International [Arab-Israeli Conflict, v4] Israel Sets Goal of Doubling the Jewish Population on the Golan Heights

[HomerThompson]

Just executing people in another country for protesting their own imprisonment. Nothing to see here.

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

Emerging Europe Trio Block Joint EU Statement on US Embassy in Israel
Juliette Bretan | May 14, 2018

Three emerging European countries: the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania have blocked the publication of a joint EU statement condemning the US’s plans to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The move follows Donald Trump’s recognition of Israel as the capital of Jerusalem last year.

The statement by the EU against the relocation was initiated by France, which wanted to promote a solidified European front against the move, signifying a European refusal to follow the US in its new policy. The three emerging European countries have thwarted those efforts.

A spokesman for the Czech President Miloš Zeman stated that Israel and the US were “key allies” for the country. The president himself has supported plans to move its own country’s embassy to Jerusalem, though the prime minister Andrej Babiš opposes such a move.

Romania’s prime minister Viorica Dancila has also supported the relocation of Romania’s embassy to Jerusalem, though this is fiercely opposed by the country’s president, Klaus Iohannis.

The Palestinian news agency WAFA reacted by stating that the three states would face consequences for their support of the US move, suggesting that any other nations who relocate their embassies may face legal action.

A reporter from Israel’s Channel 10 News was told by a senior European diplomat that “the Hungarians didn’t want to poke Trump in the eye and the Czechs and the Romanians are considering to move their embassies to Jerusalem against the EU position. This is the state of the EU these days.”

https://emerging-europe.com/in-brie...o-block-joint-eu-statement-us-embassy-israel/

 

[Arkain2K]

Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan: With Israel embassy move US forfeits authority in the Middle East
Roland Oliphant | 14 MAY 2018​

The United States has forfeited its authority to broker a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict and has become "part of the problem, not the solution", Turkey's president has said.

Recep Tayip Erdogan's comments were among the most strongly worded of a series of diplomatic protests as government around the world condemned Donald Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem.

The United States formally opened an embassy in Jerusalem on Monday afternoon, after Mr Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital last year.

Senior White House Advisor Jared Kushner speaks at the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem

Palestinian health officials said 52 people were killed and more 1200 injured by Israeli fire during protests against the opening of a US embassy in Jerusalem.

Mr Erdogan, who is in London on a three day visit for talks with Theresa May, said the move could "ignite an even greater fire between communities."

"With its latest step America has chosen to be a part of the problem, not a solution, and lost its mediator role in the Middle East peace process", he said in a speech at Chatham House

"We are rejecting once again this decision which violates international law and which is against UN resolutions," he said.

Israeli security forces fire tear gas canisters over Palestinians near Khan Yunis, Gaza

"The international community must do its part as soon as possible and take swift action to put an end to Israel's increasing aggression," he went on.

In a separate statement, Mrs May called for "restraint" and criticized the move, but avoided Mr Erdogan's direct condemnation.

"We are concerned by the reports of violence and loss of life in Gaza. We urge calm and restraint to avoid actions destructive to peace efforts," a Number 10 spokesman said.

"The prime minister had made her views clear in December that we disagreed with the decision (to move the US embassy). We believe it's unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region."

Alistair Burt, the Foreign Office minister for the Middle East, tweeted: "Extremely saddened by loss of life in Gaza today. Concerned peaceful protests are being exploited by extremist elements. Urge restraint in use of live fire. Violence is destructive to peace efforts. UK remains committed to a two-state solution with Jerusalem as a shared capital."

But other governments took a much stronger line.

Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French foreign minister, called the embassy move a violation of International law and of the UN Security Council resolutions.

Referring to the day's violence, he said: "France calls on all actors to show responsibility to prevent a news escalation and calls on the Israeli authorities to exercise discernment and restraint in the use of force that must be strictly proportionate," he said.

Palestinians carry an injured protestor during a demonstratoin near the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City

Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian deputy foreign minister responsible for Middle Eastern affairs, called the move "short sighted" and said the US was to blame for the "sharp escalation" of violence in Gaza on Monday.

The Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank but not the Gaza strip, called the killings a "massacre" and demanded an emergency meeting of the UN Security council

"If a similar massacre (by an occupying power) happens in any other nation, it would trigger a massive global outrage. Palestine should not be an exception" said Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have also urged a UN emergency meeting.

Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, the UN high commissioner for human rights, called the violence in Gaza "shocking" and demanded that Israel halt the use of live rounds.

“Shocking killing of dozens, injury of hundreds by Israeli live fire in #Gaza must stop now. The right to life must be respected. Those responsible for outrageous human rights violations must be held to account. The int'l community needs to ensure justice for victims,” he said in a Tweet put out by his office.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini urged "utmost restraint", saying "dozens of Palestinians, including children, have been killed and hundreds injured from Israeli fire today, during ongoing mass protests near the Gaza fence. We expect all to act with utmost restraint to avoid further loss of life"

Iran, which is locked in a diplomatic and military confrontation with Israel over its presence in Syria, called it "a day of great shame".

"Israeli regime massacres countless Palestinians in cold blood as they protest in world's largest open air prison. Meanwhile, Trump celebrates move of U.S. illegal embassy and his Arab collaborators move to divert attention," said Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...feits-authority-middle-east-says-turkeys/amp/

 

[D3THRONED]

Bibi has such a punchable face its unreal.

 

[Arkain2K]

Scores killed as violence in Gaza greets dedication of U.S. Embassy in Israel
Ari Plachta and John Bacon, USA TODAY | May 14, 2018

More than 50 Palestinian "peaceful protesters" have been killed ​

More than 50 Palestinians were killed Monday in mass protests along the border with Gaza while Israel celebrated the U.S. Embassy's contentious move to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

The demonstrations have gone on for weeks and reached a violent apex as Israel marked 70 years since the Jewish nation was established. Palestinians annually mark their resulting displacement on Nakba Day, or the Day of Catastrophe, on May 15.

The Gaza Health Ministry said 55 Palestinians were killed and more than 1,200 wounded Monday in border clashes with the Israeli military, making it the deadliest day of violence with Gaza since 2014.

“This disproportionate and illegal use of lethal force against unarmed civilian protesters is criminal," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, an Israeli military spokesman, blamed Gaza's Hamas leadership, saying the Islamic militant group encouraged Palestinians to breach the border fence. He said several such efforts had been repelled, and the military was committed to ensuring that communities on the Israeli side were not overrun.

White House spokesman Raj Shah blamed Hamas for the deaths, saying the group was "cynically provoking" the Israeli response. He said Israel has the right to defend itself and called Monday “a great day for Israel and the United States.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned the embassy as an "American settlement outpost," called for three days of mourning. British Prime Minister Theresa May was among Western leaders calling for "calm and restraint" on both sides.

The embassy move to Jerusalem outraged Palestinians who long hoped to create a capital for themselves in the city's eastern sector. Israeli and U.S. officials were determined not to let the violence diminish the embassy celebration.

"Israel is a sovereign nation with the right like every other sovereign nation to determine its own capital," President Trump said in a taped message played at the dedication ceremony. "For many years, we failed to acknowledge the obvious."

Jared Kushner, son-in-law and adviser to Trump, and the president's daughter Ivanka were part of the U.S. delegation attending. Kushner, whose grandparents survived the Holocaust, drew a standing ovation when he mentioned Trump's announcement last week that the United States would withdraw from the nuclear agreement with Iran, Israel's sworn enemy.

"The United States stands with Israel because we believe, we know, that it is the right thing to do," he said.

David Friedman, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, presided over the dedication ceremony and said the embassy move keeps a "promise we made to the American people."

"Within the confines of Jerusalem, every man, woman and child becomes part of something more than themselves," Friedman said. "Shalom, peace, is the inseparable sister of truth"

Near the ceremony, more than 500 demonstrators clashed with Israeli forces, and police made at least one arrest. Demonstrators chanted, "Jerusalem is ours!"

