I wish these ideas reach the hearts of those who insist to bielieve that there is no humans on the other side. Hamas mabey is a terrorist organization, but it is not the only one in this region.............

Take your propaganda somewhere else please. You become less connected to reality every article and I'm starting to wonder if you're actually working for the terrorists. Have you no shame in comparing Hamas to Likud? Hamas is a terrorist organization which kills innocent people in COLD BLOOD just because of their nationality, race, and/or religion. Women, the elderly, children, the younger the better, as long as they're Jews they are Hamas' #1 target. Yes, Likud's policy is tough on the Palestinians using military strength and economic pressure, but the purpose of these policies is to target and fight TERRORISTS like Hamas and others, not the Palestinian people. It's propagandists like you who convince the Palestinians and the rest of the world otherwise. I'm really glad that you agree that Hamas is a terrorist organization, but the fact that you deny that the PA is a terrorist government makes me question your political knowledge, and for that matter your sanity too. Terrorists have the majority in the legislature, soon they will hold key executive posts as well, therefore it's a terrorist government Ray. Also, just because they won an election doesn't make them democratic. In a democracy there needs to be equality for all -- freedom of speech, self-determination, political freedom, the rule of law, and many more freedoms and liberties. None of these exist in the PA because instead of wanting to improve the lives of its citizens, the Palestinian government chooses to continue terror, therefore it's not a democracy Ray. Bibi doesn't reject peace, only Hamas. Bibi rejects terrorism because there can not be peace while suicide bombers are exploding in our coffee shops. Your analysis of being able to offer peace without any preconditions of stopping terror are just plain ignorant and show your lack of political knowledge. I do have to say that you are a good writer, but you really should stick to comedy and writing anecdotes about you and your wife.

That Hanania cannot tell the difference between setting out to deliberately murder as many children as possible and the accidental death of a child shows yet again that he is little other than an apologist for terror. Having once believed that perhaps peace could be achieved by the establishment of one secular state, I am now rapidly coming to the conclusion not only that that was a mad pipe dream but also that all Israeli Arabs must be relocated elsewhere in order for Jews ever to be safe in their own homeland. Hanania only serves to confirm that opinion.

we not give up on the Palestinians. Understand one thing, the Palestinians have given up on themselves. My country Israel while like other countries are far from perfect but we tried everything in our power to come to peace. For an example, did you forget Oslo or Gaza? Make no mistake, no people on the planet have been legitimized and sanitized to the extent of the Palestinians. No people have had the world literally lie for them like the Palestinians. Goodness, think of the mess of horrific crimes in Darfur and the well deserving neglected Kurds and Tibetans. Yet the world does not blink. Can't hold Jews responsible for those humanitarian blunders so it is not worth anything! The Palestinians have done nothing for themselves except eat out of the hands of their dictatorial terrorist loving leaders and a world which at every turn appeases them. The Palestinians are the consummate drunks and the world who appeases them the consummate co-dependants, apologists and upholders of immoral equivalences which btw, have more holes than a sieve. Tell you what, everyone I know have done everything for peace. We who have done everything for peace came to Israel with little or no help from anyone in a world who did everything to prevent it. (read again so it sinks in) Yet, in my family we lost 5 people to terror, the last two little children. In my life I have sat Shiva for over 30 friends who lost their lives for nothing except being a Jew/Israeli (and I am only one person!) At this point all which is left to say is if the Palestinians want peace you and they know damn well on the other side is a majority (not minority) who will try again and again and again to accommodate simply with the wild idea and fervent wish for peace and quiet to come so we can live and continue to prosper in our endeavors. At this point in time it is a popular belief that truly the best way for peace is to completely separate from the Palestinians. Make your way democratic or not but do it if you want and when you have the desire but please leave us alone. BTW: I am sorry to hear when any Palestinian children lose their lives. However a big person such as yourself would come to the conclusion that when you dress your children as terrorists (don't deny it because there our thousands of pictures to prove it) and allow them to roam freely amongst guns and weapons and grown men who care little for their safety, death is what comes in the end. This sir is the tragedy of your culture of hate. However, ridding a bus or sitting in a cafe or driving in a car or walking down the street or sleeping in ones own bed or sitting watching TV hurting no one is no excuse to KILL.

