Dont let the Palestine-Israeli Peace Processes etc Drop Out Of The News
x-ogre | 11.12.2007 16:29 | Anti-militarism | Other Press | Terror War | World
A call for fresh thinking about peace processes.
Dropping out of the news, palestine-israeli voices, amongst others, are too often quietened when the potential for unblocking the situation is greatest.
Dropping out of the news, palestine-israeli voices, amongst others, are too often quietened when the potential for unblocking the situation is greatest.
Recent twists in the palestine-israeli peace process have the SOUND of good news - but if the worlds attention is taken away from it, the mould-breaking good attitudes shown - a bit "under the surface, perhaps, but there, nevertheless - might all too quickly get buried under the predictably "minderbinder"influenced media semi-scepticism.
So much DOES hinge upon this key factor in the world that sometimes its hard to see that, as much as that set of disputes DOES nail the "war of errorism" to the perch, so to speak, unblocking it ALSO needs both extra imagination in terms of input from the "outside world", but also both the extra scepticism to see what HAS kept blocking it in the past ( - then ways to kick out those blocks ), but also how this SERIOUS defuse of the "present" clash of cultures ( in-Book clashes, you might say) could exist within a wider global unblocking of futures.
(a couple of imagination-spurs from the past are in the december o7 "remember each !!th" post"Remember Forgetting" - the Hague pre-WW1 peace process that almost was, with the "League of Nations" actual Disarmament process they thought was going to happen. When these didnt happen due to the machinations, prevarications etc of dodgy senators, media-opinion-influencers, etc ( see the famous 1920s quote from a young FDR ) - the early disarmament of the Versailles treaty seemed far more unjust, so that war-stirrers etc could use it later as provocation, hence, as we were all taught at school - somewhat inaccurately, in actual fact - WW2.)
The Palestine/Israel situation has four straightforward problems, of course - Jerusalem, the borders, the happiness of "returnees", the happiness of "settlers".
It could also do with the actual engagement of those breathing components of its various spiritual traditions - all types - liberals but "fundamentalists" too . In fact the involvement of different spiritual traditions, both those that hold Jerusalem (or little towns nearby) as special - but also those whose single news of these places is in either the possible destination of a few wise men (or women) who went on a very long journey on a bit of a hunch*, or that recognise in some of its tales the sorts of things that might have happened in their own misty pasts.
But all that said, the actual need is for a higher sense of security - in the entire region. Much of the most recent "THE NEXT SET OF IMAGINARY WMD WE ARE GOING TO WAR ABOUT ARE. . . . " bogeyperson creation scheme is due to the fact that after the - OVERT - engineering of a coup against its elected prime minister in 1953 by the USA, with the UK, for the sake of a threatened renegotiation of a "Sub-prime-mortgage-snake-oil-charmer-reminiscent" oil license, certain nations saw their "deterrent" as a threat against what they saw - also somewhat inaccurately - as a "client state" of that same USA. Nuclear weapons might have seemed to unlock that knot - but in actual fact were used as the excuse - in the case of Iraq - by certain interest groups in the USA - or with outposts there - or employing "opinion-influencer" groups there - to invade, then somehow create such a mess of the place that the entire regions quality of existence suffers in ways people couldnt have guessed at as a "worst case" outcome in the past.
This means the need for a serious re-look at the sort of global (total) nuclear DISarmament treaty that JFK was working on in the months after the "missile crisis" - prior to getting shot. Realistic, with stages, the security of materials, where they get collected under UN auspices, mutual guard forces ( who watches watchers watchers, etc) then the straightforward use of useful new tech for the checking, the factory inspections that INCLUDE the USA, UK, etc - but ALSO include Corporations large or little - (that are very much more admitted as a factor, these days).
This sounds complex, but is MUCH less complex in comparison to, say, carbon trading, (**) - or serious "attempts-that-work" to sort out climate turbulence, global poisoning/waste factors, seeing as we have got over the stage when "opinion-influencers-of-the-world-for-hire" were employed trying to sell out their own kids in that "WORLDS FLAT - "SCIENTIFIC"DISPUTES REMAIN stage, if we aint quite got over the "you could pay the wasters to waste a bit differently - you could have a MARKET in "unwaste paper bonds", WE could T R A D E them for you" (in the voice of gollum).
