Balfour´declaration was a concession made by british to zionist affecting arabs. Why should them accept it? Moreover, it was made at a time when they didn´t rule the territory. Anyway, read its content: "Foreign Office, November 2nd, 1917. Dear Lord Rothschild, I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet: "His Majesty's Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country" I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation. Yours sincerely Arthur James Balfour" Is that a signed blank check?

you are 100%.. I thank you for the info have a good day

"The attacks against civilians by Palestinian armed groups are widespread, systematic and in pursuit of an explicit policy to attack civilians. They therefore constitute crimes against humanity under international law. They may also constitute war crimes" http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE02/003/2002 Doesn't get more honest or straightforward than that.

It is really that simple. It may not be that everyone that holds to this double standard is an anti-semite. But the origin of this is certainly anti-semitic, and too many people are willing to be silent and accept that Jews are treated differently. Is it so hard to believe? only 60-70 years ago, most of the European continent was either actively involved or silent to the murder of 1/3 of the world's Jews. These ant-semitic attitudes are two thousand years old -- do we really think that in a few decades attitudes would change? On the surface, yes, but in reality, not by much.

When you say "deliberate" are you suggesting that an IDF soldier put a child in the cross-hairs, pulled the trigger, and remarked that "her blood is great on toast"? Or do mean that this 3 year old was killed by the IDF who knew she was in a house rigged with massive bombs and terrorists hide behind her while they snipe at IDF soldiers? Clearly, the responsible party for her death is seen here - those who would use her cynically to protect themselves instead of protecting her by law. Sadly, you believe both the 90 year old guard who sent innocent Jews to their deaths and Hamas terrorists using human shields are innocent. Yes - sad for Palestinians and all of humanity.

If you disallow Jews the right to their homeland - the one all major religions cite as given by G-d, and parts of which today were legally purchased and the rest given by lawful UN decree, then you essentially negate the UN and absolve those who take land by force. Denying Jews their legal right to the land is the same as legitimzing the Arabs' invasion and usurping of Israel in 642 AD while killing all those who inhabited it at that time. Israel has more legitimacy than most States as it is proven in history to belong to one group and awarded to them through intl decision. Unlike Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, which were political decisions by the victors of WWI. Further, you substantiate Arabs' claims on the land when records show all but 5% was owned by Ottoman Turks, which became State-trustee land when Britain won WWI. To negate this right, you will negate the destruction of all previous empires and ownership by victors. Are you prepared for that scenario?

Balfour represented a legal document referring to Ottoman Turkish land, giving it more thought and legitimacy than the carving of the Middle East into State-nations based on who kissed the British ass at that time. I dare you to find any tribe who was consulted at that time when the Brits gave Mecca from the Hashemites to the House of Saud, who took incompatible peoples from Babel, Mesopotamia, and Kurdistan and shoved them into a State. Equally, how many Indian tribes in South America were consulted when Spain and Portugal ransacked their societies and made nation States on their land? Or perhaps your argument matches that of the Arabs "When we arrived, NO ONE was there".

I fail to think OBAMA is naive or stupid. Americans have been sold a bill of goods an dsoon they will pay for it. Start packing your bags Jews in America because ALLAH is coming to the USA along with the Hamas and PA flags soon to be flying on the white house, schools and other institutions. www.yeshabulletin.com

Is that you won't find any IDF soldier who deliberately shoots a three year old Palestinian child. We are not like you.

The reason is that Israel claims to be a "democracy". Shelling civilians in UNwra schools is a war crime. Hamas didn't claim to be a democry.

and they are given the same prominence as Israeli "war crimes"? Is there an international call for Hamas to be put on trial? Was the UN screaming about Hamas war crimes? Was Falk comparing Hamas to Nazis? Or was there rather a short, pro-forma sentence in the long article about how Hamas has been "accused"?

Palestinians are the newest of all the peoples on the Earth. In the past, they hated the word "Palestinian" because they are Arabs. Of course if they now want to call themselves "Palestinians" I have no problem but Jordan is about 70% of "Historic Palestine", and at the present they are going to have a second country. I am speaking about Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Besides, remember there are 21 other Arab countries, some are opulent countries. Then, I don´t know why a lot of hearts are bleeding for these Palestinians or Arabs.

I guess so - because your despotic regimes of Sudan, North Korea, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, etc. have all been instigators of human rights abuses, supporting terror in one way or another, and inherent racism. It's a real shame that only the democratic world can defend human rights in light of Islamic terror. Even more shameful is the active ignorance of Arab countries killing thousands more than the entire Arab-Israel conflict, only to focus on Israel - to the detriment of Israelis and Pals.

You cowards attack people with sticks using tanks and m16s. You have killed over 1000 people, more than 30% of them CHILDREN. May God have mercy on your souls.

Latest figures indicate (if my memory fails me) 4500 civilian homes were destroyed, leaving 50,000 homeless, dozens of mosques, schools, hospitals, etc... and of course, the total is some 1300 dead, 5000 wounded, obviously including a great number of children and teenagers... and you still believe that the UN, attacked more than three times in the last three weeks, should accuse Hamas of war crimes...

We will never know that answer. Nearly the whole of Gaza was booby-trapped - homes, tunnels running under homes, schools, public buildings, etc. How many Gazans were killed by such explosives? Or from rpg fire, snipers, anti-tank shells, etc? Israel lost 10 soldiers, most of the fatalities were due to "friendly-fire" incidents. How many Gazans were killed by "friendly fire" from their Hamas heros?? The truth will never be known. Israel will be blamed for all the deaths. Even the Fatah members executed on the streets for "collaborating with Israel".

apears in your war regulations book. and please bring exact cases of that israli behavior(from a reliable source).

