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Gazans struggle to celebrate Eid

Posted: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 9:26 AM
Filed Under:

By Lawahez Jabari, NBC News Producer 

JERUSALEM – On the first day of Eid al-Adha, the four-day Festival of Sacrifice which began on Monday, Muslims are expected to sacrifice a sheep and give it to poor people. But Samer Khaleel, 65, who lives in the Jabalia Refugee Camp in Gaza wasn't able to do that, he was waiting for someone else to bring him meat so he could celebrate with his family. 

For the last two years Khaleel has been without a job – the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has been helping him provide for his family. 

 

Image: A Palestinian smuggler moves a goat through a tunnel
SLIDESHOW: Life in Gaza under the Israeli blockade
 
He was distraught about the fact that he could not provide for his family during one of Islam’s most important holidays when Muslims usually enjoy lavish meals of lamb or beef and give gifts of clothes, sweets and money to family and friends.

"I was wearing my pajamas all day, asking God for someone to bring me meat to cook for my family, five of my children couldn't go out, they have no new clothes, they felt shame," he said over the phone from the refugee camp. "I am hurt."

While the global economic crisis has put a dent in the celebrations of many Muslims this year, Palestinians living in Gaza are particularly feeling the pain because of Israel’s stepped up blockade of the area in response to ongoing rocket attacks by Hamas militants.

No cash
Approximately 1.5 million Palestinians are confined to the narrow coastal strip of land. Gaza’s borders have been closed since Nov. 4 except for five days, including Tuesday, when they were temporarily reopened to allow in essential aid supplies like food and medicine. As a result there are major shortages of basic goods – from fuel to food. And now there are shortages of cash, too.

In an effort to tighten the blockade further, Israel suspended the transfer of cash to banks in Gaza on Dec. 4, which prevents 77,000 civil servants from getting their salaries. So the families of those workers aren’t celebrating Eid either – directly affecting an estimated 460,000 people.

Gaza’s economy runs on shekels, the Israeli currency. Israel says it is blocking the shipments of shekel bills into Gaza because they end up in the hands of the Hamas militants.

Since the money transfers were halted on Thursday, the banks have been closed because bank officials feared there would be violence from angry costumers.

The World Bank warned Israel over the weekend that the cash shortages could lead to the collapse of the commercial banking system in Gaza and that there could be "serious humanitarian implications" for the Palestinians living there. 

When Israel temporarily reopened some border crossing on Tuesday, some shipments of diesel fuel for Gaza’s only power plant were allowed in.

Otherwise, for the last month, the power plant has been all but silent – leaving the lights out for most residents – as a result of the blockade on fuel imports. Jamal Al Khudari, the chairman of the "Popular Committee against the Siege" who is also a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, says that the power plant has been operating at 20 percent capacity for the past several days. During the past month, the plant has relied on limited supplies smuggled through the underground tunnels with Rafah, Egypt.

VIDEO: Thanks to security improvements, Iraqis celebrate Eid

Civilians suffer
Israel has made clear that the intended target of the blockade is the Hamas government, which seized control of Gaza in June 2007, and who they blame for the rockets that continue to target Israel. But the civilian population has clearly suffered the most.

"What pain it is for me," said Fares Massror, 45, who lives in Gaza and has seven children. "I can’t find the words to explain to them why I can’t buy them new clothes for the Eid."

Sari Bashi, Director of Gisha, an Israeli non-profit organization whose stated goal is to protect the freedom of movement of Palestinians, criticized the halt on bank transfers.

"Blocking the flow of cash to Gaza's banks threatens to completely topple Gaza's already battered economy, depriving 1.5 million people of basic needs and their right to a dignified livelihood," said Bashi. "It is not clear what the government of Israel wishes to achieve by destroying the economic and humanitarian foundations of Palestinian society."

Whatever their intentions, the Israelis have achieved one thing with the blockade, dampened Eid celebrations for Palestinians in Gaza this year.

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Comments

The article said: "During the past month, the plant has relied on limited supplies smuggled through the underground tunnels with Rafah, Egypt."

