The arabs and muslims are busy fighting israel's war in Syria to oust an anti-israel leader and pro-palestinian president of syria.they have sent in wahhabi terrorists,especially of alqeda to destabilize syria.they have sent in weapons into Syria,a sovereignty and independent state all because bashar al-assad is an alawite and not sunni.wahhabi slavery to the west,sectarianism and hate are a disease.can't they send those fighters to gaza to fight israel? Oh,they are allies with israel.big master america will not allow saudi arabia,qatar and turkey to make such a move against israel.

Gaza is under zionist attack.the gazans are been bombed as we speak.I pray iran and syria keep their support to hamas,after it sold out to qatari petro dollars and betrayed bashar al assad.

Pray for gaza!

^Please don't neglect to name a son AbdulWahab.

What caused the escalation this time? I have been too busy to check.

what about the aggressions and attacks istreal have suffered in the hands of hamas. you muslims are know prejudices. you support violence when it come from you.
hamas haves been firing long range rockets into istreal for months now targeting and killing innocent civilians. istreal only retaliated by killing hamas millitary leader and you are here calling it aggression!!!
for once, we must learn to say the truth or forever cover your face in shame.
it is clear you support the terrorist hamas because they are muslims.
well i have one word for you. shut the Bleep-up

^Such unbridled Ignorance, The formation of groups like Hamas is as a direct result of the fact that a people's land have been occupied. First thing, THEIR LAND is OCCUPIED!!!! Not everyone approves of the methods of hamas but i definitely sympathise with their cause. ISRAEL aggression is killing a mosquito with a sledge hammer... They are bombing Gaza because of a few rockets that are largely inaccurate and do very little damage. Hamas has every right to fight for their land whether you like it or not. Israel is the one that has ignored all UN resolutions or have had it vetoed by the US.


Israel is living on stolen land and you expect the owners not to fight back??

^That's what he is saying.

maclatunji: ^Please don't neglect to name a son AbdulWahab.

Lol
Abdul Wahab was a very good man who was opposed to his son Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab,the founder of wahhabism.his brother even wrote a book refuting his ideas.

And definitely I won't refrain from naming my son Muhammad because he doesn't have any bearing on the name.it would be in honor of the holy Prophet (sa).

What caused the escalation this time? I have been too busy to check.

In the middle east,there is the "resistance axis" which contains Iran,Syria,Hezbollah (in Lebanon) and Hamas (in Gaza).the opposing axis known as the "moderate arabs" or "zionist arabs" or "american-israeli axis" comprises of saudi arabia,qatar,jordan and formerly egypt's mubarak.much is left to be seen how egypt's morsi who was elected with islamist support would respond-recently tunnels linking gaza and egypt used to smuggle goods and weaponds were destroyed.recently the qatar emir will their petro dollar decided to buy hamas into condemning bashar al-assad.the representative of hamas in Syria left and hamas offices were closed.

However israel doesn't care whether hamas is now friendli with the "zionist arabs" who are opposed to the "axis of resistance".what brought the recent escalation is the assasination of hamas leaders by israel.also for the fact that hamas took a little distance from its own axis into qatar's lap,the israeli probably see it as a good chance to knock hamas.hamas responded to firing rockets,usually short range rockets that cause minimal damage and most often with no human injury or casualty on the israeli side.but since yesterday that israel stepped up its bombing and have called on ground reserve forces hinting at a possible ground assault,hamas and other palestinian factions have stepped up their attacks using grad missiles.so far 4 israelis are dead,many wounded and power supply damaged and many living in bomb shelters and displaced.hamas does have enough iranian and syrian fire power to shake israel and defend itself.on the palestinian side 8 are dead and tens of them wounded.netanyahu is soon facing election in israel so he needs to appear strong and as the "tough man" to israelis.obama won his election and have no fear in supporting israel and giving the green light to attack gaza.

The point is you can't go on assasinating others and expect no response at all.and that is disregarding the reality that Gaza is the largest human prison on earth.it has been under israeli naval and air siege for years and cut off from the world with the excuse of trying to stop weapon flow.and also palestinian land is under occupation.

rafhell: what about the aggressions and attacks istreal have suffered in the hands of hamas. you muslims are know prejudices. you support violence when it come from you.
hamas haves been firing long range rockets into istreal for months now targeting and killing innocent civilians. istreal only retaliated by killing hamas millitary leader and you are here calling it aggression!!!
for once, we must learn to say the truth or forever cover your face in shame.
it is clear you support the terrorist hamas because they are muslims.
well i have one word for you. shut the Bleep-up

You be serious mumu but I don't blame you.our nigerian media have been infiltrated by the israelis.you hear of the israeli diplomats in nigeria visiting media houses,for what? To brainwash nigerians in israel's favor.when there was the issue of the iranian weapons seized in lagos,nigerian newspapers were copying from israeli newspapers propaganda verbatim.

Yesterday I was watching news on silverbird television and I was disgusted.can you imagine stv making out excuse for israel bombing gaza? The newscaster reported the israeli attack on gaza and then went on to state that it is after hamas fired rocket into israel.as in what happens to israel's assasinations of hamas leaders,the periodic bombing of gaza and the israeli occupation?

Silence is the best answer to fools! Many if not most of nigerian fanatical christians mistake present-day zionist apartheid israel for biblical israel.nigerian christians need to be lectured on israel by arab christians.

Being anti - isreal does not give anybody a blank cheque to kill innocents. Unfortinately some people think it does. The greatest tragedy of this crisis is the continued yoeman job Fatah leader abbas play, the last crisis in 2006 was about getting referral to ICJ only for Abbas to discontinue the case, imagine if Israel discovers that when you kill the innocent you will get canned by the ICJ. Anyway I hope Hamas finds an alternate way of retaliating against the Isrealis, whom seem only interested in bahaving like the Nazis!

tbaba1234: ^Such unbridled Ignorance, The formation of groups like Hamas is as a direct result of the fact that a people's land have been occupied. First thing, THEIR LAND is OCCUPIED!!!! Not everyone approves of the methods of hamas but i definitely sympathise with their cause. ISRAEL aggression is killing a mosquito with a sledge hammer... They are bombing Gaza because of a few rockets that are largely inaccurate and do very little damage. Hamas has every right to fight for their land whether you like it or not. Israel is the one that has ignored all UN resolutions or have had it vetoed by the US.


Israel is living on stolen land and you expect the owners not to fight back??

Its unfortunately belligerent statements like these, even from those who should know better, that contributes to making the Palestinian-Isreali war intractable.

