Is Israel completely beyond any control?

It's those who are connected to Hamas that the Israeli's are aiming for, not the Palestinian people. Hamas are a terrorist organisation and need to be got rid of.

Thank you trisher for explaining that. It is just so incredibly sad. Mind you, the world over, religion has a lot to answer for. Beyond depressing.

It will still be happening long after I’ve gone.
Not if the Israelis have their way Urmstongrantheyintend yo completely destroy the Palestinians
To those quoting history when the Jews returned to Palestine after WW2 the Arab inhabitants welcomed them and allowed them to settle. Unfortunately the Zionists wanted rid of the Palestinians. They destroyed villages and drove the Palestinians out. The 15thMay is Nakba Day when Palestinians remember their dead and their lost lands. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakba_Day

No-one seems to acknowledge the fact that Hamas was shelling Israel for 3 days before they fought back. Israeli citizens, including children, have also been killed.

I would love to see a peaceful solution between the two sides, but Hamas is a terrorist organisation with a declared aim of wiping out Israel.

Thank you for the explanations. I am quite ignorant of the Middle East problem. I think it’s because it’s ‘over there’ and I don’t know the historical details.

It’s so upsetting and depressing so I don’t follow it. I switch off or zone out. Nothing I can do about it. It will still be happening long after I’ve gone.

EllanVannin

I remember all this when Palestine last kicked off. Only they've got worse with no thought whatsoever for their families.

There are people on GN who have often berated me for my pacifist beliefs and asked me "Wouldn't you defend your home/family?" But iit seems when people do that they are condemned for 'not thinking of their fmilies'. Talk about blaming the victims!!

Urmstongran and EllanVannin we helped start this mess, though I appreciate that historically this goes back centuries.
In 1917, theBritishBalfour Declaration promised the establishment of a Jewish national home in Ottoman-controlledPalestine. This was in order to win Jewish support forBritain'sFirst World War effort.

But actually after the Rwandan genocide happened, we in UK said this must never happen again. Well it is happening again and USA (and to a lesser extent UK and others) are supplying arms to help this genocide happen.

I simply don't understand it. On the most basic terms why do Israel think its OK to encroach on Palestinian land?

You have got to go back to at least 1917 to find the roots of this conflict in the Balfour declaration. Balfour promised that land which the British had seized from the ottomans would be used to establish a Jewish state.

At the time of this declaration jews composed no more than at the most 10% of the population.

It was a European power acting as a colonial overseer and to establish a Jewish state promised by Balfour to eminent British Jews including Rothschild, who were in contact at the time and supporting Zionism in Russia.

Throughout the following couple of decades Britain worked to establish this state and facilitate immigration of Jews. The population of Jews rose from 10% to approx. 27%.

The majority Arab population did not support either the annex of their territory (why would you?) nor the establishment of a Jewish “homeland” on what was their territory.

Everything flows from this decision by the British to deal with what they saw as the “Jewish problem” I.e. anti-semitism and moving the problem elsewhere.

It's been kicking off since Biblical times if you read about massacres and invasions into these lands---- by the Christian Romans, who practically wiped out the Jews in Palestine.

I remember all this when Palestine last kicked off. Only they've got worse with no thought whatsoever for their families.

birder ? Border

Urmston it's the material that's shipped and off-loaded under the noses of the Israeli's via Gaza through the Kerem Shalom birder. Material which was disguised / hidden amongst supply deliveries.
Hamas smuggled every device for rocket-making via the tunnels, including batteries, explosives, cable etc. etc.

Recent inspections uncovered enough rocket fuel for nearly 5,000 29 kilometer range rockets.

EllanVannin

Too right it's not our war Urmston.

I didn't hear the same cries when Blair went looking for Saddam !

It's not. a war it is the sustained subjigation and elimination of a race of people. The Isarelis have declared their intention in the past of reducing Gaza to the conditions of the Middle Ages. This latest abuse actually destroying media outlets is so that the news of what they are doing isn't broadcast to the world. Children are dying, families are being destroyed and the world just watches
There were the same cries incidentally when Blair invaded Iran illegally. 2million people marched against it and were ignored.

Too right it's not our war Urmston.

I didn't hear the same cries when Blair went looking for Saddam !

An utterly appalling situation but when both sides are so determined the outside world can do nothing. It doesn't matter how many World leaders condemn the attacks neither side will take any notice.

Where do Hamas get their weapons from? Is it Iran?

Hamas are killing their own by storing rockets in built-up areas. When there's a strike by Israel, families are blown up because rockets are stored in houses.
Palestinians have been building rockets for years within underground tunnels.

Why? This is not our war.

We are watching the extermination of a race of people. And no one is trying to help them.

We should be ashamed.

The Palestinians have always refused to talk to the Israeli's to negotiate land , which Israel had suggested by having two states, Palestine and Israel, but as things stand Israel are the sovereign rulers.

There'll never be peace until a two-state solution is adopted, though you now have Hamas who are resisting any effort to bring peace and establish two nations living side by side----Palestine and Israel, in harmony.

It's not all Israel's fault if you read up about this complex situation which began hundreds of years ago when the Christian Romans massacred thousands of Jews.

Hamas are the problem. A Palestinian militant organisation who want to create an independent Islamic state in Palestine.

1,000 protesters from Hyde Park are now gathered outside the Israeli Embassy in London. So far it has been a peaceful protest but no there are angry scene, missiles being thrown and the riot police have moved in. A very tense situation.

This war has gone on for years.

I think the UN needs to call a peace conference before the bloodshed escalates to an even more dangerous level.

I was heartened to see a group of Orthodox Jewish folk protesting against Zionist Israeli action.

they want their land returned

I think they gave up hope a long time ago of having their lost land returned - they're just trying to hang on to what little they have left. This latest flare-up is down to Israeli settlers illegally encroaching on Palestinian land in the West Bank.

As ever, the world will stand by and watch, wring hands, and count the dead.