Punishing an entire population for the actions of a few: do you honestly think killing hundreds of children in ghastly ways (like white phosphorus, for instance) will persuade the people of Gaza that Israel wants peace with them?

Are you honestly that sheltered about what is happening in Gaza?

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Also love this part on your blog “Israeli organizations, more likely than not backed by the IDF, are hacking Facebook groups, getting people kicked off Twitter or deleting tweets, and getting YouTube videos taken down.” Delusional much?

Ben-David – You think you’re slick, but your not. This victimhood speech is wearing thin, and your attempt to spin spin spin is not working. You said the real Question is

“Are the Palestinians responsible for their actions? ”

EPIC FAIL!!

Of course they are, that’s not the REAL question. Thats a feeble attempt to spin the situation.

You also said about the Palestinians..

“…they set aside terror against innocent Isrraeli women and children as a political tactic?”

Israel is not using terror? Are you serious?! Really.

Then you ask if there is a MAP, during 800 plus years that proves a Palestine?! Wow Ben you couldn’t have stooped lower. Steal the land of the Palestinians, who are the indigenous people of that land. Bulldoze their homes, homes that have been handed down for generations; proof enough that they live there. Then have the audacity to ask for a “MAP”?!? HAHAHAHAH!!!

Wow Ben, here I thought I could try and understand a different point of view, and I get one man who proves more and more, that he’s nuts. A MAP?! Destroy peoples homes and lives and ask for a map. WOW!

Your SPIN equals FAIL. It’s so apparent. And sad.

Furthermore, If I were a Gazan, I’m sure I wouldn’t care about this video. It is prob. akin to how I feel when Ahmedinijad says he doesn’t want to kill all Jews, just all Zionists. You guys better realize that Hamas is Gaza. They are all in solidarity, especially at this time.

No reason to give them any indication that they’ll be allowed to kill, maim and assassinate their way into believing they can, Joseph.

Without getting involved over an argument about who was there first, the onl proof you need is millions of refugees scattered across the Arab world and the millions who stayed behind. The only proof you need is that they are still fighting you a century later and will continue to do so.

In response to Montana, Hamas came to light in the first intifada in the late 80s. Israel has been killing, maiming and assasinating since 1948. At the time, those who led the strugle were secularists, Nationalists and leftists. Hamas is not in a position to establish an Islamist state. But will reason prevail on your side?

Not soon it seems.

anyone who has read the facts knows that Israel has violated SEVERAL major international laws, and that the people of Gaza are in essence, starving to death and without medical treatment, and have been for the past few years. So obviously they are going to fire their pitiful rockets and do whatever else they can to try to provide some means for their family.

If Israel was a neighbor and not an enemy, they would open up the borders – heck they would have never built the walls in the first place. They would allow trade and aid to come into Gaza.

There are a lot of “they would haves”

Clearly, the Jews have forgotten the holocaust and have become an imitator of Hitler in every way.

Wrong question.

Although it’s another good illustration of how some people loop back to the narrative of Palestinian victimhood – again, not because of facts (Gaza has been autonomous for over a decade, and Judenrein for over 2 years – so, no apartheid).

Because an static ideological determination of Pali victimhood is used to obscure facts.

Here’s the real question – oh and Jillian and Joseph, feel free to answer this one, too:

Are the Palestinians responsible for their actions?

For example: are there some things even the Palis cannot do – now that we’re 20 years into an internationally-sponsored peace process, now that they have been granted autonomy – some things even “freedom fighters” cannot do now that the Israelis have agreed to give them a state?

Or does their victim status excuse everything they do?

Do the treaties they’ve signed obligate them – treaties that demand that they set aside terror against innocent Isrraeli women and children as a political tactic?

Or can they sign whatever they want – and still do whatever they want?

Oh, and Joseph – could you find me ANY map or other document from the 800-plus years of Arab control of the mid-east that mentions “Historical Palestine” – except in reference to ancient Israel?

Your intentions may also be genuine. But until you’re willing to apply some of the same basic moral (and logical) reasoning to yourself that you’re so eager to direct at Israel, no recognition of anyone’s misery will amount to any meaningful change.

Israel cannot expect to have peace until it does the right thing, gives back the land it has stolen, declares itself behind pre 1967 borders and compensates refugees.

Until it does those things, I for one will know Israel is not sincere in seeking peace and manipulates as deviously as it can to steal more land with no regard for human life or dignity.

Dahlia, you said it all right there. An apartheid state IS hatred, no matter how you try to spin it.

This is not about hate or racism or antisemitism.It is about the right for the Palestinian people to have a dignified existence in a viable state on the land of Historic Palestine. A right your people have denied them since 1948.

So let’s stop this playground nonsense. Instead of calling the people of Gaza to question their government you would be better off questioning your own governments, past and present,and your American backers. Only then will you find the path to peace.

Who is stealing their homes in Gaza? Hamas controls Gaza. Are you trying to say that Hamas ended the cease fire with Israel because they were fighting apartheid? If that’s what you think, then I don’t know what to tell you. If that’s not what you think, then you’re simply railroading the discussion with loaded words that have absolutely nothing to do with the current conflict.

For someone who complains about words like “victim” and “terrorism” being misused, you sure like to trot out your own buzzwords when you feel that it supports your argument.