Israeli-Palestinian conflict (68 Viewers)
- Thread starter ReBeL
- Start date
I love how Andy is changing from patriotic and Catholic to what he is now. I won't be surprised if you become a Muslim and go for Jihad against Israel 
I still consider myself a patriot. That's partly why I'm so vocal about this disaster, as we are essentially giving away our own money to support terrorism. That's not acceptable to me. I'm not one of those faux patriots who support Israel just because they're an "ally" while AIPAC the cancer continues to promote policies that are not in the best interest of Americans. When our leaders take an oath of office, they have to swear that they will work in the best interests of the United States, not any foreign government or entity. Supporting Israel with our own tax payer dollars is not in the best interest of Americans, especially when we have so many of our own problems to deal with and our support of Israel will cause many of our own lives to be lost (especially now).
So this general topic discussed here is simply disgraceful, with our name affiliated with the disgrace. Then throw in the Federal Reserve Bank, which "is as Federal as Federal Express" enslaves us with debt, along with the loss of our Constitutional rights with "Patriot"
Acts and the loss of 1st Amendment rights, I don't understand why more people do not share similar views as I do. Too many people in this nation are promoting things that only hurt us (and everybody else in the short run) and could lead to our complete collapse.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/15/israel-gaza-offensive-truce-talks
Israel strike sets UN refugee agency in Gaza ablaze• 'Outraged' UN secretary general demands inquiry into attack
• Shelling in response to gunfire from compound, says OlmertRory McCarthy in Jerusalem, Peter Walker and agencies guardian.co.uk, Thursday 15 January 2009 16.57 GMT Article history
The headquarters of the UN refugee agency in Gaza Link to this video The local headquarters of the UN refugee agency was set ablaze by what appeared to be phosphorus shells today as Israeli forces pushed deeper into Gaza City, unleashing the heaviest onslaught on the densely packed neighbourhoods since the military operation began nearly three weeks ago.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, expressed "strong protest and outrage" and demanded an investigation into why there was an attack on the compound of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a well-known location in Gaza marked with blue UN flags. The number of casualties in the Gaza Strip, now 1,055 according to local UN officials, had "reached an unbearable point", Ban added.
Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, told Ban later that troops shelled the building in response to Hamas gunfire coming from within, but nonetheless said it should not have happened.
Israeli troops "were attacked from there and the response was harsh", Olmert said. "It is absolutely true that we were attacked from that place, but the consequences are very sad and we apologize for it," he added. "I don't think it should have happened and I'm very sorry."
A UN official in the compound when it was attacked called Olmert's account "nonsense".
As an Israeli envoy arrived in Cairo to take part in Egyptian-brokered talks on a possible ceasefire, Gordon Brown described the shelling of the UN compound as "indefensible" and "unacceptable".
"The UN's mission in Gaza is purely humanitarian, bringing relief to civilians suffering in appalling conditions as a result of the ongoing military action and restrictions on food and medical supplies entering Gaza," the prime minister said.
UNWRA said the compound appeared to have been struck by three white phosphorus shells. John Ging, the head of UN operations in Gaza, told al-Jazeera television: "This is going to burn down the entire warehouse … thousands and thousands of tonnes of food, medical supplies and other emergency assistance is there."
He said the phosphorus fires were hard to extinguish "because if you put water on it, it will just generate toxic fumes and do nothing to stop the burning". Phosphorus munitions are banned under international law as a weapon but permitted if used to create a smokescreen.
The AFP news agency quoted witnesses as saying that a fire had broken out after an Israeli strike in a wing of al-Quds hospital in south-west Gaza City, where hundreds more people took shelter early today from advancing Israeli tanks. It was not clear if there were any injuries.
The news agency Reuters reported that a missile or shell had struck the Gaza tower block where it and other media organisations have offices. The 13th floor of al-Shurouq Tower, which houses Abu Dhabi television, appeared to have been hit, injuring one of its journalists.
Israeli forces were reported to be closing in on the outskirts of Gaza City, targeting 70 sites overnight and forcing thousands more Palestinians to flee their homes. It is not clear whether this morning's offensive marks another escalation in the conflict or a brief foray ahead of a possible ceasefire.
Israel's envoy Amos Gilad flew to Cairo today for talks with Egyptian mediators. He will not meet any of the Hamas representatives who are also in Egypt's capital.
An Israeli government spokesman, Mark Regev, said Gilad was there to discuss the "parameters of the endgame" – a goal that was "close and attainable". Regev said: "There is momentum in these discussions. We are hopeful that a deal will be based on a total cessation of Hamas fire into Israel and an arms embargo to prevent Hamas from rearming."
The Egyptian plan appears to begin with a ceasefire of a week or 10 days, during which all fighting would stop but Israeli troops would remain on the ground in Gaza. Talks would then be held on the more difficult questions of stopping the smuggling of weapons to Hamas and lifting Israel's long economic blockade of the Gaza Strip.
