about time Israel started handling their bizness

[kramadas]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,120542,00.html

RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli troops pulled back from two neighborhoods in this sprawling Palestinian refugee camp Friday, leaving behind a bleak landscape of demolished and damaged homes, torn-up roads and flattened cars.

Israel said its four-day military offensive in search of arms-smuggling tunnels and militants will continue. The army said no tunnels have been found so far and only one Palestinian was arrested after soldiers questioned hundreds. Security officials believed most of the militants fled before the invasion.

At least 43 homes have been demolished and dozens more damaged in the camp since the offensive began Tuesday, municipal officials said. Forty Palestinians have been killed, including gunmen and eight demonstrators hit by a tank shell.

The army said it deliberately demolished seven homes, including one belonging to an Islamic Jihad (search) militant. Other damage was caused by heavy military vehicles and Palestinian militant roadside bombs, the army said.

In the Brazil neighborhood, 25 houses were razed and streets were torn up, local officials said. In many cases, the facades of houses caved in or were shorn off after wide armored vehicles moved through the narrow alleys.

Residents picked through the rubble, retrieving mattresses, photo albums, shoes and clothing. A boy, oblivious to his surroundings, sat on the ground and scooped up sand with a broken toy bulldozer.

Israeli troops left behind leaflets in Arabic urging residents not to give shelter to armed men "who are using your homes and are hiding inside like rats."

Yacoub Othman, 55, who lives in the Brazil neighborhood, said he was hit by random fire in the leg as he walked downstairs in his home Wednesday.

"I tried to sterilize the wound with the little alcohol we had at home, but I couldn't even open the window and call on my neighbor to call for an ambulance because the snipers were right in front of us and the bulldozer was working in the street in front of us," said Othman. Doctors said Othman's wound became infected.

Reporters were still unable Friday to get into the hardest-hit neighborhood, Tel Sultan (search), which lost water and electricity for part of the Israeli offensive.

U.N. officials said several water trucks reached the area Friday, negotiating torn-up roads to bring fresh supplies to some of the neighborhood's 25,000 residents.

"It's quite wild — the trucks are being mobbed by the locals, who have been without supplies for such a long time," U.N. spokesman Johan Eriksson said.

Local officials said 10 homes were demolished in Tel Sultan and more damaged. Resident Fathi Abdel-Al, speaking by telephone, said he saw smoldering and charred cars, toppled electricity poles and sewage running in the streets.

Abdel Rahim Abu Jazer, 42, a teacher, searched for food and water for his children. "I hardly recognized my own street," he said. "I don't think an earthquake could do what the Israeli army did to this area."

A key objective of the offensive remains the widening of an Israeli patrol road between Rafah and the Egyptian border, which would make it more difficult for weapons smugglers to dig tunnels.

Widening the road also would require the demolition of dozens of Palestinian homes, a security official said on condition of anonymity. Palestinian officials estimate that hundreds of houses would be razed if the road is widened.

Israel's vice premier, Ehud Olmert, assured Secretary of State Colin Powell in a meeting in Washington earlier this week that the buffer zone would not be widened, U.S. officials said. However, Israeli security officials said Friday the army is still pushing for an expansion of the zone by at least 300 yards.

Israeli Attorney General Meni Mazuz instructed the army on Thursday to come up with alternatives that cause less destruction. He said even the latest proposal would not hold up in local and international courts, officials said.

Israel launched "Operation Rainbow" on Tuesday, less than a week after 13 soldiers were killed by militants in the Gaza Strip (search).

The United States, European Union and United Nations have called for a halt to home demolitions. U.S. criticism was unusually sharp, and in a rare move the Bush administration allowed the passage of a stinging U.N. resolution condemning the operation.

Hundreds of Israeli peace activists protested the army's Rafah operation at a Gaza crossing point.

Some 5,000 Palestinians chanted anti-Israeli slogans in Jabaliya refugee camp near Gaza City, a stronghold of the militant group Hamas (search), as Hamas and Islamic Jihad vans collected mattresses, blankets and other supplies for the residents of Rafah.

