Barak: We'll evacuate illegal outposts peacefully or with force

reply to post by mattpryor


You have written in a spirit of reconciliation, which I acknowledge and appreciate. I will endeavor to reciprocate in the same mode.

Most of the informations I gather are not from main stream media, but from human rights organization and independent witnesses blogs, etc. I stay clear from extremes and fanatical media from both sides for good reasons.

You and I, and most of the world, are brought up on western media vilifying Arabs as far back as one can remember. Name one hollywood movie that has not attempted to portray Arabs as evil, sinister, untrustworthy, dangerous, terrorists and at best, as buffoons, stupid, comical and to be laughed at and ridiculed. This has been going on for nearly a century. It has been ingrained into our psyche. It would not be too difficult to see which side the western media are leaning towards.

Even at the present time, talks are as casual as can be, that Iran may be bombed by Israel. No outrage from western media that one country is planning an attack on a sovereign country without provocation. Yet the whole western media went into a frenzied attack on a (intentionally?) mistranslated speech by the president of that country about wiping Israel off the map. To this day, it is still being reported as fact.

Never mind that innocent civilians may be killed in the bombing. After all they are only Arabs (or Persians). How much did the world cringe at the thousands of civilians killed in in Irag and Afganistan? Its only barely statistics. When it comes to Palestinians, it gets worse. Its only terrorists being killed. Good riddance.

Imagine if those death tolls were Israelis? The whole world will be outraged. I just don't see western media bias against Israel as a typical.

As for the ethical codes of the IDF, it may be accurate of the first two paragraphs, but I see scant evidence of the 3rd being true.

however I do know that Hamas deliberately put children and non-combatants in the line of fire in order to maximize publicity from their deaths

Fighting in an area of approx 4000 people per sq km, you don't expect that there is a lot of room to maneuver. You don't expect Hamas to expose themselves in the open to be annihilated by cowardly use of drones and air power. So all this talk of hamas using the population for cover is just a convenience and excuse for culling the population.

I know that Hamas, like most extremists in the region, have little or no respect for the sanctity of human life. Otherwise please explain how the use of suicide bombers on school buses is a legitimate form of insurgency? Explain why a loving mother would do this?

In any conflict, whether at home, at work, in the public arena, or one country against another country, I have always believed in putting oneself in the other's shoe. That way one can see it from the other perspective and understand if the root cause of the dispute is from oneself.

It is living by the Golden Rule. Although I can describe myself as anti-religion, this fundamental principal, found in most scriptures are never acted on or conveniently ignored. In order to understand why people strap themselves with bombs, you have got to put yourself in their position.

These are people who have been left without a hope in the world. Most probably, one or more of their family have been killed in the conflict. They are living in squalor, chances are their homes have been razed to the ground by bulldozers or bombardment. Sewerage is overflowing on to the streets, hardly any electricity and food supplies scarce.

On the way to work, if they are lucky to have a job, they have to queue for hours and undergo humiliating harassment by IDF at the numerous check points. All this is then repeated on the way home after work. Imagine the daily stress one has to tolerate.

These people are living in utter despair, where choosing to die is easier than living. This amplifies the inhumanity of one side that can drive the other side to commit such a desperate action.

All this talk of virgins waiting in paradise, is just further BS and ridicule that is being leveled at the unfortunate souls. Besides what happen when it is a female suicide bomber? Nobody chooses to blow themselves up without extreme and intolerable causes.

Can't you for one moment, as you say, put aside your prejudices and just take a moment and imagine living their lives and see how you would feel.

Are you not even open to the possibility that you could be siding with the bad guys, and have you not thought about what the consequences of that may be?

"Charges of widespread corruption have plagued the Palestinian party of Fatah. Its leaders have often times been accused of siphoning funds from ministry budgets, passing out patronage jobs, accepting favors and gifts from suppliers and contractors, and soliciting bribes.

In contrast, Hamas is seen as largely untouched by corruption and exploited this image during the campaigns. Hamas’ anti-corruption message during the
parliamentary election was apparently successful and many reports and exit polls cited anti-corruption as a motivation to vote for Hamas.

Over the past three decades, Hamas has risen to prominence, in part due to a well-organized social service network that provides services and charitable programs to Palestinians."
(source: Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress)

In spite of western propaganda about Hamas and terrorism and so on, I know which side are the bad guys. Remember Fatah is supported by US & Israel.

To automatically take the word of Israel's enemies, and discount everything Israelis say in their defence as lies and misinformation, is surely a form of prejudice in itself?

Just to give you an understanding of where I 'm coming from. I was cheering on the Israelis during the Yom Kippur War. I had admired the Israelis for their resourcefulness and tenacity. I grieved when the horrors of the holocaust was first publicized in the media. I felt great empathy for the Israelis.

Since then, I've opened my eyes, and as you put it, realized who the bad guys really are. How can you not, when Israel is continuously thumbing its nose at the world and committing every atrocity and war crime in the book. Doing all these with such callousness and impunity.

I can hardly call myself prejudiced, can I?

Just to let you know that I will reply to this, but I'm having trouble finding time at work...

Stay tuned

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler


If karma actually occurred, then Germany would have had a catastrophic asteroid impact. Israel's going to exist because they have the methods to exist now. They can cling to life just like any other countries.

If you don't like it, well, tough.