By Jonathan Schanzer, Special to CNN
Editor’s note: Jonathan Schanzer is vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He tweets at @JSchanzer. The views expressed are his own.
The latest round in an endless cycle of violence between Israel and Gaza has culminated in a surprising win for the US- Israel relationship: an apparent renewal of vows between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
It’s surprising because the relationship appeared to be at its nadir. It was just a few months ago that editorial pages charged Netanyahu with meddling in U.S. politics, angling for a Mitt Romney victory over President Obama. With Obama having soundly thumped Romney at the ballot box, U.S. relations with Israel appeared due for a four-year winter.
But during this recent conflict, Obama showed Israel his unwavering support. He made no call for Israeli restraint. In fact, his administration barely weighed in as the Israelis destroyed hundreds of targets in Hamas-controlled Gaza.
What’s the likely reason for this surprising rapprochement? Sudan.
On the night of October 23, four Israeli fighter jets reportedly screamed across the skies over Khartoum and bombed the Yarmouk weapons factory, which belongs to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It didn’t take long to learn that the weapons the Israelis had allegedly targeted – weapons that one Israeli intelligence official describes as “game changers” – were bound for Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Sudan, after all, is a common point of origin for the smuggling routes that carry Iranian weapons up through Egypt, across the Sinai Peninsula, and into Hamas’ labyrinth of underground tunnels.
The alleged raid was one of necessity for the Israelis, but its timing was decidedly inconvenient for Washington – less than two weeks before a presidential election. It also took place on a day when 3,500 U.S. troops were on Israeli soil, participating in a joint military exercise known as “Austere Challenge.”
As in the past, the Israelis denied any knowledge of the attack, and so did the U.S. – although there can be little doubt that senior U.S. officials would have been briefed in advance of the strike. The Yarmouk incident passed with relatively little media coverage. Instead, the U.S. election dominated the airwaves.
Three weeks later, Hamas made the mistake of firing short-range rockets from Gaza into southern Israel. Terrorists in Gaza also fired a guided missile at an Israeli jeep. It is doubtful they could have known what was coming. In the blink of an eye, the Israeli air force deployed fighter jets, helicopters, and drones to attack high-value targets throughout the Gaza Strip. “Operation: Pillar of Defense,” as it was soon named, began in lightning fashion.
More from GPS: Hamas policy threatens permanent war
At first blush, the Israeli response appeared out of character. Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza have fired thousands of rockets at Israel in recent years, but only elicited one full-scale response :Operation Cast Lead in late 2008 and early 2009. Since then, one rocket attack out of Gaza has earned one or two Israeli missiles in return. Sometimes, the Israelis didn’t even bother to respond at all.
From all appearances, it was alarming intelligence pointing to the existence of Fajrs in Gaza that drove the Israelis to mobilize this time, not a handful of short-range rockets. The Israelis appear to have learned that some of these “game-changer” rockets from the IRGC plant in Yarmouk had made their way into Gaza. This was a red line: The Fajr-5 rockets have powerful payloads and ranges long enough to strike Israel’s largest cities, bringing millions of civilians into the crosshairs.
For Israel, Pillar of Defense was not about killing terrorist masterminds like Ahmed Jabari or blowing up Hamas headquarters. Those were ancillary targets. This round of hostilities was actually a hunting expedition for Fajr-5s.
More from CNN: Israel puts trust in Iron Dome
As Israel’s air force methodically struck these rocket sites, one after the next, Hamas realized it was “use ‘em or lose ‘em.” They began — along with Palestinian Islamic Jihad – firing off their Iran-supplied weapons. But even then, the Fajrs hurtled some 50 miles out of Gaza only to be shot out of the skies over Tel Aviv by Iron Dome, an anti-missile system developed jointly by the U.S. and Israel.
The Israelis claim to have destroyed most if not all of the Fajr-5s – about 100, give or take – in the first few days of fighting. Only then, after Israel had destroyed the bulk of the rockets, did Secretary of State Hillary Clinton make any serious effort to pressure Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy into brokering a ceasefire.
In other words, Operation Pillar of Defense bears unmistakable signs of close coordination between Netanyahu and Obama. And while the White House may not admit it in public, Netanyahu appears to have done everything in his power to ensure that Israeli military operations did not get in the way of Obama’s bid for reelection.
