Israel Sends Reserves Into Gaza Amid Escalation Fears

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Too bad logic and reality don't work in any left-wing nut organization.

jimmy of MD 9:52AM January 14, 2009

You clearly know nothing about Gaza; though it is small and crowded, so is Singapore. If the Palestinian people had made a better choice in 2006, they might have elected a government that chose to build schools, hospitals, parks, and industry. Instead, they chose a radical Islamic terror organization that wishes to destroy its neighbor and institute a pan-Islamic caliphate throughout the middle east. Did you know Mr. Marsh that Hamas recently passed a law that not only legalized lashes, physical mutilations like cutting off hands, etc., but also crucifixion. Check it out. Finally, you write as if Gaza and the Palestinians are the poorest people in the world and have such a terrible quality of life. Did you know that the Palestinians are the largest per capita recepients of foreign aid worldwide. Based upon current prices, Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza have received $161 per person per year compared to $68 per person annually under the Marshall Plan. Moreover, Gaza's offshore gas deposits (confirmed by British Gas) are worth an estimated $2 billion. If the Palestinians would remove their radical jihadist government, which is only interested in imposing Sharia law and destroying Israel, and elect moderates concerned for their welfare, perhaps they could develop these resources. Mr. Marsh, I suggest that you stop repeating propaganda claims about the poor victims in Gaza and do a little investigating on your own. Did you know that life expectancy in Gaza is 72.34 years, higher than Russia (65.9), India (69.25), and Ukraine (68). Gaza has a much lower infant mortality rate than Iran, India, Egypt, and Brazil. Finally, literacy in Gaza stands at 92.4% - higher than India, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Get the facts, sir.

Tzvi ben Rachmiel of MD 9:34AM January 14, 2009

You ask what Israel has ever done for peace in the region. I must assume that you have (1) forgotten history (2) don't read history, or (3) choose to ignore history. Mr. Marsh, Israel returned the Sinai Pennisula to Egypt and signed a peace treaty with that Arab nation. The State of Israel has proved to the world what it is willing to do for peace. The Palestinians, on the other hand, have never been willing to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. Fatah's charter remains unchanged to this day, and the radical Jihadists in Hamas blatantly warn that they want to "obliterate" Israel.
War, sir, is hell, and international law allows Israel to defend itself. The Israeli military has complied with every law of armed combat. They have obeyed the rule of distinction, targeting only military targets and doing all that is possible to avoid civilian deaths; i.e leaflets, phone calls, text messages. Hamas has used human shields, refused to wear uniforms on the battlefield and launched missiles at civilians with the intent to kill as many as possible. There is no moral ambiguity in this war.

Tzvi ben Rachmiel of MD 9:11AM January 14, 2009

Is Israel interested in peace? Can anyone please tell me what has Israel really offered to advance peace in the middle east? Leaving Gaza? Who wants to be responsible for 1.5 million poor Palestinians? That is nothing? "Withdrawing" from the West Bank? What withdrawl? Settlements keep expanding. The Wall gobbling up more Palestinian land is creating a fait accompli. The idea of a Palestinian state becomes more remote as the demographic time bomb is about to blow up in the Israeli government's face. Israel has gone out of its way to sabotage any type of peace deal. Its actions in Gaza have infuriated the Arab world (and most of the rest of the world) and made those Arabs who have worked with Israel look foolish. Does Israel has the right to defend itself? Sure, take out the rocket launchers where they can. Does it have the right to indiscriminately kill civilians, who can not run and have no where to hide? No.

Frederick H. Marsh of VA 8:48PM January 13, 2009

Tracy of TX
You clearly know nothing about Hamas or the Palestinians of Gaza. Hamas was not voted in because of Israel, it was voted in as the alternative to Fatah. While Fatah was corrupt and robbing people blind, Hamas was providing social services, especially to the poor. Gaza is a hellhole and Hamas offered honest, clean government. Most Palestinians did not elect Hamas to attack Israel, but Palestinians have seen that Israel is not interested in peace, only surrender. In the eyes of most Palestinians, at least Hamas stands up for the Palestinians while Fatah allows the Israelis to walk all over them.

Frederick H. Marsh of VA 8:32PM January 13, 2009

The problem is that the Israeli government does not know what it wants to do. They gain nothing but isolation if they go into Gaza City. Killing hundreds of civiliams will not stop rocket fire and only enflame the situation. They have made Palestinian moderates irrelevant. With whom will they negotiate peace? Unless they are willing to take over Gaza again, it will accomplish nothing in the long run.

Frederick H. Marsh of VA 8:24PM January 13, 2009

What did Gazans expect when they allow their Hamas masters to wantonly fire 60 missies a day into Jewish population centers? At least Isrealis warned the population with leaflets before attaking which is more than Hamas does. Hamas wants ALL Jews dead! They do not want a Jewish state to exist! What would you do if you were Jewish, sit back and take it? If Hamas spent their money on food and infastructure instead of weapons, they could eliminate the poverty. Palestinians need to overthrow their Hamas masters. To Hamas, the only thing better than a dead Jew is a dead Palestinian child because they can parade them in front of the world press...they are truly sick. If the Palestinians continue to support Hamas, Gazans get what they deserve. See how their Muslim brothers in other nearby countries even treat them? They won't even take Palestinian refugees into their country....I wonder why?

Tracy of TX 4:54PM January 13, 2009

All this conflict boils down to is 2 groups arguing over who got the Father's blessing. Was it Issac or Ishmael? Old Testament says Issac, Koran says Ishmael. the Old Testament was written by a variety of people over 1500 years and has a string of continuity about Gods promises and grace. It contains a history that is verified. In contrast is the Koran which was written by one man over the span of a few years and reads like a disjointed stream of coniousness. Both reveal their own view of the nature of both man and God, along with their relationship to Him. Jews have a redemmer, Muslims don't. In a court of law, we look at the evidence of what is written to determine what is right and what is true. Strip away all your cultural, political and historical bias and weigh the evidence on which group recieved the blessing to live on the land.

tracy of TX 4:49PM January 13, 2009

What did Gazans expect when they allow their Hamas masters to wantonly fire 60 missies a day into Jewish population centers? At least Isrealis warned the population with leaflets before attaking which is more than Hamas does. Hamas wants ALL Jews dead! They do not want a Jewish state to exist! What would you do if you were Jewish, sit back and take it? If Hamas spent their money on food and infastructure instead of weapons, they could eliminate the poverty. Palestinians need to overthrow their Hamas masters. To Hamas, the only thing better than a dead Jew is a dead Palestinian child because they can parade them in front of the world press...they are truly sick. If the Palestinians continue to support Hamas, Gazans get what they deserve. See how their Muslim brothers in other nearby countries even treat them? They won't even take Palestinian refugees into their country....I wonder why?

Tracy of TX 4:26PM January 13, 2009

We worry about morale when hundreds of civilians are being terrorized, murdered, and their homes destroyed. Soldiers are paid, are well fed, have body armor, tanks, lethal weapons and new inventions at their disposal. Civilians have no water, no food, their homes and children are blasted away — it doesn't matter what war one speaks of. Soldiers may indeed suffer, but civilians suffer infinitely more. Let's see: in the current situation there are, what 13 professionals dead, whereas thousands of civilians— human beings are maimed or destroyed, because they are/were in the way. Tough for them, until it's one own body that is at stake.

Susanne of CA 2:25PM January 13, 2009