Simple, isn't it? Hamas and Hezbollah return the soldiers and stop the rocket attacks. Then Israel withdraws from the majority of the West Bank--as it has planned to do. Confidence measures are built on all sides with a cessation of violence. Then Israel follows through with the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, as Olmert stated in Jordan before the soldier's abduction in Gaza. The Palestinians recognize Israel's right to exist and "they" agree to a shared Jerusalem (the majority of Israelis are for it) and then gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual Palestinian Muslim and Christians are free to stroll hand in hand down the beaches of Gaza to their favorite tatoo parlor.

Berkeley Berkeley Uber Alles.

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The region is a mess and all sides are guilty of violating this or that agreement. This is why a border control solution - not just a handful sad sack UN peacekeepers - but real troop presence on all borders is needed. And if anyone violates it - be it Palestinians, Israelis, Syrians etc. - then they are seriously punished for it.

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Mexican narco-terrorists kidnap Americans and the Mexican government can't do anything about it. According to Israeli logic, the US should immediately begin bombing electric power plants and shelling airports in Mexico...

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Israel’s Operation Summer Rains has redefined the term collective punishment. After three armed Palestinian groups killed two Israeli soldiers and took Shalit prisoner, Israeli warplanes bombed the power plant, which serves most of Gaza’s 1.4 million people, sealed tight the only commercial crossing into the coastal strip and, until July 1, shut off the fuel pipeline as well. What remains of the Gazan electric company struggles to channel six hours of power to Palestinian homes per day. Hospitals are running neonatal incubators and other equipment on their own generators, which guzzle the scarce fuel. Meanwhile, the Israeli air force regularly breaks the sound barrier above Gaza, usually in the wee hours of the morning, jangling Palestinians’ nerves and terrifying children. Shrugs Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert: “Nobody dies from being uncomfortable.”

Sunday, July 9, was the two year anniversary of the International Court of Justice's ruling that the "seperation wall" that Israel has almost completed in the Occupied West Bank is blatantly illegal. The Israeli Supreme Court decided it doesn't care. When a country that is signatory to international treaties has decided that it will ignore its legal obligations, it's hard to take its moral outrage very seriously.

Of course, international law could provide a basis for examing the very roots of the bloody cycle of violence that characterizes the Israel-Palestine conflict, as Alain Gersh writes for Le Monde Diplomatique:

"The 1949 Geneva Conventions state, in article 54 of their additional protocol: 'Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited.' It is also 'prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population.' That means that the Israeli army’s latest offensive in the occupied territories amounts to war crimes; it includes the blockade of the civilian population and their collective punishment, the bombing of Gaza’s $150 million power station, depriving 750,000 Palestinians of electricity in the intense summer heat, and the kidnapping on the West Bank of 64 members of the political wing of Hamas, including eight cabinet ministers and 22 members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. On July 5 the Israeli government said it would expand its military operation in Gaza."

Israel has violated another principle of international law in this offensive: proportionality. Article 51 of the protocol forbids 'an attack which may be expected to cause incidental loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, which would be excessive in relation to the concrete and direct military advantage anticipated.' Can saving one soldier’s life justify destruction on this scale?"

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Some little woman some 5000 years ago put a little boy in a basket. I think we need to go back to that moment and blow up that basket to smithereens. I am partial to depleted Uranium tipped bullets.

That would take care of the Jews, the Christians, and the Muslims.

I need to go now...I have to pray to my capitalist god.

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Will Israel use these conflagrations to justify attacking Iranian uranium enrichment sites?

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What do you want? You made the erroneous claim that the abduction of the Israelis are about a prisoner swap when one was in the works. Then you claimed that I called you a racist, when I didn't.

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First up, I think people should have a look at some maps of the area. Why? Because then some of you may realise exactly what Sharon was so graciously offering. Then you may realise that the Israeli government plan for 'disengagement' that you tout as being so generous is really a blatant grab for the best land and most of the water. You may realise that the Plan would leave Palestinians isolated in pathetic cantons, unable to travel to their farms or their relatives in the next town. Unable even to use certain roads, which are Israeli-only. Does that sound fair?

