Nadeen, If Israel really wanted to "obliterate Gaza and its people", then its doing a pretty poor job of that bearing in mind its arsenal. There are one-and-a-half million Palestinians in Gaza - do you not think Israel could've got a higher kill-count than 1,100 if it really wanted to?? With the weapons available to them, do you not think they could've completely wiped out Gaza?? The question you should ask is, 'why didn't they', and the inevitable answer you'll come to is because THEY DON'T WANT TO KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS!!
People often talk about a 'disproportionate response', but if Israel responded in kind to thousands of Hamas crude rocket fire by firing thousands of their own poorly-made rockets, do you know what the death-count would be then?? Hundreds of thousands!!
Israel took great care to try and ensure civilians weren't killed, Hamas went to great care to make sure they were.

Posted by Robert Clayton | 23.01.09, 10:48 GMT

Rob - who wrote the bible that you are so quick to quote - especially the old testament. If I wanted to construct a religion of course I'd make my people God's chosen people. How many books were never included in the bible because they may undermine the Christian theory/faith. You Christians, Moslems and Jews all worship your same God but murder each other over it.

Posted by Agnostic | 09.01.09, 15:04 GMT

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:2-3)

” ‘The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants. Throughout the country that you hold as a possession, you must provide for the redemption of the land. (Leviticus 25:23-24)

The Bible says that land is God's, not the Jews, not the arabs. However the Jews are his stewards in the Land of Israel. They are his stewards and they are still God's Chosen nation, so we must be very careful to bless and not curse them as Genesis 12 says.

Posted by Rob | 09.01.09, 11:03 GMT

and another point to truth hurts the surronding arab countries are not interested in helpng the palestinians or having them in their midst, and indeed some are more eager to provide arms rather then provide food and medical aid. the hamas delibeately and openly targets civilians while the IDF try by all maens possible to avoid civilians casualties. if the tunnels they have spent so long constructing were used to bring in food and medical aid instead of weapons it may show some humanity to their own people. and if money spent on teaching children to hate was spent on teaching them peace we may have a chance for lasting paece for everyone.

Posted by a jew | 08.01.09, 16:09 GMT

truth hurts.. yes it dose, as you have proved that your a raciest. the loss of israel would seem to be a dream come true for pepole like you and the extreme islam groups who call for the destruction of israel. the israeli declaration of independence clearly stats freedom for all religions (the hams dos not)the hamas charter calls for the whole wor;d to become muslim. when israel gose into gaza to protect its civilians it tries in more ways then you will ever know to try and avoid civilian casualties. unfotunately the hamas leader are such brave pepole that they are sending women and children to be killed in the name of jihad while they try to hide in safety. israel never told the palestinians to leave it, it was their own leaders who told them to ascape in 1948. and none of the arab countris wanted them ther even then.

Posted by a jew | 08.01.09, 15:50 GMT

What Exactly is "Israel" defending itself from? More people die from obesity than Hamas crude homemade missiles, according to "Israeli" logic is should be staging full scale war on obesity to "defend" its people. Imagine the analogy, you have a big built man armed with the most powerful weapons, then you have a few children with sticks, when this man starts to punch and strangle the children for many many months, they hit back with their sticks; the man then cries out that he needs "defending" and that his "security" is at stake and that the children are threatning him. Would any sane person accept it if then the man starts to attack with all his weapons at the children in response to the stick "attacks"? two common fallacies:
(Q) Hamas rocket fire is indiscrimenent
(A) its inaccurate, not indiscrimenent;(Q2)Human shields(A)No evidence(B)still doent justfy it

Posted by ThinkLogic | 07.01.09, 23:49 GMT

I was utterly appauled by the attitude of an Israeli official being interviewed last night on the news.
When asked whether they were sorry for killing so many civilians at the UN schools yesterday, he said he was sorry that Hamas were using these buildings as human shields!! There was not one once of regret by this gentleman.

If not a terrorist state, Israel is certainly a bully who needs its wings clipped.

Posted by cd | 07.01.09, 14:03 GMT

Margaret,

read Robert Fisk's article and get a grasp of the real trouble that Israel causes in the Middle East. I have no problem with having Jewish neighbours, they are very welcome, but to claim their own state and to murder to achieve and keep it is not democracy. Lets not forget that Hamas won the elections in Gaza strip - it was Israel and U.S who denied the result. There is no explanation in any of these posts as to why we need an Israel. Would we accept Israel if it had a non-Jewish majority. If the Palestinians had a right of return to their stolen lands from places like Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, then Israel would be Arab controlled. Do you believe it is right that Israel denies Christian and Moslem Arabs their rights just because of their religion - just proves how devisive religion is - these are the facts.

