Israel is at a state of war with two Islamic supremecist movements hell bent on our destruction. This is a serious matter. Ray Hanania is a Christian American born and bred. He has a Jewish wife. His views are irrelevant to the current situation. It is an insult and a sad reflection of the current situation that this is the only so-called Palestinian that Ynet could find to entertain us. This is a serious matter and not for a commentator who has never lived in the region and his views are based on misinformation and anecdotal nonsense. If we are to have this man representing the Palestinians then perhaps we could have Joan Rivers representing Israel. In short Americans- Keep your opinions to yourselves! You are not here and you don't have the psychological tools to understand what is happening in the Middle East! Stay out of our business!

This post is a matter of correcting mistatements of fact in this column. Ray erroneously labels Zinedine Zidane an Arab Algerian. First of all, he is French, born and bred outside of Marseille. His parents are indeed from Algeria, a predominantly Arab nation, but they come from a very proud and distinct region called Kabylie and are of Berber descent, not Arabic. The people of Kabylie indeed have a distinct language and will generally use French as a second language before using Arabic. Perhaps the people of Kabylie share many of the social norms of other Algerians (Arabic Algerians included), but Zidane likely owes as much of his personality to being second generation French as he does to being Kabyle. Still, your message that Israelis and Arabs should be able to recover their sanity when provoked, as World Cup competitors apparently do, is not without merit. Too bad for everyone in the Middle East—and the world at large—it’s also not reality...for now.

Ray is a brilliant comedian and a breezy, entertaining writer. But he's oversimplified a situation where innocents are getting killed in Haifa and Sfat - and Beirut. On the pitch, teams are morally equal and play by rules, punished equitably when rules are broken. Hizballah and Hamas are sworn to destroy the Zionists by any means, plead that they are victims. Israel is a democratic, sovereign entity that wishes only to exist in peace. I shake my head in shame that Ray Hanania can't see the asymmetry.

If you are from Egypt...maybe from Alexandria where your govt kicked out my family and stole their property and business? I don't think an Egyptian is in any position to criticize - when was the last time Egypy won a war? I think it was during the time of the Pharoahs?

Every remark is welcome as long as it could help to find some issue. In france, we have strong muslim and jewish communities and all these far away events affect everybody emotionally. Like in the football domain example with Zidane, TV screen is the window open to the world. Lot of muslim people in france poor suburb make an emotionally link between their living condition and palestinian. On the other hand, french football team is Black, Blanc, Beur ( Blanc means White, Beur is nice nickname for young muslim, Zidane is beur's icon), so french team is colored, mixed and this means that because we are mixed team, we are stronger. On the other hand, bitterly Beurs and Blacks remark, there is only interest on us during the world cup, shame on you Blancs!! This was my 2cents contribution during these sad hours. I deeply think that Peace process will come again but this need a sense of profound humility and I don't exactly known the reason but for this achievement, first a lot of blood and tears should come first, this is the way human being behave. Salam Shalom

Hey Ray: In the hate-filled Palestinian National Charter, in Article 20, it is written: "The Balfour Declaration, the Mandate for Palestine, and everything that has been based upon them, are deemed null and void. Claims of historical or religious ties of Jews with Palestine are incompatible with the facts of history and the true conception of what constitutes statehood. Judaism, being a religion, is not an independent nationality. Nor do Jews constitute a single nation with an identity of its own; they are citizens of the states to which they belong. " Evidently, according to the war-mongerers on your side, only Palestinianism is valid, Zionism is not. See, Ray, if Israel is responsible for Muslim wrath, please tell me what Israel did to encourage Syria to swallow Lebanon, to encourage Saddam Hussein to unleash a bloodbath against Iran, to encourage Saddam Hussein to invade Kuwait, to encourage Kuwait to expel hundreds of thousands of "palestinians", to encourage the Taliban to destroy the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan, to encourage the slaughter of Christians in the Sudan, to encourage the bombings in Bali that killed 202 people, to encourage church bombings in Pakistan, or to blow up 200 Indians on the railroad system in Bombay like your uncles and cousins did last week. Don' you preach any moral equivalency. We were writing the books that shaped the civilized world while your ancestors were still smearing themselves with feces and running naked after game in the wilds. Learn to think before commenting on problems that your relatives started ever since they killed 67 of us while we prayed in our synagogue in our Holy City of Hebron in 1929. There was no "occupation" in 1929, Ray. And like Biafra, there is no such thing as "Palestine".