Why are there *underground tunnels* going between Egypt and Gaza?  Why do things need to be *smuggled* at all from Egypt?  Egypt should be an ideological, cultural, and religious ally with Gaza, yet they seem as unsympathetic to Gazans as Israel....why?  

csy, or (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:06 PM)

Some say the Palestinians deserve the wretched condition not because of the action of the Israeli governmen but because they have fired rockets at brought this upon themselves.

They must as clueless then as Bush trying to bring peace. Its no wonder Israel overwhelmingly love Bush and despise Carter and Obama (McCain won by 2-1, one of only a few countries to support McCain in a poll). The rockets were fired IN RESPONSE to Israel breaking the truce by assassinating Hamas members, also known as extrajudicial killings. When you have one nation killing the elected representatives of another, its called WAR.

Nasser (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:09 PM)

To Steve Brenner,

One of my favorite propaganda lines of all time: "It was not as though there was a Palestinian people in Palestine...They did not exist."

I have one thing to say to you: Have you ever heard of the Bible? Read it some time. It mentions something called, are you ready for this... PALESTINE!

Do you know what has never existed prior to the UN mandate in 1948? It's... ISRAEL!

Now for a reality check.

Obviously the majority of you bloggers really don't want the whole story on the Palestinian issue to really be told. About the terrorists that bombed hotels and restaurants. About the terrorist murderers that destroyed entire villages. About the sadistic, horrifying actions against the innocent residents of Dier Yassin. How about the terrorists that were elected Prime Minister of "Israel". Like Yitzak Shamir, terrorist! Like Ariel Sharon, terrorist! And the worst of them all, like Menacham Begin, terrorist, murderer, torturer, rapist!

Palestinians (they most certainly existed before, during AND after the life of Golda Meir) want peace on their own land, in their own country. All Jews are welcome to live in Palestine in peace, but the only Jews that the land actually BELONGS to are Palestinian Jews, like those living in the West Bank Village of Nablus. Palestine belongs to all Palestinians, not the conquering usurpers, the Zionists that tosay call themselves "Israeli's".

Give the land back to the true owners of the land, Palestinians. I will say it again, all are welcome to live in Palestine in peace!    

Munna, Chicao, Illinois (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:11 PM)

Aren't the poor suffering Gazans the very same people who voted for Hamas to run their so called govt? Sometimes democracy comes with a price; in this case no meat for Eid. In fact,no nothing for Eid or any other day for that matter. There seems to be plenty of resources to buy rockets, bombs and bullets although they aren't very nourishing. It's your govt Gazans, quit whining about the implications of your choices. Nobody cares, especially your fellow muslims.    

John W. Welch Spokane, WA (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:17 PM)

Any country that is occupied by a foreign country has every right to use whatever weapons available to it to rid itself of the occupier, ie, France/Germany,  Scotland/England, Ireland/England, Kuwait/Iraq, China/Japan and so on.  At this point in time the only weapons available to the Palestinians are small rockets that do no damage, and random suicide attacks.  Without help it is only a matter of time until all Palistinian land is taken by Israel.

If your a real American you will support your country's policy of a two State solution.

Al (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:19 PM)

It is amazing to me that people are brushing all Palestinians with the "terrorist" brush. While it is unacceptable to verbalize prejudice against African Americans, Jews, and other minority groups, it is still ok to verbalize prejudice against Muslims. It is disgraceful. At what point did it become ok to starve innocent people? At what point did it become ok to treat people like dogs? If it was Jews who were being starved and abused in this way, the world would rise up in protest. But just like every other abuse that the Palestinians have suffered, this one continues to be ignored. The victims (Palestinians) continue to be blamed for the continued abuse doled out on them by Zionists. Perhaps we should all go back and read international law, which states that the state of Israel has performed multiple illegal behaviors and has committed many human rights violations. This is only the latest.

Jessica H, Sacramento, CA (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:20 PM)

What we see and learn in the U.S. about the Isreali-Palestinian Conflict comes from biased networks, so neither do we understand nor do we try to understand the complete story underlying the conflict.  I have always been on the Isreali side until I finally started watching the Jazeera network and had the opportunity to see what each side has to say

Rico Mendoza (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:25 PM)

A Message to Arabs and the Rest of The World:
It appears to me that the Palestinian's conditions and the hatred for Israel and Jews have been created as a distraction to the Arab world by the incredibly rich arab ruling class to stay in power.  Otherwise, I surmise there would have been assimilation decades later by now or even a revolution by the Arab working class.  The focus always seems to be outward as if Israel and Jews are causing their problems.  That's so passe. Unfortunately, too many poor Arab dupes and much of the rest of the world have bought this ploy. What about a sense of personal responsibility and the laws of cause and effect?