It is historical fact that the Jews have claims to some of that territory in modern day Israel. History tells us that places like Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Hebron, Berthsheba etc were historically Jewish. There is no denying that. That the Jews were invaded and scattered across the world at sometime in their history does not obliterate the fact that their roots are in Israel and their desire for their homeland is only as natural as the desire of the Palestinians.

Now the issue is this; the Jews are back, but the land is not empty! What happens? And there I blame the Jewish and Palestinian politicians and hardliners on both sides. What is critical is for both sides to fashion an agreement to live together. THERE IS NO WAY Palestinians are going to leave where they are and their claims to the land, and there is no way Israel will do the same. This is where I believe the two state solution will work within a security framework that will curtail the excesses of the hawks and hardliners on both sides.

It is possible. After all there are Israeli Arab citizens (20% of Israelis are Arabs)who enjoy high standards of living and rights better than the Palestinians Arabs in their own territory (e.g. Israeli Supreme Court judge Salim Joubran is an Arab and one of the jugdes that jailed Israeli president for rape). Israel's security fears and subsequent actions are causing unbearable hardships to the Palestinians who fail to be pragmatic and recognize the options available

For it to work, both parties need to stop all violence; (i) understand that neither side is going anywhere (ii) hold the difficult negotiation for a framework for peace (iii) allow for the formation of a Palestinian state with borders agreeable to both sides (iv) drop the religious rhetoric that is creating unnecessary hate

ISRAEL aggression is killing a mosquito with a sledge hammer... They are bombing Gaza because of a few rockets that are largely inaccurate and do very little damage.

The fact that Israel responds harshly to Hamas rockets are not the basis for comparison. Its apparent Israel places more premium on their own citizens lives than the Palestinians do on theirs http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/10/20111011175925656823.html

The issue is definitely that Israel wants to discourage the rockets in the first place (150 rockets fired on Thursday). A lack of response (or a soft one for that matter) from them will only embolden Hamas to do more. The costs in human lives in this ding-dong is appalling and needs to stop!

Hamas needs to stop and Isreal need to desists. Negotiated settlement not belligerence is the key

^
You spoke of bethlehem and let me give you some lessons you should live to remember.do you know that presently and for centuries,bethlehem is an arab town? Do you know that when you use the term "arab" to refer to palestinians,it only means they are arabic speaking and not that they are ethnically arabians as saudis are for example? Do you know that those arab in bethlehem,which is under israeli occupation, are palestinian arabic speaking CHRISTIANS?you think these people who trace their presence there even before Jesus (as) would abandon their land because israel,the racist "jewish state" is only for jews? No one is denying jews their presence in palestine.don't twist things upside down.jews,muslims and christians have always lived on that land peacefully co-existing until the zionist movement backed by british colonialists got the upper hand and decided the land must bear only one color and all else (not of the jewish faith) must leave.the only solution to the problem is a one state solution where all people belonging to palestine co-exist and an abolition of the "jewish state".all the groups must work together to live together in a country.you don't live in another continent for centuries (as european jews),and then remember their ancestors came from palestine,then decided to go there to uproot anyone that doesn't hold their beliefs,even if the palestinians both the christians and muslims who are arabic speaking have jewish descent-so they wanted all else to leave.such is injustice and anyone who supports this madness unprecedented in history of mankind needs to get his empty head examined.

So far today as I've been following the news,we have to thank Almighty Allah for helping our brothers in Gaza even though israel continues its indiscriminate bombing on gaza killing up till now almost 20 people.as for the good news,the islamic resistance factions led by hamas have done the following:

-tel aviv,israel's capital,was targeted for the first time in history with a couple of advance Iranian made and supplied missiles known as Fajr 5.
- ben gurion international airport was shut down.
-netanyahu,israel's PM,went into a bunker to hide.
-israel's electricity have been affected through the damages caused by the missiles from Gaza.
-israel have lost an estimated 3 billion shekel in the last two days.
-80 israelis have fallen casualities even though the death among the 80 is more than double less than the palestinians killed.
-israel asked egypt to mediate a truce.
-an unmanned reconnaissance israeli plane was shot down by hamas.
-100s of thousands of israelis are living in bunkers.
-an israeli ship was hit killing one israeli terrorist soldier on gaza's coast

Israel promises more suffering to be inflicted upon the poor people of gaza.we pray to Almighty Allah to show israel that only Allah is Almighty and israelis are mere mortals and should therefore not oppress their fellow man because they feel they are stronger militarily.as blood defeated the sword in Karbala,and the oppressed (Imam Hussain) defeated the oppressor (Yazid) so shall the people of gaza triumph over israel.

Mahatma Ghandhi said:"Hussain taught me how to be oppressed yet victorious".

Victory is for the people of Gaza insha'Allah! Let me hear you say a big AMEEN!!!

You can see here for youself the coward israeli army good only in defeating the weak, going to the ground to hide from the incoming missiles fired by the palestinian resistance factions:

LagosShia: ^
You spoke of bethlehem and let me give you some lessons you should live to remember.do you know that presently and for centuries,bethlehem is an arab town? Do you know that when you use the term "arab" to refer to palestinians,it only means they are arabic speaking and not that they are ethnically arabians as saudis are for example? Do you know that those arab in bethlehem,which is under israeli occupation, are palestinian arabic speaking CHRISTIANS?you think these people who trace their presence there even before Jesus (as) would abandon their land because israel,the racist "jewish state" is only for jews? No one is denying jews their presence in palestine.don't twist things upside down.jews,muslims and christians have always lived on that land peacefully co-existing until the zionist movement backed by british colonialists got the upper hand and decided the land must bear only one color and all else (not of the jewish faith) must leave.the only solution to the problem is a one state solution where all people belonging to palestine co-exist and an abolition of the "jewish state".all the groups must work together to live together in a country.you don't live in another continent for centuries (as european jews),and then remember their ancestors came from palestine,then decided to go there to uproot anyone that doesn't hold their beliefs,even if the palestinians both the christians and muslims who are arabic speaking have jewish descent-so they wanted all else to leave.such is injustice and anyone who supports this madness unprecedented in history of mankind needs to get his empty head examined.

