Hamas deliberately targets Israeli citizens with thousands of rockets filled with ball bearings, nails, and rat poison. Clearly, war crimes. Meanwhile where is the outrage?

The terrorists continue their day and nightattacks against Israeli citizens, launching rockets from their own civilian centers, homes, mosques, hospitals and other buildings in which civilians are held hostage and used as human shields. The terrorists hope to draw Israel into a fight so that when civilian hostages are accidentally killed, they can use it to turn world opinion against Israel.

Finally, after years of unprovoked attacks, Israel goes on the offensive to stop the rockets from falling.

As soon as falsified and exaggerated reports of civilian casualties start coming in from “unknown Palestinian eye witnesses,” the catatonic international community awakes from its coma and starts cracking on Israel

DrRJP, Miami, FL

what is this, It seems to me that Isreal is good guy while the palestine is the killer. Just think about it carefully, who was the land owner. i am sure you can search in the history of the Middle East to know the real owner, but we forgot. Plus, compare between the numbers of casualties & dead people of the two parties, compare of the war potentials of both ,one has huge numbers of artillaries, aircrafts, variety of weopons,(do not forget the great support of US), let' see the other party. what does he have? home made rockets, weapons (not as much as the first has of course). Another thing, sory for keeping u long, do not forget that the first party has the potenials of life in a very better way than the other party: Gaza. The first has electricity, fuel, food, medicines, schools, transportation, employment. If u see Gaza esp. few days ago, hospitals were deprived from electricity, u know what does it mean? of course u do. U can imagine now does Gaza acted or was acted upon.

iman, cairo, egypt

What can I say about some of the things being written here. Israel is doing NOTHING LIKE the Germans. It has reacted to an almost constant bombardment of its cities from Gaza. The alternative is just to sit and take it. So any surprise that it attacks the terrorist chiefs? I think not.

The pain is in seeing civilians of any sort involved in this kind of action. Israel protects its civilians as much as possible. Hamas wants to show the bloody wounds of civilian casualties to the world as proof of inhumanity. So civilians are put in the line of fire.

Examine the intent of the two sides. Israel attacks knowing that there are terrorists but fearing causing civilian casualties. Hamas attacks intending to hit only civilians. How many Israeli soldiers have ever been killed by Hamas? Few. At least Israel strikes against Hamas (about 2/3 of the casualties are Hamas terrorists). It is a war, Hamas is fascist.

It is all too disturbing. If you know a better solution post it here.

Rabbi, Liverpool, UK

The situation in Gaza is clear to the discerning amongst us. Palestine is a terrorist state, a menace. Their blatant disregard for the lives of women and children is appalling; the collective punishment handed out to the people of Gaza is what they voted for. The world should condemn the action of the Hamas forces in Gaza. The reaction of the Israeli is in response to the Hamas rocket attacks.
If the Hamas terrorism does not stop, what will happen will be very costly for all of the Palestinians.
To those who know the truth but choose to look the other, I'll say 'rest in turmoil' as you have helped in murdering innocent people.

Carlos , Madrid, Spain

The situation in Gaza is clear to the discerning amongst us. The world should condemn the action of the Israeli forces in Gaza and elsewhere. The reaction of Hamas is in response to the Israeli incursion.
If the israeli terrorism does not stop, what will happen will be very costly for all of us.
To those who know the truth but choose to look the other, I'll say 'rest in turmoil' as you have helped in murdering innocent people.

Miftah Lawal, Raleigh, NC

Ron, Durham, NC, USA said:

"We are all (including Israeli generals) opposed to the killing of children. But what can they do in practical terms?"

How about not dropping high explosive ordnance on civilian areas, that might do the trick. We managed to restrain ourselves in Northern Ireland, can the Israeli 'Defence' Forces not do the same?

J Roberts, Manchester, UK

The recent Israeli actions are unwise. Rockets were being fired even before "disengagement", and there is nothing to suggest that anything less than a full-scale reoccupation of Gaza would stop them, and goodness knows what the cost of that would be. What is regrettable in this conflict is that no-one ever seems to want to occupy the moral high ground. Instead, each takes the other's previous outrage as an excuse for tit-for-tat retaliation. The reality is that the rockets, although undoubtedly a form of terrorism against civilians, cause few casualties. Israel could afford to hold out the hand of peace to Hamas, by offering some sort of deal, and remove the restrictions on Gaza, thereby challenging Hamas to stop the attacks by removing the excuse for them.

Unfortunately, the Gaza incursion takes us in the other direction - perhaps a return to full-scale suicide terrorism in Israel, as the never-ending cycle of violence perpetuates itself.

David Pritchard, Madrid, Spain

Until the geography of this region is more realistically divided up and boundaries redrawn the fighting in this region will never stop. An epic struggle between two nations is all that this region can continue to produce until these fundamental issues are dealt with. The theatre of war has simply moved from teh Golan Heights to the Strip again UN intervention with the US, RUSSIA and MIDDLE EAST is needed to lift this region out of an almost timeless and ageless epic conflict.

bettina mitchell, bedford, UK

Sam London

Where on earth did you get that load of rubbish from? You read too many left wing anti semitic papers . How can the Israelis stop ambulances in Gaza? There are no Israelis in Gaza.

Why are these kids throwing stones in the first place. If as you say, Israeli snipers like shooting kids then as a sensible parent, wouldn't you keep your kids inside? I know I would. The truth is, they stand and throw stones because in the main, they are not fired upon and the soldiers do show tremendous restraint. I don't deny that shots are fired and that children have been killed. Sadly there are bad people in Israel too and I wouldn't insult your intelligence by suggesting otherwise but to suggest that there is wholesale slaughter of men women and children simply isn't true

This is typical of the **** that these militants have been feeding the west for years and people like you just lap it up.

Graham , London, UK

"These are not accidents, it is targetting"

No, these are lies

If Hamas is so honourable, why hide and fire their rockets from civilian areas? Disgusting tactics

Tom A, London,

We are all (including Israeli generals) opposed to the killing of children. But what can they do in practical terms?

The Geneva Convention says that when an armed force takes action from a civilian center, that force takes responsibilty for those civilians. When Israel is under seige, how are they supposed to respond? When the terrorists purposefully launch from civilian areas, how is Israel supposed to respond?

Hamas is using the citizens of Gaza as pawns. The entire Arab world is doing to same thing. If the Egyptians were so concerned about the welfare of their Arab breathren in Gaza, why don't they offer to absorb them? Because they don't want them any more than the Israelis do!

Ron, Durham, NC, USA

70% of Palestinian children shot by the israelis are shot either in the head or shoulders.
The 991 instances of the IDF holding up Palestinian ambulances, preventing them from getting to the hospital.
Israelis pick off Palestinian civilians, to the point of 'drawing in' Palestinian kids as game.
A young man in his living room gets up to stretch, goes to the windows; he is shot in the head.
A women sitting on her front porch at the end of the day: gunned down.
A child of the age of six, doing her homework at her desk in the garden: shot in the head by Israeli snipers.
20 Palestinian doctors have be shot in the line of duty while helping other people who have been gunned down by the IDF, and 425 have been wounded.
These are not accidents, it is targetting.

Sam, LONDON, UK

What a travesty that a land seized in the name of a Religious sect should meet out such injustice to the ethnic people of Palestine. Israel was the "Promised Land" in some old book re-written from an earlier old book of mythology.

After suffering the Nazi holocaust, it is tragic that the heirs of European Jewry should meet out the same injustice to the Palestinians. Did their forebears not stand up to the might of the Nazi army in Warsaw?

How are the Palestinians to break out of their Ghetto against the might of US aided Israel other than with home-made weapons? They do not have tanks, ships or aircraft to fight back from their Ghettos, do they?

Frank O'Brien, Harlow, England

This new conflict of Israeli against Palestinian is another trial of the difficulty for the two part for searching a peace only with words. We can see an example of how is difficoult to live in the same territories for two opposite state of mind; the religious and cultural differences increase it!!
Into a "roost" can't live two cocks!!One of them will die, or became gay no?