Safa Yasin, 19, a Palestinian citizen of Israel, said the embassy move "cements Israeli control over Jerusalem" and shows disregard for the rights of the Palestinian people.

"We stand in solidarity with all Palestinians," he said. "The ones in Gaza right now especially."

Some Israelis came out in support of the embassy. Among the supporters, who were separated by a police barrier from protesters, was Elisha Haas, 74, an Israeli professor of biophysics at Bar Ilan University.

“I came here to say thank you to President Trump," Haas said, adding that he has no sympathy for the Palestinians shot along the border. “I don’t care how many are killed because they are using these protests to terrorize Israel. The despair of Gaza is fake news."

Practically speaking, little was changed by Monday's formal move. The U.S. consular compound in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Arnona will become the temporary embassy, and Friedman and a small staff will move to the site.

Most of the 850 embassy workers in Tel Aviv will not move until a new embassy is built, which could take a decade.

Still, the symbolism is not lost on the Palestinians. In the West Bank, several thousand people gathered in the center of Ramallah, while hundreds marched to the Qalandiya crossing on the outskirts of Jerusalem, where protesters threw stones at Israeli troops.

The worst violence has been along the Gaza border, less than 50 miles from Jerusalem. Since weekly Great March of Return rallies began in March, more than 100 Palestinian protesters have been killed and more than 2,300 wounded.

The Great March represents the Palestinians' demand for the right to return to areas they fled or were driven from during the creation of Israel in 1948.

"We are adamant to return, no matter what happens," Ahmad Abu Artema, spokesperson for the Great March, told Al Jazeera. "This is what the people of Gaza want. It's about popular will. And this is their right."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/05/14/us-embassy-jerusalem-gaza-protests/606627002/

 

[Arkain2K]

Gallery: "Mostly-Peaceful Protests" Along the Israel-Gaza Border:

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

Abbas condemns Israeli 'massacres' after Gaza violence
05/14/2018

​

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas condemned Israeli "massacres" along the Gaza border after Israeli forces killed 55 Palestinians during clashes and protests Monday coinciding with the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

Abbas, who declared three days of mourning, also said "the US is no longer a mediator in the Middle East," and the new embassy was tantamount to "a new American settler outpost" in Jerusalem.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, vowed protests would continue.

"We say clearly today to all the world that the peaceful march of our people lured the enemy into shedding more blood," senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said.

He added that Hamas's armed wing and other militant groups "will not prolong their silence over the crimes of the occupation."

The clashes, which also left hundreds of Palestinians wounded, erupted before a White House delegation and Israeli officials opened the embassy at an inauguration ceremony in Jerusalem and continued throughout the day.

It was the bloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since a 2014 Gaza war.

While leaders of Israel's allies such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom raised alarm over the spiraling number of deaths in the enclave, the United States laid the blame for the bloodshed firmly at the feet of Hamas.

https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/inte...ondemns-israeli-massacres-after-gaza-violence

 

[Arkain2K]

Hamas says most of protesters killed by Israel in Gaza were its members
by Alastair Jamieson / May.17.2018

Israel carried out airstrikes on Hamas sites in Gaza early Thursday, hours after the militant organization said most of the protesters killed by Israeli fire this week were its members.

Salah Bardawil, a senior Hamas official, told Palestinian news outlet Baladna TV that 50 out of the 60 who died on Monday were members of his organization, while the rest were civilians. Hamas won elections in 2006 and has run Gaza since the end of a violent power struggle the following year.

Israel has long argued that Hamas has used the protests, which began on March 30, as cover to for terrorist attacks or attempts to infiltrate its border.

Human rights groups say an affiliation with a militant group is irrelevant if they were unarmed and did not pose an immediate threat to the lives of soldiers when they were shot.

Bardawil did not elaborate on whether the 50 were fighters or associates, and his number could not be verified. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted that his country's military had “similar figures” and would continue its action along the border.

“They are not defending us from some civilian demonstrations,” he wrote. “This is a warlike move by Hamas. That is why Israel will continue to defend itself for as long as necessary and will not allow those who call for its destruction to storm its borders and threaten our communities.”