Bethlehem is historically and archeologically proven to be Jewish since 8th or 7th century BCE before the Arabs. http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_Item_eng.asp?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=1938&module_id=#as

Don't try to play the religious sentiments on me by claiming "Palestinian Christian" story. We are talking about issues. In fact, Palestinian Christians are not better under Hamas and co whose charter says every inch of Palestine is for Allah. Where do Christians fall in here? The population of Christians in the City has fallen from 70% to 15% in 50 years! In contrasts the population of Christians in Israel, though not nirvana, is growing and why is that?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704304504574610022765965390.html
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/bethlehem_exodus_jH6iVNuarsPLBceXPzHO6I




Anyway, back to the issue at hand.

don't twist things upside down.jews,muslims and christians have always lived on that land peacefully co-existing until the zionist movement backed by british colonialists got the upper hand and decided the land must bear only one color and all else (not of the jewish faith) must leave.

I take this statement with a pinch of salt. If the zionist movement wanted the land to bear just one colour and all else should leave, why the following;
- Arabs (Non-Jews) constitute 20% of Israeli citizens (Majority Muslims-82%!),
- 6% of Israeli Civil Servants are Arabs
- A policy in Israel states that every state-run Israeli company must have at least one Arab citizen of Israel on its board of directors
- Nawaf Massalha, an Arab Muslim, has served in various junior ministerial roles, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, since 1999,
- Arab citizens of Israel have been elected to every Knesset, and currently hold 12 of its 120 seats.
- The first female Arab MP was Hussniya Jabara, a Muslim Arab from central Israel, who was elected in 1999,
- Isreal has serveral Arab Ambassadors (to Finland, Greece, Vietnam, Ecuador) Consuls (Atlanta, San Fransisco)
- The Isreali Military has non Jewish Soldiers and Generals - Arab Generals Major General Hussain Fares, Major General Yosef Mishlav, Lieutenant Colonel Amos Yarkoni (a legendary officer in the Israel Defense Forces and one of six Israeli Arabs to have received the IDF's third highest decoration, the Medal of Distinguished Service.)Jamal Hakroush the first Muslim Arab deputy Inspector-General in the Israeli Police
- there are Arab Political Parties, pressure gruops and activist within Isreal.

Save your breath on that one

the only solution to the problem is a one state solution where all people belonging to Palestine co-exist and an abolition of the "jewish state".all the groups must work together to live together in a country.

I don't think that will work. There are people in Palestine that will rather die than to see that happen. As per Jewish State, there already pressure in Israel to drop "Jewish" in describing the country as there are many Israelis who are non-jewish and feel discriminated by that. Ironically the Hamas are calling for an establishment of an "Islamic State" despite the presence of Arab and Palestinian Christians. What have you got to say?


Again, the key to solving this crisis is genuine dialogue. Israel must give more than it has already done to end this. Similar problems have be solved elsewhere when pragmatism, belligerence and religious sentiments are removed from the real issues. South Africa is today inhabited by European descendants who originally have no historical claims to Africa with blacks. I believe that despite the despicable things that happened during apartheid, the country is much better for it. Its a pales to the Palestinian case, I know, but it conveys my thoughts

rafhell: what about the aggressions and attacks istreal have suffered in the hands of hamas. you muslims are know prejudices. you support violence when it come from you.
hamas haves been firing long range rockets into istreal for months now targeting and killing innocent civilians. istreal only retaliated by killing hamas millitary leader and you are here calling it aggression!!!
for once, we must learn to say the truth or forever cover your face in shame.
it is clear you support the terrorist hamas because they are muslims.
well i have one word for you. shut the Bleep-up

If you are after the truth, watch this. It is fairly long though. Miko Peled is an Isreali


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOaxAckFCuQ



When I posted this, I was surprised that nobody commented until we are discussing this matter in a period of crisis
https://www.nairaland.com/1091156/palestinian-issue-some-truths#12797755

tiarabubu:

I don't think that will not work. There are people in Palestine that will rather die than to see that happen. As per Jewish State, there already pressure in Israel to drop "Jewish" in describing the country as there are many Israelis who are non-jewish and feel discriminated by that. Ironically the Hamas are calling for an establishment of an "Islamic State" despite the presence of Arab and Palestinian Christians. What have you got to say?


Again, the key to solving this crisis is genuine dialogue. Israel must give more than it has already done to end this. Similar problems have be solved elsewhere when pragmatism, belligerence and religious sentiments are removed from the real issues. South Africa is today inhabited by European descendants who originally have no historical claims to Africa with blacks. I believe that despite the despicable things that happened during apartheid, the country is much better for it. Its a pales to the Palestinian case, I know, but it conveys my thoughts

Israel wants its own state, but is opposed to a Palestinian state

http://www.timesofisrael.com/jimmy-carter-netanyahu-has-abandoned-two-state-solution-in-favor-of-greater-israel/
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/romney-secret-video-israeli-palestinian-middle-east-peace

Israel is determined to keep the Palestine out of the UN arrangement, even as an observer
http://news.yahoo.com/israel-mulls-steps-against-palestinians-over-u-n-213621194.html;_ylt=AjQ6Ea5Gq1Ohefhj_TyCDC_9r.l_;_ylu=X3oDMTVxbW9wdTIwBGNjb2RlA2dtcHRvcDEwMDBwb29sd2lraXVwcmVzdARtaXQDQXJ0aWNsZSBNaXhlZCBMaXN0IE5ld3MgZm9yIFlvdSB3aXRoIE1vcmUgTGluawRwa2cDMDUxY2ZhYjktYjQwYy0zNDUzLWEzOTMtMjVkYzY5YzQ1NGMwBHBvcwMyBHNlYwNuZXdzX2Zvcl95b3UEdmVyAzY1MTFmNmUwLTI4NWEtMTFlMi1iN2JlLTJkYTA1ODUwZTZlOQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTJ2ZmdrcGQxBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDOGU4ZWQzYjgtMGNjMS0zN2Y1LWFjNDktYWU5MTIxYzdiN2VhBHBzdGNhdANzY2llbmNlfHBldHMEcHQDc3RvcnlwYWdl;_ylv=3

LagosShia: The arabs and muslims are busy fighting israel's war in Syria to oust an anti-israel leader and pro-palestinian president of syria.they have sent in wahhabi terrorists,especially of alqeda to destabilize syria.they have sent in weapons into Syria,a sovereignty and independent state all because bashar al-assad is an alawite and not sunni.wahhabi slavery to the west,sectarianism and hate are a disease.can't they send those fighters to gaza to fight israel? Oh,they are allies with israel.big master america will not allow saudi arabia,qatar and turkey to make such a move against israel.

Gaza is under zionist attack.the gazans are been bombed as we speak.I pray iran and syria keep their support to hamas,after it sold out to qatari petro dollars and betrayed bashar al assad.

Pray for gaza!