Matteo, Milano, Italia

Israel is a terrorist state, a menace. Their blatant disregard for the lives of women and children is appalling; the collective punishment handed out to the people of Gaza is abhorrent. IDF is the biggest terrorist organization of the world, hell bent on pushing the Palestinians out of their homeland or killing them.
There was a time when there were no rocket attacks, Israel was invading Palestine back then as well, besieging Arafat and his cabinet. Even if rocket attacks cease today, Israel will find some other excuse to bomb unarmed Palestinian women and children.

Ussama YAqub, Islamabad, Pakistan

i find all of this so hard to swallow. the israelis and palastinians are as bad as each other as we watch and let them kill each others mothers and children. shame on them. shame on us all.

Edward Brown, London, uk

If an enemy was indiscriminately launching rockets into any other country in the world, they would be viewed as fully justified to take whatever action necessary to put a stop to it.

Hamas could easily stop the rockets. They are getting what they deserve. The people did vote for them afterall.

Dan Detroit, Detroit, Michigan

And as usual with Israel, they get away with it... the world just stands by and watches.

Damien, Coventry,

on all sides woman are killed but just look in gaza at the candy that young children give after a bomb attack to me it tells it all

mike, london,

Yoni of New York, I suggest you visit the Palestinian territories before promoting such blatant fictions. These people are being made to suffer and are being denied the right to self determination. In Gaza they are being denied the basic necessities of life. No one had the right to do this to them. And then you wonder why they want to destroy the occupiers in return?No violence is ever forgivable. It is only going to end when the occupation ends and the Palestinians have to have their homes, their freedoms and all of their rights restored.

Diane, UK,

How would the previous commenter feel if Kent were being attacked by rockets from Fance every day ? Would she be so happy to condemn our Government if they fought back ?

John M, Lincoln, England

well here we go again the debate about the israeli defense ministers comments have been distorted by those who don't understand context Edward Heath said once to do with a scandal 'its one of the many FACETS (sides) of capitalisim' NOT as commonly assumed 'its one of the many FACES (like some hydra headed monster) of capitalisim' as an ignorant or manipulative journalist reported it as... As i said to an employer once when talking about that part of the world there is a lot of nonsense out there; among the canards is the implication that there was once an arabic state called palestine with a capital of jerusalem! also it wasnt the intention of the arab states in 1948 they had won against israel they planned to carve it up among themselves NOT to create a palestinian state.

Charles, lambourn, UK

Today's account of the fighting by the BBC gave 22 paragraphs of description of Israeli attacks on Gaza an only two paragraphs describing the Hamas rocket attacks on Israel which were he cause of the Israeli response.

It is not surprising that such unbalanced reporting creates such uninformed comment from the UK.

No wonder the BBC is becoming known as the "Biased Broadcasting Corporation"

Nick, Clayton, CA

It wouldn't be a normal weekend in Israel without somebody threatening Armageddon. Whilst in England we talk about football scores on a monday morning and how many goals Man Utd scored, the Israelis talk about Holocausts and how many Palastinian woman they have burnt to death. It's all in a weekends fun and play over at Jerusalem HQ.

Andrew Nyazai, Godalming, UK

At least they are honest in their horrific intentions.

It is how the rest of the world reacts that matters.

S Davey, London,

Israel is like the school bully. They find the weakest, most disadvantaged people and drop napalm them; making sure no woman and children escape. They are almost like USA: it's hard to find a country in the world that likes them and agrees with their desire to inflict pain and suffering on other humans. But they do get on with one another. And their military spending is what props up their ecomonies.

Simon Peter, Godalming, UK

How many people are taking a bird's eye view? It is either the poor Israelis or the poor Palestinians? By killing 100 people in Gaza to prevent the rocket launches, Israeli basically pulls the rug out from under Abbas, their preferred peace partner so Israel gains nothing by show of force. They just continue to push more Palestinians into support for violent resistance. Hamas gets more support so they will launch more rockets which will produce more violence from Israeli incursions. Neither side can escalate the situation to outright conflict so it is just more of the same: long-term low intersity violence, rage and fear. So both the Israelis and Palestinians have morally bankrupted themselves in order to get the upper hand in a conflict that will never produce any winners. The only solution is for both sides to embrace both humanity and humility.

William Hoyle, Taichung, Taiwan

To Jane, if we allowed an anti-French group to constantly fire rockets into their country in the hope of killing French people, would she be surprised if eventually the French decided they had to do something about it?

Wendy, Harrow, UK

We have had over 400 of these deadly missiles fired from civilian areas of Gaza. If the Welsh had fired those at Liverpool, I am sure that England would have invaded Wales long ago.
Israel has showed far too much restraint.
It should agree to a cease fire but on condition that any missile attacks were a casus beli and would be followed automatically with massive ground and air attacks.
Israel sought peace and evacuated Gaza, it got the Kassam Rockets.
Peace has failed,Israel may have to Give WAR a chance to stop the missiles.
If civilians are killed, blame those who use them as human shields to fire their rockets, not Israel.

Mike Mordechai, Porthmadog, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

I am sickened by the Israeli Government's actions in Gaza as I was by their attitude and actions in The Lebanon. They have been brutal in their reprisals and such excessive force only serves to breed terrorist reprisals. How would you feel if France continually came across with tanks and superior air power and habitually bombed Kent? Gaza is a Ghetto, they have no means of dending it and Israeli military action is effectively a holocaust. The Israelis have been allowed to seek military solutions and targets when there is no such thing available......... and as in Ireland the weapons and the funding has all come from a misguided Lobby in the US.

jane shepard, Bucken, UK

Can the world stand another Jewish holocaust even if they are the perpetrators?

Jim Golightly, Prudhoie, England

That's it? Withdrawal already?

Umilna, Timisoara, Romania

Winston Churchill said,"When striving for total victory, one must forfeit all political considerations". The Palestinian extreemists will never stop on their own. Islamic extreemists see no distinction between soilders and civilians. Islamic extreemists see no distinction between woman, children and the elderly. Islamic extreemists see no distinction between the innocent and the helpless..and Islamic extreemists...will NEVER stop on their own. To defeat an enemy with a 'marshal philosphy'...you have to become what you fight._

JOHN, Penfield, NY

I am horrified by the whole situation. Israel disengaged from Gaza. The Gazan Hamas authorities have sworn destruction on Israel. They have no interest in peace.
The children who have been killed are innocent victims. But remember that children are killed and maimed on both sides. And if you play the numbers game, I will tell you that the death of one innocent non-combattant is too much.
Note this: Israel does not launch this kind of attack when it is not itself bombed. The Defence Minister talks about a Shoah - the Hebrew word for an offering entirely consumed by fire. I would say he used the wrong word, and he has had to retract it.
But to compare what Israel is doing to the Holocaust is sick. It is nothing of the sort. Israel is trying to defend itself, in the most difficult situation.
I don't think there is a solution whilst there are fanatics who wish to see Israel destroyed whatever the human cost to the Arab or Muslim side. When people are so bloody-minded nobody is safe.
Slm

Rabbi Zvi Solomons, Liverpool, UK

Didn't George Bush say that invading Iraq and overthrowing Hussein was going to bring peace to all the Middle East?? What happened??????????

Bruce L. Northwood, Silver Spring, USA

Feeling threatened, makes you aggressive. Israel is no different to any other nation in that regard. I think that jews haven't had a territory to defend for 2000 years, and now that they do, they wake up to the reality of it and realise that they are in fact also capable of "holocaust" if pushed too far. Welcome to the family

Albert fiedeldey, Arklow, Ireland

This quote should clear up the usage of the Hebrew word "shoah"

"The choice of vocabulary from Matan Vilnai, an often outspoken former army general, was unusually grave - the word is not normally used for anything other than the Nazi Holocaust of the Jews."

