Arab nations will not recognize Israel because it was:

1. Established by a foreign nation starting with the Balfour Declaration of 1917
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration_of_1917

which was incorportated into the British Mandate of Palestine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Mandate_of_Palestine

2. Supported by foreign nations–UN Partition of Palestine A.K.A
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181, which terminated the British Mandate with new parameters and revisions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Partition_of_Palestine

To see which contries participated (57 total) in the vote to create 2 states in palestine go to the link directly above and scroll down until you see "the vote" section. Very enlightening.

God bless Israel and God bless the Jews.

Speaking of religious wars, look where the humanists have left America. Let's invite God back here. God bless Israel and America.

Rick help me out here,The Democratic Senators have made something good happen.because of the opposition the senate has with the govornor he choose Mr. Burris(the only reason). They should think long and hard about the seating of Mr. Burris.If he passes the vetting process and all other concerns let him in.The Govornor is in a lose, lose situitation first of all he will have put a good replacement for Obama in the senate,he gets nothing for if, and best of all he will still be IMPEACHED.

I'm from Illinois. I am no fan of Blagojavich at all. I was very surprised he decided to appoint a senator, and couldn't imagine who would take it. When he named Roland Burris, I was pleasantly surprised. He has served Illinois well in the past – as far as I know, he hasn't been tainted with the political scandals.

Israel has tolerated enough. The world must stop radical islam.

Video not working

Watching Blago on stage announcing the senate seat reminded me of the Stores this holiday season! "Everything 50-70% off"
Don't you think these guys realized going in that their reps are ruined forever? Yes of course they did, but common sense tells you that they are just as greedy as Blago, maybe more, cause they knew going in that this would look terrible? Goes to motive. If you are that qualified to get the job now, then wait until you can get it properly! They didn't, so they are greedy at best, corrupt at worst! Sad times indeed!

Rick, tell the world to back off and let Israel wipe out hammas.
they are a cancer and should be exterminated.
muslims will not stop killing jews or christians until they have wiped us out.
Israel should have blown that aid boat to hammas out of the water.
While were at it, tell the muslims to leave America!

hey rick:

just one quick statement, and i'm not sure if this can go on the air. but why is it always black and white? why does bobby rush think it's so important to have so many african americans in the senate and he didn't even call any attention to any other minorities. perhaps a sikh would like to get in, but nobody seems to care about that. why do they only care about their own race. if it's not in politics, it's in sports. i just heard on the news the other day that we need more african american coaches. what about suggesting chinese coaches. do other minorities not count, because all i've heard about - especially since barack obama started his campaign - is black and white. very disappointing. maybe one day we'll all realize there's more out there than just black and white.

cheers,
lee

Hamas enjoys getting its own people killed. Give the Palestinians some land and they want more. Same ol', same ol'.

Wow! Shame on you Rick! What happened to innocent until proven guilty? The Illinois governor is not too smart and perhaps too arrogant but these are not crimes. Does anyone out there know that in most political situations there are implicit expectations in city and state government appointments. Who cares how much Burris' firm donated to a political campaign? CNN should be more fair and balanced!

to much about gaza and the arabs,about there civillians being killed.what about them shelling israel civillians we dont see them going after the israel military or gov't.enough is enough they have the right to protect there people just like we do here in the us.israel should not stop or concede to the pressure of the world untill they wipe out the terrorist threat once and for all.blow them all to hell.

Rick, over a three day period during Christmas week in the Holy Land -radical islamic terrorists in Gaza fired more than 100 rockets, missiles & mortars at Israeli Jews living in the southern border towns of Sderot, Ashdod & Ashkelon. Since Dec.19th nearly 200 rockets have been fired at Israel from Gaza. Only by God's grace has the casualties been minimal despite the barrage. Why is it that we never hear about the terror the people of Israel are going through on a daily basis. We hear nothing until the Israelis need to retaliate then all we hear about is the poor Arabs. Well those poor Arabs do not even care about their own children, two of whom were killed, [sisters aged 5 & 13yrs] when a Hamas rocket landed on a house in Gaza rather than in Israel. If the Arab community at large cared for the Palastinian Arabs they would give them a place of their own from all the land they have,courtesy of the British after WW2. But no they just use them as a pawn in their hatred of the Jews. Israel belongs to 'the Apple of God's Eye' and they are the Jewish people.

Hamas sets up shop in densly populated areas in order to use those "innocent people" as human shields, in reality the victims are willful, purposeful terrorist sympathizers. Hamas fires rockets from the tops of those building and then cry foul when they get bombed... oh please!

If Mexico or Canada were to launch a rocket into the U.S., how long do you think the US would wait before responding with Shock & Awe? Israel lives with this everyday, showing uncommon patience. Patience the US or any other country would not display.

The truth about Israel has not been given to the American people since the USS Liberty was attacked by Israeli jets and murdered 34 sailors. We are too close to the Israeli's to be objective.

Sderot Terror
The fundamental difference between Israel and Hamas, Hezbollah and all other Arab Killer organization, is that we Israelis Do Not just kill for the thrill of Killing. Moreover, Israel never gone into schools to kill innocent’s children’s or innocent people on purpose.
Arafat and his cronies and now Hamas killed innocent children’s in theirs school, and in there beds well sleeping.
The residents of Sderot did not have one quiet night or day in many years. Can you imagine the kindergarten children’s running into shelters every few hours to be safe from the missiles that Hamas shooting into Sderot center. This is no life it is a nightmare that is going on a little too long.

Hey Rick,

Since Hamas started this bloody mess yet again, I fully support Israels right to stop the terrorists attacks coming from Gaza and anywhere in their state that Hamas is launching attacks. The perfect resolution to this problem is simple. Give Hamas and the Palestinians two options. They can either join Israel and live in peace as one state/country, or they can pack up their stuff and move to Iran. Since Iran seems to be playing a major roll in these attacks as usual on Israel. If they decide not to take either option, I see no reason why Israel should not wipe Hamas of the planet and force the Palestinians to either cooperate or leave the country all together. Also the United States should stay out of Israels business. We have enough problems here to deal with, we need to quit trying to solve the worlds problems when we cannot even fix our own here at home.

Everybody knows what the solution to te Israelie-Palestian crisis – two indepdendent states living in peace. The question is how many will to get there – if ever

The US almost went to war with the Soviet Union over missles placed in Cuba(Cuban Missle Crisis). Israel should have every opportunity to defend itself.

As long as the Palestinians throw bombs across the border, they must accept that Israel, sooner or later, will fight back! Furthermore, I'm sick of all the Arab nations giving lip-service about the plight of Palestians when they do NOTHING to relieve the poverty and suffering of these people.

Israel VS Palestine along with S Ossetia is just another stage that is set up to lead to World War 3

This will allow national security to be increased and will help direct towards a one world governemnt/ new world order

Rick,
I think that the crisis with Israel and the Palestinians will never be resolved and I think its time that the United States starts worrying about its own affairs at home rather than always policing the world! I live in Detroit and its like a war zone in its own right and if we can't take care of our own domestic issues then what gives us the authority to mind some other country's conflicts?

Suzanne

How many times do you think I would let someone hit me with a baseball bat before I picked up my own baseball bat to defend myself?
Israel has every right to defend itself against these attacks by Hamas.
If the Palestinian people really want Israel to back down from defending itself, then kick Hamas out of the Gaza Strip.
Also, Irael is not assulting or attacking the Gaza Strip. It is Hamas that is assulting and attacking Israel.

THE US SENATE IS NOT SENATOR REID'S OLD BOYS CLUB. I HOPE HE DOE'S NOT HAVE THE VOTES TO REJECT THE SEATING
OF SUCH A HIGHLY QUALIFIED PERSON.

LET'S NOT FORGET, NOT ONLY HAS THE GOVENOR NOT BEEN CONVECTED, HE HAS NOT EVEN CHARGED WITH ANY VIOLATION OF THE LAW.

THE SENATE WILL BE BACK IN SESSION NEXT WEEK . BOTH
PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA AND THIS COUNTRY NEEDS BOTH
ILLINOIS SENATORS ON DUTY.

also how about them strapping bombs on there children and doing sucide missions inside israel.they dont even care about there own lives.

Why are we involved with Israel? Is the U.S. Israeli? Were our founding fathers Jewish? It is so un-PC to speak against the Jews. I have had enough. I do not hate them but why are we dedicating our resources to Israel's well being? How many American lives are going to be lost by our alignment with these people?

WAY TO GO ISRAEL, FOR EVERY ROCKET THAT LANDS IN MY COUNTRY, I WOULD SENT 10 MISSLES AT THE CROUP THAT FIRED THEM.

THE PEOPLE IN THE AREA THAT FIRED THE ROCKETS SAW THEM BEING SET-UP AND DID NOTHING, NOWING THAT ISRAEL WOULD
BE HIT.

IF YOU ALLOW SOMEONE TO LAUNCH AN ATTACK FROM YOUR
PROPERTY, YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE HIT BACK.

WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND.

John Watson, are you aware that Israel is the only real democracy in the Middle Easter? Our alliance with them is imperative to stability in the region, and our war on terror.

Gaza conflict, reminds me of two brothers fighting over the same blanket. With no physical father figure to quell this non sense. It just gets flaring up. When are these humans gonna learn to live together?
Maybe they don't understand how their actions and lead our world to rest in peace.

How about doing a report on all the Palestinians that were killed by Israelis during this latest and greatest "cease-fire". How about the constant vicious harassment that's been going on for years by inhabitants of illegal settlements. Nothing like poking the caged, starving, lion with a sharp stick long enough and hard enough until it retaliates to justify an all-out attack, is there. Hey Rick, there's lots of truth out there if you want to find it, but oh yeah, AOL Time Warner is on the list of those companies and products listed under "Boycotting Israeli Goods", isn't it, so why would you?

Palestinian spokeswoman Butto keeps referiing to the innocent cililians that are being killed by the Israelis, I say that Butto is a little short sided in her statements. It is Hamas that sets up and launches cartouche Rockets from the tops of apartment Buildings in Gaza City,. It is Hamas that uses the civilians as Human Shields. The Arab world is outraged by israelis non-measured attacks. When has war ever been based on measured responses? If the civilians do not want to be part of the carnage of an Israelis F15 airstrike on a Hamas Rocket site, MOVE! The claim that they do not have relatives in the West bank or away from Hamas is ridiculous! Hams has fired more than 6000 SIX THOUSAND Cartouche Rockets into Israel since 2005, SIX THOUSAND!!! Hams will never recognize the rights of Israel to exist, then israel should exterminate Hamas.

Rick, I've heard you talking about the concept of proportionality as applied to Israel and Hamas.This brings up several questions: Where did you learn this concept? Have you ever studied warfare? Have you ever been in combat or suffered an attack from another? If someone attacks you or your loved ones with a knife, will you respond proportionately with a knife? Or would you prefer a gun? I would think that when someone attacks you and your family, you would respond to end the threat once and for all.

Where's the media been the past almost 3 years when Hamas has been launching almost daily rockets into Israeli towns and villages where Israelis inside the Green Line have been living in constant fear and trauma the past 2 1/2 years, not knowing when a rocket will fall on them? If criminals were launching rockets from Tijuana into San Diego, or from Vancouver to Seattle, what would the U.S. do and after how many rockets hit the American cities would the U.S. act? Muslims are always crying and protesting about Israelis killing Arab children. Why don't these same people protest when Muslims kill Muslim children as they've been doing in Iraq and Afghanistan? When are you going to understand that Hamas doesn't want peace with Israel, it just wants to destroy Israel and run Israelis out of the country. They don't care about their own people, their only objective and raison d'etre is to fight and kill. They've had a chance to begin making Gaza liveable for Gazans since Israel withdrew in 2005 but they've done nothing but fight with Fatah and wail about what they don't have.

The Hamas is an Islamic Extremest group determines to rid the world of all Isrealites. They have been bombing Isreal for years but the attacks have become a normal part of each day that the news only reports a brief update occasionally. When Isreal finally says enough is enough it is time to fight back, every crackpot with an agenda attempts to place the blame on them. The Terrorits group and their supporters are camouflaging the truth. We need to put carpet to face and pray for the safety of Isreal.

Lorraine (Hawaii)

The Gov. of Illinois is an idiot. We have heard some the of the tapes and more will be released. We do not need to wait for him to be convicted of anything. His owns words have already done the job. The guy is a moron, a disgrace and if he had one ounce of dignity left, he would step down. I hope he gets impeached, and I hope some how he can be sent to prison for trying to screw over the good people of Illinois. Again, what an absolute loser!!!!

The idea that we identity another person by his race is non sense.
Until we have found Big foot. Or prove some of the out going adminstration are Alien hybrids. Then there's only one race of people on this planet. As long as we do not identity with the next person. It becomes easier to rationalize reasons to another harm, not be fair etc, to another.
We all spring from different cultures, but these cultures don't excluded a person from being a member of the human race.
It's the 21st century, we need to rethink attitudes put in place during the 14 century to entrench slavery in the fabric of America.

Israel has the right to hit Hamas after Hamas rejected continuing the cease fire and sent 70 rockets into Israel immediately upon their rejection . Mr. Barguodi lied out right. When the ceasefire ran out Israel & Egypt both asked Hamas to continue it. (Israel withdrew from from Gaza in 2005.) Gaza under Hamas is like misquito carrying malaria. It has been firing rockets into Israeli civilian and residential areas with impunity. The Gazans should not be surprised if Israel returns fire. If Hamas and Gazans do not want to be attacked then they should refrain from sending rockets and terrorizing a whole section of Israel.
I suggest that a new ceasefire be established with Israel and the Gazans with Hamas (Gaza) on notice that they cannot fire into Israel without consequences. Furthermore, they should start to care for its own people who live in squalor because of Hamas' fanatical policies and true lack of care of its own people.

many people mention the proportionality aspect of retaliation, does that mean that it woulld be acceptable for the world community if for the last 7 years israel had sent one indiscriminate rocket to gaza for every rocket sent by hamas and islamic jihad ? (hundreds of rockets where sent)

All I hear are people taking sides. Instead of saying why keep fighting? In sixty years neither side feel that living in peace has to be the answer? I forgot 2000 years ago, each side was told that lands was theirs. Maybe a side order of share you have been heaped on to their plate?

mr barghouti accuses mr Regev of lying about who broke the cease .someone in the rick sanchez team should have at least mention that hamas had OFFICIALLY declared that they didnt want to extend the ceasefire ,it was mentioned by all medias

ON you program you said people are asking questions, and one of the questions was whether or not the Israeli bombings were targeting selectively or not.

This is NOT a good question. The Israelis do not want to target civilians. But the Muslim radicals are expert at setting themselves up in civilian areas so they can make the accusation that bombings are targeting civilians.

This is MY question: Are the so-called innocent civilians aware that Hamas is lodging and working next door to their homes and businesses? I suspect many do know, so WHY are they not doing what they can to get their government to stop the terrorist activities of Hamas?

AND I also have a statement: When the Israelis gave in to world pressure, including strong US pressure, to give Gaza to the Palistinians, my husband and I said it was a ridiculous idea, because you cannot trade land for peace. We knew that very quickly the radicals were be demanding more, and would continue to try to eradicate Jews off the face of the earth, which is their sworn commitment. Remember the old adage, "give them an inch and they'll take a mile". How true, how true! We see this happening before our eyes.

REMEMBER: THEY ARE AT WAR!

Regarding the "humanitarian" ship the Israelis attacked. Why shouldn't they? They are at war, and they are defending themselves.

Please, look at the Middle East map - Israel is one tiny little nation, making up about 1/15th of the state of California, and they are surrounded on all sides except the sea by large, heavily populated Muslim nations that are sworn to wipe them off the map.

If it were you, perhaps living on a 1 acre piece of land planted in, say, the huge state of Texas, and all the Texans were sworn to destroy you, wouldn't you do everything you could to protect yourself, your family, your home, and your land? I see this as comparable to what Israel is going through. Hamas and Hezbollah should be put permanently out of commission.

1,350,837 IRAQI DEATHS!!

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iraq/iraqdeaths.html

The number is shocking and sobering.

It is at least 10 times greater than most estimates cited in the US media, yet it is based on a scientific study of violent Iraqi deaths caused by the U.S.-led invasion of March 2003.

That study, published in prestigious medical journal The Lancet, estimated that over 600,000 Iraqis had been killed as a result of the invasion as of July 2006. Iraqis have continued to be killed since then. The graphic above provides a rough daily update of this number based on a rate of increase derived from the Iraq Body Count. (See the complete explanation.)

The estimate that over a million Iraqis have died received independent confirmation from a prestigious British polling agency in September 2007. Opinion Research Business estimated that 1.2 million Iraqis have been killed violently since the US-led invasion.

This devastating human toll demands greater recognition. It eclipses the Rwandan genocide and our leaders are directly responsible. Little wonder they do not publicly cite it. Here is simple HTML code to post the counter to your website and help spread the word.

Action you can take right now
Sign the petition telling Congress that about a million Iraqis have likely been killed and urging them to end this war now. A large number of signatures on this and other petitions is a compelling way to keep pressure on Congress as there are more votes on the war. Add your name»

Support this Campaign
With a tax-deductible contribution, you can help us continue this important work.

Post the Iraqi Death Estimator on your website
Fight attempts to minimize Iraqi suffering and remind visitors to your site of the awful human costs of continued war. (See the list of some folks we know have posted the counter.)

Here is some simple code that you can cut and paste into the HTML of your website. The counter will automatically update over time.

This is not a "religious" war, it is one about land and soveignty of country.

Religion is only a weapon used to rally others to either the Israeli or the Palestinian cause.
Eurpoean Zionist used it to grant themselves a claim to Palestinian land and established Israel.
The Palestinians use religion to rally their countrymen and their neighbors to arms to end occupation.

Stop confusing the central issue here!
Palestinians want their land back, Israel thinks that the land "promised to them" in scripture was theirs to begin with.

hay rick ,Iseral is doing what we did to the amercan indians under the guize of god (manafiste destancey) and the use of treaties Which any reasson we could wind we would use to jusstife why we could break it .If i throw a rock that make it right for you to use a gun.NO you go to the law!Internatal law has told iseral that they our not respecting internatal the law's which they are voliating!! you can not blockade a people and not expect them to retallate!! They clam to be the chosen ones(iseral)but god can not support their actions and should'nt also or they will drag us down into the slime which they have become to think we should accept their actions as justafible WEWILL BE JUST AS WRONG!!!!And that is why the rest of the world hates us becuse we support them!!we must tell our law makers we can no longer support these actions and untill they change there way's there will be no support for iseral from the USA!!! If Iseral was doing what they are doing to the palstines to us we would be doing the same thing's as the palstines are doing to iseral and even more because we do stand for injusstace!!!so how can iseral expect anything less.If you can not act just how can you expect jusstace!!!Somebody said give me liberty or give me death or have we forgoten???some thing about the revolulation because isnt that how the brittish treated us!!If that is how we acted how can we denigh that right to others who are suffering injustaces!!This country use to stand for somthing that was right I don't know where we stand now I just hate to think we have fallen that low!!!! brent P.S.if you feel like me speak out!!!!!