The Israeli Defense Forces said fighter jets struck at four Hamas targets in northern Gaza overnight, including “a weapons production facility.”

It said the raids were in response to the “heavy machine gun fire that targeted the city of Sderot and the numerous shooting attacks that targeted IDF soldiers throughout the day.”

The Palestinian health ministry said a man was moderately wounded by shrapnel. More than 100 people have been killed and around 12,300 others wounded since the border protests began on March 30, according to the ministry.

Protesters are demanding that Israel allows the millions of Palestinians whose families left or were forcibly removed from Israel at its founding to return. Refugees and their descendants make up more than two-thirds of Gaza's population.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/...sters-killed-israel-gaza-were-members-n874906

 

[Islam Imamate]

Human rights groups say an affiliation with a militant group is irrelevant if they were unarmed and did not pose an immediate threat to the lives of soldiers when they were shot.

Bardawil did not elaborate on whether the 50 were fighters or associates, and his number could not be verified.

Pretty relevant details to keep in mind.

 

[Arkain2K]

UN Human Rights Council to launch war crimes investigation in Gaza
By Samuel Osborne, Chloe Farand | May 19, 2018

The UN has voted to send an international war crimes probe to Gaza after the body’s leading human rights official slammed Israel’s reaction to protests along the border as “wholly disproportionate”.

Israeli firing into Hamas-ruled Gaza killed nearly 60 Palestinians at mass border protests on Monday.

“There is little evidence of any attempt to minimise casualties on Monday,” Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein told a special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The council voted through the resolution with 29 in favour and two opposed, while 14 states abstained.

The resolution also condemned “the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians”.

Israel condemned the resolution, which was put forward by a group of countries including Pakistan. The United States decried it as an example of a biased focus on Israel by the council.

Both lamented that it didn’t mention Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whom Israel blames for the violence.

The “independent, international commission of inquiry” mandated by the council will be asked to produce a final report next March.

In a vigorous speech, Mr Zeid slammed the “appalling” recent events in Gaza and called for the occupation of Palestine by Israel to end.

He said the 1.9 million people living in Gaza had been denied human rights by Israeli authorities and described those living in the Palestinian enclave as “caged in a toxic slum from birth to death”.

“They are, in essence, caged in a toxic slum from birth to death; deprived of dignity; dehumanised by the Israeli authorities to such a point it appears officials do not even consider that these men and women have a right, as well as every reason, to protest,” he said.

The vote for an investigation came days after Israeli forces shot and killed 59 Palestinians and injured more than 2,700 during mass protests along the Gaza border on the day the US officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem.

Mr Zeid said that under international law, Israel was obligated to protect the population of Gaza and ensure their welfare, “but there is little evidence of any attempt to minimise casualties,” he added.

The human rights chief said 118 Palestinians, including 15 children, were killed since protests began on 30 March. He said the number continues to climb as some of the injured die from their wounds.

He compared the Palestinians’ use of Molotov cocktails, slingshots and burning kites against the “horrifying and criminal violence” with which they were met.

“The stark contrast in casualties on both sides is ... suggestive of a wholly disproportionate response. Killings resulting from the unlawful use of force by an occupying power may also constitute ‘wilful killings’ – a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention,” he told the UN council.

“Nobody has been made safer by the horrific events of the past week,” he concluded.

The human rights commissioner’s speech comes after Egypt’s president, Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, ordered the opening of the Rafah border crossing with Gaza for the entire Muslim holy month of Ramadan – the longest length of time since 2013.

In a tweet, Mr Sisi said the opening of the border would “alleviate the burdens of the brothers in the Gaza Strip”.

The crossing has been open since Saturday so Mr Sisi’s announcement is technically an extension.

The high number of wounded following this week’s violence has overwhelmed the Gaza health system: Egyptian authorities said 510 people crossed the border on Wednesday alone, the majority coming from Gaza.

Officials said dozens of trucks with medical aid and food from the Red Crescent and cement, steel and power engines had travelled from Egypt into Gaza.