I try to be a voice of moderation on these boards, Ray, and I have a feeling you and I would see eye to eye on a lot. That said, here's my response to this coulmn: Are you high? Seriously. Imagine Kach winning an absolute majority in an Israeli election and then loudly asserting that it means everything it said. How would the world react? How would you? If you really want peace like you claim, stop talking to us, and start talking to your own side. They're the ones who need a message of moderation and tolerance.

After reading his opinion, I can believe Ray Hanania is a standup comedian, but an award-winning Palestinian American journalist? Exactly where did he obtain his award... from a box of Cracker Jack? When Hamas was voted in as the new Palestinian government (which it now fully controls), Palestinians choose terrorism over peacemaking. In order to gain international legitimacy, Hamas must now recognize Israel, renounce terrorism, and accept previously signed agreements. However, there's one teeny weenie problem: At the top of the Hamas priority list is the eradication of the State of Israel through the use of terrorist strategy and tactics. Hamas is utterly opposed to a political settlement with Israel because their ideology states that the Palestinian problem is religious, and therefore can never be solved by political compromise. Their perpetration of terrorist acts against Israel is central to its ideology: as long as Palestinians live under the “occupation”, they must “resist” through jihad (holy war), by which they mean an armed insurrection against the State of Israel. The Hamas ideology is Islam, a cultural, intolerant, militant and imperialistic religion of the sword. Most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad against the infidels of the world and, by killing an infidel, (which is a command to all Muslims) they believe they are assured a place in heaven. The definition of an infidel: Non-believers. In a nutshell, followers of Allah have been commanded to kill someone who is not of Muslim faith, so they can have a place in Heaven. We certainly do live in an "unbalanced" world, Mr. Hanania.

if it is the cat ,where is the meat ,and if it is the meat . where is the cat ,,,it is true to both the israil and the palastine ..terror and the goverment ,,ocupation and the palastinian state

well written Ray. another eloquent piece that forces the reader to acknowledge the suffering and viewpoints of both parties to the conflict, rather than allowing any side to dehumanize the other. thank you.

hannhia is at it again..... giving us his bag of excuses... "occupation" , road block". the wal"... etc... in all of your "articles"... yo always spew the same concealed venom.... iti is concealed ,alright, but most of us can eead right thru the rubbish... ynet-- you got my vote on firiing this snake in the grass immediatley from writing more rubbish!

netanyahu assassinated palestinian TERRORISTS, not leaders. that is, unless you consider palestinian terrorists "leaders". that is what i don't like about so-called apologists for the palestinian people - they split intellectual hairs while ignoring blatant, clear-cut truths about the immorality within palestinian culture. i've got a better idea (which i've suggested before): take your message of peace, love, and tolerance to the people that need it the most. palestinian hatred is justified, or at least excusable, right? it's easier, and less brave, to come on an israeli website and excuse palestinian hatred. become an apologist for israel, speak the message of reconciliation and peace on muslim websites - if you dare.

Dont try to create a banalic equlivance between Israelis and Palestinians. The truth is a little bit more complicated than that, I could present you with historical facts (which you probably know) to show you how the Arabs own a bigger part in this conflict, that with their stubberness, hatred and violence they detroyed their own chances for independence and peace. You say that Ehud Barak was "Nearly-brave", the man offered you 97% of the territories, including a compermise in Jerusalem which puts the mosques in your control, what did Arafat "The brave" do? Started the next intifada, with the guns that Rabin gave him, and with the men Rabin imported from Tunis with him. Your "Brave" Arafat told his assitant himself that he "Plans to make these shameful agreements into a curse upon the Yahud", meaning that his satanic campaign was planned ahed, that while he was shaking Rabin's hand he was thinking how would he stab him in his back when he turns around, Yigal Amir, who is a true extremist, did not kill the peace process, the peace process was born with a tumour placed by Arafat, if Rabin would of been alive to see what his Oslo brought, he would of died of sorrow himself, for he was truly Brave. It takes courage to be moderate, but it doesnt take much courage to say "Both sides are to blame equally so both sides should do such and such", it is much harder to look at what was wrong in your own actions, rather than dismiss them by saying "The other side was also bad", are you brave enough, Ray? The other one , Jerusalem (03.15.06) Your repeated attempts at creating an equalivance between Israelis and Palestinians, be it political parties, moderates on both sides and extremists on both sides are, well, simply wrong and demagogic, I would appreciate an answer.