If anything, Netanyahu may have put off striking the Fajr-5s until well after the election, even if it put his own population at risk.
Of course, Obama and Netanyahu may yet come to loggerheads over when and whether to attack Iran’s nuclear sites. Even before that, Obama may demand the Israelis return the favor, either by asking anew for a settlement freeze, or even pushing Netanyahu to forgive PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas’ unilateral theatrics at the United Nations tomorrow.
But, for now, Pillar of Defense has resulted in a surprising new understanding between two leaders who have struggled to find common ground. And that’s a victory for the U.S.-Israel relationship.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Them Jews better not trust Obama.
Works just as well the other way around.....
Soon there's election in Israel. When will Israel see a second female prime minister after Golda Meir? Israelis should give Tzipi Livni a chance.
Romney and Obama had pretty similar foreign policy platforms. It took real hard work for them to differentiate themselves from each other.
You mean where Mitt didn't have a foreign policy, but just copied everything Obama said?
All this meddling...and we wonder why 9/11 happened.
apparently it only happened because they are jealous or something like that.
Do You know how the US-policy is towards the kurds in the region?
I know Turkey is member of NATO and that might be why the US is low on their critic of Turkey and their way of treating Kurds inside Turkey. This week the Turkish Parliament will lift the immunity of the kurdish parliament members so they can join the 10.000 political prisoners in Turkey!
In Syria the kurd has taken control over syrian Kurdistan however they have been attacked several time by Assad airstrikes and the "free" syrian army, who are under economical influence of Turkey.
In Iraq the Arab Bagdad goverment has sent thousands of soldiers and military units towards the kurdish autonomous region, were there have been clashes!
In Iran Kurds are everyday inprisoned, and hanged by the islamist rulling!
Before the arab/turkish/iranian states took control over Kurdistan, kurdish Christians, jews, yezidi and muslim lived peacefully together. The turks killed more than one million christians, the arabs attacked the kurdish jews, why the fleed to the new state of Israel, this is why this day around 200.000 kurdish jews live inside Israel.
When the US troops went to Iraq not one single US soldier were ever harmed nor killed in the kurdish region.
When Saddams regime got overthrowen the iraqi christians all over Iraq where attacked by the arabs, alot of the christians fleed to the kurdish autonomous region were they were safe from the arabs.
When Saddam in gassed thousands of kurd in Iraq Israel were the only nation in the entire middle east who put
their flag on half in respect and honor of the killed.
I hope i will live to see a Free Kurdistan, a ally of the US and Israel, were kurdish christians, jews, yezidi and muslim again can live freely without turkish/arab/iranian govern!
So I just wonder is their any american sympaty for the kurds or is it just nothing?
I'm with you in your hopes for Free Kurdistan!
No, Obama is reliable and trustworthy. He has never been called a liar by any world leader in the past.
The Israelis trust US, but first and foremost they trust themselves to protect their lives.
Nice to have a friend, pity the US, or for that matter Israel, do not have a few more.
Killing of 150 of which 50 were children seems to not be of any concern to Obama. Sate sponsered terroism by Israel need to be condoned by the world before a large scale war between the post Arab spring new Middle east and Israel. Then the US will have so much to lose.
Israel could take on the middle east and win...your crazy if you think your country "post arab spring" could hang with Israel and the US military might.
70% of Americans don't want the US to act for Israel and 60% don't want the US to help Israel with it's conflicts. Don't say "and US military might."
Israel can't take on hezbollah, let alone the middle east! Israel will not exist as a jewish state for much longer, you can quote me on that.
Al you are dreaming. Israel can very easily stand on its own against any and most likly all of the mid east. They have our very best toys to play with. Care to come play?
What a crock. Hamas purposely fired rockets from civilian locations and hospitals. You blame the Isrealis for hitting the rockets? Blame hamas for putting their own people in harms way.
BTW you dont have a problem with hamas purposely targeting Israelis civilians – you dont like jewish folk do you.
At least someone sees the truth.
When the Jordanian and Egyptian gypsies aka as "Palestinians" stop firing rockets into Israel then the Jews will leave them alone. They started it and Israel will finish it and rightly so.
