Note to Iara - go CHECK the reports from the World Bank, UNDP, etc re the time when WB and Gaza were under Israel's DIRECT administration. Then follow up with reports issued AFTER Arafat & company took over the CONTROL in the early 1990s. The documented FACTUAL details BLAST a big fat hole in your LAUGHABLE claims. AFTER the handover of administration, the palis CONTINUE to enjoy SIMILAR privileges as Israelis. That is UNTIL the palis DECIDED to ABUSE those privileges by MURDERING Israelis, including children. You also ACCUSE Israel of DISCRIMINATING the palis "based on their race" . Yet you are TOTALLY silent over the FACT that Abbas & Co have stated more than once PUBLICLY that there will be NO Jews in a pali state. So LOOK carefully in the mirror and see what the FACE of "DOUBLE STANDARDS" is really like - it is pretty UGLY.

simply can't be a partner, and both Europe and America must realize it. In order to make war there is a need for one party. For talks about peace, two parties that accept each other's right to live, and to live in pace. Sadly, the Muslim-Arabs, local and regional, have only passed the ability to make war, but not peace.

NEVER AGAIN

1) Suggestion to Bibi: Allow Hamas to make first response to any future peace plans put forth by non-Middle Eastern countries. 2) Suggestion to Obama: Internalize what has happened here. You suggested that Israel commit national suicide and you gave the Palestinians more than any previous U.S. president and the Palestinian representatives spat in your face. 3) Suggestion for Hamas: Don't change a thing, you're doing just fine. You've achieved all your goals and achieved so much for your people, right?

At the expense of the freedom of the palis people? -- I am sure you meant the slaves; being the status of most if not all arabs everywhere. mashaal, in spite of your suit and shirt, you still look like a pig. One cannot change ' drek ' into ' Soir de Paris '. garbage only generates more garbage. You are in your "milieu".

"..the American government has failed in the past, and will continue to fail in its attempt to convince Hamas to recognize the Israeli occupation." Israeli OCCUPATION??? Hamas is referring to the whole of Israel, not just Judea and Samaria, thereby showing that it considers the very existence of Israel as illegitimate. Let's face it, they and the Palis are just too scared of being granted a state, because then they'll have to stop running to the UN and the West for handouts and start running a state with all that this entails. What a bunch of losers, but unfortunately, losers who have for the most part managed to con the world.

I thank the Ersatzpallis Hamas and Fatah joining so that everybody understands no jewish homeland can be given up. in fact, this joint venture is preventing people like Livni to come up with stupid ideas.

the children from Palestine!!!!!!! Get your facts straight. Come to Israel and see for yourself. Time and time again we have treated children from across the boarder in our hospitals, We teach our children to love their neighbour, not blow them up at the earliest opportunty. In essence Palestine does exist. They have a President and Prime Minister. And if you really know your history, thanks to the UK mandate they have a King too. If they declare themselves free from Israel in September then we should cut off their electricity, gas, water and right to OUR free medical services. Do not allow them to use our airport or sea ports. BECAUSE that is what a free state should provide for their people. They could do so now, but they spend all the billon $ hand-outs of weapons, and their own ivory palaces. If the EU adn USA gave the money direct to actual families and not to the despots in power they would be the worlds richest state.

First, lara, Israel does exist, legally, legitimately - any way you want to look at it. Second, we don't deny the Palestinians the right to exist, but we do deny them the right to exist as a terrorist state on our borders, constantly trying to attack us. You are so far away down there in your Australian bubble that you haven't a clue. And yes, they deserve the right to all those things you mention but they are denied it by their own leaders. they are educated and indoctrinated in hatred for Israel, in the glory of bloodshed, in killing, in martyrdom. Israel does not even exist in their textbooks - the whole of Israel is designated Palestine. With all the billions in aid they've received from the gullible West, what have they done? Have they even tried to build the infrastructure necessary for even a fledgling state? They know only to destroy, not build. If they genuinely sought peace, Israel couldn teach them a lot: how a handful (less than a million) of people, with almost no resources built up a nation, drained swamps, built towns and villages, built thriving industries, has attained the no. 2 place in the world's hi-tec industry, has some of the wolrd's most advanced agriculture which it has also taught to many of the third world's drought-ridden countries; in short: Israel builds, the Palis destroy. Civilized countries also have child protection laws, but not the Palis. On the contrary, when they turn to fighting their motto is "women and children first" as human shields. As for all these people being human, as you say, well it's a shame their own leaders don't treat them as such, instead of turning them into cannon fodder.

