'Israeli air strikes represent massive violations of international law'

Those violations include:

Collective punishment – the entire 1.5 million people who live in the crowded Gaza Strip are being punished for the actions of a few militants.

Targeting civilians – the air strikes were aimed at civilian areas in one of the most crowded stretches of land in the world, certainly the most densely populated area of the Middle East.

Disproportionate military response – the air strikes have not only destroyed every police and security office of Gaza's elected government, but have killed and injured hundreds of civilians; at least one strike reportedly hit groups of students attempting to find transportation home from the university.

Earlier Israeli actions, specifically the complete sealing off of entry and exit to and from the Gaza Strip, have led to severe shortages of medicine and fuel (as well as food), resulting in the inability of ambulances to respond to the injured, the inability of hospitals to adequately provide medicine or necessary equipment for the injured, and the inability of Gaza's besieged doctors and other medical workers to sufficiently treat the victims.

<snip>

Written by Professor Richard Falk, United Nations Special Investigator for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories

http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/35373

It may say more about you than about the situation.

that shit is deeper than deepak chopra. :eyes:

and angry about anyone who has tortured, tormented, killed, hunted, imprisoned them and stole everything they had, including peace of mind.

If some of them within Israel supported by politicians and corporations are blocking the Gaza Strip of doctors, medicine, food, hospital help, and care of bodies and ANNOUNCE that they are going to it it again the next day for an undetermined amount of time - I have to ask why? If they cause people to run for their lives and find the borders locked - I have to ask why?

How can a people who suffered so much make others suffer?

DO NOT CALL ME AN Anti-Semetic, if that is what you are referring to. I am not in any part of my soul or mind. You don't know me and my life and you have not right to do that if that is what you are inferring.

People from Gaza are not running to the Israeli border to find it locked - they are running to the Egyptian border to find it locked. You can ask Egypt why they are doing that.

I completely support anyone who wants to criticize Israel for the actions that government is currently taking, but to suggest that they are behaving in a way akin to the way they were treated by Germany in the Holocaust is obscene.

Just under 400 killed so far and no end in sight.

Of course, it can't be compared in numbers.

And, the Germans didn't use F-16's with new ultra smart cluster bombs that they just purchased or were given or traded from the U.S.

We're in a very sick situation, here. Oppression and death of innocent people and no hope that anyone wants to hold to a peace pact or live and let live with a dignitified existence - on either side.

- No cluster weapons have been identified as being employed
- Even Palestinian sources are saying about 80%of the casualties are Hamas
- Collateral damage (by either side) is neither a massacre nor a war crime

I can't agree with the rest. I just want to know if the US supplied the Palestinian with new stones.
I am one of the very angry. I have no more partisanship. No one knows what they are doing over there if they keep of with the killing. In my book, if you have every superiority a country could ask for in technology, money, foundations that fund anything you want - you take the high road. Instead of Hades. You attempt to keep friends.

Jerusaelm Post Dec 29, 2008
IAF uses new US supplied smart bomb
"The Israel Air Force used a new bunker-buster missile that it received recently from the United States in strikes against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, The Jerusalem Post learned on Sunday.

The missile, called GBU-39, was developed in recent years by the US as a small-diameter bomb for low-cost, high-precision and low collateral damage strikes.

Israel received approval from Congress to purchase 1,000 units in September and defense officials said on Sunday that the first shipment had arrived earlier this month and was used successfully in penetrating underground Kassam launchers in the Gaza Strip during the heavy aerial bombardment of Hamas infrastructure on Saturday. It was also used in Sunday's bombing of tunnels in Rafah. "

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1230456505080&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FPrinter

But, now there are hints of a new cease fire - why don't they go for 400 while they are at it?

Very, very angry.

especially after Lebanon. Cluster munitions were a big deal after Lebanon due to duds later exploding when children picked them up etc. Some claimed the use was a war crime (it isn't). However, the Israel has not used them in Gaza as far as anyone has reported at this time.

The GBU-39 is a small(250lb)weapon, more accurate than its predecessors with greater penetration capability as well. There are multiple variants, none of which carry cluster munitions. How many were used on Gaza is not known. Clearly from the photos, larger bombs were used as well. Based on the videos that have been released it looks like most of the ordnance was laser guided, which has the best accuracy and lowest failure rate.

Hamas has also renounced a ceasefire, not that it matters much. They are pretty much in tatters right now. Current press indicates that the air strikes tapered off after the first day and a half. Right now its mostly pop ups. The vast majority of the strikes and casualties all happened the first day.

Even per the Palestinian press, the vast majority of the casualties are Hamas. Given the population densities and the intentional placement of Hamas facilities in populated areas, the amount of civilian casualties is amazingly light.

Being angry at the situation is good, many of us are, and more should be. However a ceasefire, which has been tried and failed repeatedly is not really going to address the root causes. Thats going to take longer and the first step will be for Hamas to return control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority

Nazi era ghettos. That would be my guess. I'll tell you one thing: I'd sure as hell rather take my chances in Gaza than in the Warsaw Ghetto. Yes, Gaza is terrible and what the Israelis are doing is horrific, but man, it's just not even close to being the same.