that apologists for the Palestinians used to say that the government is terrorist, but the people are not. Now the people are terrorists, but the government is not?

I don't respond to haters, racists and bigots. But, I'll make an exception to #11 It's not easy for a Palestinian to write on an Israeli website, to put up with the vicious lsander and hate that I get. It is worth the hassle, though, if it provokes moderates to look past the hatred that puts them in check to find answers and a way out of this conflict. I do submit the exact same views to many Arab and Muslim newspapers and publications. But, why would the facts mean anything to you, since you and a few other criticsd never refer to any facts at all. In fact, I wish there was one critic who addressed facts and issues rather than ad hominem attacks. That I get under your skin is meaningless. I am glad though that I help motivate good people on both sides to see the truth and work towards a justice based on one principle applied to both, something you might try, at least once. Ray Hanania www.hanania.com

Time and again you post your apologies of Arab terrorism and hatred and fault the Israeli Jews for both the Arab terror and Arab misery. The fact that you're allowed access to publish your anti-Israeli views in an Israeli/Jewish publication for me is proof enough of Israeli good will and flexibility. You on the other hand are quite consistent in your anti-Israeli bias, making your rhetoric almost identical to that any jihadist cleric, just minus openly calling the Jews the sons of pigs and monkeys, but still presenting them as cold-blooded killers of little Arab girls. Hanania, I never noticed in your writing any outrage and regret when little Jewish girls are murdered by your kin or when little boys are cowering scared when you kinsmen shoot rockets at their bedrooms in kibbutzes or towns or at their kindergartens.

Ray Hanania should stick to what he knows best; comedy. The growing and widespread popularity of Hamas really took off after the first Intifada (1987) and as such grew into a position of powerful influence within the Palestinian government. It is the palestinian people who wanted this, and who voted Hamas into power legally and democratically, agreed, but as Mr Hanania says, Hamas is a terrorist organisation. Democratically elected or not, Hamas are an organisation bent on the destruction of Israel. Hamas's spiritual leader; Sheikh Ahmed Yassin has predicted Israel's destruction by the year 2025, and one of the main objectives of Hamas, is the restoration of All historic Palestine, most of which is in Israel's borders. I find it staggering how Mr Hanania could make such a ridiculous statement as; "While it is true Hamas is a terrorist organisation, fact remains that Palestinian government is not." Who governs in Palestine? As Mr Hanania has said, Hamas was democratically elected. You can't have it both ways Mr Hanania. The whole article is superfluous, as the self-cancelling title statement suggests. Why dosen't Mr Hanania get off the fence?

Given that your articles are filled to the brim with bigotry I find your comment both hypocritical and ridiculous.

There is nothing bigoted in his statement, but your outburst is telling. Your "Palestinians" apparently either did not listen to you, when they elected a cold-blooded terror group to lead them, or else they find your message less peaceful than you make it out here. Your idea of peace between Arabs you call Palestinians and the Jews is based on condition of Arab supremacy and at the expense of Jewish national aspiration. Why, pray, should Arab national aspirations have precedence at the expense of the Jewish when Arabs already have over 20 states, covering a great territory, with an immense wealth in oil, all Muslim, all speaking Arabic and all bowing to Mecca, when Jews, without a tiny Israel would have not even one state to call their own, and the only place they turned to throughout the ages was Jerusalem?

