AlterNet Commenters Share Their Anger at the Killing and Atrocities in Gaza

AlterNet. Posted January 10, 2009.

As global conflicts go, emotions always run exceptionally high over the question of Israel and Palestine, so it came as no surprise that AlterNet readers have a lot to say about the current crisis in Gaza. The anger and frustration -- over the inaction of U.S. politicians, the failure of the corporate media to honestly portray the conflict, over Hamas's rockets and the Israeli subjugation of the Palestinian people, and over the slaughter of hundreds of innocent civilians -- is palpable.

A good deal of the comments posted in response to our Gaza coverage have focused on which side is to blame. But many others grapple with the harder questions of how to end this intractable conflict, what the appropriate response should be from Barack Obama, the roots of the prejudice that makes it possible to justify killing innocent civilians, and what the current bloodletting will produce down the line.

Below is a collection of some of the more striking comments elicited by AlterNet's recent Gaza coverage, pulled from stories including Liliana Segura's "Atrocities in Gaza: Piecing Together the Story," Stephen Zunes's "Democrats Are Cowards in the Face of Israel's Brutality," "Unprecedented Numbers of Americans Question Israel's Actions in Gaza" by Max Blumenthal, and Linda Mamoun's "Israel's Militants Poised to Resettle Gaza After Assault" (Read more Gaza coverage here).

 writes in the comment, "Put Yourself in Their Shoes,"

The fact of the matter here is that too many people are looking at the political side to this and ignoring the moral and human side. You'd think after reading such a heart-wrenching account, some of the commentors would actually show some compassion.

Let's take a second to try and disconnect ourselves from the comfort of our cubicles and offices and try and imagine what life is like for the population of Gaza. The person interviewed above says it himself, the civilians of Gaza are at a disconnect to the rest of the world. How could they not be? They don't have the luxury to sip cafe lattes and read the news and get different perspectives on Hamas or Israel or anything going on in the world really. These are desperate people in a desperate situation, not just since the attacks started, but far longer than that. It's easy for people here to condemn the support for Hamas, but we don't know what it's like to live over there. We don't know what it's like to live in occupied territory, especially with the suspect human rights record of Israel over at least the past 40 years. How could we possibly understand what it feels like to be a resident of Gaza? The people of Gaza are not granted the same luxuries of information gathering in as we are here.

Neither Israel or Hamas is an innocent party here. But what I do know however, is that the death of this many civilians is IMMORAL AND WRONG. It is not necessary, this is not 'collateral damage,' this is targeting of a civilian population. You cannot rationally defend the death of this many children. You cannot rationally defend the Israeli bombing of a UN School, just like you can't rationally defend a suicide bomber.

Enough is enough. Stop punishing the civilians. What ever happened to compassion?

robchapman writes in "Hamas is not for peace":

Hamas's leadership and its behavior since winning the Palestinian elections has been deeply disappointing.

Despite the electoral support of almost 2/3 of the Palestinian voters, Hamas has never shown the basic requirement of a legitimate government: willingness to let its neighbors and its own people live in peace.

I am referring to Hamas' dedication to the destruction of the State of Israel and its mobilization of its own people for this evil end.

Whatever humanitarian and governmental functions Hamas has undertaken have been subordinated to the goal of total war against Israel. This in the face of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and ongoing Israeli- Palestinian Authority negotiations to develop a two-state peace treaty.

The regrettable and terrible loss of property and civilian lives in the current conflict clearly stems from the Hamas decision to deploy its forces in heavily populated areas and cynically use its population as a shield from IDF.

It is a sad statement of cravenness and depravity on the part of Hamas that their armed wing depends on the proximity of defenseless non-combatants for safety. This stands on its head any notion that Hamas is a protector of Palestinians.

One can only hope that public opinion, rightfully repulsed by the bloody pictures of wounded children, will powerfully push Hamas toward a more conciliatory role with Israel and other neighboring countries.

See more stories tagged with: israel, barack obama, gaza, hamas, palestinians, israeli defense

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