Israel Ground Invasion

I am a Palestinian from Gaza who lived under the Israeli occupation. Take my unsolicited advice as you would take the advice of your college roommate, the one you must share a space with peace.

Instead of pleading with the Israelis to accept the two-state solution, the US should simply ask the Israelis to end their military control of Arab lands occupied in June 1967.

In the war's aftermath it is important that attention be paid not only to Gaza's physical wounds and its immediate humanitarian needs, but to the psychic wounds of the survivors.

Given the overwhelming odds facing a two-state solution, a strong American negotiating presence will be necessary, of a sort not seen since... well, ever.

"Patients died on the floor of the operating room because we had only six operating rooms," said Dr. Saeed Abuhassan. "And really we don't know enough about the kinds of weapons that have been used against Gaza."

Here is the obvious strategy to Gaza crisis that is being whispered about and probably has the best chance of succeeding and stopping the craziness and bloodshed.

As we peer into the abyss, we believe that the establishment of a War Crime Tribunal needs to be supported both by Israel's friends as well as by supporters of Palestine.

If Israel were ever to be charged with "war crimes," that would mark the end of international human rights law as a neutral arbitrator of conduct.

We can't ignore this fact: Gaza is becoming not the embryo of the so-desired Palestinian State, but the advance base of a total war against the Jewish State.

"The U.S.-Al Qaeda conflict appears to be showing some signs of slowing down, at least temporarily, as Barack Obama and Osama bin Laden agreed on terms for a cease-fire." Sound familiar? Perhaps from the pages of The Onion?

If you are looking for a better source of news on this catastrophe, may I recommend Paul Woodward's War in Context.

From the civilian deaths in Gaza will spring more hatred and terrorism. Yet no people are so prone as Americans and Israelis to think admiringly of our own good intentions.

It might be pushing the envelope to call Obama the peacemaker here, but it's hard to deny that his impending entrance to the world stage has an effect.

To me, Gaza is personal. As an Israeli infantry officer, I served in Gaza before, during, and after the 2005 Disengagement.

Today, at least two UN officials have flatly declared that three or more white phosphorous shells were part of the attack today that set a UN building and compound ablaze in Gaza City.

The losses on both sides will be all in vain if the final outcome of the war does not substantially improve both the prospects for an eventual Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The absence of international journalists from the streets of Gaza allowed Israeli spokespersons to spin the rational of the war mostly unopposed.

While there certainly is an underlying rivalry between Israel and Iran that has come to fuel many other otherwise unrelated conflicts in the region, not every war Israel fights is related to Iran.

Why is it so easy to blame the Jews as aggressors even when it is clear beyond the shadow of a doubt that they are the innocent victims?

Surely Israel has as much right to defend its citizens as did the United States and Great Britain during World War II. Why then is Israel singled out for such ferocious criticism?

Not in my name and not for me did you go into this war. The bloodbath in Gaza is not in my name nor for my security. Behind this accursed leadership of Hamas live human beings.

On January 11, an estimated 10,000 people rallied in front of the Israeli consulate in New York in support of Israel's attack on Gaza. The event was a festive affair that began and ended with singing and joyous dancing.

The first reason for a ceasefire now is to stop the killing. The second is to ensure that a year or two from now we are not all wishing that Hamas was still in charge.

Israel has accused Hamas of intentionally attacking from civilian-populated areas, driving up casualties among non-combatants to provoke anger against Israel. But do children have to pay the price?