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3275133,00.html

NO DOCUMENTED RECORDS OF arabs CALLED paLISTINIAN..AND THERE SHOULD BE NO ray hanania. the same as gavni was removed FOR HIS EVILS.. hanania should be removed FOR HIS EVILS... for the greater good of JUDAISM. YNET SHOULD START BEING A PROUD STUBBORN JEWISH COMPANY. THIS WEEK SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR YNET AND SIMILAR ORG. TO WAKE UP TO REALITIES OF THE OTHER NATIONS ULTIMATE DESIRES FOR JEWS EVERYWHERE. THEY WANT JEWS DEAD. DONT BE ANGRY,, JUST BE APART.

I support every Israeli publication having palestinian writers - as long as they make some sence in their argument. While I disagree with many of Ray's arguments I think that he is a good writer. I also agree with Ray regarding a fair and just two state solution. Most Israelis think this way - shame that most Palestinians don't! Ray, I am sure that most Arab publications get your articles and do not publish them. You are a moderate among the Arabs. That said Ray, your opinion on Israel's government and its policies in Lebanon are poor. Israel's govenment is more popular now than it has ever been (even the Arab parties think that something must be done about Hizbollah). Israel's govenernment is moderate and you should acknowledge that - when you compare it to Hammas and Hizbollah (as you often do) you will not appeal to the moderates. You can critisize it - its fine to say that retaliation is wrong - but do not compare it to Hammas and Hizbollah because its not persuing the same goals, nor does it shoot missiles to kill civilians. Ray has apologized for his emotions getting in the way several times. Stop apologizing and learn to catch yourself before you spew out garbage statements. Keep on writing. I hope more Palestinians take up the pen and keyboard as their preferred weapon.

Ray's been booked into the South Lebanon Hilton on July 23rd, and will be bringing his unique comedy stylings to the troops of Hezbollah's 2nd Division.

Actually I am not trying to be friends of "both sides." What I am trying to do is show moderate Israelis and moderate palestinians that we are BOTH ON THE SAME SIDE. We shoulkd respect each other's views even when we don't agree. An Israeli moderate and a Palestinian moderate need not see eye-to-eye on history or even on the methods of achieving peace. But, we must agree on some simple basics: respect and tolerance of differences of opinion; rejection of all forms of violence especially targeting civilians to achieve political Goals (Israel's government is now doing in my opinion what Hamas and Hezbollah have been doing to israel). Just because I criticize Israel does not mean I support Hezbollah or Hamas. I don't. And I frequently criticize them both IN THE ARAB MEDIA. What I don't do is base my criticism only on one side. We are both responsible and both criminally liable and both doing bad things in different ways -- whether someone wants to argue about moral equivalency or not is irrelevent. Moderates who oppose violence and support a fair peace (two states is a fair peace) need to work together and not allow the extremists to make us think we are different. The real enemy of Israel and the Palestinians are extremists on both sides who want the conflict to continue because it suits their selfish goals. I will criticize Israel when it is wrong and I believe the response to Hezbollah is a great political opportunity at a tremendous erosion of moral principle. It's wrong. Of course, if Israel doesn't miond being the pawn of conservative rightwing american neocons who want Israel to do the dirty work in attacking Syria and attacking Iran (instead of us Americans -- we're too mired in a failed war in Iraq right now to be able to mount another front)... then so be it. But tragically, Israel is now in a two-front war and Hezbollah is not a weak foe, but very strategic, very smart and very effective. They don't care about public opiniopn outside of the Islamic World and that should frighten you into recognizing this is not the way out of the problem. You thought you were going back into Gaza and now you are back into a regional conflict. Ray Hanania www.hanania.com

Thanks for your comments. I think they are very important. I think criticism is not the problem. I should be allowed to criticize Israeli policy -- distinguishing from Israel and Jews. I don't criticize Israel's right to exist nor do I criticize Jews. I make a point of trying to criticize policy because policy, not people, is the issue. I don't make it a habit of losing control of my emotions ... but it happens to all of us. Just look at the hatred against me right here on this web page. Shalom and Salam Ray hanania www.hanania.com and PS ... though I am Christian Palestinian American born and Bred, I am no different than most Palestinians whow ant peace but find it difficult to express themselves in a world filled with hatred

Ray Hanania is not a journalist or a comic. He seems to be void of reality in the same vain as his jihadist brothers, Please, take your peace message to those who put on their halloween mask and hide behind women and children to do there fighting.

you believe what you just wrote? Hizbullah , Hamas and Israel are on the same side...?? I don't think so. And THATS who we're fighting. No matter what the western media wants to write ,we are not fighting the civilians -who got in the way. We are very sorry for them . But we were left with no choice. Why can't you understand that? We would like to help rebuild their country (and ours) once this horrible chapter is behind us . But we have to close this chapter. You must understand that. I have tried to imagine what it would be like to be a palestinian moderate (i keep trying to believe that exists) and i have come to the conclusion that i would be outta there. I would not want to be around people like that. I would go to europe, or the US and maybe just wait until my people learn to calm down. Is that what you are doing?? In that case I understand. But don't get your hopes up cuz i don't think it'll happen any time soon.

