And he is dead right, but not about the "Israeli occupation". Hamas is the Palestinian wing of the Moslem Brotherhood, which was founded in Egypt in the '20s and has had grassroots support in Gaza, which has been culturally linked to Egypt, ever since. In fact, the covenant of Hamas itself specifically mentions that as 'the Islamic Resistance Movement', it is an integral and inseparable part of the trans-national Moslem Brotherhood movement. It is also important to note the name QASSAM, the rocket used against Israel, the same name as is found in the 'military wing' of Hamas "Izadeen al-Qassam". This was the name of a Syrian preacher, Sheikh Izadeen al Qassam, who organized Islamist Palestinian groups in the early 1930's to conduct terror attacks against Jewish civilians. He was ultimately killed in a skirmish with the British, and proclaimed a martyr among the Arabs. All this, of course, happened well before the beginning of "Israeli occupation", although, seeing as Mr. Aloni claims Israel has been occupying the Palestinians for 60 years, I'm not sure what his frame of reference is. We need to fight relentlessly against the poetic platitudes of the over-confident, self-satisfied Udi Aloni and his ilk with the cold, hard facts. That will be the first step in countering some of the propaganda which has been spoon-fed to an eagerly listening, albeit underinformed world, by these attention-seeking glory hounds.

"And if your brethren in Palestine choose Hamas, you have to respect their choice, just as the world's nations respected Israel when it chose the murderous (Ariel) Sharon." The "murderous" Sharon disengaged Israel, and 9000 of its people, from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria, and committed himself in an official capacity to the creation of a Palestinian state with territorial contiguity. Hamas was indeed elected democratically, like the National Socialist Party was in Germany. And just like Adolf Hitler, a charismatic but honest visionary, clearly spelled out his plans and his programs in Mein Kampf to the whole world, Hamas clearly spelled out its commitment to the destruction of Israel and the mass killing of Jews in general in its own Covenant. And like the National Socialists did in Germany, Hamas combined electoral success with a bloody putsch against its political rivals, taking the Gaza Strip from the PA by force and hurling Fatah men from buildings. This is the group which has ruled Gaza and this is the group that has continued to attack Israel ever since. And just like far far greater numbers of German civilians were killed in Allied air raids than British civilians were killed in German air-raids, Palestinian civilians now do, sadly, get killed in the inevitable Israeli counter-atttack.

may the voices of truth be heard

Another moron who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He dare to call Sharon and others who protected him murderers. I am sure he never served his country just like his family and the rest of the cowards in Israel

What, we walked off with their TV sets and IPods?! You forget that those 'seculars' in Gaza were polling 80% support for blowing up Jewish babies on buses and pizza parlors long before Israel hit Gaza. WE destroyed any chance of moderation? How, by blowing up THEIR buses & Sbarros? Ya think we'd be wasting time, money and jet fuel over Gaza if they had even a stream of people who DIDN'T want the extermination of Jews and Israel? Have you READ their (Hamas) charter? What part of 'extermination' do you not understand, oh privleged son of Shulamit Aloni?

It is clear you are biased. You castigate Noa for writing her letter Let us now castigate you. Your telling of history is not how I nor most Americans learned it. Israel has been "occupying" Palestinian land for 60 years? What exactly are you talking about? Israel was declared an nation in 1948 Jordan the larger part of the PALESTINE MANDATE was given to the Hashemites as an Arab kingdom (there were no "Palestinians" then) Then Israel was attacked from all borders. Jerusalem which was supposed to be international, was half conquered by Jordan. The Golan was conquered by Syria. Gaza was already a part of Egypt. So let's say for 40 years Israel held land that was previously owned by other countries. Why should a nation having won defensive wars return land? For peace? Ok Israel forcibly removed it's last settlers from Gaza. Only one Israeli now lives there: Gilad Shalit. He would prefer to come home. Israel did not imprison the Gazans that would be Egypt who did not want to integrate Palestinians into their society and forced them from all parts of Egypt into Gaza in the 1950s. You say the skies have been covered with Israeli fighter jets yet where were you when the skies were filled only with qassam and grad missiles? You say given democracy we should respect the Palestinian vote giving Hamas the government. Saying they voted for a terrorist and accuse Israel of electing terrorist by voting in Ariel Sharon. Yet Sharon did not send missiles into Gaza while he was in office. He forced Israelis to leave Gaza. You accuse Israel of fathering Hamas. I accuse Iran of being it's mother and suckling her evil spawn into the monster that it has become. Hopefully the Palestinians themselves will realize this and rise against Hamas; Hamas that places weapons among their children; hides bombs in schools and mosques. When Hamas loves Palestinian children more than they hate Israel then there will be peace.

and this desease like cancer must be cut out and eradicated,if not it will kill us all

This is another cock-and-bull story invented by the deluded Left to cover for the failures of their "peace partners" Arafat and his PLO to deliver or compromise in any meaningful capacity. Talk is cheap. The reality is quite different. In the '70s (before the existence of Hamas as we know it), Israel supported the "Jordanist" West Bank mayors who were loyal to King Hussein of Jordan, in part to offset any influence from the Fatah/PLO who were at that time conducting armed struggle against Israel from bases abroad, and were openly working for the avowed goal of the destruction of Israel. But this did not resolve the issue of the Gaza strip, which was mired in poverty and outside the influence of King Hussein. Israel allowed certain Islamic associations there to be registered as charitable organizations, and allowed them to receive money from abroad, principally from King Hussein of Jordan and from Saudi Arabia. These associations were NOT the same as the Egyptian-based Moslem Brotherhood, whose Palestinian wing became Hamas. It is therefore totally false to say "Israel funded and supported Hamas".

to continue down its own downward spiral, destroying itself internally and inflicting murderous terrorism externally. Mr. Aloni is a deluded fool to me, and a useful idiot to you, but every one of the points he raised can be refuted with just a little dosage of the facts.

