Has anyone else noticed the difference in Israeli and Palestinian targets?

Question

It never fails to amaze me that we hear of Palestinians attacking bus stations and markets in Israel, and of the Israeli retaliation against ministerial buildings and houses of known militants.

Basically Palestine, and the majority of the arab world, does not admit that Jewish people have a right to live. So their militants attack civilians including women and children, and fire rockets into peaceful neighborhoods (this is a perfect example of terrorism).

On the other hand, Israel retaliates by first dropping leaflets to palestinians telling their civilians to stay away from Hezbollah buildings, then by bombing those buildings.

I feel like the differences are huge, and any nation that defends its citizens from murderous attacks with military action should be commended.

* to Wondering *

Palestine openly states that Israel and the Jewish people have no right to live. (Breath air, walk the face of the earth, etc). Then, they move into land which is clearly defined by International Law as Israel's land, and start killing Jews. Then, Israel tries to keep the peace by backing out of whole towns, letting Palestinians live in them for free. Then, Palestinians kill more Jews. Israel starts attacking militants, defending their own right TO LIVE, and the world screams bloody murder. Where is the logic in that?

* to TwilightWalker97 *

Sure, Israel is not a perfect country, and sure, there are powerful, greedy, and self-righteous men in leadership positions of every government of the world. HOWEVER, this doesn't change the fact that Jews have a right to live, does it? Arabs want all Jews dead, (not my opinion, it's their official position) and Jews want Arabs to stop killing them, so they fight back.

Answer 1

Ok, I'm a liberal in most areas. I believe in compassion, in democratic superiority over republicans, etc. Heck, I'm even openly lesbian to everyone I meet.

HOWEVER, I have no idea how anyone can think that Israel is a terrorist nation.

It just doesnt make sense. I've read the news, I've seen exactly what you are talking about. It always seems to be dead bus passengers in Israel, and dead soldiers in Palestine.

I see a nation defending it's borders; not against illegal immigrants, but against suicide bombers and rocket attacks. I don't think anyone, (including all of my liberal friends) would have a problem with tighter border security if the Mexican immigrants were bringing dynamite strapped to their chests and blowing up grandmas in the market in San Antonio.

The difference is, here we are dealing with a peaceful people who only want better jobs and a better place to live. In Israel, the Jewish people are dealing with nations on every side who want them and all of their children (and grandchildren, mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., etc.) to die.

How can this be "unprovoked acts of attrition" when Israel chooses to defend their own lives with some superior fire-power?

Answer 2

Israel: I hope they know what they're doing.
I won't get the "best answer" selection in this post because I will just tell you the truth.
Hezbollah does not have the technology nor the firepower to attack Israel's government. So they attack elsewhere. This occurs under every circumstance where there is a huge variance in the balance of power. True, it's not okay for Hezbollah to attack women and children. But if diplomacy runs its course to no avail, they will attack where they may, not where they cannot. The capabilities of the Israeli forces are well ahead of the capabilities of Hezbollah. We garner popular support by calling these acts "terrorism," but everytime someone is terrified by us, we are terrorists. All the worse when we target the sick, and the old. I don't blame Israel for retaliating, but I also cannot blame anyone whose father/mother/son/daughter etc. has been killed in raids by Israel for being thirsty for vengeance. If Israel backs off within a week, which I expect, perhaps some of the damage can be undone. If Israel kills everyone in sight, there will be MUCH bigger fish to fry.
My main point in posting here is to say that fighting wars takes many forms. Not everyone has F-15Es and laser-guided bombs. Some people are forced to just hit wherever, whenever, and however they can. I'm trying to recall the term... asymmetrical warfare. So, the solution is to end the fighting. If not, all Israelis should have rifles, so as to repel anyone and everyone who steps foot in their country. Not going to be popular in the region. How about ending the fighting.

Answer 3

Perhaps you may be looking at it in a subconsciously biased way, take a moment to step back and consider this, please.

Americans have done many similar things to those we attack the next day. How many attacks of civilian targets have been reported as 'accidental'? How many haven't been reported at all? Our goverment, despite being "headed" by Bush, whom I will leave insultless here, is a very powerful entity, and even though they apparently have their organization to work out, they still get things done very effectively overseas and abroad. Israel has taken lessons from us, and may have dropped those leaflets you speak of simply to make their actions seem less agressive to those who would defend them. Israel is the holy homeland to many many people, but it is also a sovereign nation that has interests and desires, like America, like these Arab countries, and they all have one thing in common. They are all predominantly run by powerful men who are comfortable in their positions, most of which are greedy for one thing or the other, power, money, fame, finding a good moral nation is as rare as finding an honest veteren politician.

