Israel Declares War For The First Time Since 1973.

Unfortunately, Israel is such a "sacred cow", it is probably political suicide for Biden and other democrats to restrict funding to Israel. Handing off the U.S. government to tRump and the republicans will do the Palestinians no good.Moose

I would tend to think that the Palestinians are expected to fully disavow themselves of Hamas and, similarly the Lebanese are expected to disavow themselves of Hezbollah.Once those two conditions are met, foreign aid can be given and the tap fully opened. Otherwise, our position should continue to be that we will never negotiate with terrorists or terror organizations. Preventing starvation in the short term is another matter but perhaps it should be noted that Hamas often seizes and later controls distribution.

BBC:

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Good morning. If you're just waking up, here's the latest from Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, and beyond.

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On Sunday night, four Israeli soldiers were killed by a Hezbollah drone strike on a military base in Binyamina, south of Haifa. More than 50 other soldiers were injured

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Israel has continued its offensive in Gaza, with at least 15 people killed in an attack on a school sheltering hundreds of displaced Palestinians on Sunday. The Israel Defense Forces have not commented - but have previously accused Hamas of using civilian shelters as military bases
At the Israel-Lebanon border, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) says Israeli tanks forced their way into a main gate of one of their positions. The organisation says rounds were later fired toward the camp, causing minor injuries to 15 peacekeepers. The IDF has offered a different version of events - and says it approached the Unfil camp to evacuate two "seriously injured" soldiers.

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It appears that Hezbollah is employing the same strategy as Hamas in that they are intermingling with the general population and forcing Israel to pound civilian targets. (I mean, whats the alternative? Its a war.)Most analysts say that it is a foregone conclusion that Israel will hit Iran in some way. What that will lead to is more and more war. I wonder if Israel knows how overwhelming the odds are against them once Iran,Lebanon, and Palestine are ALL at war with them?About the war crimes, how is Israel going to prevent them without allowing Hezbollah and Hamas to employ hit and run tactics?

We're already in bed with a terrorist organization: --Percy

Israel is not a terrorist organization.Israel is in a war. What is Hezbollah and why is Israel attacking Lebanon?The Western states and Israel have labeled Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis as terror organizations. Apart from radical college students (and professors) you are the first OWG (old white guy) to have suggested that Israel is a terrorist organization. It is a war. Period. Civilians die, especially when the terror organizations hide amongst them.The US is also actively in this war. The following story is 5 hours old:
US deploys Thaad anti-missile system to Israel after Iranian attackAs for an Israeli counterattack on Iran, my guess is that US diplomacy is restraining Israel from random responses and is aware of Israels resolve to respond. The Biden administration is supporting Israel. Do you disagree with their diplomacy?It could well be that the US is restraining Israel from going nuclear.By labeling Israel as a terrorist organization, you are indicting each and every Israeli. Do you really want to go there? If someone launched a missile from afar and blew up your house, you may see a new perspective. This is not a game where the casualties "keep score" and the one who inflicts the most casualties is the most terrible.

The Palestinians are not at war. They are by and large homeless and starving. Hamas is the one firing what few rockets they have left. Hezbollah has many rockets but are no longer the ruling party in Lebanon. If Lebanon is smart, they will rise up and push Hezbollah out of their country. Or is that even possible?

When we sent that anti missile battery to Israel, we were providing defense. Nothing more. I see no mention that we were and are defending war crimes.Trust me, if the US abandons Israel it *will be* the beginning of World War III and the possible end of life as we know it. And by backing off, we wont be exempt from reprisals in such a war.

No one "trusts" anything you have to say. Still waiting for responses on other threads.

Moose,
Am I not civil enough for your tastes? If my comments are so awful why not comment on them? Or moderate them?If Phat is going to say such ridiculous things I am going to comment. Stupid comments deserve to be shown that they are stupid.

Hamas, Hezbollah and Fatah are terrorist organizations. What label would you place on a country that has killed more than 20 times more civilians? And they're committing war crimes. You seem to be fine with our support of a country committing war crimes. Do you ever listen to yourself? If recent history is any guide, Israel will use these weapons against innocent civilians. More war crimes. If a "random response" is one that targets civilians, then U.S. diplomacy is not restraining Israel at all. Of course. I've been saying this throughout this thread. I don't even see any diplomacy. I see us sending weapons to a country that is using them against innocent civilians. That's not restraining Israel, it's enabling them. Quite likely there are many Israelis who object to Netanyahu's campaign that indiscriminately targets civilians. I would hope that I would not lose my humanity as you have lost yours. Then by what criteria are you judging Hamas, Hezballah and Fatah more terrible than Israel?I agree with Theodoric that you are ignoring challenges to your views and are just repeating them over and over again, both here and in other threads.--Percy

You left out that they're being murdered by Israel.--Percy

The U.S. provides weaponry of all types to Israel. We are providing military support to a country that is committing war crimes. Yet another bald declaration with no evidence or argument. As you have yourself acknowledged, by it's behavior Israel is just perpetuating the problem by creating the next generation of terrorists.--Percy

From CNN: US suggests military aid to Israel is at risk in letter demanding more aid for Gaza:

CNN:

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The Biden administration sent a letter to the Israeli government demanding it act to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza within the next 30 days or risk violating US laws governing foreign military assistance, suggesting US military aid could be in jeopardy.

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The Sunday letter, jointly written by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, is addressed to Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant and Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer. It marks a significant new step by the US to try to compel Israel to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

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This is a positive step forward in U.S. policy but not enough. Certainly we must pressure Israel to allow aid to the Palestinian lives it is destroying, but we must also pressure them to stop destroying those lives.--Percy

Israel has a dilemma. These terror organizations NEVER come out and fight like men. They hide among their populations and employ cowardly hit-and-run tactics against Israel. Israel cannot very well keep from harming or killing civilians if these cowards wont come out and fight. Surely there is no way to win without harming civilians.

You're visiting Lebanon and stay in a local hotel. Hezbollah has based a terrorist cell in the hotel room next to yours and stocked it with weapons. Israel hits it with a missile, killing everyone within a hundred feet. This action has your posthumous approval?I note that you chose not to reply to all I said in the three messages I posted to you, Message 429, Message 320, Message 421. That doesn't make it okay when you later repeat your already rebutted positions yet again. Along with your humanity you seem to have lost your integrity and any sense of shame.--Percy

I agree that the old have a different mindset than the young (by and large.) The young see the injustices that the local populations have to endure and have endured, especially in times of war. Freedom of speech is a cherished right as is the action of nonviolent protests.One problem with such protests is that they are influenced by outside special interest groups that tend to be extreme. This has always been the case, though most colleges are much more liberal than conservative.