So there's a good collection of maps here. I suggest that you pay particular attention to the water maps and the 'Road Map' map.

So. Land. Onto the next item, which is people. It might surprise some folks to learn that far more Palestinians are dying than Israelis. Substantially greater numbers of Palestinian children die than Israeli children: today's figure on If Americans Knew, of children killed since September 29 2000, is 121 to 734. That's 121 Israeli children to 734 Palestinian children.

I urge all of you to check out this site, because it's got a lot of information about the aspects of the problem, and why it is that so many Americans don't know what's really going on there. One of the problems is media, of course: when the media report disproportionately, the public is misinformed. So the media report far more Israeli casualties than Palestinian, and the terms used to describe the events are heavily biased (possibly because the information comes from Israeli government sources). Check the Report Card on the sidebar.

You might also wish to check out The Electronic Intifada, which describes itself as 'Palestine's Weapon of Mass Instruction'. It might be worthwhile seeing how things look from a Palestinian perspective, because most of us never see that.

Read. Think. Question. Don't assume.

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Remember when he said "Why can't we all just get along?"

Peace is possible. All we have to remember, and keep openly repeating is this:

The TRULY courageous people do not resort to violence first. They are willing to humble themselves and talk. THAT is courage.

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I come in to work at 10 PM PST and usually check Alternet after my work email and then CNN. The whole front page web was the same (except for the "From the Wire") as when I left yesterday at 6:30 AM. I cannot believe the Isreli campaign in Lebanon was not all over the whole thing. Good for you in doing your part to draw attention to this, IMHO, huge event occuring in the Middle East. Judging by your 42 comments (not counting the comments on comments) I am not the only one spellbound by this event. Too bad the Arab and Islamic states are such- the correct word escapes me- that they cannot form a Grand Coalition of the Willing to drive the invaders out of their sovereign neighbor. Shame on us for letting this event spiral out of control; if we had put the time, money and effort into the Palestinian "situation" that we have in Iraq- using peaceful, constructive means this whole thing could have been avoided. I would imagine with that much energy we would be able to, holding our heads high with honor, in a spirit of true Christian and any other religion, as well as secular humanist compassion and forgiveness be able to bring Osama Bin Laden to a negotiating table and sign a peace treaty with Al-Qaueda and a new Caliphate. I am a man of tremendous vision and I know this may sound like anathema to some, but I would posit that the tragedy of human life in Iraq is just as tremendous a vision- unfortunatly it is a reality rather that the furtive vision of a wanna-be philosopher.

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I found this comment a minute ago on the Your Say blog at www.theage.com.au where we have been discussing the current comflict all day:

"Just a quick note to Lebanese Muslims in Australia...do not speak for all of us when you make statements such as the Lebanese are united against Israel.

This is simply not true! In a way, as a Christian Lebanese, I am glad that Israel is finally putting pressure on our rubbish government. However, I hope that they have done what they need to and that there are not any further bombings.

If the Lebanese government was made up of only Christians, then it would have been a very succesful country...instead, we have Muslims with simple minds having influence...pathetic.

To Israel, do what you have to do in the South...just leave the rest of Lebanon alone. We are just as much against Hizbollah as you are.

Posted by: Christian_Leb at July 14, 2006 05:21 PM "

I find this very interesting, espcially in light of the fact that the lands of the far south of Lebanon are, apparently, still under Israeli occupation.

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You appear to be an angry person who throws insults and demeaning comments when someone does not agree with your point of view. Frankly, this is no way to persuade anyone to consider the points you do make. The disrespectful attitude you display only causes people to ignore anything you may say and does nothing to enhance the debate (I'm assuming you do want to change people's minds; otherwise, what would be the point of posting your opinions?). Most people will consider another's point of view, even if, in the end, they may not agree, when they are treated with dignity and respect.

I'm interested in how you may respond to this post.