Answer 4

The "Palestinians" took prisoner three Israeli soldiers. While thousands of Palestinians are in Israeli prisons. How does Israel react! Bomb Lebanon to the middle ages. They show us only sanitized pictures. Do the Palestinians have the 'luxury' of announcing where they will attack? No. They do not have jest and sophisticated equipment.
They both are terrorists -- one is a 'state', the other wants to be a 'state'. Either we must ENFORCE all UN resolutions OR everyone get out and let them sort it themselves.

Answer 5

People are trying to be sympathetic of the other side of the story, which is understandable. However, they fail to acknowledge the fact that Israel offers Palestinians full rights as citizens....And that a Palestinian can join the courts and create its own political party! Working w/in the system, rather than against the system might be in everyones favor....

Answer 6

This answer is to "wondering's" response. Yes, there are alot of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, however there are Palestinians in the Israeli courts and THEY TOO have found those prisoners guilty of the crimes they have been accused of (such as the Palestinian man who was arrested with bombs strapped to his chest in the middle of a crowded shopping center- he was arrested when his bomb failed to detonate properly).. And we must not forget the father who had a huge bomb in a nice sized teddy bear laying next to his son in the buggy as he wheeled it into a crowded restaurant, ready to kill his own son in order to kill Jews. Those who do such things deserve to be in prison, and the Palestinians in the Israeli courts were the majority of those who voted guilty and had them thrown into prison.

What is very under reported, is the fact that MOST Israelis and MOST Palestinians (I am talking general population, everyday citizens, not radicals) want peace, and are willing to share land, and share neighborhoods. It is the radicals who perpetrate suicide bombings that keep the conflict going.

And for the persons who keep bringing up Bush-- remember, it was not too long ago that we (the USA) had a ship near Israel and was intercepting Israeli communications and passing those top secret communications onto the Palestinians and Israel bombed our ship (I do not recall if anyone was hurt or not).

Unlike us in the USA who, up until 9/11/2001 would allow people to bomb our ships, bomb our embassies, kill our people, etc. Israel does not sit and wait for attack after attack after attack to happen to them- they get attacked, they strike back. But unlike the radical Palestinians (terrorists), Israel strikes at specific targets- suicide bombers, etc. and NOT at individuals.

In the current attack on Lebanon, two hours before Israel sent it's first missle into Lebanon, they flew planes over, dropping leaflets for all of the citizens. These leaflets said "this area is going to be targeted, so please leave the area- we are not trying to hurt you, but we are trying to break up hezbulah" (not sure if I spelled that right) It went on to say specifically what targets were going to be hit, so citizens could avoid those areas and it went as far as telling them that they will help recovery and reconstruction work once the terrorists are gone. So to sit there and think Israel is this cruel and horrible place is just plain uneducated. Someone mentioned (either in this question or in another question) the kidnapped Israeli soldiers-- they mentioned something about 1 soldier's live versus the hundreds of citizens being killed. Israel does not target ordinary citizens and Israel has in the past battles helped (financially) the families of those hurt or killed by Israeli fire. Israel is after those who are perpetrating suicide bombings, kidnappings, and terrorist activities in their country. Israel is not targeting anyone that is innocent.

Now, those of you on here who are condemning Israel, I HIGHLY suggest you start doing your research and getting facts and not letting emotions/hatred/biggotry do the talking for you. Look for facts, not opinions-- you will go much further in life if you do so.

Answer 7

Point taken! I have noticed this for years. This conflict is never going to end, no matter who steps in or steps out. The world criticizes both sides for the fighting, but the fact is, the Palestinians want to eliminate Israel and the Isreali's. The Israeli's will continue to fight back for as long as they can. I hope for death to no one. I do not dance in the streets when I see innocent Palestinians killed on national television, even though they did it to us.

Answer 8

And Israel makes life unbearable for the Arabs. The misery the Zionist pigs bring about is unadultarated cruelty. A suicide bomber might take out a dozen Israelis in one swoop, but the swine insist on making people suffer in a prolonged manner.

Death to Israel.

Answer 9

Someone else put into perspective when they said "If the Arabs were to lay down their arms that would be the end of the war. If the Israeli's were to put down their arms it would be the end of Israel."

Answer 10

It might have something to do with the fact that the "terrorists" do not have 150 billion dollars worth of USA supplied guns, tanks, and planes and the Israelis do