A serious look at the UN - to strengthen it - is actually getting pushed by the UK, as most of the people that hope to do the job of president in the USA show signs of seeing past the old war-spinners or the unnecessay duallism of "neo" intervention versus short-term fake isolationist pragmatism, as "bilateral" is seen as the bullying-with-blowback that it is, when more people are looking at the output of certain "apolitical" groups to see that, they too, should "clean house" when it comes to the dodgy commecial cash in politics - why, either side of the pond, people are at last suspicious of that the entirely saintly image of newspaper proprietors might have a few extra questions asked . . . . as people in the UK wonder at the immense funds weilded by the SECRETARIES of certain UK donors, people in the USA look at old Bond pictures to wonder . . . . is that the REAL "Mr Kane"???? (re "Citizen Kane")
In actual fact, seriously, a bipartisan, all sides of the house amount of progress - ACTUAL progress - is quite possible.
If/as a few other facts come out, this might mean quite fast progress - but there are signs that people could "roll with it" - without the need to fall into "you're a diabolic dupe/ ethicless secularist . . . . you're a bigotted stick-in-the-mud/ holy fool . . . . lets both surrender our last free thoughts, cash, etc to that nice security industry/ arms dealer over there, then do the NEWnew "clash of cultures" jig. Assuming the inept cunning plotter types comprehend we AINT doing the USA 1860s Re-enactment for them.
The serious look at what the world encourages, through rewards, in this odd set of logistics that - post deregulation - despite "stitch-in-time" theory, with its re-working of global structures might discover a few large scale actual criminal scams as the attics looked through, so to speak. This is also quite possible - but - odd though it sounds - is as much a cause for "situation-defuse/ peace process thinking as the middle east.
Loads of these things are far MORE possible if the world accepts that, at the same time that amends ARE a way for people out of old-style revenge cycles, if we cushion the effects upon actual people - ALL types of people - of rapid alterations to the world - then the "nightmares" come out of a lot of different scenarios, allowing people to think past "denial", if they see themselves as "the" winners in only this shape of the world, however short-term that might seem.
Emphasizing the removal of stress from society - ALL bits - without the (always expected "swapping") of the " nasty seats" - that increases the total stress in society, as people that had thought they were "okay-ish" worry about WHATEVER might happen doing them harm.
(Of course - to some extent THAT entire bit of the process is MUCH easier in this particular dystopia, due to the fact that - as a usual bit of the "background noise" in society - its as if the more criminal bits of the "insecurity industry" have gone around sub-acoustically playing the mesmerising sound of "WOLF, WOLF, WOLF, WOLF" whispers, in several variations, for YEARS, so that when the reality of new situations DOES happen, when people AINT stuck on burning pyres getting fed their pets as their fingernails are pulled out - ITS ALL ACTUALLY QUITE A RELEIF.)
(Thats for the short-short term. For the mid-term, etc, people that do maths have seen that set of stats about other uses of two weeks of the worlds "arms spending", as the spend on the "war of errorism" passes 1,000,000,000,000 bucks - the idea of WHAT INVESTMENT MEANS reminds the world its spent X-amount averting tragedy after sub-prime, out of societies purse, when the "risk-taking" bits of society screwed up to leave people paying for the damage with their homes, pensions, security, then, in a bit, we are told, less jobs, so, more stress etc. . . . the single good thing thats come out of it is the fact that the "cash-jugglers of the world" too might accept that the meaning of the word "investment" has got free again. We could also re-use that old phrase "stitch in time saves nine".)
Stretching imagination - in tight corners - aim higher
With a large-SEEMING "investment" up front - of imagination - effort - time too - then problems such as those "four horsemen" of Jerusalem, etc could actually open the door to different solutions to world problems - or open doors to different worlds ! A U.N university of aerospace,etc - for peace. . . . say, amongst 4 new universities, at new, green oases in the desert . . . . the 2020 "peace" world games-type investments, those old "worlds fair" type architectural competitions - to end up as a few "extra" bits - new "eden projects" to practise growing crops under glass/etc in new situations. . . . "green" research, in the new, "worlds" jerusalem - of wonderful new homes for actual people - in a wider way to see jerusalem as the capital of both palestine, with israel, but also with the world. . . . worlds, too, later ! (Or at least, seen as a "cradle" of new "arks" - the freight-lifters, etc for space travel . . . . idea of a "worlds spiritual university" / multi-versity - to research all different spiritual traditions - to disagree too - but also to appreciate each - to include "older" or newer attitudes too - ethical codes that mightnt seem spiritual to some for a bit, might also appreciate "political" research, discussion etc. . . . after all, much good has come from this region in the past (thats a sort of understatement for a lot of people, (happy xmas!!!!) the fact that much harm has seemed to also means much has probably got misunderstood - but either way, it seems a good idea to remember some of the unusual mutual associations of the past, to strengthen all of us, if we are to have much of a future.
