what is your thoughts on the current state of the Israel-Gazza situation

[James D]

Gaza currently experiencing the equivalent of 3 and a half 9/11's every day.

WOW

Source? Doesn't seem right.

Because it is not even close to accurate . Mindboggling someone could post something that could be verified or disproved in one minute.

1766 dead in Gaza as of aug 3rd in total for entire 4 week conflict not one day
2977 died on 9/11 not including hijackers

if anyone cares 174000 people have been killed in the last three years in the conflict in syria. That is a country bordering Israel . Since it's not Israelis and Palestinians no one cares. I guess Syrian kids and women aren't as valuable. The ironic part is the Syrians are far greater victims then anyone in the Palestinian Israeli conflict .

[itchypickle]

Because it is not even close to accurate . Mindboggling someone could post something that could be verified or disproved in one minute.

1766 dead in Gaza as of aug 3rd in total for entire 4 week conflict not one day
2977 died on 9/11 not including hijackers

if anyone cares 174000 people have been killed in the last three years in the conflict in syria. That is a country bordering Israel . Since it's not Israelis and Palestinians no one cares. I guess Syrian kids and women aren't as valuable. The ironic part is the Syrians are far greater victims then anyone in the Palestinian Israeli conflict .

A simple Google search will reveal hours of videos of Hamas murdering Gaza citizens in the past few years as well. Anyone remember when Israel pulled out of Gaza 7 years ago? Members of Fatah were tossed from the roof tops by Hamas....VICE media did a story 2 years ago of how Hamas runs the area and anyone who dissents is executed.....no mention of that this month this time.

Anyone remember the Egypt clashes just recently when the muslim Brotherhood came to power before Al Sissi? Probably not but again....another near failed state on the Israeli border. Half a million Arabs can decapitate each other in the streets and nobody blinks an eye but let Israel kill a few and the world is outraged.

[muldoon]

VICE media did a story 2 years ago of how Hamas runs the area and anyone who dissents is executed..

Might want to keep that line handy next time the "people in Gaza need to reject Hamas" refrain gets used.

[itchypickle]

Might want to keep that line handy next time the "people in Gaza need to reject Hamas" refrain gets used.

Palestinians vs Hamas, same as in Syria, Iraq, and the lot of them....in fighting that never stops. You're right though, the people of Gaza had a choice when they voted the political wing into power...sucks that everyone except for them knew it would backfire on them but at the end of the day, it is still their own bed..sleep in it.

This should be the last week of operations in there though, now comes the waiting to see if they accept outside help to rebuild and get aid to the people or eject it and still just want to destroy Israel and neglect their people. Obviously going to be awhile before the infrastructure is back to where it was a month ago but this is, to rational thinking people at least, a chance to even out and start on a positive path. See where their motives are focused.

[muldoon]

Palestinians vs Hamas, same as in Syria, Iraq, and the lot of them....in fighting that never stops. You're right though, the people of Gaza had a choice when they voted the political wing into power...sucks that everyone except for them knew it would backfire on them but at the end of the day, it is still their own bed..sleep in it.

The result was a victory for Hamas, who won with 74 seats of the 132 seats, whilst the ruling Fatah won just 45. In terms of votes received, Hamas took 44.45% of the vote, whilst Fatah received 41.43% and of the Electoral Districts, Hamas party candidates received 41.73% and Fatah party candidates received 36.96%

Yes, those kids in Gaza should have done something about Hamas not even reaching 45% of the vote.

I know you chalk it up to "it's war, people die" and bring up other countries etc (never accounting for the fact that people in Syria and other places can actually flee to refugee camps).

Now you have right wing Israeli politicians talking genocide like it's the only solution. And folks like yourself ready to back them up with the usual talking points. (Hamas has a charter ...they'd wipe out Israel given the chance...)

Hamas is fully funded (and based) in places like Qatar. Yet we're going ape-shi*t imposing sanctions on....Russia?

[itchypickle]

Yes, those kids in Gaza should have done something about Hamas not even reaching 45% of the vote.