During more than three years of Palestinian-Israeli violence, Israeli forces have made dozens of forays into the Rafah camp to destroy weapons-smuggling tunnels. The Israeli military said 90 have been found and destroyed over the last three years. More than 11,000 Rafah residents have been left homeless by Israeli demolitions since 2000.

Israel charges that Palestinian militants have weapons stockpiled in the Egyptian Sinai desert across from Gaza, waiting to be smuggled in. Egypt has denied the charges.

On Thursday, an Israeli court convicted Palestinian uprising leader Marwan Barghouti (search) of ordering shooting attacks that killed four Israelis and a Greek monk. The prosecution said it would ask for consecutive life sentences.

Barghouti, considered a possible successor to Yasser Arafat (search), is the highest-ranking Palestinian leader in Israeli custody. Barghouti said he does not recognize the right of the Israeli court to judge him. Sentencing is set for June 6.

[bxbomb]

Why? I'm originally from India. And no I'm not Muslim. How about yours?

Ethnic cleansing is ethnic cleansing. I go by the formal definition. And a "transfer" amounts to ethnic cleansing.

So, you don't consider bulldozing hundreds of houses, destroying houses "accidentally" because the tanks can't fit in properly in the narrow alleyways a crime? Or shooting people who step outside their houses? I have a nice article on this from Fox, normally the bastion of conservative reporting.

Im a WASP so no real rooting interest either way . I just know what i see read and hear and know that eventually this whole powderkeg is going to be the destruction of all of us , so i do place more blame where i see fit , but also think that what i said is a viable option for a solution and yours IMO is not.

And what do you say about the tunnels that are under these houses that are being bulldozed , you know the ones that are hiding terroroists and used for smuggling arms in and out?

[kramadas]

Im a WASP so no real rooting interest either way . I just know what i see read and hear and know that eventually this whole powderkeg is going to be the destruction of all of us , so i do place more blame where i see fit , but also think that what i said is a viable option for a solution and yours IMO is not.

And what do you say about the tunnels that are under these houses that are being bulldozed , you know the ones that are hiding terroroists and used for smuggling arms in and out?

They've found all of one tunnel. Over 200 homes bulldozed. What do you have to say to that?

I'm also an impartial observer, in fact, many Indians are pro-Israel.

My option is whats being pursued in the road map - nobody is even thinking of relocation to other countries. The only way I could even begin to consider this is if there is heavy, and I mean heavy compensation paid to the Palestinians. So much so that they could do better elsewhere than the OT.

[bxbomb]

They've found all of one tunnel. Over 200 homes bulldozed. What do you have to say to that?

I'm also an impartial observer, in fact, many Indians are pro-Israel.

My option is whats being pursued in the road map - nobody is even thinking of relocation to other countries. The only way I could even begin to consider this is if there is heavy, and I mean heavy compensation paid to the Palestinians. So much so that they could do better elsewhere than the OT.

1 tunnel so far , if theres 1 you honestly dont think theres more??? cmon

Yeh that Road map that was proposed has a zero% chance at working

ANd i never said my option was one that is being considered it should and then i would walk away with a nobel peace prize cheers to me

honestly these bigger and extremely OIL rich countries could step up and make it happen , but they dont want to , cause they love to see ISrael squirm and keep the terror spreading

[sobeton]

this is how Israel takes care of "bizness" .. Pathetic!

Three-and-a-half-year-old Palestinian girl Rwan Abu Zaid lies dead in the Najar hospital in Rafah

[daprofessional]

this is how Israel takes care of "bizness" .. Pathetic!

Three-and-a-half-year-old Palestinian girl Rwan Abu Zaid lies dead in the Najar hospital in Rafah

death of children is always tragic, no question about that.

But how about some fuckin' anger directed at the parents of those kids. Get your children far away from these "peaceful protests." Stop using your kids as human shields.

[sobeton]

death of children is always tragic, no question about that.

But how about some fuckin' anger directed at the parents of those kids. Get your children far away from these "peaceful protests." Stop using your kids as human shields.

her parents sent her to the store. there was no warning of any attack. any death is tragic; when it is senseless it is even more tragic.