There is a phrase from a few wise old irishmen or women that strengthened the "quiet" moments of that gritty miracle - that said - some times Revenge . . . . in actual fact . . . . IS the sound of our kids kids playing together, happy.
If it takes a bit extra effort, then the idea of settler-israeli kids kids happy - in space - with palestines returnee kids kids . . . . as a gesture of support from the world thats worth all the words, but so much more . . . .
. . . . the world could push its imagination a bit.
Discover again the meanings of a few old words.
Might do us ALL a lot of good,
kick out the jams a bit!
So much DOES hinge upon this key factor in the world that sometimes its hard to see that, as much as that set of disputes DOES nail the "war of errorism" to the perch, so to speak, unblocking it ALSO needs both extra imagination in terms of input from the "outside world", but also both the extra scepticism to see what HAS kept blocking it in the past ( - then ways to kick out those blocks ), but also how this SERIOUS defuse of the "present" clash of cultures ( in-Book clashes, you might say) could exist within a wider global unblocking of futures.
(a couple of imagination-spurs from the past are in the december o7 "remember each !!th" post"Remember Forgetting" - the Hague pre-WW1 peace process that almost was, with the "League of Nations" actual Disarmament process they thought was going to happen. When these didnt happen due to the machinations, prevarications etc of dodgy senators, media-opinion-influencers, etc ( see the famous 1920s quote from a young FDR ) - the early disarmament of the Versailles treaty seemed far more unjust, so that war-stirrers etc could use it later as provocation, hence, as we were all taught at school - somewhat inaccurately, in actual fact - WW2.)
The Palestine/Israel situation has four straightforward problems, of course - Jerusalem, the borders, the happiness of "returnees", the happiness of "settlers".
It could also do with the actual engagement of those breathing components of its various spiritual traditions - all types - liberals but "fundamentalists" too . In fact the involvement of different spiritual traditions, both those that hold Jerusalem (or little towns nearby) as special - but also those whose single news of these places is in either the possible destination of a few wise men (or women) who went on a very long journey on a bit of a hunch*, or that recognise in some of its tales the sorts of things that might have happened in their own misty pasts.
But all that said, the actual need is for a higher sense of security - in the entire region. Much of the most recent "THE NEXT SET OF IMAGINARY WMD WE ARE GOING TO WAR ABOUT ARE. . . . " bogeyperson creation scheme is due to the fact that after the - OVERT - engineering of a coup against its elected prime minister in 1953 by the USA, with the UK, for the sake of a threatened renegotiation of a "Sub-prime-mortgage-snake-oil-charmer-reminiscent" oil license, certain nations saw their "deterrent" as a threat against what they saw - also somewhat inaccurately - as a "client state" of that same USA. Nuclear weapons might have seemed to unlock that knot - but in actual fact were used as the excuse - in the case of Iraq - by certain interest groups in the USA - or with outposts there - or employing "opinion-influencer" groups there - to invade, then somehow create such a mess of the place that the entire regions quality of existence suffers in ways people couldnt have guessed at as a "worst case" outcome in the past.
This means the need for a serious re-look at the sort of global (total) nuclear DISarmament treaty that JFK was working on in the months after the "missile crisis" - prior to getting shot. Realistic, with stages, the security of materials, where they get collected under UN auspices, mutual guard forces ( who watches watchers watchers, etc) then the straightforward use of useful new tech for the checking, the factory inspections that INCLUDE the USA, UK, etc - but ALSO include Corporations large or little - (that are very much more admitted as a factor, these days).
This sounds complex, but is MUCH less complex in comparison to, say, carbon trading, (**) - or serious "attempts-that-work" to sort out climate turbulence, global poisoning/waste factors, seeing as we have got over the stage when "opinion-influencers-of-the-world-for-hire" were employed trying to sell out their own kids in that "WORLDS FLAT - "SCIENTIFIC"DISPUTES REMAIN stage, if we aint quite got over the "you could pay the wasters to waste a bit differently - you could have a MARKET in "unwaste paper bonds", WE could T R A D E them for you" (in the voice of gollum).