I know you chalk it up to "it's war, people die" and bring up other countries etc (never accounting for the fact that people in Syria and other places can actually flee to refugee camps).

Now you have right wing Israeli politicians talking genocide like it's the only solution. And folks like yourself ready to back them up with the usual talking points. (Hamas has a charter ...they'd wipe out Israel given the chance...)

Hamas is fully funded (and based) in places like Qatar. Yet we're going ape-shi*t imposing sanctions on....Russia?

No I'm not backing genocide....but when you see the videos and pics now of tunnels being dug directly to and underneath Israeli kids schools and some reports have them having planned a Sept holiday attack...the tunnels need to be dealt with so if that involves street to street fighting I'm for it. I understand the blockades and lack of avenues of places to flee but back up and ask...why...are the blockades in place -Israeli and Egyptian- and why have they been tightened the past couple years - remember the flotilla incident, Iranian arms shipments etc. And this current fighting would not be going on had it not been started with the rockets in June.

I hate the thought of the kids being injured....but ask yourself all the reasons behind it and why are they only throwing those images out to you and not the other fighting. Was watching Al Jazeera America the other night live and some guys came running through the press area with a stretcher waving the cameras off...when they put it down it carried a Hamas fighter in the green fatigues and they didn't want him shown so they cut away - 2 minutes later they started showing loop footage of a woman in the hospital wailing. I think all sides need to be given is what I'm saying. And finally, if Israel turns off the Iron Dome system and counts to 10...how many kids in Tel Aviv do you think would be killed in the rain of rockets? So just because one side is stopping its people from injury doesn't mean they are doing something wrong.

[ChalkyDog]

IMO, this is simple kickback/fallout from our purposeful destabilization of the region, especially in Syria.

[scumbag]

No I'm not backing genocide....but when you see the videos and pics now of tunnels being dug directly to and underneath Israeli kids schools and some reports have them having planned a Sept holiday attack...the tunnels need to be dealt with so if that involves street to street fighting I'm for it. I understand the blockades and lack of avenues of places to flee but back up and ask...why...are the blockades in place -Israeli and Egyptian- and why have they been tightened the past couple years - remember the flotilla incident, Iranian arms shipments etc. And this current fighting would not be going on had it not been started with the rockets in June.

I hate the thought of the kids being injured....but ask yourself all the reasons behind it and why are they only throwing those images out to you and not the other fighting. Was watching Al Jazeera America the other night live and some guys came running through the press area with a stretcher waving the cameras off...when they put it down it carried a Hamas fighter in the green fatigues and they didn't want him shown so they cut away - 2 minutes later they started showing loop footage of a woman in the hospital wailing. I think all sides need to be given is what I'm saying. And finally, if Israel turns off the Iron Dome system and counts to 10...how many kids in Tel Aviv do you think would be killed in the rain of rockets? So just because one side is stopping its people from injury doesn't mean they are doing something wrong.

Yep, because 28 dead Israelis in nearly 15 years of rocket attacks justifies reining holy hell on a bunch of defenseless civilians.

[muldoon]

I think all sides need to be given is what I'm saying. And finally, if Israel turns off the Iron Dome system and counts to 10...how many kids in Tel Aviv do you think would be killed in the rain of rockets? So just because one side is stopping its people from injury doesn't mean they are doing something wrong.

Couple points...you really think all sides need to be given? So do I. A very BIG cause of tension are these settlements (illegal) - yet rarely is that even considered part of the problem. The flat out deception by the Israeli government using the murder of the 3 teens as a pre-text to all this? The wikileaks cables which detail how Israel is purposely trying to keep Gaza just a fraction above revolt (economically)

There are MOBS of right wing Israeli's attacking peace protesters in Israel (not 3-4 idiots....like 700 at one rally attacking the protest). There are hebrew hashtags being embraced by Israeli youth discounting the value of life in Gaza etc.

There is enough horror on both sides, that if people actually saw it, they'd demand we cut off aid to both sides immediately.

