IT IS with great interest that I read the comments by Professor Rohan Gunaratna (

Full Story

I agree with you, Ho, but in my humble opinion, I think the bigger issue lies in any average man/woman's inability to accept and tolerate differences, to forcefully try instilling his/her thoughts/practices onto others. In short, human being is an arrogant bunch of animal who always think so highly of himself/herself, that he/she is not able to, and unwilling to, tolerate any form of differences from his/her own thoughts/beliefs.

If you examine closely at the reasons behind all these wars/conflicts/acts of terrorism, you'd almost always find that it comes down to one particular race/religion/country that totally disagree with the thoughts/beliefs of another race/religion/country, and that's why they wanna resort to all available methods, including brute force if necessary, onto the other party, so as to compel the other party into accepting the so-called "right" school of thoughts/beliefs.

Ask yourself, why did the Germans wanna kill the Jews? Why did the Communist Chinese wanna fight with the KMT Chinese? Why did the Muslim wanna oppose to Christianity and the Western school of thoughts? Why did Malaysia UMNO try to drum up the race tension between the Malays and Chinese? Why can't PAP tolerate the alternative voices by those lame Opposition Parties, despite having such firm control over the governance of the country? The simple answer to all the above is: all the above demonstrate the inability to tolerate differences from one's own thoughts/beliefs, and therefore, to these people, difference voices/thoughts/beliefs must be silenced and rid of. Now ask yourself: is this right? Why can't we just learn to accept the differences and move on with life?

So, if the Israelis respect the Palestinians' right to exist and live at Gaza, if the US stops propagandizing its idea of human rights & absolute freedom and respect that other countries have the right to choose to be different, if the Muslim can learn to accept that, apart from Islam, all mankind can co-exist without being threatened to change his/her initial beliefs, then maybe violence in this world may be reduced, and all of us can look forward to a more peaceful and prosperous future together...

Finally I see a topic of current issue here. I was appalled to enter our national paper's website only to see muslim drinking offense as a "top story". Seriously, ST? Or perhaps reporting has to be curtailed since we are such fans of the US and the US has refused to say anything against Israel.

Back to the topic, I understand hate, marginalisation, and intolerance. But I don't understand killing, I don't understand this lack of conscience. Yes, they shot rockets at you. But over 900 dead and 40 per cent of them women and children?

I am proud that the UN is taking such a fast stance as opposed to the month long Lebanon war in 2006. But it is true, there is nothing they can do about it if Olmert doesn't listen, and US doesn't intervene.

Here is from the UN president:
"There have been some who were under the illusion that the Security Council would do something that could help the situation," d'Escoto said. "I never thought so.

"Now we're faced with not only with a lack of compliance but with a prime minister of Israel who has practically responded to the Security Council by saying 'mind your own business'.

"It's unbelievable that a country that owes its existence to a general assembly resolution could be so disdainful of the resolutions that emanate from the UN."

Singaporeans, read up. You have internet and wireless for a reason—no, it isn't gaming per se—and you've a voice. There is no need to be misinformed.

xxhoipolloi,

interesting... you left out that Hamas also ignored the resolution. why is that?

lobo_respawned,

I like to think this isn't about politics, I just don't understand having to resort to wall. On why Hamas ignored the resolution (by which I assume you're talking about the half month ceasefire that ended on the 19th of Dec?) you'll have to read more into the previous ceasefire agreement mediated by the Egyptians.

Under that, which started in 19 June 08, it was agreed that all of the six gates between Israel and Gaza were to be opened, and there were also trade and other conclusions—of which I am sure google wouldn't withhold from you so I'll not elaborate.

The agreements were not kept by the Israelis and only 15 per cent of Israeli goods reached Gaza. Given such behaviour from Israel, Hamas decided that Palestine had no business in adhering to a ceasefire when Israel doesn't respect the terms agreed upon. Hence continued firing of rockets as their own form of protest, hence the decision to not renew the ceasefire agreement in December. On the Israeli front, they suspected that Hamas agreed to the ceasefire only as a breather to rearm.

NB: In the last month of ceasefire, Israel killed more than 40 palestinians.

Hamas rockets are uncalled for, maybe. But they are seven years old, and have only killed 4 Israelis to date. Abu Marzouq, Deputy Head of Hamas: "We don't have weapons sophisticated enough to launch at exact targets."

A couple of annoying rockets doesn't warrant an all-out genocide. Wipe out Hamas if you want to, why kill the people of Gaza?

xxhoipolloi

A couple of annoying rockets doesn't warrant an all-out genocide. Wipe out Hamas if you want to, why kill the people of Gaza?

Your statements are full of untruths!

A couple of 'annoying rockets'??? When the 'annoying rockets' have killed 3 people??