You cannot write 3 articles without mentioning Saudi Arabia and so-called wahabbi terrorists
When your Shia allies send largely inaccurate rockets into Israel where they can only hit civilian population, it is not terrorism
The HizboLlah fighters in Syria are not defending their country. The rebels are fighting to take over their own country
These rebels have a greater stake in the battle than HizboLlah. The rebels are receiving external help (you call some them Al-Qaeda, I hope they are not)
But we know that the US is not even supplying weapons because it fears it may fall into the hands of Al-Qaeda (check out Romney's position v Obama's)
But you don't make that distinction
Your rule is simple = everything done by Saudi and the other Arabs (sunnis) is evil. The good people are Shias even if they are attacking indiscriminately

You Shias are fighting for muslims in Palestine. Good. Did you try to force out Russia from Afghanistan?
Or given your close relationship with the same Russia, can you pls ask them to give the Chenchen and other muslims in the Caucasus some space?
Muslims are also oppressed in Myanmar. Please can you offer leadership too? Or are we to believe that you are only interested in the Middle East?

Let me remind you of what the Russians (friends of Iran and Syria) promised the people of the Caucasus
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/02/world/europe/02moscow.html?_r=0

'He later added: “The methods themselves must be both more effective and more rigorous, one might even say harsher. The point is to pre-empt these incidents, to prevent terrorist acts and to punish terrorists.”

(The Russian word that Mr. Medvedev used for “harsher” can also be translated as “crueler” or “severer,” and varying translations were published during the course of Thursday by English-language news media.) "'

^

You even forgot to add China, during Ramadhan China, Iran's patron, prevented muslims from fasting, even our boy lagoshia did not even condemn that, he was nowhere to be found in the entire thread (if I remember clearly) and confounding the matter is Iran and all it big mouth propaganda machine did not even condemn china for oppressing muslim, to me it is the height of oppression to go to the very extent of preventing any individual the free will to even fast! Yet Ayatollah khaminaie mouth was shut tight because China their real masters were involved in the it! Like I said earlier because one is anti - Isreal does not give you the right to kill innocents, imagine on the of judgement Assad why did you order the shelling of civilians, Assad will shout anti - Isreal, anti - Isreaal and the shias imagine Assad will be welcome to paradise despite even believing Ali r.a is god ! Well God's judgment does not work like that!

@tiarabubu

I guess everyone should start going back to their ancestral land then. Black Brazilians can come here and kick people already living in homes in South western Nigeria and establish a state, within Nigeria. White American can go back to europe and start carving it up as well. The stupidity of such a reasoning. Do you know how many nations and people have been displaced over the centuries? It is a recipe for chaos to suggest that every lineage that once lived on a land even if it was thousands of years should start going back. You can not go into peoples lands and kick them out their homes, form a state on their land and claim that over a THOUSAND years ago, some people of your lineage lived there.

Fact: Your biblical Israel is not the same as the Zionist land-grabbing Israel.

As regards, your other points, i agree a compromise has to be made. I personally do not feel that a two state solution would solve anything, Israel rejected the 1967 borders, I do not think any other arrangement is acceptable. It has to be one state, a state where both Jews and arabs can live together. Before the contraption of the Israeli state, all parties lived in peace.

They are still building settlements on people's land showing that their intention is to expand rather than any genuine interest for a Palestinian state. They have rejected UN resolution after UN resolution. The vast majority of the world do not support the actions of the Israeli state, The US has backed Israel by vetoing any resolution, Israel does not like. The blockade on Gaza is one of the worst things to happen to a people in this age of mass information.

tiarabubu:



Bethlehem is historically and archeologically proven to be Jewish since 8th or 7th century BCE before the Arabs. http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_Item_eng.asp?sec_id=25&subj_id=240&id=1938&module_id=#as

Bethlehem existed way before the jewish people existed and that town was inhabited.history in palestine did not start with the jews.people were long before the jews in palestine.and the same palestinians you're discriminating against share to certain extent jewish heritage.

Don't try to play the religious sentiments on me by claiming "Palestinian Christian" story. We are talking about issues. In fact, Palestinian Christians are not better under Hamas and co whose charter says every inch of Palestine is for Allah. Where do Christians fall in here? The population of Christians in the City has fallen from 70% to 15% in 50 years! In contrasts the population of Christians in Israel, though not nirvana, is growing and why is that?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704304504574610022765965390.html
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/bethlehem_exodus_jH6iVNuarsPLBceXPzHO6I

Don't be a bigot.

The west bank where both bethlehem and also nazareth are found are not in hamas controlled gaza.they are found in fatah controlled west bank.mahmood abass another puppet of the west is in control there.so your statistic on population is best fed to the sheep!

Anyway, back to the issue at hand.

I take this statement with a pinch of salt. If the zionist movement wanted the land to bear just one colour and all else should leave, why the following;
- Arabs (Non-Jews) constitute 20% of Israeli citizens (Majority Muslims-82%!),
- 6% of Israeli Civil Servants are Arabs
- A policy in Israel states that every state-run Israeli company must have at least one Arab citizen of Israel on its board of directors
- Nawaf Massalha, an Arab Muslim, has served in various junior ministerial roles, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, since 1999,
- Arab citizens of Israel have been elected to every Knesset, and currently hold 12 of its 120 seats.
- The first female Arab MP was Hussniya Jabara, a Muslim Arab from central Israel, who was elected in 1999,
- Isreal has serveral Arab Ambassadors (to Finland, Greece, Vietnam, Ecuador) Consuls (Atlanta, San Fransisco)
- The Isreali Military has non Jewish Soldiers and Generals - Arab Generals Major General Hussain Fares, Major General Yosef Mishlav, Lieutenant Colonel Amos Yarkoni (a legendary officer in the Israel Defense Forces and one of six Israeli Arabs to have received the IDF's third highest decoration, the Medal of Distinguished Service.)Jamal Hakroush the first Muslim Arab deputy Inspector-General in the Israeli Police
- there are Arab Political Parties, pressure gruops and activist within Isreal.

Save your breath on that one

These are arabs who had no option than to accept the israeli citizenship.if you think they are happy while millions of their brothers live in a zionist ghetto in gaza,you need to think again.you should go to youtube and see what happened to Hanan al-Zoby,a female arab member of the israeli parliament.the arabs are asking for palestine and palestinian rights.compare all the misery that have befallen the millions of palestinians to the make-up you listed above.if all palestinians are treated like those few in your list used as make-up,there would be no conflict at all.