You guys have so much oil money, you could have set up model communities on wastelands, similar to what Israel did. Why is thinking restricted to one little strip of land by Israel? Why not simply think of Israel only as a trading partner?  Why not take some responsibility and do something positive NOW???  Create more taxpayers and give people a sense of pride in themselves.  Does this make sense to anyone else?  

Joe Shmoe, San Diego, California (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:33 PM)


Saeed says: "It screams of dsepicable favoritism"

Saeed, this is entirely appropriate. The ideals of Israel are in sync with the ideals of the Western World. Hamas... not so much.

The leaders of Gaza care more about firing high-explosive rockets into Israel than they care about doing the hard work of forming a funtioning economy, growing their own food, and securing their own borders.

Remember, Egypt has also closed their border with Gaza. It seems they don't want terrorists in their country, either.

Imagaine that!

Adam, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:36 PM)

ellen s you are an ignorant @$*. not all palestinians want to kill isrealis. the problem is when england left and let all the europeans move in and kick the people that have been living there for hundreds of years off their land yes their land. they all got along until the imperialist left. so do some research and learn the history of palestine, british palestine. or isreal what ever you want to call the holy land. also the two religions there islam and judaism are pretty much the same i.e. no pork, burying the dead with in twenty four hours blah blah. educate your selves please people

angry irishman, boston, ma (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:39 PM)

It is amazing that a large amount of the postings regarding this article sanction collective punishment of the Palestinan People. They all say, why do they have the tunnels...for guns and ammunition? Amazing. These people have no control over their lives. They have no control over their borders. They are not animals to be caged and depend on the charity of their occupiers. The resistance began well after their forcible removal from, and subsequent division of their land, and it will continue as long as these readers assume that Israel is automatically right. In other words, you are fooling yourself if you think that you would act graciously under occupation. Foolish.

Brian Carroll (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:42 PM)

You know what? I have no sympathy for these people. How many years did they support terrorism? How many years did parents raise their kids, hoping they would grow up to be suicide bombers? They somehow forget to tell THAT side of the story, even though those stories ran as little as 2 years ago.

So seriously, how can you give a rat's butt about an entire culture that's devoted itself to terrorism? Seriously. If these people didn't support Hamas and other homegrown terror groups, they would simply cease to exist. Even with outside funding, all their manpower and material support comes from the Palestinians themselves. There is simply no way I can feel sorry for anything that happens to them.

Wolf, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:43 PM)

ITS SIMPLE: ISRAEL NEEDS A WAY TO STOP THE ROCKET ATTACKS.  They want to avoid firing into gaza and killing people.  So they close the border to apply pressure.  Imagine having mortars and rockets fired onto brooklyn daily.  Would any country not go and kill every single terrorist?  Would they not launch a war?  Would the US not attack terrorists on Canadian land if Buffalo was under attack?  Israel is trying NOT to attack, so they close the border. Yes MOSt palesitains are good poeple who dont kill, all they are looking for is a better life.  BUT apathy is their crime.  Only they can better their live.  All israeli's want is to live, go to work and enjoy life.  Israeli's DO live in peace with palistinians, the ones who are intersted in living in peace and queit.  They are called israeli-arabs.  AND NONE of them would ever leave their beloved country, for life in israel is good.  If the palestian people and specifically the leadership wanted peace, they would have their own fully fucntional land and government tomorrow.  No they wont get ALL of their demands, but bottom line, lay down your weapons and watch your own people.  Israel would welcome and aid this.  THe state of palistine would exist tomorrow.  I welcome all opinions, comment and disagreements on these words...

Tony Cappuccino (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:43 PM)

The only place you see desperate people carrying out suicide bombings and attacks is in a place where they are so desperate that they feel there is no other alternative and they have been done such wrong that they don't want to live.  One of those places is Gasa where innocent children and families are killed and all hope of a decent life is crushed by the terrorist state of Isreal.  The other place is Iraq, where similar conditions have been created the American military.

