Israel fires artillery into Gaza, Palestinian rocket attacks persist

Even after all this time, it still amazes that people can say things like Israel has the right to defend itself.

From who?

A population, half of which are children, with no army. Living in an open air prison, walled off by the state of Israel. The state which uses highly advanced weaponry (including chemical) to attack those people living in said prison.

The Israelis have had the Palestinians in a vice and aided by America they have been screwing it tighter and tighter, forcing Palestinians from their ancestral homes and lands, taking away access to water and jobs, all the while blaming them for being the aggressors. In my lifetime I have observed this slow moving genocide and how America legitimizes the likes of Netanyahu. It is long past time for America to rethink what they are actually supporting.

Yes and sadly, innocent people are caught up in the selfish acts of the terrorist leaders.

Hopefully, Netanyahu will be removed and serve time. But the terrorist support for killing Palestinians will still be there, with the far right in Israel and the US.

Biden could call to push for a ceasefire and he's not doing it and Isreal will do everything to crush these assaults.

No US President has a backbone when it comes to standing up to Israel's war crimes. Who will "crush" Washington and Likud terrorism?

Israel is not Judaism. It is a political state with an ancient Biblical name and by persecuting Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank they ain't following that Commandment of 'Love thy neighbor as thyself', are they?

It's all political crap. And Hamas isn't Islam either. these stupid wars result in nothing getting accomplished but getting people killed. Netanyahu the criminal on one side, Hamas scum on the other and you get Palestinians and Israelis stuck in the midst of it all - between a rock and a hard place.

And who wins? Nobody.

Jimizo, thank you for admitting that Israel has higher standards than the Arabs. 

Very strange to compare a country with a group of people spread across many countries.

I prefer to phrase it as Israel should have higher standards than the basket case countries surrounding it. Israel has it’s share of nutters.

What land was stolen

Before we go any further and waste time, do you go with the legal argument that Palestinians have no land to steal?

I’m happy to take it further, but if you are going with that morally bankrupt idea, there would be no point.

Netanyahu is not interested in a two-state solution or equal rights for Palestinians.

He's an embittered lame duck President, facing multiple charged of bribery, fraud, corruption, breach of trust etc. He's riling up the far right in Israel deliberately.

zichi: Netanyahu is not interested in a two-state solution or equal rights for Palestinians.

I agree. I used to be pretty firmly on the side of Israel until Netanyahu came onto the scene. He just wants to steal land and wall off Israel at this point, and he consistently undermines US attempts (before Trump) to negotiate a peace agreement.

Jimizo, I agree. Which is why there truly is no comparison between the treatment of Arabs in Israel and Jews in Arab lands. In Israel, Arabs are citizens with full rights, elected members of parliament, etc. Same cannot be said for Jews in any Arab nation.

If we are holding Israel to a higher standard, that should include calling them out for stealing land.

The US is far too accommodating on this score.

but if Hamas weren't cowards, they wouldn't stage attacks from schools or where women and children or civilians reside, only cowards do that.

And the IDF using chemical weapons on unarmed kids and detaining and beating kids is, what, brave?

But I’ve heard repeatedly here that one of the ex president’s greatest achievements was peace in the Middle East. It didn’t really happen?

Let's just hope there's no ground invasion. That's when everything goes out the window.

I see alot of folks are downvoting my post asking what Israel should do now. Fair enough but I still would be interested in hearing an answer to the question I posted.

Based on what Zichi wrote: If Hamas has clearly offered a ceasefire then certainly Netanyahu should accept this and engage in dialogue.

For those mentioning "Jewish Hollywood" or "Jews" there is a very big difference between the Zionists who run Israel and the Jewish people whether they are citizens of Israel or not.

also, all those Jewish Hollywood celebrities, Woody Allen et al should stop funding this indiscriminate slaughter of the people of Palestine.

Let's not conflate being Jewish with being Israeli or being a supporter of the apartheid state, eh.

Nobody looks good on their worst days, so if you're confused or ambivalent about which side is wrong while everyone is shooting, look at what they do on the best days.

And if, on their best days, when everyone is talking rather than shooting, you notice that one is still committing a heinous act, well, it's pretty easy to tell who's wrong, isn't it.

And even on its best days, the Israeli regime is committing a human rights violation so bad, it rates the title reserved for the worst of the worst.

ICSPCA is international law, and also bestows that title.

why do the 20% of the Israeli population that are Arab stay there? They could go to any other country in the region,

Some people still ask the same of Catholics in the occupied 6 counties.