I don't think that will not work. There are people in Palestine that will rather die than to see that happen. As per Jewish State, there already pressure in Israel to drop "Jewish" in describing the country as there are many Israelis who are non-jewish and feel discriminated by that. Ironically the Hamas are calling for an establishment of an "Islamic State" despite the presence of Arab and Palestinian Christians. What have you got to say?

I really don't know if your sincerely ignorant or deliberate ignorance.

A "jewish state" is a racial entity.you're born into being "jewish" with the exception of very few converts who are treated as second class jews.an islamic state is an islamic government or republic.in fact no muslim country calls itself an "islamic state" in the sense of the "jewish state".muslims are not a race and don't claim to be.jews claim to be a race even though in reality they are not-compare an ethiopian jew and a european jew.you're the one making that up because muslims call for sharia law or an islamic republic.

Again, the key to solving this crisis is genuine dialogue. Israel must give more than it has already done to end this. Similar problems have be solved elsewhere when pragmatism, belligerence and religious sentiments are removed from the real issues. South Africa is today inhabited by European descendants who originally have no historical claims to Africa with blacks. I believe that despite the despicable things that happened during apartheid, the country is much better for it. Its a pales to the Palestinian case, I know, but it conveys my thoughts

Let israel first stop blocking attempts at the UN for palestine to become a member state.

vedaxcool: ^

You even forgot to add China, during Ramadhan China, Iran's patron, prevented muslims from fasting, even our boy lagoshia did not even condemn that, he was nowhere to be found in the entire thread (if I remember clearly) and confounding the matter is Iran and all it big mouth propaganda machine did not even condemn china for oppressing muslim, to me it is the height of oppression to go to the very extent of preventing any individual the free will to even fast! Yet Ayatollah khaminaie mouth was shut tight because China their real masters were involved in the it! Like I said earlier because one is anti - Isreal does not give you the right to kill innocents, imagine on the of judgement Assad why did you order the shelling of civilians, Assad will shout anti - Isreal, anti - Isreaal and the shias imagine Assad will be welcome to paradise despite even believing Ali r.a is god ! Well God's judgment does not work like that!

Why are you judging others on paradise and hell,when you're not sure if you'd make it to paradise? You've been told previously it is speculated alawites worship Imam Ali (as),a claim which they deny.

I was among the first if not the very first to complain about China's treatment of its Muslim population:

https://www.nairaland.com/991592/reports-persecution-targeting-muslims-around#11656903

"Despite shared economic and geopolitical interests, Beijing and Tehran have clashed over China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province".
http://iranprimer.usip.org/resource/iran-and-china

"Iran will also build a new trade center in China's majority Muslim Xinjiang province"
http://www.irantracker.org/foreign-relations/china-iran-foreign-relations

"Iran forges links with China's Muslims"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/805065.stm

BetaThings:

You cannot write 3 articles without mentioning Saudi Arabia and so-called wahabbi terrorists
When your Shia allies send largely inaccurate rockets into Israel where they can only hit civilian population, it is not terrorism

Saudi arabia is playing a negative and divisive role in the middle east and muslim world.

Saudi arabia has been sending weapons and terrorists into syria so syrians will kill themselves and that is done with the blessing of the US and israel.

Where are the accurate rockets saudi arabia has provided their arab brothers in lebanon and gaza to defend themselves?

The same "inaccurate" rockets according to your lies are the same ones Sunni hamas is using in gaza against israel.these are the iranian built missiles that sent netanyahu into a bunker and targeted tel aviv yesterday forcing the closure of ben gurion international airport.when in the history of the arab israeli conflict have such impact made by the arabs? It has only happened with Shia Iranian built and supplied weapons to Sunni palestinians.the "Sunni big brothers" in saudi arabia and elsewhere are busy who.ring in the bed of america and israel.

Hezballah successfully withstood israel in the 2006 lebanon war.those you call "civilians" in israel are zionist settlers whose presence have led to the theft of palestinian land.every israeli adult is trained and enrolled in the military service and is a reservist if he is not already in active military service,and that includes their women.so these are partners in crime and not "innocent civilians" as you call them.and these reasons and also israel's indiscriminate bombing of arab civilians in both lebanon and gaza,are why the Sunni resistance group of hamas and the Shia resistance group of hezbollah send in those missiles in retaliation.

Best,let saudi arabia supply hamas with "accurate" rockets if you're not pleased.

The HizboLlah fighters in Syria are not defending their country. The rebels are fighting to take over their own country
These rebels have a greater stake in the battle than HizboLlah. The rebels are receiving external help (you call some them Al-Qaeda, I hope they are not)

Hezbollah have denied the false claims that they are fighting in syria.bashar al-assad and the syrian army are the ones backing and supporting hezbollah in neighboring lebanon.common sense doesn't allow me bashar al assad is in need of hezbollah fighters no matter how tough they are.

But we know that the US is not even supplying weapons because it fears it may fall into the hands of Al-Qaeda (check out Romney's position v Obama's)

With american approval,foreign terrorist fighters from pakistan and afghanistan are armed and smuggled into syria from Erdogan's turkey,a NATO member.

But you don't make that distinction
Your rule is simple = everything done by Saudi and the other Arabs (sunnis) is evil. The good people are Shias even if they are attacking indiscriminately

Sorry to disappoint you but wahhabi treacherous saudi arabia does not represent all Sunnis.you're making them what they are not.

You Shias are fighting for muslims in Palestine. Good. Did you try to force out Russia from Afghanistan?
Or given your close relationship with the same Russia, can you pls ask them to give the Chenchen and other muslims in the Caucasus some space?
Muslims are also oppressed in Myanmar. Please can you offer leadership too? Or are we to believe that you are only interested in the Middle East?

Let me remind you of what the Russians (friends of Iran and Syria) promised the people of the Caucasus
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/02/world/europe/02moscow.html?_r=0

'He later added: “The methods themselves must be both more effective and more rigorous, one might even say harsher. The point is to pre-empt these incidents, to prevent terrorist acts and to punish terrorists.”

(The Russian word that Mr. Medvedev used for “harsher” can also be translated as “crueler” or “severer,” and varying translations were published during the course of Thursday by English-language news media.) "'

You should try and read to find out the position of Iran on the chechen conflict.you should also try to find out what is really happening there.the same wahhabi terrorists and foreign jihadists are the ones causing trouble in chechenya and doing harm to the cause and rights of the chechen people.

As for myanmar,you can see the thread I started in support of them and how iran spearheaded international effort and calls to stop the massacres.

