3 comments so far.Israel must do everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties – Tonio Borg
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Following the Israeli airstrikes, which are now said to have killed over 280 people in the Gaza Strip, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Tonio Borg has expressed his deep concern about the situation in the region.
Dr Borg called on Palestinian militants to halt all rocket attacks on Israel and said Israel must “do everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties.”
The strikes, the most intense Israeli attacks on Gaza for decades, come days after a truce with Hamas expired. Dr Borg said peaceful means were “the only way of reaching a lasting solution to the situation in Gaza” and called for support for the Palestinian government of Mahmoud Abbas.
“I am deeply concerned by continuing missile strikes from Gaza on Israel and by Israel’s response. These missile strikes are designed to cause random destruction and to undermine the prospects of peace talks led by President Abbas.
I understand the Israeli government’s sense of obligation to its population. Israel needs to meet its humanitarian obligations, act in a way to further the long-term vision of a two-state solution, and do everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties.
Everyone understands that Israel has a right to defend itself but violence would not lead to a resolution. In the end, the only progress will be political progress and a settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. That is what’s desperately needed,” concluded Dr Borg.
As the tension and bloodshed escalates, Israel’s cabinet approved a call-up of reservists today, as its military continued to attack Gaza.
Israeli tanks are now said to be deploying in southern Israel, close to the Gaza Strip, indicating that the air raids, which have caused the greatest loss of life in a single day in Gaza for more than 40 years, could soon escalate into a major ground offensive.
Political progress and a settlement between the Israelis and the Palestinians has been a dream I’ve heard about all my life. The problem is that I don’t think either side is all that interested in achieving this dream.
Hamas have been firing rockets into Israel for a long time now and over the past week. Israel warned them that action would be taken if this continued. The firing of rockets continued and Israel reacted with air strikes. The fact that civilians are killed in these raids is not avoidable since Hamas deliberately base their rockets in civilian areas.
Why do they do this? Because they are a terrorist organisation and by carrying out their operations against Israel from civilian areas they know that civilians will be killed and their leaders can go on TV and scream about the big bad Israelis. They were warned, they didn’t heed the warning so to hell with them.
Yes Tyrell to hell with them…. are you serious?
I understand the claims by Israel to put an end to what they claim to be an attack on their sacred land and people… whatever that might mean!
What is definitely true is that:
1) Hamas are a broken down weak leadership as the blockades have hindered not party but all men, women and children of Gaza. therefore the climate in Gaza is defenitely not one of leadership and whatever their “leadership” do with respect to renewing peace talks with the current conditions would have the whole strip turn against them or at least the armed men. Even more so now
2) Israel is a very big state with very big relations with very big countries. Its impressive their only option was one of retaliation. Who has power has choice. Therefore logically yes they do take things out of proportions
3) They have a military influence installed in news, education, politics and all that jazz. + an election is forthcoming as I know it with the new leader of the government in power being the same person who is responsible with Israel Gaza relations and military campaigns (correct me if im wrong here) so if an election is coming this new leader needs to give people a short term solution to a problem that didnt meet their expected results whatever these were and whatever series of events led to this new armageddon show in the middle east.
PS – I left the Iran out of the question on purpose. but my point simply is. Finger pointing is what it is … just simple and inconclusive.
Yes Joseph, I’m very serious. Speaking as someone who lived through over 30 years of so called freedom fighters killing innocent people I have no time for terrorists of any kind. If the Palestinian people can’t see what Hamas are doing to them then that’s their problem.