Dear Rick,
The world has suffered through the daily bad news coming out of Israeli sponsored state Terrorism since 1948. It will never improve until the rest of the world draws a boundary. Both cultures have Chronic victim complexes they will never stop dramatizing. We are fools to put up with these neverending tantrums. Barak Obama and the EU and the rest of the world should put both sides on notice that we will no longer be manipulated into being drawn into this stupid soap opera.
We must give 2 weeks in a retreat to resolve their differences. If they cannot accomplish this then the rest of the world will leave to their own sad fate. They should know that not one more weapon,dollar,fund or assistance of any kind will come to them.The world will place an embargo on them, boycott them and deny them a platform in the media. Then watch how fast they come to realize that they are all God's children, to love each other and live in Peace together and forgive unconditionally and ultimately realize what we Americans have- that we can come from different backgrounds yet have a common interest in our mutual future.

Was Muhammad a prophet, or a greedy merchant who found an easier way of seperating folks from their money? A merchant must have overhead to sell products to his consumers. An idiot with the gift of gab can seperate folks from their money with nothing more than a pack of lies and religious bullshit. This fool claims he had a vision in a dream. Please! This load of crap has even crept into the American way of life, all the way into our prisons. Example: Walla Walla state prison even honors this idiotic religion's eating habits. Do they honor all religions' eating habits, clothing, etc.? Hell no! Is that seperation of church and state? I don't think so! This fool conned the Arab world into thinking that a religion based on discrimination, murder, lack of intelligence, and male domination was the only way to salvation! Muhammad was an unmitigated fool and a dangerous one at that. Think about it. He says "Convert or die." Taking sides with the Nazi party, think women are less human than men, that women and kids can be murdered at the soul whim of men. Reminds me of the Salem Witch Trials. See what an idiot can talk people into doing? Comitting horrible acts in the name of God! Killing women and children for talking back, listening to music, being edjucated, etc. As we all know, the unedjucated can be conned into believing anything. Murderous leaders of this religion want it this way. All teh easier to push them into a very subserviant life, or die! But they will say, "This is a peacful religon." If that were really the truth, these renegades would be snitched off all the time simply to prove their faith was 'good and rightious.' If the infadels should die, then, as an honorable infadel I say they should all be nuked into oblivion, if only to rid our world of this cancer! If we cannot negotiate with these simple minded muslam leaders eradicate them all! A peaceful faith. What a joke! They have been at war with neighbors, themselves, and other religions longer than most countries have exsisted. The holy lands they call their ill-gotten territory are bathed in blood and hypocracy! They are such cowards that they may (by religious edict) put their own children in front of themselves to die in order to save their own cowardly skin! Such a great faith! I say, that because they encouraged the nazis, then six million of these pigs should die, and now! These idiots then could decide if six million is enough or should the world eradicate this faith of evil which grew from the mouth of the Satan: Muhammad! Any religion who sides with the murderous nazi party should be erased from the world and world history. Muhammad was nothing but the world's first Hitler. if you think not, read your history books about who ordered the nazi party all the oil they could use if they world eradicate all the Jews. Do you seriously think this is a religion of peace? Even the Catholics who never spoke out against the slaughtering of the Jews, never offered to help in this worst of all atrocities! In fact, why are our good soldiers over there dieing when a handful of nukes would surely do the job! Think about this little known fact about these ignorant arabs that not even the FBI knows: Way back, when fuel prices started their upward spiral these greedy parasites started buying up gas stations all over this country (ask the oil companies) and these parasites had the nerve to ask myslef and others for college diplomas as an edjucation in America automatically opens government doors for these muderers. Now you know why their governments are staffed with Muslam idiots! I personally know several small printing shops that were cranking out phony diplomas and selling them as fast as they could print them! The next time you (America) feel as though trust can be had between America and these Islamic parasites, remember, what their edjucation is and how it was obtained. I believe that if Russia, China, The US, and other nuclear powers have their fingers on the button and decide, righteously so to let the bombs fly, who shall stand in the way?

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/happy-new-year-time-warner-cable-to-yank-mtv-nickeodeon-comedy-central-off-the-air/

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=algojFpM7.Ho&refer=news

Time Warner taking away 19 Channels on Jan 1, is this fair to viewers?

t 12:01 AM on January 1st, just after the ball drops in Time Square, Time Warner Cable's 13.3 million subscribers will lose 19 Viacom channels - Comedy Central; CMT: Pure Country; Logo; Palladia; MTV; MTV 2; MTV Hits; MTV Jams; MTV Tr3s; Nickelodeon; Noggin; Nick 2; Nicktoons; Spike; The N; TV Land; Vh1; Vh1 Classic; Vh1 Soul.

The White House Press Conference was appauling. I have one question in this time of termoil, terror and financial insecurities; Where is our President? you know the one who is still president until 1-20-09. This is frightening it is as if in these last days of the bush adminostration and 2008, we have no leadership.

Israel cannot be annihilated. God will not allow it. He is mighty to save and will protect His people, Israel. Hamas and Ahmadinejad are fighting a losing war.

When will they stop taking sides and learn to live together?

While the rockets go off and people get more and more scared people ask "Where is the president?". Some people are asking Obama but...please Why are you asking Obama? Surely you know that he will be the new president in January but right now if they want to ask someone ask Bush, I mean still right only one President can speak about the Gaza bombings and that has to be Bush.

If you want to ask Obama wait till he is president then he will take charge when he is president but right now he can't say or do anything about the Gaza rocket bombs until he can take full charge on January 20th.

Rick Thank you for reporting the truth and pointing out that the Israelis started this in November with their attacks in Gaza and their blockade of humanitarian aide to the Palestinian people. More Palestinians are dying because Israel refuses to provide them with their basic rights and needs of water, food, and healthcare. It amazes me how Jews have been horribely treated in history yet now they have no problem treating Palestinians the same way they were treated in the past.

Don't we always say that harassment is about power. Isn't it the stronger one's responsibility to do what is right. Aren't we outraged about Darfur? Israel is using a sledge hammer to kill a fly. Aren't American's held up to a higher standard; why not the Israelis?

Gaza was under seige for months and no food was coming in. Gaza is a jail cell. No one can come in, no one can leave. They are like chained dogs under Israel seige rules. What should they have done?

Israel is trying to stop those islamo-fashists. God, help Israel.

The gratuituous violence must end against all. Hamas is as much to blame as the Israelis. Enough is enough. Cease violence, cease terrorism once and for all.

I think the big picture often gets lost at times like these. The hard fact is that if Hamas agreed to permanently stop attacking Israel, all hostility from Israel towards Hamas and Gaza would cease. However, if Israel ceased attacks against Hamas, Hamas would only step-up its attacks against Israel. Israel's stated goal is security for its country. Hamas' stated goal is the destruction of Israel, the murder or displacement of all of its Jewish inhabitants and the establishment of an Islamic state in its place. This is not a case of tit-for-tat. Violence can only stop when both parties are agreeable to a permanent truce. So far, Hamas has clearly stated that this is not one of its objectives.

Cry me a river Karen! Sounds like you heard a really loud noise! That homemade rocket must've really hurt your sensibilities!

Hamas knows that rocket assaults on the Isrealis will result in punishing retaliatory strikes resulting in a high casualties especially when these terrorists place weapons in heavily populated areas then cry foul because of the bloodshed. I say we arm Abbas to the hilt and let him and the Palestinians take control of this area and eliminate these animals once and for all. They dont care about the people of Gaza. They only care about hating Isreal. Or America. Or Europe. Disgusting.

rick, how come no one asks questions about Israeli occupation of Palestine. Everybody on your TV show talks from in the middle or talks about what's happening right now. Israeli should end occupation first once forever and then we talk about what's going on today or who broke the peace first. Anything else is just 'she said, he said' and the US is keeping Israel as a friend even if Israel is the wrong doer. Can TV viewers and your smart talkers on TV imagine that somebody occupied the US at least 30% of our own territory and holding it for years. Should we drink coffee with them? I don't think so. If you have the guts, talk about this question. Esad from Phoenix, AZ.

Hamas cares more about ideology than it does for people. If it really cared for the Palestinian people, it would do everything to be at peace and to provide not only the Palestinians but all the people of the region prosperity. Does either Israel or the Palestinians realize what they are losing? Ideologies are usually promoted by a single person or entity who really has control in mind and will use any means of getting it. The Palestinians must dump Hamas and all other ideologies as well as Israel must dump its current attitude.

Rick:

What is going on now has a two fold purpose. Indirectly, this is an attack on Iran. Of more impotant is that two have a two state solution, Israel cannot politcally accept a state on its borders that will continue to not recognize its existence and continue to attack it with rockets. That makes any solution to the problem as unexceptable to ISrael. A continuation of Hamas as presently constitued stands in the way of the two state solution.

If Hamas recognizes Israels right to exist, a two state solution could be settle forthwith with the Palestinian Government of the west bank.

What about the poor and starving of Gaza b/c of the trade restrictions from Israelis? Didn't certain forefathers or should I say fore-founders do the same to the Indians at Plymouth rock? Who were the criminals then?

Good afternoon Rick . If Israel had never invaded Palestine in 1948 and 1967 with the help of all foreign nations, then there would be no resistance between the Palestinians ans the occupiers ( Israel). They should give the land back to the Palestinians who were there first. When will people start talking about the invasion, instead of people who trying to retrieve what is rightfully theirs.. there Palestinian land.

hey rick:

I was in Israel for about 2 weeks- I got back on Dec. 28. I met many Israelis, including about 10 Israeli soldiers, both in combat and non-combat units. I have become very close with them.

The general consensus is that Israel does not want war. They want peace. Hamas uses innocent Palestinian civilians as cover. They will fire rockets from civilian buildings, schools, and the like. When Israel responds, the people in those buildings may be killed. Then Hamas claims Israel is targeting innocent civilians? Israel does not target innocent civilians. Plain and simple. Hamas terrorists are the ones targeting innocent civilians, both in Israel and in Gaza by using their own people as cover.

What would America do if say, Mexico was firing about 6,000 rockets a year at San Diego? Or Canda was firing dozens of rockets a day at Buffalo?

Again, Israel wants peace... not war... but at some point, enough is enough,,,

Rick, the Hamas terrorists never have a cease fire with Israel. because they are constantly rebuilding their arsenal. CNN did a story on that yesterday. These people want to wipe the Israelis off the face of the earth.

Palestine is stolen and its people become refugies while the rest of the world watches on. Is anyone surprised by what was inevitable in Gaza? Sure, a peaceful solution sounds great while the west sits in the comfort of their living rooms watching CNN. Does the suffering of the Jews justify their treatment of the Palestinians?

I think that if america don't help israel then we are doomed. In the bible it says we have to help israel!!

Why is Israel the only nation in the world not allowed to defend its people? As Hamas continues to use human shields, hospitals, mosques, apartment buildings and schools to launch its rockets, Israel isconsidering allowing humanitarian aid to the people Gaza. Over four thousand rockets have fallen on Southern Israel over the past few years in a determined effort to terrorize Israelis and cause death and destruction. Instead of focusing on the corruption and poverty in Gaza, Hamas chooses to perpetuate a culture of death and destruction. As the United Nations and others condemn Israel, I would like to know why the world was mostly silent as Israelis suffered from rocket attacks aimed at civilians for years? Did the United Nations condemn these Hamas atrocities? Did nations of the world try to disarm or discourage Hamas? No. There is no moral equivalency between Hamas terrorists and Israel trying to protect its citizens from the extinction that Hamas continually threatens.

Rick, so the PA does not think tunnel building to capture Israeli soldiers is an act of aggression against Israel.

JustAWatchman- i agree.

A better point was made this morning on your channel. A woman who was described as a cnn correspondent in Gaza was put on. She said, and I quote, "Hamas offered to stop launching rockets if the commercial corridor was opened. Instead Israel decided to pursue a miltary option." Ok, point a gun at someones head and negotiate and then watch what they do. If the citizens in Gaza can't stop Hamas from setting up rocket launchers in their neighborhoods then they should leave when they do. No big tears for them either.

Rick,
I would like to let you know being one of the thousands of people that would be effected by any US envolvement I understand the need to keep an eye on the situation to see where it might go weather it is good or bad but I dont think that the US should get envoleved in any more conflics then what we are in already even though I am expecting a few more Islamic countries asking for our help as us being big brother to the world but on the other hand when we have our own problems there is no one that is willing to help at all if you take 9/11 for instance I think there was only who britian that offered there assistance and now if you look at pakastan they were harboring the terrorist for how long and when they came to Afghanistan to attack US/ Colition forces they ran back to pakastan where the pak military was waiting to defend them ( I mean defend there country) and in my opinion we dont need to get involved with this kind of situation any more just do what every one else is doing SIT BACK AND WATCH it is not our fight and we should let the kids settle there own squwables

Rick, the Arab schools in Israel teach their children the best thing they can do in life is to kill for the cause. So how do you think this is ever going to end. It is pure indoctrination and the Arab community at large does everything to encourage it.

ashley – "I think that if america don’t help israel then we are doomed. In the bible it says we have to help israel!!"

What passage was that again? The one that mentions Israel? You know, the Israel that was established in 1947? More than 1900 years after the Bible was written? Jesus!

Anything obsene about breast feeding is only in the warped eye of the beholder

Palestinians have to realize violance will not get them a Homeland! they need a more passive approach, it is the only way to a hopeful future.....

I believe that Israel actually began the conflict. Gaza currently has a humanitarian crisis. Israel controls all of the boarders of Gaza, the air, and the sea surrounding Gaza. The Israelis have constructed a wall surrounding the palestinians. The Palestinians are under occupation. Only 5 trucks are allowed to enter Gaza to bring food and other goods. If you take away food from a dog, will he attack you? I agree Hamas is agressive and I regret that they attacked Israelis, but does that justifiy Israel bombing heavily concentrated areas in Gaza. It is difficult for the civilians to leave because they are under occupation. People say that there was peace for the last two years. However, palestine remained under occupation. In order to resolve the conflict, the humanitarian rights of the palestinians must be addressed. There is 1.5 million people within that tiny amount of land. Currently approximately 400 palestinians have died and 1600 people have been injured. Even civilian buildings such as mosques, schools, and homes have been targeted. In order for peace to exist, more land and control must be given to the palestinians, the occupation of Israel must be lifted, and then peace can be formed. Did you know that there are more palestinians in the palestinian territory than there are israelis in israel. The israelis are aware of this, this is the reason they are kicking palestinian americans out of the country to limit the population. The U.S. will not be helpful in this conflict, because the Israeli's have a lot of power in the U.S. through lobbyist groups and other forms like the media.

Well it simply shows that considering all of the other crap on face book, they are really a bunch of bullies who pick on women and children.

Harrison
Virginia

The Middle East has been soaked in blood for 5000 years. Why stop now? Let's Rock!!!

Sestina: Altaforte

LOQUITUR: En Bertrans de Born.
Dante Alighieri put this man in hell for that he was a stirrer
up of strife.
Eccovi!
Judge ye!
Have I dug him up again?
The scene is at his castle, Altaforte. "Papiols" is his jongleur.
"The Leopard," the device of Richard Coeur de Lion.

I

Damn it all! all this our South stinks of peace.
You whoreson dog, Papiols, come! Let's to music!
I have no life save when the swords clash.
But ah! when I see the standards gold, vair, purple, opposing
And the broad fields beneath them turn crimson,
Then howl I my heart nigh mad with rejoicing.

II

In hot summer have I great rejoicing
When the tempests kill the earth's foul peace,
And the lightnings from black heav'n flash crimson,
And the fierce thunders roar me their music
And the winds shriek through the clouds mad, opposing,
And through all the riven skies God's swords clash.

III

Hell grant soon we hear again the swords clash!
And the shrill neighs of destriers in battle rejoicing,
Spiked breast to spiked breast opposing!
Better one hour's stour than a year's peace
With fat boards, bawds, wine and frail music!
Bah! there's no wine like the blood's crimson!

IV

And I love to see the sun rise blood-crimson.
And I watch his spears through the dark clash
And it fills all my heart with rejoicing
And pries wide my mouth with fast music
When I see him so scorn and defy peace,
His lone might 'gainst all darkness opposing.

V

The man who fears war and squats opposing
My words for stour, hath no blood of crimson
But is fit only to rot in womanish peace
Far from where worth's won and the swords clash
For the death of such sluts I go rejoicing;
Yea, I fill all the air with my music.

VI

Papiols, Papiols, to the music!
There's no sound like to swords swords opposing,
No cry like the battle's rejoicing
When our elbows and swords drip the crimson
And our charges 'gainst "The Leopard's" rush clash.
May God damn for ever all who cry "Peace!"

VII

And let the music of the swords make them crimson!
Hell grant soon we hear again the swords clash!
Hell blot black for alway the thought "Peace"!

Ezra Pound

This chorus is from an ABBA song that I feel is important to share for these times with ALL that's happening in the world.

I just hope one day it will happen & WE ALL can live in peace!

HAPPY NEW YEAR
HAPPY NEW YEAR

May we all have a vision now & then
That every neighbour is a friend

HAPPY NEW YEAR
HAPPY NEW YEAR

May we all have a hope or will to try
If we don't, we may as well lay down & die

You...and I.

Happy New Year World.

I would really like to speak live about the conflict and point out several important points that a lot of people have left out. I have visited Palestine several times throughout the years and I have spoken to Palestinians especially after Hamas won the election in 2006 and I can reflect to you their perspective since they really are unable to be heard at the moment...maybe together we can reach a solution or an understanding from both sides!

Two comments: One – there is no reason to ban breast feeding anywhere. That is what mammery glands are for and when I grew up breast feeding in public was common.

Two – President-Elect Obama is not President yet. It is totally inappropriate for him to speak out in the middle of an international event of this nature before he is President.

Israel uses God as a real estate agent to grab land and justify their cruel deeds.

Happy New Year To All.. God Bless Us All.... Isreal Is Doing What We Americans are politically correct, scared to do... Isreal has the right to defend itself as any other country.. Bless Them All for their safety and of their families..

