Thread: The conflict in Gaza.

I agree nun2sharp.The problem is that many people seem to believe that Hamas will behave in a civilized manner once a truce is established, I think not.They don't operate by morale parameters that we take for granted in the western part of the world.I would compere extremist like Hamas to the charakter "Joker", by the late Heath Ledger, in "The dark knight".You can not beat him with convetional methods, because he has no moral limits, he has no clear objective, that is why he can terrorise without being stopped.If batman arrest a criminal, he will kill 5 innocent people.With such an enemy, Israel cannot win with reason and diplomacy.The sad part is that it is innocent children that pay for it, like in any war...

I disagree. There is more than one type of Diplomacy. Take away the Hamas support base, and you take away their power. And you do not have to annihilate hundreds of thousands of people to take away a support base. You simply offer them something better.

James.

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I disagree. There is more than one type of Diplomacy. Take away the Hamas support base, and you take away their power. And you do not have to annihilate hundreds of thousands of people to take away a support base. You simply offer them something better.

James.

And what would that be?

Hands up anybody who would like to be a Palestinian at the moment.

oo oo ... That's tempting.

Originally Posted by English

Hands up anybody who would like to be a Palestinian at the moment.

I'll pass, the Israelis dont seem to fool around!

As I am from the generall area (S W Asia/middle east) I might give some perspective maybe..

Anyway media in Sweden depict the conflict just as Kristofer said they do in Norway, i.e. on the palestinian side. In my view it was Hamas that started the whole thing by launching rockets at Israel. Israel has the right to protect itiself and it's citizens, just as they did in Lebanon a couple of years ago. It is unfortunate and a pitty that civilians have been killed on both sides. And here we can definitly say that the Israelis are responsible. However Hamas are to blame (as well) for this as they deliberatly involove the civilaian population and make them targets.

This is Israel vs Hamas not against the palestinian people. Fatah on the West Bank have quite good relations with israel and if I'm not wrong Israel gives the largest financial aid to the palestinians, not the arab countries.

The only solution that I see is two separate states and Jerusalem to be considered a neutral zone or an international zone. However Hamas and other islamist organizations do not recognize Israel, so there is clearly a problem with having Hamas as administratiors in the palestinian areas(only Gaza after the internal fight with Fatah). But then again they were elected by the people mostly due to that the people were fed up with the corruption of Fatah..

I'm not planning on getting into a debate on this. Especially in a public forum, from my warm office, while people are dying. I will say, it saddens me that Norway would recognize the Hamas as anything but a terrorist organization. Their primary objective is to eradicate Israel.

It wasn't the Israeli's that ignored the cease-fire. You kick a bear long enough, and he decides to tear you to pieces, whose fault is it?

It's way too early in the game to be deciding much about the outcome. Keep in mind that the world is seeing only one side of this right now-- Hamas' side. Israel learned in the last war (Second Lebanon War) that Hizbollah was watching TV and could figure out what the IDF was doing. For that reason, Israel decided against allowing media in the battle areas. We know from past experience that Jihadist claims are way inflated-- did anyone hear the guys who were saying that 3,000 Palestinians had been killed? That was a few days ago when the UN (which is now an almost-useless organization) was saying 300.

My belief is that Israel learned its lessons from the 2006 Lebanon War and is now getting it right. You can bet that there are a number of countries that denounce Israel and ask it to stop, but inside, they're happy that Israel is taking a bite out of Hamas. I think we're going to be seeing Hamas screaming for a cease fire before long-- they're getting their a** handed to them right now.

Let's hope that not many innocent lives will be lost.
Bob

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I disagree. There is more than one type of Diplomacy. Take away the Hamas support base, and you take away their power. And you do not have to annihilate hundreds of thousands of people to take away a support base. You simply offer them something better.

James.

If we want to take away Humas's support base the the best way would be to bomb Iran back to the stone age. Hopefully Israel can get to this next line item on their to-do list.

What can we offer them. They have already been promised riches in this life and paradise in the next by their leaders for pursuing exactly the actions and attitudes we decry. How can we compete with that? There is nothing better.

Theres the old saying: "some would create a desert and call it peace" well that whole area is already a desert, so how can you go wrong