It's their home.

What Israel doing is no better than Communist Chinas persecution of Muslims.

Except that neither Israel or China are communist. Otherwise, yep, horrific treatment.

starpunk: Too late for love. They already started it.

That's what I thought but I checked my comments before posting. Have they entered into Palestine or just amassed troops on the border?

The Biden Administration is now running interference for Israel at the UN Security Council by blocking statements and meetings specific to the crisis.

It's hard to know if the goal is give Israel a few more days to punish Hamas hard or if it's the other way around.

Might want to compare the treatment of Arabs/Muslims in Israel with the treatment of Jews in Arab/Muslim states in the region. 

So, because Jews have been treated badly in other rotten nations (no dispute) its OK for the (allegedly "first world") State of Israel to persecute Muslims? What Israel doing is no better than Communist Chinas persecution of Muslims.

On the other hand what should Israel do right now? Nothing?

It's really quite simple.

Give back the stolen lands to Palestine. Start by ending the building of settlements and progress by agreeing to a proper two state solution. Not just a few scrag ends for the Palestinian people. Land, reparations and funding for schools and hospitals as part of the reparations.

The Palestinian plight is not unique, sadly. It's something many of us can relate to.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,

'I said that we would charge a very heavy price from Hamas, we do it, and we will continue to do it with great intensity. The last word was not said and this operation will continue as long as necessary.'

US Government has influence they must act now. Or Netanyahu will, don't doubt it

BDS is good.

The millions of Israeli citizens who work to end the racist violence committed by their government are good.

The state of Israel has a right to exist. But so does Palestine.

Only when oppression and colonization end will justice prevail.

Unfortunately, this will almost certainly, "spiral out of control." There don't seem to be enough people with power who want to stop it.

that's what I'm thinking and this can spiral out of control and drag in more regional players.

At least 109 people were killed in Gaza, including 29 children, over the previous four days, Palestinian medical officials said. On Thursday alone, 52 Palestinians were killed in the enclave, the highest single-day figure since Monday.

This conflict is escalating into a full scale IDF invasion.

It is helpful to be acutely aware of geopolitical mapping.

The positioning of the Palestinian Territories.

Gaza, East Jerusalem, the West Bank.  

There is no political/diplomatic reconciliation process for a cease fire.

Israel reinforces Gaza border as conflict rages on

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-57097475

'How long? How long must we sing this song? How long? How long?' - U2

Peace can only be achieved by a two-state solution.

I agree. The state of Israel is very similar to Nazi Germany in how they oppress and kill minorities. They bring nuclear and chemical weapons to the fight, and the Palestinians only have crude weapons. Usually the casualties are around 20 Palestinians dead to 1 Israeli. I hope nations like Egypt can get weapons to the Palestinians, they will need them.

Must be a diplomatic solution, before an IDF all out ground invasion.

US Antony J. Blinken, must take the diplomatic initiative, to lobby the global community and the UN Security Council to negotiate a compromise resolution for a truce/ceasefire.

Th situation is becoming increasingly unstable, boarding on an approach to all out war.

It is a very tough situation.

The Palestinians have fired rockets into Israel and this time, according to a client of mine there near Haifa, it is pretty severe and more so than he has seen in at least a decade. Also it was reported something came out of Lebanon as well.

On the other hand Israel has done some pretty awful things to the Palestinians (and Bob this is not anti Jew hatred - there are many Israelis who agree with this).

Hamas has stated outright in the past that Israel has no right to exist and I would imagine any other country in the world would respond strongly if rockets were being fired into their country by a group that made such a statement. Considering what happened prior to and during WW2 to the Jewish people, even if you do not agree with Israel's response, one must at least be able to understand it.

The world has been trying to deal with this issue for decades and nothing has worked. Unfortunately this will likely continue and I fear what the outcome may be.

Might want to compare the treatment of Arabs/Muslims in Israel with the treatment of Jews in Arab/Muslim states in the region. That is, if you can find any. The vast majority were driven out, abused, and killed. You might be able to find 100 Jews left in Egypt.

Never liked this line of argument.

The Middle East is generally a human rights basket case.

Yes, we should expect better from Israel. No need to apologize for saying this.

Only one fair way to resolve this never-ending conflict swiftly and without more loss of life. Jan ken pon.

@ Toasted Heretic. I understand your points and it is also understood there are many Israelis who are against Netanyahu.

