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Fair

Not only have you articulated the overall situation very adeptly and fairly (pardon the unintended pun), but you have also shown that no matter how much you bombard some people with objectivity and facts, they simply refuse to see the greater picture.

The kids aren't the problem...

The PARENTS are.

OF COURSE the little girls there and everywhere have the rights to these things and more. You can argue the same thing for the Israeli side- "Are they supposed to just tolerate random rocket attacks on their population and not respond?" It NEVER ENDS. And I NEVER advocate "don't speak up".

The problem is the ADULTS who haven't quite yet grown up. The Israeli blockade would be lifted immediately when Hamas, or whoever is in charge of Gaza renounces its intention to destroy Israel and commits to not conducting attacks on Israel. They can do that and still oppose Israel's policies such as illegal settlements, etc.

But they won't, and they know the consequences. They fully know that firing rockets will accomplish nothing and make things worse. I know the mentality of this "movement". They NEED war, they NEED to be attacked so that they can change the subject from their own incompetence. This is how the Islamic Republic stayed in power (and continues to do so).

Re:Hamas reason for existence- no not at all. The reason Hamas exists is that the other Palestinian leadership, Fatah is just outright corrupt. Look at Arafat's and Mahmoud Abbas and other PLO leaders lifestyle and secret bank accounts- that's right, aid money that comes from abroad to help the poor in Gaza supports these people's lifestyles, not the Palestinian people. Palestinians were rightfully fed up with Fatah as well as with Israel, which is why they voted for Hamas. They were desperate.

Now imagine if the muslim countries poured a couple of billion dollars into Gaza AND Fatah had a decent leadership which was not corrupt and would actually help create jobs and production and development for the people of Gaza. Imagine if they put the people to WORK instead of steal money, blame others and support suicide bombings and attacks. You would think that is what they would after over 50 YEARS of struggle to "liberate" their homeland, they had 50 YEARS to prepare for building a country when their time came. They SCREWED UP. By contrast, look at the Kurds in northern Iraq today. Are they going and suicide bombing and killing as many Arab civilians as they can? The crimes they suffered at the hands of the Arabs were more than any Arab EVER suffered from the Israelis. But their dreams and hopes for their own future are stronger than their hatred for their "enemy".

Same goes for the Israelis. They say they want peace but do illegal settlements and use religion and some bullcrap about "promised land" etc. to justify their actions. It never ends.

In my opinion, what is FAIR is to stop using civilians as pawns, and put innocent people before politics. It is to recognize that "War" and "Destruction" are the main enemies. And right now, NEITHER side believes in that. And LITTLE GIRLS ON BOTH SIDES pay. Palestinians have NOT been able to synthesize a modern, uncorrupt, competent leadership despite having over 60 years. The Israelis do not look at Palestinians as human beings.

And the little girls pay for the grown ups' mistakes.

You will not bring those girls back by arguing politics, and just recognize that in this case, EVERYBODY is wrong.

-FAIR

Dear Fair

Did these girls have a right to exist?

Did the other kids who died in Gaza have a right to exist?

Did they have a right to water, to food, to medicine? to peace?

Who put them in a blockade and took away all the necessities and made water scarce and food rare for these people?

who made them move to this corner, this strip? who took away their land, their home?

I understand your frustration with the silly rocket attacks that only aggravated the situation, but put yourself in this people's place.

Who else would speak up for them? who else would say: hey this people are under siege? they're hungry, they've been left without food? They've been slaughtered for three weeks and nobody said a thing, nevermind the last 18 months of blockade!!

This is the reason Hamas exists and they have nothing but those stupid rockets that make matters worse, but are these kids and their parents supposed to take it and not even speak up?

would that be fair?

IRANdokht

Stop trading a girl's life for your agenda

NO. It doesn't. Responsibiity is with everyone who FAILED to do the right thing on BOTH sides. All actions are connected and not isolated, so STOP TRYING TO USE A LITTLE GIRL'S DEATH TO SCORE POLITICAL POINTS. ALL OF YOU.

The Israeli soldier pulled the trigger. They could not prevent the death of the innocent given their orders. He or she was ordered by their general, who was ordered by their government,who saw Hamas rockets falling on their civilians everyday for the last n years. They are justified to do so by international law and the Geneva convention and just plain old common sense. In turn, Hamas was firing rockets because Israel had kicked Palestinians out of their homes for the past 6 decades. Furthermore, Israel created itself because Christians and Muslims all around the world discriminated against and persecuted Jews for centuries. And on and on.

