"Hamas is targeting deliberately kindergartens and schools and citizens and civilians because this is according to their values. Our values are completely different. We are trying to target Hamas, which hides among civilians."

- Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

We all need to start using proper word "GENOCIDE" to describe the actions of Israelis against Palestinian nation.
In 1944 Raphael Lemkin a Polish-Jewish lawyer sought to describe German actions of the deliberate and systematic destruction of the European Jews, Gypsies and others. He formed the word "genocide" by combining "geno" from the Greek word for race and "cide" from the Latin word for killing.
16 October 1940 Germans established Warsaw Ghetto then one month later
they closed off the Warsaw Ghetto from the outside world as Israelis did to Gaza Strip 50 years later. Israelis call thys a "genocide", guess how they call the same actions 50 years later a "seciurity barrier".
18 January 1943 Jewish with help of Polish Home Army and People's Guard started “Warsaw Ghetto Uprising” they called themselves a "freedom fighters", guess how they call Palestinians now – "terrorists".
How do you call a victims of past crime of "genocide" who later in time committing very similar crime against others. Logical people usually call they actions a "GENOCIDE".
Did the Israelis learn from their own history "Not a bit".

This is State-Terrorism... nothing less.

Israel's lies about conducting a "defensive" war and not targeting civilians must be clear to anyone with a minimum of brains. Is the Islamic University a Hamas stronghold? Israel bombed it today. Are police stations Hamas strongholds? Israel is targeting them. In fact, Israel is targeting the civilian infrastructure--just as it did in Lebanon two years ago. World leaders will never go on record of criticising Israel, so it is up to the people--BOYCOTT ALL ISRAELI GOODS!

Howard: "The people of Palestine elected Hamas in free and fair elections widely monitored, and Hamas has brought the wrath of Israel down on them again."

"Free and fair elections" unacceptable to the Bush Administration or the Israeli government.

I've read your comment several times, Howard. I highly recommend you read some history starting with a timeline from biblical days through the Kingdom of Judah and its fall, and then what happened to the Jews, the different branches and different genetic lineages, and all the nations and areas they settled in or were brought to as slaves and then travelled on as free people.

Then read the history of Zionism, available by various Jewish and non-Jewish writers and scholars, and what happened when Zionists settled in Palestine in the 1920's and even before, and then to the present day.

Then read what happened after The Holocaust and the decisions and opinions of U.S. presidents, including their personal papers, and other world leaders of the time, and how many and who of the Holocaust victims came to Israel.

Then read the history of the Palestinians and what happened to them before and after Israel became a nation-state.

Read the histories of Israel's leaders, generals, prime ministers, leadership of opposing parties, and their decisions and intentions regarding Palestinians, and their conduct and the aftermath of various battles.

Also read about the terrorist organization Rahm Emanuel's father belonged to before and after Israel became a recognized nation-state, and what his role and activities were, and why. And then examine the differences between a Hamas fighter and an Israeli fighter who were/are called terrorists.

A grave injustice has been done here to a SEMITIC people who lived in Palestine for a thousand years and were and are called Palestinians. Perhaps 200, likely less, Jewish families, SEMITIC peoples, whose lineage went back to biblical times, lived side by side with the Palestinians for centuries. Read what happened to the Palestinians and their ancestral lands, and their treatment for 60 years when they were ejected from their homes and lands after Israel became a nation-state.

Then read and examine the relationship between Israel and the United States government and earlier, with European powers, and what's that all about strategically and financially.

Harry Truman, who courted the Jewish vote in the 1948 election, was warned by Secretary of State, General [ret.) George C. Marshall that recognizing the statehood of Israel would bring nothing but trouble to the mid-east and the world. Truman joked: But last I knew there were more Jewish votes here than Arab votes. Political expediency has a way of nibbling away at ethics and morals, and Truman over-all had a great deal of integrity, but he was a politician who wanted to serve another term of office in the presidency.

Not too long after Israel was recognized as a nation-state, Truman became irritated and said he didn't want to talk to any of the Israeli leaders anymore. "They never can get enough. No matter what I do, they are always complaining. They are never satisfied. They always want more." TRUMAN LIBRARY, personal papers.

Sorry, I can't buy what you are saying, Howard. Your information is faulty and skewed. Get the whole picture, and you will find the angels and the devils and everyone in between dancing a very, very complex dance through many, many years of history.

But regardless, Israel is engaged in a genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza. Read the Genocide Convention of the United Nations, and its history too, and what constitutes genocide. Out of five criteria, what Israel is doing fits three of them to a T, and doing any one of them is enough to call it Genocide.

peace - /cm

The high civilian casualties show the success of the strategy that has been employed since the very beginning of the Israel / Palestinian conflict.... of doing exactly what Israel claims.... Placing targets in areas that will maximize civilian casualties. The reaction of most people to this carnage shows the success of this, though the responsibility lies with Hamas which as with previous Palestinian group is using their civilians for maximum public outrage effect. This is exactly the same as if criminals in our country committed a criminal outrage and instigated an armed conflict with police, then retreated into a schoolyard full of children to fight it out with the law. It is reprehensible and criminal... and with these barbarians it is standard operating procedure. Attack and kill Israeli civilians......always these "courageous freedom fighters" kill civilians..... human bombs in nightclubs, and on buses, hijackings, rape and murder, etc...... until the government MUST respond..... then retreat to places where innocents are guaranteed to die. Should Israel NOT respond? Should they allow their citizens to be murdered? The Palestinians have shown themselves time and again not to be fit to join the community of civilized nations, not only by their barbaric strategies but by their constant and inevitable sabotage of any and all peace process.
After over 40 years of watching the same scenario played out over and over, I have no patience with these people. The people of Palestine elected Hamas in free and fair elections widely monitored, and Hamas has brought the wrath of Israel down on them again.
It is the responsibility of governbments to protect and defend and serve the interests of their people. That includes making the consequences of attacking them to high to be acceptable to enemies. Hamas has done the opposite. They have repeatedly provoked Israel and brought down this consequence upon their people. This constant provocation has resulted in the blockade of Gaza, and now the current crisis, and their cries for sympathy and for the condemnation of their oppressor are falling on deaf ears...... They have done this too many times..... This need not be happening.... they themselves have made their own bed and find it to harsh.

Howard

So this is Israel's 'final solution' for the Palestinians. How far this terrorist State come all these years ... in flagrant violation of every imaginable International Law, in complete violation of any standards of ethics or morality ... they continue inexorably towards what can only be assumed is their version of the Final Solution.

There is no targeted killing by Israel. That was evident in their murder of Lebanese civilians in 2006. What we are seeing is pure genocide. Nothing more and nothing less....Paid for by the US taxpayer.