Largest Gaza march passes without incident (From Oxford Mail)

I wonder how these people would react if some one started firing rockets into Oxford, do we just lie down and take it?

@ atlantic_drifter:
Hi, well lets put it this way, if tomorrow Oxford decides to occupy Kidlington with tanks and F16's killing innocent people at Sainsbury's, homes and schools then YES Oxford would deserve to get hit by rockets until they move back to it's legitimate geographical borders. Cheers and I couldn't have explained it to you any simpler.

I do believe the rockets came first then the invasion

atlantic_drifter wrote:
I do believe the rockets came first then the invasion

Indeed, the rockets did come first but where were the protesters then?

This new reports about a pro-Hamas rally under the guise of 'peace \/'

Now the pull-out has started what will the poor old lefties find to rant about next?

Hamas wanted peace but Israel wanted to destroy Hamas. Ever since Hamas took over the Gaza strip in 2007 Israel has blockaded the strip, allowing Gazans only half the fuel, food and medical supplies they need, making Gaza's economy collapse and causing mass unemployment. That's why Hamas retaliated with rockets and mortars at Israel.
In June 2008 Hamas stopped firing at Israel and tried to make other Palestinian militants stop too. Rocket and mortar fire declined 98% but Israel continued the blockade and refused to talk with Hamas.
In November after four and a half months of cease-fire Hamas lost patience and started firing rockets and mortars again. Israel retaliated with air and artillery attacks and then the invasion.
The Gaza Strip is smaller than the Isle of Wight but packed with 1.5 million people. They had nowhere to shelter as Israel inexcusably fired missiles, artillery rounds and illegal white phosphorus at schools, ambulances, a hospital and people's homes. No wonder the 1,250 dead include over 400 children, 30 medical staff, 4 UN staff and nearly 170 police.
Many of Gaza's inhabitants are refugees from the 1948, 1956 and 1967 wars, all of which were started by Israel. They and their descendants want their homes and land back, UN Resolution 194 agrees this is their absolute right, but for 60 years Israel has refused to treat its victims fairly.
This is why Hamas says Israel has no right to exist. Israel uses this position as a reason not to talk to Hamas, but that just means rockets, mortars and suicide bombs will continue.
Hamas now represents most Palesinians. It won the 2007 Palestinian Authority elections because people were fed up with Fatah corruption and trusted Hamas to clean up the PA.
Hamas' military tactics are vicious and counter-productive, but Israel's attack has made things far worse. Israel, the USA and the UK must accept that Hamas runs the Palestinian Authority and start talking to them.
Talking to your enemies is how Britain made peace with the IRA and white South Africa made peace with the ANC. Talking with Hamas is the only hope of peace for Israel.

the one thing i dont understand is the hamas where firing rocket from the UN school knowing full well children were inside

It is only Israel that claims Hamas was firing rockets from inside a UNWRA school. The UN says Israel has hit three UNWRA schools, and shelled a UN site with white phosphorus causing an inextinguishable fire that destroyed a warehouse full of UN supplies. Israel's invasion has killed four UN staff and wounded several more.

Israel's spin-doctor Mark Regev lays all sorts of red herrings to try to deflect interviewers from the truth. UNWRA spokesman Chris Gunness wants an independent war crimes investigation. I was at school with Chris: I'd trust him before Mark Regev any day.

But why does Israel bother to fire at ANY Qassam launch site? Once a Qassam rocket has been set up it can be fired remotely from hundreds of metres away. After it's fired, all that's left behind is the launcher which is a simple piece of metal worth only a few dollars. Hitting a site from which a Qassam has already been launched is pointless, unless Israel wants to kill innocent bystanders to punish them because they happen to live or work there.

Like I said, the Gaza Strip has 1.5 million people crammed into a territory smaller than the Isle of Wight. Civilians have no chance of keeping a safe distance from every group of Hamas militants.

The UN wants a war crimes investigation. If Israel wants trust and respect it should allow an independent investigation and abide by its findings.

Dear Hugh ,

I realise that You & I live on different planets in relation to Our respective opinions about The Arab/Israeli Conflict but Your Comments are so full of errors that it would be funny if the situation wasn't so tragic .

HAMAS do not want peace - They deny Israel's right to exist . The HAMAS Charter uses the supposed quote from " The Prophet Muhammed " which prophesies the killing of Jews . Their charter mentions the Anti-Semitic forgery " The Protocols Of The Elders Of Zion " . They believe in a Conspiracy Theory of Jews , Freemasons ; and Rotary Clubs . They are Holocaust Deniers .
( Source : WIKIPEDIA . )

HAMAS kill members of Their rivals in FATAH . HAMAS smashes Strikes led by Palestinian Trade Unionists . HAMAS subjugate Women & torture and murder Gays & Lesbians . HAMAS persecute The Christian Community of Gaza .

If the 650 Useful Idiots Who waste Their time covering up for these Reactionary Islamists spent a small fraction of that energy on condemning the violence & Anti-Semitism of HAMAS as They do attacking The Democratic State Of Israel then mayby We would be in a better position to encourage both sides to achieve Peace & the building of Civil Society for Their Citizens .