Gaza cannot commit aggression against Israel as under international law it is illegally occupied by Israel.

Gaza is occupied? What plant are you consuming?
...

The same one as the United Nations it seems.

UN: We still consider Gaza "occupied"

I know they are not as great as an authority as you Gary, but I suspect they know a thing or two about international politics.

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Reality Internet Personality

Gaza cannot commit aggression against Israel as under international law it is illegally occupied by Israel.

Gaza is occupied? What plant are you consuming?
...

The same one as the United Nations it seems.

UN: We still consider Gaza "occupied"

I know they are not as great as an authority as you Gary, but I suspect they know a thing or two about international politics.

You should have listened better. The word "part" is spoken. UN will not talk about just Gaza. Nor will they talk about just the West Bank. Oh and you did notice the reason for the question is that the government of Palestine said Gaza isn't occupied. Do you think they might know better than the UN? Or are you advocating "one world government?"

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.......
Gaza is occupied? What plant are you consuming?

You might want to ask the same question to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Israel, Ilana Stein, who I've just watched in a news interview (admittedly on Russia Today) but you can still try and catch it.
To fulfil their territorial obligations due to the occupation (her word) she said that leaflets are distributed to the population warning them before the slaughter (my word) begins.

Some further reading...

Instead of demanding a halt to Israel's campaign of collective punishment against what is still illegally occupied territory, the western powers have blamed the victims for fighting back

.......
Gaza is occupied? What plant are you consuming?

You might want to ask the same question to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Israel, Ilana Stein, who I've just watched in a news interview (admittedly on Russia Today) but you can still try and catch it.
To fulfil their territorial obligations due to the occupation (her word) she said that leaflets are distributed to the population warning them before the slaughter (my word) begins.

Some further reading...

Instead of demanding a halt to Israel's campaign of collective punishment against what is still illegally occupied territory, the western powers have blamed the victims for fighting back

From that article: "The idea that Israel is defending itself against unprovoked attacks from outside its borders is an absurdity. Despite Israel’s withdrawal of settlements and bases in 2005, Gaza remains occupied both in reality and international law, its border, coastal waters, resources, airspace and power supply controlled by Israel."

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Reality Internet Personality

FACT, if Gaza accept Egypt's cease fire proposal this would not have happened. Whoever is firing the rockets into Israel has an agenda and it isn't the safety of kids on the beach. There are some sick puppies over there.

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The statements you have shown us from the UN are just words. What is needed are deeds, that can be trusted by both sides.

Now who do you propose takes over the control of Gaza's borders and airspace?
Obviously as it stands at the moment it cannot be by Hamas, that would just make the situation worse.

Instead of demanding a halt to Israel's campaign of collective punishment against what is still illegally occupied territory, the western powers have blamed the victims for fighting back

For the third time in five years, the world’s fourth largest military power has launched a full-scale armed onslaught on one of its most deprived and overcrowded territories.

If it is Israel's territory, then the occupiers must be Hamas!

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Olof Palme was in Palestine and every time he was in favour of peace.
He is now gone(which is sad).

I can't see palestine win on any military conflict since their enemies are stronger.

And for the last years Swedish press keep reporting of Isreal new builing houses on Palestine ground. Even though both FN and Obama with more has said a number of times that the new buildings must stop.
Israel does not listen....

It looks like this time the conflict will keep on going until there is a winner.
Winner takes all this time I guess.

And the rest of the world just stands by and watches.

If Isreal pulls back from new building settlements ground and gives back territory to Palestine. There won't be a reason for missiles going to the Israel side.

Someone does not seem to want this since new settlement are increasing through the years.

Though shall not kill I suppose is mentioned in texts on both sides.
I really hope both sides can find a way for peace here.

FACT, if Gaza accept Egypt's cease fire proposal this would not have happened. Whoever is firing the rockets into Israel has an agenda and it isn't the safety of kids on the beach. There are some sick puppies over there.

There have been plenty of times where Hamas stuck to the cease fire agreements and it was Israel that started firing the first shots.