Has anyone ever witnessed shiites in action on their day Ashura?have you seen people cut themselves?Does anyone know what Hez.is like?These people should not be compared to regular muslims-and Ray must surely know what these people think and what they are capable of.What do you expect of Israel that has to deal with this fanatical,irrational and insane group?Have any Sunnis expressed any opinions?

to peter #32-no,Peter-Zidane came to France when he was 14!!ok so he is Berber.I know many Berber -Algerians and they are very radical and totally align themselves with the Arab world-as they are Muslims.But stop trying to act as if they are in a class by themselves.They are very much of the "Muslim"mindset in every way-uh,remember the French-Alg. war?So you think Zidane is French?you don't get it at all!

#28-about arab women-well in many ways you are right-the outside world doesn't understand how women are regarded etc- but how about the taliban?you think women were treated well there?

Hi Debbie Thanks for sharing your comments here. I know I appreciate them. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. Always has been always will be. They had no right to start a fight with Israel. But, as Israel always does, instead of responding the right way, the see an advantage and exploit it and they end up making themsleves the bad guys. Israelis don't like to hear that but the fact is killing civilians in Lebanon under the exaggerated claim that Hezbollah hides behind women and civilians is ridiculous. It would be the same as saying that Israeli soldiers hide among the civilians because the fact is most civilians are in the military, the settlers are all militias (remember they were created to establish security zones and they are heavily armed) ... so the Israeli argument does not wash. Israel would have won much support from the moderate Arab World if they would have focused on Hezbollah, instead of openly declaring that they would punish the Lebanese in order to force them to crack down on Hezbollah. In the end, Israel is killing innocent civilians in Lebanon and many areas have no Hezbollah presence or are no different than parts of Israel where soldiers wander and work too ... But, who wants to hear sanity today when it is so much easier to hate? Women are abused and discriminated against in the Arab and Muslim World, not because of Islam, but because of the arrogance of men. But women are also discriminated against in Israel, in the United States and throughout the world, too. just some thoughts Ray Hanania www.hanania.com

I wrote Ray directly sometime ago and told him about a Jordanian (Palestinian) friend I had years ago who wanted nothing more than to do business with the Israelis, but it was all ruined by the subsequent uprising and what followed. So instead of returning to his parents and family, he stayed here after finishing school. Ray just berated me and called me an extreamist. He did not address my issues. Hey, maybe he was just loaded up on Sabra beer that night like Huseins kids were. This guy is a total wasted of cyber space. Ray, you are no different from the typical press spinning muslim who can never utter an observation without making what the terrorists and Israelis do as somehow morally equivalent. I guess that is your idea of objectivity without values. You only comment against the muslim terrorists so you can get in your real criticism against the Israelis. Ray, do you have any idea how many Leboneese Americans called up radio talk shows to say that although they were very saddened to see the infrastucture of their country destroyed, it was the only way to get the Hezbolla terrorists out of their country so they could have it back. A Christian Lebonese friend of mine told me that if I could get into a mosque, I would see that the clerics preach that American Muslims can take over America if they can produce enough kids. (I guess they haven't mentioned bomb belts yet.) OK Ray, now call me, my Jordian friend, my Lebonese friend, and all the other Lebonese that phoned to hope the Israelis can get the Hezbolla out of there country . . . call us extremists!

" . . . under the exaggerated claim that Hezbollah hides behind women and civilians is ridiculous. " Ray, what are you smoking? The U.N. humanitarian cheif just criticized Hezbolla for doing just this." Opinions are one thing. Personal analysis another. But, flagrant disregard for the fact, inexcusable." YNET! I KNOW THERE ARE SOME INTELLIGENT, WELL MEANING ARABS OUT THERE THAT CAN PROVIDE MUCH BETTER ANALYSIS AND DIALOUGE AS WELL AS CRITICAL INSIGHT. FIND THEM PLEASE.

been trained from birth to kill Jews is so silly that I would mail you a dunce hat except it would all slide down to your shoulders. You may attempt being a comedian, but this is not funny at all, tragic, not funny.

Israelis and Jews here say they just want peace. Stop the violence. Then they demean Hanania with racist and bigoted attacks. Look in a mirror, writers. You make yourselves look foolish. If I were Hanania, I would not respond to some of you either, Mr. Stewart. (I'd love to hear Hanania's side of that conversation.) YnetNews should be praised for having the courage to publish his OPINIONS!

