Related Information to Palestine vs. Israel

Palestine vs. Israel - Page 88

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's cease-fire proposal was rejected by Israel today, according to Reuters and AFP. The conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has left more than 800 Palestinians and 35 Israelis dead. Ref. USAToday

Israel vs Palestine

Help me with the tractor analogy...just not getting it.

When we see pictures and footage of dead children being pulled out of wreckage, I see that as a horrible thing. It shouldnt happen. When I read about teenagers being kidnapped and killed, it is horrible. It shouldnt happen. Two wrongs definitely don't make a right. That is the problem with war. War is a uncivilized thing to do. However, I am amazed at the judgements that are made in war about the honor, civilization, morales of those engaged in it by outsiders. I totally understand taking sides, but each side is going to do bad things to win...that is the ulitmate goal of war...to win at what cost it may take until that price is unbearable.

I get Hammas using their population as shields. It plays on the morals of the western world. I get Hamas using ambulances to shuttle troops and weapons. It plays on the culture of the western world. Even when the Israelis do blow up buildings housing weapons or targets after warnings, getting coverage of newly minted widows holding up their dead families is a powerful message to the outside and is now part of the war...through media.

I get that the Israelis are tired of the back and forth missile lobbing that they don't start. That they want to blow up the war infrastructure of Hamas. I get it that they target specific leaders for execution. I get it that they have learned that disproportionate destruction works with Hamas. However, it has negative reactions for those outside of the war.

I was recently thinking on why the Palestinians would let their governement be highjacked by Hamas. Thinking like a true westerner..."Why don't they just throw them out of office or revolt". I mean, they do have elections. Then it hit me. That is the government they want...for whatever reason. Maybe they think that Hamas's ideas will get them closer to a solution with the Israelis. Maybe they don't want a peace agreement like Israel has with other Arab neighbors. Anyway, it is what they want and voted for. With that, I guess, comes the sacrifice of life that they might be asked to make if their house/school or car gets blown up. Sucide and life sacrifices that this culture accepts is beyond the mind of most westerners (Honor killings are but one example).

For the Israelis, they have decided that they like and want to continue to vote for the status quo with expanding borders. Israel could have had a resolution with the Palestinians over the last 60 years, but have chosen and continue to choose with their vote a liking of the current situation. Hold the status quo, expand settlements, grow the economy and respond strongly to any threats from within or outside. I am not saying at a end of the occupation of the Palestinian Territories would have lasted, but they could have tried it at least once on 60 years. Unfortunately, Ariel Sharon was the closest to getting it done of any leader from Israel and with each new settlement the chance of it happening grow slimmer.

But war...war sucks. Don't look for any morality in it. People die in it and most of us looking on the outside will have trouble in justifying it and most cases ultimately winning requires that one of the populations no longer has a hunger for it and that typically requires a lot of death.

Edited: Vincenzo on 25th Jul, 2014 - 6:44pm

Palestine vs. Israel Judaism Studies

My opinion is that the ones firing the missiles is not the Palestine children and women. Israel probably doesn't want to loose soldiers but since this place is within her borders they can't attack it as if it were a foreign land. You do have to commit troops to the ground and go house by house until you weed them out not just start blowing up every building in sight. That's my tractor / weed analogy.

Page 88 Israel vs Palestine

OK...I see your point. I don't agree with it. Israel is actually already and has been in most of the occupied Palestinian Territories (They have been for a long time). That is pretty much why they are called occupiers. They have already called up the reserves and don't have the numbers to potentially have to fight 2 wars if any one of their Arab neighbors elects to join in (Like Lebanon). Additionally, the Palestinian Territories are actually not part of Israel. Therefore, it is not like Israel is "Shooting inside the tent" So to speak. They really consider it foreign land. Additionally, if they were just blowing up every building in site, they would have just glassed the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It is far more economical than the way they are going about it now.

It seems the tunneling network was far more extensive than they expected or that this is just a good opportunity to take it out while they are getting retribution. The last time they conducted any raids deep into Gaza, it was reported that they were surprised of the sophistication and quantity of tunnels going into the Sinai.

We don't in general talk about the casualties to civilians in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, but we have many times more than how many soldiers we lost. Now our appetite for retribution has waned and we want to leave, but at the beginning of the conflicts we were quite fine with the civilian casualties inflicted.

Edited: Vincenzo on 25th Jul, 2014 - 7:41pm

Israel vs Palestine

Name: Omar
Country:

Comments: The people of Palestine live in filth being denied the most basic infrastructure and needs for living. The Israelis want us stay quiet with this living and beg them. What you see now is our people tired of living, even death is better.

Palestine vs. Israel

To backup what Vincenzo is saying, Israel is also doing this because they know if they don't stop it now it only gets worst. Think of it as law enforcement dealing with criminals who are armed with military gear, you can't fight them with typical cop equipment, that's why there is SWAT. Force is met with equal force. Funny how no one ever asks where Hamas' missiles land.

Palestine vs. Israel - Page 88

Hamas and Israel have agreed to a 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire on Saturday, officials say.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Secretary of State John Kerry that Israel would comply, according to a U.S. Official traveling with Kerry. Palestinian Parliament member Mustafa Barghouti said Hamas also agreed. Ref. CNN

Palestine vs. Israel Studies Judaism - Page 88

Israel agrees to extend truce in Gaza by 4 hours

The 12-hour cease-fire between Israel and Hamas militants was set to expire at 8 p.m. Local time. The announcement comes as the Palestinian death toll rose to more than 1,000 on Saturday. Forty people have been killed in Israel since the conflict began on July 8. Ref. USAToday