A serious look at the UN - to strengthen it - is actually getting pushed by the UK, as most of the people that hope to do the job of president in the USA show signs of seeing past the old war-spinners or the unnecessay duallism of "neo" intervention versus short-term fake isolationist pragmatism, as "bilateral" is seen as the bullying-with-blowback that it is, when more people are looking at the output of certain "apolitical" groups to see that, they too, should "clean house" when it comes to the dodgy commecial cash in politics - why, either side of the pond, people are at last suspicious of that the entirely saintly image of newspaper proprietors might have a few extra questions asked . . . . as people in the UK wonder at the immense funds weilded by the SECRETARIES of certain UK donors, people in the USA look at old Bond pictures to wonder . . . . is that the REAL "Mr Kane"???? (re "Citizen Kane")
In actual fact, seriously, a bipartisan, all sides of the house amount of progress - ACTUAL progress - is quite possible.
If/as a few other facts come out, this might mean quite fast progress - but there are signs that people could "roll with it" - without the need to fall into "you're a diabolic dupe/ ethicless secularist . . . . you're a bigotted stick-in-the-mud/ holy fool . . . . lets both surrender our last free thoughts, cash, etc to that nice security industry/ arms dealer over there, then do the NEWnew "clash of cultures" jig. Assuming the inept cunning plotter types comprehend we AINT doing the USA 1860s Re-enactment for them.
The serious look at what the world encourages, through rewards, in this odd set of logistics that - post deregulation - despite "stitch-in-time" theory, with its re-working of global structures might discover a few large scale actual criminal scams as the attics looked through, so to speak. This is also quite possible - but - odd though it sounds - is as much a cause for "situation-defuse/ peace process thinking as the middle east.
Loads of these things are far MORE possible if the world accepts that, at the same time that amends ARE a way for people out of old-style revenge cycles, if we cushion the effects upon actual people - ALL types of people - of rapid alterations to the world - then the "nightmares" come out of a lot of different scenarios, allowing people to think past "denial", if they see themselves as "the" winners in only this shape of the world, however short-term that might seem.
Emphasizing the removal of stress from society - ALL bits - without the (always expected "swapping") of the " nasty seats" - that increases the total stress in society, as people that had thought they were "okay-ish" worry about WHATEVER might happen doing them harm.
(Of course - to some extent THAT entire bit of the process is MUCH easier in this particular dystopia, due to the fact that - as a usual bit of the "background noise" in society - its as if the more criminal bits of the "insecurity industry" have gone around sub-acoustically playing the mesmerising sound of "WOLF, WOLF, WOLF, WOLF" whispers, in several variations, for YEARS, so that when the reality of new situations DOES happen, when people AINT stuck on burning pyres getting fed their pets as their fingernails are pulled out - ITS ALL ACTUALLY QUITE A RELEIF.)
(Thats for the short-short term. For the mid-term, etc, people that do maths have seen that set of stats about other uses of two weeks of the worlds "arms spending", as the spend on the "war of errorism" passes 1,000,000,000,000 bucks - the idea of WHAT INVESTMENT MEANS reminds the world its spent X-amount averting tragedy after sub-prime, out of societies purse, when the "risk-taking" bits of society screwed up to leave people paying for the damage with their homes, pensions, security, then, in a bit, we are told, less jobs, so, more stress etc. . . . the single good thing thats come out of it is the fact that the "cash-jugglers of the world" too might accept that the meaning of the word "investment" has got free again. We could also re-use that old phrase "stitch in time saves nine".)
