defending yourself against invasion, expropriation, ethnic cleansing, and terrorism makes you look like villains?

how very convenient.

The only thing missing is a possible solution. I would love to see the Israeli's stop the attack on Gaza, open the borders to all manner of goods and people in both directions, and help rebuild the Gazan infrastructure. That would be ideal.

My only problem is not seeing how Hamas would consider that a massive victory and a justification of its tactics. How could anyone not convince them to stop firing rockets and not send suicide out? I can't see that.

And I don't know what the answer is?

From my OpenSalon Blog:

Imagine if Hamas had chosen not to deliberately break the ceasefire by bombing Israelis.

Imagine if Egypt took down its wall across the entire southern border of Gaza today and allowed in food and medicine as the international community has begged it to do.

Imagine if the Palestinian leadership had used the $7.6 billion in aid allocations in 2008 to build roads, hospitals, and sewage treatment plants.

Imagine if Hamas had distributed food and medicine instead of guns and rockets.

Imagine if the Arab countries that hold Palestinians in refugee camps let them out.

Imagine if Palestinians were free to travel to any of the other 20 Arab countries besides Jordan.

Imagine if the Palestinians were allowed to own land in any of the other 20 Arab countries, or become citizens or vote there.

Imagine if Iran didn’t fund terrorist organizations like Hamas.

Imagine if the international community offered to build schools and hospitals in Gaza instead of offering cash that could be used to buy weapons.

Imagine if Arab countries offered peace prizes to Palestinian families instead of cash bonuses to surviving family members of suicide bombers.

Imagine if Palestinian organizations did not have the planned destruction of Israel in their charters.

Imagine if Hamas offered to negotiate.

To launch an all-out military attack against people who could not possibly fight back in the same manner is sheer cowardice. To destroy the infrastructure of a people who have nothing is deep cruelty. To name people terrorists because they want land back that was taken from them and handed over by the Western governments without consultation is blindness.

The old news media may have an unnatural love of Israel and act as cheerleaders as Israel uses the 100 Palestinian deaths to 1 Israeli criteria but the internet will tell the true stories. As the world turned against America in the Bush years for their outright brutality, the world will turn against Israel for this war.

There are two unresolvable issues: Jerusalem and the Right of Return, both of which are deal breakers.

Give up hope.

If ever there was a case of this phenomena this surely is it. We are nationally blind in our support of Israel.

There has to be a resolution to this conflict, even if a baby has to be cut in two.

Imagine if Israel has had not killed hundreds of Gazans in 2008... before this last incursion

Imagine the American and Israeli protests if Egypt suggested taking down its wall across the entire southern border of Gaza today ... because that would conclusively break the siege of Gaza.

Imagine if the Israeli government was not blowing up Gaza's roads, apartment buildings and mosques.

Imagine if Israel was distributing food and medicine instead of artillery rounds and bombs.

Imagine if Israel actually let in some of those Palestinians in refugee camps.

Imagine if Gazans were free to travel. Anywhere.

Imagine if the Palestinians were allowed to become citizens and vote in their own country.

Imagine if Israel didn’t fund terrorist apologists like the Yesha Council.

Imagine if the international community repudiated the present first rule of Middle Eastern diplomacy: that a dead Israeli civilian is a tragedy, while a thousand dead Arab civilians are a mere statistic.

Imagine if America wasn't trying to stonewall a ceasefire in Gaza.

Imagine if anyone in power in the West actually gave a damn about Gazan civilian casualties.

Imagine if Israel offered to negotiate.

if there was no religion!

"Imagine the American and Israeli protests if Egypt suggested taking down its wall across the entire southern border of Gaza today ... because that would conclusively break the siege of Gaza."

The whole point of the Gaza disengagement was to give Gaza back to Egypt. Israel doesn't want the Philistines, and neither does Egypt.

Why do you think that Egypt has been collaborating with Israel on the blockade?

The steps I proposed would improve the fortunes of the Palestinian people and are solely within the hands of those responsible for the Palestinian people.

The reality is that no one actually cares about the Palestinians as individuals. No one is interested in helping them or improving their daily lives. The world is interested in them only to the extent that their plight can be used to castigate the Israelis. More importantly, their leaders are interested in them only to the extent that their plight can be used to castigate the Israelis.

A strong case can be made that anyone of the above measures would have improved the existence of individual Palestinians. All of them together would have dramatically improved the day to day lives of Palestinians and none of them depend on cooperation from Israel.

So why haven't they been done?

But if Barry Bonds was Isreali, Gary would loooove them!

Yes, if the Gazans suddenly turned into self-denying angels, Israel's lot in the Middle East would be a lot easier. Unfortunately, the Palestinians are (like the Israelis) human and again, like the Israelis) they tend to strike out violently when they are besieged.

You have a long list of requirements that Palestinian have to undertake for peace in the Middle East. Anything at all that Israel is supposed to contribute to this happy state of affairs?

You might note as well that those 'aid allocations' in Gaza were primarily for food aid and other staples... because, y'know, there's a blockade there.

The myths about Israel I remember learning in high school. What I got (and I assume most American kids get) is a distorted picture, a one-sided view of the world.

It was pretty similar to what we learned about the noble settlers vs. the "savage Injuns". They were the original terrorists.

What bothers me most about the situation is not the actions of Israel, or of Palestine. It is how America cheers on bloodsport. It is a most vile form of racism. As kids, we were taught that America was morally superior.

Guess we're not.