We can agree to disagree on that one... Quite frankly, I blame the inhumane thugs that coerced real 'Peace Protesters' to use as a front for their propaganda stunt. If they were fair dinkum about providing the supplies, they would not have been stopping for press conferences on the way and would have used one of the other alternatives presented to them.

Instead they chose to create a conflict, the blockade of Gaza exists because Israel is at war with HAMAS, it is a military blockade and until now they have been able to run it fairly well (except for when HAMAS closes off the crossings). Unfortunately the aid doesn't get to where it is meant to go, it is used as a political tool, support HAMAS or don't eat.

The difficulty now, is that the conflict having been entered, it will not stop...

The only non-confrontational route out of this that Israel has is to mine the entire coastline of Gaza. Then all vessels seeking to answer can either comply with the suggestion they stop, be boarded, inspected and escorted to a suitable port, or they can choose to run the minefield. Mines are good for this, they provide a non-offensive method of controlling a coastline, people choosing to ignore them take on a known risk and the result is their problem.

The obscenity that is the blatant manipulation of the press looks like backfiring. For once Israel seems to have been at least partly ready for Palliwood, the videos from both IDF members & 'protesters', clearly show the conflict was initiated and escalated by the 'peaceful protestors'. That is why Clinton, Obama, etc. are calling for an independent Judicial Inquiry.

Let's see where the truth lies in the cold hard light of fact. I am extremely interested to see it myself.

If it turns out that it was nothing more than a stage managed propaganda ploy, a lot of 'supporters' will be left with visible egg on their face & a lot won't appreciate it.

Susonline :)

You said:

//Maybe the people who brokered the Irish and English peace in Northern Ireland, to stop their mad bombing of each other, could give some pointers to these guys?//

Poor Suz.. the issue was..is and always will be "Jerusalem"...

It is ultimately a clash of faiths over one chunk of land.
Dillbrains who 'brokered the Irish English peace" oh puh-lease.. they would not have the slighest clue on this one mate.

Read the Hamas Charter Suz.. please.. it might open your eyes.

Note also the chant of the 'progressive activists' "Jews..remember khaiber"

Do you know what that relates to ? I'd love a response to that question.
Thanx

why do those who along with the Iranian President have the honesty to admit they don't think Israel has a right to exist let alone defend itself. All this dishonest rhetoric in order to add to those who hate Israel because they have turned a small piece of land into a productive oasis unlike an Arab nation has ever been able to do.

Sadly, suzeonline, it isn't going to be that simple.

>>Maybe the people who brokered the Irish and English peace in Northern Ireland, to stop their mad bombing of each other, could give some pointers to these guys?<<

The last round of the "Troubles" went on for on forty years, but has its roots (variously) in the Easter Rising/Black and Tans era (1919 to 1922), and the Irish Rebellion of 1798. Given that i) the present relative calm in Northern Ireland may only be a lull in hostilities (since nothing has actually been settled) and ii) Israel has only existed since 1947, I suspect the idea of someone "brokering" a peace may be a little unrealistic.

As Boaz was too polite to say, the present relative calm in the six counties happened through a general sense of exhaustion all round, coupled with the EC-supported economic resurgence of the Republic that flattened out the financial disparities a touch, rather than any efforts by politicians.

My own view is that both sides got so sick of the sight of the posture-some Tony Blair spouting blandness and platitudes, that they simply gave up.

As far as this rather nasty situation is concerned, I am prepared to wait a little longer for more facts to emerge. All we are seeing at the moment is the heated output of every information-spinner under the sun.

The Israelis should have just sent the blockade-runners to Davey Jones' locker.

Dear Proxy,

"The Israelis should have just sent the blockade-runners to Davey Jones' locker."

Probably one of the most unchristian sentiments I have seen on OLO in a hell of a long time.

Where does the deep anger and hatred that this portrays come from?