The Rafah crossing is Gaza’s main gate to the outside world but has only had sporadic openings since the 2013 ouster of Egypt’s elected Islamist president, Mohammed Morsi, a high-ranking member of Hamas’ parent group the Muslim Brotherhood.

In 2007, Hamas wrested control of Gaza by force, provoking the Israeli-Egyptian blockade that severely restricted the movement of most of Gaza’s two million inhabitants.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...te-border-deaths-sniper-a8357981.html#gallery

 

[Arkain2K]

Gaza border protests resume as UN calls for inquiry into Israeli response
By Ashraf Sweilam, Fares Akram, Associated Press | May 18, 2018​

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinians resumed their fiery protests at Gaza's border with Israel on Friday as a U.N. human rights body criticized Israel for the "disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force" that killed at least 59 Palestinians earlier this week. Israel condemned the resolution by the U.N. Human Rights Council as biased.

Friday's Gaza protests — the eighth in as many weeks — drew Israeli gunfire and tear gas, with at least 23 people wounded, the Gaza Health Ministry said.

Egypt, meanwhile, said it has opened its Rafah border crossing with Gaza for the entire Muslim holy month of Ramadan in an apparent effort to ease the crisis in the impoverished, densely populated territory.

Organizers of the protests say they are meant in large part to break the blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt and to pressure Israel to ease its restrictions. Since the demonstrations began March 30, more than 110 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,500 wounded by live fire, according to the Health Ministry. Palestinian officials say most of the casualties have been unarmed protesters. One Israeli soldier has been wounded.

The weekly protests peaked Monday when about 40,000 Gazans descended on the border. As in previous demonstrations, the protesters burned tires and hurled firebombs and stones toward Israeli troops, and tried to attack the border fence. Israeli snipers opened fire in response, killing 59 Palestinians and wounding hundreds in the deadliest day of cross-border violence in Gaza since a 2014 war between Israel and Hamas.

Friday's protests began later than in recent weeks and drew a smaller turnout, apparently due to the Ramadan fast. Most of participants gathered in tent camps a safe distance from the border, but dozens still got close to the fence.

Earlier in the day, several injured Gaza residents with Jordanian citizenship, along with their relatives, were taken to Jordan for medical treatment at the request of the king of Jordan, the Israeli military said. The military did not say when they were wounded.

In Geneva, the U.N. Human Rights Council voted to set up a commission of inquiry to look into the Israeli actions.

Meeting in a special session, the council voted 29-2 with 14 abstentions to back a resolution that also condemned "the disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces against Palestinian civilians."

The "independent, international commission of inquiry" mandated by the council will be asked to produce a final report in March 2019.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein backed calls for an international inquiry and questioned Israel's assertion that its security forces tried to minimize casualties.

"There is little evidence of any attempt to minimize casualties on Monday," he said.

Some demonstrators threw firebombs, used slingshots, flew burning kites into Israel to set fields ablaze and tried to use wire-cutters on the border fences, but "these actions alone do not appear to constitute the imminent threat to life or deadly injury which could justify the use of lethal force," said Zeid, a Jordanian prince.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the resolution, which was put forward by countries including Pakistan, as "nothing new under the sun."

"An organization that calls itself the Human Rights Council once again proves that it is hypocritical and biased and that its purpose is to harm Israel and support terror. But mostly it has proven that it is irrelevant," Netanyahu said.

"Israel completely rejects the resolution that was adopted by an automatic anti-Israel majority whose results were known from the start," he said. "Israel will continue to defend its citizens and soldiers as it has the right to defend itself."

Israeli ambassador Aviva Raz Schechter said "the unfortunate outcome of Monday's riots can only be attributed to Hamas' cynical exploitation of its own population in a violent campaign against Israel."

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said in a statement that "the U.N.'s so-called Human Rights Council has decided to launch an investigation into a democratic country's legitimate defense of its own border against terrorist attacks. It is another shameful day for human rights."

In an apparent attempt to ease the crisis, Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi announced the opening of the Rafah crossing on Thursday night for what would be the longest uninterrupted period since 2013. He wrote on his official Twitter account that it would "alleviate the burdens of the brothers in the Gaza Strip."

