Israeli airstrikes kill 12 in Gaza

The strikes came in response to Palestinian mortar and rocket attacks on southern Israel

As per usual, the situation only gets printed when Israel responds. If the militants fire rockets and Isreal does nothing then it's ignored.

The military statement said Qaisi was also involved in a 2008 attack on a terminal for pumping fuel from Israel into the Gaza Strip, in which two Israeli civilians were killed.

This incident has always stumped me. It's a station that delivers fuel to Palestinans....and the militants attack it?

If the militants fire rockets and Isreal does nothing then it's ignored.

Well, I suppose we could also have a news report everyday declaring that the Israeli blockade of Gaza is still on today just to keep us informed.

What amazes me is that you seem to think that while Israel is widely condemned for their inhumane treatment of the Palestinians in Gaza, that the people of Gaza should be happy little hamsters in their cage and seek to bite no one.

When will Jews and Muslims ever love and respect each other??

I'm with you, hot dog. Armed resistance from militants is the best option for the Palestinians. Fire a few thousand more rockets and Israel will open up that border in no time.

I'm with you, hot dog. Armed resistance from militants is the best option for the Palestinians.

I don't remember making a statement on what the best option was. All I did was voice surprise at your surprise that an oppressed people would resort to violence.

When will Jews and Muslims ever love and respect each other??

As a wise woman once said, "when the Muslims begin to love their children more than they hate Jews".

It might take a long time.

When will Jews and Muslims ever love and respect each other??

Before the establishment of Israel after WW2, Jews, Muslims and Christians lived fairly peaceably in Jerusalem and Tiberias. The old saying that "They have been fighting for thousands of years" is false.

Jews have prospered and been tolerated in Muslim controlled areas like Medieval Spain, Egypt and Persia.

"This incident has always stumped me. It's a station that delivers fuel to Palestinans....and the militants attack it?"

Maybe because you are applying common sense in a region that forbids it?

If the Pals were to renounce terrorism and armed struggle for their cause, and stick to it, the Jewish state would soon become the bad guy in the eyes of the world. But as long as they keep sending rockets accross into civillian areas, then they're asking to be bombarded in return.

All I did was voice surprise at your surprise that an oppressed people would resort to violence.

And I'm surprised that after 60 years of violence they haven't figured out that here might be a better way.

that drive these Jews back to the the same Middle East they fled from?

The Jews that settled in Israel following WW2 never came from the Middle East. They were predominantly Russian, Ashkenazi or Sephardi. They had never lived in the Middle East prior to the establishment of Israel, had no roots in the area and had no personal or religious rights to the area. Your views are a little too simplistic.

The Jews that settled in Israel following WW2 never came from the Middle East. They were predominantly Russian, Ashkenazi or Sephardi. They had never lived in the Middle East prior to the establishment of Israel, had no roots in the area and had no personal or religious rights to the area. Your views are a little too simplistic.

Oh please, of course I'm aware than most of the Jews who settled in Israel were European. But these European Jews were descended from Jews who had fled or been exiled from Palestine. I didn't literally mean than the Jews who returned to Israel were the very same individuals who had left. And my point still stands. The Jews become a target of hate and convenient scapegoats wherever they go.

Dent,

I enjoy reading your posts and I'm possibly in the same trade if your handle is anything to go by, but I have to disagree on this one. The thread got cut up by the mod earlier anyway, but I don't see Israel as the baddie here.

Fire rockets get bombed. It's a forgone conclusion, but they do it anyway.

I usually sit on the fence which makes me free to critisize both sides when they pull off something dumb.

Ogi,

"Oh wait, they can't, they'll still be a scapegoat there."

Scapegoat for who exactly?

I'm European and I don't see anti-semitism, not towards jews anyway, just arabs. Other than the odd joke about Jews being tight in the wallet I've never encountered anything else.

But these European Jews were descended from Jews who had fled or been exiled from Palestine

Absolute nonsense. Like saying all Christians descended from Galilee. Or that Jews have never made up their own minds to seek greener pastures east of the Black Sea.

The Jews become a target of hate and convenient scapegoats wherever they go

Read the point I made earlier this afternoon. Jewish people have had great success throughout history in many diverse parts of the world and have been welcomed. I forgot to add the United States, the UK, Australia and Canada to where Jews have become wealthy and powerful without the fear of reprisal.