Does Israel have the right to protect its citizens and country from attack?

If the answer for other Country's is yes. The answer for Israel is yes.

The have been doing this supposed self defense for decades now, without getting any kind of improvement in the situation. Self defense is permitted, but this isn't self defense. This is maintaining the status quo. Israel has absolutely no interest in resolving the situation. They have no interest in actually defeating Hamas. They have no interest in peace with the Palestinians. Israel has lost the right to claim that what they are doing is just 'self defense'.

Israel has shown more restraint, than persons attacking Israel in this Board, would demand from their Government, if under constant, and indiscriminant, weapon barrage, directed where their children live.

No it has not shown that much self restraint. Unless you count the fact that they haven't dropped a nuke on the place (like Avigdor Lieberman suggested). I'm sorry, but not having stooped to the lowest, most barbaric methods of total warfare is not restraint.

The only solution is one that neither side will accept. Put the whole region under international (U.N.) control, round up all the guns and rockets, arrest anyone on either side that so much as throws a rock at his neighbor and see if you can hold the peace long enough for a generation or two to survive without the threat of violence.

The above will never happen so the violence will continue for a very long time

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Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

FACT, if Gaza accept Egypt's cease fire proposal this would not have happened. Whoever is firing the rockets into Israel has an agenda and it isn't the safety of kids on the beach. There are some sick puppies over there.

There have been plenty of times where Hamas stuck to the cease fire agreements and it was Israel that started firing the first shots.

Link?

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If Isreal pulls back from new building settlements ground and gives back territory to Palestine. There won't be a reason for missiles going to the Israel side.

Absurd. Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel as a State. This is Not about any 'occupation'.

And Hamas has a much chance of destroying Israel as some back woods militia in Louisiana who's stated aim is destroying the US Federal Government has of achieving it's aims or, Britain has of leaving the EU.

I'm not sticking up for Hamas but to say that Hamas' actions justify a full on invasion is like me saying I'm entitled to beat up a kid in a wheel chair because his brother threw a rock at me.

T.A.

This is Not about any 'occupation'.

You are right about that the real reason is in a earlier post I made .

the orthodox Jewish ppl have tried at least 2 times I know off since 1998 have to the Temple Mount and tried to lay the first corner stone of King Solomons Temple as I have said when this Temple has been rebuilt 3 times I think the good book says then Jesus will come back.

Hamas , Rockets , saying Israel should be wiped off the map is all noise and they just play on it until they get the prise

Capital Jerusalem and they are in control of the Temple Mount and rebuild the Temple of solomon

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My aren't we all full of verbiage today.

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Not exactly pertaining to this thread, but it does show clearly the major issues in the Middle East...

Iraqi Christians flee

""For the first time in the history of Iraq, Mosul is now empty of Christians," he said.

The patriarch, one of the most senior Christian clerics in Iraq, said militants had been seen tagging Christian houses with the letter N for "Nassarah", a term used for Christians in the Koran".

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Some where above, someone mentioned that this is not about the threat the Palestinians pose to Israel, it's about oil and gas deposits in Gaza and off the coast.

This picture might help explain. BTW The captions were on the original picture, they are not mine


T.A.

This is just a revitalised Batman serial...

Next week, same time, same channel

"The impossible position of the Gaza Strip wedged between a hostile Egypt and Israel will continue. And in the absence of any broader peace initiative on the horizon, once Operation Protective Edge is over, the countdown will begin towards the next upsurge in violence."

---

And here is the text of the article that picture is from...
Apologies for the long post.

In the wake of the invasion, Palestinian gas fields were de facto confiscated by Israel in derogation of international law

The December 2008 military invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli Forces bears a direct relation to the control and ownership of strategic offshore gas reserves.

The issue of sovereignty over Gaza’s gas fields is crucial. From a legal standpoint, the gas reserves belong to Palestine.

The death of Yasser Arafat, the election of the Hamas government and the ruin of the Palestinian Authority have enabled Israel to establish de facto control over Gaza’s offshore gas reserves.

