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?

Looks like we shall have to bring back the muttonerminator !.

An Arab-Made Misery
Article
Comments (11)
more in Opinion By NONIE DARWISH | FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EUROPE
International donors pledged almost $4.5 billion in aid for Gaza earlier this month. It has been very painful for me to witness over the past few years the deteriorating humanitarian situation in that narrow strip where I lived as a child in the 1950s.

The media tend to attribute Gaza's decline solely to Israeli military and economic actions against Hamas. But such a myopic analysis ignores the problem's root cause: 60 years of Arab policy aimed at cementing the Palestinian people's status as stateless refugees in order to use their suffering as a weapon against Israel.



Associated PressAs a child in Gaza in the 1950s, I experienced the early results of this policy. Egypt, which then controlled the territory, conducted guerrilla-style operations against Israel from Gaza. My father commanded these operations, carried out by Palestinian fedayeen, Arabic for "self-sacrifice." Back then, Gaza was already the front line of the Arab jihad against Israel. My father was assassinated by Israeli forces in 1956.

It was in those years that the Arab League started its Palestinian refugee policy. Arab countries implemented special laws designed to make it impossible to integrate the Palestinian refugees from the 1948 Arab war against Israel. Even descendants of Palestinian refugees who are born in another Arab country and live there their entire lives can never gain that country's passport. Even if they marry a citizen of an Arab country, they cannot become citizens of their spouse's country. They must remain "Palestinian" even though they may have never set foot in the West Bank or Gaza.

This policy of forcing a Palestinian identity on these people for eternity and condemning them to a miserable life in a refugee camp was designed to perpetuate and exacerbate the Palestinian refugee crisis.

So was the Arab policy of overpopulating Gaza. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, whose main political support comes from Arab countries, encourages high birth rates by rewarding families with many children. Yasser Arafat said the Palestinian woman's womb was his best weapon.

Arab countries always push for classifying as many Palestinians as possible as "refugees." As a result, about one-third of the Palestinians in Gaza still live in refugee camps. For 60 years, Palestinians have been used and abused by Arab regimes and Palestinian terrorists in their fight against Israel.

Now it is Hamas, an Islamist terror organization supported by Iran, which is using and abusing Palestinians for this purpose. While Hamas leaders hid in the well-stocked bunkers and tunnels they prepared before they provoked Israel into attacking them, Palestinian civilians were exposed and caught in the deadly crossfire between Hamas and Israeli soldiers.

As a result of 60 years of this Arab policy, Gaza has become a prison camp for 1.5 million Palestinians. Both Israel and Egypt are fearful of terrorist infiltration from Gaza -- all the more so since Hamas took over -- and have always maintained tight controls over their borders with Gaza. The Palestinians continue to endure hardships because Gaza continues to serve as the launching pad for terror attacks against Israeli citizens. Those attacks come in the form of Hamas missiles that indiscriminately target Israeli kindergartens, homes and businesses.

And Hamas continued these attacks more than two years after Israel withdrew from Gaza in the hope that this step would begin the process of building a Palestinian state, eventually leading to a peaceful, two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There was no "cycle of violence" then, no justification for anything other than peace and prosperity. But instead, Hamas chose Islamic jihad. Gazans' and Israelis' hopes have been met with misery for Palestinians and missiles for Israelis.

Hamas, an Iran proxy, has become a danger not only to Israel, but also to Palestinians as well as to neighboring Arab states, who fear the spread of radical Islam could destabilize their countries.

Arabs claim they love the Palestinian people, but they seem more interested in sacrificing them. If they really loved their Palestinian brethren, they'd pressure Hamas to stop firing missiles at Israel. In the longer term, the Arab world must end the Palestinians' refugee status and thereby their desire to harm Israel. It's time for the 22 Arab countries to open their borders and absorb the Palestinians of Gaza who wish to start a new life. It is time for the Arab world to truly help the Palestinians, not use them.

Mrs. Darwish, who grew up in Gaza City and Cairo,

Some apologies due from the Crazy Gang.

A UN inquiry has accused Israel of gross negligence and recklessness during the Gaza war earlier this year.


The report, commissioned by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, found Israels military guilty of deaths and injuries in seven out of nine incidents against UN property where people were sheltering.
But while seeking compensation, Ban said he would not follow a recommendation for further investigations.
I decided to summarise, respecting the full integrity of this report and conclusions.
Ban added, About another question about compensation, now I intend to seek reparation or reimbursement of loss and damage incurred by the United Nations.
Israel has rejected the hugely critical report as biased saying it ignores the fact it was fighting against Hamas, which it describes as a terrorist organisation.
While Israel claims it was responding to Palestinian militant fire, the inquiry blamed the Israeli army among the incidents for an attack on a UN supply compound and a school in Jabalia where an estimated 30 to 40 people were killed.
Israel was also heavily criticised for its use of white phosphorus during the war.

Has a particular loby attempted to smoother this information?

Typical, response from Israel Right winged government.



