Mrs Assad on CNN is shocked by the killings. Meanwhile Mashal Head of Hamas is protected by Mr Assad and is responsible for the killings. He has started Hamas wants to annihilate all the Jews in Israel.

If Farid Ghadry became president of Syria, there just might be an era of peace, cooperation, and progress in the Middle East!

Farid Ghadry fails to add in the 800-pound gorilla of Syrian politics in this analysis: the Muslim Brotherhood, which is Assad's most formidable contender for the leadership of Syria. Farid Ghadry would like us to believe that a Western-backed toppling of the Alawite regime would easily and peaceably be replaced by a democracy of Islamic moderates (headed of course by none other than Mr. Ghadry himself), but the demographic reality of Syria dictates exactly the opposite. As corrupt and despicable as the Assad regime is, it is the least evil of all alternative governments in Syria. If you want a revolution that will replace the military dictatorship with a fledgling democracy/Sharia-state-in-the-making, Mr. Ghadry, please don't look to Israel for support. The last thing our country needs is an Iraq on our border...

Israel cannot be reconciled with the Mafia regime of Assad. Syria will wait till the moment that it sees chances of defeating Israel. Syria cannot efford good relations with Israel. The Assad family has established a hereditary dynasty shored up by repression within, and confrontation and terror abroad. The rule of the Assads is not aimed at improving the lot of their people or forwarding a particular ideology. They changed ideology from secular Arabism to a seemingly impossible confection of pan-Arabism and Islamist extremism because it was expedient to do so. Hafez Assad came to power following a dizzying succession of coups that had made Syria the most unstable regime in the Middle East. The Assads are seated atop a bucking bronco. They are members of the Allawi religious minority who are usually not even considered to be Muslims. They rule a country of disparate minorities with a potential for chaos almost as great as that of Iraq. The radical Muslim Brotherhood is always there, threatening to take over the country by fair means or foul, and the usual Ba’th party rivalries that have plagued all such regimes are also a threat to Assad family rule. Their rule is not about improving living standards for Syria. Syrian living standards have fallen behind the none-too-glamorous ones of Jordan or Egypt. It is not about democracy, a Western luxury Syria can’t afford, according to Bashar Assad. The Assad regime is about stability, and it is about money and power for the Assad family. The regime is comparable in every way to the fictional Corleone Mafia family. Prosperity and peace would ruin the Assad regime. Therefore, Western assumptions that Syrian leadership must want peace and prosperity are mistaken, and it is pointless to “engage” Syria in dialogue except insofar as it is possible to confront them with their violations and insist that they mend their ways as explained at : http://xrl.us/bjcsd

What would the US do if it knew where Al-Qaida's HQ was? The question is rhetorical.

There is an overwhelming concensus in the Muslim states that war is ALWAYS the way to proceed. There are currently numerous wars in the world, and all include muslim states: Indonesia; Somalia;Dharfur;Iraq;terrorism against Israel;Lebanon v Syria v Iran; Pakistani attacks n India; Turkey attacking Kurds. The list goes on!

I'd like to to see a demonstration in a Muslim country that is Pro-Israel and anti-Hamas. If some Arabs can show that they can use their heads to support the right side I'd believe that Syria could become a democracy. I won't hold my breath.

Assad regime -- as a back-up residence for terrorist-training-camps and leadership like Hamas and Co-- and Iran/Ahmadinejad-- the famous caller to wipe a country with its whole people from the map-- is one of war lessons and NOT all that Arab and non-Arab-Islamic regimes are called to learn. The Middle East is enduring wars and pains over the past 60 years ago and still. Renouncing the education of hatred/rejection/imposing-religion, by force, on all the people of the Middle East-- i.e. brotherhood, Fateh al Islam, Al-Qaeda and all Co--is the start of all good starts. Hatred that leads to violence is at the core of the majority of Arab-Islamic-education-system-regimes [KSA on the top of the list] where people in other-brother-Islamic countries die out of poverty and dream, endure illiteracy, unemployment and corruption at all (I said all) levels. The useful lesson that majority of Islamic rulers, Arabs and non-Arabs must be taught is to work EEFECTIVELY for Peace, to reform the Arab league by bringing on board new spirit-vision- of a just, truthful and respectful Peace or to cancel it and to keep their mouth shut…before it’s too late as it’s already [too] late. Would the writer of this article, Farid Ghadry whom I respect some of his writings and activities, be able to "crash extremists” of Syria i.e. Muslim-brotherhood as stated? Expected answer, with no doubt, is yes. Wondering how truthful is that expected yes? I smile for peace yesterday, today and tomorrow. Thanks Farid AlGhadry for your article.

Underlying all the problems of the Middle-East is one major factor - Islam. Say what you will, but this is the fundamental problem of the Middle-East. As long as this ideology remains the dominant cultural force in the region, there will never be democratic reform, social reform, political reform or any other reform. And, there will never be peace.

we transfer the entire Arab population of Yesha into the surrounding 21 Arab states (where they belong)

only if they win...

The thing is, my fellow Queen Citier, is than Mr. Ghadry has no credibility in Syria (or even in the US). His articles are mainly published on YNET and aish.com and antiSyrian regime websites. Stay warm, man!

Will Israel learn her lesson from Huzbollah?

