42 Comments

• seamus60 | Nov 22, 2012, 04:38 PM EST

  Seano. Explicit photos like the ones you refer to are a great instrument in the game of manipulation. Arabs will see all they can handle with the desire they will take action against Isreal. Any threat to isreal will be seen as a threat to the USA via destablisation to the region. The less the American public see of the reality that brings them to the brink of yet another invasion makes life a lot easier for those who are controlling most of and intent on all of the world.

• WoundedKnee | Nov 22, 2012, 02:38 PM EST

  The poster smyrnian made an outrageous attack on me. I penned a reply. As always, my post was incisive and well-argued, and--probably needless to say--totally free of any vulgarity or obscenity. So why was my reply taken off by Irish Central? Are you censoring anti-Zionist opinion now? For the record, I condemned Smyrnian for being an apologist for the Israel bombing campaign in Gaza, which killed scores of children in this particular bout, and has of course slain thousands over the years.

• seanomelb | Nov 22, 2012, 01:30 AM EST

  For the last half a century the middle east newspaprs have shown pictures of rows of dead palestinain women and children and you wonder why 9/11 happened. Of course the U.S. press do not show these images . You Americans are trated like mushrooms. Kept in the dark and fed on bullshit.I dare IC to show the latest images of the 55 women and the 37 children lying side by side in a Gazan morgue killed by American munitions and weaponry.

• Strongbow | Nov 21, 2012, 09:34 PM EST

  May the good people of Israel continue to live and prosper in the land of the patriarchs. May it continue to be a beacon for democracy and rule of rational law to tin an area of the world devoid of both. May the good people of Gaza and West Bank come to realize that the way of the bullet and bomb is not to their benefit. May the outside nefarious influence of Iran/Hezbollah find their dark anddevious designs expunged by the brilliant light that is Israel.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 21, 2012, 07:01 PM EST

  “There are no innocents in Gaza. Don’t let any diplomats who want to look good in the world endanger your lives. At the tiniest concern for your lives, mow them down! There are no righteous men [in Gaza], turn it into rubble! Paint it red!” –       Michael Ben-Ari, Israeli Member of Parliament.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 21, 2012, 06:59 PM EST

  “The goal of the operation is to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages, only then will Israel be calm for 40 years. We must blow Gaza back to the Middle Ages, destroying all the infrastructure, including roads and water.” –      Eli Yishai, Deputy Prime Minister of Israel.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 21, 2012, 06:58 PM EST

  “We need to flatten entire neighborhoods in Gaza. Flatten all of Gaza. The Americans didn’t stop with Hiroshima – the Japanese weren’t surrendering fast enough, so they hit Nagasaki, too. To prevent harm to innocent civilians in Gaza will ultimately lead to harming the truly innocent: the residents of southern Israel. The residents of Gaza are not innocent, they elected Hamas. The Gazans aren’t hostages; they chose this freely, and must live with the consequences.” –      Gilad Sharon, son of former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

• seanomelb | Nov 21, 2012, 06:13 PM EST

  55 women and 37 children murdrerde by the Terrorist Israeli regime.

• seanomelb | Nov 21, 2012, 06:09 PM EST

  As shuvonn stated ask why. I was in Libya and peoplle did not dance in the streets but they said that Americans deserved a dose of their own medicine. This is not my opinion but the opinion on the ground in Libya at the time. And they are not as anti-American as you are led to believe.

• Smyrnian | Nov 21, 2012, 03:13 PM EST

  Stiofain - I did not say that. You are being somewhat juvenile. I was in Manhattan on 9-11 and later saw the jubilant Palestinians on TV dancing with joy in the streets.

• Stiofain | Nov 21, 2012, 02:13 PM EST

  Smyrnian, let's make we get this right. You were in Manhattan on 9/11, and you were in the Middle East and saw Palestinians dancing in the streets on 9/11. Interesting.

