There is a certain gullibility and wishful thinking that many on the left grant to Hamas.

Their fundamental documents include overtly racist commentary, including direct reference to the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, as if it were not drafted fiction (drafted to stimulate pogroms in czarist Russia), and direct reference to the permanent unconditional requirement to remove Israel from the "holy land". And, a commitment to Sharia law.

Phil, You are wrong about the history of safety for Jews in Muslim countries. There were long periods of safety definitely in locales, but the "they conspire" propaganda has reared in most Muslim countries at times. The "safety" included in different locales ghettoization, prohibition from many professions, mandatory taxation only levied on Jews, prohibition from voting (in some locales where there are elections).

(The status of Palestinians in many of the countries where they are refugees is no better. Jordan allows full citizenship. Lebanon does not for example.)

Recently Hamas blessed the intentional murder of teenagers.

At least Israel says that they regret that children were harmed.

Their story of what they are willing to accept changes hourly. But, the gullible left eats it up.

At least Carter said, *I don't know if they are speaking the truth, I'm just a messenger*, even though earlier he stated that he didn't got to mediate or to pass messages.

I think Carter demonstrated that talking is important, that maybe they'll realize that Israel is not going away, that even a 50 year effort to remove Israel from the map, is vain, that it is more just to pursue reconciliation that allows for Palestinian civilians to develop.

I'm no fan of Jimmy Carter, but the very idea of Israel refusing to provide security for a former president of the U.S. just rubs me the wrong way.

If Israel had accepted responsibility for his security, they would have had to either prohibit his movements or intervene to arrange for security in Ramallah and other places under formal Israeli occupation that he visited.

Oh balls. Give us the quote.

'At least Israel says that they regret that children were harmed.'

I'd rather the honest expression of murderous intent you attribute to Hamas than the crocodile tears of an IDF that habitually kills children armed only with rocks, when it isn't shooting journalists or peace activists or bombing ambulances. A few rote platitudes might convince a fellow traveller like you Richard but for the non-aligned, these statements come from a regime for which lying comes as naturally as breathing. If it bothered them that much, they'd stop doing it.

Nice too, how little juxtapositions like these reinforce the 'Arabs are beasts, not civilised like us Jews' meme.

'Their story of what they are willing to accept changes hourly.'

Israel is hardly a model of consistency in it's public utterances either, but it's behaviour, it's underlying trajectory, remains as straight as a die. Again, 'look at them, not like us, (sadly) you can't trust them'.

'But, the gullible left eats it up.'

We will 'eat up' any morsel from any quarter that promises even a possibility of peace. (And it's not just 'the left' – is Ron Paul of the left?) You see, we are serious about wanting it, and feel that anyone who professes to share our goal must agree that the first steps toward the resolution of conflict are contact and dialogue.

Of course, it is always harder for the party with it's foot on the Other's throat to make the concessions necessary for change to occur, but the thing is, it HAS to be them. Only they have the power to decide to take their foot off and allow the Other to stand up.

It's been clear for years to independent observers that Hamas, within the limits imposed by the need to appear tough on the Occupier to their constituents, is trying to say (thru a crushed windpipe) 'we want peace; if you stop settlements and incursions and stick to the RoadMap, we will stop the Qassams' but the party with it's boots on doesn't hear, pretends not to hear, or just isn't listening.

You come over all Kumbaya Richard, but in effect you're wearing Army boots.

IAF Attacks Lebanese Targets; No Injuries Reported
20 Nissan 5768, 25 April 08 03:41by (IsraelNN.com)

Arab media have reported that IDF jets attacked several targets in southern Lebanon Wednesday, including the cities of Nebatiyeh, Tyre and the western Bekaa Valley. Lebanese anti-aircraft positions fired Israeli aircraft, but all IDF servicemen are believed to have returned safely to Israel.

The IDF will not comment on the incident.

http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=12740

the nation within a nation, zionist american jews.

"Sitting in the audience, I felt some anger on behalf of my former president."

Does anyone other than Hugo Chavez mock a U.S. political figure the way Dan Gillerman did?

Maybe Dan just don't like peanuts. Those weren't "bloody hands," Dan. It's just red Georgia dirt from the peanut patch.

That's it, from now on I'm calling Israel's UN ambassador "Dan Gooberman." What a schvuntz he is!

I agree.