B"H Ray, I am really sad that you have been fed such misinformation. In particular: "No one demanded that Netanyahu or his Likud party renounce his expansionist policies that in the end did as much to derail the peace process as Hamas suicide bombings." There is a huge difference between murder and building a house. Wake up Ray! Whoever is feeding you lies that violence against civilians equates to living peacefully in a land by building a house really is trying to distract you from "internal" issues. I do not buy that, Ray. I think this other quote of yours really needs an answer: "So why must the newly elected Palestinian government be required to “renounce violence” because of Hamas when the Palestinian government continues to support the peace process?" Ray, if the piece process is not abiding by agreements made but rather attempting to tear Israel to pieces through violence, your representation is losing a lot of credibility with the Israeli public. This is very damaging to your cause, and gaining you nothing. You can see this problem on the Israeli side. Can you see this problem on your own side of the table? In terms of settlers "taking-over" territory, I think that what is needed is a sane system of property registration and sale. Making bogus claims and not keeping promises loses credibility. The Hamas system of no sale to Jews is accepted by Hamas in Gaza, and this is not right. Jews should have every right to live peacefully in the Jewish homeland under any administration through a proper sale or even lease. This too is not beneficial to the Arabs living in this area. It is just chaos and anarchy, sadly being enforced by the Arabs who are hurt most by it.

a bigot and a hater seeing in14 he wrote he does not respond to bigots and haters. And guess what? My response to him was not posted! Imagine that! Looks like YNET and or RAY is viltering responses. So shameful seeing nothing was wrong with #5 or my response to his #14 except the truth maybe.

Can you refer us any arabic paper that has a Jewish columinst writing critical things about Arabs as you write about Jewish in an Israeli paper?

Everytime I read Ray's articles I'm reminded why I support Israel even though I'm not Jewish. The Plo and Hamass are different sides of the same coin. They both support terrorism even though the Plo pretends it's moderate. Comparing Hamass to Likud it's absolutely ridicoulous. When has Likud called for the mass murder of Arabs or for Arab countries to be destroyed? The case of the Arab girl killed is tragic but the Idf did not deliberately murder her like Hamass murders Jewish children. For Ray to make a moral comparision is outrageous. Is Ynet being paid to run Ray's column. He writes the same crap all the time. It's getting real boring.

He is a non-Israeli living outside Israel and makes his living telling jokes. Yediot might as well have an Eskimo prostitute based in Botswana as a panelist. Makes as much sense!

I am still looking for your answer, it seems that you are simply ignoring me and my question, if that is so please know I am deeply offended.

Comparing hamas to any leader in Israel is insane and just plain stupid. It will not work on any decent person with a brain. The Likud party is harsh on TERRORISTS. it does not openly state that it wants to kill palestinians and it deos not call for the destruction of the palestinian people...Hamas on the other hand does! You lost all respect from me whe you made this ridiculous statement. Any person who actually gives moral comparison to Israeli soldiers (who are hunting down known terrorists)and Hamas militants is blind. I think the US knows this as well as most other countires in the world. The sad thing is that the average palestinian has to suffer b/c they don not see it this way. Ray, you do nothing to help the Palestinians with propoganda like this. Awful article!!!

Send a clear message to Ynetnews ; try a boycott; do not read Ray's articles or respond to his rubbish ; ... Email Alan and tell him this was suppose to be a lighthearted column not a anti Israel column,and yes Ray you are anti Israel it shows with each word you write. Also Ray you are American not Palistinian ... alan@abbeycontent.com

Ray, you really express in such a clear way what I feel, what I think what I believe in. You are the voice for a big part of palestinians and we are very happy to have you. I would like also to thank YNET for publishing your articles.

He mentions 'Palestinian land" but there is no such thing. The land was captured in self-defence by israel from Jordan. There is no palestine involved.

Jerusalem was captured by Israel from Jordan in the 6-day war. There was never any "palestine". If you talk nonsense you can only be expected to be treated like an idiot.

Why doesn't he write funny stuff? This sucks! He deserves a rotten herring in the kisser!