• Smyrnian | Nov 21, 2012, 02:03 PM EST

  Shuvonn -I am aware of the arguments and views in both sides. Honestly, I just wish it would all stop. So many innocents hurt and killed.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 21, 2012, 12:33 PM EST

  Watch this documentary with a strong American and Jewish input, as far as I’m aware it was not shown in North America and was on some channels in Europe. It can be viewed in HD on YouTube and the first few minutes skips through various occupation in the world starting with Northern Ireland, but it mainly about Israel and Palestine . Its 1h. 28m long professional made and whatever views you have on the conflict you will find it highly interesting. Its called Occupation 101 and full version is available on YouTube.

• shuvonn | Nov 21, 2012, 12:21 PM EST

  Smyrnian, you should do a little research on that video that was shown on 9/11, it was manipulated footage that some people seem to be unable to let go of ..While you may be aware of the negativity directed at the US by Palestinians, you do not seem to want to question WHY they may hold those opinions?

• seamus60 | Nov 21, 2012, 10:25 AM EST

  Its very odd how American forces can claim to take out a target in a vechile without causing death to those in the vicinity. OH thats right the Isreali`s have already physically proven this. Yet all these innocents die. A school demolished ? Children playing in their yard ?. Hammas are most of the time using homemade mortars that are anything but accurate ( they admit this ) therefore these mortars should cause more carnage, yet they don`t ? Looks like Golliaths spear is way off the mark. As for who has the right to be there, the BBC talked to a jew who was in one of the villages under attack from Hammas. She blasted that Isreal should flatten Gaza so she could live in peace. Ironic that she is a Russian refugee Jew who can go back to russia.

• Smyrnian | Nov 21, 2012, 08:30 AM EST

  WKnee - Well, I am certainly not a liar or a fool or a hate filled bigot or anything like that but you would not know that as you do not know me. Thank you for those presumptious, negative labels; simply because I disagree with your views. I am also not disrespectful or intolerant; I heard what you had to say. I simply disagree based on my own life experiences. I have spent time in the Middle East and I was in Manhattan on 9-11 and I am very aware of Palestinian attitudes toward the U.S. and its citizens. Yes, they did dance in the streets and I will never forget the images. Having said that I am not pro-Israeli either. I used to read your various posts with interest even though I did not always agree with you but no more. Personal attacks like that destroy your credibility and reveal intolerance and disrespect for others which erodes whatever position you may wish to espouse. Good luck with taking that approach in life. Best regards.

• hooligan6a | Nov 21, 2012, 07:21 AM EST

  Woundedknee, If you don't understand it means to stop using them. By the way I am really sorry that you hurt your knee.

• shuvonn | Nov 21, 2012, 06:25 AM EST

  The timeline for this latest escalation can prove that it was started by the IDF when they made an incursion into Gaza and shot a 13 year old playing soccer, then two more, one teenager and one 20 year old all playing soccer, then the idf attacked the funerals. I have NO sympathy for ANY Palestinians involved in terrorism but when I hear israelis have to go into bomb shelters and have 15 seconds warning, Palestinians have NO bomb shelters, no army, no navy, no air force and most importantly the Hamas representative who the idf assassinated was in peace talks with israel. he received the draft of a permanent truce agreement with Israel, which included mechanisms for maintaining the cease-fire in the case of a flare-up between Israel and the factions in the Gaza Strip. This, according to Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin, who helped mediate between Israel and Hamas in the deal to release Gilad Shalit and has since then maintained a relationship with Hamas leaders. “I think that they have made a strategic mistake," Baskin said, an error "which will cost the lives of quite a number of innocent people on both sides." There is blame on both sides here and world opinion is going against israel on this one BIG TIME!