British Gas (BG Group) has been dealing with the Tel Aviv government. In turn, the Hamas government has been bypassed in regards to exploration and development rights over the gas fields.

***

The military occupation of Gaza is intent upon transferring the sovereignty of the gas fields to Israel in violation of international law.

What can we expect in the wake of the invasion?

What is the intent of Israel with regard to Palestine’s Natural Gas reserves?

A new territorial arrangement, with the stationing of Israeli and/or “peacekeeping” troops?

The militarization of the entire Gaza coastline, which is strategic for Israel?

The outright confiscation of Palestinian gas fields and the unilateral declaration of Israeli sovereignty over Gaza’s maritime areas?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/war-and-natural-gas-the-israeli-invasion-and-gaza-s-offshore-gas-fields/11680

*****

Guess What? Lots Of Oil, Natural Gas In Gaza!
A Secret Behind Israel's Siege of Gaza: Palestinians Have Oil and Natural Gas Resources:

Finding information about Palestine's oil and gas resources is difficult. Even wikipedia doesn't mention it nor do most encyclopedias and other academic resources.

The major corporate media has completely ignored and/or has remained blissfully ignorant about Palestinian oil and gas because it goes against the script of how powerful hidden western corporate and government interests want to portray Palestine.

Western media, Israel and the US would rather have the world see Palestinians groveling in extreme poverty and/or portrayed as "terrorists" who want to kill everyone.

Palestinians, empowered from oil and gas revenues, could live decently. Shed of their impoverished image, the world would see them as the Bright, Shining Human Beings they are. But Bright, Shining Human Beings are harder to disappear than those depicted by governments and the media as untermenschen (nazi German term for "inferior people").

If you want to know more about this important subject, the best places to look are oil and energy websites and publications.

Palestinian oil and gas is no secret in the energy field. It's just a secret to everyone else.

http://www.rense.com/general84/guess.htm

*****

So why is Israel really attacking Gaza? It's not about self defense and it's obviously not about avenging those three teenagers. Those are just cover stories for the naive. What this is really about is natural gas.

It turns out that Gaza has quite a bit of natural gas on its coastline. One of the largest sources in the region. British Gas, which holds a joint exploration agreement for the area estimates that the fields hold at least 1 trillion cubic feet of gas. That gas belongs to the Palestinian people and they should be the ones to benefit from it. Israel disagrees.

(An interesting side story on this issue: At one point Russia was bidding for a chance to develop Gaza's gas fields.)

After the death of Yasser Arafat, under questionable circumstances, Israel has controlled those fields, and British Gas has negotiated with Tel Aviv.

With power divided between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, the Palestinians have been too weak to put up any meaningful ,resistance and Israel would like to keep it that way. The Unity Government between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority threatens Israel's control of those fields, and as such it has to be destroyed.

http://scgnews.com/the-gaza-bombardment-what-youre-not-being-told

*****

Much is still unexplored, but currently Palestine’s Gaza and the West Bank between them show the greatest discoveries, with anything found in Lebanon and Syria’s territorial waters sure to involve claims from both countries.

Israel: Gas, Oil and Trouble in the Levant: http://www.globalresearch.ca/israel-gas-oil-and-trouble-in-the-levant/5362955

*****

Another conflict is rapidly emerging over development of vast natural gas fields offshore in the Levant Basin of the Eastern Mediterranean, which could transform Israel into a major world energy producer and change the geo-political landscape. At stake is who will win control over an energy prize of over 122 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and more 1.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil according to estimates of the US Geologic Survey. http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/102952/sec

*****

Russia’s Gazprom, of course, is not keen to lose its stranglehold on the European market. To that end, it’s jumped in on Tamar itself, obtaining exclusive rights from Israel to develop the field’s liquefied natural gas (LNG). Here’s the plan: Russia is hoping to divert Israeli gas exports to Europe by banking on these resources being turned into LNG for Russian export to Asian markets instead. Russia is willing to invest heavily in a $5 billion floating LNG facility to this end. In return it gets exclusive rights to purchase and export Tamar LNG. (Gazprom has signed the deal but it still awaits final approval from Israel).