Riggghhttt? So last year when the IDF shot and murdered a 9 year old during a cease fire, Palestine started that right?
@ derpherp. you do realize we know that was ousted as a fake right? Paliwood at its finest. Why dont you come to the table with an actual story.
Lee S. im sure that was fake, just like the death tolls and this little thing here: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9sdnyAgR4bo/0.jpg
Please read my response to that same photo you already posted below. You are too much fun.
Richard,
Dont bother with twerp. He just makes up facts. He and his kind have no problem with terrorists blowing up people on a bus or shooting an infant but when Isreal returns fire all of a sudden they are "upset." Where are these people when the rockets are fired in the first place? There is no rational debate with people who hate jewish folks and just use middle east politics to make themselves "clean." Look at the comments used by the anti Isreal posters – "jew money" "murderers" etc its straight from the Nazi playbook. It is sickening that people have this obsessive hate.
hey Lee S. Here you go since google is hard for your kind: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=israel+human+shield+jeep
Israel has had 60 years to "finish it. " It's not going to happen.
Nabd bull wont fly around here. We are not blind to such ridiculous claims. Dont fire rockets at Israel and dont use women an children as MEAT shields. Yea its to bad but there is no pity for that... Hold Hamas responsible. Better yet try an love your own women an kids more than you can hate.
Don't want your children to die? Don't launch missiles into other children's homes and then hide behind your own children. Really quite simple.
Apparently the facts that Hamas fired hundreds of rockets aimed at Israeli civilians, or that the Syrian Arab government has slaughtered thousands of its citizens, do not warrant your alarm in the least. What more could one expect from a hypocritical anti-Semite?
YA GO ISRAEL KEEP BEING TERRORISTS AND USING HUMAN SHIELDS! http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9sdnyAgR4bo/0.jpg
Youre more than likely convincing rational people not to listen to then to listen to you with that post. If its on the internet, it must be true. HAHAHA.
No i heard from CNN and Fox News that israel had 3 people die over 1500 missile strikes OH POOR THEM retaliate and kill 2,000 Go Israel! oh wait the jews own mainstream media and you
Well since i have your obvious attention now, None of what you posted is attached to any credible news source. Imagine that. Idiot.
Whats to stop a few guys with a helmet a jeep and some white paint to take a photo like that?
Besides the fact you should google it and see their commanders were reprimanded and removed from their posts for doing this cowardly act . Just go ahead google Israel Human Shields have fun reading through over 9000 articles about it.
Bam! you just blew your own theory out of the water, If they actually did do it, and their commanders reprimended them and removed them from their posts. that shows that Israel's belief on how a civilized war should be faught. Hama's would've given their terrorists a medal for doing it. and Israel's troops get in trouble .
Are you seriously an idiot???? A human shield you say? just remember this isnt the cowardice Hamas, these are Israeli troops and damn good troops if I've ever seen one! A picture of a little boy on top of a jeep doesnt mean anything!!
Here are the cowardice Hamas using "real" human shields!!
http://ivarfjeld.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/hamas_using_civilians_as_human_shields.jpg
http://www.idfblog.com/hamas/files/2012/02/human-shield-2.jpg
http://blog.camera.org/archives/HumanShields.jpg
and IDF blog, that must be true he here you go in response: http://lmgtfy.com/?q=israel+human+shield+jeep
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_shield#Israel
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11807152
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/21/israeli-soldiers-human-shield-avoid-jail
Actually news sites instead of a terrorist blog.
Lee S. I post 3 sources wikipedia, BBC, and the guardian, While you believe posts from an IDF blog and call me an idiot?
Dude, the wiki article you posted says that the palis were voluntering to be human shields. You are really an idiot.
"the IDF systematically used Palestinian civilians as human shields, forcing them to carry out military actions which threatened their lives"
" In April 2007, the Israeli army suspended a commander after the unit he was leading was accused of using Palestinians as human shields in a West Bank raid."
