Will this increase or decrease the likelihood of terrorist actions in America, Europe and the rest of the world?

If you were a member of a family murdered in this conflict, would you be seeking revenge?

Should Tzipi Livni and Ehud Olmert, be tried for war crimes if or when this conflict comes to an end?

What will the price of oil be in 4 weeks time?

It is unfortunate that the Gaza conflict and other violent episodes on either the Israeli or Arab side have raised the spectre of anti-semitism. I am personally opposed to Israel and have given small amounts of money to Palestinian causes over a 40 year period on and off. However I am not anti-semitic, just anti Israel. I grew up in a very Jewish area of London as my father did and his father did before me (Stamford Hill), I know plenty of jews who almost hate Israel because they don't agree with its formation and the fact that they are associated with it. They also do not like the attention it brings to them and the anti-Jewish feelings it generates. Israel will not be free of violence against them for a long time, certainly not in my life time nor my children's. I agree that Israel should defend themseleves as anyone would. I fully expect that Israel will bomb the reacors in Iran if they get close to making a bomb and I will be pleased that they do so. My only solution is to share all the lands of Palestine, West Bank, Gaza and Israel for all the Jews and Arabs and to relinquish control of Jerusalem. The government to be by a joint body.

I am an atheist and believe that religion does immense harm. The idea that a state should be formed to be a home for any religious group seems absurd. I can see no importance as to whether Jews have lived in the Middle East in the past or historically.

Again, very well said, sivad. On the button as always.
Richard

The Palestinians should have a state of their own.
The Israelis have a state of their own.
The idea expressed in post 1029 for a nation called Utopia is, well..........need I say it.
In the meantime those of us who feel humanitarian sympathy for suffering innocents can contribute financially........ and see some if not all of their very well-meaning money continue to arm Hamas and perpetuate the suffering they seek so much to assuage.
That's the real world.
War needs one side wanting it.
Peace needs two and until that will is there amongst some of the Arab/Muslim nations/groups these terrible things will continue.
Proof Israel wants peace?

One of those blatant lies:
"The result was that Israel annexed land not belonging to them, which they have never given back".
Absolute nonsense.
What about Sinai, won by Israel, and handed back to Egypt in exchange for peace.

Richard

sivad .... an interesting post but scarcely a piece of objective writing, any more than was today's editorial in the Gulf News.

that said, i certainly concur that anti-semitism has always been at best an undercurrent in UK since medieval times ..... but one could say the same about anti-catholicism too.

however, i certainly do not subscribe to the view that the jewish population in UK is under severe threat of GBH or the more subtle forms of intimidation and/or demonisation ..... indeed, that claim might arguably be raised with more conviction by the black population (we in the UK rarely differentiate beteen the particular races!).

perhaps my own and my wife's families, who have been in UK since the turn of 20th century, have been strangely lucky, for we certainly have found little discrimination worthy of more than the disdain it merited (in fact, it has been minimal or less anyway), let alone anything more vicious.

Israel handing back some land does not mean that Israel hasn't taken other land and not returned it.

A couple of points relating to posts: 25 million Russians died in the last war - the Western world tends to forget that when comparing figures.

Also the point about 'terrorists' is always hazy. Were French resistance fighters terrorists when they killed German soldiers in the last war, bearing in mind that the 'lawful' government of France agreed that German soldiers should be on their soil?

Was De Gaulle a terrorist for supporting them and waging war against Germans from the UK?

Unfortunately the word seems to have been degraded and used willy-nilly in recent years. And it tends to be used about anyone who is not on 'our' side.

hi maggot//IT DEPENDS ON WHICH SIDE YOU ARE ON????

I'm familiar with the "one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter" argument. It's always misused in the context of current events.

The Free French were just that: their target was an invading occupying force, not innocent French civilians. The French resistance (why am I having to say this) played an important role in preparing the ground for the Allied landings.

The Vichy French government was no more legitimate than Quisling's in Norway. During the war, the legitimate Norwegian government sat in what is now the dining room of the Institute of Directors in Pall Mall. King Haakon's portrait still hangs there to this day.

a little question for all you guys ...... what is the difference between Fatah's stance on Israel and that of Hamas? ..... in giving your answer, please advise whether or not you have actually read the manifestos or merely gleaned it from assorted press and media reports

cynic - probably very little difference in their stances, though I have not read the manifestos. I suppose the main difference in background is that there are still hundreds of thousands of 'Palestinians' who can say 'We wus robbed' because they can remember pre-1948.

As MightyMicro implies above there can be a great difference between what is lawful and what is considered 'right'. Israel can point to the UN as their right to existence, while many Arabs will consider the UN action in 'creating' Israel to be unlawful.

An outsider might ask why, if Israel was ceated for Jewish people (though I am still not certain whether that refers to someone of a particular race or someone who follows the Jewish faith), a state could not be created for, say, Roman Catholics, or Mormons, or people with blue eyes, or left-handed people etc etc...

It has always seemed to me that one problem has always, and will always, stem from the fact that many Jews see themselves as extra-special. Is that unfair? Has the rest of the world perpetuated that perception?

Maggot: Mormons do have a State -- it's called Utah. :-)

On edit and on reflection, so do Roman Catholics -- Vatican City.

"It has always seemed to me that one problem has always, and will always, stem from the fact that many Jews see themselves as extra-special. Is that unfair? Has the rest of the world perpetuated that perception? "

I have never met a Jew who thought that about himself or other Jews.
Why on earth would they think that?
Perhaps by saying that you are yourself "perpetuating that perception"

Maggot, Are you thinking of the "the chosen people" mythology? I think this "belief" is part of the problem in the psyche of a minority, but still vocal group of present Israelis forming part of their driving ideology.

Hello Fred - found time in your busy retirement schedule to look at the video in post 821 yet? ;)

PS might have know you would pop up as soon as the chance to have a dig about Jews.

Isaacs, I allow you your personal pleasures, you can read the posting again, if it is so important to you.

My comment was not a dig at the Jews, but observation from listening to a Jewish woman, who used the phrase, when giving justifications for the present Israeli state and its actions.

Also, I have heard and read the statement, the Chosen People, advanced by others, when discussing the ownership of Jerusalem and their "right" (or "belief") to extend the Israeli State.

But you are entitled to understand the content of the postings according to your own constructs.

Also, I would suggest you read the qualifications I made in that post, before tapping the keyboard.

I don't recall disagreeing with the thrust of your statement Fred just amusing myself at the speed with which you popped up. I look forward to a similarly speedy response next chance there is something negative to say about Hamas or Muslims more generally. Doubtless you will be busy enjoying your busy retirement at that point.

Or perhaps even busy watching the video in post 821 . . . :-)

Isaacs, Just helping to make the argument a little more balanced.

In the view of many people, retiring was my best action yet. Little do they know. 8-)

Fred/MrCharts. I asked the question because I know very little about Jews other than that which I have read, and from my own observations that some, at least, want to stand out from everybody else by wearing clothing which marks them, unfailingly, as Jews.

Anyway, I suspect that lots of Palestinians living in Gaza have that perception, rightly or wrongly. That certainly explains their inbuilt hatred of Israel.

I understand the 'chosen people' syndrome is certainly advanced by Zionists. Perhaps it is not typical of the beliefs of the majority of Jews.