Rick, I had tears in my eyes listining to an Arab man describing how he didn't sleep for 5 nights, sleeping in the same bed with his little ones and covering their ears so they don't hear the air strikes, how his kids are so scared to become like the ones they saw in the TV... I hope you will bring more voices from both sides and have the american people know the truth and judge by themselves.

You are wrong again. When you say isreal started this. By a comando raid two months ago. When it is well known the rockets have been fired at Israel before that. So you are not checking your facts. The facts is they have been trying to wipe out Israel before Israel was a country.

Rick- if Mexico fired rockets into our country would it be far fetched to think that we would not condone (and indeed demand) a response that included F-16's and Apache helicopters to protect our country. Hamas has called for the destruction of Israel, sending suicide bombers into cafe's, hospitals, markets, etc. The documented hateful Hamas ideology and horrible past and present attacks they have waged on Israel considered, I am shocked that I see fellow Americans in Dallas, Miami, and other places shouting in anger against Israel! These treasonist hypocrites! How dare you condemn those would defend themselves in the face of unprovoked aggression!

Jamai Haquani – they need to be more passive? OK, they shouldn't care that they are being wiped off the map, their houses are being destroyed, their families are dying. They just need to be passive and everything will work out great!

Rick, The Palestinian Arabs were offered right of return almost 50 years ago, but they listened to the other Arab nations who said it was a trap so they did not accept the offer. There are probably not many original refugees left, what we have now is 2nd& 3rd generation Arabs being taken care of by 'American Taxpayers' that is how Arrafat became so wealthy, he stole all the money we sent there to help the ordinary people. As for who the land belongs to, it belongs to the Jews. In Genesis 32:28 God changed Jacob's name to Israel which became the name of the land. The Arabs are not in the line of Jacob/Israel.

Having lived/worked/played in the Middle East A LOT {including working in Lebanon during the ’82 Israeli invasion}, I feel so strongly that the world, including the Middle East, refuses to look at the ROOT of this conflict and therefore, the tree keeps growing; one branch gets destroyed and another one replaces it.

The ROOT:

Arabs, including Saudi, have told us but we're not hearing - Israel does not exist.

In Saudi, someone has the job of blacking out the word Israel from every magazine, newspaper from around the world...

Only when Jerusalem is taken back by Palestine, no matter what they receive {Bethlehem, Jericho} - nothing matters except the "ownership" of Jerusalem.

While in Saudi, I took a picture of a painting of King Fahad over a grave covered by the Israeli flag and the words "Death to Israel."

If we're going to talk and/or judge, remember, the U.S. are "friends" with Saudi, do not look at them as terrorists, and turn a blind eye - as does the world.

All of my connections were with Arabs and the entrapment is brutal BUT they hate "Occupied Palestine" enough to keep dying.

A really great question to ask - WHY does the world support Israel who has only "owned" Israel for a few decades while Palestine existed for centuries? It's curious, isn't it? I think the answer lays in Judeo/Christian roots... perhaps the same ROOT of the same TREE minus Islam!

I've looked at life from both sides now from win and lose and still somehow It's life's illusion I recall. I really don't know life at all...

Samadhi Whitehouse – the oppression I felt was a mirror of my own in many ways and helped me find healing and self-love… maybe we could reach out in love to one person at a time and help them discover a way to love and not hate.

John is right, the UN partitioning of Palestine into a legitimate state for both Jews and Palestinians is literally the moment the first Arab military response began. It was and has always been as Nasser used to say and many since him have repeated "to drive Israel into the sea!". In the wake of the Holocaust and considering their persecution since the times of Christ ,it should not be so hard to understand why these people need not only a home land but a secure one, with friends near by.

Samadhi Whitehouse

The argument into who really 'owns' Isreal is a fraudulent one. It is liberal smoke. The argument misdirects peoples attention away from what is happening in the now (Isreal is being terrorized- are you blind!).

Before you seek the opinion of "Independent" Palestinian Legislator Mustafa Barghouti, you should fact check his background. His cousin is Marwan Barghouti, a convicted head of the Palestinian terrorist organization Tanzin, who is sitting in Israeli Prison right now for murder of Israeli civilians and soldiers. And by the way, it is obvious that you have no idea of the history of the Israeli-Gaza conflict–if you did, then you would not be discussing and asking such idiotic questions to your guests. This, in my opinion is dangerous considering the platform you have been lucky enough to get. Israel is acting in our own best interest in trying to uproot the terrorist organization, Hamas, from Gaza. They are doing their best to avoid civilian casualties. You should do a little research and read the operational Charter of Hamas–and take a good look at Article 22. You will see exactly what their M.O. is, in their own words. Also, Hamas, has cells in over 40 US. states. It is only a matter of time before they start doing here, what they are doing in Gaza. Why don't you report on that?

Good afternoon Sir,
I would be interested in how Carolyn Hadfield would respond to being asked, how many Israely lives, homes and businesses would have to be destroyed before it would appropriate in her eyes to take actions to end attackes? I Think Israel feels they have endured enough and have every right to take all steps necessary to end it once and for all.

Thank You,
Sam Autry,
Modesto, Calif.

Amazing , Just looking at those comments you can realize how the pro-israeli and anti-Pelstinians voices are so high that no one can hear the other version. Israel is Occupying palestinians territories isn't this clear yet?? Don't you get The palestinians are opressed?
You may not like the guardian but here is an article that may hlep the readers understand some of the facts:
guardian.co. uk, Monday 29 December 2008 08.00 GMT
http://www.guardian .co.uk/commentis free/2008/ dec/29/gaza- hamas-israel

Hello Rick, I viewed today (12/31) your program and it was most appalling to see that you have decided to confront an Arab from the town of Rafah with a Jew who had spent one day in Sderot in her life. Out of close to half a million Jews who have been under rocket fire for seven years, all what you could find is an American Jew who spent there one day in her entire life? What can she tell you after one day of bombing, why couldn't you be more fair, as well as honest, and bring someone with seven years of rockets and missiles experience? This choice was stupid or maybe worse dishonest!

Second comment, while you were trying to compare the experiences of the Arab and the Jewish woman, it is a disgrace that you have never mentioned the historical fact that for the Jews this suffering has been going on for seven years, this is a simple fact, why is it so hard for you to deal with it. The Arab said that he and his girls are terrified. For them this is lasting only five days, had you conducted a truthful comparison with an Israeli who suffered for seven years, you could have shown that the humanitarian crisis is much bigger on the Israeli side. For the Arab side it was only fun so far. They would send the rockets and if someone was hit ,they would rejoice on the streets and rooftops. Even the CNN has footage on these happy occasions for them.

Third comment, your Arab interviewee has presented himself as a resident of Rafah. He also tried to pool the wool over our eyes and presented his area as old houses... etc. The truth is that Rafah has developed a whole industry of tunnel manufacturing. And, through these tunnels come the more developed missiles like the Grad, and materials to create the less sophisticated ones. Through these tunnels come explosives, and soldiers go for training in Iran and come back to train the others, as well as Iranian specialists who come to advise and plan for attacks. Wanted top terrorists go back and forth through these tunnels to Egypt and from Egypt. I hope that you understand that he is not so innocent, everyone around these tunnels is a participant, and they are paid generously for that. This is the reason for the Israeli attack on that area. As long as the tunnels exist, the war will continue. And you should have understood that immediately once he told you that he resides in Rafah, but you didn't, and your side kick Jim Clancy should have said something regarding this but he didn't.

Fourth comment, As if all the above mentioned was not enough, you decided to put as a side kick Jim Clancy, who for years is attacking Israel with all his might, and indeed he delivered this time too, the same half truth, non truth, and twisted truth, which has nothing to do with the reality on the ground.

Please try and correct your technique, confront people of equal knowledge of the topic you are discussing and don't bring haters of any kind, they will not help you or the CNN.

Rick, everyone asks with much handwringing: why can't there be peace between Israel and the Palestinians? The easy answer is that there could be peace if Hamas would renounce terrorism, recognize Israel's right to exist and accept the agreements reached so far in the ongoing peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. This is what the international community has asked of Hamas. Hamas consistently refuses these conditions which are reasonable- if they want peace; but , that's not what Hamas wants. Hamas' clearly stated and oft repeated official policy is to kill Jews and destroy Israel. Israel's position is that when Hamas accepts the existence of the Jewish state and stops trying to murder its citizens, the borders can be open and there can be peace. But, it's obvious that there cannot be peace if one of the parties is officially dedicated to murdering the other. Is it any wonder that Israel has had enough of the attacks so well documented by Nic Robertson and others on your program ? You have repeated in your coverage,"there are two sides to this story." Are there really two legitimate positions?

5000 years of persecution, oppression, and intolerance have taught the Israelis only how to persecute, oppress, and be intolerant.

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

Woke up this morning...saw the news didn't feel good people dying on new year.

Jews inherited something from Hitler, that is, how to make people suffer. That is exemplary of the oppressed Israelis. In the midst of this, west is the culprit.

It will come to bite all of us.

I think Israel is the great terrorist entity in the world. From bom the King David Hotel, killing British civilians to murdering Count Folk Bernadotte to today, murdering innocent Palestinian civilians all in the name of ethnic cleansing.

Who are all these psychos leaving message on these boards? Israel has the 2nd most powerfull armies in the world and they are facing homemade rockets that explode in mid-air? Israel is the Goliath against an unharmed civilian population.

Is the US government, including President elect Barack Obama being hypocritical? When Pakistani terrorists attacked Mumbai, India and killed 180 innocent civilians, the US government swooped in to ensure India doesn't take an extreme step against Pakistan. And now the Israel army kill hundreds of civilians, and the news read 'The US is keeping a close watch on the situation'. Isn't this hypocritical? Is the difference that Pakistan is an 'ally' of the US or because Pakistan is a armed force base for the US? It's been proven that Pakistan is as terrorist a state as the Hamas group, yet the US government, so blatantly, turns a blind eye to one situation.

Hope this comment will make it to CNN. I would understand if you do not bring this up on your news channel worrying about stirring up an actual controversy.

-Sandeep

sounds more like a coward than a martyr or hero the guy surrounds himself with his family and innocent people as his personal human shields

My god people, ISRAEL STARTED IT! They are performing a mini holocaust to GAZA. People around the world understand this. But sure enough, American tv is slanted 100 percent in favor of Israel, the most corrupt terror state in the world, and most americans only watch tv news. THEY INSTIGATED IT! You people MUST understand this. Do your own research. Get information from other sources than TV news (its all owned by the same people and fit to their agenda). Independent news is the only reliable news in this country. C'mon people, use your heads. The organized crime syndicate of Israel is simply a group of Zionist terrorists who are in touch with US intell to fufill the NWO. Dont take my word for it. Do the research yourself! "Know the truth, Seek the truth, and the truth shall set you free!"

And rick, you are not an idiot, I promise

Peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis would only happen if Israel gives up colonial occupation in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem. Dismantle all the illegal settlements and start to teach their Israeli children to love and not to hate Palestinians.

Israel gave Hamas a chance for peace. they lifted the blockade but the rockets kept on coming, thus giving Israel an excellent excuse to start their offensive. the IDF is targeting Hamas militants because of the 200 rockets a day raining down on israeli territory. Hamas is targeting innocent israeli civilians and when they succeed in killing israelis, they celebrate in the streets. when israel kills palestinian civilians who are used as human shields, they weep for the and send their condolences to the families. see the difference?

Who's right and who's wrong? I don't know – it's a complicated question. A question that even the most reasonable people may never come to an agreement on. One thing both sides can agree on: Rick Sanchez is an idiot. Can I get a what what?

Rick-please talk about the fundamental underlying problem here which is a LAND DISPUTE and the only legal framework, UN Resolution 242

I support your latest comment. It's easy for people to spout hateful comments and take sides on the war when they aren't a part of it and far away from it. Whatever the reasons, I don't care, but the bloodshed needs to STOP!

So sick of this,100 year war.Gaza should be a parking lot.End of storey.
fm Canada

This Israel-Hamas situation is very simple; Hamas does not want Israel to exist. Israel is fighting for her survival. Hamas will not negotiate, so what choice does Israel have?

If Christians really are Christian, they would realize Christ's heritage comes from Israel. It is a nation we must protect at all costs, solely as Chrstians if for no other reason.

Israel will never be destroyed.Write that on your calendar.Christ will never let that happen.Read Ezekial chp.36-39The Holy Bible.

ISRAELS INHERITED LAND IN THE FUTURE

And here are the bounderies of the land that Israel will inherit either through war or peace or God in the future. God says its Israels land and only Israels land. They will have every inch God promised them of this land in the future.

Egypt east of the Nile River, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, The southern part of Turkey and the Western Half of Iraq west of the Euphrates. Gen 13:14-15, Psm 105:9,11, Gen 15:18, Exe 23:31, Num 34:1-12, Josh 1:4.ALL THIS LAND ISRAEL WILL DEFINATELY OWN IN THE FUTURE, ITS ISRAELS NOT ISHMAELS LAND.

ALL I HEAR ON THE GODLESS HATEFUL MEDIA AGAINST ISRAEL IS THEIR TO HARSH ON THE HAMAS MURDERERS,ISRAEL HAS OCCUPIED THE TERRITORY FOR YEARS AND YEARS,ISRAEL IS KILLING THE MURDERERS CIVILIANS.

MY RESPONSE TO THESE GODLESS HATEFUL MEDIA IS:410 LESS MURDERER HAMAS' TO DEAL WITH.1700 INJURED PROOVES THE GODLESS HAMAS HIDE AND SHIELD THEMSELVES FROM THE ISRAELI ARMY WITH WOMAN AND CHILDREN SHIELDS(THE COWARDS).GOD GAVE ISRAEL THE LAND 4000 YEARS AGO,THE ARABS ARE OCCUPYING ISRAELS GOD GIVIN LAND AND DESTROYING GODS PROPERTY BY SHOOTING ALL 10,300 ROCKETS AND MORTORS INTO GODS CHOSEN PEOPLES LAND.

Do you understand that Hamas is using CNN like a person would use Clinex when he would need to blow his nose? Hamas realized the power of the media and that’s why settle in highly populated areas , because they know for a fact that when Israel would go after there would be a considerable collateral damage. So by doing a right thing, Israel still looks bad. Boohoo. Thanks CNN.

Rick:

More moral equivalence – someone in Israel wants peace, someone in Gaza wants peace, so both Israel and Gaza are the same.

Al Qaeda have feelings too – are they morally equivalent to the US?
Onyl where Israel is involved do you media types look for equivalence.

No, there is a good guy and a bad guy in this story. Always has been.
But you need to open your eyes to find which is which.

Keep asking right questions ! !

YOU might get a right Answer !

Does it matter who shoots first?
NOPE

Does it matter who FORGIVES first?
NOPE

Rapture_ ... just a mass Awakening ... Welcome to Heaven Part One

Rick – also, i think it would be interesting to examine the role of terrorism by jewish terrorist groups (Haganah) as a means of establishing an independent jewish state.

Rick,

I tthink that you have done a great job covering all the facts from both sides. I think that Israel needs to stop killing children. Someday when the wheel of power turns, they will pay the price. You know from History that the wheel of power turns often, and when israel goes down, they might face another crisis like the one they had in Germany. I think that they need to keep that in mind, and to treat people the way they would like to be treated when they are no longer supported by USA. Just an advise, before it'd too late.

everyone, how do we know what is going on between Israel and Gaza. we are here in American safe from missiles, safe from attack. those who attack rick and CNN and idiots, it means uninformed! id·i·ot \'i-dē-ət\ n [ME, fr. AF ydiote, fr. L idiota ignorant person, fr. Gk idiōtēs one in a private station, layman, ignorant person, fr. idios one's own, private; akin to L suus one's own — more at suicide] (14c)
1 usu offensive: a person affected with idiocy
2 : a foolish or stupid person
— idiot adj
from Websters

when your family has been killed, do you feel love and contentment towards your cousins' killers? When one is afraid, the feeling of fear is overwhelming. It does not mean that he does not feel unhappiness towards someone who has killed his beloved due to "collateral damage", as if human life is worthless!!!

Rick, I could not agree with you more that people are ill informed about the situation in Gaza. Israel and the US are fighting similar elusive terrorists who have nothing to live for except for martyrdom and their afterlife. How do you fight an enemy that has no value on life? Hamas wants Israel to look like the extreme aggressor in this situation because as always, Arab countries are trying to cause the destruction of Israel and are attempting to gain worldwide support. Ordinary Palestinians have the land and know who the Hamas leaders are. Hamas' behavior is leading to the death of their own people, yet Arab countries will only care about Allah and not what they can do to better their lives. Israel started from nothing, and the Jewish people built it up because they appreciate the value of life, and I believe the Holocaust put that into perspective. Islamic extremists need to learn the value of life, and understand that they cannot continue to cause destruction throughout the world (US, Israel, Europe). The world does not owe them anything. I recently returned from Vietnam where many people are poverty stricken, yet they are the happiest people you will ever meet. Therefore, I hate to make this a religious issue, but I think this is proof that there is fault in Islamic belief.

Rick,
Thank you for being a voice of the people, "real people." The issues on Israel and Gaza will not be resolved until we let the voices of the people on the ground, who have no political agenda, be heard. Thank you for elevating cable news to a level of true credibility. Please keep up the good work. WE NEED IT.
MH, Los Angeles

When they start loving their children as much as they hate Israel, then mayby there will be peace. Hamas and Nizar Rian have the blood of thier own children on their hands.

C. Fogel
CNN Watch

Israel gave up the Gaza strip unconditionally and then Hamas took over and has been firing rockets and mortars into Israel. How long can you take punches without hitting back. If New Jersey was intent on firing rockets into Manhattan close to two thousand in the last year- what would New York do?

Rick – There is a right and wrong here. Hamas specifically targets and kills Israeli civilians. Israel has tried every which way to make peace, but only receives more violence and terror from the palestinians in general and now Hamas in particular. It is time to give Israel the breathing room it needs to do what it needs to do for as long as is necessary to change the current reality in Gaza. As for a ground invasion, perhaps Israel should let the palestinian authority forces into Gaza. Perhaps Israel and the palestinians could work together to eradicate the hateful ideology of radical islam from their midst. Wouldn't that just make everyone warm and fuzzy all over!?