David, Idaho (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:44 PM)

Menchim Begin, the late leader of Israel, was a terrorist too during the British Rule.

As one British Actor said, Terrorism is the war of the Rich, and War is the Terrorism of the poor.

There is enough terrorism on both sides - Palestinians and Israelis.

BlogFest (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:45 PM)

I love all the zionists posting in this thread. Did you guys happen to forget that israel forcefully removed the palestinians from their own land in 1948? wow! maybe that is why they are so bitter twords israelis. How would Americans like if Mexicans invaded Texas again and claimed it as part of their country again? If you fucktards understood modern history you wouldn't be making such ignorant comments.

Mister Haab (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:46 PM)

To Saeed Hussein:
"It screams of bias, injustice, and despicable favoritism what Israel, the militaristic, terrorist state, is allowed to get out with esp. with its influential, money-flushed supporters who have the ears of all of Congress (the Senate, House, and President) of the sole superpower in the world. What else do you need?"

There is no favoritism here for the sake of favoritism. The only favoritism going on by the US is that we are favoring those who adhere to the values we believe in, such as freedom and abhorrence of terror or other indiscriminate violence. If the Palestinians adhered to American values, they too should and would receive US support. Sadly, though, they continue to cling to terrorism to achieve their political goals, and have noone to blame but their collective selves for voting into power an organization bent on war, terror and oppression of its own peoples.

The Palestinian consituents should petition their "government" to cease the rocket attacks, contined attempts to hijack Israeli soldiers, RETURN GILAD SHALIT IN GOOD HEALTH TO HIS FAMILY, stop sumggling in weapons, and deply whatever funds they have toward helping their subjects and not funding continued terror attacks on Israeli civlians.

Let's hope they make the right choices in the next election.

Victor (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:48 PM)

It's sad to see all this ignorance in the world.

Palestine never existed?  Really?  Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Jews all lived peacefully together prior to 1948.  Do some real research, it's not that hard today with the internet.  Ignorance is your choice, you choose to be stupid by not really learning about what you speak of.  

Palestine was never a state?  That's funny, because my mother still has her Palestinian passport.  Born in Jerusalem, her family's land is now gone.  Stolen, settled upon, all for a "people" who decided to lay claim to land 1500 years after the fact.  

Palestine never a state?  Very strange how I can go on EBay and buy some Palestinian collector's items like coins and currency pre-dated 1948.

What sickens me most is the thought that "people" anywhere deserve misery.  That children deserve this kind of miserable existence.  You people on this site who spout lies to support your hatred of Arabs and Muslims are despicable people.  You are alright with women and children dying, with families starving.  

Say what you must say to live with yourselves, but at the end of the day, you are in-human if you think that ANYONE deserves to live in such conditions.

Hamas, like many Palestinian political parties, is crap.  In a supposedly "Democratic" election, they ran as the party of change.  They promised food, jobs, peace.  They did not run on the ticket of violence.  And who could run against them?  Who had their power, money, resources, and influence?  The people believed them (they really had not other viable choice), and now they have what they have.  

The people of Palestine however do not have a true democracy.  They do not have a justice system, or legal system, or anything to allow them to challenge their new oppressors.  Yes, Hamas is oppressing their people just as Israel already oppresses them.  The Palestinians of Gaza now get it on both ends...Don't for a second though try to make some kind of argument that Israel tries to do what is best for Palestinians.  They do what is best for Israel.  They need Palestine to be in a state of upheavel, disarray, and anarchy.  Without it, Israel could not argue to the U.S. congress that they need more aid and military support.

And don't for a second think that Israel loves the idea of a peaceful existence with anyone.  The Israeli charter states that ONLY Jews can be true citizens of Israel.  They do not like Arabs (particularly the Muslim kind) and they do not like Christians.  They tolerate them in Israeli territory, but they do not like them.

At the end of the day, ignorance and stupidity will continue to exist (as is witnessed here)...I just hope that some of you take the time to take your heads out of your rear-ends and actually learn a thing or two about the true history of the region.