[clubberbenyc]

so if the palestinian wanted peace , how come arafat didnt accept Barak peace plan in camp david, for all u dumbass wh0 dont kno wut he offered here it is: all of gaza 98% of west bank and east Jerusalem as the capital?

also there is no such ppl as the palestinianss they r a mixture of jordinains,lebanesse, and syrian and if they want to reurn somewhere why dont they return to a place where they r really from...

and even if u wanna say its the palestinains, israel went to war 3 times and beat them,War of Independence,1967 and Yom Kippur war....we beat u fair and square.. should america give back land to the Native Americans cuz we took it from them.... NO!! they had a war and the Americans won same here

[sobeton]

so if the palestinian wanted peace , how come arafat didnt accept Barak peace plan in camp david, for all u dumbass wh0 dont kno wut he offered here it is: all of gaza 98% of west bank and east Jerusalem as the capital?

also there is no such ppl as the palestinianss they r a mixture of jordinains,lebanesse, and syrian and if they want to reurn somewhere why dont they return to a place where they r really from...

and even if u wanna say its the palestinains, israel went to war 3 times and beat them,War of Independence,1967 and Yom Kippur war....we beat u fair and square.. should america give back land to the Native Americans cuz we took it from them.... NO!! they had a war and the Americans won same here

Camp David was a failure..yes, Arafat was quite stubborn. Palestinians are comprised of Egyptians, Syrians, Jordanians, and Lebanonise...if I'm not mistaken the Yom Kippur war involved Egypt and Syria. a war Israel was able to get through with outside assistance. the bottom line is the Palestinians are not going any where. regardless of Israel's most recent efforts. NO amount of bulling is going to change this. IMO Palestine and Israel need to exist as separate entities, and must recognize each others right to exist. should Israel surrender land they have "occupied" ? Yes, in order to allow Palestinians to form there own state. even we had to return land back to Native Americans; using your reference.

getting back to the original topic of the thread. the actions Israel is currently taking do not help the peace process. it would appear to me that Israel is now acting, as stubborn as Arafat at Camp David. the end result of this will be continued dismay and loss of lives on both sides.

[clubberbenyc]

so ur saying that america shold give the land back to the native americans??

also israel is not occupying land, cuz its theirs. but the problem is that the palestinains dont want peace,camp david clearly proves that,they want the destruction of the state of israel, and yea i feel bad for the palestinains who live in poverty , in way its their own fault because they have corrupt leaders

if there ever will be peace u need some1 like King Hussien of Jordan. also the first step towards peace would the dismantling of evry single terrorist organization......

[sobeton]

we have already given up land to Native Americans, and they are also afforded specific rights under federal law overseen by the Department of the Interior I believe.

you don't call it an occupation, however I do. that's clearly a matter of opinion. it's fairly clear a majority of Palestinians want peace in some form. for some it's easy to group all Palestinians together and call them terrorists. however ,I find that to be nothing but rationalization in its most pathetic form. we can chronicle the failed peace negogatations that have gone on between Israel and Palestine, and we would still arrive back where we are today. it seems whenever its convient both parties, like to point fingers, toss around aqusatitons, initiate violent acts, etc... it's a very vicious cycle, with innocent people left in the middle. further beginning a peace process by saying "we will take this, and you can have this " borders on insanity. not allowing the very party you are attempting to form peace with, be an active part of the peace process further complicates matters. you have two stubborn leaders in Arafat and Sharon. nothing will get accomplished until they can reach some compromise. further the US has absolutely no objectivity in this conflict, and should not be a part of the peace process at all. having Israel's largest financial and weapons supplier the US, try to be an objective intermediary is laughable at best.

[trigger55]

clubbernyc, what a dumb way to justify yourself... in this case I guess Iraqi's should leave Iraq and just hand it over to the US? If anything the jews should leave the US, they control this fuckin country now and we've become nothing but their bitch... damn shame. If you're going to argue about how Iraq is a completely different situation, then take into account Cyprus. Turkey overran it with ease 30 years ago, but today its not theirs due to political and ethical reasons, and both sides currently live in peace.