I was born in Europe and for so many years the Middle East has been a place of violence, some in the word of religion. For years there as been no positive peace. Are children taught to hate those who are not from Palastine, do not agree with these from Israel or Egypt. It is time for the countries to stop providing the ammunition and guns. Governments have attempted to secure peace. This cannot be done until those directly causing the violence or attempting peace are taught that death in the name of religion is wrong. Can someone who is not favoring one side nor the other explain what is the thing with denying those from Palestine a right to find a homeland. Do those from Palastine have the right to make a homeland for themselves?

when there is domestic problem in a neihborhood we call the police which is always an impartial agency. what we have in Gaza is somewhat of the same nature and we need to bring in a policing agency that will not sell itself to any one side. I choose that Germany be a good start to police the divides around the State of Isreal.

i know that israel is angry, but it NEEDS to calm down and see that it is KILLING A LOT OF CIVILIANS that have the right to live safely just like the southern israelis do!

Israel will never be wiped from the face of the earth; God is on your side. Israel is entitled to her land. DO NOT give up. Terrorist evil will not win!!

It is high time for every reasonable country to severely deal with known terrorists.
It is also the duty of every free citizen around the world to report any terrorist activity in their neighbourhood to authorities without fear of reprisal. This would be more effective than large scale strikes. Take out only the bad guys if possible.
I suggest a world wide terrorist reporting hotline with experts to review and act on this information.

Age old conflict with neither political side willing to give an inch. Palestinians have a right to exist and to exist in their own state. Israelis have a right to exist and to exist in their own state. The only way that will happen is when THE PEOPLE on both sides rise up against the militants and hate-filled radicals who run their governments and say in one voice, "Enough is Enough! We each have a right to exist. We each have a right to co-exist. No more hate. No more bombs. No more war." Idealistic? Yes. Possible? Always. In our lifetime? Yahweh/Allah only know for sure. It doesn't matter who started it; it's time to put an end to it. That's what the US, the UN and the Arab world should be pressuring both sides to do. Condemn and chastise both governments for the violence but not the people. Tell Israel that we won't supply and support them unless and until they decide to sincerely and seriously sit down with the Palestinians and talk peace and statehood for Palestine. Tell the Palestinians the same thing and that they'll have to get rid of Hamas. Enough is enough! Rick, remember this: the Middle East gave birth to civilization; it holds all the possibilities of being the end of it as well. Our very survival as a world depends on this fact. Keep up the good work!

Hey Rick Only if you new the lifes of Palestinians I was there 2 years ago as an American Citizan trying to pass a border to go home then at Isreali border they would'nt let us go through for no reason just too purpusely pisses off. what you think of isrealis that put an AK riffle in ur head telling you "If you don't move we will shot you" Palestinians are living in JAIL, they have a wall built right in between the main street. you can't even cross the street, now comon the Palestinians are living in hell there, hey Rick I think for you to judge on facts and saying on CNN ur not there to " JUGDE " Why you don't you take a trip to the Middle East.? to everyone that wants to Judge needs to take a trip and find out for yourself.. Too BUSH I have a message for you..

" BUSH BUSH YOU WILL SEE PALESTINE WILL BE FREEEE """

I do not understand why the American people & Administration do not get it? They need to know that Gaza & the West Bank are still under occupation by one of the strongest military, Israel. So, the cause of all this is the occupation and everything else is a legitimate, legal, and a must reaction. As long as Palestinians are not free and live in their own country, there will be no peace. Israel's actions, killings, & terrorizing children, women, and everyone, will not prevent Palestinians from their legal fight against Israel. So, END THE OCCUPATION.

After worldwide Islamic terror attacks in London, India, Madrid, Russia, US, Malaysia, Argentina etc., Hamas attacks on civilians will no longer be tolerated. Hamas, Hizbullah and Iran must be confronted and stopped.

Like most of the media of the USA, you are also so soft on Israel. But good to crticize palestines that it does not surprise me. Most of the US media are under influence of pro-Israle lobby.

There's enough antisematism in this world. It's about time israel stopped playing tit for tat. let the world stay out of this and let Israel do what it has to do. The arabs fought about seven wars since Israel became a state in 1949 and lost every one of them. When will the arab nations learn they will not and cannot destroy Israel. Israel is here to stay

Thanks for your cover of the Gaza war;

I do not understand why the American people & Administration do not get it? They need to know that Gaza & the West Bank are still under occupation by one of the strongest military, Israel. So, the cause of all this is the occupation and everything else is a legitimate, legal, and a must reaction. As long as Palestinians are not free and live in their own country, there will be no peace. Israel’s actions, killings, & terrorizing children, women, and everyone, will not prevent Palestinians from their legal fight against Israel. So, END THE OCCUPATION.

To me as an American/Israeli you CNN is the other side.
Somehow you rush to deploy your "unbiased" correspondents when Israel is retaliating to the on going violations of the psuedo seizefire, where the Hamas is aiming its rockets to civilian population centers.
Where are your correspondents than?????
Oh yes war is ugly Hamas leader cowardly shield themselves behind women and children, and you and your biased station is being used by the Arab propoganda machine, to convey the message of lies and deceit.
For that I don't thank you
Robert
Long Island NY

Good afternoon Rick…Really Nice Show By The Way..Keep it up man and for get the insult Israel & Gaza and the rest of the world must...and repeat with all my Heart..Must Unite…in this world and century that we’re leaving ,many thingz has been done and tolerated and remained unchanged (God has mercy on US we are all sinerz and we have so much thingz to change..if the entire world don’t show they example to one another nothing will stop..Instead of beeing has good human about : Love, beauty, exuberance, and compassion permeate this world – multi-faceted victories of art, co-creation, community support, healing and evolution shine all around us, illuminating the spirited grace of our true nature. Meanwhile, this world is steeped in fear, brutality, pain, and disease – endless anguish of anxiety, separation, disconnection, confusion, isolation – alongside the toxic realities of egoism, callous greed and corruption, materialism, addiction, and dangerous ignorance…we have stop this…starting from United States…we need to change and take example on Obama and starting by stopping racism,selfishness & ignorance.i'm Also Black & White Within My Heart….please Rick Sanchez & Borack Obama Keep Up The Good Work…I Belive

I smell a rat. These attacks came out of the blue. The world should rally in support for the people of Gaza. Israel is not the victim in this case.

This conflict alone has cost me my greatest friend in the world. We are both born in Canada (my family is from Israel, her family is from a small area in Palestine.) We have always seen eye-to-eye on the land dispute, until now. She has cut communication off with me just because of what she -hears- and not what she truly knows. She is convinced that we are meant to be "enemies." It's a shame; and to think how many times she's sat down at my dinner table.

This conflict needs to stop. People need to be educated! Hate is poison!

united states need to stop giving billions of dollars in aid to isreal every year

Rick,

Quit with quasi-intellectual front! You are just now being excited about the Middle East conflict. This has been giong on for years. So how about you stop talking down to us and just bring us the news? We're pretty smart, we can parse this one out for ourselves.

As usual you foment hatred under the guise of mediating some national debate that you make up as you go; just like you did throughout the Presidential campaign.

Ask Jack Cafferty how it's done. He's a pro!

perspective: first from a religous perspective, god designated israel as the land of milk and honey for the jewish people, and were originally delivered there by moses. second, arafat at the camp david accords with pres. clinton and other palestinian offers for peace have been routinely rejected. third, the palestinian message is consistantly evil and that being the only solution is destruction of israel. and finally, the palestinians always "starting it" by dropping missles on israels homes. so, why don't we just blame israel. thanks rick

by the way, bloggers need to be careful not to mix up muslim and terrorist. Islam literally means "peace", so islamic terrorists aren't following their religion correctly! just like most christians, jews, etc... arent bad people, muslims should be given a chance. most of them arent bad people, but people's biasts are sometimes blinding.....

Why does America buy into this Converted Jewish Propaganda? The fact is those who call themselves Israeli Jews who continue to fight Palestinians do not belong in that land. They are migrants from Europe who played on the world's sympathy in regard to the Holocaust. They perpetrate a crime on the real tennants of the land they call Israel, the Palestinians. If someone displaced me from my home, played on the world's sympanthy, made me look like a savage trying to break in to someone's home and then with America's help (providing arms) systematically began to annilihate those of my race who justly fought to return home I would fight with the same passion that we call terrorism. May these people, both sides, see peace one day. May the TRUE oppressors see the error of their deceitful ways. May God bless this embattled land. P.S. and the "come to Israel" commercials showing white migrant converted "Jews" only contributes to the dementia that a people displaced must be feeling. It's a sin.

So if bloggers were there they would not say these hateful things?
Where exactly are you sitting Rick?
Where do you live every day?
How does this grant you superior understanding to comment on the issue?

As for the interviews, perhaps consider this:
http://www.sderotmedia.com/bin/content.cgi?ID=225&q=3

You might also want to double check your references to violations of the ceasefire agreement. While the Israeli attack on terrorists working on another tunnel so they could kidnap and hold without respect for the Geneva Conventions more Israeli soldiers was the biggest to date when it occurred, it was far from the first time the agreement was violated.

Dear Rick,

I have immegrated from Israel to the US, 5 years ago, however, obviously still have deep feelings to Israel and have family and friends there.
Looking at the coverage that it is given to the Gaza crisis, it is hard for me not to see how the balance does not exist. I have sympathy to the Palestinians who suffer so much in Gaza, but nobody stops to ask the question, why are these people, have chosen via democratic election a regim that promised them only hatery and war, as this is the basis of Hamas ideology. Nothing else. I have been all years against the occupation. When Israel has withdrawn from Gaza, the people there had their chance to become the Hong Kong of the middle east. But they chose to arm their region with missles, and other weapons, to invest in education for hatery and to start to send rockets on a daily basis. Why should Israel agree to that? It is time that finally the goverment there is doing something for the Israeli citizens that has been affected. I do not envy all the parents that their children will be diagnosed with PTSD and other issues as a result of 8 years of daily rockets.
The Palestines have used and are using their children as human shelter. Hoping that when they are killed , they will be using it for popular demagogic claims against the butality of Israel. They just forget that they have made a choice. What about asking them why do they think it is legitimite to fire rockets to kindergartens in Israel?
Sorry, it got long response. It is probably the frustration I feel from this situation.
Kind regards,
Ayelet

I believe the Israelis are treating the Palestinians the same way the Nazis treated them, i.e., as if they are a superior people and the Palestinians are a lesser people. They (Israelis) have taken Palestinian land and buildings to the point where the Palestinians could hardly form a viable state and they do not have enough food, medical supplies, or electrical power. When the U.S. Government supports this policy, it becomes an aider and abettor to this crime. The U.S. should be neutral and help both sides with humanitarian aid only.

bush and cheeny should be held responsable for slaughtering palastanins by isreal.

Whenever people take on a polarized stance, those viewpoints will never converge together and the conflict will continue to remain. The Israeli-Palestinian problem started way back in 1948. We had a group of people with families that were inhumanely treated during the Holocaust and needed a place to build a safe spritual haven. People were forced to move from the land and the United Nations voted to give reparations to those people which never materialized. Hence the conflict remains today. A two state solution will never happen. The polarity continues and the people remain in fear on both sides with political leaders entrenched in the polarity. Why not make one international state, governed by the United Nations, preserving the land that is sacred to all 3 religions? This sacred area where monotheism was born should be accessible to all people of the world. Countries supportive toward the Israelis and Palestinians can open their doors for relocation and resettlement and these people will be given plenty of support and compassion. Muslim countries continue to support violent means. The US and Western countries continue to support Israel's right to defends its land. Let's stop this insanity and begin to show compassion to all these people.

Rick, one thing you learn from war is that you fight to win.
Hammas has polk their finger in the eye of Israel one too many times and now that are reaping what they sowed!

Israel needs to go in and exterminate with extream prejudice!!
and let the nation of islam understand you don't mess with God's people!

I think that Isreal and the Palestinians could be fine if they could reach some agreement and stop killing innocent people. I personally don't think it was necessary to use such a large bomb to kill one Palestinian Captain when we can assume he wanted to be a MARTYR.

Hi Rick, I am watching your segment this afternoon and so here is my blog that I have been sending everyone. It's positive not negative and though I may not understand and be knowledgeable about the 'politics' of current event, I do know that War is not a solution to any problem. Please read my opinion below (thank you):

Israel is destroying themselves. Israel has launched WAR on Palastine, BIG MISTAKE. Israel has brought this on themselves, they keep building on Palastine's land and now they want to take control over the Gaza strip. They want more and more and more..... it's never enough for them, the greedier they get, the more killing and blood bathes will follow. Israel's goal is to raise enough money to conquer and take all the land they can so ALL the Jews can come and live and when that day happens, they believe this will bring Judgement Day and God to them, and take them to Heaven. Well, Israel is in for a rude awakening, God does not condone 'killing" others. He says to 'love thy neighbor'. Since 1948 when the United Nations GAVE that piece of land to the Jews b/c of Genocide/Holocast, Israel believes they deserve to have whatever they want. The USA gives them $9 billion a year – yeah. Palastine is just trying to protect their country, now that Arafat (spelling??) is dead and gone (and a VERY intelligent and GOOD man/leader), Palastine probably feels that their last straw was the Hamas – can you blame them? NO, I cannot. Let's say if Canada started building and taking our Northern states from the USA (Washington, Idaho, Montana, ND, MInnesota, WI, MI, New York, Maine...etc.) and ignored the USA's warnings and kept bullying the USA – I'd say the USA would not just sit back and take it. war. Palastine is not at fault here – and the Gaza strip does not belong to ANYONE. Israel must be made to UNDERSTAND this and SHARE it with EVERYONE. The piece of 'ocean front property' is not for sale or for stealing. But, the USA supports Israel and whatever Israel wants, seems like they get. The USA's interests are to keep military bases in Israel to keep controlling the OIL interests they have in the Middle East – it doesn't take a genius to figure that out. SO, whoever ends up owning the Gaza Strip, has prime real estate to ship out oil. In the meantime, hundreds of innocent civilians (children included) are being murdered by the Israel military. That's called GENOCIDE. I cannot believe a nation of people that were rescued from persecution (Holocast) would do the same to their neighbors just to obtain more land b/c they believe they are the 'Chosen Ones" by God and that allows them to do whatever they want. Newsflash – God loves everyone who believes in him and who believes in Jesus Christ his only Son who died for our sins so we can be saved and live eternally w/Him. Israel encouraging WAR makes them guilty, and God says "do not Kill", that IS one of His commandmants. Someone mentioned President Jimmy Carter – he even tried to help Palastine and came to their defense years ago when Israel was engaging in warfare against Palastine. The Jews are RICH and the Palastinian people are not. Yet, this is not enough for Israel – they want to keep taking and taking and taking.... soon they will reap what they sow.

Enough already. Enough. Have they not learned from history?? Have they never read the bible passage in the New Testament (well probably not since they do not believe that Jesus Christ walked the Earth thousands of years ago – but it says this: 'DO NOT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES ON EARTH...BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN. MATTHEW 6: 19-21" The Jewish community all over the World must remember this verse, b/c God does not care where they live or what they have material wise. If Israel keeps acting the way they have been, Palastine and the rest of the World will unite AGAINST Israel and Israel will have no one but themselves to blame. I'm an American and am ashamed as to how our government keeps repeating history too, they have learned nothing, and if they keep waging wars on countries they have no one to blame but themselves too.

John Lennon was a great song writer and singer – remember The Beatles?? Remember his song – "Give Peace A Chance".... and his Christmas song "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"...... I hope protesters ALL OVER THE WORLD will join-in against Israel's GREED and help them come to a peace agreement. Otherwise, Israel will suffer by their own doings.

~ By the way, this is no means in any shape or form, to illiminate Israel – it's mearly an intervention to STOP Israel from terrorizing others for their own desires. The Arab community is not out to destroy Israel, but to keep the peace in the Middle East and help everyone live in harmony. Wars in the Middle East have been going on for thousands of years – it's a means to an end and I believe the Arab community can unite everyone IF Israel will comply. Israel's nation are not the only Jews in the World – Jews live all over the World and even next door to Israel. Israel wages war against their own kind at all costs. I only hope that the United States of America (our new President Elect Obama) does not support Israel's war and murdering of innocent civilians. It's time the United States puts their money where there mouth is and stops funding terrorists – President Bush said it himself that we do not support terrorism, well, Israel is terrorizing Palastine and has for quite some time. I pray that President Elect Obama puts an end to this insanity Israel has bestowed upon it's neighbors.

If Mexican drug thugs were firing missiles into CA, AZ, NM, or TX, the US government would respond as does Israel. Who wouldn't??

I want to thank you Rick for your statement today about all those opinions on the Iseral Gaza conflict that come into your blog. I am not a regular blogger. All I know is that it breaks my heart to see the children and innocents who are being killed every day in this conflict. What side is right or wrong doesn't bring these lifes back. Has anyone ever considerd that one of them might have been born to be the one to bring peace to their nation. There has to be a better way to solve this crisis. I pray our new administration has new ideas to see a humane resolution to this conflict and others. Is it possible, I am not sure, but something has to be done differently. Have a great New Year Rick, and continue reporting, I enjoy your show.

Brutal excessive retaliation with monstrous collateral damage will not break the will of the Palestinians. If you think it will, I recommend you rent "The Battle of Algiers" and watch it.

Dear Rick:

I have watched your comments on the Gaza situation for several days and I understand your consternation about the suffering on both sides where it comes to the innocent.s It is terrible to see suffering children especially on both sides. What I find difficult to swallow is when the media concentrates only on th suffering and not on the political implications which underlie this tragic conflict. What is Israel to do? Call for a ceasefire so that one week from now Hamas, which will not recognize Israel and which is a major impediment to a negotiated soluion for a Palestinian state, will start firing rockets again? War is hell and while human life, of both Arab an Jew is sacred, human life always suffers trafically when war occurs. Israel cannot respond by shotting back at Hamas with similar kassam type rockets. To my way of thinking I am thankful that it is Israel that has the jets for if the situation was reversed and Hamas had the jets and Israel only kassams, the Hamas militants would be sending their jets targeting Israeli civilians specifically.

Why doesn't the world look at how things were before WW2(who the country belonged to). At that time the British implanted the Jewish into Palestine. Now and from years back the Palestinians live in what looks like a compound without being able to move about freely without having to be checked in and out.

It is imporant that Hamas recognize all people of the world and extend a hand to all.

Hello Rick,

I do not have hatred of Palestine, but I do not have sympathy either. Their Democratically elected government is allowing, at best, or sponsoring, at worst, missile attacks on another sovereign nation. This sounds like a act of war to me.

