Both sides have an agenda, and it doesn't include peace and cooperation.

Talk is cheap and will solve nothing....same as before, and before that, and before that, all the way back to biblical days!

Hamas stopping would end nothing, nor would Isreal making concessions. Isreal knows it, Hamas knows it, the people on both sides know it, most who know history know it! Only those who choose to believe the media spin, watch TV or buy press don't seem to know it!

They are a corrupt (Isreali) gov't and an anti-(Isreali)gov't (no better) faction, in a country that has never know a real peace, fighting over a pie that neither of them will ever truly possess thanks to outside influences (UN Agenda 21/IMF).

Like a person retiring after a lifetime of 9 to 5, a child leaving the home..... they couldn't live with change. Besides, the media wouldn't allow it.... peace does NOT sell, but guns and ammo, war and terror do!

A hope of peace is a pipe dream we can't even achieve thru the leaders in our own country!

So this is "why not"?!?

You don't want a ceasefire because it will not solve the central issue
of the Mideast conflict which is recognizing Israel's right to exist?



C'mon now!

Both sides have an agenda but Israel's agenda is peaceful coexistence.

Israel is on record as accepting a peaceful coexistence with a Palestinian
neighbor state. It is various Palestinian groups who reject peaceful
coexistence with Israel and demand annihilation of the state of Israel.

There is no downside to a ceasefire. Looks like it really is just about
to happen. Hamas stopping the attacks on Israel will end this current
conflict. Israel has had no choice but to respond to the attacks on her
civilians. Hamas has a choice about whether to perpetuate the attacks or
not. They should stop for the sake of peace.



Here is a video from the Canadian PM explaining why he feels an obligation
to stand up for Israel's right to self-defense:

http://youtu.be/AUfFdhIOoQM

It's all hype....wait and see.....NOTHING will change just as it hasn't changed in the past. These factions have been at war for 3000 years! There's about as much chance of peace in the ME as there is of our gov't doing what's right for our people!

And to be clear, anyone attacked has a right to defend themselves, but we're talking a 3000+ year old grudge match with nobody claiming fault.

Well I'd have to say quite a lot has changed over the years actually
and with regard to the current conflict in Gaza many things have
changed there too.

After the last time Israel took out the Hamas missiles and launchers
there was a 5 year period of relative quiet. This time it looks like
Hamas is going to stop before a ground invasion. Perhaps next time they
won't start the conflagration at all.

Cease-Fire Announced in Israel-Gaza Conflict

November 21, 2012 | 1755 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr announced a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas during a Nov. 21 news conference in Cairo. The cease-fire is expected to begin at 9 p.m. local time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told U.S. President Barack Obama that he is willing to give the Egyptian-brokered cease-fire a chance.

This cessation of violence is likely highly tenuous. Israel will only agree to a truce if it has guarantees from Egypt -- overseen by the United States -- that the Palestinian arsenal of Fajr-5 long-range rockets will be neutralized and that measures will be taken to prevent future weapons transfers to Gaza. It remains to be seen what details surface on this core Israeli demand, especially given its incompatability with Hamas' demand for the blockade on Gaza to be lifted.

There is also the outstanding issue of Iran, which Israel has pointed to as the center of gravity in the conflict. The Fajr-5 rockets are Iranian-made, and Iran facilitated the movement of those weapons into Gaza. Iran may have an interest in prolonging the conflict and could try to use militant levers in Gaza to derail the truce. Israel must also contend with the broader dilemma of future Iranian attempts to smuggle advanced weaponry into Gaza. This is where Egyptian cooperation with Israel on border security becomes crucial.

If the cease-fire holds, Hamas is within reach of a major symbolic victory. It will have avoided devastation of the group in Gaza and can claim a capability to strike the Israeli heartland.

We must watch now if Hamas honors the cease-fire and if the organization will have the authority to enforce the cease-fire among other groups, namely the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Until Israel has a guarantee on the Fajr-5s and a cessation of rocket fire, it is unlikely to forgo the option of a military ground operation.

Stratfor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fajr-5

Fajr-5

In other words, Hamas gets some breathing space to rearm and redeploy with some protection from Egypt which will stop Israeli air attacks. Hamas also gets to declare victory for propaganda purposes along with the US. I wonder what was the price of this deal?

I hate quotes!

I don't believe all the hype over Isreal. Just another screwed up, tiny, fanatical, warmongering, nuclear power with another arrogant a$$hole for a leader who speaks with a forked tongue and uses his interpretation of biblical blogs, supported by equally fanatical, deep pocketed capitalists, to promote or sell another bill of goods, or the need to dominate, under the guise of religion.

Bennie Nextiphucku is just another "send me your money" preacher with an agenda!

You're correct, the same old cycle will continue until Israel finishes it once and for all. Unfortunately, that is not an ethical alternative.

I think a quick bloody war is more ethical and causes less bloodshed than a long drawn-out one like the one going on in Afghanistan. I think it also has a better chance of creating a lasting peace since the troublemakers are all removed at the same time.