For Israel, this is a windfall. There is an estimated 425 billion cubic meters (16 trillion cubic feet of gas in its Leviathan field, plus the 250 billion cubic meters in the Tamar field, which is now officially pumping. All this gas is worth about $240 billion on the European market, and Tamar gas alone could boost Israel’s GDP by 1% annually. For now, the Tamar gas will result in a decline in the price of electricity for Israelis by way of reducing the production costs for the state utility.

For Europe, it will mean newfound power to deal with Russia differently like it did with the recent Cypriot bailout package that came along with a harsh lesson for Russian oligarchs who are seeing their Cypriot banks holdings sequestered. http://oilprice.com/Energy/Natural-Gas/Gas-Starts-Flowing-from-Israels-Levant-Basin-What-Now.html

*****

In a significant political and economic development, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Jan. 23 with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting came as a prerequisite to officially sign an investment agreement aiming to develop the Gaza offshore gas field in the Mediterranean Sea. It is only logical to assume that this step will raise the ire of Israel. The latter does not appreciate the role Russia plays in the region, especially since Israel has never come to an agreement with Russia.

Russia preparing to develop Gaza gas field: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/business/2014/01/russia-palestine-offshore-gas-field-gaza.html##ixzz37rsMtiYI

*****

Never mind the 'war on terror' rhetoric, writes Nafeez Ahmed. The purpose of Israel's escalating assault on Gaza is to control the Territory's 1.4 trillion cubic feet of gas - and so keep Palestine poor and weak, gain massive export revenues, and avert its own domestic energy crisis.

T.A.

And here is the text of the article that picture is from...
Apologies for the long post.

In the wake of the invasion, Palestinian gas fields were de facto confiscated by Israel in derogation of international law

The December 2008 military invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli Forces bears a direct relation to the control and ownership of strategic offshore gas reserves.

The issue of sovereignty over Gaza’s gas fields is crucial. From a legal standpoint, the gas reserves belong to Palestine.

The death of Yasser Arafat, the election of the Hamas government and the ruin of the Palestinian Authority have enabled Israel to establish de facto control over Gaza’s offshore gas reserves.

British Gas (BG Group) has been dealing with the Tel Aviv government. In turn, the Hamas government has been bypassed in regards to exploration and development rights over the gas fields.

***

The military occupation of Gaza is intent upon transferring the sovereignty of the gas fields to Israel in violation of international law.

What can we expect in the wake of the invasion?

What is the intent of Israel with regard to Palestine’s Natural Gas reserves?

A new territorial arrangement, with the stationing of Israeli and/or “peacekeeping” troops?

The militarization of the entire Gaza coastline, which is strategic for Israel?

The outright confiscation of Palestinian gas fields and the unilateral declaration of Israeli sovereignty over Gaza’s maritime areas?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/war-and-natural-gas-the-israeli-invasion-and-gaza-s-offshore-gas-fields/11680

*****

Guess What? Lots Of Oil, Natural Gas In Gaza!
A Secret Behind Israel's Siege of Gaza: Palestinians Have Oil and Natural Gas Resources:

Finding information about Palestine's oil and gas resources is difficult. Even wikipedia doesn't mention it nor do most encyclopedias and other academic resources.

The major corporate media has completely ignored and/or has remained blissfully ignorant about Palestinian oil and gas because it goes against the script of how powerful hidden western corporate and government interests want to portray Palestine.

Western media, Israel and the US would rather have the world see Palestinians groveling in extreme poverty and/or portrayed as "terrorists" who want to kill everyone.

Palestinians, empowered from oil and gas revenues, could live decently. Shed of their impoverished image, the world would see them as the Bright, Shining Human Beings they are. But Bright, Shining Human Beings are harder to disappear than those depicted by governments and the media as untermenschen (nazi German term for "inferior people").

If you want to know more about this important subject, the best places to look are oil and energy websites and publications.