Sorry, by the army general ment exactly that - 'holocaust'

jayil, london, uk

To Kon from melbourne, Aus. First off, Isreal will not be defeated because there cause is just. When the Romans finally defeated the Israeli nation and forcibly dispersed the surviving population , these survivors were subjected to the longest and most cruel kinds of predjudice and degradation. For two thousond years they were made the victims , in most if not all , t he so called enlightened European countries.supported and encouraged by the Vatican. This was their land and in light of there treatment by the Christian world they have no other option but to reclaim their rights. I might add here that Jesus Christ was born a Jew and died a Jew in Isreal. To address your point of Israel's ability to survive ---It is its nuclear capability and its willingness to fight for it right to survive that will prevent its defeat.and not U.S. support. The U. S supports Israel because it knows it is the right and just thing to do.

nelson garnick, longboat , USA/ fla.

Don't forget, when London was under V-1 and V-2, Churchill was not overly concerned about German civilians, and rightfully so. I hope this is the British government line this time again.

NE Patriots, Boston, USA

Weapons, strategy and training supplied by Iran, Syria and Hizbullah. This has only just begun, and Israel and the Sunni Arab States know it. Hizbullah will join the action within days and then all bets are off.

Martin Gray, South Miami, Florida/USA

What the Germans did to the Jews, so the Israelis do to the Palestinians. Isn't irony the word I'm reaching for? But then have you every heard of an Arab lobby to counter the Jewish lobby?

Andrew Milner, Karuizawa, Japan

Indeed the term Holocaust should not have been used and in fact was withdrawn according your own report.What is inplied is that the response will be intensive and heavy. Please understand that 99 percent of the Israel population have no wish for these attacks and see and hear about these attacks with very deep sorrow . But what else are we to do ? What country in the world would stand by while one of its cities with a population of 150000 which is the size of Ashkalon is bombarded with rockets that are fired with no target in mind accept that of hitting the city . Upto now more than 3000 rockets have been fired into Israel since the beginning of the year. We want peace with our neighbours but we also want to be able to live in peace

Stanley, Haifa , Israel

The HAMAS calling it "the holocaust" - OK. I do not see gas chambers in GAZA. there are 1.5Mil people, so to make the Holocaus happen in same amounts as in Europe with Jews, each gaza settler must be : shoot, hang, put in gas chamber and then burned in cremation factory i.e. killed 4 times to make 1.5 mil euqal to 6mil as jews in WW-II.

HAMAS leader are just out of proportions. More, they are chicks, hiding behing kids and women.

Alexander, Donetsk, RU

Israel makes me sick. They are mass killing women and children because Hamas uses little bottle rockets that rarely hit anyone, when they are fighting for their own land. I would do the same thing if a race that thinks they are superior to all others came in and tried to take my land and then cut off my food and water supply.

Israel will get Blowback for this in a big way, I wish the US would cut ties with these crazy Zionists. All they want to do is kill, kill and kill some more. And for what, so they can build more houses on land that they steal.

Americans need to wake up to what is really going on in the middle east and not the lies the Zionist media feeds them.

Jonathan Wilhelm, Royal Oak, Michigan

There is no any single soldier or settler in Gaza since 2005. So, why the palestinians bomb the small and peaceful southern Israeli towns? Why Israeli children have to suffer and to be scared every day and their children should feel safe?

Gadi, Haifa, Israel

There is no difference between a rocket from Gaza which kills Israeli civilians or a bomb dropped by an F16 if the outcome is the same. One cant be called self defense and the other terrorism. Palestinians have a right not to submit to Jewish occupation just as Americans had a right not to submit to British rule 230 years ago.The truth is that the Palestinian struggle is a noble one but its righteousness is matched by its futility. Israel cant be beaten militarily because of US support. The solution to Palestinians problems can only come from the international community through a complete economic/diplomatic boycott.
Will that happen?
No.
It seems supporters of Israel have complete power in Washington. The question for the Arabs is not how they can defeat the IDF on the battlefield but how they can end Israel dominating the White House. The Gulf states need to funnel a lot of money into the campaigns of pro justice candidates for there to be a just outcome for the Palestinians

Kon, melbourne, Australia

Wake up. The Romans devastated Jerusalem in revenge of the Jew uprisal. The crusaders brought faith with sword amongst the unbelievers. What have we now ?
Antti o from Finland EU

Antti O. Airaksinen, tampere, Finland

Certainly, It is not a holocaust. Islam is making it, ask them why the rocket is being fired?

Sudharm Shiv, Mumbai, India

Doesn't anyone understand?? Hamas (and all the other splinter radical muslim groups) don't care how long it takes and how many people (either side) die. They have all the time in the world. (they've been waiting for over 500 years). And they have unlimited bodies. Loose 100 today and just indoctrinate 150 tomorrow.Am I the only one who sees this? Like Viet Nam the leaders couldn't care less about how many people they lose. To them they are expendable. THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS.They will win or kill EVERYONE trying.

duncan, Philadelphia, Pa. U.S.A.

Dear Shaun from UK,

Sorry to break the news to you, but everything you wrote is made up. When Israel took over the WB and Gaza in 1967, the economy shot through the roof and became the 4th fastest growing economy in the world. Even now, the Palestinians are on average better off than Egyptians and Syrians. The whole idea of the "suffering Palestinians" is a mythological motif with its roots in European anti-semitism (where Jews were also considered cruel oppressors) which was transplanted into the middle east in the early twentieth century. All the restrictions that Palestinians do face began in recent years, AFTER Israel began its withdrawals from these territories! So the truth is the exact opposite of the mainstream view: it is the LACK of occupation that causes Palestinian terrorism! When Israel actually occupied these territories there were no suicide bombings at all, only after Israel began its withdrawals in the context of the Oslo Accords. Arabs want to destroy Israel period

Yoni, Orthodox Zionist Jew, New York, US of A

'Shoah' to whoever that was who wrote from Israel is actually does mean holocaust in the context it was used. So do not play games when your government threatens a Hitler like solution to his living space problem.

You have fools in Israeli government circles as you have fools in Palestinian government circles. Problem is the fools in Israel have guns and tanks. ..To bad really.

Stick and stones would be better for both the fools.

Frank Madigan, Capreol, Canada

Sooner or later the truth will prevail.on the injustice meted out to the palastinian people What did you americans think. Palastinians are expected sit like lame targets while more of their land is beink stolen.
The real terrorists are the Americans,and the west .You will never have peace as long as you subject these people to the misery they are experiencing

Baker, Johannesburg,

To say I'm a bit suspicious that all these "homemade rockets", supposedly launched by Palestinians, tend to land in empty fields, causing little or no damage or casualties in Israel. Yet they give the belligerent Israelis all the propaganda power they need to continue their murderous genocide of the Gazans. Israel is well known for its tendency to commit false flag operations to further its goals...

Israeli Zionism is the world's biggest problem. Fix that, and we'll have taken a huge step towards a more peaceful planet.

Jeff Drum, Murrieta,

Can someone please explain the difference between Gaza and a prison camp?

Scott, Brit in Tland, Thailand.

Europe gave Jews somewhere to live and multiply for over 1000 years (Ashkenazim population began with maybe as few as 200 individuals arriving in Rhineland around 800-1000 AD - now population over 10 million)
It is only fair that they now defend us from the challenge to civilization from the Arab countries.

Daniel K888, Melbourne , Australia

i've got an idea. Why don't the US give Texas to Israel and Israel to Palestinians. Then there will be peace.
All the articles i have read the americans cannot seem condem Israelis for killing children and innocent people.
Wake up and realize that how would you would feel if the Israelis took your land.
There would be a new war US v Israel and again over land.

Shame on humanity, london, uk

The blogs fail to recognize that the Middle East attritional wars cannot be resolved by condemning one or the other in these tit-for-tat attrocities.

