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?

A quote from the big "c" or little "i":-

"excuse me guys, but may we keep this thread sensible .... undoubtedly this is a singularly important issue, but to my mind it should not be bound by "party political lines" as seems to be happening here as well as in the big outside world"


8-0

Are Fatah and Hamas getting together to have a party.

Signs of grown up politics?

Interesting!

Also interesting is Peres's response.

it's just a local street party for tomorrow's wedding ..... normal hostilities will be resumed as soon as possible

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-fm-gaza-border-crossing-to-be-permanently-opened-1.358690

Egypt FM: Gaza border crossing to be permanently opened

Egyptian FM tells Al-Jazeera that preparations are already underway to permanently open Rafah border crossing, which would allow goods and people in and out of Gaza with no Israeli supervision.

Egypt's foreign minister said in an interview with Al-Jazeera on Thursday that preparations were underway to open the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on a permanent basis.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi told Al-Jazeera that within seven to 10 days, steps will be taken in order to alleviate the "blockade and suffering of the Palestinian nation."

The announcement indicates a significant change in the policy on Gaza, which before Egypt's uprising, was operated in conjunction with Israel. The opening of Rafah will allow the flow of people and goods in and out of Gaza without Israeli permission or supervision, which has not been the case up until now.

Israel's blockade on Gaza has been a policy used in conjunction with Egyptian police to weaken Hamas, which has ruled over the strip since 2007. The policy also aims to reduce Hamas' popularity among Gazans by creating economic hardship in the Strip.

Rafah's opening would be a violation of an agreement reached in 2005 between the United States, Israel, Egypt, and the European Union, which gives EU monitors access to the crossing. The monitors were to reassure Israel that weapons and militants wouldn't get into Gaza after its pullout from the territory in the fall of 2005.

Before Egypt's uprising and ousting of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, the border between Egypt and Gaza had been sealed. It has occasionally opened the passage for limited periods.

This is well worth reading. It outlines Netanyahu's looming problems.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/netanyahu-fell-into-the-palestinians-diplomatic-trap-1.358312

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egypt-warns-israel-don-t-interfere-with-opening-of-gaza-border-crossing-1.358969

Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces General Sami Anan warned Israel against interfering with Egypt's plan to open the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on a permanent basis, saying it was not a matter of Israel's concern, Army Radio reported on Saturday.

Egypt announced this week that it intended to permanently open the border crossing with Gaza within the next few days.

The announcement indicates a significant change in the policy on Gaza, which before Egypt's uprising, was operated in conjunction with Israel. The opening of Rafah will allow the flow of people and goods in and out of Gaza without Israeli permission or supervision, which has not been the case up until now.

An Israeli official on Friday told The Wall Street Journal that Israel was troubled by the recent developments in Egypt saying they could affect Israel's national security at a strategic level.

Israel's blockade on Gaza has been a policy used in conjunction with Egyptian police to weaken Hamas, which has ruled over the strip since 2007.

it would certainly be good to see israel finally brought to its senses, but whether or not the aftermath will be any more peaceful remains to be seen - and all will be several years away

Things may hot up come September. If Palestinine declares itself as a state as is expected and the UN accepts it then one consequence will be that Israel becomes an occupying force in another sovereign state. That will inevitably bring the possibility of direct sanctions from the UN against Israel if they do not withdraw. Of course, if they do withdraw then you can expect the new state of Palestine to expell the 500,000 Israeli settlers and then allow Palestinian refugees from Jordan, Lebanon etc to replace them.

The other more immediate consequences are that as part of the agreeement to be signed next Wesnesday, Hamas has specified that it requires the freeing of hundreds if not thousands of political prisoners arrested by the PA (close to 100% are Hamas members in the West Bank). The other request is that Fatah change their stance and not recognise Israel anymore.

you are getting way way ahead of the game .... at the moment it is all posturing and jockeying for position .... i'm not sure from where you get you 500,000, but knowing your previous rantings, i suppose you foresee the destruction of israel and the whole of israel being re-defined as palestine - if so and to put it mildly, don't be so bloody silly

It is a figure widely accepted. It includes settlements in East Jerusalem as well. The figure is mentioned by Reuters, the BBC, wikipedia.

widely accepted by whom and covering what precise area?

This was 3 years ago

B'TSELEM - The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories was established in 1989 by a group of prominent academics, attorneys, journalists, and Knesset members.

http://www.btselem.org/english/settlements/statistics.asp

The Israeli information center for human rights in the occupied territories

In 2008, there were an estimated 478,000 settlers living in the West Bank: some 188,100 in neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, according to the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies, and some 290,700 in the rest of the West Bank, according to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13264688

Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim is due to lead an orchestra of European musicians in a "peace concert" in Gaza.

It is the first-ever performance in the Palestinian territory by an international classical ensemble.

Israel forbids its civilian citizens from travelling to Gaza, so Barenboim is entering via Egypt, along with 25 musicians.

For years, Daniel Barenboim has used music to try to promote peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

The Israeli government has previously blocked attempts by Barenboim to perform in Gaza. His entry through Egypt's Rafah crossing comes amid Israeli criticism of plans by Egypt's new military rulers to open up the border, our correspondent says.

hats off to DB!

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=219281

Guardian reports UK to consider supporting Palestinian UN statehood bid if Israel fails to join peace talks, Sarkozy says same to "L'Express."

Hours after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with his British counterpart David Cameron and on the eve of his planned meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday, foreign sources said that both heads of state have threatened to support the Palestinians' statehood bid in the UN if there is no progress in peace talks.

The Guardian quoted a diplomatic source as saying Cameron told Netanyahu that Britain would consider supporting a unilateral declaration of statehood by the Palestinians if Israel fails to join substantive peace talks to create a two-state solution.

for myself, i have long thought that there should be palestinian homeland/state, and have regularly posted as much ..... but apart from anything else, covering exactly what area?

The intended declaration will be 1967 borders.

no doubt that will give a fair bit of wriggle room, and at least it's away from the nonsense of israel's "no right" to exist platform

which parrot's hamas friends are still repeating

required for domestic consumption regardless of true view