However we muslims are mot expected to fight with every other non-muslim people we are living along with.islam also teaches us how to live in peace and co-exist.the Quran clearly states it is the satan's will to sow enmity and hatred among people.the case in palestine is not civil war or even religious persecution.it is foreign zionist occupation,genocide,ethnic cleansing and displacement.the muslim have every right to take up arms and fight to defend themselves,as it is so obvious you cannot negotiate with someone whose interest is to eliminate you.and iran is providing the needed help to the palestinian and also others as appropriate and to the best of its ability.

LagosShia:

Why are you judging others on paradise and hell,when you're not sure if you'd make it to paradise? You've been told previously it is speculated alawites worship Imam Ali (as),a claim which they deny.

I was among the first if not the very first to complain about China's treatment of its Muslim population:

https://www.nairaland.com/991592/reports-persecution-targeting-muslims-around#11656903

"Despite shared economic and geopolitical interests, Beijing and Tehran have clashed over China’s treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province".
http://iranprimer.usip.org/resource/iran-and-china

"Iran will also build a new trade center in China's majority Muslim Xinjiang province"
http://www.irantracker.org/foreign-relations/china-iran-foreign-relations

"Iran forges links with China's Muslims"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/805065.stm

The fact that you lie that alawietes known by all to take Ali to be god just shows how desperate you are. You told yourself what you want to hear, the numerous sources that are available for all to see clearly shows alawiates worship Ali to be god! Now I ask if you murdered inocent and were to face judgement do you think saying anti - Isreal will clear your name? As for the rest of the hogwash u threw, I mean my contention was simple, when China banned muslims from fasting what did your shia leaders in Iran say to china their patron? I guess nothing, no Khaminaie to call out china as being wicked, oh wait all their rants is just about anti-isreal, you see u don't need to be a genius to know that iran mouth what suits their interest, and their interest lies in shutting up when even if china does a reprehensible act as preventing someone from fasting! You can post more link showing what the Iranian regime (including you) did not do when the rights of Muslim to perform the mandatory acts of fasting was prevented by an atheistic regime!

tbaba1234: @tiarabubu

I guess everyone should start going back to their ancestral land then. Black Brazilians can come here and kick people already living in homes in South western Nigeria and establish a state, within Nigeria. White American can go back to europe and start carving it up as well. The stupidity of such a reasoning. Do you know how many nations and people have been displaced over the centuries? It is a recipe for chaos to suggest that every lineage that once lived on a land even if it was thousands of years should start going back. You can not go into peoples lands and kick them out their homes, form a state on their land and claim that over a THOUSAND years ago, some people of your lineage lived there.

Are you completely oblivious to the silly claims that some Muslims make that a land once under Muslim rule must remain under Muslim rule? Or something like that? See how your brothers are romanticizing taking back Spain despite all these years. Already the moves have started. I am glad you think such reasoning is stupid.

Fact: Your biblical Israel is not the same as the Zionist land-grabbing Israel.

How is this one sentence fact? because you say so

As regards, your other points, i agree a compromise has to be made. I personally do not feel that a two state solution would solve anything, Israel rejected the 1967 borders, I do not think any other arrangement is acceptable. It has to be one state, a state where both Jews and arabs can live together. Before the contraption of the Israeli state, all parties lived in peace.

They are still building settlements on people's land showing that their intention is to expand rather than any genuine interest for a Palestinian state. They have rejected UN resolution after UN resolution. The vast majority of the world do not support the actions of the Israeli state, The US has backed Israel by vetoing any resolution, Israel does not like. The blockade on Gaza is one of the worst things to happen to a people in this age of mass information.

There is nothing negotiations will not solve.

The British and other colonial powers and their ways of lumping people together has not being well received not only in Israel but even in Nigeria (North and South), Sudan, etc. They are all contraptions if you don't know.

You cannot force two people into a marriage. It will not last. Even in docile Nigeria, many are itching to get out from this Lord Luggard's contraption called Niger-Area. You cannot force the Israelis and Palestinians together. It will not happen, I can bet so many things on that for the following reasons;

(i) Many allies of the Palestinians has expressed the desire to eliminate Israel
(ii)Many allies are not comfortable with the presence of Jews in that area nor the allies of Israel regard Palestinians well either
(iii) Many Jews do not want Palestinians with them as well (or at least do not trust them) neither do the Palestinians
(iv) Islam, which is major factor and the predominant religion of Arabs, does not regard Jews kindly. that further fuels the crisis as many militants are willing to give their interpretations to this problem and use it to fuel further crisis.

LagosShia:
Bethlehem existed way before the jewish people existed and that town was inhabited.history in palestine did not start with the jews.people were long before the jews in palestine.and the same palestinians you're discriminating against share to certain extent jewish heritage.


Don't be a bigot.

Where are the people that inhabited Bethlehem BEFORE the Jews? Show them to me. Is the name Bethlehem even Arabic? Of the three examples I gave its only Bethlehem you want to waste my time over abi? mmstcheeeeeeew!

The west bank where both bethlehem and also nazareth are found are not in hamas controlled gaza.they are found in fatah controlled west bank.mahmood abass another puppet of the west is in control there.so your statistic on population is best fed to the sheep!

Nonsense! PALESTINIANS ARE PALESTINIANS WHERE EVER THEY RESIDE! This man, you is soooooo discriminatory. I am sure if you have food to share to the Palestinian people you will classify West Bank people as non-palestinians. Why don't you go join them in Gaza rather than typing on NL.

For your information Hamas is a stooge of the west too. They collect millions of dollars from the US to pay their workers.

These are arabs who had no option than to accept the israeli citizenship.if you think they are happy while millions of their brothers live in a zionist ghetto in gaza,you need to think again.you should go to youtube and see what happened to Hanan al-Zoby,a female arab member of the israeli parliament.the arabs are asking for palestine and palestinian rights.compare all the misery that have befallen the millions of palestinians to the make-up you listed above.if all palestinians are treated like those few in your list used as make-up,there would be no conflict at all.

You love making excuses for anything not to your expectation.
They have an option. Renounce Israeli citizenship and move into West Bank or Gaza. Don't forget there are several Arab- Israeli military officers, highly decorated for bravery and service. Were they forced to be brave? What of the Judges and civil servants etc. Pleeeese!

The fact that there are law abiding non Jewish Arab-Israelis and there Jews who severely criticize their country's position on the Palestinian issue goes to show that the solution is within the Israelis and Palestinians themselves. All hope is not lost

I really don't know if your sincerely ignorant or deliberate ignorance.