There needs to be a root and branch reconstruction of the status quo which would necessitate substantial changes in attitude and possessions by both sides. Israel needs to make major concessions to begin to appease the extremists among the Arabs.

The oil-rich Arab nations need to become involved in a practical and economic sense to eradicate the widespread poverty among the occupants of Gaza and the West Bank.

Both sides in the Middle East conflicts suffer from tunnel vision. Saudi Arabia, and other Arab states have the financial muscle to provide the necessary economic support to Israel's neighbours that would go a long way to removing the poverty obstacles that provide the driving force for terrorist actions by Arab neighbours.

Why is it that the wealthy Arab states show no concern for their impoverished brothers?

Edward Willhoft, Epsom, UK

All civilized people should thank God for Israel. They are on the front line in a war against those who would destroy civilization as we know it. In that regard, there are no noncombatants. Hamas and other terrorist Arab groups have seen to that.

V Racer, Atlanta,

Actually, the word 'Shoah' in Hebrew means 'calamity' in English - not Holocaust. And this 'calamitiy' Hamas is bringing upon itself by its incessant firing of rockets on our towns!

Chaya , Bat Yam, Israel

The Great and Terrible Day of the God is coming, "...who can stand in it?" The Holy Bible says in the book of Joel 2, for Israel to "...turn to God with all their heart...Then will the Lord be jealous for His land, and pity His people." Then let all the enemys of God's people tremble, for the day of the Lord comes with His mighty army to punish the heathen with great terror and vengence. The Bible says; "those who war against Israel are warring against God Almighty! His Word will accomplish what it says and will not fail. It doesn't matter what anybody thinks, if in the end, we all are judged by God's word!There are 100's of prophecies in God's word that's been fulfilled in the history of mankind, i.e. Ezekiel 37:21 (586 B.C.) "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them ... and bring them back into their own land." This was prophecied in 586 B. C., fulfilled in the year 1948! Let God be true, men liars!

Robert, CHARLESTON , West Virginia

whenthe zionist uses the word "holocaust", betraying the memory of their ancestors massacre by hitler, they officially the hunter, not the hunted.
If a "jihadi"/"islamist" utter such words, the world will condemn not just the speaker, but their beliefs and religion.

Are the world is going to continue this double face discrimination again? Or this is another "freedom of expression"?

Johan, Malaysia,

Hamas is committed to the destruction of Israel. They are declared enemies of Israel. They kill Israelis. They deserve everything Israel dishes out to them.

If they don't like it, all they have to do is stop firing those rockets. Since they insist on firing the rockets, they must enjoy the aggression that Israel unleashes on them. Quid pro quo.

And they lived happily ever after.

amatdeus, Salzburg, Austria

Israel should be careful. I don't think it realises, in its overwhelming arrogance, the consequences of its actions.

Marco, Krakow, Polska

When is everyone going to notice that America is just an extension of Israel? How could this country possibly support Israel threatening a holocaust? Are you all that dumbed down? Stop listening to the propaganda box and WAKE UP! There is an American- Israeli empire taking over the middle east! We wouldn't stand for it here, why in the heck should they? WE ARE BULLIES

Andrea, Chichester, PA

I think the aggression on innocent children is the most horrible crime ever made by the Zionist Military.

How the international society stands silent in front of these massacres of the unarmed people of Palestine?

Farouk, Fayoum, Egypt

Dear David from Bournemouth,

Allow me to correct your comparison according to the facts that are hidden from us as the general public to put it into context with the Israel/Palestinian situation.
If people in Wales went to Bristol and took over their city, homes, business etc and forced them to live in the toilets of their house, and furthermore cut off the water, locked the doors to the toilet and controlled every espects of the Bristol peoples lives. Not only that, imagine Welsh people just entering the toilets with guns, where the bristol people are starving in horrendous conditions and impose even more misery on their lives and Bristol people were being put through this everyday since the 60's, then would you not expect the bristol people to just lsoe there patience and retaliate to try to protect their innocent kids that are being murdered everyday, to try to get back the houses, land and lives they orginally had? Or would you expect the Bristol people to give in?

Shaun, UK,

Of course, any attacks will include U.S. supplied weapons, aircraft, and arms. Our tax dollars at work.

Martin, Jaffrey, NH, US

racism and its subtle absorbtion into the language of the inner mind dissolves the difference between culture and religion, diversity and individuality to a point where rational thought and the appreciation of human kind is impossible. if ideas are the father of individuality then individuality is the mother of equality.
the unfortunate news for both sides is that eventually, inevitably they are going to have to live together in the end.

Professor Weinberg, london, united kingdom

1 Israeli man dies, all hell breaks loose, but when four Palestinian children die playing football, nobody cares! Doesn't anyone respect the Gaza's' right to life as well?

Ali, Kettering, UK

All of the Jewish and Christian Israelis that I know not a single one is proud of the way in which the Israeli government conducts itself, repeatedly abusing the human rights of the Palestinians. They would like to be proud of their nation, but as yet, its conduct doesn't allow them to. Let the rest of us also be certain that our governments respond properly, the world saw the Jewish holocaust, let us not allow the extremists to continue with the Palestinian holocaust, which sadly, has been largely ignored by the press and our worlds governments.

Farrukh, Woking, UK

Enough is enough! Can anyone thnk of any other Country in the world that would have put up with these kind of attacks each and every day against unarmed civilians?

Attack and get it over with! The sooner the better, it will end many more innocent deaths in the future!

Kent A. McNeil, Bellaire, USA Michigan

This is not unexpected from the terrorist state Israel. Five children were killed on Thursday playing football, and another 27 Palestinians have been killed over two days. How ridiculous from a nation that calls itself civilised.

M. A. Rahman, London, UK

Dear Berry

The IDF and the Israeli government were attacking Palestinians taking their land, mounting blockades etc before the first Qassam rocket was ever devised.

If the rockets stopped tomorrow the IDF would still bomb and blockade - look at the West Bank,more road blocks then ever before,more arests, more land stealing.

Israel does not want peace it wants submission.

Simon O'Brien, London, UK

As Mr Sternberg wrote in his comment the Hebrew original was poorly translated into English and thus the Hebrew word 'shoah' is - in the context given - not at all appropriately translated with the English word 'holocaust'.
Now, I do not speak any Hebrew but I do speak German and Arabic and Mr Sternberg's comment does make sense to me as my business is translation and terminology problems like the one mentioned happen more often than one might think.
I fear that the Middle East will not now peace for a long time as all parties involved are full of such relentless hatred and are so abysmally ignorant when it comes to understanding the other side. Nothing is more dangerous than people who think it is their divine right to claim a strip of land and who do not hesitate to get 'what is theirs' by killing other people. This is true for both Israelis and Palestinians. If it wasn't so hideous it would just be another tiny little conflict in some corner of the world. History repeats itself.

Rai Hakeem, Berlin, Germany

the Palestinians have NOT BEEN FIRING ANY ROCKETS. the israelis have been firing them all and may i correct you, 33 children have died and i know a woman who just had her first son and was waiting 7 years and he died in these attacks. i thought that it was supposed to be a lesson to the world about the holocaust in europe in the second world war but no!! this is happening again and this time it has been going on for 60 years!! why does no one do anything about it. THIS IS TERRORISM AND IF YOU LET THE WORLD KNOW THE TRUTH I KNOW THEY'LL THINK SO TOO!!!