#58 - Look at the civilian death toll, destruction and proportion of force on both sides, then come back to me with that argument. #60 - By that logic, Lebanese are Iraqi and the Chinese are not a race because they're Asian. As I said in my previous post, Palestinians and Jews alike, cannot accept the other. #61 - Actually they were under MILITARY administration. So what are your documented factual details because your argument has none. As for your Abbas comment - my whole post was about why neither can agree. By the way, the question was: Should Israel exist, if Palestinians have no right to exist?

You really don't understand the history of Israel and what the situation regarding the Arabs who call themselves"palestinians" is.Read history and then comment.

So what exactly are Hamas saying? They say they want peace but wont recognise Israel ( NUS Note) They say they want peace but continue to incite INSTITUTIONAL racial hatred that is quite intolerable -( NUS Note) They say they want peace but want the destruction of Israel. And if you think it applies to Israeli Jews think again. A recent Hamas official at an interview insisted that most Israeli Arabs WERE REGARDED AS COMPLICIT and would also be eliminated in the final destruction of Israel ( NUS Note) They say they want peace but wont declare anything about Shalit ( NUS Note) They say they want peace but continue to accumulate missiles INSTEAD of improving the lot and conditions in Gaza ( NUS Note) They say they want peace but regard any agreements with Israel as just a piece of paper to be torn up on a whim ( NUS Note) Is this a partner that can be trusted to forge peace? And to #7 I say - there is NO FIRST and SECOND. A peace deal means mutual recognition. And in theory thats EASY. But ask yourself and ask the MAJORITY of Gazans - can HamasEVER be trusted to honour the peace?

The Arabs/Moslems idea of an end of conflict is the total genocide of the Jews. They will never compromise on this goal. Terrorists in suits will talk peace process in english but in arabic they talk of hate, genocide and the demise of Israel. When will the West wake up to the reality of the conflict?

#70 - I did not say they do not exist. I was merely making a comparison as to why one should exist and the other not. As for "the children from Palestine!!!!!!!", last year, 11 children were killed, none of them were Israeli. 362 were injured, 2 of them were Israeli. FYI, since 2004 US Aid to Palestine is $3.5billion = <$900 per person over 7 years. Here, most people earn that a week. Israel receives $3 billion per year, that's about $20 billion for the same period. How rich would you be if you had to live off $130 a year. If you couldn't get a job because you've been cut off from the world? If you cannot move freely and if you cannot import or export? Israel has 1000 battle tanks and over 500 combat planes, Palestinians have none. P.S. They don't have an ivory palace but I am sure your home is lovely. #73 - What am I not understanding? Please enlighten me....

How many ways, and how many different Hamas leaders, have to say, they will NOT recognize Israel, before the world believes Hamas is telling the truth. This is at least the third different Hamas leader to say how Hamas feels about Israel. Obama asks a simple request, as does Israel. Recognize Israel, Renounce Violence, Honor All past agreements. Three simple and basic need for any chance of peace. Yet Hamas lashes out, that it means Obama is meddling in their internal affairs. What a crock. What clearer evidence can you have these guys are NOT serious about peace. They ask for a state with land, something concrete, but offer NOTHING in return. Not even recognition of Israel? What country would do that? The idea is silly, and everybody knows it.

I suggest you go visit some of the hospitals and medical facilities in Israel to see how Arab as getting proper care. Not long ago I was in Kuppat Holim Reuven and saw Arabs and Jews treating each with respect and living in peace. This is the same for Arabs working along side Israelis in the Haifa area. Why because the want peace and harmony. Then you look at HAMAS whose Charter unambiguously calls for the Destruction of Israel and Murder of ALL Jews/Israelis. You look at how they put they danced in the Streets on 9/11 and protested the killing of Bin Laden. You look at how they launched 10000 rockets at our civilians and cities, at how they murdered 3 Americans who came to give PAL kids Fulbright scholarships, how they kidnap journalists and aide workers, and on and on and on. Their is no justification for their miserable terrorist existence. Israel should do to the exactly what they aspire to do to us.

so exactly what are we negotiating on? Carl Bildt insists we have nothing to worry about if we just give the Arabs all they want. A poster of that article said Israel has "lost the art of give and take". Yet, we see Hamas who, hasn't softened despite what many want us to believe, and still insists on destroying Israel through continued warfare. As far as I'm concerned, Hamas was the last nail in the coffin of peace, the short-lived honeymoon of "unity govt" is over, and Israel should reject all future negotiations with the Arabs. It's done!!! 1) give Gaza back to Egypt, cut all fuel, electricity and water to the terror enclave. 2) reduce the size of "Judea/Samaria" by annexing most of it into Israel, and give "Palestinians" exclusive non-voting autonomy over the region if Jordan refuses to absorb it into the real "Palestinian" State. The more Israel works towards peace, the more crazy the demands of the world are on us. Tell them to screw off and move on.