"On March 12, 2010, the Israel Defense Forces prosecution filed indictments against two staff sergeants of the Givati Brigade for allegedly forcing a 9-year-old Palestinian boy to open a number of bags they thought might contain explosives in January 2009"
You have gone full Retard Lee. S. How does it feel to be completely destroyed?
think you didnt read this part either Lee. However, in a report on the Gaza conflict,[40] released July 2, 2009, Amnesty International wrote that Israel did use human shields in Gaza. Amnesty claimed to have found cases in which "Israeli troops forced Palestinians to stay in one room of their home while turning the rest of the house into a base and sniper position, effectively using the families, both adults and children, as human shields and putting them at risk. The report also criticized Hamas for human rights violations, but "found no evidence Palestinian fighters directed civilians to shield military objectives from attacks, forced them to stay in buildings used by militants, or prevented them from leaving commandeered buildings".[41]
OUCH TOWN POPULATION YOU
Twerp, there were few Isreali casualties due to their Iron Dome shooting down the Fajr 5 rockets Iran gave them. The intent of hamas was to cause as many casualties as possible. Any civilian casualties are due to hamas placing their rockets and arms depots in civilian areas – schools, homes, hospitals.
Yea, the IDF soldiers asked that boy to open a bag at gunpoint. Cowardly, yes. I Dont think its the same as you make it out to be. See what happens when people actually read the news stories?
Ouch town? WOw. LOL. You should read the actual story. Compare what the IDF soldiers in an isolated incident did, to what Hamas does systematically. Good job.
OH i see you read the palestine human shield part not the israel, Yea palestinians volunteered to protect their people as human shield? Whats wrong with that? Israel forces people to do it, sounds like another group...oh ya Nazis
oh you jewish israel lovers, you will only respond to one point saying ya its cowardly but dont respond to the other points cause they dont count if they hurt your argument, Just admit it all jews are cowardly terrosists, Hitler should have been able to finish his job.
Youre a typical anti semite poster. You try and take isolated incident committed by the Israelis when there are ten fold incidents of the same nature instigated by the arabs and palis. The pattern never changes. You turn a blind eye when rockets are raining down or innocent tourists are being bombed abroad but when the lion wakes up, you cry and moan all the way home. Every time. Get used to it.
You should come live in the states, you would fit right in with the KKK
2000??????? Typical, twerp.
can u please just get over the fact it is a hoax and go read your neo nazi magazine or whatever you anti semetics do
So you get your news, from CNN and Fox.
What was the job of Wolf Blitzer before he became chief anchor-man for CNN news?.
Who are the main investors in these 2 companies, and what is their ethnic back ground.
Nuff said, have a good Day
USA pays Israel to give them BJ's.
The US Congress is just Izzy's dried up old 'ho.
Any POTUS who seriously challenged Jewish world rule would not be long for this life.
Wow CNN! Thanks for the propaganda lesson. How about an unbiased analysis of what has been taking place... We're getting sick of one-sided reporting from the middle east.
Lol the one article that CNN posts that actually includes these facts, because it was not from a "palestinian correspondent" Nidal Al Mughara whatever or one of their "embedded palistinian sympathizers" and you say that? Hilarious.
Actually, Dan – That's what this was. Here's your sign.
then why r u even on cnn shouldnt you be reading a magazine about white supremacy or something
Good article, excellent analysis and corresponding timeline of events. Good work
Israel has no problem spending American borrowed money for weapons. Obama will replenish their bank accounts. Maybe this is what drags America over the fiscal cliff?
at least isreal wins wit its own troops and does not have US bases on its soil. why dont you complain about South Korea, Australia, Germany, UJ, Italy, Persian Gulf nations which all have tones of US troops and bases. We spend a fortune on these military installations. Go complain about that.
And don't forget that the USA gave billions annually to Egypt and their military. They had no problem spending it either.
Gd bless Israel.
And may the Arafat Crime Family be busted and brought to justice.
This so called Palestinian statehood is a total criminal racket involving hostage taking on the scale of millions, extortion on the scale of hundreds and hundreds of millions of Euros and Dollars.
(Arafat died in '04 with an estate over $3B-I-L-L-I-O-N)
You know and i know he never built any business that was legal. There was no Arafat-Bucks, or Happy-Arafat Meal.
It's been 'dodgy business' the whole way.
And firing rockets from Palestinian civilian areas is using them as cover- illegal, a war crime.
Also firing 1500 rockets at over 1.5 Milllion innocent Israelis is another war crime.