If the people of Palestine continue to support the Hamas government, then they are just as responsible for the actions of that government. Just because it is a Democracy, does not mean that it is a good or just government. People can and do choose to elect parties and men that are evil to positions of power and leadership. Those same people must accept the consequences for their vote. If they obtained, or did not vote, then they have chosen in their silence to support the will of the majority that did vote. It is truly why it is important that everyone who can vote, should vote. The actions of those elected are representative of the will of those who elected them. If you feel differently, vote someone else in and change the government. Otherwise, except the consequences of your choice, which sadly in this case is being at war with a country that is defending it populace.

I congratulate Israel, the government, for being a government that is standing up and defending the lives of it's people. It is serving the most basic of all roles of a government, to defend the people who elected it.

Thank you and keep up the fair and unbiased reporting

If Mexico was shooting rockets from Tijuana into So.California,the US Air Force would make Mexico into a parking lot.Hamas has been shooting rockets into Israel for years,then Israel retaliates with full FORCE,and Hamas wants a time out.Sorry,don't work that way.Pour it on,IDF,and teach these Radical Islamic lowlifes a lesson they won't forget.The IDF motto should be "A Martyr a Minute"

I was watching your show today and I couldn't agree more. People, no matter what it is need to find out all the facts like a good reporter. They cannot just take the word of one or an opinion that suits their needs. There are two sides to every story. If you look at the situation in Israe, you need to look not only what is currently going on, but historically as well. People are too quick to judge about many things in life and then make hasty decisions that sometimes can lead to dire consequences. In terms of Israel, they have been rained on with bombs, rockets, and the like since at least 1948. Both sides need to reach an agreement that will in turn lead to a lasting peace. It can be done. It isn't impossible. JFK wanted us to go to the moon and back and we did it. Rosevelt wanted a cure for Polio and we did it. No one needs to be attacked. So many innocent victims on both sides are caught up year after year in this mess. That is why a sensible solution is needed where both sides in Israel can live together peacefully. Enough dying. Enough fighting. It is not in the interest of either side to continue to fight, but as it was put to Obama a while back that if his house was bombed he would do everything to protect his children. Wouldn't you?

Hamas had been firing rockets into Israel daily before the Israeli bombing campaign begun, and Israel showed great poise and extraordinary restraint by not responding for so long. But enough is enough, and they could not continuously allow the lives of their citizens to be put at risk in the hopes of obtaining peace with a terrorists ran state that has shown that it will not settle for anything less than Israe'ls destruction. I must question anyone who says that Israel should not be doing what it is doing. I'd like to see what they would do If their next door neighbor were to fire 20 bullets toward their home daily. Do they honestly believe that Israel should have allowed Hamas to take cheap shots at them indefinitely?

you appear to be a useful idiot especially with regard to your interview with PLO spokesperson Ms. Butto... other news programs who had her on this week easily exposed and challenged her campaign of rhetoric, misinformation and lies. You and your side kick could only bop your heads up in down.....ever consider that there is no "occupation" of gaza??? Israel naively made all Jews leave gaza in 2005 for peace.... left multi-million dollar hot house facilities and infrastructure for Arabs to have an economic future...the Arabs said thank you by stealing and tearing out the hot house parts within one week ....and then immediately lobbing thousands of rockets over the ensuing years including during the recent 6 month "cease fire"...

by the way isn't a wee bit racist that Arabs demand that their living space be devoid of any Jews??? while in Israel there are thousands of Arabs who live there????

Regarding the "touching story" about Karen and the arab man in Gaza, why don't u do a story on the Israeli Arabs who are at this moment sitting in bomb shelters with their Jewish neighbors....or the Israeli hospitals where all patients are literally underground in bomb shelters where jewish doctors are treating Arab patients including those from this week's fighting.....and talk to the Israeli Arabs who are mad about Hamas firing rockets for last several years,

On the latest eruption in the middle east.
Just curious....
Forget the thousands of missles fired from Gaza into Israeli towns, how many missles would the United States allow fired into Miami before it retaliated?
I think not past 1.
Hamas is the real enemy of the people of Gaza, obsessed in its charter to destroy Israel on the bodies of its own citizenry.
You do not use a code of ethics in warfare against an enemy that uses children as shields for its militia and temples as missle silos.
William

Hamas is in violation of the Geneva Accords as they hide military combatants among civilians and they are responsible for the safety of civilians not Israel, viz a. vie these Accords, Hamas killed Palestinians whey they militarily took control of Gaza and are capable of fulfilling their promise to make towns in southern Israel ghost towns. All of Gaza was given to the Palestinians and still there is no peace. Remember that Hamas, during the last cease fire ,rocketed Israel and rearmed instead of feeding the people.

There is an essential understanding of the situation that continues ot be ignored – Hamas is a terrorist organization. Try putting Hamas in Israel's shoes in terms of warfare capabilities. How do you think they would use the military might that Israel is capable to display? Remember, Israel is attacking to rid itself from a daunting threat that is showering missiles over its citizens. It never attacked any country for offensive or conquering reasons, but rather for eventual peaceful life for its citizens. If the US started dumping missiles into Canada, do you think Canada would simply standby and watch its citizens run for shelter? If the Palestinians want to see an end to Israel's search for peace, then perhaps it would be smart for them to comply with their seemingly common goal of peace and help reject the terrorist cells that taint their community with unwanted casualties' blood. It isn't in Israel's intentions to hit innocent people. Arabs and Israelis live together daily and this conflict is no longer an issue of land, but an issue of life itself.

It behoves me how both parties ignor the value of human lifes. They revel in their wickedness. Repeatitive act of retaliation of violence against each other never bring solution. They both don't embark on a true peace. May be, the money they get from america and the world as whole keeps them to hunger for more, and thereby relinquising the need for tangible peace process. Both parties are being funded by america,and the world. I personally, would want peace in that region
The world leaders can begin not to protect any group when they are completely wrong.

Why must or modern style of news beg the questions of good or bad, right or wrong, black or white. Why must you involve viewers to be judge and jury in complicated issues where there is no back story to fill in the picture of what truly is happening to people in the world. In our quest of knowledge what happened to an unbiased reporting from journalist that base their stories on facts instead of sensational newsertainment. People are tired of this type of fear based reporting and in the future will seek out new sources of news to fulfill their need to know truth that is unshaped by conjecture. Nothing personal just and observation.

What makes the Gaza strip so important to so many factions
Is this seemingly insignificant piece of real estate worth so many lives

We appreciate Rick's balanced and calm view of controversial issues.

I have to agree with Obama that Israel has the right to defend itself again attacks. When Arab nations allow militant groups to run their country and to attack another nation then they are in the wrong. Of course we all abhor the death of civilians, but those same civilians elected or did nothing to stop Hamas from taking over their country, and as in Germany during World War II histroy has proved that the majority of the population embraced the Nazi regime. In that sense they are a part of if not actively then in a passive role of contributing to the atrocities done by their government. The US has shown by example in our war of independence that a small group of people can be victorious over an oppressive government and every citizen of the world has the right to rise up against those who bring death and destruction to their world.
Here in the US our Christian religious leaders have for too long condemn Jews for the death of Jesus Christ, and have caused many christians to derile Israel. We forget that Jesus was a Jew, that God has named them as His chosen people, and if God can forgive them for the death of His Son then who are we to condemn them. They have been our allies for decades and we should support them in every way we can.
The Arab nations of the world are not our allies, they have supported terror in ways that make we wonder how our politicians can even talk with them on any level. You only need to look at the list of nationalities of the 9-11 terrorists to know we have no friends or at best only two-faced friends in the Arab world. We only need to look at the countries that allow Iran to use their countries to transport weapons to Iraq and and Afganistan to know we don't have friends in those government.

The Israeli/Gaza conflict needs immediate attention from the world. Although it is true that being there, one would feel the reality of the situation more intense then viewing what the media presents. However, the Palestinian civilians are suffering the most as they do on a daily basis within their constant oppression and occupation by the Israeli government. We as all human beings in the world need to come together to assist in putting an end to the inhumane treatment of these people in Gaza and in the Occupied West Bank. Only then will threats of terror in the Middle East as well as another 911 end.

True, Israel has the right to protect itself from a barrage of fear and potential death/injury (ie the rockets and suicide bombers). When Canadian and American soldiers are hit by similar tactics in Kandahar, nobody questions their response. If a rogue group of Italians started attacking the French, or Laotians went after the Thais, nobody would question the French or Thai response... but because it's Israel, in many people's eyes, they're always wrong.

And true, in Israel there's warnings when rockets come, so people can get out of the way– while in Gaza, it's set up in areas where innocent civilians (as well as sympathizers) get hurt, so as to increase the death and injury toll. Hamas and Hezbollah know that if they played by the rules of war, they'd lose the PR war– their clear and stated goal is the death of all Israelis (and Jews), and elimination of Israel. So, they do what they can to misdirect, and garner sympathy.

However, Israel knows this. They shouldn't fall prey to the taunting, and shouldn't let the cycle of violence escalate. Nobody wins, and they always look bad. Israel needs a new strategy... and some good PR advisers! Israel should start by getting out of the settlements, promote economic development in Gaza and West Bank (genuine hope for a better life is well proven to work wonders at dissuading people from following violent paths of gangs and terror groups), and ensure true equality for Israeli Arabs and Muslims. There's no magic formula, but working with moderates and supporting those who have legitimate concerns (as opposed to hate), both within Israel and outside of it, and soliciting interventions and support from the international community are a start.

The key is to remember that this so-called conflict between Jews and Muslims is new. For many, many centuries the relations have been good– in fact, Jews fared infinitely better in Muslim-ruled countries than in (European) Christian ones. Historically, this is an aberration– but don't let it set the tone for the next epoch.

We appreciate Rick's balanced and callml view of controversial issues.
Lynn & Helen Sauls

It is not a good thing at all that innocent people are being killed. However, Hamas brought this on themselves and other Palestinians.

Some people are acting as if Israel is attacking Gaza for no reason. They asked Hamas to stop sending rockets into their territory; they didn't listen and now Israel is retaliating. Israel is taking a stand against a terrorist organization. They and other Muslim nations believe that Israel shouldn't exist so they are getting what they deserve.

It's so sad and they have been fighting since Biblical times

It is not a good thing at all that innocent people are being killed. However, Hamas brought this on themselves and other Palestinians.

Some people are acting as if Israel is attacking Gaza for no reason. They asked Hamas to stop sending rockets into their territory; they didn't listen and now Israel is retaliating. Israel is taking a stand against a terrorist organization. They and other Muslim nations believe that Israel shouldn't exist so they are getting what they deserve.

It's so sad and they have been fighting since Biblical times.

Why must our modern style of news beg the questions of good or bad, right or wrong, black or white. Why must you involve viewers to be judge and jury in complicated issues where there is no back story to fill in the picture of what truly is happening to people in the world. In our quest of knowledge what happened to an unbiased reporting from journalist that base their stories on facts instead of sensational newsertainment. People are tired of this type of fear based reporting and in the future will seek out new sources of news to fulfill their need to know truth that is unshaped by conjecture. Nothing personal just and observation.

Rick,

You said on today's broadcast that you wanted to hear voices from within the Gaza conflict itself. Well, here is a link that will give you some of those voices. Yes, one of the individuals is an Independent Palestinian lawmaker; not a member of Fatah, nor Hamas.

http://www.democracynow.org/2008/12/29/israeli_attacks_kill_over_310_in

This whole week I've heard other anchors, including CNN anchors, frame this whole thing according to the Israeli government position: this attack is a targeted response to the mortars fired by Hamas, recently and over the years. Well if that is true why not fire on all of those groups responsible for the mortar firings? If that is the true standard it should be applied evenly. Here is what I mean:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/video/2007/oct/25/inside.gaza

Finally, I suggest that the producers of CNN dig around and try to find more nuanced views of the situation in Gaza, the current story and the background. Actually you all could go to the DN archives to find other voices "on the ground" including voices of the Israelis. Good luck, and I hope to see on of the guests in the first link on your show in the near future.

As a teacher, and a person of multi-racial and multi-cultural descent, I applaud Rick Sanchez and CNN for fair and honest reporting of the world news as it occurs. We are all in this together, and I believe that CNN continously gives us the opportunity to clarify the facts as they occur. Growing up in the south as a black child who looked white, I experienced it all. Those who knew me to be black made me the target of black hatred. Those who judged me on the color of my skin, made me the target of hateful remarks toward blacks. As a result, I know no hatred because I know from whence it comes. What is happening in the world right now is often judged most harshly by those who are not there, and do not understand. Thank you, CNN, for keeping it on the straight and narrow.

Rick, what I find really disturbing is that inherent in President Elect Obama's famous speech on race is the recognition that the race problem needs alot of work on both sides. However,what is more disturbing is the fact the he, Mr Obama a child of a black and white couple is forced to see himself only as African American and not just an American. In reality, we have only made a small step in the journey of an eternity.

It is a shame that the debate regarding the peace process taking place in Israel is censored by the PC American media. Peace in the ME is the goal not another war.

Lets do the math: four (4) Israeli's dead; four hundred (400) Gaza Palestinians dean and over 2000 wounded. Israel has done everything in its power to destroy Hamas, a democratically elected government. Since Hamas' election, Israel has applied collective punishment to the residents of Gaza for having voted Hamas into office. To that end Israel has stopped fuel, food, and medical supplies to Gaza in an effort maintain the population on a survival basis and to break their will. Yet the reverse has happened.

In the last incursion, Israel destroyed the power plant that supplied electricity to Northern Gaza in an effort break the will of the populace and then limited the amount of fuel that entered Gaza. Whenever there is a cessation of hostilities, the IDF starts rounds of targeted killings of Palestinians ensuring a response from Hamas.

In summary, Israel practices apartheit in the territories and war crimes (disproportionate use of force, mass killing of civilians and then dismissing the damage as 'collateral' damage). Like the US, Israel doesn't seem to learn from it's own experience and is doomed to continue its paranoid war against its neighbors.

As a result of Israel's actions, Israel's ME allies will be under tremendous pressure by the Arab street. The United States and its proxy will find themselves isolated in a tinderbox area of the world in which America's national interests are threatened.

You ask us to put ourselves in the place of the people living in Israel and Gaza. I have been there. It is not possible to put ourselves in their place because they treasure their land more than life itself. The land is their heritage for all their children after them. Americans think far more of their own bodies and living in the now than of heritage. I believe there are those things worth dying for. They do too. We, America, must always support Israel. Peace between the Palestinians and the Israelis is not a thing to be had. The land belongs to Israel and until it is in their hands there will be no peace. Those who believe in God and his sworn word understand this.

Controversial, to say the least?

But, think about it....

D

Japanese description of the Palestinians..........

It is so ironic that a Japanese person, from a country we and our allies defeated when they were allies with Germany , wrote so brilliantly about the fatal problems that have been facing Israel since the end of the war in which they were allied with those who wanted to annihilate Jews! This is a brilliant assessment!

By Yashiko Sagamori

If you are so sure that ' Palestine , the country, goes back through most of recorded history,' I expect you to be able to answer a few basic questions about that country of Palestine :

1.? When was it founded and by whom?

2.? What were its borders?

3.? What was its capital?

4.? What were its major cities?

5.? What constituted the basis of its economy?

6.? What was its form of government?

7.? Can you name at least one Palestinian leader before Arafat?

8.? Was Palestine ever recognized by a country whose existence, at that time or now, leaves no room for interpretation?

9.? What was the language of the country of Palestine ?

10. What was the prevalent religion of the country of Palestine ?

11. What was the name of its currency? Choose any date in history and tell what was the approximate exchange rate of the Palestinian monetary unit against the US dollar, German mark, GB pound, Japanese yen, or Chinese yuan on that date.

12. And, finally, since there is no such country today, what caused its demise and when did it occur?

You are lamenting the 'low sinking' of a 'once proud' nation. Please tell me, when exactly was that 'nation' proud and what was it so proud of?

And here is the least sarcastic question of all: If the people you mistakenly call 'Palestinians' are anything but generic Arabs collected from all over - or thrown out of - the Arab world, if they really have a genuine ethnic identity that gives them right for self-determination, why did they never try to become independent until Arabs suffered their devastating defeat in the Six Day War?

I hope you avoid the temptation to trace the modern day 'Palestinians' to the Biblical Philistines: substituting etymology for history won't work here.

The truth should be obvious to everyone who wants to know it. Arab countries have never abandoned the dream of destroying Israel ; they still cherish it today. Having time and again failed to achieve their evil goal with military means, they decided to fight Israel by proxy. For that purpose, they created a terrorist organization, cynically called it 'the Palestinian people' and installed it in Gaza , Judea, and Samaria . How else can you explain the refusal by Jordan and Egypt to unconditionally accept back the 'West Bank' and Gaza , respectively?

The fact is, Arabs populating Gaza , Judea, and Samaria have much less claim to nationhood than that Indian tribe that successfully emerged in Connecticut with the purpose of starting a tax-exempt casino: at least that tribe had a constructive goal that motivated them. The so-called 'Palestinians' have only one?motivation: the destruction of Israel , and in?my book that is not sufficient to consider them a nation' - or anything else except what they really are: a terrorist organization that will one day be dismantled.

In fact, there is only one way to achieve peace in the Middle East . Arab countries must acknowledge and accept their defeat in their war against Israel and, as the losing side should, pay Israel reparations for the more than 50 years of devastation they have visited on it. The most appropriate form of such reparations would be the removal of their terrorist organization from the land of Israel and accepting Israel 's ancient sovereignty over Gaza , Judea, and Samaria .

That will mark the end of the Palestinian people. What are you saying again was its beginning?