However, it is thought Hamas's conditions for any deal would probably include an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces the moment a ceasefire started. That may prove too much for Israel to accept.
The prospects for an emergency Arab summit on Gaza, scheduled to take place in Qatar tomorrow, were thrown into doubt after Egypt, Saudi Arabia and half a dozen other Arab countries said they would not attend.
Underlining the deep divisions over a response to the Israeli offensive, only 14 members of the 22-strong Arab League have said they will be at the hastily arranged Doha meeting.
disgrace...........
Israel strike sets UN refugee agency in Gaza ablaze• 'Outraged' UN secretary general demands inquiry into attack
• Shelling in response to gunfire from compound, says OlmertRory McCarthy in Jerusalem, Peter Walker and agencies guardian.co.uk, Thursday 15 January 2009 16.57 GMT Article history
The headquarters of the UN refugee agency in Gaza Link to this video The local headquarters of the UN refugee agency was set ablaze by what appeared to be phosphorus shells today as Israeli forces pushed deeper into Gaza City, unleashing the heaviest onslaught on the densely packed neighbourhoods since the military operation began nearly three weeks ago.
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, expressed "strong protest and outrage" and demanded an investigation into why there was an attack on the compound of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a well-known location in Gaza marked with blue UN flags. The number of casualties in the Gaza Strip, now 1,055 according to local UN officials, had "reached an unbearable point", Ban added.
Israel's prime minister, Ehud Olmert, told Ban later that troops shelled the building in response to Hamas gunfire coming from within, but nonetheless said it should not have happened.
Israeli troops "were attacked from there and the response was harsh", Olmert said. "It is absolutely true that we were attacked from that place, but the consequences are very sad and we apologize for it," he added. "I don't think it should have happened and I'm very sorry."
A UN official in the compound when it was attacked called Olmert's account "nonsense".
As an Israeli envoy arrived in Cairo to take part in Egyptian-brokered talks on a possible ceasefire, Gordon Brown described the shelling of the UN compound as "indefensible" and "unacceptable".
"The UN's mission in Gaza is purely humanitarian, bringing relief to civilians suffering in appalling conditions as a result of the ongoing military action and restrictions on food and medical supplies entering Gaza," the prime minister said.
UNWRA said the compound appeared to have been struck by three white phosphorus shells. John Ging, the head of UN operations in Gaza, told al-Jazeera television: "This is going to burn down the entire warehouse … thousands and thousands of tonnes of food, medical supplies and other emergency assistance is there."
He said the phosphorus fires were hard to extinguish "because if you put water on it, it will just generate toxic fumes and do nothing to stop the burning". Phosphorus munitions are banned under international law as a weapon but permitted if used to create a smokescreen.
The AFP news agency quoted witnesses as saying that a fire had broken out after an Israeli strike in a wing of al-Quds hospital in south-west Gaza City, where hundreds more people took shelter early today from advancing Israeli tanks. It was not clear if there were any injuries.
The news agency Reuters reported that a missile or shell had struck the Gaza tower block where it and other media organisations have offices. The 13th floor of al-Shurouq Tower, which houses Abu Dhabi television, appeared to have been hit, injuring one of its journalists.
Israeli forces were reported to be closing in on the outskirts of Gaza City, targeting 70 sites overnight and forcing thousands more Palestinians to flee their homes. It is not clear whether this morning's offensive marks another escalation in the conflict or a brief foray ahead of a possible ceasefire.
Israel's envoy Amos Gilad flew to Cairo today for talks with Egyptian mediators. He will not meet any of the Hamas representatives who are also in Egypt's capital.
An Israeli government spokesman, Mark Regev, said Gilad was there to discuss the "parameters of the endgame" – a goal that was "close and attainable". Regev said: "There is momentum in these discussions. We are hopeful that a deal will be based on a total cessation of Hamas fire into Israel and an arms embargo to prevent Hamas from rearming."
The Egyptian plan appears to begin with a ceasefire of a week or 10 days, during which all fighting would stop but Israeli troops would remain on the ground in Gaza. Talks would then be held on the more difficult questions of stopping the smuggling of weapons to Hamas and lifting Israel's long economic blockade of the Gaza Strip.
However, it is thought Hamas's conditions for any deal would probably include an immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces the moment a ceasefire started. That may prove too much for Israel to accept.
The prospects for an emergency Arab summit on Gaza, scheduled to take place in Qatar tomorrow, were thrown into doubt after Egypt, Saudi Arabia and half a dozen other Arab countries said they would not attend.
Underlining the deep divisions over a response to the Israeli offensive, only 14 members of the 22-strong Arab League have said they will be at the hastily arranged Doha meeting.
disgrace...........