Posted by Truth Hurts | 07.01.09, 10:42 GMT

Podraig is right, as is Terry McCorran.
The ultimate objective of Hamas/Hizbollah is the complete domination of the world by Islam. The Jews are merely the first step.
Hamas does really not give a hoot for their own people....the are all merely pawns in the bigger Hamas chess game.

How come so many people allow themselves to be hoodwinked by these terrorists?

Posted by s gilmartin | 07.01.09, 10:05 GMT

Mr Terry McCorran sadly you have missed the point of this Israeli massacre in Gaza the point being to obliterate Gaza & its people which it is actually carrying out before our eyes Hamas have a charter a piece of paper saying this but Israel is the 1 physically obliterating men women & children shame on you Mr McCorran for attempting to defend mass murders & war criminals

Posted by nadeem | 07.01.09, 08:53 GMT

If you read the article you will see I never stated that all the people who live in Gaza are members of Hamas. What I did say is that Hamas control people and force a very Extreme Islam on people. If you take the time to read the Hamas charter you will see they only want Jihad. And not just with Israel. Hamas and groups like them are a danger to peace loving people the world over.

Posted by T McCorran | 06.01.09, 22:42 GMT

Would the loss of Israel be a big deal? Yes, Truth Hurts, because you might end up having more Jewish neighbours and you don't seem the kind of person who would like that. Thank you for reminding me why we need a State of Israel. Thank you Terry for spelling out some home truths about Hamas who glory in the "resistance" and "martyrdom" and don't give two hoots for their own people.

Posted by Margaret | 06.01.09, 22:15 GMT

Terry, I must confess you are myopic in facts of the real agenda happening out thia, so make sure you read, reread and check. recheck your facts and be ready to prove or disprove whatever statment you make reference to.

Posted by scatts | 06.01.09, 18:05 GMT

It also states that (The day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me ,come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews.
........could be please expantiate this paragraph you paraphased from whatever article,..... can you proof or disprove the statment for me.

Posted by scatts | 06.01.09, 18:01 GMT

I'm very well aware of what hamas stands for, having worked for a Palestinian NGO with time spent in the region. The point you are missing Terry is that not everyone in Gaza is a member of Hamas, or indeed supports it. Reports are coming in of 40 dead children in a clearly marked UN school in Gaza, targeted by the IDF. Israel is a state, Hamas are a terrorist/paramilitary/militant organisation. Had the quartet not said 'let's have a democratic vote' then imposed sanctions on the strip because the 'wrong' people got too much of the vote, perhaps things would not have been quite so fractious and lead to such a mess. Also, not all Palestinians are religious, and not all are Muslims either. This type of misguided rhetoric not only harms innocent Palestinians, but the many innocent, peace-loving Israelis who are as much pawns in an international war game as those Palestinians desperately trying to get on with it.

Posted by John | 06.01.09, 15:36 GMT

Hamas is fighting for the liberation of their land and its people from 60 years of tyranny and oppression of Zionists. It makes no sense to label anyone fighting for freedom as religious fighters.
Hamas happens to be Muslims but they are fighting for their own people not for domination of the world as the western media portray Islamic fighters. This is a pure fight for a perfect cause.

Hamas is not against Christians and there were hundreds and even thousands of Christians living in gaza and they are not even against Jews.

Posted by James | 06.01.09, 15:16 GMT

And would the loss of Israel be a big deal - No - it might actually lead to a more peaceful middle East. Those who quote the bible - it was written by Jews who decided they were God's chosen people - where is the evidence other than the scriptures which they produced and which the Christian religions have selectively chosen to interpret and use. During and since its inception, Israel has murdered British soldiers and slaughtered thousands of Arabs, both Christian and Moslem in both the Palestinian territories and in Israel itself. They plan to implement laws that will eventually secure a Jewish electoral majority regardless of the fact that non-Jews will out-number Jews in 10-15 years in Jerusalem. Perhaps and Arab majority in Israel would be the best thing that could happen.

Posted by Truth hurts | 06.01.09, 15:12 GMT

Well said Podraig from Londonderry - it is true that the Jews are the forerunners of us Christian believers & we mustn't allow ourselves to get sucked into supporting Hamas or waving Palestinian flags at footie games etc because Hamas would wipe all us european catholics & prods without a 2nd thought in their Holy war...

Posted by Steve | 06.01.09, 14:29 GMT

Good article.

Someone mentioned "It now says Free Gaza instead of Free Derry on the Free Derry Corner".

....since the Pope has done his best to alienate them, and they appear to share some sort of sympathy for the terrorists of Hamas, perhaps the residents of "Free Derry" will be willing converts to Islam.

Has anyone thought to search for Osama Bin Laden in Co Londonderry?!

Posted by mickey | 06.01.09, 14:15 GMT

While there is war in this area there will always be loss of civilian life as Hamas hide amonst the people rather than fighting in the open as would a regular army.

Posted by robbo | 06.01.09, 13:22 GMT