Palestine - Israel Conflict: News And Discussions

[A.Rafay]

The death toll in Gaza within the past week has already reached over one hundred [AFP]
​

The recent Israeli pounding on Gaza reminds us of the brutal Gaza invasion in 2009 that resulted "in between 1,166 and 1,417 Palestinian and 13 Israeli deaths (four from friendly fire)". The human toll and the destruction of the infrastructure in Gaza nearly five years ago still reverberates. The current bombing spate by the Netanyahu government from the air and sea is again turning Gaza into rubble.

This, according to the Israeli government, is in response to hundreds of rockets fired at Israel by Hamas from Gaza, that has created fear amongst the Israeli population and claimed three Israeli lives. But this is asymmetric warfare: The death toll in Gaza has already crossed 100, including many women and children.

Israel says it is only targeting selective targets with "surgical precision". But its claims are not substantiated by facts: The majority of victims are innocent civilians. Despite some pressures from America and Britain, Israel is massing its troops near Gaza; a ground invasion seems possible.

The Gazan people's back has been to the wall for some time; they have been subjected to inhumane conditions under almost total siege by Israel for some years - something considered illegal under international humanitarian law.

According to a UN report, Gaza in 2020: A liveable place?, "Israel's Operation 'Cast Lead' in 2008-09 'caused a total of US$181 million in direct and US$88 million in longer-term costs for Gaza's agriculture; generated about 600,000 tonnes of rubble and US$ 44 million in environmental costs."

The trauma it created is irreparable and the conditions are dismal. As late as 2010, British Prime Minister David Cameron termed Gaza as a prison camp and the former US President, Jimmy Carter, called Gaza a prison.

Atmosphere of despair

Beyond Gaza, the situation in historic Palestine is not much different. Israeli land grabbing, illegal settlements and ethnic cleansing in occupied territories, forced removal of families from their homes, the increasing refugee problems, massive unemployment, daily humiliation of Palestinian people in the crossings, the erection of the "apartheid wall" - have all created an atmosphere of despair.

As in its 2009 operation, Israel is trying to match its overwhelming military might with its superior media outreach in the western world. As a result, and due to what seems to be America's depressingly unquestioned support for Israel, many in the West buy in to the Israeli narrative claiming Hamas as a "terrorist" organisation.

Sadly, people have a short memory. They forget that Hamas, for all its flaws, formed the legitimate Palestinian government after winning an internationally-accepted election in 2006 (but they were conveniently dumped by the US and other western governments).

The fear of being accused as anti-Semitic has inhibited many in the West from publicly criticising Israel's historic injustice to the Palestinians. Some try to be ambivalent; in order to prove their neutrality, the only thing they do is offer some advice to Israeli and Palestinian politicians to sort out the mess on the negation table.

However, an overwhelming majority of people in the Muslim world and many in Asia, Africa and Latin America consider Israel a Pariah state, supported by the world's sole superpower, the United States. Many consider Israel as a Goliath when it comes to the Palestinian people.

The US and other western governments have failed to publicly criticise Israel for its iron-fist policy on Palestine. That has made them incapable of becoming honest peace-brokers between the two sides. The so called "road map for peace", initiated by the US in 2002, was rejected by Israel and did not see the light of the day.

The recent call from some western leaders for a "de-escalation" of the crisis by asking Hamas to stop firing the rockets and pleading with Israel not to wreck "international support" only shows impotence. There is a clear lack of leadership from western leaders, particularly the US administration.

Military might

Israel has massive political and military might and the Israeli leadership is also known to be politically smarter than the Arab leaders. Israel has become a garrison state with conventional and weapons of mass destruction that include nuclear bombs (although not publicly acknowledged). It has the unconditional backing of the largest military power on earth. This has blinded Israel's judgment and made it arrogant.

But in the greater scheme of things, the Israeli leadership lacks strategic wisdom that is needed for its future. With all its military, diplomatic and media advantage, time is not on Israel's side. History also teaches us that the days of injustice do not last long.

The Palestinian people may be underdogs now, but people with insight can see they are the ones who are setting the future agenda. Whatever Hamas is doing - out of madness, desperation or a long-term strategy - Israel seems to be falling in their trap of an un-winnable, long and protracted war.

The Israeli strength so far has lain with the disunity and incompetence of the Arab regimes. But things are changing within the Arab world, as we all know. Plus the tectonic plate of world economic power is shifting towards the East; with it the global political and military power may change at some time in the future.

During the 2009 Gaza crisis, two prominent Muslim countries - Turkey and Egypt - carried little weight in the world. Now they are trying to assert their rightful place. Their position on the Arab-Israeli conflict is now clearer. For the first time in many decades, the world attention has focused on Egypt. Whether its President Morsi succeeds in bringing the two sides to a ceasefire agreement will be interesting to see, but a new chapter seems to be dawning in the Middle East.

