[Bleeding Red]

Originally Posted by Red Mile Style

So you're blaming the Israeli/Arab conflict on Hamas?!?!?!? That's a little ignorant, don't you think? This conflict runs much deeper than a democratically elected Palestinian government.

Glass houses.......note:

The reality behind Gaza is that it belongs to the Palestinians anyway.

Please link the map that shows Gaza as belonging to Palestinians before 2005. The fact is that before 1967 gaza was governed by Egypt (48-67), the British (19-48), and the Ottoman Empire. The Palestinians have governed it since AUg. 2005 - and a **** poor job they have done.

Israel illegally took that land away in a illegitimate war.

The Six-day war was a legitamite response to the military build-up by Syria, Jordan and Egypt along Israel's boarders in May-June 1967. The build up was never labeled as an 'exercise' or 'test' by those nations. Israel issued a legal pre-emptive stirke. Only the nations that lost that war think otherwise.

Israel, if it bothered to follow international law, should consist of pre 1967 borders.

Israel was happy to do just that. Four wars changed their minds. The UN resolutions call for Israel to return to negotiated boarders involving a return on territories, not all the territories, not some of the territories, just territories, in return for negotiated ppeace agreements. Where are the agreements?

Of corse Israel isn't going to do this, instead they are going to erect an illegal wall, claiming land that is not theirs,

The Israeli Supreme COurt has forced the Israeli govm't to move the fence to ensure as little disruption to Palestinian farmers as possible. Any land on one side of the fence has been exchanged for land at other parts of the fence.

but hey, they gave up Gaza. They were supposed to give up Gaza a long time ago,

In exchange for peace!!! What they got were 1,000 missles shot at them! Missles that can now reach ports and oil depots.

but now they martyr it, and package it to make it look like the Palestinians are not negotiating or compromising anything in return.

They aren't.

Why does anybody do anything that is radical, such as that of kidnapping a political figure? It is clear that a group is being repressed, and feeling like nobody is listening to them, so they resort to whatever can get their message across. The democratically elected Hamas government is not being recognized, and therefor they have to do whatever is in their power to try and get their message relayed.

Well, Hamas could have tried....gee, I don't know.....Governing!!! they could have reeled in their military wing, renouned violence and started the press releases on how they are building schools and roads and implimenting laws and a court system and a free press..etc. BUT NO! The first thing Hamas representatives did after Israel withdrew from Gaza was EXECUTE Fatah leaders in the street. That's some elected government.

I am not supporting the kidnapping, but obviously when groups have to resort to such an act, there has to be more to the story.

So every criminal act has a justification and is the victim's fault?

Charles Krauthamer's latest article in Time noted that now the Palestinians cannot claim the standard "we are occupied" excuse. The rockets are being shot into pre-1967 Israel. The soldier was kidnapped from an outpost in pre-1967 Israel. This is one psudo-state attacking a UN-member state.

Hamas has a choice - show the world that they can be good governors and make things better or continue with the terrorism show. So far they picked terrorism.