So what has the local government Hamas bone in the past year to take care of the problem?? They seem to a full fledged black market tunnel system to bring rockets, weapons, munitions, cigarettes and other vital goods into Gaza??

Maybe they should make somewhat of an effort to take care of their serious infrastructure needs.

Oh !!! I get it !!!!! If they did that, then they'd have to pay for it and do it themselves !!!!!

But if they whine and cry about it long enough-– chances are someone else take care of it -– free of charge????

It's also interesting to see that not even UNRWA has bothered to address the "problem".

What a bunch of sorry beggars. They must already be consuming foreign aid and welfare beyond their designated per capita allotment!

Israel fulfilled all its obligations under the water agreement stemming from the Oslo Accords and supply has in fact surpassed the obligatory quantity.

In the 1994 "Cairo Agreeement", control of the water system (management, development and maintainance of water and sewage) in the Gaza Strip was transferred to the Palestinians, apart from the supply to the Jewish communities. After disengagement, all wells, reservoirs and transmission systems that had served those communities were transfered to the Palestinians.

Gaza gets its water from the Gaza aquifer and any extra needs to come from foreign funded desalination plants.
Israel agreed to supply some extra water from its national system, laying a pipeline up to the border however, the Palestinians did not construct the connection.

All construction projects could have been completed before the Hamas take-over of Gaza using the foreign funds that poured into the territory.

Any damage to the decrepid system in Gaza during the recent war was a result of Hamas's use of civilian infrastructure during their attacks on Israel.

The Amnesty report ignored Israeli, transparent data and reports.
Their figures were erroneously based on distribution rather than consumption.
Israel has a larger population and has a larger agricultural and industrial economy.

Nevertheless, per capita consumption by Israel since 1967 has decreased by 70% due to development of water recycling, desalination and household financial penalties .
The Palestinians have seen a 25% increase in per capita consumption with persistant violation of the water agreement with drilling of wells and failure to construct sewage plants with the funding provided.

The Amnesty report is another example of reliance on Palestinian allegations and lies, while ignoring Israel, revealing the real intentions of the report.

It is sad that CNN also jumps at the opportunity to report the findings of these groups whose data is unconfirmable and entirely inaccurate and whose real aims are the delegitimization of the Jewish state.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/27/israel.water/index.html

"Amnesty says Israel restricts Palestinian access to water through various means while making it readily available to its own citizens."

"The group accuses Israel of ignoring humanitarian and human rights laws, in violation of its obligations as the occupying power."

"The Israeli military has denied Palestinians access to Palestinian lands where water from the Jordan River could be accessed,.."

"Amnesty researcher Donatella Rovera said a drive through the Palestinian West Bank shows the striking disparity in water use, with "Israeli settlements with vast, green, well-irrigated farms and swimming pools and right next to them, Palestinian villages which are absolutely parched."

Israel stops Palestinian families from drinking water. This is another case of Israels stealth murder.

I guess when the UN examines Israels army for war crimes, then Israel must find an alternative ways to kill civilian families and take their land.

AIPAC tells Americans that all Arabs are a threat and should be eliminated. This will help Israel to expand and consume all natural resources such as water. AIPAC was happy to watch Palestinian families in GAZA being bombed in their sleep

J Street is more moderate. J Street would prefer that Israels PR is not diminished by bombing innocent Arabic families. JStreet prefers that all Palestinians die of thirst. Then the media can blame global warming and Israels hands will not look so dirty.

Wow. It seems that nearly every week the media uncovers another sick and disturbing story about the murderous Israeli regime. This time the sraelis have cut the water supply to the Palestinians. Israel makes Palestinian life a living hell and then complains if a Palestinian shoots at an Israeli soldier.

Lets imagine that the American Government cuts of the water supply to the citizens of Arizona. People start to die of thirst and of disease. How many Arizona citizens would take up arms and demand to be treated as humans? Probably all of them!!