I agree with your other point, the first step towards peace would definitely be to dismantle every single terrorist organization, including Sharon's party and Israel's military, the two biggest violators of human rights... they're the definition of terrorism, not only do they commit it, but they provoke it. A palestinian idiot blowing up a bus full of innocent Israeli's is a tragedy... israel bulldozing houses and killing innocent palestinians on an occasional basis is a much bigger fuckin tragedy. I still don't see how they get away with it.

[daprofessional]

clubbernyc, what a dumb way to justify yourself... in this case I guess Iraqi's should leave Iraq and just hand it over to the US? If anything the jews should leave the US, they control this fuckin country now and we've become nothing but their bitch... damn shame. If you're going to argue about how Iraq is a completely different situation, then take into account Cyprus. Turkey overran it with ease 30 years ago, but today its not theirs due to political and ethical reasons, and both sides currently live in peace.

I agree with your other point, the first step towards peace would definitely be to dismantle every single terrorist organization, including Sharon's party and Israel's military, the two biggest violators of human rights... they're the definition of terrorism, not only do they commit it, but they provoke it. A palestinian idiot blowing up a bus full of innocent Israeli's is a tragedy... israel bulldozing houses and killing innocent palestinians on an occasional basis is a much bigger fuckin tragedy. I still don't see how they get away with it.

I would love to beat some fuckin sense into you. with a crowbar. a big crowbar.

if the palestinians wouldn't be killing israeli's in angry mobs since 1929 and having no regard for human life, then israel wouldn't be forced to take drastic measures.

[kramadas]

I would love to beat some fuckin sense into you. with a crowbar. a big crowbar.

if the palestinians wouldn't be killing israeli's in angry mobs since 1929 and having no regard for human life, then israel wouldn't be forced to take drastic measures.

If the Palestinians were given any option other than to hate Israelis, then maybe they would actually live their lives.

Its Israel's fault for making this situation as bad as it is now.

Fuck Camp David. 98% of land?? The Palestinians were to be divided into nice little blocks of land, many not even contiguous, thus making governance almost next to impossible. Thus, passing from one "bloc" to the next required going through Israeli land. Plus Israel was to control airspace.

All Camp David did was to give Palestinians the ability to live in isolated little prisons.

And even that was too much for the Israelis.

The leadership in Israel has almost always consisted of a bunch of greedy fucks, differentiated only by the degree of greed.

[howardstone]

[kramadas]

As always, nothing of any value...a cicada could contribute more than you.

[trigger55]

I would love to beat some fuckin sense into you. with a crowbar. a big crowbar.

if the palestinians wouldn't be killing israeli's in angry mobs since 1929 and having no regard for human life, then israel wouldn't be forced to take drastic measures.

shove that crowbar up your jewish ass... turkey and greece's problems were tenfold and they got through it. Angrymobs? Thats it? haha.. They were barely even that. Terrorism in Cyprus during the 60's and 70's puts al-qaida to shame. Israel and Palestine have NO excuses for their BS, none of the shit they do is justified, but atleast Israel is a somewhat proper country and has a working government, you'd think they'd take the higher road over a torn up Palestine... Israel has respect for human life? What a fuckin joke. This shit won't ever end, both sides are equally dumb.

[kramadas]

shove that crowbar up your jewish ass... turkey and greece's problems were tenfold and they got through it. Angrymobs? Thats it? haha.. They were barely even that. Terrorism in Cyprus during the 60's and 70's puts al-qaida to shame. Israel and Palestine have NO excuses for their BS, none of the shit they do is justified, but atleast Israel is a somewhat proper country and has a working government, you'd think they'd take the higher road over a torn up Palestine... Israel has respect for human life? What a fuckin joke. This shit won't ever end, both sides are equally dumb.

yeah I know. They have respect for life, as long as its Jewish!

[normalnoises]

Fucking dirty kikes.

[bigpoppanils]

Fucking dirty kikes.

youre a dumbass

[daprofessional]

youre a dumbass

thank you for acknowleding that instead of praising this idiot like the rest of the liberals on this site.

i have newfound respect for you