Israel: UN report on Gaza op biased, absolving of Hamas

Foreign Ministry enraged by international body's conclusions regarding incidents involving firing on UNRWA facilities, says brief unbalanced, oblivious to facts, misleading world opinion

Roni Sofer
Published: 05.05.09, 12:04 / Israel News

Jerusalem was vexed Tuesday following the United Nations findings concerning military fire on an international facility in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead.


One of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) buildings was hit by Israel Defense Forces fire during January's operation in the Strip.


Post Op
IDF admits operational mishaps in Gaza / Hanan Greenberg
Deputy Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Dan Harel presents media with initial results of military's probe into civilian death cases during Operation Cast Lead, says no Israeli soldier ever deliberately targeted Palestinian civilians
Full story
Israel rejected the report as "unbalanced, biased and oblivious to the facts It completely ignored the facts presented to the UN committee, which has clearly sided with Hamas a murderous terror group and is therefore misleading the international public," said a Jerusalem statement.


Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have discussed the UN's finding several times in the past few days. Ban stands to release the official report on Tuesday evening.

Typical, response from Israel Right winged government.



Israel: UN report on Gaza op biased, absolving of Hamas

Foreign Ministry enraged by international body's conclusions regarding incidents involving firing on UNRWA facilities, says brief unbalanced, oblivious to facts, misleading world opinion

Roni Sofer
Published: 05.05.09, 12:04 / Israel News

Jerusalem was vexed Tuesday following the United Nations findings concerning military fire on an international facility in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead.


One of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) buildings was hit by Israel Defense Forces fire during January's operation in the Strip.


Post Op
IDF admits operational mishaps in Gaza / Hanan Greenberg
Deputy Chief of Staff Maj-Gen Dan Harel presents media with initial results of military's probe into civilian death cases during Operation Cast Lead, says no Israeli soldier ever deliberately targeted Palestinian civilians
Full story
Israel rejected the report as "unbalanced, biased and oblivious to the facts It completely ignored the facts presented to the UN committee, which has clearly sided with Hamas a murderous terror group and is therefore misleading the international public," said a Jerusalem statement.


Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have discussed the UN's finding several times in the past few days. Ban stands to release the official report on Tuesday evening.

Palestine News: UN Report Out Today; Hamas on Statehood

United Nations Findings on Israel's UN Building Attacks in Gaza

Israel protested United Nations findings that military fire on an international facility in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead was deliberate. In the first two weeks of Israel's offensive in Gaza, it hit five UN installations, out of nine total. In one of the attacks, the January 6 shelling of an UNRWA school grounds, Israel claimed Hamas fighters were firing away from the grounds, a claim the UN found no support for.

Israel rejected the report as "unbalanced, biased and oblivious to the facts It completely ignored the facts presented to the UN committee, which has clearly sided with Hamas a murderous terror group and is therefore misleading the international public." The UN report is to be released this evening.

Hamas' Peace Offensive?

The New York Times reported that Khaled Meshal, Hamas politburo chief, said its fighters had stopped firing rockets at Israel for now. He also reached out in a limited way to the Obama administration and others in the West, saying the movement was seeking a state only in the areas Israel won in 1967. He said Hamas would be open to a long-term truce of ten years.

Meshal declared, "I promise the American administration and the international community that we will be part of the solution, period."

HEADLINES

Palestinian official expects less US pressure on Israel for peace (Xinhua)

Israel orders more Palestinian houses destroyed (Gulf News)

Israel's Peres omits mention of Palestinian state (Washington Post)

PM: Recognition of Israel basis for peace (Ynetnews)

Israel begins revoking Arabs' citizenship (Ynetnews)

Ceasefire?
1st ceasefire-315 rockets in 6 months.
2nd "" 538 rockets and Quassam in 6 months.
3rd " over 50 to date.
Gluttons for punishment I think.

Maybe the Israelis should have gone on and finished Hamas off as a military force in Gaza and Fatah could have taken over. It reminds me of Bush Senior not finishing off Sadman Insane in 91. You've only got to go back in and do the job properly in the end.
One thing's for sure, Gaza would be better off now, as would the Palestinian people generally, as would the prospects for a Palestinian state, if Hamas would have been destroyed.

Balanced debate eh fred. You put too much trust in the UN. Now remind me, why won't they let Israel join the UNSC?

This is just like the onesided war reporting you got on TV during the conflict....what on earth is this doing on a finance site like this ?

Why shouldn't shouldn't it be. There are many other threads of less value.
Remind me of "why won't they let Israel join the UNSC?"

Should this thread be suppressed? If so why?


It is a bit more relevant than the football thread to international economy.

No....ever heard of bet spreads on soccer ?....all you are doing is talking political clap trap....this thread has nothing to do with finance.

Never wrote that it did directly. But there is an indirect effect. (Oil prices.) Spread bets. I use them occasionally. But if you try hard enough you probably can get one on the colour of your bowel movement.

But what I am aware of, is the attempts to suppress debate of the Gaza situation in the media.

