John J,

So you lied to prove your point? You can't defend it.. especially when misrepresentation is what your on about

The truth is that one form of bias begets another opposing form of bias. As Israel has used its power to (mostly indirectly) inflict suffering on the Palestinians over the years - after all a lot of Israelis still think of themselves as God's people - others in the international community who can see the injustices find another forum in which they can get square, as it were, with Israel. Their weapon of choice is the international media. This is no more than the Law of Reciprocal Action in operation.

Just to thoroughly compound the situation, Israel has a legitimate right to protect its citizens. Although the Hamas rocket attacks are like throwing darts at an elephant, if Israel does not show sufficient resolve in protecting itself, it will just invite more rocket attacks (and worse) from the militant Islamists. While it's true that ordinary Palestinians are disproportionately suffering as a result of the political interests of other Arabs, it doesn't mean the rest of the Arab world will take kindly to Israel if it suddenly drops its guard and takes a compassionate approach to Palestine. The Arab world will more than likely take that as a sign of weakness and attack even more, such is the deep-seated resentment between the two.

It might well be lucky for Israel that it has the nuclear deterrent. There's always the threat that any full scale incursion of Israel will precipitate a like response on an Arab city. Hopefully, before such an event happens, the people of the region can learn to live with their differences.

STRANGE WEAPONS being used by Israel.

Can you all look at this article..and see the image.. we have all been watching these repeatedly..but I have no clue about 'what' they are..

can anyon help?

http://www.welt.de/english-news/article2999127/Israel-rejects-U-N-resolution-pounds-Gaza.html

They seem to explode in mid air and send hundreds of glowing bits to the ground...

?

Polycarp,
Israel has been using white phosphorus weapons as a "smokescreen" - they are banned for anti-personnel use as by the US in Iraq. The other weapon used in Gaza-to awful effect-is D.I.M.E (Dense Inert Metal Explosive) bombs. See the Wikipedia entry for the full horror story. DIME munitions inflict carcinogenic effects and result in wounds which amputate limbs. These US munitions, and cluster bombs, should be banned for use against civilian ppulations.

Surely a taste of history will be helpful to save the Middle East.

Both experiencing and quoting such history, John Falconer writing in the WEST AUSTRALIAN January 6, 'oo9, says that at the time of the beginning of today's Palestine problem, the UN of the time gave the appropriate answer - that the Palestine area must be partitioned democratically between the Arabs and Jews, as well as especially being under International control.

From Falconer - but the devil was in the detail and the Arab side of the decisionmaking was mostly brushed aside.

Thus with American help plus US dollars the tiny state of modern Israel was born.

From Falconer - If the US had only insisted that the aleady battling Arab state had been given even partial backing similar to Israel things might have turned out better.

From Falconer - in all this sorry affair it seems the present UN maybe should take the blame because it may have been hard for the US to remain an honest broker.

As the message carrier, the above leaves myself even more concerned about what most of the present Israelie's parents had gone through during the horrific Nazi Death Camps.

Historically, however, what has causd me to remain defiant has been the foolishness of the modern world agreeing to such a tiny state like Israel going strongly militarily atomic.

Admiration thus has long gone to Henry Kissinger, who as a Jew and high-ranking politicl scientist besides Minister of State under Richard Nixon, gave warning that if allowed a militarily atomic little Israel could upset the balance of power in the Middle East possibly to the point of a WW3.

Though it may be again boring that one again brings up
Kantian philosophy -

as regards our pretty well useless present UN, it is all important because it was Kant who first gave us the idea of a UN formed only from a Federation of Democratic Nations.

But while the League is said to have collapsed through British single power authority, our present UN has collapsed through the over-authoritarianism of Pax Americana.

Hi Bren,
always dangerous to wear glasses single sided, mate!
If you watch international news you will find that almost all nations, whether western or others, condemn Israel's latest war on Gaza. Why would that be? Maybe, just maybe, Israel is the aggressor, not the other way around.
You will not find similar news or stands on our Australian news, and of course not on the American news. It is not a coincidance, that Israel started another war on its neighbours right now. As long as the warhead George W. Bush is in power, he will back up everything Israel asks for and does. That might not be the case with the new president coming.
Since the beginning of time, so it seems, is Israel fighting its neighbours. Are they all bad? Why would a peaceful nation always fight its neighbours? How come that the majority of nations condemn Israel, if Israel is only protecting itself?
As long as peace cannot be found in that region our world will always be in crises.
cheers m2catter