Tara

Unfortunately, Obama had

Unfortunately, Obama had recently declared his support for Israel's offensive actions. I don't know if I should take that as a bad omen for things to come this year. War is over if we want it, says Lennon. Even if it's not an Iranian issue, let's try to look at the bigger picture.

Tara

Hi Tara,

I am Jewish and I understand your pain and anger. How can any normal person not feel anguish when young children are being laid in their graves? You are right to not stand on the sidelines, but to do everything you can to stop the bloodshed. I, in my own way, must do the same. But I want you to know that there is another perspective, that is not based on the commonly held view that Israel and its supporters are indifferent or even crave the shedding of Palestinian blood. At least in no way does this describe me.

I don~t know what Israel should do, nor do I necessarily support any actions or inactions Israel takes in Gaza. What I do know is that the equation is not as one sided as it may appear to you.

If Hamas wants to build up its rocket arsenal in case Israel attacks that~s one thing. If it builds up its arsenal and lobs a few missiles at Israel every few days, than what should Israel do? Presently nearly a million Israelis are within Hamas~rocket range. It~s true that there haven~t been many Israeli casualties. However, the terror is real.

Hamas~ strategic equation is simple. Fire rockets indiscriminantly and know that Israel~s hands are tied because the source of the fire is inside civilian territory. If the equation Hamas wants to make reality is allowed to stand than Israel is checkmated. For many that is a legitimate equation, and Israel must conform to it because the killing of civilians is the highest crime. On the other hand, Israel wants to break that logic because its conclusion makes Israeli life intolerable and Israel a failed state.

Many feel that that is what Israel deserves, but whether or not that~s true, it also requires some honesty to see that Hamas~ strategy is based on the sacrificing of its own children in order to allow it to more freely pursue its hatred of Israel because Israel can never root it out without hurting the innocent.

I truly hope that Obama will end this conflict. I know that it is very possible once radical ideologies on either side are canceled out. I truly believe that both sides are tired of the bloodshed. Most Israelis have learned that defeating its enemies will never bring it peace. Most Arabs also, I believe, no longer wish to pursue the destruction of Israel. That~s the problem with Hamas, Hezbollah, and religious Israeli settlers. They want everything, which as history demonstrates, never brings them anything worth having.

My struggle is to defeat Jewish radicals. I truly believe part of your struggle is to defeat Moslem radicals.

Thanks.

Lets understand Iran's politics!

Even though the subject of this blog is about Gaza,but some readers are arguing that Iran should worry about herself than people in Lebanon or Palestine.As everyone knows Iran has and always will be an important country in the region either politically,militarily,strategically or religiously.Iran has a long border in the Persian gulf, a gulf which is vital to the west.Iran also wants to import her brand of religion and revolution.She also wants to be a power in the middle east and beyond.So if we see Iran is helping Palestinians,Lebanese,Bolivians and be friends with other countries,the reason is because she wants to expand her sphere of influence.So if Iran can get support she would go wherever she can get it.

I did my share, I attended a rally today and wrote to

my congresswoman.   Hope we all can do our part.

As long as there are humans who care, there is reason to be hopeful.

Raise your voices, protest against the Israel's atrocities

Leaders of U.S. Senate defend Israel’s war on Gaza. New York mayor goes to Israel to defend Israel’s action. U.S. represntative at the United Nations Vetoes Security Councils request for stopping the Genocide of Palestinian at the hands of Israel’s army, president elect Obama stays silent.

Any sane human being would be wondering why we are still defending Israel’s war on Gaza.
Join millions of others in the world and Find a location near where you live and protest against the Genocide of Palestinian people:
//answer.pephost.org/site/News2/1762433751?ab...

Zionist detector

Where is the demonstration on crimes against humanity in Iran. The people who got stoned to death few days ago would really appreciate it if you say something.

And for the rest of you; berin az khejalat bemirin.

Jews in Israel demonstrate against the Genocide of Palestinians

Amid cries of "Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies!" and banners reading, "Enough!" thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night to protest against the country's war on Gaza.

Protesters called for an immediate end to the Israeli attacks, in which more than 450 Palestinians have been killed and around 2,100 injured since air assaults on Gaza began last Saturday.

Organisers, a coalition of groups such as Gush Shalom, the Hadash party and the Coalition of Women for Peace, were encouraged by the turnout. anti-war protesters shouting "The army is a terror organisation!" and "Children in Gaza and in Sderot want to live!"

Ghosse' shoona nakhor

If Israel puts down its weapon - there will be war and genocide

If Hamas & Hizbollah put down their weapon - there will be peace in the ME.

Clean your own backyard first

The urgency right now is with Iran. Let's worry about our own people who are being sieged in their own homes by the butchers of IRI.

Palestinians Genocide: Our tax dollars at work...