'.. doesn't warrant an all-out genocide' - erm , hello? Do you know the definition of genocide? Why use it here? What are your biases?

'why kill the people of Gaza?' - erm, hello again... why not tell Hamas to stop hiding in mosques and schools and civilians and fight like men? That way no one else will get hurt except those cowards.

Obviously you're not much better than the other Hamas sympathisers we have had on this board. They can't seem to tell truth from untruth.

cheers.

Some accused the Israel are out to eliminate the Palestinians “ethnic cleansing”, my question for them are:

Do Israel needs 18 Days to kill 905 Palestinians if it is their intentions to eliminate all Palestinians?
Do you think Israel is unable to flatten the Gaza and exterminate all the Gaza Palestinians if it wants to in less than 18 days?
In my years of experience as a professional soldier, the fatalities rates would be in ten of thousands or millions if it is the intention of Israel to eliminate all Palestinians!

The operations would be very much easy for Israeli if it is their intentions to exterminate all instead of target just Hamas… they simply has to just kill on sight like the terrorist in Mumbai does… don’t need to take precautious not to harm civilians etc…

Did witness accounts mention that Israel kills who-so-ever on sight?

The next question is why just Gaza? Why not include the west banks if it is their intention to eliminate the Palestinians?

It is quite clear to me Israel targets the Hamas and their infrastructures… while Hamas carried out guerilla tactics using civilians as cover which is what they are good at to attack Israeli… as Israeli soldier do you not defend against such attacks while trying to minimize the civilian casualties.

I’ve no intention to justify the Israel killings in this war… I’m tired of the Islamic world reactions on Israel while remain silent on Hamas challenge on Israel by their rocket attacks which to me can be consider an act of war against Israel. Israel does have a right to defense itself in face of the act of war declare against them.

Hamas did represent the control in Gaza and had thus committed all Palestinians in Gaza to War against Israel, it is regrettable that in face of a war, Hamas choose to dress themselves as civilians and hid behind his civilian populations.

The actions of just condemning Israel and remain silent on Hamas does reinforce that the Palestinians-Israeli conflict are not just territorial issues but a religious war too which has reflect clearly in the historical records which some has name it as “Holy war against Jews”.

I applause the statement made by UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki Moon, “To BOTH sides”… “Just stop now!”… “Too many people have died”
It take both hands to clap, in order to achieve the permanent peace… acceptance of co-existence must previals from both sides.

Prokinetic,

my sympathies do not lie with Hamas but with those in Gaza.

If Hamas are indeed hiding amongst civilians as alleged (do read up, a lot of civilian spots are targeted and house no Hamas militants inside. i.e. UN schools), it is the responsibility of a 'civilised' society like Israel, with their superb military skills and weapons to carry out a well planned attack against Hamas.

My point with three Israeli casualties is to illustrated the stark difference between 900 and three.

Genocide wise, kindly refer to UN president's statement given in New York: "The number of victims in Gaza is increasing by the day... The situation is untenable. It's genocide."

And to cutthecrap, yes Israeli can probably eliminate all Palestinians if they want to. But the situation here is bad enough. Olmert is proud of Israel's atrocities. Stating that they have "achieved in 16 days what no other country can". Achieved what? Bloodshed akin to the Rwanda genocide? Maybe…

Prokinetic, this is especially for you:


The United Nations says it has received reports that about 30 Palestinians were killed when Israeli forces shelled a house after they had moved about 110 civilians inside it.

"According to several testimonies, on 4 January Israeli foot soldiers evacuated approximately 110 Palestinians into a single-residence house in Zeitun, warning them to stay indoors," the UN report said on Friday.

"Twenty-four hours later, Israeli forces shelled the home repeatedly, killing approximately 30."

"It take both hands to clap, in order to achieve the permanent peace… acceptance of co-existence must previals from both sides."

Yes. Its quite obvious who is the culprit here. Hamas refuses to acknowledge Israel's right to exist. How to have peace?

Guys (and gals),

I think it's not very helpful to try & fault-find what others had commented, and to try to prove that what u had said is the truth. That, to me, is one of the reasons why such conflicts arise, primarily because one party is trying to prove that the other party is wrong, and then try to unilaterally "correct" the so-called "wrong".

Maybe, for now, we are unable to offer any plausible solution to help those innocents, both Israelis and Palestinians. But maybe, all of us can recognize the core to this war conflict, and then try spread and practice the message on tolerance and respecting other fellow mankind's right to his/her way of life. What do you guys say huh?

The routes that we'd taken may be different, but I firmly believe that, deep within, all of us share the identical objective of living peacefully and happily with our love ones. So let's keep this objective in sight and work our unique ways towards achieving this objective huh?