Stretching imagination - in tight corners - aim higher
With a large-SEEMING "investment" up front - of imagination - effort - time too - then problems such as those "four horsemen" of Jerusalem, etc could actually open the door to different solutions to world problems - or open doors to different worlds ! A U.N university of aerospace,etc - for peace. . . . say, amongst 4 new universities, at new, green oases in the desert . . . . the 2020 "peace" world games-type investments, those old "worlds fair" type architectural competitions - to end up as a few "extra" bits - new "eden projects" to practise growing crops under glass/etc in new situations. . . . "green" research, in the new, "worlds" jerusalem - of wonderful new homes for actual people - in a wider way to see jerusalem as the capital of both palestine, with israel, but also with the world. . . . worlds, too, later ! (Or at least, seen as a "cradle" of new "arks" - the freight-lifters, etc for space travel . . . . idea of a "worlds spiritual university" / multi-versity - to research all different spiritual traditions - to disagree too - but also to appreciate each - to include "older" or newer attitudes too - ethical codes that mightnt seem spiritual to some for a bit, might also appreciate "political" research, discussion etc. . . . after all, much good has come from this region in the past (thats a sort of understatement for a lot of people, (happy xmas!!!!) the fact that much harm has seemed to also means much has probably got misunderstood - but either way, it seems a good idea to remember some of the unusual mutual associations of the past, to strengthen all of us, if we are to have much of a future.
There is a phrase from a few wise old irishmen or women that strengthened the "quiet" moments of that gritty miracle - that said - some times Revenge . . . . in actual fact . . . . IS the sound of our kids kids playing together, happy.
If it takes a bit extra effort, then the idea of settler-israeli kids kids happy - in space - with palestines returnee kids kids . . . . as a gesture of support from the world thats worth all the words, but so much more . . . .
. . . . the world could push its imagination a bit.
Discover again the meanings of a few old words.
Might do us ALL a lot of good,
kick out the jams a bit!
x-ogre
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As Predicted: Israeli Tanks Push Deep Into Gaza
12.12.2007 01:02
Israeli tanks severed the main north-south route through Gaza
Israeli tanks and bulldozers have moved deep into the southern Gaza Strip in the biggest incursion into the territory in months.
Three Palestinian militants were killed early in the fighting, local medical officials said.
Israeli military officials say two soldiers were wounded. Reports speak of 30 or more tanks being involved.
Gaza is run by the Hamas militant group which took over the territory in June after a violent struggle with Fatah.
(Which resulted from a US/Israeli coup attempt, using corrupt elements of Fatah as proxies. Censoring the U.S. Role in Gaza’s 'Civil War'
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Ramallah says it is the largest military incursion of Gaza for months, coming exactly two weeks after the Annapolis meeting that heralded a new round of peace negotiations.
(Actually, since these attacks on Gaza were planned long before Annapolis, it appears as if the meetings were designed to create a cover for these preparations, a bit of positive PR for those plotting aggression.)
On Wednesday, Israel and a Fatah-led Palestinian delegation are to hold a first round of talks aimed at relaunching the peace process.
(But since this excludes the democratically-elected representatives of the Palestinians, few take this eriously.)
Since that meeting nearly 40 Palestinians, mainly militants (numbers?), have been killed in Gaza by Israeli forces.
The incursion was launched not far from the Sufa crossing point into Gaza, an area regularly used by militants to launch rocket and mortar attacks at Israel.
'Routine operation'
The Israeli force cut traffic on the main road between Khan Younis and Rafah, and encountered fierce resistance from Palestinian fighters, witnesses said.
A petrol station was reportedly demolished, and three Islamic Jihad militants were killed when an Israeli missile struck a house.
"During the latest period, with all the mortar shelling and rocket launching coming from the area... it's not something out of the ordinary," an Israeli spokeswoman said.
(And indeed, Israeli defence officials warned that Israel's imposition of measures of Collective Punishment on Gaza would provoke these attacks. As usual, Israel created the reason it's now using to 'justify' its premeditated aggression.)
But correspondents on the scene said it looked anything but routine, with bodies lying amid the rubble of a destroyed building and Israeli tanks pushing deep into Palestinian territory.
(Sounds a lot less 'sterile' than the initial statements of this very report.)
Schoolchildren ran through the streets of Khan Younis, the largest town in southern Gaza, after schools closed so they could take refuge at home.
Dozens of people were detained in house-to-house raids by the Israeli troops, residents said.
Hours before the operations an Islamic Jihad militant was killed in an Israeli air strike, local medical officials said.
Rocket attacks
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told the BBC the operation was designed to protect Israel's civilian population.
(But this is BS. It's about undermining the democratically-elected Government of the Palestinians, and increasing the suffering of the people stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.)
"We've had over the last few months some 4,000 rockets fired from Gaza into Israeli territory, trying to kill Israeli civilians.
