...why does Hamas antagonize Israel to the point where they feel they HAVE TO respond? If they KNOW they are so outgunned, outmanned, outsupplied...then they should also KNOW that they will get creamed when Israel retaliates. This is why I get so frustrated when people are outraged about the response; if you know what's going to happen if you provoke them, then stop provoking them!
And I wish people on QL would stop making this a Jewish-Muslim fight. It's a national struggle between the Israelis and the Palestinians over a rather small piece of land. Why is it that everytime someone has an issue or a problem with someone who happens to be a Muslim, it suddenly becomes an assault on ALL of Islam?
You are right: Gaza is ridiculously crowded -- far too many people for such a small area. And obviously this has contributed to the rising toll of civilians killed in this current situation. They need more than just a tiny strip of land. They need their own country -- no question about it.
But I will say it again -- when Hamas builds tunnels under people's houses and has its fighters take position near schools and mosques, it's done on purpose, and they know the two possible results. If Israel shoots, they are bound to hit some civilians in the process, and then Hamas can use those innocent Palestinian injuries and deaths to their PR advantage (those awful murderous Israelis -- look what they did!). If Israel chooses not to take aim at militants near soft targets, then using human shields has given Hamas a strategic advantage and then as long as there are some kids or women or old people around to hide among, their militants can safely shoot and fire rockets into Israel.
From this, I can only conclude that Israel values the lives of its citizens more highly than Hamas values the lives of Palestinians. And that's kind of sad...I would hope that an elected government would care more about its people, and shouldn't simply view them as pawns that are expendable in the name of some greater struggle.
...why does Hamas antagonize Israel to the point where they feel they HAVE TO respond? If they KNOW they are so outgunned, outmanned, outsupplied...then they should also KNOW that they will get creamed when Israel retaliates. This is why I get so frustrated when people are outraged about the response; if you know what's going to happen if you provoke them, then stop provoking them!
And I wish people on QL would stop making this a Jewish-Muslim fight. It's a national struggle between the Israelis and the Palestinians over a rather small piece of land. Why is it that everytime someone has an issue or a problem with someone who happens to be a Muslim, it suddenly becomes an assault on ALL of Islam?
You are right: Gaza is ridiculously crowded -- far too many people for such a small area. And obviously this has contributed to the rising toll of civilians killed in this current situation. They need more than just a tiny strip of land. They need their own country -- no question about it.
But I will say it again -- when Hamas builds tunnels under people's houses and has its fighters take position near schools and mosques, it's done on purpose, and they know the two possible results. If Israel shoots, they are bound to hit some civilians in the process, and then Hamas can use those innocent Palestinian injuries and deaths to their PR advantage (those awful murderous Israelis -- look what they did!). If Israel chooses not to take aim at militants near soft targets, then using human shields has given Hamas a strategic advantage and then as long as there are some kids or women or old people around to hide among, their militants can safely shoot and fire rockets into Israel.
From this, I can only conclude that Israel values the lives of its citizens more highly than Hamas values the lives of Palestinians. And that's kind of sad...I would hope that an elected government would care more about its people, and shouldn't simply view them as pawns that are expendable in the name of some greater struggle.