What amazes me is how peaceful the Palestinians are in comparison to the daily abuse they suffer from Israelis.

This is not a new story, but it does reveal that reality of the middle east crises. Since Israels creation the Zionists have been trying to grab all they can i.e. more land and more water. Land and resources is all this is about. Israels illegal settlements are protected by the Israeli army, even though they are illegal under international law. The settlements are always built near water reserves or good farm land. The Zionists move into illegal settlements and force Palestinians out. When the Palestinians complain or fight back they are then called terrorists, later to be shot and killed.

Basically Israel robs the Palestinians of every element of life. If the Palestinians protest they are then smeared with names such as "terrorists". By doing this Israel has created a political environment where they excuse themselves for slaughtering Palestinian families with American made bombs. Israel has even encouraged American soldiers to die in Afghanistan and Iraq to fight a war on Muslims. Next stop Iran!

Alternatively the state of Israel could be dissolved and we could all return to peaceful relations that existed between the West and Arabic states before the creation of Israel in 1947.

"CNN Waters Down the Israeli Response"

http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/critiques/new/CNN_Waters_Down_the_Israeli_Response.asp

Officials at the Israeli Water Authority were never given an opportunity to present information to Amnesty researchers, nor respond to the Palestinian allegations. When all water uses are combined, it emerges that 149 cubic meters are available per capita per annum for Israelis, and 105 cu.m. for Palestinians. The difference, though not negligible, is far from Amnesty's claim of a super-acute shortage, well below the World Health Organization recommended minimum allotment. Water availability to Israelis has fallen sharply in recent decades. In 1967 it stood at 500 cu.m. – so today's figure represents a 70% drop. Until the Six Day War, Palestinians could count on a mere 86 cu.m. yearly. Their situation has improved by 22%.

It is very hard to resist the conclusion that Amnesty's report was commissioned to serve a specific agenda.

Not to let facts get in the way of things, but Israel far exceeds their requirements to supply water to the Palestinians under the Oslo agreements.
As far as allowing the import of pipe into Gaza, Israel restricted it when the Palestinians began using ALL the pipe to build rockets.
CNN should really begin to talk to the people on both sides of the border there. One sided news is not in keeping with CNN's mandate.
As to those who use this to blame Israel for the Palestinian's problems, the facts are that the per capita consumption of water is GREATER by Palestinians than by Israelis.
IF Israel was restricting water to anyone, it's it's own citizens, not to those who use water pipe to build weapons. Please get the facts right, the world counts on you!

This report fails to provide any response from the Israeli government to the false or misleading accusations in the Amnesty International report. While available water to Palestinians is less than that available to Israelis, Israel supplies water to the Palestinian Authority well in excess of its obligations under the 1995 Oslo Accords. However, Amnesty does not examine Palestinian water agreement breaches such as water theft, infrastructure damage, and misuse of waste water and irrigation systems.

Paula Hancock's report on the so-called deprivation of water in Gaza is another low point in television journalism. Standing among what is purportedly destroyed water supply equipment, she rattles off statistics about water shortages in Gaza. Never once does she inquire as to whether Israel indeed attacked the water supply – she accepts this on faith – or the Amnesty International report, which is treated as the unquestioned truth. The Israeli side is never given a chance to respond, which is truly an act of journalistic malfeasance if not outright malpractice. Once again CNN has been willing dupes in the Palestinian propaganda was against Israel.
A few Observations:
- If this was a viable water source why would the Palestinians build elsewhere? This suggests it was not destroyed by Israel and/or it was not an active water source.
- If it was not an active water source, the Palestinians may have destroyed the equipment themselves for propaganda purposes, something they are very adept at doing
- The aqueduct mentioned in the report straddles both Israel and Gaza and is used by both. The mere fact Israel may use more is irrelevant. Israel has a large agricultural industry and, hence, greater water needs. Remember Hamas destroyed the greenhouses turned over to them when they left Gaza. Israel can hardly be blames for a lack of agricultural water needs.
- No one is thirsty in Gaza. If Israel allowed humanitarian aid into Israel while Hamas fired rockets at Israel, you can be sure Israel will not allow the population to go without water.
- If there are tainted aqueducts under Gaza it is not Israel's fault nor their responsibility. Nor is it alleged that Gazans actually use this tainted water.
- If Hamas and the various terrorist groups in Gaza didn't spend their time and resources attacking Israel, then perhaps they could help improve Gaza's infrastructure including water supplies. Needless to say, no mention of this is made is Ms. Hancock's report. This is of course the root of the problems in Gaza.

