I believe that there should be engagement since the bloodshed on both sides serves no purposes and violence only begets more violence in a never ending cycle.

Successful cases include the IRA in Ireland as well. If Hamas is serious about the welfare of the people, it is now in a position to do so. Israel has been carrying out acts of violence as well but it would mostly be in response to the large number of attacks carried out by its own citizens or as pre-emptive strike such as operation Spring of Youth carried out in the past.

I mean I find it hard to believe that any government would be supported in engaging a group which operates its own militancy wing instead of thru diplomacy.

If Hamas is really interested in peace, why its refusal to dismantle its militancy wing?

I believe that you are not thinking critically. Why is it that when Hamas carries out bombings, they are deemed terrorists but when Israel carries out bombings, it is legitimate self-defense? You are already harbouring a bias that prevents you from seeing things from another perspective.

And, since you say that when we are under threat we should not sit there to wait to be struck down, then why can’t Hamas be said to be under threat and taking pre-emptive strikes of their own? Again, I see that you are harbouring a deeply entrenched bias.

I am not trying to put a judgment on who is right or wrong but I am deeply disturbed by the rhetoric employed. Why is it that one party is always being labelled a terrorist? Should we not question this labelling and ask if there are alternative interpretations to the issue? Is it more convenient to call someone else terrorist and then have a blank cheque to deal with these people through violent means?

You would have to understand that since the formation of the state of Israel, they have been condemned and threatened with annihilation, not just plain destruction.

Events such as the six-day wars as well as when all the surrounding countries invaded Israel at one shot. The yom-kippur war which is a jewish holiday. Not to mention the various terrorists infiltrating their borders.

All this combined has created a constant state of war and under seige mentality within Israel and not to mention the thousands who died defending their loved ones.

If you were jewish and having to suffer for simply being a jew for decades, I can understand that it would be anathema for them to engage people who in the first place chose violence and spill blood of innocence people.

Hamas being a terrorist outfit still engages in the primary business of causing death and fear. Most of the people could simply be mercenaries that are trigger happy. I find that you comparing the merits of terrorist outfits and arriving that one should hold talks with them on the argument that they are more “compassionate” kinda misses the fact that these are terrorist outfits from the start.

Your comment that us and israel are not saints either is true but if you are under threat will you sit and wait for it to strike? Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes the bear gets you. But if you sit there doing nothing, the bear will keep coming all the time fo you as he is emboldened.

Sadly as Israel has proven, counter -terrorism is best when the same tactics are taken to the terrorists themselves resulting in innocent blood split. The common people always loses.

The Saudis tried to play a leadership role (by brokering the Makkah Accord between the Palestinian factions) and recently Yemen tried to do the same but to no avail. Notwithstanding all this, I think the Arabs should keep trying.

The US-sponsored Annapolis was a breath of fresh air but now the Middle East is complicated by too many concurrent problems entangled together in a mess. Apart from the Israel/Palestine issue, Iran has its nuclear issue, Iraq remains unstable, Lebanon is politically uncertain and Syria still leans towards the Iranian camp.

No easy solution in sight but perhaps a new US administration can come up with a better policy and vision for the region.

http://whoisaracist.blogspot.com/