Israel would not be able to destroy the lives of a whole people without our military political financial and technological help. We have been paying them off for so many years to tune of 3 billion dollars a year. Plus billions of dollars of loans Signed and approved by our Congress and White House.

How did this happen? There's a revealing research done by 2 of the most respected political scientist at the University of Chicago that shows how the Israeli Lobby has infiltrated our political system. It's a must read for those who want to understand the position of U.S. government including the outragious silence of President elect Obama. It is called THE ISRAEL LOBBY AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
//www.ccun.org/Documents/The%20Israel%20Lobby...

Very Touching Tara

Excellent :)

Tara jan

I forgot to comment on the cartoon you picked for this piece: very telling and accurate account of the crisis.

Thanks 

IRANdokht

2 People were stoned to death as punishment in behesht zahra

Tara khanom can I see a drawing of that? Yeah keep signing petition about this and that see if it really works; people have done it from day one of revolution and the change we see is just awesome. The stoning was in December by the way. Now all of you go tear your heart out for people who don't give rat's ... about us.

Just a historical reminder: "Warsaw Ghetto Uprising"

This is a response to all those who unconditionally support the aggressions of Israel against the Palestinian civilians. Especially those who have studied the history. REMEMBER the "Warsaw Ghetto Uprising"?

See: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Ghetto#Warsaw_Ghetto_Uprising_and_destruction_of_the_Ghetto

Do you understand what it means to leave in a Ghetto? Do you understand what it means that everything is cut off from your daily life? Do you understand what it means to see your children dying because of lack of medicine, food, etc.? Do you understand what it means to wait for your "Final Solution"? If not ask those who survived the Nazis!!

Do you expect a nation to be under siege for 6o years and still do nothing? Do you expect the Palestinians go to their slow and painful death with no resistance?

 If the human race as a whole should learn something from the Holocaust, is that no matter under what excuse some people starts to ethnically cleans other people, the other nation will resist!! THAT IS THE LESSON OF THE HISTORY!!

It is interesting that there are far more progressive people in Israel who support the right of Palestinian people and condemn the aggressions of Israeli government than some of extremist right-wing supporters of Israel in this site:

//www.btselem.org/English/index.asp

//www.acri.org.il/eng/

//www.yesh-din.org/site/index.phppageindex&lang=en

And finally Tara, THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT POSTING!

re: Radioactive bombs dropped on Gaza

zionist detector, do you have references and or links for this info?

IRI=Hell

Why did you not see anything about Dr Ebadi on this site?

Fears Iranian raids will see Nobel winner jailed

Iranian raid on Ebadi Firmly condemned Worldwide

Shirin Ebadi's Private Law Office Stormed by Iran's Security Forces

and there are plenty of comments and other links on the latter... You can also find information about petitions that you can sign and emails you can send to show your support.

This blog is not about Dr Ebadi, it's about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Thank you

IRANdokht

Radioactive bombs dropped on Gaza

Israel is dropping GBU-39 small diameter bombs on the Gaza Strip. According to weapons experts, these bombs contain uranium oxide and have left behind radioactive contamination in places such as Kosovo , Iraq , and Afghanistan . In September 2008, Boeing received a $77 million contract to transfer 1,000 of these bombs to Israel .

Israel's war and siege on the Gaza Strip would not be possible without the jets, helicopters, ships, missiles, and fuel provided by us the taxpayers of the United States.

GAZA is an Iranian Issue Too...

Because its the world' and the humanity issue! We are humans (??) and we all live in this unkind world! As Iranians we should remember Nazi's, Pol-Pot, Rewanda, Darfor.........!

**STOP THE KILLING FIELDS IN GAZA, SHAME ON THE WORLD FOR LETTING GO ON**

Tara jaan Aziz

You are a beautiful women.

Do you know how Arabs/IRI treat women in Iran? They cover them with a Burqa (or Chador)

Do you know under Islamic law or Sharia (IRI law) you are worth 1/8 of a men?

Do you know under Sharia and IRI law? you can't get custody of your children after divorce or death of your husband.

Hamaz, Gaza, Palestine, Hezbollah, Lebanon: Why is it our business?

UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and million other Arabs who are so rich and powerful why aren't they helping them?

Why should we?

Please tell me did you think of a cartoon for Shririn Ebadi?

Why don't I see anything, about her protection and safety on this web site?

I have said and will continue to say yo Iranians, your patriotism and your love for your country is fake, hypocritical and bunch of BS.

You rather die for a foreigner than your own.

So, my opinion please do so, and die for the Palestinian cause while you are been called Ajam by the Arabs.

Do you know what Arabs say about Iranian women? Cheap whores, because thousand of Iranian girls since they can't work go to Dubai and prostitute themselves and then come back home to pay for their families.

Arabs have been and continue to be the number one enemy of Iran and Iranian people not Israelis.