Omar Faour, London, UK

Lets be realistic. Israel has never ended its occupation. People from Gaza can not use their airport, they can't use their sea ports and they can't even cross the borders.
There is an occupation! Its just one where the Israelis are out of sight but stil control everything.
Hamas has the right to resist and this is not only common sense but also recognised under internationa

Marwan Alfallah, London, Uk

One can conjure up all manner of excuses for hamas daily barrage of rockets but several things are clear: first, if they ceased and desisted their daily rocket attacks, Israel would not waste a single bullet on gazans. Second, the gazans elected these people with the full knowledge of their character so in a sense, all gazans are responsible for the daily rocket attacks. Third, Israel abandoned gaza 2-3 years ago, I believe be definition that precludes "occupation" as an excuse for bad behavior on the part of the gazans. Fourth, homicide bombers simple make those being bombed less cordial in their dealings thereby justifying exlcuding as many gazans from Israel as possible. Lots more but finally, all readers should read the hamas manifesto to understand their goals: there is absolutely NO OTHER COUNTRY(or collections of human beings) on the face of the planet or in our known solar system that has threatened to erase from the earth another soverign country. Fear not, Londonistan is next

Dan, Fairfax, Virginia, USA

Judge, Zurich, Switzerland

My ancestors were among those who split from Judea in 70AD and moved to Spain, became noble, became rich, fought in the crusades, then were forcibly converted to Catholicism in the 1490s.

In contrast, most of the Jewish people living in Israel are Ashkenazi, who have no genetic link to the Biblical Hebrews at all. But they like to claim they do, as part of what Shlomo Zand correctly describes as the justification for the existance of Israel (on land stolen from the Palestinians, who actually ARE the genetic descendants of the Biblical Hebrews)

Israelis know this. They have actively suppressed scientific evidence that shows Palestinians and ARAB Jews are the descendants of Biblical Hebrews.

The irony here is how these converted Khazars, who are not actually descendants of the Semites, call me, an actual genetic descendant of the Biblical Hebrews, "Anti-Semitic"!

jayil, london, uk

I am totally blown away, by some of the above comments, not one of you mention Israeli aggression its collective punishment of Palestine for the last 60 years, none of you seem to notice that 30 innocent Palestinian have been murdered by the Israeli army since Wednesday. Why is everyone so sacred to be honest and condemn Israel when they do something wrong. Why is the world so silent on Palestinian oppression and plight? The fact that he said the word 'holocaust' is quite scary to me and I feel afraid for the Palestine people and what might happen to them. Islamic extremism is been used to legitimize the deaths of these innocent Palestine’s, four young boys playing football where bombed to death in Palestine on Thursday and nobody cares. There is a gross treatment of the Palestine people.

Sofia, London, England

How can this situation be understood? If the people in Wales started lobbing missiles at Bristol because of an historic grudge then the UK government would certainly send troops in to remove the threat and to confiscate the weapons and capture those responsible. This decision would NEVER be questioned, irrespective of any economic or political constraints.
When Gaza residents send rockets into Israel then it somehow becomes wrong for Israel to deal with the situation even if the avowed aim of Hamas is to wipe Israel off the map.
No self respecting democratic state would ever tolerate continued terrorism from a small enclave within its borders.
Those who condemn Israel for self defense are hypocrites of the highest order, as they would not wish to live under daily threat of rocket attack from a people who have been granted self government. Israel may, unfortunately, have to employ a robust military strategy to deal with Hamas. Terrorists will not listen to reason.

David, Bournemouth, UK

Thanks to Bush & Company, a solution is now available ala Kosovo. If a sovereign portion of a nation can be illegally torn off, certainly an occupied territory can be freed of it's oppressor.

We tell the Serbs that ripping off Kosovo will give them peace. Well, then freeing the West Bank and Gaza should therefore provide peace to Israel. Thanks Bush! Thanks Rice! Thanks Neocons!

mark, Texas,

To those Nakba-deniers: what does it take to create another "holocaust"? Is it the figures? The manner? The execution of the event itself? Would the Israelis have to dress-up in Brownshirts with swatiskas and goosestep through the Gaza strip before the comparison can be made?

A lot of the comments and criticism of the translation of this Israeli minster's comments are directed at the fact that, by "shoah", he meant "catastrophe" and not "holocaust". He just didn't pick his words properly whilst considering the implications.

They are probably right.

But until there is a concentrated effort to amend Ahmadinejad's comments allegedly threating to "wipe Israel off the map" - as far as I'm concerned, this man has just told the world what we already know about Al-Nakba, and "Never Again" must mean "Never Again".

John, London,

Jonathan, that was brilliant. You'd think for a people who suffered through a holocaust, the last thing they would want to inflict upon another human being, no matter how despicable they view him, is another holocaust. Our friends and pet democracy ladies and gentlemen, I give you the gentle Israelis.

Deano, Perth, Australia

I have to give credit to one blogger at Little Green Footballs for noticing that Palestinians use their babies the way canaries were used in 19-th century mines -each time Israel targets Hamas "metal shop" there is dead baby,then swarming Palestinians posing threateningly for worlds grateful media(anybody seen such masterful angles and frozen moments during war in Chechnya, Kosovo, Darfur etc,where there were thousands of victims but no such heated "discussion"as this one.Now look at the people bashing Israel at this forum -you've got Muslim names with ideas and scope of tolerance similar to those protesting Danish cartoons and you have another category -westerners whose leftist ideals are as far from reality as English and French on the eve of WW2.During the 80-s guys like these eagerly participated in the KGB-financed campaign against neutron bomb in Britain,but with the demise of Soviet Union and its ideological targets they still feel their juices going at any sign of Israel trying to defend herself(also don't underestimate anti-semitic undercurrent)Here they are playing role of quite useful idiots for world jihadi movement. By the way, all this brouhaha in the media based on mistranslation of Hebrew word-it was "disaster",not "Holocaust".

Ali Baba, Toronto, Canada

I love all the American pro Israeli comments. Wouldn't it be great if Mexico annexed Texas, built a huge wall around it, restricted all movement in and out, assassinated key Republican figures and their family members, introduced a Mexican only immigration policy, bulldozed the Bush ranch and built a village on it.

This, of course, would be a flagrant breach of international law but no action would be taken because China vetoed all U.N. resolutions condemning it. Then I could write to the Times and complain about how Mexico was being demonised in the press when she had every right to protect herself from the scourge terror and that if Texans really wanted peace they should just shut up, put down their guns, decease in their silly claims and learn Spanish. I mean what's their problem they can always move to Louisiana or New Mexico right?

Jonathan, Auckland, New Zealand

There was no land taken from any Palestinians. In fact, until 1967 there were no Palestinians. There were Muslims from various Arab countries living in Israel. If there were no Palestinians, how could Israel have taken their land. The land in question ie: Gaza belonged to Egypt. I don't hear Egypt fighting to take over Gaza. In fact, it was offered to them but they refused. Unfortunately Israel got stuck with that barren piece of land.
For those how dispute this, please answer this. Prior to 1967 who was the Palestinian leader? What was their currency? What form of government did they have?

Kishmir, Toronto, Canada

I am extremely impressed time and time again with the truthfulness and honesty epitomised in the Times. You deserve full credit for your bravery in stating the truth. I think the media gets painted with the same brush too often- and there are exceptions. Thanks to the Times.

A. Khan, Manchester,

So "the final solution" is here.

Is Gaza regarded as a ghetto?
How much collateral damage will it involve?
Do they care?

Paul, Stockholm,

Israel has killed 32 Palestinians, including four children and a baby, in the past two days. One Israeli has been killed. Who is the biggest criminal?

martin walsh, Glasgow, Scotland

Well, the Israelis have lots of experience with their own holocaust- they'll use all that experience against the Palestinians.

glen, north vancouver, canada

Britain really needs to sever ties with Israel now! I am sorry but they have crossed the line one to many times.

Steve, Southampton,

If no one is going to speak up to tell the Hamas to stop the fighting, then Israel has all the right in the world to do this. Imagine if you wake up everyday to rocket attacks. Would this not make you live your life in fear? Would you step outside to go shopping, watch a movie, be with friends? Hamas' ignorance of when to call it quits is putting their own people in danger. And since those same people are allowing Hamas to fire rockets from their backyards, should feel the pain. Israel gave up the land hoping that it would lead to peace. But since Hamas has no honor, they continue to fire rockets. We all know what they want in the end. The destruction of the Israel state. But isn't that genecide? Is the world just going to sit back and let this happen as long as it doesn't happen in their backyard? It is a shame on people siding with the Hamas which is a known terrorist organization. Let the Israelis do what they must to protect themselves and their families. Wouldnt you?