Hamas rocket attacks on Israel have increased in tandem with European and UN assistance. Rocket fire from Gaza into Israel increased more than 500 percent in the year following Hamas' rise to power, and almost doubled again in 2008, as 1,730 rockets and twice as many mortar rounds struck Israel. Diplomats interceded to promote peace, but during each period of truce, Hamas rearmed with more sophisticated weaponry. In light of the escalating attacks on Israel, the United States is understandably reluctant to demand Israel cease defending itself, especially after urging Israel's initial withdraw from Gaza. More at : http://xrl.us/bebj4g

To #41- Ah OK! now i get it! So, then, its better to refrain from claiming to be a deocracy and just stay nobodys, this way we can bomb innocent populations, inculding the elderly and children, this way we don't have to be accountable for it by the UN, or to be viewed as war criminals!!! Damn, i wonder why Israel didn't think of that too!!, and NOT claim to be a democracy!!! good logic Pal!! keep up the good work!! That explains why all of you guys are so "bright"!

A report on a National Public Radio station in the U.S. (I think it was on PRI's "The World" and/or on the BBC) described how a mob of Hamas supporters stormed into a Gazan hospital when they heard reports that a particular group of their neighbors/county-men, some injured by Israeli attacks, had fled to the hospital for care and safety. Rumor had it, among the Hamas supporters, that these hospital patients may have "collaborated" with Israel. How did Hamas and its supporters respond? They entered the hospital and, with total impunity, proceded to systematically murder their Palestinian supposed-opponents. And what did the Palestinian hospital staff do to stop, mitigate, or punish this deadly violence? Nothing. Why? Probably because they were themselves members of Hamas or Hamas has so successfully threatened and intimidated them, that they dare not stand up to Hamas or put it down, lest they and their families also fall prey to Hamas' violent totalitarianism. - And people in the "civilised" world still claim that Israel, alone, and not Hamas and its kin, commit war crimes and crimes against humanity?? Hello!!!! (And the only reason we don't hear more about such acts by Hamas is likely because Palestinian civilians and most international reporters are cowed into silence by Hamas thugs and others who seek the demise of the peace process and of peace itself.)

Hamas launched over 3000 missiles and bombs at Israel last year to provoke an attack. Hiding in schools, mosques and using civilians as shields was their mode of operation. Just like Hezbullah in 2006. These animals destroyed their own people and everything in sight to please their masters in Iran. Very sick and you're caught up in this charade of Islamic terror against Israel. When Israel bombs her attackers back, you play possum and whine about how bad Israel is. Moral of story.....bombing a neighboring country in an effort to terrorize and destroy them is a war crime.

In the context of "war crimes" two wrongs make a right. Hamas did a war crime by fighting from a civilian area. It then becomes legal for Israel to destroy a civilian area where enemy fighters and weapons are located. All legal and moral liability is with the Hamas. If you don't like it, you can change all the international agreements that define war crimes. Are you talking about morality rather than crime? How then do you suggest that Israel defend itself from Hamas which has declared it wants to exterminate the Jews? You are simply supporting the Right-wing "Ihud Leumi" party that said that Israel would never be allowed to defend itself from Arab attacks, so Israel should keep all territory under Israeli control.

There exists an addendum to Geneva conventions called protocol 1. I think Israel has not signed that but it still sets standards that the international community can expect everyone to follow. It defines very clearly the actions of Israel army in Gaza as war crimes. First of all, if the other party commits a war crime, it does not justify any war crimes. In my opinion, the basic problem is that there is no "palestinian army". You can not expect some civil resistance to follow rules. I think that not even the Geneva convention requires that. But as an internationally recognized state, Israel must obey them. But you have not.

because you have to divdie war crimes and criminal acts.. war crimes are usually commited by states ( like the state of Israel which is signatory to the Geneva Conv.) criminal acts are usually commited by terror organizations like Hamas....

In 1996 hamas killed sixty israeli civilians for one hamas militant killed a 60-1 ratio militryman against civilians and all hamas members must be arrrested by the un and incacerated according to the geneva conventions

has been accused of committing war crimes in Chechnia or Georgia (the Chechens are civilian resiistence as well). Nato Allies bombed Cosovo and cost 6000 civilian lives but I don't think you realy care. Look into your heart and see, you hate us more becuase we are Jews, we think we are better but we commit horrible crimes. It makes you feel all nice and warm inside to think that maybe when you hate Jews a little you are not so wrong. After all, we did kill Jesus. It is amazing that you would never write a talkback to a Sudanese newpaper blaming Arabs killing other Muslims. To a chinese newspaper blaming them for mistreating Tibetians but you care so much about the middel east. I suggest you look east.

There is no doubt that Hamas random rockets are illegal. of course they should only target military bases. However, the argument you present here is very incomplete. With all the facts you mentioned you either intentionally or unitentionally forgot to point out that Israel has been occupying Gaza for more than 40 years and dont mention disengagement cuz Gaza is still an occupied place as long as Israel controls its borders,sea, and air. Before you write up about the suffering of the people of Sderot(Which is something I personally dont like) ask your govt actively to work out a fair solution for the Palestinians. End the occupation. The only country that occupies another country in the world is just Israel. Again I emphasize that Hamas actions are not legal but they do find justification amongst palestinians cuz the miserable conditions and the injustice the palestinians have been living in due to the occupation.