Hey gutless. You couldn't even use a psudonym. You guys are really good at preaching and yelling as long as you are behind those black ski masks. Your as bad as Ray when it comes to selective reading. Didn't you see my references to my Jordainian and Lebonese friends. I guess accepting decent Arab friends makes me an Arab hater if I criticise others. With you kind of blind spots is it no wonder a recent Muslim doctor living in California was recently on a news show saying that she has devorced herself from Muslim and her people. She said the Jews were treated much worse throughout history than any Arabs and they never carried on like the Muslims. Don't you get it. These are your own people saying they have had enough and don't want anything to do with you mishuguna radical hot heads. I only hate people who are trying to kill me, my family, or my people. That is *not* all arabs. I think the civilized world still thinks it is ones duty to protect themselves and own people when threatened. Since measured responses have never worked with terrorists, there is no choice but to excise them. And don't give me any of that media baloney about civilians. Yeah, civilians spending all there time with terrorists and not leaving when given plenty of warning. Oh, and as far as being an extremist Ray, I'd like to see what kind of men of peace you and your friends would be if rockets were raining down on you or someone was trying to put a gun to your head.

"Hezbollah crosses the border and attacks soldiers (not civilians) and Israel responds by reaching over Hezbollah and attacking civilian targets and killing scores of civilians. Shame on that, too." Pardon me? Are those water ballons that are falling on Haifa? One cannot go into another countries territory, kidnap soldiers, and not expect a resonse.

Thanks 52 for your comments. I also appreciate your emails and comments. As for Stewart, I love the hypocrisy. Missiles ARE raining down on Arabs in the Gaza EVERYDAY and in Beirut EVERYDAY ... I was in Beirut and know the neighborhoods that are being attacked and to claim all the targets are Hezbollah is just BS and everyone knows that ... When you claim to be the only victim, and pretend no one else is suffeering, as you do Stewart, you are an extremist and I don't care how many "Arab" friends you have. I have loads of Jewish friends. It's not about being Arab or Jewish. It is about being extremist or moderate. Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, but they are proving to be as tough as Israel, which has resorted to terrorist-like attacks. What's the difference I ask? I know there are many Israelis who see BOTH SIDES and recognize that what Israel is doing is only making the situation worse ... Israel is turning Hezbollah into a very powerful organization and it's only going to grow. Do I like it? No. Do I have any choice? No. Do I blame Israel. YES! Ray Hanania www.hanania.com PS ... and a psuedonym is not gutless too?

The author states: "The argument that Palestinians provoked Israel by attacking the Israeli tank and kidnapping the Israeli soldier is purely partisan rhetoric." Oh really? Since when is attacking and kidnapping soldiers not considered an act of war? And who is the partisan?

Your are so sull of it. A Canadian senior millitary officer, peace keeper has writen that the Hebos often fire missles from near UN sites and from within populated areas. Recent videos show rockets comming from that building that somehow mysteriously blew up 8 hours after being hit. Lebonese Christians have put out the news that they witnessed Hezbos putting disabled children in that building. And these are the people you support and say are standing p to Israel so well. RAY, YOU ARE AN IDIOT AND EVIL INCARNATE. Maybe YNet is even a bigger idiot for not finding someone other that you. You call anybody who doesn't agree with you an extremist. Wow, your as good as a school yard kid that can't can't engage in an argument without calling names. Ray, it's real simple. If someone tries to kill you, you kill im first. That's not extremism, that's smart. I guess you would stand there and let them kill you because God forbid you would be labled an extremist. Ray, the only Arabs and Islamists you have one your side are the extremists. why don'' t you go over there, and write and give talks. Maybe they they will ask you to speak from one of those civilian buildings they are shooting rockets from. Then they can tell the world that Israeli jets fired on a poor, defensely, so called American/Palestinian journalist. Ray, go waste your superior intelect on your meshugana terorist friends.

Oh, Ray. If you been reading or watching anything ter than the "drive by media", you'd be see that the Israeli's are taking Hezbola apart quite nicely one site at a time and will contiue to do so for quite a few for weeks. They could have done it much faster it they were'nt trying to avoid cirvilian casualties in contrast to Hezbos who live for them even their own so they can parade around the dead bodies and never tell the truth about how they put their own in the deadly situation. I guess a 4 year old martyr really need 72 virgian. Hey, these are our guys, Ray ... "put up such a tough fight" and being taken apart man by man.

you said "nor does it shoot missiles to kill civilians" . tell me what is the difference between missiles and F16 bombs ? I tell you... when a missile kills civilians this might be due to the lack of precision, while when an F16 smart bomb kills civilians this means they were targeted.

Hi, you make two big mistakes : - Zidane was born and raised in France. Therefore, he is French. Not Algerian. - His parents are from Algeria, but they are not Arbaic. They are kabyles (Berber), wich means they have Celtic ancestors. Like the Scots, Nordic, Dutch etc. Lots of blond, blue eyes, redhead people among them. Anyway, the analogy is interesting... Cheers Jérémie