Egypt and Israel have imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, heavily restricting movement in and out of the densely populated and impoverished territory.

Over the years, Egypt has opened the crossing for a few days every two to three months, the only way for most Gazans to reach the outside world.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said the opening was the result of talks Sunday in Cairo with Egyptian officials.

"We are witnessing the outcome through steps Egypt has taken, and we hope they continue, develop and increase," he said at a Friday prayer sermon in Gaza City. But he added that the weekly Hamas-led protests will continue.

The crossing has been open since May 12, so el-Sissi's announcement was technically an extension. Egyptian authorities said 510 people crossed Wednesday, with most going from Gaza to Egypt. On Thursday, 541 people passed into Gaza along with dozens of trucks carrying cement, steel, power engines and medical and food aid from the Red Crescent, the officials said.

Last month, Hamas' Interior Ministry said more than 20,000 people were on waiting lists to exit. An average of 500 travelers a day moved through the border this week, mostly leaving.

The Rafah crossing has only been open sporadically since the 2013 ouster of Egypt's Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, a high-ranking member of Hamas' parent group, The Muslim Brotherhood. While Egypt has been struggling with an Islamic insurgency for decades, militant attacks increased after Morsi's ouster, leading Egyptian authorities to tighten movement to and from Gaza.

Travel through Rafah has mostly been restricted to humanitarian cases, with priority given to medical patients, students admitted to outside universities and Palestinians with residency permits in third countries about to expire. Palestinian-Egyptians and dual nationals are also eligible to apply.

Travelers moved slowly toward the border Friday. A bus arrived about every hour with people whose names appeared on lists provided by Hamas officials.

Hamas forcibly wrested control of Gaza in 2007 after winning legislative elections, triggering the Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has severely restricted the movement of most of Gaza's 2 million inhabitants.

After more than a decade of Hamas rule, conditions for most inhabitants are dire. Unemployment is over 40 percent, tap water is undrinkable and Gazans receive only a few hours of electricity a day. Hospitals face constant shortages from the blockade, and parts of the territory are still waiting to be rebuilt after a 2014 war with Israel.

The measures were meant to create a buffer zone as part of Egypt's efforts to purge northeastern Sinai of Islamic militants following the 2014 bombings by an Islamic State group affiliate that killed dozens of soldiers.

Egypt imposed a state of emergency and curfew in northeastern Sinai, including Rafah, which means travelers arriving at the crossing after 7 p.m. must wait until the next morning to leave.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/wo...as-un-calls-for-inquiry-into-israeli-response

 

[Arkain2K]

 

[Arkain2K]

Pretty relevant details to keep in mind.

It certainly sounds like these "human rights observers" genuinely believe these are "peaceful protesters" who got shot just for standing there with nothing but harmless banners and flags in their hands, despite the fiery mayhem that says otherwise everytime the mob tried to "peacefully" overrun the borders using "peaceful" burning tires and firebombs, as shown in all the photos and videos.

What kind of "proportionate response" are they expecting when the "peaceful protesters" start "peacefully" attacking the armed soldiers guarding the Israeli borders? Should the IDF stock up a pile of burning tires of their own and "peacefully" flinging them back at the "peaceful" Hamas protesters each time they tries to bring down the border fence...?

 

[salamander]

So many young people dead, more injured, many crippled for life. Hamas had to know this would happen.

Aside from Egypt opeing up the crossing, what was gained?

Erodogan gets to act like the Islamic Bolivar, the UN makes it's usual ineffecual noises, the US acts like WWE refferee Danny Davis before vetoing any meaningful investigation or sanction against Israel, the rest of the Islamic world shakes it's fist on twitter, more settlements get built -and the beat goes on and ...just like it happens every single year.

What was gained when they were blowing up buses?

What was gained when they did the stab-a-thon last year?

The Palestinian's very badly need new leadership and new tactics: In six to eight months I bet Arkain is gonna update this thread again with the same story about Palestinains dying for esstentially nothing.