http://www.isracampus.org.il/

Money. There is more money to be made by supporting the Saudi apartheid regime by condemning Israel then by helping really needy people.

UN= democratic countries(minority) vs. third world & arab regimes(majority)

"disproportionate use of force" refers to the commitment to safeguard civilians. It questions is there were enough measures in place. It does not measure the casualty ratio. This source explains the term better: http://www.jcpa.org/JCPA/Templates/ShowPage.asp?DBID=1&LNGID=1&TMID=111&FID=378&PID=0&IID=2808 The misuse of the term in this article only lends more power to misinformation. Otherwise, a good article.

isracampus.org, by Seth Frantzman and the corruption of the academic mind at Tel Aviv University. Thank you for reminding us of this excellent website. I agree, education (or miseducation) may be at the core.

B"H The scope of Judge Goldstone's report was NOT to look into the reasons of the war, but rather to the way it was conducted. These clearly are two entirely different aspects and mixing them up is not helpful. It also is clear that the scope of the Goldstone inquiry was deliberately limited by the UN so called Human Rights Council to set Israel up and to expose it politically to a new wave of international criticism. That there is a legal problem was confirmed by Netanyahu's call to form an international coalition to rewrite the laws of war (http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3792960,00.html). To make the judge appear responsible for the shortfalls of the legal system doesn't seem to me acceptable. We'd do better declaring Israel to be a Jewish state, leave the UN and run our affairs according to halacha (Jewish Law). Halacha calls on us to kill our enemies, win our wars and fully possess our G-d given Land.

I am a pacifist as i oppose the use of violence as a means of settling disputes or gaining advantage. However, i am going to use pacificism (general ethical opposition to war or violence, except in cases where force is deemed absolutely necessary to advance the cause of peace) to answer the points presented by the author. In the case of Kosovo war, NATO stopped deliberate, systematic efforts at ethnic cleansing and genocide against Kosovar Albanians (11000 civilians were killed and burried into mass graves), so the NATO killed 500 people to save few millions from ethnic cleansing. Let us compare that with what Israel has done during the cast lead op. Less than 20 Israeli civilians got killed by Hamas rockets and Israel responded by Killing 1400 Palestinians! Cant you see the difference here??!! The author mentioned many different conflicts and wars around the world that resulted in the death of civilians, but he failed to mention a very important fact, that this is not the first time Israel use disproportionate force against its enemies. The world decided to take action after 60 years of scilence. Israel has been given many chances from the international community to change its behaviour and act like a modern country, but it has never did. The author rightly mentioned the war (black September) between the Jordanian army and the PLO in 1970, but he failed to mention that Israel has taken part in this war when the Israeli air force attacked the Syrian army when they tried to support the PLO in the north, so if you call it a crime against humanity (it is indeed!) Israel is partly responsible for the civilians who got killed (by supporting the killer). Finally, i agree with the author that not only Israelies who should be tried for their crimes against humanity, Arab leaders and muslim terrorist organizations should be the first to be prosecuted for their crimes against humanity.

In the past 20 years the 24/7 cable news, internet and social networking sites have revolutionized the way we receive information. In the shadow of this information revolution lays a disease that has surprisingly not yet received an official diagnosis. The cause is also a restriction of information. The disease is called Obsessive Compulsive Israel Disorder or OCID. For a country that is thousands of miles away, has a population of just 7 million and speaks a completely different language, the world is obsessively and compulsively focused on Israel. (Full article) http://calevbenyefuneh.blogspot.com/2009/10/obsessive-and-compulsive.html#links

"We'd do better declaring Israel to be a Jewish state, leave the UN and run our affairs according to halacha (Jewish Law). Halacha calls on us to kill our enemies, win our wars and fully possess our G-d given Land. " Should i call you Osama???!!!

I agree with your last paragraph. However, an important fact that you failed to mention is that Israel's existence is threatened daily, year in and year out, by the terrorist groups who run the countries/entities bordering her. America's isn't, nor is that of other NATO members, nor that of the UN hypocrites who investigate only Israel and none of the countries in which tens or hundreds of thousands are murdered.

Hamas and the likes, incl Iran, have sworn to ethnically cleans this are of Israelies, ie to wipe us off the face of the earth. With those numbers 1400 dead in Gaza is minimal. Israel is protecting its people BEFORE they are killed. There is no disproportionate force here. Just defence, after 60 years of being attacked and trying to talk our way to peace.

Israel and the people whose nation-state it is, the Jewish people, performed since 29 November 1947. Why should things be any different now...?? The Jewish people is still the Jewish people, and Israel is still its national home.