Reys, West Palm Beach , USA/ FL

It's time Israel began to count the cost of its actions in international opinion.

Pierre Bernardi, Paris, France

This is for those who naively imagine that israelis want peace... The only 'peace' israelis want is A Piece of (someone else's) Land.

Binny, Derby, UK

i want western leader to condemn these comments asap

adam, manchester, england

having lived and worked in israel for two years in the seventies,i witnessed the daily humiliation of the arabs,road blocks,strip seaches,and denial of human rights.indeed they are not permitted to live in their own country,the israelies apparently having been granted the freehold by god.

bob hughes, chester, england

Berry, why have they been so aggressive since 1948?

rj211, Texas, USA

That is EXACTLY what Israel needs to do. Hamas does not want Peace so Israel needs to take them out. God Bless Israel and her people.

Jeanine Zelgiewicz, Dallas , Texas

if the iranian president said exactly the same words or any other muslim nation, then there would have been an outrage world wide, with everyone condeming the comments it's funny how it's one rule for one set of people and another set of rules for the rest of the world, democracy = Hypocrisy!!!!!!!!!!!

adam, manchester, england

We live in a world filled by chaos and fear. Tools of destruction used by terrorists and those that object to our way of living. There really is something wrong with this picture but no one is willing to look outside the picture frame and see the real issues at hand.

Carlos, Fort Mac,

Israel/Palestine: Erm . . don't bother? Don't unleash a Holocaust? Don't bother launching anymore rockets? Stop blowing each other up? Go out, have some fun instead? Spend some time with your family. Have a break in the countryside. Tell some jokes. Have a nice meal.

All this divisive arguing and violence, its not getting you anywhere.

Dicko, Brooklyn, USA

This article says who the Israelis killed. But what about Hamas? Is this article sympathizing with Hamas? That's just absurd!

Katie, Lafayette, USA,

Those who defend Israel's actions and words in this case will always believe that Israel is simply incapable of doing wrong. No number of dead children and babies will ever change that, because to them, an Israeli life is ten, a hundred times more precious than a Palestinian life. How laughable that any criticism of Israel is so conveniently dismissed as "anti-semitism". How shameful the hypocrisy of a nation founded in part out of the horrors of the Holocaust. I'm embarrassed as an American that Israel does this with OUR money and OUR weapons. Is it any wonder the Muslim world hates us? That's not going to change until we stop placing Israel's interests before the world's intersts, and before the US's interests.

John, Portland, Oregon

"If The palestinians put down there weapons tomorrow there would be peace. If Israel Laid down its weapons tomorrow it would cease to exist! That is the reality of the situation! -- J, Vanc.

So you want them to put down their stones and home made rockets that can't even scare cows calmly grazing in the fields? ...or else Israel will unleash U.S made cluster bombs/laser guided missiles using super-power war planes and crush their crops using buldozers/tanks...?(not to mention the nukes)

Fair game. (just remember - the worlds watching)

jayil, london, uk

Unbelievable!..."Hamas violence and aggression cannot be allowed to continue."...."Hamas could prevent this now if they wanted, simply by stopping its terror attacks"...

When someone comes into your house and tells you to leave, I'm sure you'll just walk away. Israel is Invading their homeland and is saying if they don't rollover, Israel will unleash a holocaust! There is something wrong with our world and with us for not only witnessing this oppression but being a part of it by supporting it.

Lastly:
"If innocent Palestinians die in an invasion, their blood will be on the hands of the terrorist government of Hamas"

Replace "Palastinians" with "North Americans" and "Hamas" with "Bush Administration" and what do you get? Good justification to spill innocent blood Andy!

Truly disgusting. There is definitely something wrong with us.

Usman, Toronto,

If the Palestinians would stop the rockets, there would be peace. The blood of the Palestinians is on the hands of their leaders.

Palestinian aggression which started in 1948 is causing their own misery. Palestinians have rejected every Israeli offer of peace since then.

berry, PA, USA

Too many of you people read the bias of the newspapers instead of reading history.

The zionists never accepted that they would share the Israel with the Palestinians - their intention was always to drive them out - it's a historical fact - undisputed.

If you were being slowly pushed out of your homeland - Settlers moving onto the land you had farmed for years - subjected to aparthied - denied human rights - bombed and shelled by a massive military force - your enemy supported by the world's only superpower - what would you do?

Be honest - would you do nothing? - Would you wait to be exterminated? - Holocaust is the right word!

Shame on Israel - Shame on USA

R Bingham, Lauzun, France

Andrew Brown, Derby, UK., (2nd to last comment) has hit the nail right on the head.

Hamas/Hezbollah/Iran/Syria - non of them care a jot for the citizens of Gaza but if the REAL might of Israel is ever unleashed... well lets just say that if you poke a resting lion with sharp sticks long enough - it will tear your head off.
On that note, if Hamas wants to keep on firing rockets into Israel but also wants to prove it is not a cowardly organization, it would be well advised to send all its women and children out of Gaza - and find something else to hide behind.

Jean, Hague, NL

Aaah, the good ol' rockets again! Yes, the home-made amateurish rockets which are little more than a cracker. Why don't we label these rockets as "weapons of mass destruction" and start something silly all over again?
As for balance, just compare the number of dead in Israel because of these 'deadly' rockets with the number of Palestinians killed due to Israeli 'defence' measures! Injustice or what? When will the world's conscience wake up??? Just when?

john ayto, London,

I would never have imagined that so much ignorance could be written into the responses of so many who think that they know the history of Isreal and the conflict over Palestine. Obviously many of the English contributors here are not aware of the part their country has played over time in the conflict which unfolds today. Anti-Semitism appears to be alive and well. The "Arab Palestinian" refugees from Isreal need to go home to "Arab Palestine". It is know today as Jordan.

John Russell, Houston, TX

I've discussed this issues with many people from both sides and I still can't get an answer to the following question: if Israel wants peace why do they continue to expand there territory at the expense of the palestinians? Both sides have extremists in there camps and its the extremist that don't want peace and unfortunetly it seems like a situation where the extremes are affecting the majority. The middle needs to stand up with the same passion that fuels the extremist. Peace can be achieved if this is done.

tarek, nyc, USA

Thats funny i wrote a comment on how bad Hamas was for being such a fanatical group and Israel has the right to defend its self but i also said how the european and british press has acted as a front for Hamas and Hezbollah which in turn has given these groups more moral high ground to then be more aggressive to Israel but then i noticed that the comment didnt get posted. Well yes Israel does have a right to defend its self!

J Shur, Hove, UK

Hamas violence and aggression cannot be allowed to continue. Israeli civilians have been deliberately targeted by thousands of rockets for six or seven years, and many have been killed by suicide bombers, and Israel has every right to defend itself.

Hamas could prevent this now if they wanted, simply by stopping its terror attacks. If innocent Palestinians die in an invasion, their blood will be on the hands of the terrorist government of Hamas. If Hamas continue on their present course, I wish Israel every success in taking the fight to the enemy.

Andy Gill, London,

If The palestinians put down there weapons tomorrow there would be peace. If Israel Laid down its weapons tomorrow it would cease to exist! That is the reality of the situation!

J, Vanc,

To Anon, TX

Yes - the photos you pointed to are a classic example of the ever-popular fakes by Arab newsmedia. If you want to start a flame on that score, you're gonna lose hands down

Ian, Edinburg, Scotland

one of the signs of insanity is doing the same action over and over and expecting a different result. continuing to fire rockets into israel would be an example of this. one of the signs of cowardness is hiding behind innocent civilians while you continue your insane actions. does this describe any government that you know?