Palestinian oil and gas is no secret in the energy field. It's just a secret to everyone else.

http://www.rense.com/general84/guess.htm

*****

So why is Israel really attacking Gaza? It's not about self defense and it's obviously not about avenging those three teenagers. Those are just cover stories for the naive. What this is really about is natural gas.

It turns out that Gaza has quite a bit of natural gas on its coastline. One of the largest sources in the region. British Gas, which holds a joint exploration agreement for the area estimates that the fields hold at least 1 trillion cubic feet of gas. That gas belongs to the Palestinian people and they should be the ones to benefit from it. Israel disagrees.

(An interesting side story on this issue: At one point Russia was bidding for a chance to develop Gaza's gas fields.)

After the death of Yasser Arafat, under questionable circumstances, Israel has controlled those fields, and British Gas has negotiated with Tel Aviv.

With power divided between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, the Palestinians have been too weak to put up any meaningful ,resistance and Israel would like to keep it that way. The Unity Government between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority threatens Israel's control of those fields, and as such it has to be destroyed.

http://scgnews.com/the-gaza-bombardment-what-youre-not-being-told

*****

Much is still unexplored, but currently Palestine’s Gaza and the West Bank between them show the greatest discoveries, with anything found in Lebanon and Syria’s territorial waters sure to involve claims from both countries.

Israel: Gas, Oil and Trouble in the Levant: http://www.globalresearch.ca/israel-gas-oil-and-trouble-in-the-levant/5362955

*****

Another conflict is rapidly emerging over development of vast natural gas fields offshore in the Levant Basin of the Eastern Mediterranean, which could transform Israel into a major world energy producer and change the geo-political landscape. At stake is who will win control over an energy prize of over 122 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and more 1.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil according to estimates of the US Geologic Survey. http://www.newenglishreview.org/custpage.cfm/frm/102952/sec

*****

Russia’s Gazprom, of course, is not keen to lose its stranglehold on the European market. To that end, it’s jumped in on Tamar itself, obtaining exclusive rights from Israel to develop the field’s liquefied natural gas (LNG). Here’s the plan: Russia is hoping to divert Israeli gas exports to Europe by banking on these resources being turned into LNG for Russian export to Asian markets instead. Russia is willing to invest heavily in a $5 billion floating LNG facility to this end. In return it gets exclusive rights to purchase and export Tamar LNG. (Gazprom has signed the deal but it still awaits final approval from Israel).

For Israel, this is a windfall. There is an estimated 425 billion cubic meters (16 trillion cubic feet of gas in its Leviathan field, plus the 250 billion cubic meters in the Tamar field, which is now officially pumping. All this gas is worth about $240 billion on the European market, and Tamar gas alone could boost Israel’s GDP by 1% annually. For now, the Tamar gas will result in a decline in the price of electricity for Israelis by way of reducing the production costs for the state utility.

For Europe, it will mean newfound power to deal with Russia differently like it did with the recent Cypriot bailout package that came along with a harsh lesson for Russian oligarchs who are seeing their Cypriot banks holdings sequestered. http://oilprice.com/Energy/Natural-Gas/Gas-Starts-Flowing-from-Israels-Levant-Basin-What-Now.html

*****

In a significant political and economic development, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Jan. 23 with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meeting came as a prerequisite to officially sign an investment agreement aiming to develop the Gaza offshore gas field in the Mediterranean Sea. It is only logical to assume that this step will raise the ire of Israel. The latter does not appreciate the role Russia plays in the region, especially since Israel has never come to an agreement with Russia.

Russia preparing to develop Gaza gas field: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/business/2014/01/russia-palestine-offshore-gas-field-gaza.html##ixzz37rsMtiYI

*****

Never mind the 'war on terror' rhetoric, writes Nafeez Ahmed. The purpose of Israel's escalating assault on Gaza is to control the Territory's 1.4 trillion cubic feet of gas - and so keep Palestine poor and weak, gain massive export revenues, and avert its own domestic energy crisis.

T.A.

Equo ta do tee ta my dosw.

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