Hamas could have not been stupid and cowardly to fire rockets at civilian populations in Israel and then go hide behind the skirts of their own civilians and then cry foul when the people they are hiding behind get killed. So no, it is not necessarily the sole responsibility of the Israeli soldier's. When Iran bombed Basra and Baghdad to defend itself, you better believe some civilians died, and you shouldn't blame the Iranian pilots and artillery officers for that. (except for the war of the cities, when targets were purely civilian areas). Hamas also has just as much to blame for openly being commited to the destruction of Israel, so when it becomes the government of a neighboring state of Israel and rockets Israel, it is asking for it. Just like Khomeini did when he came to power and demanded the governments of the region to be overthrown and replaced by one like his own.

In the meantime, these little girls are DEAD. EVERYONE should be ashamed of themself. But instead, they keep shouting louder and louder, "It is the fault of the enemy!". But who is "the enemy"? Is the enemy really Israel or Palestine or Arab or Jew or Muslim or Persian or American or European?

NO.

The enemy is WAR itself.

And notice how the advocates of WAR usually live in hardened safe bunkers. EVERYWHERE.

-FAIR

Mehdi and Zion,

I'm glad you drew attention to the the expression in the hebrew-speaking anchor's face. That's the real story for you isn't it? Israel's "press" and the fact that they have "sad expressions"?

How absolutely, shamelessly insensitive of you. Using even this for pro-Israel propaganda??? Even this???

Fair. Wouldn't even the minimal amount of fairness reserves the greatest amount of responsibility to the person who pulled the trigger that tank-shelled these girls in the head?

You are sick

3 little girls died, and you must even use that to push your political platform and who to blame for this and any war and prove your empty point of who is "right" or "wrong". Same for people who do this on the other side. Why can't you for just ONCE be a human being and not a Jew or a Muslim or Arab or whatever hell other gang you think is so important? When these things happen, EVERYONE is wrong. I take this as what it is- the senseless death of 3 innocent children. To the Hamas advocates I have this to say: "Are you happy now? Can your goddamn "resistance" claim victory now? Is your cause advancing? Is Allah smiling at you?" To those advocating Israel's justification in doing this I have this to say:"Are you happy now? Do you feel safer now? How is life in the promised land feeling now? Nice and safe and snug now that you are getting tough with the bad guys?"

All this because of some "holy land"? Really?

Well, then, here is the solution to this problem- seriously. Let us go to the Wailing Wall, Al Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Rock, and whatever "holy place" you hold so dearly to your hearts. Then let us place explosive charges in different areas of those facilities. Then everytime one side kills some innocent little girls on the other side, we set off some of the charges of that side's holy site. We will negotiate the "exchange rate"- that is how much brick and mortar in a holy site for one girl's life from the "enemy religion". Because everytime you kill an innocent for your right to live in your "holy land", regardless of your religion, you destroy some of your religion as well. When enough little girls have died, there will be no more "holy sites" to fight for and the little girls on both sides can then live in peace. Oh, but then there will be the next conflict about revenge and who to blame. That's right.

Blasphemous? Maybe. But I can tell you, no goddamn dome or stone wall or building is worth the life of one little girl anywhere on this planet. HUMANS created the building, but GOD created that little girl. If you disagree with this, I don't know what kind of sick religion it is you believe in. You can rebuild a dome or a wall, but you can NEVER bring back one little girl.

I cry for all the little girls on both sides who die for nothing, and am disgusted at the "big tough men" with their degrees and stars and medals and speechwriters and holy books in their hands who play God with these little girls' lives. If I were God they would all be on the express nonstop train to HELL.

FAIR

Exactly Mehdi

You said it perfectly. My thoughts as well. Thanks.

Very Very regretgable

The tray is heart breaking. In fact the whole conversation is in Hebrew. You can see the agony in the anchor's face. He was asking the grieving doctor to give him his location so ambulance can be rushed  to his house.

It is truly a regrettable. this doctor is a Gynecologist in Israel premier hospital.

very very regrettable. But was is war and civilians do get hurt.

thank to hamas.

You know what's interesting about these palestinians?

They are very highly educated. I wonder to myself, why the rest of the Arab world doesn't have the nuts to help them like US does with Israel. This physician, he's not alone. There are many intelligent, professional Palestinians. God damn this world. 

But hopefully, the bombing will continue and there will be peace. The riddle of war with Israel = peace is that you have to survive it to enjoy the peace :)

I saw the extract of the interview

and was horrified.

Just imagine that it can happen to you, it's sadly terrific.