Israel's hands are far from clean in this conflict but they have shown some interest in a peaceful solution.
The problem is their idea of peaceful is different from everyone else's. During times of ceasefire in the past, Israel has CONTINUED to annex land in the West Bank.
You think the Palestinians see it that way? You don't think they suffered collectively BEFORE Hamas came to power? They can lay down their arms and die, or they can resist and die. There's no winning scenario. This issue is not going to resolve itself at a domestic level, which is why Palestinians see their only lifeline in prolongation and resistance.
What happened when the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank laid down their arms and agreed to terms of negotiation? Did the illegal settlements leading to annexation dismantle? Did the West Bank barrier, also in violation of international law, come down?
One side continues to advocate the extermination of the other through terrorist and violent methods.
I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but this is very biased. Have you read the vile Likud Charter that Israel has? It is the definition of obstructionist in a negotiating sense, to say the very least.
The 'Peace & Security' chapter of the 1999 Likud Party platform rejects a Palestinian state.
"The Government of Israel flatly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state west of the Jordan river. The Palestinians can run their lives freely in the framework of self-rule, but not as an independent and sovereign state. Thus, for example, in matters of foreign affairs, security, immigration and ecology, their activity shall be limited in accordance with imperatives of Israel’s existence, security and national needs."
For what it's worth, Hamas supposedly has renounced destruction of the Israeli state in 1999, so that assertion may be wrong, as well.
Compromise is key, and only one side has been willing to compromise so far.
False. Both sides have offered conditions for ceasefires/truces during recent times, but are often unable to agree to terms for one reason or another. Last year Hamas offered a 10 year truce that Israel rejected, because it meant lifting the illegal siege and allowing international forces on the border.
Unfortunately, people like you continue to perpetuate the idea that Palestinians are weak and feeble, unable to defend themselves against an aggressor.
People like me believe it when experts like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu liken Palestine to Apartheid Africa... or when it becomes apparent upwards of 70% of the causalities in Gaza were civilians.
If you look at the disproportional nature of the recent conflict, you'd feel foolish for saying I'm PERPETUATING that they're unable to defend themselves. Sure, Hamas are a terrible organization. Did they purposely show RESTRAINT 6 months ago when Israel bombed them back to the stone age? Of course fucking not - the Palestinians ARE weak and feeble - that's what you call it when only 6 Israeli civilian deaths result in the aftermath of 5000 fucking rockets launched into Israel - you call that feeble and weak. That doesn't justify whatever it is they do, but relatively speaking, they barely posed a threat during this "conflict" many called a war... this wasn't a war: This was the fucking annihilation of a strip of land. I heard a number of complaints during the conflict that Israelis were traumatized by the sirens that announced their Iron Dome had located and intercepted another Hamas rocket, while Dante's Inferno next door in the strip left more than 60,000 people homeless.
In November, Amnesty International published a report examining eight cases where the IDF targeted homes, resulting in the deaths of 111 people, of whom 104 were civilians.
"According to Assaf Sharon of Tel Aviv University, the IDF was pressured by politicians to unleash unnecessary violence whose basic purpose was 'to satisfy a need for vengeance,' which the politicians themselves tried to whip up in Israel's population. Asa Kasher wrote that the IDF was pulled into fighting "that is both strategically and morally asymmetric" and that like any other army it made mistakes, but the charges it faces are "grossly unfair".
Feeble and weak? During the conflict, human rights organizations warned "Gaza Strip's civilian infrastructure is collapsing" and that "due to Israel's ongoing control over significant aspects of life in Gaza, Israel has a legal obligation to ensure that the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza are met and that they have access to adequate supplies of water and electricity."Water and electricity systems were damaged during the conflict, which has led to a "pending humanitarian and environmental catastrophe". It was reported that "almost every piece of critical infrastructure, from electricity to water to sewage, has been seriously compromised by either direct hits from Israeli air strikes and shelling or collateral damage."
Do you know what the Dahiya Doctrine is? The goal is to use “disproportionate force,” thereby “inflicting damage and meting out punishment to an extent that will demand long and expensive reconstruction processes.”
So during the recent conflict, 6 civilians die in Israel vs the 1600+ that died in Palestine - many of them children.
So again:
weak and feeble, unable to defend themselves against an aggressor.
They may not be the good guys, but they sure as fucking hell are weak and feeble. Calling Israel's actions unlawfully disproportionate would be an understatement.
Any rationale population would recognize this and act against their own government, not support them in a winless scenario.
If the average Gazan saw Israel and the PNA in the West Bank making real progress towards a two state solution because of diplomacy that Gaza was not because of war, Gaza would dump Hamas. The surest path for Israel to beat Hamas is to undermine Hamas by embracing pursuit of solutions with the West Bank and its elected officials. The Netanyahu regime doesn't do that because doing that undermines their continued electability and requires concessions.
You do have to realize at some point that the citizens are just as responsible as their government and in this case I wouldn't be surprised if it was due to deeply ingrained anti-Semitism.
Terribly radical view to hold. The civilians don't control everything their government does, and even IF they agreed with their actions - it does NOT warrant what is happening to the Palestinians. In their eyes, Israel are the aggressors. Terrorism is a relative term - don't be so narrow-minded.
I don't want to make sweeping conclusions but their culture is not fit in the modern world and it is them who needs to change.
I agree for the most part, but this is a two-way street.