Palestinians have received enough aid from the West since the 1940's to have built several desalination plants and a power generator system to power them but they would rather play the poor deprived refugee ticket.

Robert,

Don't believe everything you read/see on the news!

Lets face no matter what Israel does in this
anti-semetic world they are wrong.
Unfortunately CNN just does in the open what the jealous
people of the world hide.
The truth is that chrisiandumb backs up the Palestianians.

John, your lack of understanding of the middle Eastern mindset is as deep as a well! The Palestinians have committed themselves to a culture of hate and death and destruction. The situation is hopeless because they have indoctrinated their children.
My question is this however:
If the Israelis are committing genocide against the Palestinians why are there more and more refugees? I thought that genocide meant fewer people....................

u have got to be kidding me!!! its insane how the media can get people to believe this bs...

""Robert October 28th, 2009 2251 GMT

Wow. It seems that nearly every week the media uncovers another sick and disturbing story about the murderous Israeli regime. This time the sraelis have cut the water supply to the Palestinians. Israel makes Palestinian life a living hell and then complains if a Palestinian shoots at an Israeli soldier.

Lets imagine that the American Government cuts of the water supply to the citizens of Arizona. People start to die of thirst and of disease. How many Arizona citizens would take up arms and demand to be treated as humans? Probably all of them!!

What amazes me is how peaceful the Palestinians are in comparison to the daily abuse they suffer from Israelis."""

are u at all serious robert??? did u forget the fact that the palestinians are the ones that have been sending rockets nonstop at israeli land... take for example mexico... if it started nuking u.s. soil... do u really think that u.s. would shut them up in seconds???

while israelies have waited and always asked for peace... till gaza was shut up by that war thank god......

Amnesty' report set out to examine the assumed victimization of the Palestinians. Thereafter, everything proceeded true to pattern. The inevitable bottom line is that the Palestinians are aggrieved. No blame is apportioned to them. The causes of the situation aren't considered
Additionally, the Israel Water Authority notes that, when all water uses are combined, it emerges that 149 cubic meters are available per capita per annum for Israelis, and 105 cu.m. for Palestinians. The difference, though not negligible, is far from Amnesty's claim of a super-acute shortage, well below the World Health Organization recommended minimum allotment. Water availability to Israelis has fallen sharply in recent decades. In 1967 it stood at 500 cu.m. – so today's figure represents a 70% drop. Until the Six Day War, Palestinians could count on a mere 86 cu.m. yearly. Their situation has improved by 22%.
Had it been given the opportunity, the Water Authority would also have highlighted that Israel supplies water to the PA well in excess of its 1995 Oslo Accords undertakings. Systematically overlooked by Amnesty, meanwhile, are Palestinian breaches of these accords – including pirate drilling, water theft and routine damage to pipelines, failures to purify waste water (despite massive contributions by donor nations), irrigating crops with fresh rather than reclaimed water, dumping untreated sewage into streams, severely contaminating Israel's Coastal Aquifer and forcing Israel to deal with PA sewage.
It is very hard to resist the conclusion that Amnesty's report was commissioned to serve a specific agenda. For shame, again, CNN!