Absolute nonsense. Like saying all Christians descended from Galilee. Or that Jews have never made up their own minds to seek greener pastures east of the Black Sea.

Actually, no. The Jews as a people were expelled. Europeans who became Jews, even if they had no ethnic connection to those who were originally expelled, become a member of this same tribe and shared in its history.

Read the point I made earlier this afternoon. Jewish people have had great success throughout history in many diverse parts of the world and have been welcomed. I forgot to add the United States, the UK, Australia and Canada to where Jews have become wealthy and powerful without the fear of reprisal.

They had great success also in Europe and look what happened. And anti-Semitism is still very strong in the countries you list as being havens for the Jews to work without 'fear of reprisal'.

but I don't see Israel as the baddie here.

I think what I get annoyed at is when the English speaking media continually portray Israel as the poor kid down the street who is always getting picked on. This is a media lie and a lot of people fall for it. We dont get true perspective on the situation and fell like because some people in central Europe murdered millions of Jews last century that the rest of us owe them special treatment.

I sit on the fence too and just try to point out that the world owes Israel nothing and that we need to look at things from a new perspective lest we continue to have the recurring violence and militancy that costs so much in terms of money and lives.

We dont get true perspective on the situation and fell like because some people in central Europe murdered millions of Jews last century that the rest of us owe them special treatment.

Oh dear, sounds pretty dismissive. What 'some people' have done is evidence of the massive wave of hatred and anti-Semitism which follows the Jews wherever they go. And no, I'm not trying to justify Israel's actions.

Europeans who became Jews, even if they had no ethnic connection to those who were originally expelled, become a member of this same tribe and shared in its history.

So, if I become a Jew tomorrow - I am descended from Palestine? Come on.

And anti-Semitism is still very strong in the countries you list as being havens for the Jews to work without 'fear of reprisal'.

No it isnt.

Typical media hypocrisy. The constant rocket attacks on Israeli civilians go unreported, but when Israel finally responds, it is "news".

Bah.

Dent,

The media here in France is pro-Palestinian.

Heh, but I agree to the rest.

Elbudo Mexicano:

" When will Jews and Muslims ever love and respect each other?? "

Jews have no problems with muslims. Jewish religion says nothing about islam. And the 15% muslims in Israel have full citizens rights. The Koran on the other hand is full of condemnations against Jews, and Jews all over the Arab world are discriminated (or have been completely exterminated like in Saudi Arabia and the Gazah strip).

It is ill-informed to see a balance there.

All readers stay on topic please. Posts that do not focus on the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza will be removed.

Fire a few thousand more rockets and Israel will open up that border in no time.

Why so they can fire from closer still? Just to remind Gaza declared war on Israel - try and think of one other time in history when a country that has had war declared on it and suffers daily hostile acts provides the enemy with food, water, electrcity and humanitarian aid.

How are the rockets etc...getting into Gaza?? From Egypt??

The constant rocket attacks on Israeli civilians go unreported, but when Israel finally responds, it is "news".

Darn tootin WilliB! Israelis get inconvenience by homemade rockets like every other day! But the liberal media says nothing. Suddenly Israel kills 12 in Palestine, and its news! As if Palestinian lives could possibly compare to Israeli inconvenience! Obviously, the media just hates Jews!

If the Palestinians had a decent government and didn't allow these rocket attacks on Israel, there wouldn't be any Israeli missiles blowing up militants' cars.

If the Palestinians had a decent government

Hard to do when the Israelis deny their right to exist as a nation. Thus the rockets. Thus the airstrikes.

ConservativeArtist wrote: Israelis get inconvenience (sic) by homemade rockets like every other day ... As if Palestinian lives could possibly compare to Israeli inconvenience!

Curious that you should regard Iranian made Grad 2 rockets, which Gazans are lobbing on Israeli towns as "home made" and Zohair al-Qaisi's terrorist attack last year, which killed eight Israeli civilians, as "inconvenience". If you and your kids were under this kind of attack, I bet you'd be the first to plead with your government to take action.

And by the way, it's not Israel which "deny their right as a nation". Israelis are committed to the two state solution whereas Hamas in Gaza calls for the destruction of Israel and its charter calls for the the killing of Jews everywhere. Incidentally, the Charter of Fatah also calls for the "complete eradication" of Israel. Thus Arab intolerance, terror and, consequently, Israel's need to defend itself.