SMH. See who is talking

A "jewish state" is a racial entity.you're born into being "jewish" with the exception of very few converts who are treated as second class jews.an islamic state is an islamic government or republic.in fact no muslim country calls itself an "islamic state" in the sense of the "jewish state".muslims are not a race and don't claim to be.jews claim to be a race even though in reality they are not-compare an ethiopian jew and a european jew.you're the one making that up because muslims call for sharia law or an islamic republic.

Please don't embarrass yourself. Better research properly before making such statements. The term "Islamic State" is a recent term that gained currency from the 20th Century.

Its on record the following Muslim countries call themselves Islamic States; Pakistan, Afghanistan and your dear Iran. We are not kids here.

tiarabubu:

Where are the people that inhabited Bethlehem BEFORE the Jews? Show them to me. Is the name Bethlehem even Arabic? Of the three examples I gave its only Bethlehem you want to waste my time over abi? mmstcheeeeeeew!

Please let me remind you that this thread was created on the current israeli aggression on Gaza.so don't be offended if I decided further on to focus on the current situation rather than arguing endlessly and correcting your many ignorance views.

"Beth" in both arabic and hebrew = "house"
"Lahm" in arabic is "meat" while in hebrew is "bread".

Regardless of the name,bethlehem has a Canaanite history.I'm not sure if you're also mistaking the hebrews or israelite people for jews.jews descended from the israelites who also had a presence in bethlehem after the Canaanite period.

Nonsense! PALESTINIANS ARE PALESTINIANS WHERE EVER THEY RESIDE! This man, you is soooooo discriminatory. I am sure if you have food to share to the Palestinian people you will classify West Bank people as non-palestinians. Why don't you go join them in Gaza rather than typing on NL.

For your information Hamas is a stooge of the west too. They collect millions of dollars from the US to pay their workers.

Hamas you were blaming for whatever you claim befell the christians in bethlehem is not in charge of bethlehem.the west bank is governed by fatah while hamas governs the gaza strip.don't blame hamas for something they didn't do and then say palestinians are palestinians.

America decided to stop aid to the palestinian authority if hamas was to lead a unify government after it won the elections.that led to division and fighting among the palestinians.fatah led by mahmood abasss,who's pro-west,governs the west bank and hamas settled in gaza where it has more support.I wonder how america that considers hamas a "terrorist group" instead of a resistance group is giving aid to "terrorists".please madam tiarabubu,take your stupidity and arguments else where if you've got nothing relevant to contribute.in other words "get out"!

You love making excuses for anything not to your expectation.
They have an option. Renounce Israeli citizenship and move into West Bank or Gaza. Don't forget there are several Arab- Israeli military officers, highly decorated for bravery and service. Were they forced to be brave? What of the Judges and civil servants etc. Pleeeese!

The fact that there are law abiding non Jewish Arab-Israelis and there Jews who severely criticize their country's position on the Palestinian issue goes to show that the solution is within the Israelis and Palestinians themselves. All hope is not lost

Let that happen with all the palestinians.that would be a one state solution.but obviously this is make up!

Please don't embarrass yourself. Better research properly before making such statements. The term "Islamic State" is a recent term that gained currency from the 20th Century.

Its on record the following Muslim countries call themselves Islamic States; Pakistan, Afghanistan and your dear Iran. We are not kids here.

These are "islamic republics" officially in their constitution.they are not "islamic state" in the sense of israel.islamic state can be figurative.but literally these muslim countries are not "islamic state" in a racial way as the "jewish state" is understood.israel as a racist "jewish state" just like saying "yoruba state" and then the yorubas consider themselves a race and practice one religion only that if any one abandon is no longer "yoruba" and others don't belong.I hope you get that clear for once.

A Powerful Picture of Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Qandil Kissing the Forehead of a Dead Palestinian Child Carried By Hamas' Prime Minister of Gaza,Ismaeel Haniya.The Child Was Killed By An Israeli Air Strike in Gaza.Egypt's Prime Minister is in Gaza on a Three Hour Visit to Broker a Possible Truce to the Fighting

[img]http://pbs.twimg.com/media/A70v7WpCIAA5YIs.jpg:large[/img]

LagosShia:

Please let me remind you that this thread was created on the current israeli aggression on Gaza.so don't be offended if I decided further on to focus on the current situation rather than arguing endlessly and correcting your many ignorance views.

"Beth" in both arabic and hebrew = "house"
"Lahm" in arabic is "meat" while in hebrew is "bread".

Regardless of the name,bethlehem has a Canaanite history.I'm not sure if you're also mistaking the hebrews or israelite people for jews.jews descended from the israelites who also had a presence in bethlehem after the Canaanite period.

You have forgotten that it was you that picked off Bethlehem to make your inaccurate claims. When the prophecies about Bethlehem were made by Prophet Isaiah, where were the Arabs? In Bethlehem abi? You and your penchant for rewriting history! Just one question, on what basis then are some Muslims claiming Spain?

Hamas you were blaming for whatever you claim befell the christians in bethlehem is not in charge of bethlehem.the west bank is governed by fatah while hamas governs the gaza strip.don't blame hamas for something they didn't do and then say palestinians are palestinians.

Hamas and Fatah are both Palestinians. Their problems are shared and cannot be solved without the other. PERIOD. This type of divisions created by Iran and co are what are WEAKENING the Palestinians. A house divided cannot stand. Keep your divisive politics to yourself.

America decided to stop aid to the palestinian authority if hamas was to lead a unify government after it won the elections.that led to division and fighting among the palestinians.fatah led by mahmood abasss,who's pro-west,governs the west bank and hamas settled in gaza where it has more support.I wonder how america that considers hamas a "terrorist group" instead of a resistance group is giving aid to "terrorists".please madam tiarabubu,take your stupidity and arguments else where if you've got nothing relevant to contribute.in other words "get out"!

Are you frustrated or what? Go form your forum.

Enough of Iranians and their divisive politics in Gaza. All they pump into Gaza are bombs. Common aid they will not send to dying children. HAMAS is dead broke and can't pay civil servants all Iran can think of is sending bombs, and LagosShia wants the US to send aid

unless the palestinians and Israelis shake off the war mongers and face themselves and jaw jaw, we are in for a long haul

These are "islamic republics" officially in their constitution.they are not "islamic state" in the sense of israel.islamic state can be figurative.but literally these muslim countries are not "islamic state" in a racial way as the "jewish state" is understood.israel as a racist "jewish state" just like saying "yoruba state" and then the yorubas consider themselves a race and practice one religion only that if any one abandon is no longer "yoruba" and others don't belong.I hope you get that clear for once.

