foreign policy, their discussions with Syrian are moving to the right directions.
SECURITY FOR ISRAEL, JUSTICE FOR PALESTINIANS, THE FAIR, LONG LASTING SOLUTION.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Examinator,

You say that you are not taking sides, but your "context" lacks many salient details.

Firstly there is the THREE Arab invasions of Israel between 1948 and 1973. (The first of which PRECEDES all your points) These were all attempts to WIPE OUT Israel, and wars of national survival are never going to adhere to such a nebulous concept as international law. After all, what point is there in being legal, but being dead? The land Israel took in 1967 was only taken after the ARABS again decided they could wipe out Israel.

Israel took land from those countries which participated in the attacks for strategic purposes. It was as much about ensuring the country couldn’t be cut in half by arab tanks driving 10 minutes to the sea, as a naked grab for land. In any case the precedent for an aggressor losing land to their enemy is well and truly set. Alsace/Lorraine for example.

Beyond the simple land issue has been the 40 years of terrorism which Israel has suffered from. Israel has a RIGHT to defend it citizens.

You speak of mass punishment/collateral damage etc, as if somehow the fact that Israel’s enemies target large groups of innocent civilians for mass murder just wasn’t an issue. When each hamas suicide bomber can kill 100 people, is it any surprise that Israel can live with the collateral damage of attacking terrorists hiding behind the skirts of their women. It’s a sad calculation but what are Israels alternatives?

Withdrawing unilaterally from the occupied territories? They tried that in Gaza, look at how far it got them.

I don’t care about those idiot peace activists. As far as I’m concerned if you f@ck with a 50 ton bulldozer, you are asking for trouble. They remind me of Mao’s ( or was it Ho Chi Minh?) “useful idiots”. I don’t see any of the peace activist trying to put themselves between a Hamas suicide bomber and his victims. I don’t see these peace activist in Sderot, human shields to the rockets hamas shoots over the border from Gaza every day.

I am still waiting for the 'archeological' evidence to support the suggestion that 'pork' bones were found in the Kitchen's at Massada. Frankly, the place was taken by the Roman's, who ate pork, so the historical significance of finding pork bones where the Romans once went is beyond my comprehension (in fact, I'd have to suggest even the Bedouin may have eaten pork up till the advent of Mohammed, there certainly was no prohibition upon them so doing prior to that).

WOFTSAB, the latest military excursion into Lebanon certainly, if nothing else, secured the safety of the Northern Towns, Settlements, etc. from the incessant nuisance rocket attacks. Like it or lump it, they have pretty much ceased. Personally I have always advocated sending the SLA back in (leave their families over the border in Israel where the IDF can protect them from Hizbollah) and let them get their revenge against Hizbollah. Give them WHATEVER they want, air support, artillery, weapons, bulldozers, etc.

That WOULD fix the problem. Hizbollah would not be able to attack their families at will as happened last time, so the SLA would be ten times more effective.* That would see a friendly, Christian neighbour to the North, and two friendly (or at least not militantly unfriendly) neighbours to the South and East.

* Hizbollah & Amal have little fear of the IDF, the IDF is restricted in how and when it can strike at them, and if they hide amongst the civilian population they are nearly impossible to hit. They do fear the SLA however, because the SLA never did come to terms with trying to minimize civilian casualties. Israel would only have to set up the South Lebanon defence zone again, but this time just use the SLA in defensive positions at the Litani (similar to those in Northern Israel now). The problem posed by Shi'ite 'civilians' and the militants amongst them, would be solved automatically when it became known that only the SLA would be involved. You probably don't support this, but surely the Maronite christians/phalangists also have a 'right of return'?

HAGWEASEL,

Hezbollah no control a great deal more inLebanaon than they did prior to the Israeli defeat and withdrawal. The are also more powerfully armed.

How you can not see this as to Israeli's disadvantage is beyond logic.

Oh and why don't you talk about your courageous IDF at Ni'lin. Did you see the facists shoot and kill a kid protesting against the conrinuing Israeli land theft?

Oh it's ok because he was protesting and throwing rocks? Right?

F...ing cowards!

Keith,

You clearly have no understanding of irony or hypocricy.

Tell us about the brave soldiers of Hamas and Hezbollah, who hide behind the skirts of their women and children. They're so brave they only target civilians.

Your disdain for democracy when it doesn't meet your loony-left agenda is showing. Hezbollah are a terrorist group which has derailed the democratic institutions of their own country. They staged a soft-coup only recently. They execute prisoners they take, yet Keith makes excuses for them.

I know you have trouble containing your excitement that these terrorist organisations might actually damage Israel in some way, but your faith is misplaced. Israel is strong and will not be dictated to by terrorists.

BTW, Anyone throwing rocks at armed men deserves what they get. It's absolutely stupid behaviour. Like that idiot girl who lay down in front of a bulldozer.

Haganabet,

I like your idea of again using the SLA against Hezbollah, which would mean playing by the terrorists rules (which are no rules, effectively). As you say, with properer indirect fire support they would be unstoppable. Like the Northern Alliance fighting the Taliban/AlQaeda.

Has everyone forgotten the Bali bombing already? And 9/11, the London and Madrid and Mumbai bombings?

There is a fanatical group in the ME who call themselves Muslims and specialise in murder. They make everyones life a misery. They would happily blow up you infidels in Australia Square if they could.

They are ruining Lebanon, they have already driven out an ancient Jewish community and driven out enough Christians to give the country a Muslim majority. Given half a chance they will drive out the remaining Christians.

They are controlling the education system in Gaza and elsewhere, and training children in the glories of martyrdom through suicidal homicide. They even use children's TV for that purpose. In Israel, even when under threat from these evil maniacs, the law allows dissidents to express negative views about the states reaction to these people and allows Atheists to declare themselves. What do you think Hamas or Hizbollah would do to those who demonstrated against the Hamas rockets fired at Israeli schools, or women who demanded equal rights? Or gays?

Do you think that the average Muslim woman wants to wear a Bhurqa or be stoned to death if she is unfaithful to her husband?

And yes sympathise with the Palestinians, but those who chose to become Israeli citizens largely prefer to stay there (particularly the Christians and the Druze). It is the Islamists and the hostile Arab states who are the cause of their main problems. Israel supplies Gaza with electricity and water, even when they fire rockets at them.

And please also give a thought to the best part of a million Jewish refugees plus Druze, Christians, and Baha'i who make up the majority of Israel's population. There houses were stolen by the Arab countries, perhaps they could be given to the Palestinians, that would be fair.