Only 7 months ago, Obama gave HAMAS $140Million on april 13th 2012!!!
Bamboozle you with dead kids, crying old ladies, and destroyed buildings, they pander to your sense of generosity, and BAM~ they get you to send them money.
The money is never reconciled, accounted for and budda-bing, that's this Palestinian-Biz.
Even the M.E. countries politicians use the Palestinian issue to rally their crowds, to raise money to redirect anger.
The arms manufacturers profit from it, they built anti-rocket systems, and all manner of weapons.
The U.N. another slimy money laundering operation, get your money, pretend to fly in aid, only the whole shipment never gets there, and again, there's no accounting, no public investigation.
The ICC, doesn't investigate HAMAS SUMMARY EXECUTIONS of Palestinians suspected as Israeli spies, they simply get shot in the street and their bodies dragged around the street as a show of intimidation.
Then the beauty queen of all, your all righteous Judge Goldstone....and his false legal opinion against Israel
Where is he this time?
Anybody see Judge Goldstone lately?
Lets see what was it 40 minutes after the ceasefire the IDF shot a 16 year old boy dead? Then 2 hours after that they shot people near the fence? oh right isreal follows its own rules and doesnt follow a cease fire... how about this for jew pride? http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9sdnyAgR4bo/0.jpg tying up a 13 yr old boy to the front of your jeep as a human shield? all jews are cowards.
Dear Twerp,
If I was at a border fence and someone with a gun told me to get out of here I would listen and get the heck out.
Why dont you go to the Russian border, Korean border, Chinese border, and ignore a soldier who tells you to get away – go ahead twerp, make my day.
Israeli lobbyist own US foreign policy
Well said Vinnie.
Hah you can only respond to one instance in which case the people killed all had bullet wounds to THEIR BACKS? Try to keep justifying the jewish cowards. you didnt mention them tying up the 13 year old boy to the jeep did you? Avoiding that one i take it.... How about the fact the only way that palestine can get votes into the UN is if they pledge to not accuse israel of war crimes....Yea ok Israel is more guilty of war crimes than hitler himself.
You have no proof of any facts you state. Like you do, I too can make up "facts" out of thin air. I do find cowardly the shooting of rockets into civiian areas – on purpose – and their hiding of depots in schools and hospitals.
here Tom more proof: http://972mag.com/justice-eludes-palestinian-peace-activist-father-of-girl-killed-by-idf/24984/
Keep trying to convince yourself Israel only defends itself and has never done a single wrong.... terrorists
Derp – i seriously must question your education. Lots of people express ideas as they are facts, but often, the less educated are louder, and know less. not all, but many so it seems. If someone does use a human shield, they should be punished, but that's not the way that anyone is instructed to perform out of the book.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=israel+human+shield+jeep
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_shield#Israel
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11807152
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/21/israeli-soldiers-human-shield-avoid-jail
All ideas
JEW MONEY CHANGES A LOT OF OPINIONS FAST.
I always tell my jewish friends that there are a lot of people who have an insane hatred of jews. Many of the posts here such as the one above by eddie just proves it. I urge all of my jewish friends to leave move to Isreal. They will be safe there.
I think you mean there are people who actually research instead of just watching CNN or Fox news and know that israel stole the land they are on, and they are a state full of terrorists.
LOl derp considers research wikipedia and pictures posted with no sources attached to them completely out of context.
Any story about Israel should include the true history of how modern day Israel was created. It was created on land under British control in 1948 – a land occupied by both Arab Muslims and a Jewish minority. In the process the Arab Muslims were force to leave their homes within what is now Israel. Israel then invited Jews from all over the world to immigrate to Israel. Zionists will say Israel was given to the ancient Hebrews by God thousands of years ago, according to the Bible. But the Bible has been a work in progress over the centuries. Nobody knows who wrote it or what evidence it was based on beyond hearsay. And, most people in the world don't follow the teachings of the Bible. I am not advocating the demise of Israel as a state. Too late for that. I am just saying that the Israelis should be more humble in trying to resolve their differences with the Palestinians. A start would be for Israel to remove its settlements from the west bank of the Jordan River.
G-d is the author of the Bible and the Land of Isreal was given by the Creator to the jewish people forever. If you dont believe it, tough. I also see you bend the facts – read your Bible – the jewish people were there first. The moslems arrived a couple thousand years later.