Was this a response to Noa's letter? Did he even read her letter? Both seem to be naive and blind.

How long do you think you and your millionaire New York luxury-leftists would last under Hamastan democracy? If you believe in "sharing the land, sharing music" and so on, Udi, you're really backing the wrong horse.

We went from Noa's la-la-land musings to Udi's terror-sympathizing drivel... does Ynet have something against people with a sense of reality? I don't see any here.

When exactly did we "steal their land?" Your lack of historical knowledge is appalling.

I've been trolling Google News over the last few days looking to read the truths you wrote about. When I find it, the author is usually either from Europe or has an Arab name. Rarely, it's a mainstream "white bread" American. But to read these words of truth written by an (evidently leading) Israeli in Israel in an Israeli forum moves me. We in America tread dangerously speaking such truths. But in Israel? Damn. You must have some kind of brass balls. In the midst of all the hate and fear you will receive for this beautiful letter of yours, please accept my humble thanks.

It's almost comical, all these upper-class Ashkenazis who are speaking up to defend Hamas! This one thinks that, when Noa asks Palestinians not to support Hamas war crimes and genocide attempts, he is asking Palestinians to surrender! As if somehow Gazan rockets aimed at civilians are some kind of self-defence method. Let him go back to his Upper West Side and drink vodka.

give me hope in this world. Maybe- just maybe- some Israelis have sense in them. So very few people have been willing to speak out the way you have. This whitewashing of culpability within the greater Israeli -dare I say "Jewish"- community is scary. This is exactly the mentality of the brainwashed madrassa-bound children terrorists-to-be in South Asia. And it is people like you who inch us upward from this gaping hole we have dug ourselves in. We cannot justify any and all of our actions by using the "he started it" line of defense, and it's about time we realized this. Now if only people would listen.

You see now what good people the jews are? If he would be a muslim and say such "nice" things about arabs, he would not be a O2 user any more!

I agree that the occupation of Palestine is counterproductive, but it isn't a "monster." If Israel were to withdraw from the West Bank, it would become a hub for fanaticism and terror just like Gaza has since 2005. Armed conflict will continue against Israel even if the occupation ends....

he might have some points but like everyone else (including Nini) everyone seems to rant about who to blame. we are all to blame on all sides for letting the situation get to where it is. we need to all take responsibility- not just the fanatics or the more powerful.

You mother was a deranged tart. The son probably got same desease. Yes he made in America. STAY THERE AND SHUT UP. now this is democracy.

Funny, I thought Israel only got the territories in 1967, and the state itself was made in 1948. To me, that statement says it all. The writer believes his people to be such murderous animals that they terrorized the Arabs BEFORE the State of Israel came to existance.

Does he know nothing of Sderot? Of the Hamas suicide attacks? Of the use of human shields? Of the kidnapping of soldiers, not even in Gaza!? Of the influence from Iran? Of the connection to Hizballah? Of the anti-semitic lessons taught on Hamas' TV and Radio stations? Of the anti-semitic lessons taught in Hamas' schools? Of the persecution of Gaza Christians simply because they are not Muslim? And finally, has he even read the Hamas Charter?!

Thank you very much Udi. People like yourself makes the world a better place for all. For those who prefer to live by the sword, shall die by it also.

ahmed,yes it is a wonderful letter.not that I agree with its sentements.but that I live in a country were the writer has the freedom to express himself in print without fear.and also that it proves to me that I live in a healthy society,that has an internal conflict of what is right and what is wrong.and is prepared to air both extreems of that conflict. .a shame that I dont hear a call for peace from beyond our borders.and a free and healthy debate from our palestian brothers

Funny that he says we have been occupying Palestine for 60 years when the Arabs never called themselves Palastinian till after the Egyptian born Arafat came to iSrael from Tunis, and started this myth! Also the word "occupation" was first coined by Peres during Oslo. There was no talk about any occupation till Peres started this disgusting accusation! Wouldnt you call the Egyprian Arafats warped perception of a Muslim Arab Palastine a form of occupation of Judea and Samaria? There is no Palastinian people....simple!

1) Hamas is part of the Islamic Brotherhood, (it is written in their own charter) which was organized in 1928! 20 years before Israel even became a state. The Brotherhood was formed after the fall of the Caliphate when Turkey lost WW1. 2) Brotherhood's direct activities against Jews and Israel started in the 1930s when there was no occupation and no Arab refugees! 3) Udi writes "(Hamas) fire because they are fighting for more that the right to live in the Gaza prison. They are fighting for the right to live as free citizens in an independent country – just like we are." No Udi they do this because they reject any peace agreement, irrespective of honourable behaviour according to Article 13 of their charter. Further the goal is not an independent country it is Islamic State which would ultimately be joined together with Syria according to the ancient borders as in the times of the Caliphate. Their charter echoes the theme thruout based and built upon Sayyid Qutb, book Our Struggle with the Jews, the ideological founder of the Brotherhood, depicting Jews as the mortal enemy of Muslims. Hamas openly call for genocide of the Jews as required in the Koran for the final Judgment Day which they now see as coming sooner rather than later.

What is wrong with this newsrag? this guy is a wacko and crazed loon without his marbles. why doesnt he just move to another land and be a traitor someplace else. who needs poeple like this when all the world already hates us?