John Doe, Seattle, Wash (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:51 PM)

maybe you should live in hebron, jordan where those wacko isrealis attack palestinians

angry irishman (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:51 PM)

  I'm a Vietnam combat veteran and a Christian, I cannot believe the hatred. misinformation and iqnorants  from this blog coming from the Pro Israel apologetics
Let’s be clear the rockets from Gaza is and always has been a respond to Israel continuing aggression. First Israel assassinates Palestinians freedom fighters with their USA made F16’s and Apache’s then Palestinians rightly respond by sending crude made rockets into Sderot. The latest 5 months truce was broken by Israel when IOF entered Gaza to destroy a tunnel that could have been used to capture Israeli soldiers and in the process killed 12 Palestinians including civilians. Mind you the so called tunnel was 1/2 mile from Israel border, the tunnel from the Egyptian border is approximately 150ft. Israel incursion into Gaza was another excuse for Israel to make put pressure on Hamas by making  life miserable for the Palestinians and therefore to rebut Hamas.
But it's not working the continuing blockage and killing by Israel is only making the Palestinians more resolve to support Hamas vs Abbas and greater hate toward Israel.
Oh yes! the world should feel sorry for poor Jews from Sderot, for  their getting a little taste of what the Palestinians have been getting from Israel 41 years of occupation.
Since the second Intifata of 2000 over 5000 Israeli and Palestinians have died, 4000 were Palestinians of which over 1000 were children.

I wonder if the USA was under occupation what we would do?

Marine Grunt (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 2:53 PM)

Hey Mark the Spark --  what good are photos of rocket damage going to do? There are literally volumes and volumes of pictoral evidence of the Holocaust, yet Muslims don't believe that happened.  Has Hamas ever denied firing rockets into Israel?  No.  Wake up!

Mike in Portland, OR (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:00 PM)

Ohhh Gee Willikers....There are hundreds of tunnels used for smuggling arms and ammunition. Why don't they smuggle food through them too?

Prior to the first Intifada...1988...and ownward. Palestinians moved between Gaza and The West Bank with relative freedom. Palestinian Day workers worked  ...Construction...Agriculture/Horticulture...etc. After "martyrs" began their killing spree; blowing up buses, stabbing, shooting, and stoning Israelis (concurrent with The Clinton Brokered "Oslo Peace Accord"), The Palestinians pretty much killed the goose that laid the golden eggs!
The world must understand...Israel is the umbilical cord of Palestine....All essential services: Water, Electricity, Capital Funding....you name it...must come from Israel. No adjoining Arab State wants or cares about Palestinians or their self created plight!
When the Palestinian Authority..Hammas, and all other affiliated Terrorist Groups decide to stop their policy of Anti Semitic/Anti Zionistic violence...Perhaps the Palestinian People.(whoever they claim to be), will be allowed to work in Israel again?

Fred S. (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:01 PM)

Where's the story about Israelites struggling to enjoy Hannukah due to the rockets falling on their heads?

Mike in Portland, OR (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:02 PM)

The hornet's nest of Israeli symphathizers have arrived.  Fact is, the Israelis are committed to the destruction of Palestinians and Palestinian culture.  You can't steal a person's land without erasing all knowledge of their existence.  Ethnic cleaning is occurring before our eyes, yet it's called the "war on terror".  Pathetic.

Richard (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:10 PM)

Bombs and rockets kill few, a blockade kill and starve hundreds and thousands. How many rockets are fired? How small are they? Damage to property?

People talked about how the rockets are so devastating. what about this blockade that is destroying thousands of lives. psychologically, physically, socially, and economically. damage done by
isrealis is far more devastating than the damage done by hamas. Genocide, mass murder, slaughter. the isrealis or zionists are doing the same as the nazi regime did to them. It's just that the isrealis are justifying it as self-defense.

Jessica Jacobs (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:10 PM)

Gaza has a boarder with Egypt, why don't the Egyptians help their own? I don't understand why Israel is the bad guy here while the kindered people of the Palestinians stand by & watch them go down the drain.Seems to me the rich Arabs never want to use their money for good, only for war.

Fred Quinter (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:28 PM)

It’s a pity how you guys are brain washed by the media.
Just remember when the Jews had no where to go; it was the Palestinian Muslims who let them stay in their country, and slowly they started taking over the land, its not all Jews who believe in the state of Israel, it only the Zionists.