Yet here you are, echoing David Frum with the "the media is ginning up" the photos etc.

I have family in Idaho. More than a few times while visiting, I've heard friends of theirs get riled up (bigtime) over Randy Weaver (Ruby Ridge). That was 22 years ago - and pretty isolated in scope. Yet 22 years and people are still bitter.

Contrast that with the situation at hand. You have multiple generations born into this essentially open-air prison environment. 1 out of every thousand residents of Gaza has been killed by the IDF.

This hate is going to take more than allowing some chocolate to cross into Gaza. 3 UN Schools in 10 days. That stuff tends to linger.

[itchypickle]

Couple points...you really think all sides need to be given? So do I. A very BIG cause of tension are these settlements (illegal) - yet rarely is that even considered part of the problem. The flat out deception by the Israeli government using the murder of the 3 teens as a pre-text to all this? The wikileaks cables which detail how Israel is purposely trying to keep Gaza just a fraction above revolt (economically)

There are MOBS of right wing Israeli's attacking peace protesters in Israel (not 3-4 idiots....like 700 at one rally attacking the protest). There are hebrew hashtags being embraced by Israeli youth discounting the value of life in Gaza etc.

There is enough horror on both sides, that if people actually saw it, they'd demand we cut off aid to both sides immediately.

Yet here you are, echoing David Frum with the "the media is ginning up" the photos etc.

I have family in Idaho. More than a few times while visiting, I've heard friends of theirs get riled up (bigtime) over Randy Weaver (Ruby Ridge). That was 22 years ago - and pretty isolated in scope. Yet 22 years and people are still bitter.

Contrast that with the situation at hand. You have multiple generations born into this essentially open-air prison environment. 1 out of every thousand residents of Gaza has been killed by the IDF.

This hate is going to take more than allowing some chocolate to cross into Gaza. 3 UN Schools in 10 days. That stuff tends to linger.

First off, could care less what the twitter nation hashtags about to act cool about it. They are dumbasses for it. That will be found for any debate. I'm focused on the combating parties...hamas vs IDF. I don't think the murdered teens was the main reason for the current state of affairs, the rockets were and still are. On the Frum photo story, heard a little about it but has nothing to do with my point. I'm saying all that is getting out is the looped footage of the civilians, nobody is seeing the actual fighting or the IEDS in the fields blowing up the IDF tanks etc. We saw the one video leaked this week of the Hamas soldiers coming out of the ground and assaulting the outpost but that is the limit to what has went mainstream. People have a short memory and attention span Muldoon....as if this is the first time IDF has advanced into the territory. The settlements, i agree to point on some of it. But what of the 10,000 removed in 2006/2007? That was supposed to ease the peace then...two years later in 2009 it blew up again, again in 2012, now in 2014.

Bottom line, the most aggressive parties need to be disarmed. Will be the only solution. And that is Hamas here. Ease blockades, dont think anyone has an issue with that or shouldn't - but that has to come with rules...no weapons and rockets and no more tunnels to day cares and such. Problem solved, but until Saudis and Iranians stop shipping them into Gaza Israel has a right to try and stop them.

[paco]

Hamas just came into power, yet Israel has been bombing Palestine for 50
years little by little. This one just happens to be the "blame it on Hamas" year.

[itchypickle]

Hamas just came into power, yet Israel has been bombing Palestine for 50
years little by little. This one just happens to be the "blame it on Hamas" year.

4 and a half weeks Pac....4 and a half weeks....

[itchypickle]

Didn't take half hour past the cease fire deadline this morning and Hamas started firing 60 rockets back into israel again...only a few got through a d damaged civilian homes in Israel but within 2 hours Israel returned fire through the air and guess what...now Hamas is claiming being bullied again and the fight is back on in full swing.

Just proof again, the cease fire only allows the assholes to regroup and reload. Here we go again, pick a fight and then when you get punched in the face again will cry foul and innocence. Had their chance, hope the job gets finished this time.