• WoundedKnee | Nov 21, 2012, 02:59 AM EST

  sarhuey: "As of November Hamas has fired 1,947 rockets into Israel since January 1". Since you're so good with numbers (courtesy of the Israel Embassy, of course--how come you can't think for yourself?) maybe you'll give us a figure for the number of Israeli bombs launched on Gaza since Jan 1? How about 20,000---good ball park figure? Especially when you think that these bombs come from land, air and sea, from artillery, from rockets, from airplanes. Now that I think about it, 20.000 is probably an underestimate. And the disgusting thing as far as this American is concerned is that most of these bombs were Made in America, and paid for by the foolish US taxpayer. Our economy faces meltdown, our inner cities lie in squalor and poverty, but we have unlimited money to pump into Israel and its killing machine.

• WoundedKnee | Nov 21, 2012, 02:52 AM EST

  Smyrnian: Your repetition of the old canard about 9/11 shows you to be either a liar or a fool. There were NO palestinian demonstrations after 9/11. It does appear that a few children/teenagers started clapping in the streets of one town in the West Bank, but the palestinian police quickly moved in and told them to go home. The fact that you repeat this lie suggests you are a hate-filled bigot.

• seanomelb | Nov 21, 2012, 12:21 AM EST

  Bottm line is Hamas needs longer range rockets. to protect themselves from the terrorist IDF

• sarhuey212 | Nov 20, 2012, 10:26 PM EST

  As of November Hamas has fired 1,947 rockets into Israel since January 1. This latest round of fighting was started by Hamas. So don't make the Palestinian's out like victims. Having been on the receiving end of over 300 days of rocket and mortar attacks I can feel for both sides. But, if you want to play hard ball expect the other side will to. Hamas is well know for placing their firing positions in population centers increasing collateral damage when Israel strikes back. Bottom line is as long as Hamas continues to fire rockets into Israel the IDF will continue to strike back! Not rocket science!

• seanomelb | Nov 20, 2012, 08:27 PM EST

  I see the Zionist muckrakers below Support the extinction of the palestinians

• seanomelb | Nov 20, 2012, 08:24 PM EST

  Netanyahu makes hiotler look like a boy scout . I will always remember the holocaust perpetrated on the Palestinian people. The SS are aaaaaalive and well in the IDF.

• Redneck56 | Nov 20, 2012, 07:18 PM EST

  I completely agree with Smyrnian. Ariel Sharon NEVER said Jewish people control America!! That is complete and utter bull shyt that comes off a extreme right wing "I hate Obama" web site. Palestinians need to understand....Israel isn't going anywhere, so they might as well learn to live with them. Secondly....When the Turks ruled that land they didn't give Palestinians autonomy. When Egypt ruled that land, they didn't give Palestinians autonomy, neither did any other Arab nation when they governed that land...and there were several of them. No....They didn't give it to the Palestinians because guess what? IT DIDN'T BELONG TO THEM !!! Palestinians had the chance to coexist with Israel and instead choose to make war on their relatives instead. Screw em....They get what they get !!!

• Redneck56 | Nov 20, 2012, 05:47 PM EST

  Aren't these the same peace loving Palestinians that danced with joy in the streets when thousands of innocent men, women and children were killed and maimed on 9-11? Sorry. No sympathy here.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 20, 2012, 05:10 PM EST

  The US politicians and people can if they push the lobbing warmongers aside, withdraw the yearly 3.5 billon tax-payers dollars from Israel and pile on the pressure to get both sides into meaningful peace talks. Hey they could give back the Palestinian’s 50% of land instead of the miserable 20% there trying to exist on now blockaded illegally by Israel.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 20, 2012, 04:57 PM EST

  In further adding the people of Palestine in there OWN LAND elected Hamas as that is there right and they believe Hamas is there best chance of getting some sort of decent existence back from Israel and US. Israel knows this thus why they are being slaughtered as we write. Was there Censorship of the news last week in the US before they killed Ahmed Jabari the Hamas military leader. On this side of the globe we new he was at the latter stages of what he taught was a peace deal with the Israeli’s. Lets his guard-down and was vaporized by them. Ponder this Quote by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon 3 Oct. 2001 “We, the Jewish people, control America, and the Americans know it” and then think were the US is heading or I should say is already there. The Israeli’s don’t want peace now nor has it wanted it in its 64 year history as long the US gives them 100% backing.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 20, 2012, 04:56 PM EST