There was no ethnic cleansing in Kosovo before the NATO attack. Period. The Albanians began to be evacuated, along with Serbs, Roma, etc., to refugee camps in Macedonia and Serbia (yes - Serbia!) two days after the NATO bombing began. The "ethnic cleansing" pretext was used post-factum, only to provide a fig leaf for NATO's unprovoked aggression in support of KLA, a group of terrorists recruited and outfitted by US and German secret services. Yes, there was ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, perpetrated by KLA and NATO against the Serbs and Roma during and after the Kosovo war. As a result, only a few thousands out of quarter of a million remain, barely surviving in heavily fortified enclaves, under constant threat from the Albanians. In fact, the worst case of ethnic cleansing was conducted by Croats, with air support from NATO, against the Serbs of Eastern Slovonia, where about 200,000 men, women and children were driven from their homes and forced to march to Serbia, while being strafed from the air by NATO planes. Your information is pure crap, gathered from the censored propaganda that is Jordanian media.

One group wants to delegitimise Israel as part of their war on Israel. The other group wants to destroy the idea of human rights by trivialising the idea.

Countries around the world fancy themselves as champions of human rights, some even to clear their collective conscious of the HR violations they commit themselves. But fighting for human rights is difficult when it's done against major superpowers such as NATO and China, there's a price to pay, so the aspiring HR violation fighting democracy/dictatorship will always follow the path of least resistance and attack the smallest, most unpopular, country on current debate. Back then it was Kosovo or South Africa, this time it's Israel. The reason why Israel gets more attention then Darfur, for instance, is because Darfur seems much like a hopeless cause, while Israel gives the impression it can be influenced by public opinion. Lets face it, Israel stands much to lose from international isolation, much more than the uneducated AK47 wielding barbarians for Darfur.

as far as it goe's between israel and hammas, don't forget that israel has suffered for almost 10 years from endlles rocket fire on the daily bases before it's leaders decided to strike back. did Jorden waited so much time befor killing all those palestinians in 1970? no country in the world held back like israel, no country in the world will suffer so much time befor retaliation. and don't forget that the very Existence of isarel is threatened every day and every minute. we do what we need to do in order to stay allive and inflict minimum damage and catulties on our ennemies people. and one more thing, the high number of civillians that got killed in gaza it's because of the fact that hammas is using them as a human shield and we are not sorry that after ten years some of those citizens died for terrorism to stop. some had to be killed in order to make hammas understand that there is a line and if they will cross it - they will get hurt.

A miserable attempt to draw attention way from the crime the IDF and IAF committed in Gaza under the direction of the Israeli Gov.

The issue is that you and the rest of the racists ignore the rules of war. We have NEVER committed a single war-crime. Our actions were entirely within the Geneva Convention and UN Charter. Shall we examine the record of countries like America in the various wars that they have been involved. Say Somalia or Serbia or Iraq or even Afghanistan. Bet you won't fair anywhere near as well.

"We have NEVER committed a single war-crime. Our actions were entirely within the Geneva Convention and UN Charter." - Gee You are having a laugh aren't you? You can't seriously think or mean this. If so I think your mistake is not understanding what a war crime is. For example the 'collective punishment of a large group of innocent civilians' would be classed as a war crime. As you know (or should know) the IAF had the practice of flying over Gaza during the night and causing sonic boom (whose only purpose was to terrorize the general populace of Gaza). Like so many other posters here you seem deluded in believing that Israel could never commit a war crime. I hate to burst your rose-tinted bubble but ALL countries with arms/military means is capable of committing horrendous crimes against other people. You can't make Israel an exception to this rule simply by wishful thinking.

Israel *is* singled out for rapprochement by nations who have done, and are doing, far worse. Israel has been singled out for rebuke more than any other nation. For me what's happening, and why, can best be explained via the Hebrew Prophets. Look at what Ezekiel has to say, especially in chapter 12. This is the chapter where G-d says he'll make Jerusalem like a burdensome stone for all people. All the nations of the Earth will gather together against Jerusalem. G-d steps in and sets things right at the end, but not until all the nations gather against Jerusalem in the Final Days. Of course, nobody can say precisely where we are on the prophetic timetable, but the response by the nations in the UN isn't surprising in light of what the prophets have said would happen. The re-creation of Israel as a nation in ONE day, the re-gathering of the Jews to Israel - all exactly as the prophets wrote long ago. Israel will have seasons of peace, but never total peace until G-d steps in at the end. It's a GREAT ending, though! Israel is ultimately victorious because of G-d.

Back in Nuremberg days it was hard enough to prove the Nazis carried out "war crimes" when they carried out the Holocaust. Nowdays apparently flying loud planes is a war crime. PS you think the booms stop at the border?