Any libel involving discrimination against Palestinians immediately makes headlines. Yet Amnesty's accusations that Israeli settlers are taking Palestinians' water are groundless. Most of the settlements get their water piped in from inside the Green Line, not, as Amnesty claims, from wells that belong to the Palestinians. According to the Oslo II accords, the Palestinians are entitled to 23.6 million cubic meters a year – but in fact they pump, with Israeli consent, 70 million cubic meters. On top of this, the Israeli Civil Administration supplies, over and above the Oslo requirements, water to villages that are suffering from a shortage.
Amnesty does not ask where the millions of dollars that flowed to the Palestinian Authority for the construction of an efficient water system have vanished, or where the money is that the World Bank provided for a sewage system that would protect the environment and prevent the seepage of wastewater into the aquifers.

CNN's bias and lack of reporting credibility is blatantly clear, not even bothering to cover "the other side of the story" regarding accusations. Typical irresponsible reporting.

Yeah!!! that is a great alternative John A "dissolved"... And "Back in the USSR!!" is the only way for a final peace, so it seems...

CNN correspondent Paula Hancock makes an obvious echo chamber for Palestinian terrorists who attack Israel. She virtually repeats word-for-word, without challenge or traditionally required Israeli statement, the Arab manifesto of lies and distortion.

Even worse, the editors at CNN ignore basic jornalism when they swallow without required comment from Israel the traditional Palestinian mantra of lies, distortion etc, a la Arafat style.The bias in Amnesty which ignores increasing Palestinian rocket and bombing attacks on Israelis, then works up a one-sided attack on the victims, is now the mouthpiece for terrorists.

Paula Hancock's reporting and so many other news sources are pointedly biased and flawed. Paula Hancock and CNN should be ashamed. It also is a shame that so many people actually believe reports like this without question.

Heres an easy answer. Gazans can maker peace with Israel instead of firing 12,000 missles into Israel.

Heres an easy answer. Gazans can make peace with Israel instead of firing 12,000 missles into Israel.

John A

your usual whining and crying, without a shred of evidence

did you check the israeli response to the report

did you bother doing independent research

no? i am not surprised, knowing you and your mistress hope

Hw interesting to read some of the vicious comments of your readers who do not choose to learn the real facts about what is happening in the Middle East. Particularly "Anonymous Friend" – it is easy to see why he/she opts to remain anonymous, and how true that oft repeated statement, "with friends like these, etc." Israel does not indiscriminately target civilians- Hamas does. AIPAC does not wish all Arabs be eliminated – where does Anonymous get this bizarre statement? It is too frustrating to comment on all of his/her remarks.Your comments on the top of your blog stat that all anecdotes and articles you write do not make it to what you publish here. I certainly hope that some of those unpublished materials have all the facts. How wise it would be for you to do some fact-checking before you publish the articles that you do include.

This is just lies and deception by the palestinians to once again demonize Israel. They just make up these stories and the gullible media accepts them! So sad!

Dear CNN,

Paula Hancock's video report on Gaza's lack of water is deeply flawed, unsubstantiated and misleading. The allegations are false, subjective and based on hearsay as opposed to substantial journalistic standards of professional research and investigation.

Paula Hancock makes two allegations, A) That Israel targeted a Gaza well on the first day of conflict December 2008 B) That Israel restricts Palestinian use of the mountain aquifer that lies under the Judean Hills.

Point A is simply false. The IDF categorically did not set out to destroy civilian infrastructure in Gaza. The IDF targeted Hamas terrorist strongholds. Where Hamas terrorist ammunition dumps, operation centres and rocket launch operations were found, Israel targeted these in consideration to minimise civilian damage using pinpoint aerial bombing to destroy rocket launch capabilities.

If the well location was destroyed, it could only have happened due to a secondary explosion from hidden Hamas munitions in the near vicinity, or due to terrorist activity emanating from this location. The subsequent damage is therefore squarely the responsibility of Hamas.

Hamas on the other hand is guilty of war crimes for both targeting Israeli civilians and then hiding in hospitals, schools, civilian areas and using civilians as human shields. If the well fell into this category it is an unfortunate consequence of Hamas terror tactics.