THE MAR. 13TH SPEECH WILL GO DOWN IN THE ARCHIVES AS OBAMAS GREATEST HOURS. HE MADE AMERICA TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR.AND SEE THE SOLUTION,,,"wE tHE pEOPLE", OF AMERICA MUST DO THE RIGHT THING....AMERICAN KNOW HOW .,,,THE RISING TIDE MUST LIFT ALL SHIPS. CLINTON KNEW THIS

THIS IS THE RESULTS OF THE BUSH DOCTRINE GIVE AMERICA'S WEALTH TO THE RICH

Dear Rick
I love your show. As an 18 year old back in 1944 my dad was pulled out of college and he was shipped overseas to fight the Japanese and the Germans. Thank God Harry Truman dropped the atomic bomb or, as my dad was an 18 year old getting ready to invade Japan, I might not have been born. Many of the "Arab World" were on Hitler's side in that war and would have loved to see Hitler and the Japanese destroy America and England and take over the world. As a matter of fact, Osama Bin Laden's father was a big Hitler fan and he even had Hitler's picture in the Bin Laden house as a reminder. Do I have any remorse about fighting those who would support Hitler then or now? Think about it, maybe without Hitler we would never have truly needed an Israel. But anyone who supported Hitler then and believes in carrying out Hitler's work today is a mortal enemy and deserves to be engaged in combat. I'm hoping President Obama, who's grandfather also fought Hitler, will engage the Arab World and today's Hitler lovers and finally give them a lesson or two on what America really stands for and will always stand against. I believe the people fighting Israel and the Jews today are nothing more then Hitler's offspring still attempting to carry out his diabolical work.
Rob A. Stevens
New York City

Make Mandatory Religious and Racial tolerance classes available for adults, youth, and then the Children. Anger Managment and Indecency is Lacking in this part of the world on a grandure scale.
WHY must innocent children pay the price of the Cold Heartedness of adults who are bullying each other with mass destruction????? The children do not KNOW. They hurt and will only harvest that hurt into adulthood and will remember what was done to them. Take the innocent civilians out of Harms's Way! Centuries of ignorant hatreds cannot be solved overnight, but it can be lightened with
de-escalations. The tensions must be stopped IMMEDIATELY.
Hold both side leaders responsible and rehabilitate these people with leadership education for peaceful ways to get along. Re-educate these people starting with the resources that are left and exist. Halt all hatred because it only creates more. USELESS and UNPRODUCTIVE. What a waste and Shame to all Humanity....! Somebody help these people see the Light???!!!! Carry them out of the DARKNESS. Don't let this Condemn the World?? HELPUS-Pray

Unbelievable. Thank you Rick. Trying to post a comment in favor of Israel on the web was an exercise in futility until I found this site.

To all the American Posters expressing so much indignation over Gaza, I wonder where you were when we attacked Iraq? Serbia? Or do you consider the lives of the people of those two countries to be less valuable than those of the people of Gaza?

Neither Iraq nor Serbia had ever done anything to us. NEVER! In fact, a group of WWII POW Airmen took out a full page ad in the Washington Post telling us that our government was lieing to us about the Serbs during Bosnia and again during Kosovo. Google and read it.

So maybe we should clean up our own garbage before we tell Israel that they shouldn't protect themselves from a people who have vowed to destroy them and have killed so many people in Israel in a relentless attempt to do just that.

A post on here: Arab nations will not recognize Israel because it was:
>>>1. Established by a foreign nation starting with the Balfour Declaration of 1917<<<

Isaiah 66, 8
Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a Nation bring forth at once? For as soon as Zion trevailed, she brought forth her children.

Maybe Balfour was the tool God used, but it did not start there. You also failed to mention that the British turned the whole thing, plus all forts and munitions over to the Arabs when they left, leaving Israel with only the few weapons they could smuggle in, to fight a force that attacked them immediately, outnumbered them hundreds to one and were vociferous in their determination to continue Hitler's pledge to wipe all Jews from the face of the earth. Maybe you would also like to look up the help Hitler got from the Arabs in WWII???

Rick, 4 comments: 1) The world needs to hold Hamas responsible for the death of civilians in Gaza. Hamas, like all terrorists, has fully embedded themselves in civilian areas. This is a cynical and deadly use of their own people as human shields, and is a guarantee that there will be civilian deaths when Israel attacks Hamas' military faclities, weapons labs, and armaments factories, all of which are based in civilian areas. For Hamas, the more civilian deaths, the more they can use it as a political weapon to point to "Israeli aggression", instead of owning up to the fact that they have been carrying out terror attacks agsint Israel for decades, and are now responsible for this latest conflict by their own rocket attacks into Israel. 2) The news reporting has been horribly distorting the Palestinian casualty figure by referring to "over 400 Palestininans killed". Most of those killed have been Hamas terrorists – the civilan death toll is c. 50, which is still tragic in itself, but Israel has never targeted civilians, and Hamas is fully responsible for civilians being killed, as per my first comment. 3) Hamas has been shooting rockets and missiles into Israel for years, including over 10,000 since Israel completely pulled out of Gaza in 2005. How many rockets and mnissiles would the U.S. tolerate if terrorists in Canada were firing rockets into update New York? Hamas has shown no interest in coexistence with Israel, but only in maintaining a state of terror war against Israel. They have taken all the foreign assistance from the world and used it to buy more weapons, develop their armaments futher, and train their terrorists in Iran. When the ceasefire with Israel ended on Dec. 19th, Hamas immediately began firing rockets into Israel, which showed their true colors, and brought on Israel's actions. 4) When will the Arab League be held accountable for creating and maintaining the untenable situations in the West Bank and Gaza? They created the original mess by attempting to destroy Israel in 1948, told the Arabs living in present-day Israel to leave because a war was coming, and then refused to take them in!! They kept the Palestinians (most of whom were originally from Jordan) in the refugee camps, shot them if they tried to escape, and trained them to do one thing – carry out terror attacks against Israel. No Arab League state except Jordan will offer citizenship to any Palestinian. Now when there is a war in the area, Egypt once again refuses to offer a place of refuge, showing that the Arab world couldn't give a damn for their Palestinian "brothers" except to use them as a terrorist and political weapon against Israel. Only the U.S. can change this, by pressuring the Arab states to offer more than just lip service and support for terrorism to the Palestinians. How's about Saudi Arabia using all their oil money to actually build a working power plant in Gaza, so the Gaza Palestinians can actually generate their own electricity, instead of getting it free from Israel?

Sorry Rick,
I am a supporter of self-defense, I also believe force is needed in certain situations where "talks" are near impossible. Motives are easily masked. Making it impossible to clarify either sides motives. They "play the media"....and the media clearly has hidden agenda. It's all about land and rectifying the unfair grab by the Isrealis.
Tooma is right...let's not confuse the issues.
My questions is simple...since when does the scripture trump everything logical and reasonable?
Should America give back what they stole from the american indians?
Should America give back what they stole from the Hawaiians?
grave injustices go unnoticed and nothing gets done. I admire their "fight" and sympathize the road ahead.
it all started with Arafat!

Jessica, you wrote, "Palestinians want their land back, Israel thinks that the land “promised to them” in scripture was theirs to begin with."

Starting in the mid thirties, so called Palestinians sold their land to Israelies. Often for prices far exceeding the worth of the property in question. After Israel won the war for independence, even more palestinians sold out and many left the country after being convinced by their .. uh 'leaders; that they would be annialiated by the Jews.

Funny thing was, they had never had it so good and those that remained tried to tell their neighbors. Did no good. Being a martyr got them more sympathy for much less work. When the Arab nations they had fled to, kicked them out for their troublemaking, they returned to Israel and cried 'foul'.

Trouble is, the barren land they had once owned had been turned into a garden by the Israelis, so now they wanted in back.

And, Israel doesn't just think the land the land promised to them in scripture is theirs. It is. They fought overwhelming odds for what Isiah had promised and won, time after time. Then there is Exodus, 18:4 and I will transport you on Eagles' wings and bring you to me...

Obviously the authors couldn't say, "On a Jet Plane.." Until the 40s no one would have known what they were talking about. Now of course you may not believe in the Bible, but the 3 major Religions do and Exodus 18:4 and Isaiah 66:8 couldn't have been more clear.

what about all the happy Palestinians living in Isreal?

just stop it...

To Jake Ulam,
USA is not occupying Mexico, so there is no reason for Mexico to fire into USA. And, if it does, US has all every right to respond & defend its people. On the other hand, Israel is occupying Gaza & the rest of Palestine. Not only that, the entire Gaza Strip is under siege & is prevented the basic human rights by Israel. So, don't you think they have the right to defend themselves & be free just like Israelis are?

Rick, I watched Christiane Amanpour (splg???) segment "God's Jewish Warriors" again this afternoon, her 3 part segment CNN broadcasted in 2008 about the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Anyway, it is $3 billion that the United States of America gives Israel every year, I mispoke, sorry. I thought Christiane did a really wonderful job interviewing and informing the public the difference between all three beliefs. Thank you Christiane.

Another thing, Israel is breaking the International Law of building what they call "settlements" and invading Palestine's country and calling it their own. Israel is GUILTY and needs to be stopped. If President Bush Sr. would have stood his ground in 1992 and said "NO to the loan" of billions of dollars in funding their country, there wouldn't be blood shed in the last 15 years and still today. When is the World going to stand up against Israel and tell them "NO". Israel has been acting like spoiled little children with no parents to guide them – oh wait, yes GOD is their father, who they say tells them to keep building and expanding. Whatever! That is a lie. Enough. You know, there is more than one religion in this World and there are more than one kind of culture and color in the World. If Israel cannot cohabitate with the rest of the World and stop bullying everyone, walking the Earth with this chip on their shoulders, acting arrogant and telling everyone who is not a Jew that their lives are meaningless and Isreal is the "Promised Land".... I would say to the Jewish population that God does not look kindly down at them, he is very dissappointed. I'm Lutheran, Missouri Synod, branched off from the Catholic religion created by Martin Luther. Today I attend an Evangelical Free Church with a congregation that is a mixture of different religious backgrounds (even from different countries). Yet the message is still the same, and we accept & support each other. I believe in Jesus Christ, am repent of my sins and believe I am going to Heaven. I'm a Christian and I do not condone killing in the name of God as the Jews believe. God does not condone killing.

President Jimmy Carter wrote a book supporting Palestine and some people rejected President Carter for doing so. He won the Nobel Peace Prize, he has a heart – does Israel have a heart??? Or has GREED taken over and replaced it? One last thing, in the Bible Jesus was disgusted when the Temple was being used by merchants buying & selling & gambling – today Israel is SOOOOO proud they stole this "temple" in 1967 that belonged to the Arabs and the land it remains on just so they can rebuild this "temple" so they can make God come back again. The Jews are forgetting something, they cannot MAKE God do anything, we do not KNOW when God will come again but we should be ready when He does. So if the Jewish community believes that if they have all the Jews living in Israel and if they build it He will come, they will all go to Heaven w/God. Sorry, it doen't work that way, because God does the judging, not the Jews.

The Jewish & Christian Jewish Lobbyists on Capitol Hill can keep collecting millions of dollars to fund Israel's building of settlements and stealing land from Palestine, but the greedier Israel becomes the more it will backfire on them. All of us are only on this Earth for a very short time, what we do with our lives is up to us – it doesn't matter how you start, but it matters how you finish. CNN gave out the Hero awards in 2008, all these great people were out in the World helping less fortunate people, it really put things into perspective. With all the money the Jewish community has collected, have they EVER helped out anyone else besides their own kind??? Palestine, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Africa, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Thailand, India, Georgia...etc. Or do they keep all their riches to themselves??? I know God wants us to be prosperous, but he also wants us to be our brother's keeper, which means helping all mankind. All I see is Israel being selfish and helping themselves. If respect is not given, then respect will not be received.

Are not the Palestinians being subjected to a slow death by an oppressive regime?

Not forgetting that Israel is the invading force since 1948.

I respectfully disagree with most posts here. "The Holocaust" was a form of genocide. A massive crime against humanity. What is occurring now in Gaza is also a form of genocide. A holocaust.

18 months ago Richard Falk, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, wrote of his pain as he was "compelled to portray the ongoing and intensifying abuse of the Palestinian people by Israel through a reliance on such an inflammatory metaphor as 'holocaust.'

I respectfully disagree with most posts here. "The Holocaust" was a form of genocide. A massive crime against humanity. What is occurring now in Gaza is also a form of genocide. A holocaust.

18 months ago Richard Falk, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, wrote of his pain as he was "compelled to portray the ongoing and intensifying abuse of the Palestinian people by Israel through a reliance on such an inflammatory metaphor as 'holocaust.'

Slouching Toward A Palestinian Holocaust

07 July, 2007

...Is it an irresponsible overstatement to associate the treatment of Palestinians with this criminalized Nazi record of collective atrocity? I think not. The recent developments in Gaza are especially disturbing because they express so vividly a deliberate intention on the part of Israel and its allies to subject an entire human community to life-endangering conditions of utmost cruelty. The suggestion that this pattern of conduct is a holocaust-in-the-making represents a rather desperate appeal to the governments of the world and to international public opinion to act urgently to prevent these current genocidal tendencies from culminating in a collective tragedy. If ever the ethos of 'a responsibility to protect,' recently adopted by the UN Security Council as the basis of 'humanitarian intervention' is applicable, it would be to act now to start protecting the people of Gaza from further pain and suffering.

Unfortunately, the genocidal tendencies have now culminated in a massive crime against humanity. A modern day holocaust, fuelled with US tax dollars. The two can, and must be compared. Lets learn from the horrors of the past.

The media always seems to forget the number of people dieing in Gaza and makes it seem like both sides are equally matched. I just like to remind people that when Isreal broke the current cease fire 4 months ago ;thats when Hamas started firing rockets again. And does it seem unfair that Isreal won't let independent reporters into Gaza but seems to have no problem in letting the media show the random rocket attacks.
Both sides are to blame but it seems to me that the media is always forgets to talk about the problems that the people in Gaza are facing. And will bombing Gaza really solve the problem or create more terrorists for the future.
Hamas was elected into power in a democratic election that was pushed by Isreal FYI.

why is hamas listed as a terrorist group but isreal isnt when they are killing innocent children that are not fighting them. it seems there is a double standard there.

This nonsense will continue as long as terrorists like hamas have the ability to find morons to support them. Go Israel Go, Go Israel Go!

Israel has every right to protect themselves against these Hamas
Terrorists and America has a duty to support them; after all we are all about anti- terrorism lately! What do you think the U.S would do if Mexico lobbed rockets into Texas
For years? We would eliminate them...the same situation exists in Israel! Hamas is a terrorist group and deserves to be completely eliminated at any and all costs. War is never pleasant however it is sometimes necessary to protect
Ones self

Good for Isreal, how much is one country expected to take. They should'nt stop till they own Gaza, how can anybody say the people living there are innocent, they chose Hamas and they knew what they were, terriost. Dont come crying now about being stepped on when youve been sleeping with the pigs. Go Isreal Go.

Jay

I'm Jewish, and in no way condone the criminal actions of Hamas, BUT I remember how the nazis managed a "durable peace" with Jews in the Warsaw ghetto... you cannot attack a metropolis, without slaughtering civilians. This "war" amounts to someone in your apartment building being an unrepentant criminal, so the police level the building; are we ok with that?

I love your show Rick. Great reporting. The inocents in Gaza sould be the only issue. Peace is possible if both Hamas & Isreal do what is right. Hamas needs to return to Palistien and stop using the inocents as sheilds. Isreal needs to allow the refugeis in the Gaza strip to return home and be allowed to live in peace. Both sides have the blood of inocents on their hands. Keep up the great work!

Hi, Rick:
I have followed your Israelly bombing of Gaza. The comments from your guests are all following official US line.
How come Israel has a right to "defend itself" but the Palestinians do not have the right to "defend their right to their home land"?
I want to hear from your guests what excuses they have to jusify Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands in contravention of UN resolutions.

I am SICK of all the muslim sympathizers. If Americans knew ANYTHING about islam, they would quit defending this filthy cult. News anchors should also be required to give a disclosure any time they interview a muslim. Muslims are permitted to lie freely in islam. This is from quran 3:28 and tafsir explanation. They WILL and DO comfortably lie to the ignorant westerners. They are not only ALLOWED, but instructed to kill the infidels. This is referenced too many places to mention, but start with quran 9:29. If you are not muslim, YOU are an infidel, no matter how much you sympathize. Sucking up to them, does not take you off the hit list. It only gives them the upper hand.

Rick, The Israelis are late in doing what they are doing now. It should have been done before now and neither Hamas nor the Hezbollahs will be holding them to ransome as they are doing now. When the rockets were being fired into Israel and killing inocent people there was no outcry why should anybody cry foul now that the situation is reversed.

Chris, Columbus Ohio

Who's right and who's wrong.Hamas is the enemy of Israel, as well as the United States, as well as Christianity, as well as everything western. The situation is black and white, no gray.

I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL OUTRAGED AT YOUR RESPONSE TO THE MURDER OF NIZAR RAYAN AND IS ENTIRE FAMILY. YOU BASICALLY STATED THAT HE WANTED TO DIE, AND HE KILLED ISRAELIES, SO THAT JUSTIFIES IT? WHAT ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN THAT ARE BEING MURDERED EVERY DAY BY ISRAEL!!!?? WHERE IS THE RIGHT FOR PALESTINE TO DEFEND ITS GREAT COUNTRY? THESE PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY, LIVING WITHOUT ELECTRICITY, AND LIVING IN FEAR EVERYDAY, AND YOU STILL WONDER WHO IS WRONG???? WHY IS THE WORLD SO BLIND TO ISRAEL? WHY ARE THEY SO BLIND TO THE HORROR THEY ARE BRINGING TO GAZA? LONG LIVE PALESTINE, AND HAMAS, AND ALL ITS LEADERS, FOR THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WITH REALISTIC WAYS OF DEFENDING PALESTINE. THERE WILL NEVER BE PEACE AS LONG AS ISRAEL STAYS "DEFENDING" THEMSELVES THEY WAY THEY ARE DOING NOW. THEY CLAIM TO BE DEFENDING THEMSELVES FROM HAMAS ROCKETS, WHEN NO ONE IN ISRAEL DIED, ISRAEL PLANNED THIS WAR FROM MONTHS AGO, THEY WANTED THIS, THEY JUST WANTED TO BE PROVOKED. WHY CAN'T PALESTININANS DEFEND THEMSELVES! WHY WHEN WE DEFEND WE ARE CONSIDERED TERRORISTS? IF YOU WANT THE WHOLE STORY WHY DONT YOU VISIT ALJAZEERA.NET NEWS, THEY SHOW IT LIKE IT IS. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO IS WRONG, LOOK AT THE PICTURES OF MURDERED HUMAN BEINGS, THESE PEOPLE ARE FATHERS, MOTHERS, CHILDREN, YOU NAME IT. LOOK AT ALL THE FACTS RICK. THEN STATE YOUR OPINION. BE FAIR.

Don't you think that as powerful as Israel is (having the second largest military in the world) that they could instead foil terrorist attempts coming from within the Gaza strip through military intelligence (they have the best counter-terrorism intelligence in the world) and using soldiers instead of bombing? Gaza is technically part of Israel (and the West Bank) so bombing itself for the sake of security reasons seems misguided.

The real solution requires Israel to open the lines of communication with Arab leaders in the Gaza strip and recognize Hammas as the Arab governing body in Gaza.

This requires Hammas to stop its attacks on Israel and eventually recognize Israel as a state. The Arabs need to stop referring to Israel as the "occupier" and realize that both parties may share the holy lands of Jerusalem and Palestine (modern Israel)

Israel is in such a position of power, however, over the displaced Arabs in the Gaza that Israel should make the first moves towards diplomacy by reaching out to Hammas leaders and give humanitarian aid to the civilians in Gaza.