Zendeh Bad Iran va Shirin Ebadi

Sadly Lebanon experience is being repeated

before the transition of power in US as anticipated:

//www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28404637/?GT1=43001

Not an Iranian Issue

Dear Tara,

Thank you for the question.  I had to think a bit to give you an honest answer.  It is very noble of you to do the things you claimed you did.  I, on the other hand, must inform you that I left all distant issues to their own devices.  The late highlights of my life were:

I felt disgusted about my countrymen/women who gifted political Islam and the culture of death to the Middle East.

I wondered with wet eyes if Gilan’s beauty can survive after the devastations that Islamic Republic has brought upon Gilanis.

I watched two awesome movies: Sangre De Mi Sangre and Bella

I emailed an Iranian-Armenian artist to let him know that I immensely enjoyed one of his musical pieces (Duduk, Sayat Nova)

I pressed my cheek a bit harder than normal to a lady friend’s when we were dancing to Cuando Acaba El Placer

I went wow with the number of A’s that I saw in my daughter’s school report

And, I listened to my ex who told me that she would never love anyone the way she loved me.

Hope that your question was satisfactorily answered.

but what about the killing field in Iran

Why no one speaks out against the killing fields in Iran?

Hellooooooooo

Shirin Ebadi, her office, her employees and herself are under attack and their life is in danger.

Women are harassed, discriminated on daily basis.

Political activist, students and children are executed on daily basis in Iran and some publicly hanged.

No wonder why Arab call us Ajam. Because we are stupid.

We love and strangers and we can't take care of our own.

We rather help the neighbor than our family, is that how it works on this web site, or is this just an IRI propaganda

Shirin Ebadi -- Life is in danger

IRI is using this moment to kill and terrorize the Jewel and our voice

//www.payvand.com/news/09/jan/1024.html

Israel begins Gaza ground offensive,

The Israeli army has confirmed its troops have entered the Gaza Strip as it escalates its offensive on the eighth day of operations.

Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera's senior political analyst, said: "Israel can claim in various stages that it has won this or that war against Arabs but it is obvious since the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 that there is no military solution to Israel's secueity.

"It cannot bomb its way into peaceful co-existence. Israel is trying to do all it can to destroy Hamas but with more than 400 dead, there will be more than 400 more new recruits in Gaza.

"It has taken this path and will probably pay the price in the long term, short term it's the Palestinians who pay the price."

religionisbullshit

get on petitioning against executions in Iran too then. There has been continuous wealth of links and info for us to protest against human rights violations in Iran, on this site, if you are interested.

Sign, write and do what you can to stop injustice. Have you?

Thank You Tara...

for speaking out!!!!

**STOP THE KILLING FIELDS IN GAZA, SHAME ON HUMANITY**

Mr Mola

I know what this thread is about and I have condemned Israel's shelling of Gaza and I dont see anywhere here me talking about closing of Ebadi's office !

Having said that , IF you read, my comment was directed as "Tara" and if you also bother to scroll down she ALSO talked about being active in causes in her case " million signature campaign" "Stop child executions" etc and then she (the author) asked "What have you done for the world lately? "

So my comment was a direct respond in agreement with her. Last I checked the consversations here are INTERACTIVE and there are no Molas telling us who should respond to whom , what comment and how!

The one who seem to be "confused" is actually the mola who is not following the conversation and who is talking to whom!

Mr David ET, the list is very long that's why you are confused!

So, lets make it easier to understand: This thread is about the worst kind of human rights violation that is going on right now and has enraged the whole world. But you want to compare it to closing a human rights office in Iran. Are you serious? you don't have to repeat yourself. We know and we condemn that action too. It's pathetic!

Indeed Tara jaan

Talk is cheap, people should take action against the inhumane violations that are taking place around them from Israel shelling of Gaza to Hamas terrorist actions to Islamic Republics daily violations of Iranian rights to what is happening in Darfur and sadly the list is very long....

but if instead of just talking, each person at least take an active role on one positive cause , we will be able to leave this planet better than it was trusted in us instead of worse....

All the best to you in 2009

Listen to Saadi

Never forget that we are Iranians.  Throughout history, Iranians have loved, respected and accepted others more than any other people in the world.  Nasty rulers, tyrants, and dictators have come and gone in Iran, but the essence of our nation has remained kind, compassionate and caring to others.  We must not let hate obliterate our responsibilities and judgement and rule our actions.  We must love and accept all.  Listen to what our great Iranian poet, Saadi had to say about this.  I will remind you that this poem is written on the welcoming fresque of the United Nations building in New York.

Human beings are members of a whole,

In creation of one essence and soul.

If one member is afflicted with pain,

Other members uneasy will remain.

If you have no sympathy for human pain,

The name of human you cannot retain.

Another translation:‎

Of One Essence is the Human Race,

Thusly has Creation put the Base.

One Limb impacted is sufficient,

For all Others to feel the Mace.

The Unconcern'd with Others' Plight,

Are but Brutes with Human Face.

Peace.