  After reading of such bigotry and inhumanity on this page one can loose faith [so to speak] that there will ever be Peace in the world or indeed that Concentration Camp called Gaza. But I also take Heart after reading the last 6 posts by shuvonn Thomas84 and WoundedKnee, I have to say you read my mind and that of many others & I comment you for your intelligent and compassionate posts which speck the truth and its imperative that people like yourself’s and everyone else that knows the truth and has a human heart to keep doing so at every opportunity to counter the hate filled ignorance I just read below. There words endorse the actions of Child & people killers of this cruel world.

• KevinKehoe | Nov 20, 2012, 04:54 PM EST

  On Saturday last outside one of Irelands historic buildings the GPO a peaceful protest of Irish people supporting the Palestine people gather and listened to speakers from Palestine, Egypt, Israel and Ireland. They all spoke the truth as they know it and from the heart. The Israeli utterly condemned the appalling Inhumanity his state was inflicting on his neighbors in his name. But by far the speaker who broke our Irish hearts was an Irishman named Greg Manahan [the film-maker named in this article]. He flew in from Gaza Friday evening. Its not in the video on this page but he was talking just as he is on the video [composed] till he came to the part about when he was in the Hospital the time they brought in a little girl in incinerated alive. He broke down but in his effort to gain composer I remember trying to say oh my god it was like being in Hell, the horror, how could people do such a thing. The horror he witnessed is easy to seen on video it will take you lovers of child-killers 60s to find on the net, dare you have a look and rattle your consciousness. I hope you do.

• Scrivner | Nov 20, 2012, 03:12 PM EST

  Whining Knee, and some of the dead Palstinian babies were from Hamas' rockets misfiring and landing in populated neighborhoods. Manahan called the Israeli attack a "targeted assination." Thak God the IDF is seeking out legitimate targets and not just leveling whole areas! I don't fully trust the IDF ever since the USS Liberty, but this exchange seems straightforward tit for tat.

• WoundedKnee | Nov 20, 2012, 02:36 PM EST

  That's a very eloquent and passionate post, Thomas. I would love to see how some of our violence-loving posters would look if they had to walk into a hospital cradling a dead son or daughter in their arms. As countless Palestinian fathers have had to do. I bet these posters wouldn't be such cheerleaders of mass killing if if was they who were cowering in the dark while the huge bombs went off! Their love for the bomb and the bullet wouldn't last long if their own child had an Israeli bullet in her brain. These posters (Irishphotograph, hooligan etc) are just contemptible hate-filled bigots.

• Thomas84 | Nov 20, 2012, 02:04 PM EST

  Irishphotograph is a liar. If he is actually irish i would be extremely surprised. The israeli child murder brigade have lost 22 people to these rockets in 12 years, if you dont believe me then get off your arse and look it up before you start telling me any moronic nonesence. The people of palestine are going through what my ancestors went through in the past, humiliated , beaten , murdered and butchered and any irish man or woman who takes israels side is a traitor to his/her people. Irelands true sons and daughters stand in total and unshakable solidarity with whats left of the palestinian people and condemn the murderous and barbaric actions of the terrorist state of israel. How many babies have to die before the israelis tire of their relentless slaughter, if there are any reading this i want you to know you disgust me and never , no matter what happens in this world will you have anything but my scorn and my hate. Burn in hell you child murdering filth.

• WoundedKnee | Nov 20, 2012, 01:38 PM EST

  Irishphotograph: 2100 Israelis killed? You're a total nut--you need psychiatric care. What a sick person you are, you deny the reality of countless Palestinians killed--100 in this bout, many thousands over the years--and instead create imaginary casualties in Israel. You don't believe me? How about I post some pictures of dead Palestinian babies?. A few seconds internet search will give you a few dozen. You'd like that, wouldn't you?

