Gaza conflict: who to blame?

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

Which side do you think is responsible for the current conflict? Israel, Hamas, both?

Discuss.

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

I blame President Clinton because he had a settlement within his grasp and did'nt follow it through. There's no telling if that proposal would have made a lasting difference but I blame him none the less......

[PointOfViewGun]

I voted for Israel because the blame lies more on them. There are things to blame Hamas for too but they didn't cause this.

[Carl von Döbeln]

both

[Viking Prince]

Very brief thoughts:

Current conflict is clearly Hamas since the rockets are the key to stopping the conflict and were the trigger to the military action. With a longer perspective, there are numerous parties contributing to the problem. Start with the UN refugee camps after the partition and Egypt and Jordan being unwilling to administer the "occuppied" areas from 1967. Like two children pointing to the other and screaming he started it, the Palestinians/Arabs and the Israelis can nquabble until the nd of time regarding who started the mess. Who starts these conflicts is not really important as to finding a solution to the problems.

It should never have been a two state solution since in hindsight this is not workable without an established Arab authority that can prevent paramilitary operations. The occuppied areas need to be administered in such a manner that Hamas and other paramilitary orgs cannot operate.

With a relative peace and with treaties with all but Syria -- the next step is a treaty between Syria and Israel and then a foreign power administered deal over the West Bank and Gaza -- Perhaps an Arab League force if Syrian peace can be had first. Under all circumstances the refugees need settlement and out of the region as this is the main source of terror recruits. btw -- there will never be any right of return -- this is another bit of foolishness that is playing with people's lives.

[Eien]

My take is both should take the blame, but heavily skewed towards Israel.

The Zionist government broke the truce when they only let 20% of the aid needed in Gaza through throughout the ceasefire period, despite pledging to allow aid supplies. Israel was the one that started the manhunt early in november, killing Hamas militiamen despite the truce, hence Hamas' retaliation is understandable. Hamas for one, is guilty for bombarding Israel with homemade rockets, but does it warrant such scale of an incursion? NO

Both parties are guilty, but Israel's actions warrant a tribunal to try and hang all of it's leaders

[Aziel]

Mostly Hamas. But since "Only Hamas" is the closest answer I voted it.

[Chukada1]

Merry Old England.

Thanks jerks! Next time you want to be morally superior and found a bastion of refuge for a persecuted ethnic group in Europe. How about you found said refuge in the UK?

It's like me finding this guy on the street with no house. So I take him in my arms and tell him everything is going to be fine, I will give you a house. So I take him to another city, bash down the door, and kick the residents outside. BASTION!

[Astaroth]

Merry Old England.

Thanks jerks! Next time you want to be morally superior and found a bastion of refuge for a persecuted ethnic group in Europe. How about you found said refuge in the UK?

It's like me finding this guy on the street with no house. So I take him in my arms and tell him everything is going to be fine, I will give you a house. So I take him to another city, bash down the door, and kick the residents outside. BASTION!

Britain did none of this. They were not exactly happy about all that trouble in their mandate and tried to limit Jewish immigration after a while. However, immigrating is not a crime, nobody can stop you from legally buying land and settling on it.

Anyway, Israel might have made mistakes during this conflict as nobody is perfect but the current conflict is clearly Hamas' fault. They are to blame.

[Ahlerich]

for the eternal conflict i blame hitler
for the current one like always - both sides.

hamas shouldnt fire rockets and israel should fight the militants with the mossad and limited "colletaral damage" and civilian losses

[Farnan]

Merry Old England.

Thanks jerks! Next time you want to be morally superior and found a bastion of refuge for a persecuted ethnic group in Europe. How about you found said refuge in the UK?

It's like me finding this guy on the street with no house. So I take him in my arms and tell him everything is going to be fine, I will give you a house. So I take him to another city, bash down the door, and kick the residents outside. BASTION!

Actually they did it since they thought Jews controlled the Ottoman Empire and wanted their help...

[cottontail]

Merry Old England.

Thanks jerks! Next time you want to be morally superior and found a bastion of refuge for a persecuted ethnic group in Europe. How about you found said refuge in the UK?

It's like me finding this guy on the street with no house. So I take him in my arms and tell him everything is going to be fine, I will give you a house. So I take him to another city, bash down the door, and kick the residents outside. BASTION!

Actually, us Americans forced them to give up Palestine and make it into Israel and that is one of the stupidest acts our nation has ever committed. We should have got a fell for the background of the region before creating a Jewish state. As it was, we rushed the creation of Israel, lighting the fuse on a time bomb that has been repeatedly exploding for the last 60 years. Carving up Palestine was in the end a very bad idea, destructive to both sides and ensuring that there would never be peace.

Not that I'm blaming this completely on America. In 1948, Israel accepted the land given to them by the U.N. ( unwillingly, but that's another story). The Arabs did not accept this plan, and invaded Israel. Not saying that they were wrong, but that is the root of the problem and why Palestine is such a sticky question today. The real story is far more complex, but this is just a basic outline. It is Israel and the Arab world ( including Palestine) who have not found a way to have peace, and that is their fault.

As for this conflict, both sides have blame. Hamas for being idiots and firing rockets willy nilly with no regard for human life and refusing to ever accept Israel as a nation. Israel for striking back to hard ( though I hate to say that striking back against a rocket attack is too hard, that is what is happening). Israel was very tactless during this time and, while it is hard to ignore rockets, that is what they should have done for the time being. They should have then complained to the U.N. because, though the U.N. is absolutely powerless, the United States has a large influence in the U.N.,and it would make Israel seem like the good guys. Hopefully, they could convince the U.N. to send peace keeping troops to Palestine, puill back all of its forces ( including the illegal settlements) and, if the U.N. fails in keeping peace in Palestine, as would probably happen, Israel is completely justified in stepping in. This attacke was far to soon and far to harsh, because now, much of the world opinion of Israel has been lowered.

edit: oh, and MehemtAli_Pashi, if numbers showed who was right, America was wrong to attack Japan as in World War 2. Numbers are stupid to use in a debate that is far more complex.

[OG Grenadier]

Merry Old England.

Thanks jerks! Next time you want to be morally superior and found a bastion of refuge for a persecuted ethnic group in Europe. How about you found said refuge in the UK?

It's like me finding this guy on the street with no house. So I take him in my arms and tell him everything is going to be fine, I will give you a house. So I take him to another city, bash down the door, and kick the residents outside. BASTION!

I thought the U.S was the principal sponsor in the creation of Israel? :hmmm:

[Seether]

Mostly Hamas. But since "Only Hamas" is the closest answer I voted it.

Same

[Mikelus Trento]

My vote would go to Allah, but alas it is not a choice.

[dragonsign]

I blame both

[Georgy Zhukov]

Both

[DJ Putin]

Both

Your signature pretty much says it perfectly...

[Gaidin]

Where's the flip a coin option?

[Outlaw]

wow alot of bias from both sides. I will not comment about this subject.