If that happens, it will explode again and Israel will lose more of the few friends it still has.

rf - please don't criticise this thread - Freddy is an entertaining diversion, far removed from all the sensible stuff we have to deal with on a finance BB.

Give the fool his oxygen.

I give up, sigh !, (for the moment) I'm off to monitor the sp's.....you are just like a politician !.

Remind me of "why won't they let Israel join the UNSC?"

The very democratic process of the muslim veto at every attempt so don't expect a balanced view from the UN.

For those who missed this.

Interesting!

http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE5480Y920090513?feedType=nl&feedName=uktopnewsearly

Pope in West Bank calls for Palestinian state
Wed May 13, 2009 2:48pm BST

By Philip Pullella and Mohammad Assadi
BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - Pope Benedict witnessed the watchtowers and high walls that seal Bethlehem off from Jerusalem on Wednesday as he entered the Israeli-occupied West Bank and pressed his call for a Palestinian state.
The papal convoy drove slowly through three big steel gates in the fortified barrier of towering concrete slabs which Israel began building between the two holy cities in 2002, to stop a wave of deadly Palestinian bomb attacks.
A warm welcome greeted him along the steep, ancient streets of the town where Jesus Christ was born, from Palestinians gathered in anticipation of hearing the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics back their independence aspirations.
Cheers of "Long Live the Pope, Long Live Palestine" rose up as Benedict began his first visit to Bethlehem as pontiff.

"The Holy See supports the right of your people to a sovereign Palestinian homeland in the land of your forefathers, secure and at peace with your neighbours, within internationally recognised borders," he told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at a ceremony shortly after crossing from Israel.
The two-state solution is supported by Abbas, Arab nations and Western powers. But the new Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has declined so far to endorse it. This will be a focus of his talks next week with U.S. President Barack Obama.
In his address, Abbas denounced Israel's "apartheid wall" as part of efforts by the Jewish state to drive Palestinian Christians and Muslims from the Holy Land.
The Palestinian president spoke of "oppression, tyranny and land expropriation" and said Palestinians wanted a future with "no occupation, no checkpoints, no walls, no prisoners, no refugees."
Palestinians were fervently hoping that the pope, too, would call for the removal of the wall.
MANGER SQUARE MASS
A Palestinian flag nearly the size of a building hung before the pope as he said Mass for about 5,000 people in Manger Square, next to the Church of the Nativity that marks the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born in a stable.
Applause broke out when he expressed concern for Palestinians in the Hamas Islamist-ruled Gaza Strip, where over 1,000 were killed in an Israeli offensive in January. He said he was praying that Israel's embargo on Gaza "will soon be lifted."
It was strange, he said, that Bethlehem was associated with the joy and renewal of Jesus's birth "yet here in our midst, how far this magnificent promise seems from being realised."
The square was packed with Palestinian Christians and some had tears in their eyes as the pope arrived.
"There are fewer and fewer of us Palestinian Christians but we have strength," said Kandra Zreineh, a 45-year-old mother of four from a village near Bethlehem. "We are proud to have this visit because we are small and I believe he may be able to make a difference for us. I still believe in miracles."
Thousands of Christians have left Bethlehem since a Palestinian uprising erupted in 2000. It was met with an Israeli security clampdown and the construction of the barrier, which cripples freedom of movement.
Abbas, who like most Palestinians is Muslim, described the hardships faced by his people, including the tens of thousands of Christians whose community is shrinking through emigration.
"On this Holy Land, there are those who continue to build separation walls, instead of bridges, and who try with the occupation forces to compel both Christians and Muslims alike to leave the country," the Palestinian leader said.
Israel's actions in the name of security were changing holy places "into mere archaeological sites, rather than places of worship, alive and bustling with believers."
"Jerusalem ... is surrounded by the apartheid wall which prevents our people from the West Bank from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and al-Aqsa Mosque," he added.
In his arrival address, Benedict acknowledged Israel's security concerns as well as Palestinian suffering, and urged people not to "resort to acts of violence or terrorism."
A full day of events in the West Bank may relieve Vatican officials of the strains that have dogged the German pope in Jerusalem, where Israeli leaders have complained that he did not express enough empathy and regret in remarks he made on Monday at the Yad Vashem memorial to the Jewish dead of the Holocaust.
The pope is due to hold a mass in Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, before flying back to the Vatican on Friday.
(Additional reporting by Reuters Jerusalem and Bethlehem staff; Editing by Douglas Hamilton)

What relevance does the pope have?

He is the leader of a group of people who illogically believe in a supernatural being akin to Father Christmas. Why do we take any notice of him and other religious leaders? It must be time for moire states to become secular. There is no need to supress religion nor is there to give it any offocial recognition. Why does the taxpayer subsidise religious schools, give private religious schools tax breaks etc. We are in effect encouraging and supporting the passing on of the brainwashing of children.

if you want a nice balanced view of why it is so difficult for the real populace to secure peace in M/E, get a pic from the front page of today's Gulf News .... big photo entitled "Palestinians mark 61st anniversary of Nakba" ..... DYOR!

Not a good year 1948.