Point B) I am personally shocked by this allegation as it has no bearing on the most basic geological and legal facts relating to the mountain aquifer.

The mountain aquifer straddles both sides of the 1967 armistice line. Israel historically has developed a first world water distribution system. Israel pumps water from inside the Green line. This water belongs to Israel and the Palestinians when underground until the point at which it is sourced ie reaches the surface.

The Palestinians under Jordanian rule did not develop any water distribution system to speak of; in fact Israel built and connected the major towns and 400 villages to fresh water supplies between 1967 to the present. As a reminder, in 1967, when Israel liberated East Jerusalem from Jordanian forces, there was running sewage in this part of the city intentionally left in squalor by Jordan.

In addition, under prolonged periods of autonomy in the West Bank, the PA did little to develop its water supply. Thus Israel cannot be blamed for the failure of Palestinians to develop their infrastructure especially in periods of prolonged uprisings.

Furthermore, there is no international law governing the distribution of water from under water aquifers in zones of conflict where the water source straddles either side of the disputed boundary or territory. Please refer to the following article:

BIRGIT SCHLUTTER: Water Rights in the West Bank and in Gaza: Leiden Journal of International Law, 18 (2005), pp. 621–644:

The West Bank is correctly termed by UN resolutions 'Disputed Territories' contrary to the false but commonly used term 'Occupied Territories' and, therefore the aquifer both geologically and legally belongs to either or both parties to the conflict. No law stipulates how much either side may or may not use.

Thus, to accuse Israel of restricting Palestinian use of aquifer water is misleading: Israel is not obligated to distribute ANY water to the West Bank. It does however distribute water to the West Bank to the best of its ability in this zone of conflict.

However Israel’s natural right is to defend its citizens in the face of continued attack. When this delays developmental progress of essential Palestinian infrastructure, this cannot be seen in isolation from the context of the ongoing conflict.

Israel is morally obligated to defend the lives of its citizens in a conflict zone. When conditions improve (as they did during the peace process 93-2000) Israel can then re-engage with the PA in this urgently needed developmental to help lift Palestinian society out of poverty. The Arab oil rich states have notably failed to rise to the challenge, one well within their means if they really cared for the Palestinians as they so claim

It is a great shame that Palestinian leadership has squandered many opportunities to reach final status peace agreements, upon which water agreements are an essential part. Through doing so Israel could help the Palestinians to help themselves to prosper.

Paula Hancock should think carefully before spreading false allegations on a subject she has successfully proven she knows very little about. Her only merit in this instance has been the ability to read and present the conclusions of an Amnesty report which was written with pre-conceived anti- Israel bias, whilst unashamedly demonising Israel in the process.

Uri

Why don't you publish the whole story ???

I guess that wouldn't be the correct thing to do if your agenda was specifically set to bash Israel!

But as one blogger correctly identified-- "this is not a new story"-- lying about the facts in an attempt to blame the plight of the Palestinians on anyone else except themselves is 61 years old !!!!

But they still keep trying !!!

She is bringing up facts that there is a lack of proof, we do not know how accurate this information is, she does not explain where her source is coming from, who is telling her all these facts. You cannot go by the Palestinians since they can claim anything they want and the world takes their side whether statements are true or false. She also did not speak to Israelis to see their side of the story. The truth is the reporter did not want to hear the Israeli side. It is much easier to blame Israel for all the Palestianians problems. Israel does not capture journalists, does not perform terrorist attacks around the world (which Hamas supports). The journalist is not risking her life speaking against Israelis! She has that power of speech. This is clearly a sign that readers should be careful about what they hear and read. You can't just assume this woman is right because she is a reporter!