God? Wow adults still have imaginary friends.
The Bible -By God. Fiction. LOL.
blah......
What you fail to recall VietVet, is the fact that in the years prior to 1948, namely 1920-1933 multiple countries were founded by the same world bodies that eventually created Israel. Was Pakistan not created by taking land from people? Im not a historian, but Im pretty sure there were ten's of millions of muslims and hindus who crossed some arbitrary border so that a new country could be founded for the Muslim dominated area of what was a British province for hundreds of years. In your minimal recognition of history you also fail to recognize that many of the countries and borders of the entire Middle east were completely arbitrarily set up by western powers. Lets take Jordan for example. Did jordan exist prior to its creation in the early 1920's? Do we suddenly label a people Jordanian because Britain took a Bedoin sheik with an english education and installed him as Monarch? Jordan could have made a nice place to create a "Palestinian" state, so why did it not happen then? Throughout history people have been dispossesed of lands, they have moved, and they have moved on. You talk about the fact that Israel opened its borders to Jews everywhere, but don't recall that in it's first 20 years as a nation it had to absorb nearly 600,000 Jews who were also ruthlessly forced from their homes in the Arab/Muslim world. My grandfather, was forced from his home in Yemen, and his family's ties to that region were nearly 1000 years old. This was on top of the hundreds of thousands of refugees that came from what was left of the nearly destroyed communities of Europe. You lament the fate of the Palestinian. However, he is abandoned by his brothers, given no home, and made a pawn for a century. Of the entire Turkish empire over 20 countries were founded, and yet because a spat of land between the Jordan river and the sea was given to Jews to return to a place they called home for centuries you regard as a theft, and blame the horrible Jew for taking the land.
Waste of time trying to deal with the arabs. Every treaty is broken. It is and has been constant terrorism since 1948. Every concession by Israel in an attempt to garner peace has been met with renewed violence and state terrorism. The objective of Hamas is to never have peace with Israel. They want genocide. It is clearly stated in their manifesto. Can't give them one second of time. The PA is no different. They say they have given up violence but like all statements by an arabic muslim, that is only to gain something. Eventually they'll go right back to terrorism. So keep the settlements. Stay strong.
Remember when we were the good guys? Now the US is signed up for genocide in partnership with Israel.
Genocide. Where in all this do the USA or Israel advocate for genocide of the Pali's? Hamas does. We know that for sure. Iran does. We know that for sure as they keep saying it. If the USA and Israel wanted genocide (tribacide really)they could have accomplished it easily by now. Israel shows restraint in trying to only target people firing rockets, while it would be legitimate to consider anyone who voted for or supports Hamas to be a terrorist. So don't complain. Gaza is a terrorist enclave. West Bank is one just waiting to return to terrorism.
Tom i have no facts? Google it, look at the link i posted there are facts, Israel is a coward terrorist state.
this is a response to one of yor other responses
So you say that cnn and fox r unreliable news sources while you R posting on cnn and have used cnn and fox for some of your reasons
What goes around always comes around. If all those children who were killed are lumped in with "terrorists" or merely "casualties of war" then the West better be quiet when the table is turned. Just like using a drone to target and summarily kill people without any trial is allowed. See, the drone technology is a novelty now but the time is coming when it will become a commodity, owned by almost everyone. Just as nuclear weapons were owned exclusively by the "big boys" until a few radicals invited themselves to the party. And now the world is running in circles trying to keep "terrorists" out of the invite list.
It never ceases to amaze me how the West puts blinders on when everything favors them, but become big hypocrits when the table turns.
The Arab states started numerous wars before an inch of "occupied territories" was occupied. To say that if Israel vacated them and there'd be peace is a lie
All the while Assad has killed what 40k muslims in a year? LOL.
No doubt, Mr. Schanzer intended to write that new rockets brought millions of *Israeli* civilians "into the crosshairs" of the conflict. Millions of Palestinian civilians have, of course, been in the same situation for decades. And if Abbas needs forgiveness for his "unilateral theatrics" at the U.N., I suppose that Israel must have the same need. Or am I just forgetting how the Zionists waited for approval from Egypt, Jordan, etc., before applying for statehood?