Why do you think the Muslims shouldn’t fight back for their land and for their homes? Wouldn’t you fight back for your home if someone came along and kicked you out and started occupying it and if someone came and rapped the women of your house and killed your family, Don’t tell me you would just sit back and enjoy all that happening and not do anything about it.

Open your eyes people it’s not just happening in Palestine,food shortages are happning in so many countries because these American Zionists are contoling all the food supplies .

I think you guys are a bit confused about who’s killing who, even though it’s happening in front of you eyes. If Islam was a religion of terrorism why do we have Eid al Adha, we have to sacrifice an animal and feed the poor, why do we have the month of fasting, when we have to fast and during this fast we have to control our desires and evil talk and evil doings, we have to be patient and also give charity so we can be guided and try to behave good for the rest of our lives.

If Muslims where the terrorists the story would have been the opposite, the Zionist Jews in the Gaza strip and the Muslims in their homes.

I put a link below if you people want to know a little bit about the Zionists, it’s a three minute clip.

Iram, England (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:31 PM)

Thank God for the internet and for this article. I learned so many facts. I learned that it is not right to steal the Palestinian irrigation water and fill the Israeli's pools so their kids can swim while the Palestinians suffer from hunger. I've seen that. I've also seen as the whole world witnessed too clips about Palestinian kids trying to go around israeli road blocks and confront soldiers so they can make it to school. I've seen on tv how children of palestine go to bed hungry while israeli kids get fat and spoiled. I challenge any good person to go and live in Palestine for one day only as a palestinian. If you can servive the food shortage and the daily humilation by the israeli soldiers of the palestinians then i confess that i am wrong about everything i wrote in this message. But thank God for the internet. Jesus taught us to live together and give. Can't wait for his return. For God's sake make friends with your neighbour. Does it occur to you why no country (on a people level) wants to be friends with israel. Be a good neighbour then God will love you. This way you prosper. Country with no friends is an isolated country.      

Linda, OKC, Oklahoma (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:32 PM)

"There were no such thing as Palestinians. When was there an independent Palestinian people with a Palestinian state? It was either southern Syria before the First World War, and then it was a Palestine including Jordan. It was not as though there was a Palestinian people in Palestine considering itself as a Palestinian people and we came and threw them out and took their country away from them. They did not exist."

Exactly so obviously if they don't exist then the logical course of action is to kill them all off right?
Listen, NOT EVERYONE IS A TERRORIST, if you want to talk about morality then know that, in TRUE morality, if even ONE person dies that should have not, morality has failed.
What do you think the education system is like in some of these deprived countries? do you think it possibly compares to the well informed education that we get, say, here in the states?
Certainly not, so when people say that they chose their own government.. you're right. Using what deprived knowledge they have attained they elected the Hamas militants.
Who's fault is this? What do you think the education system is like in Israel comparatively? Wouldn't a much better course of action for Israel be to not only provide sustenance for a starving population but also provide education? Ever heard of the $100 laptop?

Michael, Colorado (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:32 PM)

Saeed,
I dont think anyone in America see's Israel as the holiest people on earth. Lets face it, thse are the people that funded slavery in Africa.
But Palistine invited the devil (Arafat)into their home with Hamas and all the other groups that have no problem with killing women and children in the name of Islam. You started it at the Olympics by killing a bunch of kids. Every time peace comes close you blow it by killing some more people.
They made their bed with the devil at the head. This will go on forever till they throw the devil out.

You know, in Iraqi the Sunni's almost made their bed with the devil (Osama). But the Sunni's were very smart and after watching all the random, senseless killing threw the Devil out (at the end of their sword). Now alot of people in the world are realizing the Sunni's were better, smarter leaders and should be put back into power. Palistine needs to wake up, recognise whats going on and throw the Devil out. Just because your neighbors are Arab does not mean they are your friends. They are the ones who sold out Palestine to be their choosen battle ground against Isreal because they were to high and mighty to do it themselves. Palestine has been the sacrificial lamb of the Arab and Persian nations.

God will not help those who are unwilling to help themselves.