Oh, Gazans spend tons of dollars digging tunnels to smuggle weaponry stuff (that are kinda expensive and I don't have at home because it is expensive) buuuuuuuuuut all Gazan family have not only a house, but extra cash to buy a machine gun, rockets, bomb shells buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut they have not cash to built a desalinisation plants because they thiiiiiiiiiiiiiink, they should be watered by israeli government, what joke! Everything they want is International aid to have extra time to have 4, 5, 6 or more children to fight Israel, to carry bomb belts, suicide missions, to dig and die into tunnels. And lol, it's Israel obligation to feed and give them water? Israel optimize the use of their water, UK do the same with Tamis river, all Europe optimize de water supplies and what Hamas govern do? Waste all their money with weapons and cry: we have not water. Israel is a terrorist state because they don't give us water (while they are firing rockets against Israel). Tell Israel to give us water. Why any Arab state (supposely friend of arabs of Gaza) don't give them a Desalinization Water Plant? Why Israel should give water to their worst enemies?

Funny...my daughter was just complaining about the "perfectly awful" four-minute showers" she has to take now that she resides in the Tel Aviv area. Something about a $100 fine for going over...She is from the land of much water. Then I heard that on the BBC.
So I fact-checked, and Israelis water use is down, and Palestinian is up. Still a discrepancy in amounts, but not much. And in Judea and Samaria, the Arabs can't be bothered to finish the water projects that are authorized....
Just think, too, what the Israelis left intact when they left Gaza when they moved the Jews out, including hothouses and other desert miracles, that the Arabs just destroyed.
Then they bomb and bomb and bomb, and complain because someone fights back? GIVE ME A BREAK!

Is Paula Hancock correct, that Israel prevents individual Palestinians in Gaza from having water at the tap or is Miriam correct in saying that there is a water dept in Gaza with responsibility of tapping their underground sources, bringing it to the taps, recycling, etc.? Does she wish to have the phone number of my cousin in the Jerusalem ministry of the Environment in order to do some fact checking? Is it possibly true that the governing Hamas organization would use scarce water pipes to fabricate missiles to try to kill Israeli civilians?

Let's start with the water problem that's already plaguing Israel's seven million people,and growing. For decades the thoughtful but careless enviromentalist nation has abused it's main natural resource,...water. Ironically most homes have solar water heaters,most or all bathrooms have dual-flush toilets,and the small nation recycles approx. seventy percent of it's wastewater. Israel has for decades flushed it's sewage discharge,agricultural pesticides,and various other forms of sludge directly into the Mediterranean Sea. The use of coal as their main energy supply (even though they lead most of the world in solar technology) for Air Conditioner's,appliances,etc. is insatiable while all the while using that same energy draw on water desalination for an alternate water supply. The Yarkon River near Tel Aviv is polluted to the point it's actually lethal,and since 2003 the famous beaches Israilites have come to enjoy have been closed indefinitely at times because of pollution. Many of Israel's rivers if not all are beyond the ecosystem healing process, polluted to the point of no return,thus they are being used as irrigation ditches,and waste-water disposal sites. The most polluted river ,Kishon rehabilitation contributes to the adjoining Jordan River which flows to the Sea of Galilee which supplies most of Israel's drinking water as well as Jordan. What's now happen because of the Israelite's arrogance,and abuse (no better word for describing situation today) now has fallen on the Palestinian's people doorstep today. The nation Jordan above in which the mighty Jordan River flows down from Lake Kinneret,and Golan Heights. Currently river restoration bordering Lebonan up to Golan Heights overlooking Syria is in dire need of massive reconstruction. The snow-capped Mount Hermon makes all believe that the future for all below is good,as long as we share,something the Isralite's refuse to do. Please be advised that the Knneret River Basin is one-quarter in Lebonan,it's fed by the Jordan River,and it sources the Hatsbani,Dan,and Banias Rivers as streams,and wadis in the Golan Heights that all drain back into the Jordan River and directly into the Kinneret. Finally ,I would be remiss not to mention that mountain aquifiers,coastal aquifiers,winter rainfall recharge all the aquifiers under the hills of Judea,and Samaria.These aquifiers straddle the "Green Line" (1949 armistice line that separates Israel,and the West Bank) in which paradoxically ninety percent of the water originates on the West Bank. There is real danger of implicit-genocide to the Palestinian people if the Israel government doesn't reach some kind of International Accord for water access.PS. How can you have an industrialized nation bordering you without a reciprocating agreement of civility?