What a load of hypocritical trash.
While many Isreal bashers are obssesed with Isreal isnt interesting they say nothing of:
Shiates v Sunnis – kiling each other all over the middle east every day
Syria- slaughtering each other by the thousands
Lebanon – another day, another car bombing
Iraq – ditto
Iran – ask for freedom, get shot or tortured
Egyot- another day, another dictator.
Where are all the Isreal bashers?
As soon as Iran's nuclear facilities and their ammunition and arms factories are destroyed, Hamas will be out of rockets to attack Isreal. Then when that happens, the Palestinians will finally get their home land and their kids will be able to play side by side with Israeli kids and they will all live long lives and grow old and be able to say one day...free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last!
It seems to be another age old argument that nobody ever wins and your personal perspective shapes ones "reality"...
It's USrael, forever and always, despite the occasional dog and pony show.
"The views expressed are his own."
That's all I need to know about this fabrication.
Israel just needs to go back to non-existance to wander for 40 years.
This is not a good thing. It means war.
If anyone thinks Obama didn't give Israel the green light for last weeks airstrikes, I have a bridge they might be interested in purchasing.
That's too bad. The Israelis are thugs- even Truman wrote they were very selfish and untrustworthy.
Total extermination of palestinian islamofascists and their supporters around the world by any means will bring peace and stability, as it was in 1945 in WWII.
More lies by the lib media terrorist group.
why would obama side with someone who was celebrating the destruction of the wtc as 3000 americans were burning alive?
What did they dance? Tango? Now for real news: GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - The leader of the Palestinian militant Hamas government in Gaza has condemned the United States for killing Al Qaeda chief Usama bin Laden.
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh says the operation is "the continuation of the American oppression and shedding
of blood of Muslims and Arabs." [May 2, 2011]
Israel, and also the US, won! Hamas lost bitterly. Woo-hoo!
What BS. Since when wasn't the U.S. a wholly owned colony of Israel? The cowards in Congress would see the last American starve to death before they would stop sending the tax dollars they steal from us to their bosses in Tel Aviv.
did i hear dying americans? time to celebrate! lets dance! instead of a lighter in front of the camera we'll hold up sandwhichs while we dance.! uh 1, uh 2 uh 1 2 3...
Now for real news: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=KrM0dAFsZ8k
Eliminate the spaces in th eurl.
are you kidding? from fox propaganda central news? we have no clue who those people are, they could be anyone celebrating anything. israel has been killing americans for a long time in false flags from the USS Liberty to 911 to garner support for its wars. let's dance.
Israel can suck a turd...Throw all that holocaust history in our faces for years and then roll around Palestine acting like the same Nazi's they demand that the world hate for all time...To bad the media wont report the reality of the situation...Like Israel being busted numerous times for spying on the US....Or about the size of Israels lobby group in Washington....Or about the constant boot on the neck tactics it uses against Palestinians on a daily basis...They did however report that Israel used a mathematical formula to feed th Palestinians just enough food in Gaza to keep the situation from becoming a humanitarian issue....Gods chosen people....ppppffffttttt..
can you display the mathematical formula here (with references)__________
A statement given by Israel itself...But i doubt that would change your world view..
@ pita souce. Your first sentence in the origional article does not give me too much confidence in your honesty. Work on that first....
If it's real for me do I have to prove it to you
Why do revelations fade to cold blue untruths
It's oh so relative
Subservient in total to one's perspective
Israel’s military spokesman Maj. Guy Inbar said the mathematical formula was devised as a safeguard to identify food needs and avoid a humanitarian crisis in Gaza
In the food calculation, Israel applied the average daily requirement of 2,279 calories per person, in line with World Health Organisation guidelines
When you are a constant welfare recipient it is only sensible for the provider to only provide what you need as opposed to what you want. If you want more go work for it. 67% of Gazans are on UN welfare. Not having to work for a living gives them more time to foment terrorism.
So Israel's 8-day op against Iranian-made missiles which target major cities somehow needs justification?
Only in America...
How does America fund foreign aid if there is not enough taxpayer money for programs in America? Illegal off the books accounting?
