Part 6 Norman Finkelstein on Gaza - Education and War Crimes 1 of 2

Early speculation on the motive behind Israels slaughter in Gaza that began on 27 December 2008 and continued till 18 January 2009 centered on the upcoming elections in Israel. The jockeying for votes was no doubt a factor in this Sparta-like society consumed by revenge and the thirst for blood, where killing Arabs is a sure crowd-pleaser. (Polls during the war showed that 80-90 percent of Israeli Jews supported it.) But as Israeli journalist Gideon Levy pointed out on Democracy Now!, Israel went through a very similar wartwo-and-a-half years ago [in Lebanon], when there were no elections. When crucial state interests are at stake, Israeli ruling elites seldom launch major operations for narrowly electoral gains. It is true that Prime Minister Menachem Begins decision to bomb the Iraqi OSIRAK reactor in 1981 was an electoral ploy, but the strategic stakes in the strike on Iraq were puny; contrary to widespread belief, Saddam Hussein had not embarked on a nuclear weapons program prior to the bombing. The fundamental motives behind the latest Israeli attack on Gaza lie elsewhere: (1) in the need to restore Israels deterrence capacity, and (2) in the threat posed by a new Palestinian peace offensive.

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[amareto35]

if only the Saudis, and I REPEAT the Saudis cut the oil from US unless Israel behaves like humans, believe me we will see different kind of attitude like the oil crisis in 1973. Remember King Faysal, when he cut the oil from the US in 1973 and he told them he knows how to ride camel and eat dates and he desn't NEED air conditioning, what had happened? The congress passed law to reduce the speed limits so pple. can SAVE gas. Remember it was only the Saudis. imagine if Kuwait, UAE, Iraq, follows..

[unikeme]

i cried listen to all of the parts of this talk

[ismaelOnTheGround]

Palestinians fired rockets and mortar shells at Israel, with the declared purpose of striking Israeli civilians. These attacks killed three Israeli civilians and one member of the Israeli security forces, and wounded dozens. Nine soldiers were killed within the Gaza Strip, four by friendly fire. More than 100 soldiers were wounded, one critically and 20 moderately to seriously.

All of this in the Gaza strip between 27 December 2008 and 18

January 2009

[ismaelOnTheGround]

Israel also caused enormous damage to residential dwellings, industrial buildings, agriculture and infrastructure for electricity, sanitation, water, and health, which was on the verge of collapse prior to the operation. According to UN figures, Israel destroyed more than 3,500 residential dwellings and 20,000 people were left homeless.

[ismaelOnTheGround]

@moishe1983 ok so According to "THE ISRAELI INFORMATION CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES". "1,385 Palestinians were killed, 762 of whom did not take part in the hostilities. Of these, 318 were minors under age 18. More than 5,300 Palestinians were wounded, of them over 350 seriously so."

[moishe1983]

@ismaelOnTheGround are you retarded, the nazi's rounded up the jews and exterminated them. The jews never waged a war on the Nazis. If you look at the majority of deaths?? wheres your proof? The reality is that Arabs are glorifying jihad and shayid against Israel. Hamas charter calls for destruction of Israel and they commit lots of terrorist acts. Self defense is natural, nay mandatory, Israel avoids civillian casulties Hamas looks for women and children to bomb on buses etc that is the differn

[ismaelOnTheGround]

@moishe1983 The jews always defend themselves against defenceless people... just like the Nazis defended themselves against the jews in the holocaust. If you look at the majority of the deaths in Palestine they are woman and children, I can show you on google if you like. Also i’m not telling you to agree with Dr. Norman, all I’m saying is don’t attack him personally and look at the content of what he’s saying.

[moishe1983]

@ismaelOnTheGround why do i have to disagree with a self hating jew, and be called a coward? whats a hero an organisation that recruits young people to cmmit suicide and be a shayid, which is glorified? the very sanctity of life they have total disregard for it. Israel pulled its citizens out of gaza, gave them autonomy and were rewarded with over 4000 rockets, what would you do to defend your citizens nothing? any other country would have done the same, but if your jewish...then ur evil right?

[ismaelOnTheGround]

@moishe1983 I see you can't argue what he's saying...again. I guess that makes you a cowered jew.

[moishe1983]

what a self hating jew... why dont you go live in iran and tell me how much you like it there....what a joke am yisroel chai!!!!!!! ISRAEL will live forever!!!!!