(Since many fell close to military installations, that statement is a distortion of the facts. And Israel's attacks on Gaza, coupled with its measures of Collective Punishment, have killed vastly more Palestinian civilians. Does this, then, mean that the Palestinians are entitled to attack Israel ... ?)
"We do believe that [with] these sort of surgical incursions where we go in, we deal with the infrastructure of the extremists, of the terrorists - we keep them on the run, we keep them playing defence," he said.
(But mainly, we terrorize the population, which we hope will convince them to give up and leave the territory we want to annex for ourselves.)
Palestinian officials have accused Israel of trying to derail peace talks before they start, with the announcement of tenders to expand a settlement in occupied East Jerusalem.
Israel denies this saying past obligations to cease settlement activity did not apply in that area.
(International Law, and UN Resolutions, apply in ALL Occupied areas.)
Hamas, which won parliamentary elections January 2006, has been excluded from the Annapolis talks and from the negotiations that are about to be launched. It does not recognise Israel.
(No, it does not recognize Israel as an Apartheid "Jewish state". That's not the same thing.
The Real 'Facts on the Ground' in the ME
Olmert: No Timetable for Peace Talks
A day after the IDF announced that it was ready to re-invade Gaza, as was planned before Annapolis, Olmert's Regime announced that there was no timetable for peace talks, and Israel pressured the US to pull a UN resolution which would enforce the talks.
US Withdraws Mideast Resolution at UN
www.israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8052/index.php
ALERT: Annapolis a Charade: Israel Plots Massive Aggression
Posted by Men Hung At Nuremberg For The Same on Tuesday, November 13th at 6:11 PM
It's interesting to note that, while the Plant Spammed the site again, pretending to be someone else reposting old articles, he glaringly eliminates certain stories.
In Germany, according to historian Richard Evans, in 1931-1932, if enough Germans of conscience had begun to say No -- history would have had an entirely diferent outcome.
If we go any further down this road the tears will be those of conservatives as well as progressives. They will be (Israeli) tears.
The time for weeping has to stop; the time for confronting must begin.
Adapted from "American Tears"
www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/american-tears_b_68141.html
The timing is interesting, given the upcoming "Annapolis Conference", which serves to be about PR alone, as Olmert has already ruled out any Negotiations or Compromise in the name of peace.
If you follow the events surrounding Israel's "Disengagement" from Gaza, you will quickly understand that this was the plan all along. While Israel was making a public spectacle of "forcing Jews to leave their homes", it was quietly surrounding the Strip with artillery emplacements, in an operation ominously named "First Rain".
Under this operation, Gaza basically became a "Free-Fire Zone", and several artillery and gunship strikes killed a high number of civilians. Finally, when one of these batteries fired upon and murdered a Palestinian family - picnicking on a beach that had been Segregated "Jews Only" only weeks before, Hamas finally decided to call an end to its unilateral, two-year cease-fire.
(In essence, they took Israel's bait. After all, you can't excuse your Aggression and label it "defense" if you're not being intermittently attacked. Never mind the hypocrisy underlying the entire media's framing of that whole debate ...)
When the Palestinians responded by electing Hamas to power (yes, elected), Israeli Extremists and their Ideological, bought foreign co-conspirators imposed unilateral sanctions on Gaza, a bit of Collective Punishment which increased the hardship of those stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.
When they felt Gaza had been substantially weakened, the US and Israel undertook a Coup attempt, using corrupt elements within the Fatah Party, provoking a violent response by Hamas, which expelled the group. Most of the world's media ignored the events leading to this "crisis", and instead only repeated the Propaganda emanating from the US and Israel, which used this to further increase sanctions against Gaza.
Most recently, Israel stepped up its Collective Punishment, except that human rights groups and legal advisors to the Government halted some of its approved measures, because they run contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
This was sold as another "response to rocket attacks" (again highlighting the hypocrisy of the debate's Framing - are the Palestinians allowed to defend themselves from strikes which actually KILL people ... ?), even though high-ranking officials said that this was NOT, in fact, a response to these attacks, but a way to "distance Israel from Gaza's infrastructure".
The real reason for this whole episode, of course, has been to "soften up" the Gaza Strip for a long-planned military attack, a way to undermine the resolve, and hopefully rid this territory of Palestinians altogether.
Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land
www.freedocumentaries.org/film.php?id=169
Annapolis a Charade