Peter, Edmonton, Canada

It would seem that if the militants would quit launching rocket attacks on Israel, that Israel would quit retaliating. No sovereign nation would permit a band of thugs to fire mortars and rockets into a residential area without retaliation. While innocents may be hit in these counter-attacks, their blood is on the hands of their own people for promoting these attacks on Israel.

Jeff, Indianapolis, IN USA

dear Pete in st. Albans, London
why do you believe every thing the news says without proof!!!
the israelis are terrorists and the Palestinians are freedom fighters who on their side is Hamas. fatih are being paid to say this rubbish. there are palestinians dying every day when no israelis are dying. if i were you i would go to gaza for just 1 day and see the terrorism!

Omar Faour, London, UK

Israel has been patient long enough they should defend themself from all in the middle east who threatend them.
enough!!!!

Scott, Ocala, USA

Let us never forget that Israel was born out of Terrorism and is now merely reaping the whirlwind sown by Haganah, Irgun and the Stern Gang.

Howard, Basildon, England

The Palestinains have been enclosed in their ghettos for ages. This Holocaust did not need words from an Israeli deputy, as its been clear for many years. The rest have just been blinded by Israeli control of the media access to Palestine. Thank God for the internet.

The time has come for other countries to take control and cease this country's stranglehold over another people. The USA has been corrupted by the wishes of a mere 6million people and those who believe they will convert them later in the final battle.

I have noticed there are some who say the Palestinians are always lying, but after all these years of Nuclear ambiguity and other attrocities we should see through who the real liars are in this scenario. Thousands of cyber warriors are out there right now doing damage control for the state of Israel with the use of a software specifically designed for times like these. It was also used during the Lebanon war as well. Sites like Little Green Footballs will also aid.

Perry, NYC, New York

I am totally blown away, by some of the above comments, not one of you mention Israeli aggression its collective punishment of Palestine for the last 60 years, none of you seem to notice that 30 innocent Palestinian have been murdered by the Israeli army since Wednesday. Why is everyone so sacred to be honest and condemn Israel when they do something wrong. Why is the world so silent on Palestinian oppression and plight? The fact that he said the word 'holocaust' is quite scary to me and I feel afraid for the Palestine people and what might happen to them. Islamic extremism is been used to legitimize the deaths of these innocent Palestine’s, four young boys playing football where bombed to death in Palestine on Thursday and nobody cares. There is a gross treatment of the Palestine people.

Sofia, London,

Having spent long enough inflicting a policy of "collective punishment" on the poor people of Gaza ( a policy last used by German troops in the second world war when 10 hostages were shot for each german soldier killed) Israel now proposes to invade an independent territory to depose a democratically elected Government and inflict a "holocaust" on the entire population. How much longer will innocent people have to suffer because the extremists on both sides want war ? Why do extremists want war ? Because it is easier to blame the other side rather than look at their own intransigent refusal to make concessions for peace.

Alex Maunder, London, UK

The word differentiation is irrelevant

If the violent act is similar, .......its similar.

simon, dawlish,

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" It won't be long before all the people of Isreal together with the Palestinians will be blind and toothless. Who cares what the Hebrew word for this and that is. The world has gone mad.
Today's leaders have a big responsibility to their people to stop this nonsense and get on with running their own countries improving the lives of ordinary people. Is this just a big land dispute or is it religion? Religion is the excuse they are using to hurt maim & kill women & children. What will they be saying in defence in front of their maker, I did it all for you!

Graham Stimson, Alicante, Spain

If rockets are fired into Israel on a daily basis as it is claimed then why is there no news of this in the UK. Surely the UK news could not hide such things from us and manipulate the us to such a degree

J Briscoe, Barnsley, UK

Eric Dohner says the Palestinians have "a history of lying". He does not believe that four children and a baby were recently murdered by the Israelis. No-one believed in the Jewish holocaust until it was proven, in large part down down to similar racist attitudes towards Jews that Mr Dohner is showing towards Arabs. I'm sure that certain Palestinians have not been truthful regarding their actions during this war, but how exactly does that differentiate them from the honest ol' Israelis? You know, during wars it doesn't usually do to tell everybody what your side is doing. It tends to make you lose. So maybe Mr Dohner would like to tell us how many Jews he thinks died in the Holocaust? Were they exaggerating that? Because he's acting just like Holocaust deniers do. Next he'll be saying no-one at all was killed.

Thomas, Yiewsley, UK

These people unfortunately play by an entirely different set of rules than the vast majorty of US citizens is. North Americans are, by an large, a sentimental lot that abhore killing and cannot generally fathom the indiscrminate homicidal behavior widely demonstrated by religious/ethnic groups the world over (leave out the aberrant behavior of gangs and other random mass-murdering psycopaths in the US). That is includes not only the Middle East, but Africa, the Balkans, etc. The dramatically heightened willingess to kill and to be killed, coupled with an apparent unwillingness accept the coexistence of alternate opinion or philsophy creates a basic a imbalance that implies a real challenge to any hope of peaceful coexistence for us. A paradigm shift would seem to be required before real hope can be restored.

M Fudoli, Prince Frederick, MD

So i presume that those who disagree with Israel`s existence all so agree with the Serb`s actions and what a but the Kurds, Tibet ......?.Jews have been there since the time before Islam even existed and it was not Israel who declared war with the Islamic world but the other way round .It seems that they are trying to brainwash us like they seem to have been. IT`S NOT BLACK AND WHITE !!!

Michael findel, Leeds, England

Gaza is already under a holocaust. Any report from the UN even the Israeli human rights groups, will attest to this.

Farrukh, Woking, UK

Where is this Palestinian 'holocaust' some writers refer to? The Palestinian population is growing faster than the Israeli one. If this is a holocaust its a pretty odd one. The fact is Hamas is ideologically opposed to Israel so the pull out from Gaza was never going to bring peace. They are firing rockets indiscriminately into civillian poulations in Southern Israel and if this was not the Palestinians, human rights organisations would be telling us these are war crimes. The Palestinians can tell us they have the right to resist Israeli aggression but firing misslies into Sderot is a war crime - there are only civillians there.

geoff segar, London, UK

The Palestinians are only getting the war that they and all the hardline Isliamists in the region so desperately want. Give it to 'em hard. Who cares if only one Israeli died when a reprisal kills 30 or 40. Don't throw stones if you can't handle them being thrown back at you.

And Dave in London, the war that Israel started in the 60s? Haven't you read any history before that point? Factual history I mean, not arab propoganda?

Garley, London, UK

Just the other day the IDF "cleared themselves" in the deaths of 21 Palestinian civilians. And so it goes...calling a Zionist a hypocrite is redundant. Interesting how some posters feel that the media is one-sided against Israel. It's actually the exact opposite, and hopefully more people (apart from right wing Americans of course) are getting tired of this endless double standard.

Joe, Ontario, Canada

"It is the duty of Israeli leaders to explain to public opinion, clearly and courageously, a certain number of facts that are forgotten with time. The first of these is that there is no Zionism, colonialization or Jewish State without the eviction of the Arabs and the expropriation of their lands." -- Yoram Bar Porath, Yediot Aahronot, of 14 July 1972.

jayil, london, uk

Israel has a right to defend itself. They have held their patience under extreme circumstances for years from Islam extremists and the Palestinians who are victims by choice and very much supported and financed by Iran.

Israel has offered to negotiate a peaceful solution on all so many occasions with the Palestinians, they gave the Gaza back two years ago only to find their gutless politicians are too scared of the terrorists to take the big prize offer of peace.

Imagine if rockets were fired into the US from Cuba, or from some such source who hates the West fires rockets here into the UK. We wouldn’t put up with it for one day! We’d flatten them to the ground.

I am an English atheist and I have no political persuasion; I am just amazed how Israel have not reacted in a more aggressive manner to take out these lowlife extremists who don’t want peace at any price. The cowards hide behind innocent women and children who pay the highes price with their lives.