On the other hand what should Israel do right now? Nothing? Just allow the rocket fire to continue? This is a serious question and is not posed to be argumentative.

In my lifetime I have observed this slow moving genocide and how America legitimizes the likes of Netanyahu. It is long past time for America to rethink what they are actually supporting.

People worried about Palestinian casualties but didn't lose any sleep over the many upon many civilian(including children) casualties at the hands of the U.S. over the past 20 years. We are talking 8 to 12,000 people. Where was your outcry then?

Give back the stolen lands to Palestine. Start by ending the building of settlements and progress by agreeing to a proper two state solution.

Israel has given back land so many times and did the violence ever stop? No, it did not.

Not just a few scrag ends for the Palestinian people. Land, reparations and funding for schools and hospitals as part of the reparations.

They never use those facilities anyway, they never do, none of the money they receive goes to infrastructure or building schools, it’s used to fund more terrorist attacks.

A ceasefire is when both sides agree to stop

Hamas could throw out the white flag so to speak and push or call Biden or make sure gestures aggressively to show that it gives up, they won't. of course not. We already know how this will end and Israel won't be on the losing side, but if Hamas weren't cowards, they wouldn't stage attacks from schools or where women and children or civilians reside, only cowards do that.

Fighto, nice Godwin's law win there. Israel does not oppress or kill minorities. If that were the case, why do the 20% of the Israeli population that are Arab stay there? They could go to any other country in the region, yet they choose to stay in an oppressive murderous state? Sorry, that is not believable.

Might want to compare the treatment of Arabs/Muslims in Israel with the treatment of Jews in Arab/Muslim states in the region. That is, if you can find any. The vast majority were driven out, abused, and killed. You might be able to find 100 Jews left in Egypt.

How does the expression go, if you pull a tiger's tail, you had better have a plan for dealing with its teeth? Well, Hamas pulled the tail and now will deal with the consequences.

Jimizo, I agree. Which is why there truly is no comparison between the treatment of Arabs in Israel and Jews in Arab lands. In Israel, Arabs are citizens with full rights, elected members of parliament, etc. Same cannot be said for Jews in any Arab nation.

Heretic, actually the Palestinian plight IS unique. It is unique because they were not accepted by the nations where they sought refuge. You can blame the original countries of the Arab League, who told them to temporarily leave Israel in 1948. That way, it would be easier for the Arab League to attack and exterminate the Jews. Then, the Palestinians could return and share the spoils.

Didn't happen.

This could have been solved 50 years ago by the simple act of their fellow Arab nations granting them asylum and rights. But this didn't happen.

Jimizo, thank you for admitting that Israel has higher standards than the Arabs. Now, about this stolen land, could you be specific? What land was stolen, when, and from whom? That would give us something to work with.

How long? Until the Palestinians acknowledge the truth that they must coexist with Jews next door, can't threaten to murder them all, can't give rewards to families of terrorists who kill innocent civilians.

Having a third generation of refugees is a travesty. Shows how little other Arab/Muslim states actually care about their Palestinian brothers and sisters.

Pretty simple to solve- Hamas stops sending rockets over Israel. Israel REacts to provocation and attacks, doesn't strike the first blow. And to those who say they are trying to commit genocide on the Palestinian people, I say nonsense. Israel could eliminate Palestine from the map in 24 hours if they actually wanted to. But they don't. Indeed, it is Hamas who expressly want to kill every Jew in Israel, who have tv shows calling for civilians to behead Israelis, who brainwash children into becoming martyrs to their 'cause'.

Casualties in Gaza would be less if Hamas stopped hiding their weapons and terrorists in schools and hospitals.

I see alot of folks are downvoting my post asking what Israel should do now.

Sorry, you will never get your answer. The same people who think Israel should just grin and bear rocket attacks are the same ones who can't come to grips or admit their elected politicians, including Democrats, back Israel over Hamas.

Hamas official tells Russia: We’re ready for a ceasefire with Israel

Well, the bombing didn't stop, if they really wanted to start a war that they know they can't win they wouldn't have started shelling the Israelis. Now they want to put the Genie back in the bottle? That's on Hamas, they opened Pandora's box.

One thing is for sure, Hamas is not going to win anything.

And the IDF using chemical weapons on unarmed kids and detaining and beating kids is, what, brave?

But bombing Israeli children is ok? I will submit to you that both are bad, very bad, the difference is that the Palestinians are fighting a losing battle and it doesn't have to end like this with more bodies.