The concept of human rights is,in its very substance, just a mere joke! Those who champion human rights have blood-stained hands.Besides, human rights concept is interpreted differently according to the various perspectives of various sides.The proverb goes: " one man's fish is another man's poison " , and another proverb says : " one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter " ! Still some people believe that " right is might " while others endorse the opposite which says " might is right " .So, who is really right ??? Besides, do not forget that strong,wealthy countries hardly see, or rather turn a blind eye to,their own disgraceful & shameful war crimes.International relations and mutual interests suffice to make allies connive at the crimes of their friends for fear of risking the benefits they get from their " big brother & protector " ! Want a modest sample of the dual standard adopted by most, if not all, countries : 1) Nazi Germany slaughtered millions of Jews and Gypsies in WW II .Its army devastated urban areas in Russia.Stalin, upon Russia's unquestionable victory in Stalingrad Battle,retaliated by chasing the Nazis out of Soviet territory and even beyond eastern Europe until the Red Army finally gained control of Berlin in May 1945. 2)The USA in WW II did not refrain from taking venomous vengeance ; even when it became certain Nazi Germany was on the verge of total defeat USAF strategic bombers carried out destructive raids against civilian,urban areas in many German cities ! Historians still question the necessity & wisdom of those intentional USAF raids against German civilians!Furthermore the USA did not hesitate to use atomic bombs against Japan ( the 2 A-bombs America dropped on Hiroshima & Nagazaki in August 1945 killed more Japanese civilians than military personnel).Yet America had its own " good & wise argument " : those 2 A-bombs cut short the war and saved America no less than two hundred thousand human casualties ( although they killed some two hundred thousand Japanese civilians ) ! Ironical, was it not ??? 3) The USA blatantly targeted defenseless Korean villages in the 1950-1953 Korean War( no wonder the Manchurian Candidate decided America was indeed the bad guy, & also decided to collaborate with the communists against the West ).And when America fought in Vietnam civilian & urban areas in North Vietnam got terribly bombed by B-52 bombers.Dykes,dams,bridges, railroads,railways,schools, & hospitals in North Vietnam were severely hit by the USAF.Even Haiphong harbor was mined ! And what about the infamous " My Lai " massacre that US troops committed against Vietnamese villagers in 1968 ? 4) In 1973 the IAF shot down a Libyan " Boeing 727 " jet liner that strayed over Sinia ( then still under IDF control ) & resulted in the death of some 113 passengers.Third World countries condemned that Israeli act but America simply sent letters of condolence to both Egypt & Libya but stopped short of condemning Israel.But ten years later,in late 1983, the Soviet air force shot down a Korean KAL " Boeing 747 " that strayed over Kamshatka peninsula,thus killing 169 passengers.America reacted by being the first country to condemn that Soviet act & to impose a joint US-NATO boycott of Soviet air flights by " Aeroflot " for 6 full months ! Sounds like Libyan & Egyptian passengers were sub human while South Korean passengers were indeed completely-innocent,respectable gentle people of high society who got "murdered" by the Red Bear !!! 5) America invaded & occupied Iraq to oust the notorious dictator & introduce democracy into that country.But US troops indulged in sexually abusing Iraqi prisoners! Still want more painful reminders ?No ... The USA simply does not set the example for others. Let Yanks civilize themselves before thinking of civilizing others !

in my 60 years whichis my age i heared about many conflicts evry one had an end like that of viatnam korea kongo and the blak septemper it is not a conflect it is arrangment in jordan now all the people from palastine or jordanian or sheshane live equally and peacfully in jordan .. but in israil no end to the conflict it is the power of israil to initiate the state jump over the un laws it was the palastinian resedents from the start till now so gaza war is only one link in a very long chain of killing the palastinians .i think goldstone report is the first one that put the light on the fact of israil doing against the humans here ..israil do not want any resolution to this conflict only by the power

lets stop it .....its all a big lie ...just read the italian newspaper :corriere della sera :"hamas faked casualty ....again ..... http://www.trcb.com/news/israel/general/translation-from-corriere-della-sera-italy-report-hamas-faked-4384.htm

May be the major powers want to downsize Israel to manageable proportions. After all, Israel has meddled so much for so long in their internal affairs.

why did you not mention heir invasion of Afghanistan?

The USSR doesnt exist anymore and the guy was writing about countries who are doing war crimes NOW

Israel must face the fact that they committed crimes and must own up to it. All peoples commit crimes, jews are no exception. US soldiers have been sent to jail for life for their crimes recently.

Have you read the collective punishment article? No you can't have done so - since it is explict that TERRORISM is collective punishment. Stopping a war-crime is not nor can it be a war-crime that is just a fact. Yes we are capable of committing a war-crimes, but that is like accusing a woman of prostitution because she is equipped to do so. Just because somebody or group is capable of an action does not prove that they did it. So what passes for logic on your part is total nonsense.