One of the overlooked factors in this situation is that Gaza is basically a refugee camp (as is the West Bank) for Arabs who were displaced when the Zionists invaded Palestine thus establishing Israel as the Jewish State. These Arabs are in the same situation that the displaced Jews after World War II were in except the roles have changed. Except they have not been given their own land and they have been denied a sovereign Arab government.

The U.S. and Britain both contributed greatly to Israel being established through the AI PAC pro-Israel lobby and the conflicting British policies including the Balfour Declaration.

Because of the factors above, it is obvious that the Arabs would use guerrilla tactics to try and gain independence. MUCH LIKE WE DID IN 1776! These oppressed people are simply fighting for their freedoms, liberties, and to take back th eland that was taken from them when Israel was established!

Rick:

Your attempt at hyping the Gasza situation are in very poor test. Those tunnels that you showed are not represaentative of the major tunnels being used . There are many tunnels that trucks can drive through, AS ALWAYS, CNN WILL DO ANYTHING TO DISTORT THE REP'ORTING TO FIT YOUR PERSONAL AGENDAS.

THE ISRAELI'S HAVE DONE EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO LIMIT COLLERTAL DAMAGE. It is against the "rules of war" to store weapons in churches, hospitals, schools. Check out Hamas respect for these rules. Yopu do not set up firing positions in cities unless you want fired on.

The unfortunate loss of life in Gaza is that most of the dead were Hamas soldiers. Why are you giving them an unfiltered media outlet?

Your reporting is out of line,

You obviously have never served in the military.

A retired American soldier.

http://www.inhumanrace.com/Jewish%20Expulsions%20Since%20250%20ACE.htm See how much help the chidren of Israel have seen over the last two thousand or so years... Jews and Israel should be thrown into the sea, or bombed to oblivion as the little dictator from Iran promises. The poet Tom Paulin wants Jewish settlers shot dead as Nazis.
The French Ambassador in London condemns Israel as "a small shitty country".
The writer A. N. Wilson compares the rather slight damage to the Church of the Nativity to the destruction of the Buddhas at Bamyian.
The Portuguese Nobel laureate Jose Saramago compares events in the Palestinian Territories with Auschwitz.
The Vatican's Osservatore Romano speaks of 'Israel's aggression turning into extermination' See Palestinian though in action here: http://www.conceptwizard.com/terror/a1.html

Finally while CNN espouses appeasement of a people that wish to obliterate the known world to return it to the dark ages, where women ride taxis sitting in the trunk and where everyone worships via on faith. Nobody can prove or disprove the existence of God yet Islam and Christianity have professed they can.

See this: Get the facts clear > http://avalon.law.yale.edu/subject_menus/mideast.asp

The leaders and followers of Hamas are cowardly dogs. They are hiding behind women and children and using them as human shields. Let these cowards stand up and fight for themselves, instead of putting innocent civilians at risk. Let them come out and fight! They picked the fight, after all. Such cowardly dogs should be wiped from the earth.

Rick – It is amazing that many of your bloggers refer to "Palestine" as a country of the arabs. Your audience has very little grasp of history. The fact is that "Palestine" has historically referred to a place where Jews lived. The "palestinian" arabs do not have a unique ethnic identity tghat is different from Israel's neighbors. The majority of the population of the country of Jordan is the same cultural identity as the arabs within Israel. The only real solution is for the world to provide economic (and other) incentives to Israel's neighbors to absorb Israel's palestinian population. There is no reason to create yet another extremist islamist nation within Israel. The world has enough of those already. Some of your readers need to get over the fact that Israel not only exists, it flourishes and it wants peace in the region. Giving territory to enemies of humanity will only bring more death, destruction and mayhem.

CNN should get Rick Sanchez a one-way ticket to Gaza.

One more thing, in Genesis, it speaks of 12 tribes that split off over the Middle East (ie: one brother was sold off to Eygpt and later became a King....etc.) then there was a man named Jacob who God changed his name to Israel. Jacob's people resided along the Jordan River. God told Jacob he would send his people a Savior. God did, he sent His only Son, Jesus Christ. However the Jews did not believe Jesus was their Savior and so the Jews crucified him. In 1948 the United Nations gave a piece of land that did not belong to them, and the Jews named it Israel. The Bible does not state ANYWHERE that Israel is the "promised land". Israel is the name of a person. Again, God does not care where the Jewish community lives or what they have material wise. The war b/n Irsael and Palestine is due to the State of Israel's GREED expressing to the World that they are the "Chosen Ones" and all the land they CONQUER has always been theirs. THAT IS A LIE. The truth needs to be known, the World needs to be informed, the Jewish community has become so blinded by their GREED and are missing the message AGAIN from God. Remember when they built Bablelon?? That didn't turn out so good, did it? Could it be that the Jews are getting it all wrong again?? If they do not learn from their history, their history will destroy them.

The World is not out to destory and wipe Israel and the Jewish community off the map, that IS NOT the intent of Israel's neighbors or the Arab community or the rest of World. The Jews need to stop twisting everything around and come clean and admit that what they are doing, which is stealing land that does not belong to them and murdering in the name of GOD to justify their actions, is WRONG. I support Palestine and want PEACE in the Middle East. I want a PEACE. Enough already. It's HIGH TIME the United States of America STOPS supporting Israel until it their country can 'promise' and secure a PEACE agreement w/their neighbors and evacuate FOREVER Palestine's country. NO MORE $3 BILLION A YEAR TO FUND ISRAEL. Like the the United States govt. told General Motors at their hearing over the BAILOUT – 'put up your own money' to save yourselves first, then we'll talk. BUT, if Israel starts a full-out war and sends TANKS, MISSLES AND GROUND WARFARE into Palestine all in the name GOD – wow, a VERY sad day it will be for the Jewish community all b/c of their GREED. May God be with the Palestinian people, and help Israel see the error of their ways b/c they know not what they do.

Happy New Year in 2009 everyone!! May it be a good one! And as John Lennon sang:

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

......this is what I believe too........ I believe PEACE can be achieved, it's whether or not you want to be the MIRACLE AND TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Carrie

I'm just curious. Is english a second language for some of the people posting here or is our educational system in the US completely failing?

Search this webpage for the words

forgive .. victim ..

and quintano.

Simplicity of vision is important.
Surprise is important.

First, SEE what is happening.
Then You will KNOW what to say.

"eyes that see" - the sage Jesus
and the others when they pass by You.
SEE just means functional senses.

SomeOne else Here has indicated that WE
are all in the same boat.
Thank YOU !.

If You don't kill *me on sight,
You always reject *me on sight.

You reject the least of God .. YOU.
I am NOT in the holy business.

I just noticed "Feeling Taken For Granted" at the bottom
of this webpage.
I SEE another Miracle in *my life.
It is not the content that surprises *me.
... just the words.

Do You SEE IT?
This takes guts.

THIS is about the end of hurting.
THIS is about salvation.
THAT just means survival.

SEE, for and by YourSelf.

The surround is consciousness.
The surround is intelligent.
The surround is God.

Don't panic.

When She appears( Miracles ), You will call THAT Love.

I AM the least of YOU.

Find meL_ at the Chopra forum if You
have any interest in this stuff.

Get the UN out of the U.S. and the U.S. out of the UN.

A friend in Israel asked the following question:
Do you thing that Rick Sanchez knows the facts, and he is not telling the true story? And he simply hates Israel, or is he talking like that because of a lack of knowledge and he is innocent?

the countries of the E.U. have started the last two world wars and did their best to wipe out the jews.
who are they to try and tell Israel what they can or cannot do to protect themselves from muslim terrorist!

the E.U. is not their friend nor are they a friend of america.
we support Israel, and we say destroy hammas.

Israel is viciously bombing day and night from land air and sea people with no defense system or an organized army of any kind and killing more and more innocent citizens every day how is that ok with the world is beyond me

Since 1948 when the United Nations gave that piece of land to the Jews b/c of Genocide/Holocaust, Israel believes they deserve to have whatever they want. With the help of the US that gives them more than $3 billion a year. The Palestinian people are trying to protect their country and their land. The Gaza strip does not belong to Israel and it must understand Gaza is not for sale or for stealing. The US supports Israel to keep military bases in Israel and keep controlling the OIL interests they have in the Middle East. In the meantime, hundreds of innocent civilians (children included) are being murdered by the Israeli military. That’s called GENOCIDE. I cannot believe a nation of people that were rescued from persecution (Holocaust) would do the same to their neighbors just to obtain more land b/c they believe they are the ‘Chosen Ones” by God and that allows them to do whatever they want. God loves everyone who believes in him. It’s time the United States stops funding terrorists – President Bush said it himself that we do not support terrorism; well Israel is terrorizing the Palestinians and has for quite some time.

After watching the Beijing olympics, I felt proud of my species. But conflicts like this are sad and embarassing.

I think it is far time we the PEOPLE of The United States of America stop over reaching our duty in the world and focus more about what we can do to repair our own country.
Due to increasing world opinion of Americans as a whole, wouldn't it be prudent to bring all military personnel who are stationed in countries such as, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman and anywhere else we are not wanted. Wouldn't this bring tensions down in many regions?

Isreal, I feel, is taking way too much criticism for the Gaza Conflict. For years, Israel has been attacked bu rockets. Cnn, please show the casualties over the ENTIRE period when the rocket attacks began.

Second, Israel deserved the right to protect it's citizens in the way they see fit. Unfortunately, airstrikes are not magic bullets falling from the sky; they are guided explosives that can't be limited greatly without losing their usefulness. During WWII, more people -civilians- died in carpet bombings lastimg several hours than in this entire week. Isreal wants nothing to do with the Palestinian people, only Hamas.

Third, the Palestinian representative you spoke to today referred to Hamas as guerilla forces. They are not. Guerilla forces focus solely on military targets. Terrorists, like Hamas, focus on civilians.

I know as fact Reda Mansour, was lying about who done what to whom. I am an exNavy Corpsman, I visited in the west bank This past Sept, Oct.Nov. Its not easy getting into Palastine, takes hours to get past Israeli soldiers. As well as trucks trying to get food, clothes ect. What I myself seen in 6 weeks makes Halacaust look like day camp. Israel gives so much grief to the Arab people. They want there land due to the water is so good. Land the best for crops,.This is a take over on Gaza.Palastine. Not real War. This is scorpion vs sugar ants. If we believe What Reda was saying, then we are blinded by bull/sh...
Mustafa, was telling the truth. Israel border patrol I saw for myself, pickedup a 7 yrs old gril walking to school with brother 10 yrs old. picked her up calling her names for being Arab muslim through her to the ground hurting her fraile under nurished body, brother started throwing little pebbles at the patrol. 4 patrol men got the boy took him to there side not more the 15 feet held his hands down on the ground and pounded his little hands until they bleed. There is so much more. I can not type all I have seen and witnessed for myself. Bombs Gaza has, maybe damage a room 8×8 in size.
God would give me an entrance into Gaza, I would give my medical Expertise to these victims of a hate crime.YES, I SAID ITS A HATE CRIME WITH INTENT FOR ISRAEL TO TAKE OVER GAZA/PALASTINE FOR THE LAND AND WATER. TO HELL WITH ISRAEL.
I HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN BY MY COMMENT. I JUST CAN NOT SIT BACK AND SAY AND DO THING, THIS PEOPLE ARE VICTIMS, NOT TERRORIST, I PUT MY LIFE ON THIS COMMENT, AND I DO MEAN MY LIFE.
OUR PRESENT PRESIDENT IS STUPIED OR DON'T KNOW CRAP. I HOPE TO GOD OBAMA IS A BETTER PRESIDENT I WILL NOT BE EITHER BOUGHT OR SNOWED BY ISRAEL. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THIS IS HOW I REALLY FEEL.

VERY DISAPPOINTED U.S.A VETERAN.

Everyday we have to listen about human right violations, evil dictators, terrorists, unjust wars; all of which outrage the Western powers that be. But wait.....not when it comes to Israel. Israel has "carte blanche" to do whatever they want and I find it disturbing that there are people out there that believe this is right. Talk about David against Goliath, Israel outweighs Gaza in every way imaginable. The Palestinians have no military, no air force, no support etc. Israel has a military, a Navy, an air force and most of all it can hide behind the might of the biggest bully around, the United States. I find some of the comments on here to be downright disgusting. It is a cop out at best to point the finger at the Muslim faith and blame them for the problems that plague the Palestinians. Every time we sit through a holocaust film or read a book about it we are expected to cry and feel some sort of empathy for the Jewish people and what they went through. While it was an enormous tragedy, it is by far not the worst thing that people have been through. What is going on in Gaza is not that far off. Innocent people are dying on a daily basis and while it is true that Hamas is firing rockets, no one seems to ask why. Contrary to what people think, the Palestinian people were not sitting there happy with no problems and just out of the blue decide to start shooting rockets at Israel. Why doesn't anyone ask why the Palestinian people were prisoners inside their own country? A big thing that would bring peace would be for Israel to leave Gaza the hell alone. I believe that countries like the United States, England, France, Israel, etc. have created the term terrorist to include all those who do not agree with them. I think that we should ask what exactly makes Hamas a terrorist group. Is it the deaths? the pointless killings? no moral restraint? the Godlike power? Will someone please tell me how someone gets labeled a terrorist. But wait.....be careful as your definition has to include those you loathe and exclude those you don't. According to the commonly accepted definition of a terrorist, Hamas fits the mold but so does the ever powerful United States and its lackies (Canada, England, Israel...). The only difference is who is on the other side of the attacks and the extent to which damage can be done. The biggest terrorist attack in many years has been the attack on Iraq by the terrorist George Bush. All I'm saying is that "people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".

Hi Rick! I would just like to say a couple things. Terrorism or Terrorists the only thing that they do is that they end up making WMD out of governments. They manipulate the war machine with their ideas and actions and end up putting themselves in danger and their fellow civilians as well, and governments are too easy to tempt and too eager to reply. As for civilians, they are not innocent. They elected Hamas, the jews elected the leaders who are carrying out this war, and amercians elected the person who opted of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The actions of governments are the desires of the civilians, not just the good things but the bad things as well. We all have blood on our hands! Either by doing or not doing. As for the question you posed earlier, who's side is God on, he is neither with the jews nor the palestinians. There is no light with any of them. God says thou shall not kill. They will never be able to find a solution, no man on earth could fix this problem. These are two evil groups of people killing each other and we can't say anything because we're not too far behind ourselves. They can both stop fighting because there is no solution.

Dear Rick:
I hear you perpetuatye the myth of proportionality.
Does that mean that since almost all of the Jewish population of Europe was exterminated by Germany, then all Germans in Europe must be exterminated?
That is nonsense.
Does proportionality mean that when Hamas fires rockets at Israeli schools, the Israelis should target Schools in Gaza, to be proportional?
Does it mean that when Hamas celebrates the death of an Israeli, so should the Israelis celebrate any dead person in Gaza?
Does it mean that when Israelis have been living in caves (bunkers) for eight years, so should the Israelis force the Gaza population to live underground?
Military schools teach that when you attack you should have at least three times the force of the defenses you are confronting, so in that case proportionality mean you can't attack, and the Hitlers of the world will prevail.
In fact, the reason that Israel failed to destroy Hezbollah is that it didn't use overwhelming force.
Omaha Beach was conquered because the allied forces sent more troops than the Germans could kill-again another case against the absurd principle of proportionality.
The reason that you have less casualties on the Israeli side is that Israel cares more for its population than Hamas.
Please, MR Sanchez, come to your senses and stop giving a platform to such an absurd concept: proportionality.

Rick, after lookinig into the banks and mortgage companies I find that they are all own or mostly own by the British!

So Why are we the tax payers having to bail out these companies that are not even American own companies!
They control our oil and food and most drug companies!!!

I think it is time the F.B.I. start investigating these companies and the congress for giving them our tax dollars!!!!

Is Mayor Bloomberg the mayor of Israel?

How egotistical is this guy that he can pass judgment on others?
His ignorence lies in his predudice.
Stay home and continue your New York City duties.

This is a man with too much money and misuse of power through this money, otherwise he wouldn't be mayor of the local dog pound.
If he gets a 3rd term it won't be because of his wisdom!

THIS COMMENT IS FROM AN ACTUAL PERSON LIVING IN GAZA:

The situation is a humanitarian disaster and it keeps worsening.

Yesterday the last generator of electricity in Gaza stopped; now this has many implications. For example, I live in a twelve storey building and the electricity cut means that even water pumps will not be able to pump water up to the last floors.

In my house I have not had electricity or fuel for a few days. Because of the F-16 strikes I have to leave all the windows in my house open to reduce the pressure on the walls and windows, with no heating we are seriously freezing.

There are people living in houses built from tin and asbestos. I am sure that if a specialised committee is to examine all the buildings in the Strip, they will find out that many of them are not suitable for inhabiting anymore or are about to fall apart.

"I was one of those people who believed in political solutions and that peace is possible, but what we have seen negates all that"

Baha', Gaza

Last night was very harsh – we had air strikes accompanied by bombing from watercrafts and tanks. We have the impression that all the Israeli army is taking part.

The bombing clearly aims to terrify people. Why would they use military boats if there are no targets in the sea or on the shore?

I also saw something new, that I haven't seen before, a bomb that starts waves of dust mixed with some substance that smells like lead.

Bakeries are probably the only places were you can see people gathered. People are not leaving their houses unless they needed bread or medical care, and the streets are full of rubble, in every corner you can see a destroyed building.

Most of what we eat now is from cans; and in any case I don't think people have any appetite to eat.

This operation is re-emphasising that every Palestinian is a suspect; the war being fought against us proves that there are no moral standards whatsoever, this mentality that is practicing all those brutalities against civilians will only lead to more extremism.

I was one of the people who believed in political solutions and that peace is possible, yet what we see negates all that. It is evident now more than at any time that Israel has no interest in peace.

Gaza is a big prison and Israel wants to turn us into a model of its hegemony maybe to show the world its deterrent force.

What is taking place is not a war; because there is no proportionality between Palestinian resistance and Israeli acts, it's an aggression.

I feel like we are living in a type of madness that enhances the radicalism on both sides. I wonder whether we are the Native Americans of the 21st century.

-BAHA, ENGINEER, GAZA
SOURCE: ALJAZEERA.NET/ENGLISH

Racism, hatred and censorship towards Arabs and muslims in general is alive, well and exists. The average American is not the one to blame, in fact they are as much in the dark as the rest of the world when it comes to what the media reports .The media outlets are controlled and bank rolled by zionist think tanks and Israeli lobbyists. However, all that has been changing due to the internet and intrnational TV channels. Americans dont trust their media and are quite aware of what exactly taking place across the spectrum thru outside sources. The tide is changing. We in the US have been lied to and deceived in recent years more than ever. Its been slow coming but, we know the truth and seek the truth by all means.

