Israeli forces advance deep into Gaza urban areas, accused of using white phosphorus

Monday 12th January, 12:34 PM JST

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0874569 at 01:02 AM JST - 13th January

What is wrong with Hamas? They are democratic and is only demanding their rights according to international law. Besides this is not a war on Hamas but all Palestiians as all the Palestinian factions are united on Gaza from Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Islamic Jihad, Fatah, Hamas. Palestinian fighters are giving stiff resistance to the biliion Dollar Israeli war machine but they are not being able to reach their objectives.

The fighters enjoy lots of support among it´s citizens. Palestinians have every right to defend themselves. Resistance is not terrorism. Occupation is.

.
adaydream at 01:25 AM JST - 13th January

0874569 if Palestinians hated Hamas as much as Israel and others want you to believe, Hamas members should have been turned in hand over fist. The Israelites should then have addesses to drop their U. S. made bombs onto their homes and not Palestinians. But Gazans aren't turning in Hamas leaders and members, they are holding their tongues and waiting for the Israelites to get within range of Hamas weapons. They are waiting for Hamas to stand up and protect them.

Hamas is the military arm of Gaza. Gazans are relying on Hamas to do their best to protect Gaza the best they can. They don't have the U. S. weapons factories waiting for Hamas' request to purchase the way that Israel puts in their request, right through the Whitehouse. < :-)
0874569 at 01:45 AM JST - 13th January

adaydream . Hamas is is the political party governing Gaza who won the elections in 2006. Hamas is not the military arm of Gaza there are military arms within Hamas but that is not the same as saying Hamas is the military arm of Gaza. Other Palestinian factions are fighting IOF in Gaza now. The correct terminology would be IOF is fighting Palestinian fighters in Gaza. It is not Hamas who are firing rockets into Israel it is various people within various brigades who do. Technically speaking it could be Fatah firing rockts or Islamic Jihad but Hamas gets the blame for the rockets because the govern Gaza and since they are not able to stop the rocket firings. Hamas does not want to stop the rockets though because Israel does life the blockade.

It is wrong to label Hamas a terrorist organization. It is retarded. If Hamas is a terrorist organization then Israel is too.
bushlover at 02:00 AM JST - 13th January

Anyway you look at it, It's Hamas that got the Palestinians into their present predicament, now they should rethink their stupid actions before they get more civilians hurt. I guess 13 Israelis were worth all the hurt though as it doesn't look like they are into stopping anytime soon. Just Plain dumb if you ask me.
adaydream at 02:01 AM JST - 13th January

0874569 - Thanks for your clarification. < :-)
0874569 at 02:12 AM JST - 13th January

Thanks for the nice feedback adaydream . I think the latest attack on Gaza from Israel has to do with various reasons. One is trying to end Hamas rule in Gaza but here I think Israel is not suceeding so what they now do is bomb and kill civilians in making them scared in not voting for Hamas in the next election. The reason why Israel does this is because not because of Hamas ideology but because Hamas is the most popular political party in Palestine. Before Hamas, Israel was doing the exact same thing to PLO as they do now to Hamas. The other reason is for political gains. Politicians bomb Gaza right before the electionsto boost the popularity of Barak and Livni. They are so-called moderates who do not want to lose votes to Nethanyahu.
AlfGarnett at 03:43 AM JST - 13th January

I just saw on the BBC more murders being carried out by Isarael. They showed Jews , the ones dressed in black with curly wurly hair cuts jumping up and cheering as bombs feel onGaza in the distance. They is so brainwashed, they think killing is good!

Strewth, i was shocked, the Israeli killing machine now says it will kill more innocents, even though the world except for the bleeding Yanks is against them. Bloody terrible stste of affairs. Time to boycott Israeli products and ban them Visas from travelling, that will learn them innit!
bushlover at 07:50 AM JST - 13th January

Yeah Israelis shooting rockets at themselves. That makes sense so they can all just wage war for no reason. I bet they are also trying to steal the Palestinians money and fertile land too.
Molenir at 08:13 AM JST - 13th January

I keep reading here about everyone wanting the pre-67 borders... You do realize that Israel pulled out of both Gaza and the West Bank right? They traded back the Sinai in the land for peace swap with Egypt years ago. The only thing left is the Golan Heights, and quite frankly, considering what Syria did from there, that ain't being given back... ever.

So, what expansion is Israel shooting for? All they're doing is pulling back. And what new territory are they supposed to surrender for peace?

What you don't want to admit, is that Hamas wants the pre-19[u]47[/u] border. As in, it wants Israel to cease to exist. And so many people seem to support this, it just sickens me.