Whoa. I will enlighten you with the truth. "Israel receives $3.billion a year" Israel & Israeli citizens do not get a dime from this aid money. Aid from the US are credits which must be spent on US made weapons, which means the weapons must be purchased by Israel in the US. Simply put, the aid money Israel receives, is paid back to the US. Try not to forget the palestinians receive loads of aid from the EU aswell. Not forgetting Hamas receives bundles of money from their good friend, Iran. Hoping your brain can handle these newly learnt truths.

even after ICRC and others decried them for purposely targeting civilians and committing war crimes.

Whether from Haniyeh, Mashaal, or Zahar...the only reason they continue issuing such threats is because they feel perfectly safe in doing so. What we need is to have them fear enough to go underground on a regular basis. Because we appease them and treat them like human beings (a level well above what they treat their own population let alone Israelis), they gain legitimacy which they do not deserve, and the whole region suffers because of it. Arabs have been toppling despots in their countries for the past few months hoping for change - whether that be employment or democracy. The same too must happen here.

This speech in front of AIPAC simply explained his speech a few days ago. You heard "1967 lines" and stopped listening. The rest of his speech said "with land swaps" and you can bet there will be a lot of them before the day is done. Time for you to stop manipulating everyone else's positions in order to appease your own false narrative. You have done this with UN resolutions since the UN has been founded - to no avail.

re: #70 - should Israel exist if "Palestinians" not allowed to? That's not the issue here. The issue is WHY haven't the "Palestinians" existed as a nation before and why not a State tomorrow. By their own admission, the purpose of "Palestinians" existence is to REPLACE Jews and their Homeland. This extends to extending control over Jewish holy sites and claiming them as "Palestinian", despite the massive difference in age of both. Can you name one population who's existence is based on snuffing out the existence of another? That existed back in Medieval times and often at the hands of Arab invading armies, but it doesn't exist today except in the minds of "Palestinians"...and your ilk. Regardind US aid - first, is the standard of living in West Bank the same as in Australia? Such a typical myopic Leftist to insist that everything they enjoy at home, including income, should be shared by all. If so, then let food prices, gas, and housing increase to reflect the "wealth" Pallys should enjoy and listen to them shout foul! US aid isn't also direct - the US is also a major contributor to the UN and specifically to UNWRA, which increases US aid to "Palesitnians" even more. And that aid leaves US shores forever. They never see it again, even in kindness from "Palestinians" who danced and handed out candies on 9/11. Conversely, Israel spends 94% of US aid IN the US which translates to jobs and boasting the economy of US citizens. On 9/11, Israelis lined up for hours to donate blood to the US victims while Arabs celebrated the attack.

Dear lara; 1. You are falling for the bad-cop, good-cop routine. Add the tanks of six muslim countries (at least) and the tens of thousands of rockets of Hezbollah and Hamas. Add the terrorist support of Iran. Add the words of the Hamas charter. That is the real sum of these "poor Palestinians". 2. What happens when you hide behind women and children, and shoot from their midst? Those you are hiding behind get hurt. This is the fault of those doing the hiding, not of the Israelis who want to live. See Post 58, No.1. 3. They are not cut off from the world. Israel allows food, nonmilitary equipment, etc. Observers have been 'surprised' that there is no starvation there. All they don't have is due to the Hamas' insistence on wanting to kill Jews. If they want to freely interact and import and export they have to act responsibly. They are NOT doing so. You are missing a lot.

Yes, the majority of U.S Aid to Israel is in fact Military aid, for the purchase of weapons and for funding the IDF. Most US, Arab & EU aid to Palestinians is allocated to humanitarian assistance, economic development, water access, health care, education, wages to security forces, infrastructure etc.

Editors, I sent what was a heartfelt comment regarding this issue with the subject line of "Numbers 34=Boundaries" last Sunday evening. Considering the many examples of venom and vitriol that have been published, which, according to your "terms of agreement," I have to assume that their content was acceptable to you. I have been saddened that the heartfelt opinion of someone who recognizes history and is working to restore right relationship between the physical and spiritual descendants of Abraham has been excluded from the conversation. My position represents more people than you know--and the numbers are growing.