William, Swansea, UK

I'm sorry, but I really must take issue with several people who claim there has been a Palestinian Holocaust since the creation of Israel. This is historically false and morally despicable. Despite 60 years of aggression, Israel has never come within a whisker of Nazi-style retaliation. Where are the 6 million dead, the death camps, the experiments on living subjects, the death marches, the einsatzgruppen, the SS, the starving victims, or any of the horrors of the Final Solution? The Palestinians and their neighbours have been left to wage wars against Israel, and to unleash a massive terror campaign that has taken thousands of lives. The Nazis would have bombed the West Bank and Gaza into oblivion. The Israelis have shown forbearance and nobility throughout. Next time, think before you write.

Dr. Denis MacEoin, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Well as we all know....If somebody drove me or you out of our house and home.. would you not retaliate? and fight to get your home back?..I think you would and I certainly would too. The Isreali's have no right to occupy the land!.. They totally ignore the UN and everybody else.. that of course happens because they have the US backing.And we are all aware of the US thinks!

Terry, rotherham, UK

How clear the intention of the Israeli Government?

Nothing else needs to be said, no semantic to hide behind, no clarification needed. The hatred and intention clear.

axi, london, UK

Incredible animosity against Israel felt here. It would be important to remember that the government of Gaza, so to speak, is responsible for firing rockets onto Israeli towns, broadcasts extremely antisemitic messages on a daily basis, and sends bombers into Israel (fewer now, thanks to the wall, which despite all criticism levelled at it, is serving its purpose of protection).

Certainly, an assault by the IDF in Gaza is not to be wished for, but it is the course of action that has been decided by Hamas, not by Israel. No country on earth would accept daily bombardment from a neighbouring state and thank them for it. Israelis die, but their government protects them when possible.

If the embargo is such a problem, how come explosives and money are smuggled in? The people in Gaza are victims of their own doing - they voted for Hamas, who starves them, uses them as human shields only to further a sinister political agenda.

People should read books, not sensationalist news.

Omen, London,

This is hugely dangerous journalism on the back of a reasonably sensible statement. As many others have pointed out, the Minister was simply pointing out that continued struggle will bring about a 'bigger disaster' for the Palestinian people.

Not only is this actually tacit recognition on his part that the current Palestinian position, for whatever reason you would like to believe, is a 'disaster', it is also the reasonably logical presumption that if conflict were to escalate further, then the scale of that 'disaster' will get worse. I don't think many would disagree.

To mis-translate and bring the Nazi genocide into this is dangerous, sloppy, hyperbolic and inaccurate journalism - nothing more.

Simon, Nottingham,

The main point of this article seems to be completely fictitious. If the Israeli Minister used the word "Shoah", then to quote him as "Holocaust" is incredibly bad reporting of facts.

"Shoah" in fact means tragedy or calamity and not "Holocaust" as this article seems to infer. True, the Holocaust is referred to as "the Shoah", but that does not give Mr. Hider the right to say the Israeli Minister meant that by his words, and certainly use a statement so detached from the truth as a headline.

Ieuan Jenkins, Bury St Edmunds, United Kingdom

To Eric Dohner,
History of lying!?....Who? Palestinians!!!?
Stop watching CNN. and check this out
http://www.aljazeera.net/PhotoGallery/Aspx/Show.aspx?album=G_428&currentPage=8&slidshow=Next

Anon, TX,

How can this be a be a 'legitimate response to occupation', Nasir from London?

Israel hasn't occupied the Gaza strip for two years, remember? They unilaterally pulled out so as to stop the cross border attacks.

But HAMAS, ever so lovable and 'resistance-minded' doesn't care about that. They want to kill every Jew regardless.

Ethan, Tampa, FL, USA

Now we know what were Israel's plans all along for the Palestinians. And the Zio-fascists hatched this plan well before WW II. Ben Gurion was planning this well before the Nazis came to power. Ben Gurion and the other Zionists just read their holy books. Philistines? Canaanites? All dead by direct command of their almighty. Palestinians? Next. No pity, no mercy, no second thoughts. Divine genocide. A real mitzvah.

And people criticize Islam for its violence.

George, Tampa, FL USA

It's quite ironic that members of the guilt complex are so willing to allow the holocaust to reoccur through Israel. After all these years of being taught that the holocaust is an unacceptable practice, it happens to be Israel, of all nations, which uses the holocaust as an acceptable means of causing harm another group.

Israel is on the road to self-destruction.

Judge, Zurich, Switzerland

enough with the killing, enough with the double standards, the terrorists here are the israelis and not the palestinians, they are the weaker side they are the one's attacked, they are the one's whose land has been taken from, they are being replaced by israeli settlements, and the us vetoes any resolution to condemn israel, do u want them to watch every inch being stolen!!! Put urself in their shoes and then judge ENOUUGH injustice.

sherry, Cairo, Egypt

Yes, Israel has the right to defend itself, but surely the Palestinians have that same right too? The vast majority of people in Gaza want to get on with their lives peacefully and live what can be called a 'normal' existence. Unfortunately the conditions in present day Gaza prevent this! Everything that we take for granted such as access to medical care, even simple things like visiting families and going to school are very hard in Gaza! Israel might have ended their occupation with troops and guns, but they continue to halt the advancement of Gaza economically and socially and greatly contribute to it being virtually nothing but a slum. How can we have peace in a situation like this? And how can Israel expect any kind of sympathy from not only people in Gaza but the world in general when they contribute to the repression of the Palestininan people in such a way? It is the plight of normal Palestininan (and Israeli) people that is the real issue here and must never be forgotten!

Joe, Aberdeen,

Israel's Declaration of Independence states that the Jewish people arose in the Land of Israel and was exiled from its homeland. Every Israeli schoolchild is taught that this happened during the period of Roman rule, in 70 CE. The nation remained loyal to its land, to which it began to return after two millennia of exile. Wrong, says the historian Shlomo Zand, in one of the most fascinating and challenging books published here in a long time. There never was a Jewish people, only a Jewish religion, and the exile also never happened - hence there was no return. Zand rejects most of the stories of national-identity formation in the Bible, including the exodus from Egypt and, most satisfactorily, the horrors of the conquest under Joshua. It's all fiction and myth that served as an excuse for the establishment of the State of Israel, he asserts.

Judge, Zurich, Switzerland

True colors shining throught brightly! This savage regime is what the West supports. How pathetic.

Tony, NYC, USA

The people firing the rockets probaly are not hamas but more than likely Israel forces disguised ?
If you can imagine that, you should be able to put the rest together.

C.Spiracy, Paris,

Mr Hider needs to learn more Hebrew, or hire a more competent translator. I can tell from the phrase, "They will bring on themselves a bigger holocaust", that Mr Vilnai said "Yamitu al azmam shoah gdolah yoter", which is a stock phrase in Hebrew, and the word "shoah" there means "disaster".

The semantic range of the Hebrew "shoah" and the English "holocaust" overlap but do not coincide. Thus another meaning of "holocaust" -- a burnt sacrificial offering -- is not among any of the meanings of "shoah" in Hebrew.

Ted Sternberg, Fremont, USA

Who says that four children and a baby were killed? The Palestinians? They have a history of lying. In the recent conflict in Lebanon they deliberately housed their rocket launchers in orphanages and schools.

Eric Dohner, Albany, NY

Shame on Isreal for saying so. Where is the slogan,"NEVER Again"? Keeping people down really would make your life so msierable that you suffer to an eternity, remember what happened with Germany, so would you remember and wish it never had happened.

Mr Batta, Media, US

The Hamas Muslims are TARGETING CIVILIANS. They have no reason to fire rockets into Israel. Israel ended the so-called occupation. Each rocket, no matter if it's "homemade", which means that the homes filled with women & children are now legitimate targets, is an ACT OF WAR. Israel needs to finally end this madness & bring peace to the region. This war started with the Oslo "peace treaty". Unfortunately, when dealing with Muslims, "peace" =war.

ALS, Memphis, TN, USA