When I learnt of the attacks at the UN School today I was mortified, and when crying, screaming, bloodied, maimed and dead children are plastered on our media I am saddened, and not one bit surprised by so much Anti-Israel sentiment evident on this thread and much of the world.
Unfortunately, these are casualties of a war waged by Hamas firing unrepentently into soverign Israel, before, during and after the 'ceasefire'. Israel is fighting a war against a recognised terorrist organisation that's Charter declares the destruction of the Jewish State. There is no joy in killing a child and I was very concerned that this is what would happen if a ground incursion occured though the international condemnation is unbalanced - today Libya wrote up a plan for a ceasefire that involved the "end of rockets". Libya, an Arab State that does not hold diploematic relations with Israel did not define whose rockets they would be. The international community has quickly forgotten who broke the ceasefire (not that it ever was a true ceasefire) - it was Hamas.
The world sat in silence as Hamas grew in power. The world did not fight for diplomatic resolutions, the UN did not declare the actions of Hamas as unacceptable. The people of Sderot went unnoticed.
Who not long ago overthrew moderate Fatah party (literally from rooftops in Gaza). The enemy is Hamas. Hamas is an enemy of the Palestinian people and most Arabs. Hamas is the leading barrier to peace, expressed so even by Saudi Arabia.
They could be my cousins or my brothers/sisters or myself put in that battled, destroyed and disgusting little slither of land, Gaza... though the people of Gaza gave power to Hamas, and now must be the ones to take it away.
I empathise with the children of Gaza though I equally empathise with the children of Israel - they learn in fortified classrooms, their playgrounds are equipped with bomb shelters shaped like play equipment - their lives have been effected by over 8,000 rockets since 2000.
Hamas' rockets can strike anywhere, and have struck in homes, bedrooms, schools, pre-schools, universities and streets; Israel, before airstrikes practises a method of shooting the corner of the building to warn residents to leave: her rockets are almost always fired with precision and based on intelligence received.
I have tried to be fair. I have not argued directly at anyone, I have not abused anyone, called them names or deligitimised the Palestinian's right to self-determination.
I call on moderate arab-sympathisers on here (if you exist) to do the same and to suggest to your counterparts to end bitter hatred, bigotry, anti-Semitism and e-flag burning as these serve little value. It's just an online forum... You have become "More Palestinian than the Palestinians"
Hamas has used women and children as terrorists before, Hamas has fired from civillian buildings, Hamas thinks that Israel won't fire on targets where women and children are congregated but knows that even if they do there will be international outrage.
Hamas is winning the war of the media, but Israel is winning the war on terrorism.