A just and lasting solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict is not only essential for Israeli and Palestinian people, but also for the whole world. This needs a clear "thinking outside the box" by the Israeli leadership and their backers in America. And it must come soon.

Israel's scorched earth policy in Gaza could prove fatal - Opinion - Al Jazeera English


News And Discussions Related to Palestine Here

 

[AHMED85]

Indeed sad news and most potential threat to regional peace. Israel need to reconsider its polices, Displacement of public on noting is very hard to rehabilitate..
Innocent peoples are not target in warfare and Israel put the whole region in backward direction which pertain to destabilization the progress and peace in the region even Israel...
This way is not suitable and good in deterrent...

Indeed sad news and most potential threat to regional peace. Israel need to reconsider its polices, Displacement of public on noting is very hard to rehabilitate..
Innocent peoples are not target in warfare and Israel put the whole region in backward direction which pertain to destabilization the progress and peace in the region even Israel...
This way is not suitable and good in deterrent...

 

[A.Rafay]

Hamas top commander warns Israel on ground operation

JERUSALEM / CAIRO: Israel will “pay a heavy price” if it launches a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, Hamas’s top military commander warned in a rare audio message aired on Tuesday.
“The enemy will pay a heavy price if it thinks of entering Gaza,” Mohammed Deif said in the audio message carried by Hamas television station Al-Aqsa.
Earlier, senior Israeli ministers decided overnight to hold off from launching a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip to give Egyptian-led truce efforts a chance to work, a senior Israeli official said.
“A decision was taken that for the time being there is a temporary hold on the ground incursion to give diplomacy a chance to succeed,” he told AFP.
All sides in Gaza conflict must immediately halt fire: Ban
UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged all sides to the Gaza conflict to immediately cease their fire, warning at a press conference in Cairo that an escalation would put the entire region at risk.
“All sides must halt fire immediately,” Ban said, as an Israeli military operation against rocket-firing militants in Gaza entered a sixth day, with 109 Palestinians and three Israelis killed.
“Further escalating the situation will put the entire region at risk,” he added.

Hamas top commander warns Israel on ground operation – The Express Tribune

 

[A.Rafay]

Gaza: Israel And Hamas Agree To A Ceasefire

A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel has been agreed, it has been announced.

Egyptian foreign minister Mohamed Kamel Amr said the truce would begin at 7pm (GMT) at a news conference in Cairo.

Just moments earlier, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon had arrived in the Egyptian capital for talks with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and said there were "many details to work out" before an agreement could be reached. to end the conflict.

"I am particularly concerned about the spiral of violence at the time of intense efforts to reach a ceasefire," he said.

"We all know there are many details to work out, but what that happens civilians continue to die. That is why we need a ceasefire right now, immediately," he added.

On Tuesday night, Hamas official Ayman Taha said an Egyptian-brokered truce had been finalised and would take effect from 10pm.

But a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately responded by saying the announcement was premature.

The truce comes amid a diplomatic push to end the violence, spearheaded by Mr Ban and Mrs Clinton who both arrived in Cairo on Wednesday for separate talks with Mr Morsi.

Mrs Clinton vowed to work on a truce between the two sides.

She said: "In the days ahead, the United States will work with our partners here in Israel and across the region toward an outcome that bolsters security for the people of Israel, improves conditions for the people of Gaza and moves toward a comprehensive peace for all people of the region."

She arrived from Israel where she earlier met with Mr Netanyahu in Jerusalem, while also travelling to the West Bank city of Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who told her "Egypt was the key to everything".

Mr Netanyahu told Mrs Clinton that he was ready to agree to a "long-term solution" as long as the rocket attacks from Gaza stopped.

A senior Hamas official told reporters that a key sticking point in the negotiations was the timing of when Israel would begin easing its six-year blockade of Gaza.

Pope Benedict XVI also spoke of his concern of the escalating violence this morning.

"Hatred and violence are not the solution," he said, adding that he encouraged "the initiatives and efforts of those who are trying to reach a ceasefire and promote negotiations".

Meanwhile, Iran announced it was providing military and financial assistance to the Palestinians.

"We are proud to defend the people of Palestine and Hamas ... and that our assistance to them has been both financial and military," said Iran's parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani.

Israel continued its bombardment of Gaza striking more than 100 targets, killing six Palestinians. These included a two-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl, according to reports.

Some 30 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel. The Iron Dome system intercepted 14 of them..

Israel launched the offensive one week ago in an attempt to end months of rocket attacks out of the Hamas-run territory, which lies on Israel's southern flank.

After assassinating Hamas' military chief, it has carried out a campaign of airstrikes, targeting rocket launchers, storage sites and wanted militants.

The campaign has killed more than 140 Palestinians and wounded hundreds of others.

 

[United]

the paradox is that they can’t stand to live with anyone else, hence the slaughter of the Palestinians, yet they can’t live solely among themselves because of their parasitic nature to feed off of the Gentile population.

