I am glad that the US President has spoken out and spoken for what is
right and what is true, because the BBC is supporting terrorism and
our politicians appear to have no principles left.
Three years ago the Israeiis withdrew from Gaza both their settlers
and their forces. This was designed to form a nucleus for the new
Palestinian state. Unfortunately in Gaza Hamas standing against the
corruption of Fatah under Arafat won a majority in the elections
which caused a split with the Palestinians living in the West Bank.
After a time Hamas made it clear that its real aim was to wipe Israel
off the map. To this end it began by murdering as many Fatah
activists as it could lay its hands on. Then it set about building
up a rocket arsenal from parts supplied by China and Iran. After
some skirmishes a cease fire was agreed but at the end of last year
Hamas unilaterally denounced the ceasefire and started a major
bombardment of Israel. after Christmas. In one day alone over 100
rockets were targeted at Israeli villages and towns. These rockets
have now exceeded 500.
This was an intolerable situation which any government in the world
would respond strongly to. The Israelis let loose a sophisticated
and targeted air offensive which began to destroy Hamas's control and
command structure. Rocket attacks diminished but have not ceased.
The ground invasion has followed.
Hamas - in case the BBC hasn't noticed - is a terrorist organisation
and should receive support from no civilised source. They are
brothers to those who bombed here in London, in Madrid in Paris and
in New York. They must be rooted out and rendered powerless.
Everything else must wait till that has been achieved.
The EU and the present British government AND THE BBC are all weakly
called on the israelis to stop their counter offensive but are
largely forgetting to call upon Hamas to stop rocketing Israel. They
have forgotten the rule "Never give in to terrorism - it just makes
it worse" Sadly for the Tories both Hague and the shadow foreign
minister have both gone along this unprincipled and pusillanimous
path cheered on by the BBC and the left-wing press.
xxxxxxxxxxx cs
A personal note if I may ? I was in Palestine in 1946/7 towards the
end of the mandate and had no time for the 'Jewish settlers' (as they
were then called) . But after the holocaust they were naturally
desperate people. They had their own terrorists in the Irgun Zwei
Leumi and the Stern Gang and murderous they were too. I have some
dreadful memories from that time. So I am not an automatic supporter
of Israel - far from it!
===================
ASSOCIATED PRESS 5.1.09
Bush: Israel has right to protect itself
By ROBERT BURNS - 6 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) - President George W. Bush, in his first public
reaction to Israel's ground invasion of Gaza, said Monday that the
Jewish state was justified in protecting itself against Hamas militants.
"I understand Israel's desire to protect itself," Bush said in the
Oval Office. "The situation now taking place in Gaza was caused by
Hamas."
Israel over the weekend began moving tanks and troops in the coastal
Gaza Strip after a week of punishing bombing raids on Hamas targets.
The move escalated the latest Mideast conflict into urban warfare,
which is sure to increase the casualties and consequences for the
region.
"Instead of caring about the people of Gaza, Hamas decided to use
Gaza to launch rockets to kill innocent Israelis," Bush said.
"Israel's obviously decided to protect herself and her people."
The president said he is still hopeful there will be a cease-fire,
which he described as a noble ambition. But he said no peace deal
would work unless it forces Hamas to stop its attacks.
Bush also expressed U.S. concern about the grave humanitarian crisis
in Gaza, where people have lived under hard and diminishing
conditions and Israeli bombardment. The president blamed Hamas, which
rules Gaza, for causing the woes of the people there.
Bush said violence must be stopped, "but not at the expense of an
agreement that does not prevent the crisis from happening again."
In his weekly radio address, released last Friday before the Israeli
ground invasion, Bush called the Hamas rocket attacks an "act of
terror."
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