Rick; you are probably the ONLY Journalist that DARED to be different in this Gaza/Israel War! You DARED To QUESTION who started this latest series of events, and did not do like MOST journalists who only portray a certain side of the truth, the ISRAELI Perspective. Journalists should SEEK the Truth and present it to the people. Unfortuantely, all we see in the US media is an orchestrated one-sided view that is biased for the benefit of Israel. I hope you continue to be Neutral and seek the truth and DARE! It is time for all to see what is really happening. That is all one asks for. Children are Dying, and collective punishment is against all laws, heaven and earth. I hope you dont loose your job for trying to be objective!

I Hope my previous comment be posted and not thrown in the "waste basket". You say you do filter through the comments before posting, and I wonder if a posting again that is not your "mainstream" point of view gets passed your "Screening" when I see a posting like texasstatemilitia posting below being allowed to be posted, when it contains such a racist statement as, and I quote "...While were at it, tell the muslims to leave America!..." I wonder what type of screening this is.

Dear Fabiola:
You have got hold of a wrong translation of the Bible, because in the Hebrew Bible the command is: "Thou shall not murder."
In other words you can kill another person, and in fact the tradition states that if someone wakes up early to kill you, you should wake up earlier and kill him.
Killing in self defense is an established law.
Democracies can be wrong, as you state, but they tend to be less extreme than dictatorships or tyrants.
The concept of a God being on one's side is strictly in the minds of people that think that way, and in no way does it reflect or affect the laws of nature or any tangible reality.
In other words, it is only a psychological, philosophical or moral dilemma, at best, without further consequence.
Over all, I believe that the US has behaved better than most other nations, otherwise you would be speaking German, working as a slave laborer for the Aryan master race, which was Hitler's ultimate goal, so please be less self loathing and give credit where it is due.

The Zionist movement depend highly on their long experience in human psychology and manupilation of humans to serve their goals, they gather wealth not to enjoy but to bribe and buy politicians and news reporters, they gather strength and power not to enforce justice but to terrorize humans. they crucified jesus because he was telling them and us that all humans are equal and that a mans deeds are what will save him from hell.

I also believe that the Israelis should defend themselves against people who try to harm them. We can listen to all the "he attacked me first, she did this" but when it comes down to it, only a handful of Israelis have died, most of them soldiers. But over 500 Palestinians have died and thousands wounded, most women and children.
This is not justified. it's amazing that those who were persecuted in their time, can now do the same to others.

God is on the side of no man, but all man, Israel will be judged just as the Palestinians will be judged for their actions. But rest assured that he who is in the wrong will be judged more harshly

Jessica S. Tooma's post is incorrect: Israel was not established by the United Nations or Great Britain.

The British issued the Balfour Declaration in 1917, but moved away from implementation during WW2. Consequently, Menahem Begin's "terrorist army", the Irgun Zvai Leumi launched a revolt against the mandate and drove the British out of Palestine. British troops actually commanded Jordanian forces against Israel, during Israel's 1948 war of independence.

The United Nations voted to partition the mandate of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, in 1947. The Arabs rejected the partition plan. It was never implemented. The UN did not "establish" any states in these territories.

These are the facts.

Jim:
Prove what you say, which just smells like antisemitic slander, copied from any Nazi propaganda.
The Jews are like all of us, and they just want to survive, not to terrorize anybody (please learn history).
Jesus was a Jew and he died a Jew, and he was crucified by the Romans, not by the Jews (the Pope has clearly stated that the Jews are not responsible for his death).
In fact, his followers were Jews.
You are extremely ignorant, and the only remedy for you is knowledge, or you're lost to humanity.

Dear Rick,

You are doing a wonderful job of telling the story. I want to register my extreme displeasure at the bombing of the Gaza strip. It is never right to attack and kill innocent civilians. The nation of Israel has shown great savagery in its response to the resistance of Palestinians against its occupancy. Anyone would resist such hurtful tactics used to destroy the economy, render the population dependent on outside aid, and torture the people of Gaza.

This is not a war, it is a slaughter. Using modern weapons against a civilian population is a cowardly and cruel tactic and can lead nowhere but to further hatred, violence, and retaliation.

Thanks for the chance to throw in my trwo cents worth.

Lawrence Devine

Dear Lawrence:
I disagree.
Israel has shown great restraint for eight years, and Hamas has shown savagery towards its own people and towards Israel.
You very conveniently forget that Egypt blockades Gaza, and that Hamas murdered its opponents by throwing them off the roofs of buildings.
Hamas has declared in its charter that every Jew in the world is a legitimate target, whereas Israel has never said that any Muslim in the world is a legitimate target.
Your selective view is clearly antisemitic.

Dear Jessica:
On the first entry in this forum you state: "Arab nations will not recognize Israel."
You must be suffering fro amnesia, since Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority have recognized Israel, and Syria is in the process of doing that as well.
Please Mr. Rick Sanchez, can't you point more forcefully the ignorance and condemn the rabid antisemitism displayed in this forum?
Remember that first go the Gays, then the Jews, and after awhile nobody will be left, to paraphrase a priest in Nazi Germany.
You have a responsibility to speak against hatred.

I am so tired of the Israelis justifying this massacre by stating that Hamas chose to throw bombs from hospitals and schools so they have no choice to bombs those places. Honestly, i use to think that the ppl of Israel was serioulsy not trying to harm civilians in past war outbreaks bt i'm beginning to think otherwise.
We supply their Army w/ money and supplies enough that u have trained soldiers to go on a ground force FIRST to find and attack Hamas. of course Hamas will attack from those places. the west bank and gaza are severely crammed w/ houses and buildings. those are the places they find to use from. i don't justify this but BUT how can u be so heartless to possibly, just possibly kill a few Hamas soldiers when u know for sure, for sure that u will kill hundreds of innocent civilians, which include children!
on 9-11, we were attacked and over 300 people died and the World Trade Center fell. we had ground forces i Afghanistan and even though we should not have gone to Iraq and they were human casualties, there were none anywhere close to half the proportions as this.
To me, Israel is saying the lives of over 500 Palestinians is worth about 5 Israelis. You would think the ppl who suffered the Holocaust would have a better empathy for human life.

Again, I apologize – the amount is $3 Billion, not 9. Sorry. I just wish the World would stop using bombs and bullets as a solution to a problem. WAR IS NOT A SOLUTION – it's more like polution, it leaves destruction whereever it goes. And I thought the World was going GREEN – has anyone marketed this theory to the Middle East yet? If so, I think they got the wrong power point presentation, b/c GREEN does not mean GREED. Reach out people and speak up for PEACE – stop the GENOCIDE.

~ and thank you Rick for giving the World a voice to be heard, whether we are against Israel / the Hamas or for Palestine, everyone has the right to their voice (thank you to the people blogging what they are actually experiencing in Gaza). You are giving everyone an opportunity to speak out and share with others the 'news' just by using the Internet as a tool of communication for all to share. It gives a new meaning to 'reach out and touch someone'. Now that is called UNITING HUMANITY. Keep up the good work!

enrique: people read what they want to read, and hear what they want to hear. Whether they are correct or not, makes no difference to them. All they know is they have an opinion and even the FACTS cannot change their beliefs. Unfortunately, people are often too quick to comment without knowing the facts, and in the end, they are the ones who are ill informed. They are the racists and bigots, who for some reason, feel the need to hate others.
I am thankful we live in a society where we are free to voice our opinions, but at the same time, when hatred against another person for political, racial or religious reasons comes into play, it makes me feel ashamed.

Joe The Plumber is going to Israel as a journalist for PJTV!!!

Pray harder, the Israelites are going to be interviewed by this weirdo.

Israelis have typically been quick, intelligent, and effective. Had all covert action against Hamas been explored?

The sad fact is that Israel is "The Big Dog" in the region and takes unilateral actions because it knows that the other "big Dog' is watching its back.. I do not agree with all that Palestinians do, but I also despair at the way Israel is allowed to do what it likes , when it likes.

Perhaps the decision to "do away" with Hamas once and for all has been made at the "highest levels" and this is the start.

So because the mexicon cartels are starting to kill journalist we should legalize drugs. And rick do you think that if we legalize drugs that all these mexicon dirt bags will go strait Ha Ha what a joke.Maybe if they start to kill senaters something will be done. We need to kill them all thats the only way. Or maybe we could just make drugs legal and give the country to mexico And cuba wouldnt that be great. Only whites are racist and only blacks are poor. and its all the white mans fault.

A 14-year old was told by his father to don a uniform, and he does so willingly because he was trained in this thinking since he was nine. He is given a ground missle to launch, heads for the nearest preschool, and aims it at you. Do you: 1) forgive him and die because he is only 14, 2) decide not to retaliate (because he missed) because he was forced or cojoled into doing this? or 3) defend yourself (assume you have no where to run to, and he just killed your sister).
Is the 14-year old a willing combatant even though he is a minor by the culture of the USA? In his own world, in their culture, he is a man, a willing combatant and part of the war.
In 2001, an Arab mother interviewed in an article about 9/11 said "We will give birth to many babies so we can send them to fight you!" Is this mother a willing participant in the war? She is determined to provide soldiers, knowing they will be killed. Isn't she in fact a combatant without a uniform?
Our cultural ideas about who is a minor and who is a warrior were shaped by American culture and Christian ethics. When will Americans realize that the Middle East is a completely different culture with a different mindset about who is part of a war?
Yes, some Palestinians are forced, others escaped, as witnessed this weekend. However, many Palestinian "civilians" are willing participants in this war, and cannot escape retribution.

Hey Rick why doesn't CNN show the 9/12 tape of the Palestinians cheering and dancing in the streets that approx. 3,000 deaths occured on 9/11. Just do a Google search "Palestinians cheering 9/11 attack".

Hey Joe the plumber... We need to think of the Palestinian situation with honesty and clarity. Gaza is a virtual prison, all because on American dishonesty in siding with and supplying Israel with political and material support to maintain the status quo in Gaza – 1.5 million imprisoned people. Over 3 billion of US aid to Israel every year. Where’s the justice?

Dear Enrique,

Thanks for your comments on my previous post protesting the state of Israel's out-of-proportion violent reaction against the innocent people of Gaza. Is it your feeling that one cannot be against the use of modern deadly weapons to attack and kill civilians without being antisemitic? Regardless of one's religion it is important that people the world over stand up for peace and against such savagery no matter who is perpetrating it.

Of course there have been reprehensible acts of revenge back and forth over the years in the middle east. It lis time to stand up for an end to such a dangerous situation. The world is now too small to allow it to continue decade after decade.

hey Rick " Israel-Palestinian instead of pointing fingers to each other their should be cleaning their houses from diseases like zionist movement and arabs gangs like hamas and hezbollah in lebanon.Gabrielle Shaler israel ambassador tell you that is not a problem of proportionallity or a problem of factors and not a equation that all that blood is not on their hands is on hamas hands wow" what a great insight with ambassadors like that no wonder Israel will never solve this eternal conflict and this is a Fact miss Gabrielle. now the interview with hard headed Diana Buttu if she the legal adviser of the PLO she deserve what happen to her when Greg Barrett call her Wrong on her one side comments about this conflict he kick her out of the program" Rick you where great as a diplomat to let her talk her side why? she always come with the same line Israel are blaming the victims and Palestinian are being kill with US weapons" no wonder she defend hamas but she do not care were they get their weapons and rockets she is What an advisor? this war is very clear that it will be resolve by war or by the outside international community.

What is going on in Israel could have been avoided. In 1948, when Britian and America decided to finance and back the establishment of a Jewish State on Palestinian land, they should have anticipated the long term consequences of strong arming someone's land from under their feet. The Jews went into Palestine armed to the teeth, and they "took" the land of the Palestinians. They displaced 750,000 Palestinians, who to this very day are still refugees. From what reasoning does Israelis think when it comes to their actions? Do they think that they can commit a crime and get away with it? Life just does not work that way. You reap what you sow. What goes around come around. The Palestinians will never stop fighting against the Israelis. This war is the beginning of something much, much bigger to come. It's Hamas today, and Iran tomorrow. Armaggedon is here.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the Jews are the aggressors. They provoked this entire situation a long time ago. Read history, read the Balfour Agreement, and see what the western powers did to secure their interest in that region. It was all about oil from the start. It may have been about religion for many Jews, but the powers that be had another agenda in mind. Many of the Jews, as well as the Palestinians, are are the victoms of political interest. It is a very unfortunate state of affairs for both sides. However, Israel, as the undisputed military power in the region, has a responsibility to practice a higher sense of restraint when dealing with their neighbors. They clearly have the upper hand. One would expect a lot more from a nation of people who claim to have been the victoms of oppression and hatred themselves. Where is their compassion and beneficience for those that they've displaced?

It's high time the people of illonios do something tangible and get ride of corrupt and irresponsible man

im from illinois and ashamed of or governor what a liar he doesnt do anything for people south of I-80 dig your seof deeper blogo

Just to clarify a couple of points, Jameel and Tooma, Prior to 1948, Palestine was not a country whose land was stolen. It was part of the Ottoman Empire until the end of the First World War. Turkey lost the land in question for betting on the wrong horse. The League of Nations (the newly formed brainchild of Woodrow Wilson) divided the land into the British and French mandates that came in order to create a peaceful transition in a land with obscure and/or non-existent borders.

The British did not support the United Nations resolution to establish the state of Israel. They were one of ten nations to abstain from that vote because they had a pretty good idea of what was to come if Israel became a reality.

The Palestinians who were displaced put themselves in that position for leaving Israel when advised to do so by neighbouring Islamic nations who swore to kill all Jews and drive Israel into the sea.

They were told they would take over land owned by Jews once they had been disposed of. Unfortunately for those who heeded the warning and left, the ensuing war did not go their way. They then became displaced. Those Palestinians and Arabs who did not leave and accepted the new order became full citizens of Israel with all the rights and benefits of Jewish Israelis.

Its tough to lose when you are playing for keeps but such are the fortunes of war.

It is antisemitic to hold the Jews, or Israel, for that matter to a higher moral standard than anybody else, or their opponents (Hamas has refused to renounce terrorism).

Let me say it laud, I DO NOT SUPPORT KILLING CHILDREN, WOMEN AND MEN. ISRAEL has:
1) occupied Palestinian's lands 65 years ago
2) murdered many people, AND destroyed villages since then
3) Imprisoned many young men because they were not OK with occupation
4) Belittled Palestinians and weakened them
5) Moved people out of their """HOMES"""" to build Jewish settlements
6) Closed the boarders across GAZA from receiving humanitarian aids (==imprisoned 1.4 million people)
7) burned people with white Gas, killed small children in schools, killed pregnant women in their homes, and many many more crimes
;
;
1000,000) and millions other crimes in that land

And now my questionS to myself are:
1) why should we stand with Israel,
2)why should our taxes go to Israelis pockets?
3) why should we ignore what Israel has done in the past 65 years
4) why should we expect people around the world to like us?
5) what do we have to say to justify our silence and ignorance of those crimes which initiated by Israelis?
6) who is responsible for terrorist groups in middle east?
7) for what reason they could start to think about terror if Israel had not started his crimes and if US and Britain had not supported him?
if we are proud of our liberation and freedom, what kind of freedom Palestinians have in their own land?

will you post my comments? I DON'T THINK SO!

Dear Lawrence Devine,

I agree with most of the comments you made. I am a Jew myself and do like to see Jews succeed in many aspects, but do not see any reason for having a Jewish state, and killing so many people to achieve this goal.

I live in US and do not see any problem for a Jew, or Christian to live in US where no state is called Jewish or Christian. The stories that "some" of Jewish people believe in terms of the promised land and ... is absolutely falsified. The promised land belonged to Moses era, where his people were in so much poverty and suffering, and they got what they were promised and they lost it as it was predicted in Torah. That story ended 2500 years ago. If we were supposed to live in the same place as our ancestors, now we all had to leave US and go back to the point that Adam lived in the first day.

The news in GAZA breaks so many Jewish hearts. We are not happy with what a minority of Jews are doing in that part of the world and we pray for an end to this crisis.

Hey Jim, you are so right. I saw a movie that showed it all. Jews killed Jesus, and did not believe in him, otherwise they would have become Christians. Don't know much about Palestine-Israel conflict, but it looks like Jews are again trying to catch up with their racism beliefs which has been held back for many centuries. Why on earth they want to establish a Jewish country on Palestine, while Palestinians are wiped out from their own home country? this is racism.

I also heard that they have recently killed 300 kids in 10 days in Palestine, and nobody in US even Obama said a word. Something strange is going on!

What is happening in Gaza is all Arab's faults. Egypt is an Arabic country and has closed its borders on Palestinians. They have helped Israel to imprison Palestinians and massacre them in a prison that nobody has access to and nobody will find out what really is happening. Egyptions are to be blamed as much as Israelis are. And you people who are defending Israel for what they are doing, SHAME ON ALL OF YOU!

SHAME ON ARABS FOR NOT defending Palestinians.
SHAME ON everyone who is OK with this massacre.

Mrs. Israel, Keep your prisoners hungry and expect them to thank you and expect your citizens to live in peace? You are such a bird brain!

Republican's Need a Complete Face Lift! Thanks to President Bush, Dick Cheney and Co.

Collateral Damage / War is War
{taken from my book CIRCLES IN THE SAND]...hope that's kosher!!

When I was in Lebanon during the Israeli invasion,
a soldier said he had his machine gun aimed at a tank, now stuck in the sand, seemingly alone with no survivors. As the wind blowing was the only sound heard, he felt a presence. Soon, as sweat beat down his face, he noticed a small shadow... it was a young boy with a machine gun now aiming right back to the man soldier. What were his choices? To kill this boy or to be killed? What do you think you would do in a war situation? Remember, or try to imagine scenes where is destruction and threatening life experiences occurring–we often see everyone running–each man for himself... what was he going to do?

My eyes, heart, and soul have seen that not only women get abused..
CNN shed light that it is not PRIMARILY WOMYN - I had a bit of an awakening of a different kind. They were showing young men-soldiers-in Russia.. being beaten verociously; kicked, punched, made to stand in impossible positions. As the newscaster announced that the young boy who was severely beaten and given no hospital care now had to have his legs and testicles removed and was in better health! Oh lord... and yesterday, watching the young boys being soldiers in Africa, in Palestine, in Lebanon–it's all they know.