AflGarnett - Has decided that if Hamas murders someone its ok. But if Israel kills someone its genocide. Even if there are more then a million plus more people in Gaza, the death of 1 person is Genocide.

This truly is a sad state of affairs where everyone blames the group who simply wants peace. No rockets, no war. Thats what it really comes down to.
SezWho2 at 08:57 AM JST - 13th January

It's not a question of what Hamas wants. It's a question of what the Palestinian people will settle for.

Rockets are not the issue. In the final analysis Israel cannot stop them without a non-porous rocket shield. Advances in rocketry will mean that those who wish to will be able to hit almost anywhere in Israel from almost anywhere in the uncountry of Palestine.

Israel does not simply want peace. It wants to have peace on its terms.
likeitis at 09:23 AM JST - 13th January

The only thing left is the Golan Heights

East Jerusalem?

You do realize that Israel pulled out of both **Gaza **and the West Bank right?

But maintained a degree of control over the border with Egypt after the pullout, a degree of control that actually increased after the pull out. Remained in control of the airspace and sea access, and over that remained in FULL control of all legal imports and exports regardless of where they came from.

Some pullouts just don't look like pullouts at all.

You do realize that Israel pulled out of both Gaza and the West Bank right?

Uhhhmmmmmm....no? Israel pulled out of 4 towns in the West bank. 120 settlements remain according to my source. I will let you do the math to explain how 4 out of 120 equals a pullout from West Bank. My understanding is that further pullouts were canceled in the aftermath of 2006 fighting with Hezbollah.

So, what expansion is Israel shooting for?

Well, I have to agree with that sentiment. Israel no longer wants to be seen as occupying those lands, lest they be stuck with the people there. (Never mind how much control they still have.) Accepting those people would mean a Jewish minority in Israel. The fears are so bad they have considered sawing off a part of Israel because so many Israeli Arabs live there. No kidding.
Molenir at 12:40 PM JST - 13th January

likeitis - You are correct, East Jerusalem remains. However as the Jews consider Jerusalem their "holy city" Don't expect them to hand that over. In my opinion, Jerusalem should become an international city. Belonging to none. But thats a topic for another time.

You are right about the settlements too. There are a bunch of settlements in the West Bank. Unfortunately Israel because of its system of government, has to tolerate some nutcases in power, and throw them the occasional olive branch. Do you remember the drama involved in pulling out of Gaza? A bunch of settlers made a huge stink about it. The West Bank settlements are much worse, as they are older, and much, much larger.

The pullout of Gaza and the West Bank, was dependent on peace. If the people in those areas stop attacking Israel, over time they will gain more and more control. Eventually being granted sovereignty. At least thats the idea behind it. How well that has been implemented is up for debate, but the West Bank at least has a much greater degree of freedom then Gaza does. The borders there rarely close, and Arabs normally have freedom to go to the various shrines in Jerusalem and elsewhere.
unscrejects at 10:06 PM JST - 13th January

I know the stuff - I wondered why the press never realized that phosphorus was being used. There is no other substance in an army's arsenal that could be mistaken for white phos so the article writer is being biased to not say directly that Israel's using white phos on troops or civilians.
Loki520 at 05:19 PM JST - 14th January

If the "international community" truly gave a crap, they would give Israel exactly what it has been asking for. Israel's been saying it for years, and nobody has tried to pressure the "peaceful" Muslims to QUIT LOBBING ROCKETS.

Easy, huh? That's all they ask for besides the right to exist, and if HAMAS quit the rockets, there would be no fighting. But that isn't what Hamas wants. They want IT ALL...

And for those of you that think the peace loving Gazan's truly care, maybe you should look up not only the "platform" that Hamas ran on during the "elections", but the HAMAS charter as well. For those that are unaware, this political organization of Hamas has part of their charter as the death of ALL Jews. It talks about their land being coast to coast and the removal of ALL Jews. And they are pretty specific that "removal" means death.

Yes, there are some deluded people, but those supporting Israel are NOT among them.

And for all you "experts" out there, popped smoke is EASILY misidentified as white phosphorus by those that don't know any better (like any MSM or liberal peackniks... but I repeat myself). Maybe the weapons expert unscrejects would be so kind as to tell us WHY that is, and how the shells are similar, yet obviously different for those that actually look at them.
WilliB at 11:49 AM JST - 15th January

0874569:

" Thanks for the nice feedback adaydream . I think the latest attack on Gaza from Israel has to do with various reasons. "

8000+ rockets fired from Gaza onto Israeli towns is not good enough reason? I wish all these pontificating hypocrits here would try to live for a while in a town like Sideroth, where you have 8 seconds warning to run for cover several times a day and night.

Sheesh!