You surely dont know better than the countries that call themselves "Islamic States". Remember you said in fact no muslim country calls itself an "islamic state" in the sense of the "jewish state". That is not true. Many states call themselves Islamic states despite their having minorities who are worse off than non Jews in Israel. Please don make assertions when you are not sure. Non-Jews (Muslim Arabs) are Generals, diplomats, Chief of Police and Supreme Court Judges in Israel, is that the same in your beloved Iran?

I dont wanna derail this thread else I would have opened your eyes once again to your folly.

Iran ready to send humanitarian aid to Gaza: FM Salehi


Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says the Islamic Republic will continue supporting the people of Gaza and is ready to send humanitarian aid to the blockaded coastal enclave.

Fri Nov 16, 2012 5:50PM

In a telephone conversation with Islamic Jihad of Palestine Secretary General Ramadan Abdullah on Friday, Salehi offered the condolences of the government of Iran to the families of the Palestinians martyred in the recent Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

The Iranian Foreign Minister said he is ready to visit Gaza to express solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine and the Palestinian resistance. He also wished success and victory for the people of Palestine and praised the efforts of the Resistance.

Abdullah, for his part, thanked the Islamic Republic for its supports saying we have always enjoyed the spiritual, political and humanitarian support of Iran.

At least 25 Palestinians, including a senior Hamas commander, have been killed and over 250 others injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Wednesday when the Israeli army launched the so-called "Operation Pillar of Defense” against the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli Army says it has carried out 466 air strikes against Gaza in the past three days. Palestinian fighters have also fired hundreds of rockets into Israel in response to the deadly attacks.

Residents of the besieged Gaza Strip say they are getting text messages warning of military escalation as reports suggest that Israeli military forces are preparing for a ground invasion of Gaza.

Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that the military was preparing for a “significant widening” of its attacks against the blockaded coastal strip, the Tel Aviv regime has called up 30,000 army reservists, preparing 16,000 for a possible ground invasion of Gaza.

On Thursday, dozens of military trucks were seen transporting tanks and armored personnel carriers toward Gaza. Many buses carrying soldiers also headed toward the border area.

Israeli TV stations said a Gaza operation was expected on Friday.

TE/HGH

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/11/16/272696/iran-says-ready-to-send-aid-to-gaza/

It is dis same bias & sentimental attitudes being displayd by alot of Nigerians dt hinders our dear coun3 frm progressin as it shuld. And here we ar again, xhibitin d same sorry-behaviour on internatnal issues. D way both Isreal & Palestine regard d conflict btw demselvs aint d way most nigerians xplain it. These 2 nations do nt base their reasons 4 conflictin on religious lines at all, Bt wot we hv here ar muslims & christians bein blinded by religious animosity & showcasin their myopic knowledge abt d Isreali-Palestine issue. Don Allah (in God's name), let's GROW UP for once. ThankU.

BREAKING NEWS:
Izziddine al-Qassam Brigade,the armed wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Palestine-Hamas-display in the below picture the identity cards of two israeli pilots,the brigade claims it shot down their fighter plane over Gaza and held them hostage.

Crimes Against Humanity Committed By Zionist Israel Against the Children of Gaza:

[img]http://pbs.twimg.com/media/A72TY2ECEAMyMbY.jpg:large[/img]

Long-term peace was within reach before Israeli attack

Published: 16 November, 2012, 20:31
Edited: 17 November, 2012, 00:45

Israel has chosen to attack Gaza in order to avoid reaching a longer-term peace settlement that was being negotiated with the help of Hamas’ military leader Ahmen Jabari, who was assassinated in an Israeli attack Wednesday, says Israeli activist.

Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin spoke to RT confirming that Ahmen Jabari was involved in peace settlement negotiations with Israel and was due to send Hamas’ version of a peace draft to Baskin on Wednesday evening before he was killed.

RT: So you're saying that a draft of a permanent truce agreement already existed. What went wrong then?

Gershon Baskin: It was initially drafted 8 months ago. It was presented to the Israelis, Hamas, Egyptian intelligence and the UN for deliberation. Both Israelis and Hamas decided not to agree. Over the last months the ceasefires got shorter and shorter and the intensity of the fighting increased. And I decided together with my counterpart in Hamas, we were instrumental in negotiating a prisoner exchange deal that led to freedom of Gilad Shaid, the Israeli soldier held in captivity by Mr. Jabari, we decided to push forward. My Hamas counterpart wrote a new version of the draft and he was presenting it to Hamas leaders. In fact on Wednesday morning he was presenting it to Ahmed Jabari himself. I was supposed to receive later that evening the copy of the draft in Arabic for me to deliver to the Israelis who were waiting for it along with Egyptian intelligence.

RT: Why do you think Israel approved the assassination of the Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari?

GB: There is a legitimate argument within the Israeli security assessment on whether or not making a truce with Hamas strengthens Hamas at a time when we know Ahmed Jabari and his colleagues are not peace activists. They don’t want peace with Israel they are committed to Israel’s destruction. For tactical reasons they had decided that a ceasefire was in their interests because each round of violence brings about the death of 10 and 25 combatants in Gaza and they didn’t see any value when no real damage was happening to Israel from their rockets attacks. So they wanted to at least have a time-out, where they could reconsider new moves. Some Israelis thought that by having a truce with them would strengthen them. There were people who believed that what we need to do is systematically weaken Hamas, so they would fall out of power. And there are those that believe we need to create deterrents strong enough that Hamas won’t attack Israel. The rocket attacks on the civilian population in Israel are intolerable and they needed to take action. I believe personally that we tried everything, we have assassinated leaders, we assassinated military commanders, we have put on an economic siege, we have bombed them, and we have tried everything except a dialogue, except an attempt to reach an understanding with mechanisms for verification and for compliance with the involvement of Egyptian military intelligence. I think it has a chance to work. But now we have to postpone it for some time.

RT: What is Israel's endgame here? What are they hoping to achieve?

GB: I don’t know how you define an end game at this point. They stated that the aim is to create deterrence. How do you determine that you created enough deterrence? Is it when you have killed enough people? Destroyed enough of the infrastructure? Destroyed enough buildings? I don’t know how you define it. What we have here is a bigger chance of escalation for a ground operation. We have to recall that Hamas rockets that they shoot into Israel are what we call a statistical weapon. They usually fall into open space, but they can fall onto a school bus, supermarket, apartment building and we can have major casualties. And if it does happen we will have a ground operation.

http://rt.com/news/peace-settlement-hamas-israel-882/