• WoundedKnee | Nov 20, 2012, 01:32 PM EST

  We Americans like to think we always favor the underdog. I have always believed that's baloney, and the best example is how we cheer on the mass killers of Israel, a first world technological society, armed with the latest computerized killing machines and financed, to our shame, by us, against a society of people who drive asses and carts and ride bicycles. But we in the US are really concerned about "democracy", aren't we? I guess that's why we have made every effort for years to subvert the results of the last election in Palestine. But we Americans value "freedom"! We whine about "freedom" all the time. But of course freedom, as we see from the Americans posting here, doesn't extend to freedom for the Palestinians. But we're peace lovers, we hate war! A hundred dead in a week? Oh that doesn't matter, say the baby killer brigade on this site, they're only Palestinians. Would some of the cheerleaders for bombing babies like me to post some pictures of dead Palestinian children? Not hard to find--the Israelis have killed thousands over the years.

• WoundedKnee | Nov 20, 2012, 01:17 PM EST

  JHooligan--Why the hell shpould a soveriegn people, the Palestinians, lay down their arms.

• NYCsheridan | Nov 20, 2012, 11:42 AM EST

  Meanwhile in today's news, the benevolent and mercifful Hamas is dragging bodies through the streets from the back of motorcycles. Sorry, no sympathy.

• hooligan6a | Nov 20, 2012, 10:55 AM EST

  If the Palestinians would lay down their arms today, there would be peace. If the Israelis would lay down their arms today, they would be slaughtered.

• PiperMac52 | Nov 20, 2012, 10:05 AM EST

  I guess if Hamas would stop shelling Israel with rockets as it has incessantly since Israel gave back land, Israel would not be defending itself and therefore would not be striking Gaza. Israel is in a no win situation. It seeks peace through land give backs and is immediately shelled from those locations and when Israel retaliates it is labeled the aggressor. Hamas, Al-Qaeda, Taliban and the Muslim Brotherhood all have as their goal the destruction of Israel and the Jews. This is taught to young children in schools throughout the Muslim world, even Saudi Arabia.

• shuvonn | Nov 20, 2012, 09:36 AM EST

  So the idf members who landed on the deck of the Mavi Marmara in INTERNATIONAL waters were ony defending themselves too according to YOUR *LOGIC* and U sue that word lightly when I refer to your post. So tell me how Gaza which has NO army, NO navy, No airforce, NO bomb shelters and 1.6 million civilians living in a 139 sq mile area that is blocked in on all sided except the Rafah Crossing with Egypt under an illegal blockade by Egypt. There are TWO sides involved in this, not ALL fault is on the Palestinian side or the israeli side here despite your delusion :-)

• Irishphotograph | Nov 20, 2012, 09:19 AM EST

  I have lived and breathed this conflict. Being at the aftermath of a suicide bomb. I have sympathies for the Palestinian people but I cant support Hamas. Each Hamas rocket is designed and want to kill as many Israelis as possible. So over 700 rockets fired at Israel and lets say 3 Israelis dead per rocket. That is 2100 people killed. If Hamas rockets were that successful, Gaza would be turned to dust by the Israeli military. That's what Hamas's direction and leadership of the Palestinian people is like when put into reality. The Palestinian people will have to see. That not one Arab bomb or bullet has ever served their cause for freedom but this 'holy grail' of peace that everyone desperately longs for, finds itself further and further away because of those who pursue violence. In the words of Reverend Martin Luther King, "Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy, instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it" The Palestinian people must do an evaluation of themselves and the realities of the situation they are in. It seems their struggle for freedom must start with those who lead and govern them.

• Smyrnian | Nov 20, 2012, 07:52 AM EST

  Maybe these two sorry Palestinian advocates should go back to Ireland where they would not be in danger of Israeli missiles returning Palestinian fire. There's an idea.