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Israel: Mean, belligerent, systematic mass murderers (today: 60 civilians killed in a fairly unrelated country as flailing revenge for two kidnapped soldiers - this equals Israeli justice), true terrorists, dangerous to all the world as massive war-makers.

I used to be an Israel-fan, admiring their "blooming desert"-efforts, and championed their "greater Israel"-vision (i.e all of West bank & Gaza as legitimate parts of Israel). Then learned some more, about proto-Isreali’s murderous shenanigans in the Middle East all since the 1920ies, and realized a two-state solution would be generous to Israel. Still now, on average, in its conflicts Israel kill 7-10 people for every Israeli killed, and Israel clearly provokes in full deliberation most attacks against itself. So now I realize there's something rotten in the core of Israel.

Israel's murderousness must be contained. Stopped. Removed. There's a mental set there that can only lead to worse - and there's no limit to how much worse, regrettably, while anyone's still alive in the path of that life-destructive mental set.

Only everyone who understands how wrong Israel's killing behaviour is, speaking out and acting upon it forcefully, within the parameters of acceptable force as defined in international law, can stop the murderous Israeli virus from spreading - to kill everyone within its reach.

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(In reply to Codingguy - quotes from him)

"...it seems that you are continuing your "cheerlead now, think later" approach, only from the other side."

Well now, I was nine years old at the time, fresh out of Christianity-classes on old testament lore, and rooting for the 'poetic justice' of those poor jews regaining their home - and I admit the 5000-plus year time-perspective and considerations of other factors, facts and people didn't play a huge role my stance. I like to believe I've matured since then.

As you sound an articulate person, Codingguy, I'll try to answer you.

"... murderous shenanigans" were well matched (and more) by the Arabs...". Jews:Arabs - 133:116 (cf. Wikipedia), in a battle nearly 80 years ago between the Arabs who lived there and the (at the time) intruding Jews. - That's your main example of how "well matched" the forces are today?

"Israel's assymetrical response policy is certainly open to criticism...". That's very polite phrasing, on a killing ratio of 6:1 since 2000. Under an more representative description, that's saying "mass murder is ... open to criticism". It "certainly" is, under every law in every civilized country, and including international law. So "open to criticism" it's forbidden.

"...let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater shall we". Maybe we should ... at least consider that more closely. When the bathwater is that much of a killing-plague infested liquid, it could be the baby hasn't got that much going for it and has become as toxic as the bathwater. This is NOT to say the jews should go. But maybe a wholly different tack could be useful. Like re-vision of the concept of the jewish state and its constitution, making it less of an artificial insertion into the Middle East - like a huge UFO landing there - and better harmonized with the cultures surrounding it. - Just a thought.

"...at least recognize that's because it is using the assymetrical response as a deterrent against future attacks". No. If that were so, Israel should have learned by now that the "deterrent" doesn't work. Even Israel - however much they're blinded by event they're embroiled in - can't have that slow a learning curve.

"...this "something rotten in the state of Israel," what could it be?" I wonder that, too. Obviously something, judging from today's "disproportionate", murderous acts. Maybe its an exaggerated defence-mechanism, gone on unchecked after the jew-persecution ended – i.e. a national neuroses of Israel. That's a speculation. Sorry I can't be much more specific: I can see THAT there's something rotten in the core of Israel, without necessarily knowing exactly WHAT that is. What do you think it is?

Instead of getting lost in a blame-game of historical details - while partly useful to understand what may be achieved - the focus should be on how to create good conditions now, avoiding murders, blatant injustices and abuses. The humanism inherent in the body of international law is the best reference for holding on to that kind of peace. Then the narrow-minded self-interests can't run quite as rampant as now - whoever embodies them.

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I'm not one to get into conspiracy theory here, BUT...any thoughts on if this is some master plot by the US to start a chain of events which gets us into a war with Iran?

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Concerned about the disaster in Lebanon? You can help at:

http://www.relieflebanon.org/index.html

Funny how different the coverage of this relief effort is with that of say, New Orleans. Where are the hourly totals of the contibutions pouring in?

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