 

[shanipisces2002]

Sorry to say but this is all full of BULL CRAP look at the devastation done these low life how many lives have been wasted seriously i wish Hitler was here to sort these peoples out as he knew their nature and that's why he slaughtered these Jews. Bunch of low life thugs i call them

 

[bdslph]

Egypt-brokered Hamas-Israel ceasefire comes into effect

Following eight days of intense shelling that left over 150 people killed, a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has come into effect. The truce was announced by Egypt's foreign minister and confirmed by both Israeli and Palestinian officials.
The truce announcement was made by Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr during a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
“These efforts and contacts have yielded an understanding about a truce and restoration of calm, and the halting of the bloodshed that we have witnessed during the recent period,” Amr said.
"A short while ago Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with [US] President Barack Obama and agreed to his recommendation to give a chance to an Egyptian proposal for a ceasefire and thereby give an opportunity for the stabilization of the situation and a calming of it," the Netanyahu office's statement reads.
The deal stipulates that Israel “stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip – land sea and air, including incursions and targeting of individuals,” while “all Palestinian factions shall stop all hostilities from the Gaza Strip against Israel, including rocket attacks and all attacks along the border.”
The document also says that crossings should be opened to facilitate the movement of people and goods, and that residents’ free movements should not be restricted, while targeting residents in border areas should be.
According to the deal, the exact details of implementation will be decided 24 hours from the start of the ceasefire.
The announcement comes after Clinton and UN chief Ban Ki-Moon traveled to Cairo on Wednesday to push for a ceasefire as the conflict entered its eighth day.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (AFP Photo / Dan Balilty)
The UN Secretary-General met with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. Clinton met with Morsi as well, and later with Amr.
"Ultimately every step must move us towards a comprehensive peace for the people of the region," Clinton said after the ceasefire was announced.
Later, during a special press conference devoted to the ceasefire, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Clinton, Obama and Egypt for their, cooperation saying Israel “put in a lot of military power together with diplomatic.”
Objectives accomplished?
Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that all his government's military goals in Gaza were "achieved" as the ceasefire agreement came into effect. The IDF issued a statement saying that it accomplished its “pre-determined objectives” for the eight-days-long Operation Pillar of Defense, inflicting severe damage to Hamas and its military capabilities.
Meanwhile, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal declared the ceasefire agreement to be a major victory for Palestine, adding that while Israel claims to have reached its goals, it “failed to destroy Gaza’s infrastructure.”
“After eight days, God stayed their hand from the people of Gaza, and they were compelled to submit to the conditions of the resistance,” Meshaal said. ”Israel has failed in all its goals.”
Meshaal also thanked ceasefire mediator Egypt for its efforts in reaching the truce agreement, as well as Iran, which he said played a significant role in arming Hamas during the conflict. He added that Israel initiated the conflict and that Hamas was forced to respond. He urged Arab countries to provide armed assistance to the "Palestinian resistance."
Over the week of Israel's offensive, some 160 people were killed and 941 wounded in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. Almost 100 of those killed were civilians, including 28 children, 13 women and several journalists. Almost every wounded person was a civilian as well.
On the Israeli side, five people were killed and 240 injured according to the IDF, which counted over 1,500 rockets fired from Gaza during the conflict. Only 421 of those rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome.
The Israeli military announced that it hit over 1,500 "terror sites" and killed 30 senior operatives during the operation. “I would say that most of the people that were hit in Gaza deserved it, as they were just armed terrorists,” Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon told Public Radio International, despite the large majority of Palestinians killed being unarmed civilians.


Egypt-brokered Hamas-Israel ceasefire comes into effect — RT

 

[bdslph]

Cristiano Ronaldo donates €1.5mn to children in Gaza


Real Madrid iconic forward Cristiano Ronaldo has donated €1.5 million to Palestinian children in Gaza, the Arabic version of the club’s Classico network reports.
The star forward gave his Golden Boot which he earned in 2011 to the Real Madrid foundation. The Spanish giants in their turn sold it at auction and will now donate the funds to schools in Gaza
According to various reports, the Real Madrid Foundation has helped to build 167 schools in 66 countries.
It’s not the first time Ronaldo has given to charity. Last year he sold most of his sports shoes at a Real Madrid Foundation auction which was also dedicated to raising funds for schools in Gaza.
Ronaldo became the most expensive footballer in history after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer worth €93.9 million. In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he is paid €12 million per year, makes him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo donates

 

[bdslph]

his donations to everyone is very much appreciated

he is kind for donating so much

 

[hankau62]

Palestine-Israel conflict seems to be non-ending. I have a question though. Is it possible for Gazan to declare itself as a independent country, without west-bank? Egypt can open their border and help the necessary requirements to gaza? To me gaza & west-bank is physically separated and therefore it will be wise to make two different independent countries instead of one country. What matter is that the people should be free and independent.

 

[bdslph]

the Israel and Palestine Conflict will never end