Israel Vs. Palestine: Round, Damn I Lost Count

Not to any one's surprise Israel and Palestine are now back at blows, an event almost as common as a blue moon, and to many it is also not a surprise that Israel's vast military has completely dominated the conflict. However, consider, as the article suggests, that the military aspect of the struggle is all that Israel is winning and that in the long run Palestine will win this struggle with political might. Consider how the images of civilians being carried away on stretchers all day on the 24 hour news stations is changing political opinion on a global scale. Israel, who is usually the country who receives all of the world's sympathies for having to put up with the radical extremists next door is now being called by many world leaders to come to terms with Hamas. There are two ways to look at this sudden change of roles, those who have called for peace wish to stop Israel from regressing to Hamas' level of killing civilians, whether or not there is intent, or that our world leaders simply blow as the newspaper directs and crucify those who come off as the evildoers (Bushism) after reading the morning headlines.

Consider that Hamas really is the political ringmasters the article makes them out to be, whose actions are more disgusting? The actions of Israel, a sovereign nation whose seen its citizens continually harassed by mortars fired from Palestine, who invaded a country run by a radical, war-mongering regime and in the process of trying to rid the area of the vermin accidentally killed some innocent civilians. Or would it be the actions of Hamas who has, and continues to instigate this war by firing mortars into Israeli markets and villages, the sole intent being to kill civilians and bring on war. In bringing on this war and not fighting the invasion force with all of its might, as one may expect a government to do in order to protect its people, Hamas has been rewarded with many a dead or maimed civilian which when the news rolls 24/7 brings in sympathy like a magnet. This being evidenced by the fact the news still makes it out of Gaza, which is odd considering Israel was quick to destroy the newstation, which proves premeditated action on the part of Hamas to ensure that pictures would get out and sympathy in. Sympathy which proves very valuable in brokering a cease fire with Israel that will open currently cut off trade routes to Palestine that will further Palestine's power and Hamas' popularity simply for ending the unethical shelling of Israel. So are many world leaders right to call on Israel to stop or is Hamas the manipulative little child who gets everything and more at Christmas?

Dave Adams
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1869807,00.html