@derk: wiki: During the Second Intifada (2000–2005) Palestinian gunmen used civilians and children as human shields, by surrounding themselves with children while shooting on IDF forces.[10]
Easy to paint that picture when you dont take into account the fact that the Gaza strip is an open air prison created and maintained by Israel and that those "human shields" you speak of are probably just innocent children caught in aggressive cross fire...Israel takes this aggression to the Palestinians...If a foreign body were to invade your country and you took up arms in defense of it and your kids got shot...God forbid... that invading armies response would probably read very similar to Israels propaganda...
@pitasouce: Your statement "If it's real for me do I have to prove it to you" explains everything that you posted.
Hey Joe22....Are you a member of the Israeli Public relations Juggernaut???...Or are you just spewing untruths whilst sucking a turd?
The "warming" undoubtedly has something to do with us giving them a big fat check or some military "gifts" they can keep without paying for. Otherwise Obama must have agreed to strike Iran because Israel can't handle it.
islreal is doing to palestinians what nazis did to isreaelis , shame ...
I doubt Israelis are driving around in moblie killing vans rounding up hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to be gassed to death with exhaust fumes. Nor do I think they are stuffing millions of Palestinians into shower stalls by the thousands then dumping poison gas down the hatch. Then sending in other Palestinians into the stalls to pull apart the mountains of naked Palestinian bodies. I also don't believe Israelis are systematically working the remaining Palestinians to death and starving the rest in concentration camps. Compared to what the Jews went through at the hands of the nazis, Palestinians live on a playground.
Try thinking about what would happen if you reversed the forces. Give the Israelis a few rockets and rifles and give the Palis all the IDF weapons. The slaughter would be instantaneous and complete. The arab world would rejoice and praise allah, the UN would do nothing but nod their head. Israel could make it a lot worse for the terrorists. Gazans and the rest of the Pali's make their own prisons, wherever they are. Other arabs have also imprisoned the Pali's by keeping them in refugee camps forever, never allowing them to join their country as it doesn't suit their political aims. They were hated by the other arabs from the start. Just think about what would happen if the situation was reversed for Israel.
So, Jonathan Schanzer's theory for President Obama's lack of criticism of Israel's strike is that Prime Minister Netanyahu did President Obama a political favor by waiting until after the election? If I wanted absurd right wing conspiracy theories, I would read FOX. Seriously.
Its all understood even if you dont understand
If you are setting on a bench on one side of a park eating a sandwich and someone throws a rock "rocket" and hits you. What is your response?
(1) Laugh and say that’s ok the bleeding will stop soon and walk away.
(2) Call the police "UN" and make a complaint and find that it was your fault for setting on the wrong bench.
(3) Throw the rock back along with 2 or 3 more and be told that your response was excessive by the ones who hit you with the first rock.
(4) Finley stop setting in the park and let those who like to throw rocks can move in and throw rocks at you house.
Send little boys and girls with bomb vest doing a man's job. Then cry when the men who sent these children are held accountable.
Don’t you just love the Middle East? Been killing each other for 5000 years and it is always someone else fault.
Great analysis that hasn't been published in other media sources yet. Thank you.
The Bush Family funded the Nazis and murdered JFK using EH Howard as the hit man under the direction of GH Bush. GH Bush is in the hospital. Hope he dies soon.
I have seen fools but YOU are a real nut.
Can't handle the truth can you!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahaha
Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria do not want one Palestinian on their soil and have done every thing they can to force them down Israel’s collective throat and keep them in the camps. But at the same time raise hell when anyone wants to send any their way.
If I was in their place I would be just as mad with my so called Arab brothers.
Look at Egypt today Christians are being killed in the name of Islam. In how many other countries are people of other religions being killed in the name of Islam? The two major faction of Islam are killing each other.
I know the two major factions of Christianity have done the same and also for the same reasons (1ST)POLITICAL POWER AND (2ND)RELIGIOUS DOMANCE IN THAT ORDER.
The difference is with a few minor exception Christianity has settled its differences. But that comes with maturity Christianity is a 1,000 years older and Judaism is 2,000 years older still give or take a couple 100 years than Islam.
Properly stated.
"apparent renewal of vows between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu" how cute!!! Netanyahu has his hand in Obama's pocket. Israel dosen't wear the pants in this relationship.