Carl, OKC, OK (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:33 PM)

Hey everyone - read your history, these people have been at war with each other (albeit with periodic bouts of peace) for more than 2 millennia. Far more than just historical, the hatred by now is probably genetic. No government or international mediator will ever be able to quell the rage of so much pain. Unless the people of Palestine rise to the challenge of self governance, as opposed to following the pathetic and hate filled rhetoric of the Hamas, there will never be peace.

Ken Arrington, Fairfax, VA (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:34 PM)

To those idiots who  blast MSNBC for brining up a story to the readers. Stop the bios and leave it to the reader to decide. Stop the Bush fearing startegy to shut up your critics. You are either with us or with them!!

Tom Smith (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:34 PM)

Hmmmm. let's see, if Mexico were launching rockets into Texas would the US send them food, fuel and more ammo?? Or what if it were Canada? Would the US? Or would we do our best to blockade them, and wait for them to cede? Even if their govt were freely elected? How much more to you want Israel to give?

Judy Stonington, CT (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:36 PM)

Victimhood has been the sole justification for the "Palestinian" myth since 1949.  There was no such concept as a "Palestinian People" until the PLO invented it in the 1970's. Read what Golda Meir said in Steve Brenner's posts.  That is the real history that most of the bleeding heart sympathizers are too young to know or care about. The Palestinian people are an invention of the Arab/Muslim regimes and the PLO, and the invention was nurtured by the U.N. humanitarian efforts to support the camps through all these years.  The host governments did nothing to assimilate their Arab cousins because they were necessary pawns in the cause of destroying Israel, a successful democratic state that was a theocratic and political thorn in the Arab buttocks. It didn't work, so they turned to terrorism.  The tragic mistake that Israel has made is that it let the world forget the true history of the so-called "Palestinians" and the treachery and religious bigotry that created them. And the myth that they lived on land in Israel for generations is a bald faced lie.  The place was sparsely inhabitted in the late 19th century and the Arab regimes made a concerted effort to fill it with Arabs after the designation of the "Jewish Homeland" by the League of Nations under the Balfour Declaration after WWI. There was continuous conflict and illegal inmigration of Arabs and suppression of Jewish immigration by the British throughout the period between WWI and WWII. The "Palestinians" are imposters.

norm, st. louis, Missouri (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:36 PM)

why don't the rich oil- countries come to their rescue!!!! quit smuggling weapons and the borders will be free and open to the civilians that are suffering.....IF NOT KEEP THEM CLOSED!!!! GOD BLESS ISRAEL!!!!!! and to john doe???whoever u are???your'e an idiot!!!!!

SAn antonio (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:40 PM)

I'm a Vietnam combat veteran and a Christian, I cannot believe the hatred and misinformation from this blog coming from the Pro Israel apologetics
Let’s be clear the rockets from Gaza is and always has been a respond to Israel continuing aggression. First Israel assassinates Palestinians freedom fighters with their USA made F16’s and Apache’s then Palestinians rightly respond by sending crude made rockets into Sderot. The latest 5 months truce was broken by Israel when IOF entered Gaza to destroy a tunnel that could have been used to capture Israeli soldiers and in the process killed 12 Palestinians including civilians. Mind you the so called tunnel was 1/2 mile from Israel border, the tunnel from the Egyptian border is approximately 150ft. Israel incursion into Gaza was another excuse for Israel to make put pressure on Hamas by making  life miserable for the Palestinians and therefore to rebut Hamas.
But it's not working the continuing blockage and killing by Israel is only making the Palestinians more resolve to support Hamas vs Abbas and greater hate toward Israel.
Oh yes! the world should feel sorry for poor Jews from Sderot, for  their getting a little taste of what the Palestinians have been getting from Israel 41 years of occupation.
Since the second Intifata of 2000 over 5000 Israeli and Palestinians have died, 4000 were Palestinians of which over 1000 were children.

I wonder if the USA was under occupation what we would do?

Carmelo, NJ (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:43 PM)

Only an even handed US policy can help end this tragedy but the likely prospect is for the US Administration to temporize and the Congress to continue to be a supine ,cowardly body.Ultimately, this situation will deteriorate into another war which may well be nuclear which would be catastrophic for everyone.

John,New york (Sent Wednesday, December 10, 2008 3:51 PM)



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