Vacationer #11 Terry in beautyful Kassam free Eilat. Right as per usual my pal. do not look for anything from me from this point. The "hos with the least" has altered my submissions and still used my name. Unaceptable. I will you well. fight the good and funny fight. Gideon Reader

Shut up traitor!

Yes, Islam is really the problem. This totaltarian system suppresses the human soul and hinders an arab renaissance. Leave Islam and be free !

I believe Israel has already lost the war. the fight is not finished yet but the war is over and I think Israel lost it again. The brutal force that was used in Gaza will make Hamas not only strong in Palestine but all over the world. You gave them reputaion, media space, they are not called terrorists again in media but resistance melitia. Certainly Israel lost it.

You are right. The trio Olmert, Livni and Barak pushed Israel into the trap. First they ethnically cleansed Gaza of Jews, allowing the Arabs to arm and control territory. From Gaza, the Arabs the continuously shot rockets. Olmert, Livni and Barak had a bad choice: either let Jewish children die from the Arab rocket attacks, or fight the Hamas. But fighting Hamas forced Israel to accidentally kill Arab civilians which, as you say, increases the popularity of Hamas. The only road to peace is to build more Jewish homes in Judea and Samaria which will be a defeat for Hamas. If you actually care for the dead Arab children, please ask Mubarak why he gave Hamas rockets and then supported Israel's attack.

I never heard of this guy before. Is he for real. The question should be would Israel learn from this. Israel did not accomplish anything in this war. Does killing women and children makes you victorious? wake up people you are so misinformed. Israel is getting weaker and weaker. After all this bombing and thouands of soldiers on the ground with the best techology in the world in more than 18 days they cannot enter Gaza city yet. On the other hand few thousand hamas fighetrs Gaza surrounded for over a year no supplies. That shows that Israel is so weak, no guts no real men, cowards they use airplanes against women and children. This is the decline of Israel.

It can never be peace between these two countries and it shouldnt either. Israel the evil country is waiting to nuke Damascus to cease being a city as a sign to bring their messiah...and the Syrian are waiting for Issah (jesus to show up in Damascus) and lead the fight to remove these evil Jews. Well, this is a short version of what the nuts or extremist in Syria and Israel belives in. Conclusion, peace can never be attained or achieved between these countries no matter how many agreement that will be signed, the final outcome is that one of them have to go...well I am not sure if I live to see that day. Have a nice day...nuts dont just exist in Arabic countries...but in Israel to.

Mr. Dirk,You just cannot help yourself. Your post is out of a mentality of an angry loser and a person full hatred. Get this Dirt. OOPS! Dirk. Israel is a winner and will always be a winner. We have no choice but to win. Your country is responsible for our stand as a nation. Get the mesage!? never again!!! is never again!!!... God gave us the power for self legitimate defense. we will use it when we have to. Your country's horrible history will never! ever be repeat again... This is a clear message to you, and to the rest of world...

You and the rest of the Arabs seem to do it rather well these days. Now I'll give you the facts on the scene: Hamas has lost hundreds of fighters, and plenty more of them are injured. Among those who are still operating, morale is low and submission to their commanders is not that great (as witnessed in the recent killing of a senior Hamas member who tried to fire a rocket after his subordinates refused). Haniyeh, stuck in his bunker like a scared mouse, is now trying to grasp at any sort of a cease fire. The IDF is moving further and further into Gaza city, closing in on the terrorist hideouts, moving carefully from one house to another. Casualties on our side are small. Rocket fire on Israel declines steadily. As for the number of women and children killed - not that high, as the IDF does everything in its power to avoid civilian deaths. Still, with Hamas hiding behind civilians all the time, firing from schools and refugee camps, and hiding ammunition inside people's homes - it is not that easy. Internationally, Israel suffers strong heat from the world, but we expected this. We tell the world to stick it, and the operation continues. This would continue until we would break Hamas's willingness to fire rockets at us, and stop the arms smuggle from the Philadelphi route. When these two things are guarenteed, hopefully in a binding agreement, our job will be done. As for you, keep living in denial if you enjoy it so much.

the only question is how quick Hamas is going to get with the program and surrender. This is why Israel is refusing to enter Gaza City and finish this war. Israel has no desire to reoccupy Gaza and handing Gaza back over to Fatah would be political suicide for Olmert, Livni and Barak. Hamas has already lost over 500 of its fighters (far more than the number of women and children killed combined) and is only losing more and more infrastructure as they continue staving off the inevitable. By the way, how's the weather in LA these days?

Glad to see a fellow Carolinian! True, he does not have much of a following in his own country, but his heart is in the right place!

No surprise that your article was published in an Israeli conservative tabloid.

He may not be popular, but he should be. His party is a real answer. I used to think Israeli negotiations with Syria for the return of the Golan Heights were pointless to the scheme of general peace. The key issue, I always thought, was Palestine. Make peace with Palestine, and you solve the core problem of the world right now. Now I'm starting to see the light. Negotiations can't continue with Palestinians if Hamas remains in charge, and Hamas isn't going anywhere unless we stop their Syrian funding. If a change happens in Syria, it will pave the way for a change in Palestine, which could finally pave the way for a positive change in the region.

If I lived next door to Israel, I would never learn the lesson of coexistence, because I would be living next to a country that existed by gobbling up land (simply look at the maps over the past 60 years). If you don't resist a thief he will continue stealing.