For the sake of argument let's assume the U.N. Human Rights Council has it for Israel, what about the International Red Cross, UNRWA and Human Rights Watch and many others.

“White phosphorous can burn down houses and cause horrific burns when it touches the skin,” said Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch. “Israel should not use it in Gaza’s densely populated areas.”

Human Rights Watch believes that the use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas of Gaza violates the requirement under international humanitarian law to take all feasible precautions to avoid civilian injury and loss of life.

http://www.humanrightsdigest.org/2629/israel-stop-unlawful-use-of-white-phosphorus-in-gaza

The International Red Cross was so outraged it broke its usual silence over an attack "in which the Israeli army herded a Palestinian family into a building and then shelled it, killing 30 people and leaving the surviving children clinging to the bodies of their dead mothers. The army prevented rescuers from reaching the survivors for four days (from he Guardian).

Israel's shelling of a UN school that had been turned into a refugee centre near Gaza city, killing 42 people who had fled the fighting, drew further accusations of indifference to civilian lives. (Also from the Guardian)

I guess they all must be anti-semites! Have you people no shame?

This is the big question when it comes to US standing in the world. If he brings the Israeli war criminals to account, he will prove to the world that there is no double standard when it comes to international law. If he succumbs to the Israel Lobby, it will be more of the same!

While the Israeli PR spin machine goes into overdrive to make us believe that Israel's vast destruction of Gaza is in self-defense, this analysis is typical of the thinking of Israel's elites. Note the cold reference to terrorizing the population as a political tool! The problem is that a regional superpower like Israel has infinitely more terror capacity than any terrorist organization.

Israel, meanwhile, can pressure Hamas and Egypt by terrorizing the population. In Operation Accountability in 1993, the IDF rained 24,000 shells on southern Lebanon, driving 300,000 civilians toward Beirut. The chief of staff during that operation was Ehud Barak.

The Jews who were murdered by the Nazis would be ashamed of you for justifying the genocide taking place in Gaza.

You can always count on the Zionists to come out to silence any criticism of Israel by attempting to associate it with anti-semitism.

Well Wallaby, the cat is out of the bag. Most of the world realizes that Israel's leaders are war criminals (the US is still the exception due to the Israel Lobby) and will be eventually brought to justice in the Hague.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/13/gaza-israel-war-crimes

If you are interested in Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, Fisk is a great resource.

You may also want to read his latest article on Gaza. Quite illuminating.

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-why-do-they-hate-the-west-so-much-we-will-ask-1230046.html

The problem with the Israeli offensive is that it targets not only Hamas but the entire population of Gaza. Israel as the occupying power (keep in mind it continued to control Gaza's airspace and borders) has an obligation to protect civilians. The fact that Palestinians in Gaza elected Hamas (by a small majority by the way and on an anti-corruption, rather than a political, platform) does not alleviate this responsibility.

As for Palestinians being filled with hatred, as you claim, I think you are simply projecting. How much hatred does it take for Israeli soldiers to block rescuers from the International Red Cross for 4 days while starved Palestinian children cower next to their mothers' dead bodies? Your hasbara makes me sick.

Jonathan,

Would you care to enlighten us how you feel about the most horrendous form of collective punishment being administered to Gaza's civilians (all this in response to home made rocket that have killed 20 people over 8 years!)?

"The more Qassam [rocket] fire intensifies and the rockets reach a longer range, they will bring upon themselves a bigger shoah [Holocaust] because we will use all our might to defend ourselves," Matan Vilnai, Israel's deputy defence minister, told army radio."

- http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/29/israelandthepalestinians1 (February 2008)

Israel is a criminal state that kills children with abandon. This is essentially what humanitarian organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross have said. Are they anti-Semitic too?

Let me try to simplify this for you:

Hamas fires crude rockets on Israel. In 8 years they kill 20 people. They are the "little terrorists" . It doesn't justify it that most of Hamas are refugees whose land was stolen by Israel and who have for the past 60 years been prevented from returning to it contrary to UN resolutions or that they are under foreign military occupation. Terrorism is terrorism .

Israel attacks Gaza with white phosphorous bombs that burn civilians and other lethal weapons killing over 900 people including 250 children and injuring over 4000 people (over half of them are women and children) many of whom will die or be badly handicapped due to the nature of the weapons Israel uses indiscriminately. They are the "big terrorists". It doesn't justify it that they are fighting Hamas. Terrorism is terrorism.

Actually we haven't gotten around to using abandon yet.

But I'll suggest it at the next Mossad meeting, nkay?

- JonathanInTelAviv

This is assuming you are not called to the international criminal court before your next meeting. Oops I forgot you feel secure protected by the Israel Lobby which will make it all OK.

I guess the murder of hundreds of children and the maiming of thousands more in Gaza doesn't really concern you in the least (after all they are not Jewish). I am sure the Nazis made jokes as they murdered Jews.