For Hamas to operate successfully, they have to win the hearts and minds of the public. If their activities result in large sections of the cities where rockets are being launched to be bulldozed, bombed, or shelled, I would think the local support would wane.

I have heard interviews with Hamas where their theory is to simply out breed the Israelis and lose a percentage of their growth in the process. They think this tactic will defeat Israel in the long run.

But it will be condemned by many in the international community as being unecessarily violent. Look at the accusations made towards Israel just for trying to defend itself from rocket attacks.



That is why full occupation of Palestine is necessary in the long run. For the elimination of radical political opponents in Palestinian territory is the only viable long term solution to the problem. Any concessions will only be abused.



And it may work.

That's the central issue?... If that's the case, we can solve the issue right now...no country in the world has a right to exist.

Sure. The US - no right to be here
France, Germany, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Mexico - no right to exist...

That is 100% correct; none of them have a right to exist, so obviously Israel couldn't have one either.

Living human beings have rights...countries don't.


A lot of Jewish people don't recognize Israel's "right" to exist...Is Israel going to bomb them too?

Israel exists.

They don't have the right to invade other countries, steal their homes, and expand their boarders and force their government and and sanctions on others or to treat others like second class citizens, or assassinate people.

All people have a right to live and exist. Not just "Israel."

Israel does not invade other countries, steal their homes,
expand their borders etc....



What a load of camel-slather!!



Israel treats Arabs and Palestinians in their own country better
than they are treated in neighboring Islamic countries!!

Why do you think that so many of them actually seek Israeli
citizenship?!



Your post is pure unadulterated bias aimed solely at Israel while
ignoring the actual abuses of the terrorist organizations!!

Rant on but no one is buying it.



Israel does exist. The problem is that Hamas and their ilk do not
recognize them and wish to eradicate them on the basis of religious
hatred.

The only people who don't recognize Israel and seek to deny its
right to existence are the terrorist organizations who wish to
eradicated Israel on the basis of religious bigotry.

Don't be one of those people.

Live and let live that is the way.

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah and the rest of the organizations
and countries continuously attacking Israel should allow them to live
in peace and security and accept them as peaceful neighbors.

There is nothing preventing peace in the Mideast except for the
religious hatred of some directed at the Jewish people of Israel.

Sad but true.

double post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/03/israel-invades-gaza-info_n_155008.html?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1982_Lebanon_War

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/israel-invades-egypt-suez-crisis-begins

Israel started the 1948 "war of independence" and took a large amount of territory from its neighbours, as the following map shows:

http://www.passia.org/palestine_facts/MAPS/Arab_territories_seized_by_Israel_in_194849.htm

Note that it took and annexed West Jerusalem; Jerusalem was intended to be an international city (and not a part of Israel) according to the UN partition plan.

In 1956, Israel (colluding with Britain & France) invaded Egypt with an eye to taking control of the Suez Canal.

http://aangirfan.blogspot.ca/2008/10/britain-helped-israel-steal-territory.html

Israel started the six day war in 1967 in which it took territory from Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. It still occupies much of that territory, which includes (East) Jerusalem, the West Bank, Golan Heights, etc.

http://www.palestinefacts.org/pf_1967to1991_territories.php



Yeah...Ariel Sharon saw to that... in lebanon at least:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1395080.stm



Hmmm...."All people have a right to live and exist."...Yup; that's pure, unadulterated bias alright.



The Jews Against Zionism and their "ilk" don't recognize Israel either. Seeing as how they are Orthodox and religious Jews following the Torah, where original Zionists were racist atheists looking to create a state, is the religious hatred you refer to a hatred of religious Jews. Christians and Muslims for atheists?



Does that mean that the many Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc. against Zionism are terrorists who want to eradicate Israel? How about Gandhi? Was he a terrorist too?:

http://www.twf.org/News/Y2001/0815-GandhiZionism.html

or Desmond Tutu?:

http://globalwebpost.com/farooqm/study_res/zionism/apartheid_tutu3.htm

Damn those religious bigots!



Sad, yes... but also totally untrue. The middle east got screwed up when the west started playing colonial games in the area. That was long before Israel was even on the scene, but Rothschild's deal with Herzl definitely destroyed any real hope of peace in the region.

and Jordan annexed the Westbank and East-Jerusalem!
Besides,the '48-War was started by the Arabs!

Nasser had nationalized the Canal!

Oh,it invaded Lebanon because of the PLO constantly attacking from South-Lebanon!

Oh,Sixday War wouldn't have been fought if the Arabs didn't mass their Armies once again,and if Nasser hadn't ran the UN out of the Sinai and replaced it with Egyptian Forces!


You really think Israel was going to make the same mistake in '67,as they did in '48 and get over-run again!

If Sixday-war hadn't happened,Jordan would still be sitting on Judea and Samaria and East-Jerusalem,and Egypt would still be sitting in Gaza!