When CNN fails to do a complete reporting effort on spurious claims
by Terrorist controlled propagandists, they destroy public confidence
in their broadcasts. This is probably one of the main causes for the
spectacular rise in popularity of Fox News. You must "tell it like it is"
for the public to respect and watch your news, show both sides with
research and evidence to back up serious charges.

Until the Palestinian terrorists live up to their responsibilities for water under the Oslo accords, Israel should cut water supplies to only what was agreed to in Oslo. When the terrorists cap their illegal wells and properly process their sewage, then we can talk about supplying those terrorists with more water.

It's too bad they would rather dig up the pipes to turn them into Kassam rockets to fire at innocent Israeli civilians than to provide basic services to their "people". Of course, that doesn't stop them from whining about their self-inflicted problems.

If they don't like the water situation maybe they should return to their actual homelands in Jordan and Egypt. Oh, wait a minute, that won't work. Jordan and Egypt won't take the Palestinians back because they are terrorists.

Amnesty International has shown once again they are clueless and horribly biased. I guess whatever Arab government paid them for the report got their money's worth. Shameful.

In journalism 101 isn't taught that two sides of an issue need to be presented in order for the journalist to be seen as unbiased? Your report is one-sided.

Some crucial facts are also ommited in Paula Hancocks's report:
- Israel supplies to PA more water than it is obliged by Oslo aggreement.
- Palestinians deleberately realese waste water in streams in order to polute Israel's water sources.
- Israel transmited to PA both civilian and security power 15 years ago. Meanwhile, inspite abudant international help PA did not make any single water plant. PA claims that want to create independent Palestinain state and for 15 years did not build any water and power plant or other infrastructure needed to run independat state.

To Robert
What would be your reaction if USA and Mexico, for example, would sign an aggreement that US should supply Mexico with certain amount of water and than US supply more water than proposed and than Mexicans answer with terror against USA and with poluting American water sources.

This news is absolutaly distorted in favour of the "palestinians". Israel has not got enough water for themselves, and yet they still give water to their neighbours. As for amnesty International, they have lost credibility a long time ago, they can join the club of the united nations human rights forum.

Why wasn´t the Israeli Water Authority even asked to reply? The Israelis themselves have to ration water. Tons of money were given to the Palestinians to build sewage treatment plants. Where are they?
I think the main "opressor" of the Palestinians are their own corrupt officials and the Jihad fanatics who won´t let the poor Palestinian civilians live in peace and get on with their lives. Very many Palestinians secretly wish they lived in Israel, and could be Israeli citizens, but they dare not speak it out!

The Hamasnicks seem to be very adept at digging vertically about 10 to 20 meters-- then horizontally for one to 1 1/2 km.

Maybe they should spend more effort digging vertically a little bit further until they actually are able to hit water !!!!!!!!

What a bunch of friggin' morons!!!!!!!!

Oh I get it !!!! There's no PROFIT in water !!!!!! Neither is there any guns, rockets or ammunition if they're only digging vertically !!!!

It is a shame that this joke of a report with the sole purpose to support a false claim made by an organizational body linked to the predominantly Arab run and shameful United Nations was even allowed to be made.

If the Hamas spent their time helping the people THEY occupy and THEY oppress, the Arabs called "Palestinians" allowed to live on Israeli land since no other Arab state wants them for fear of the exact situation happening in Israel (ie. Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria – who all by the way expelled them), this sort of mockery wouldn't even seem real to the world.

Israel supplies water to the PA well in excess of the Oslo Accord which it was not obliged by anyone to take part in.
The bias Amnesty International systematically over looks the money and resources given by Israel (again by no obligation but by choice) to the authorities in the Hamas, terrorist and theatrically motivated sensational media occupied lands. It and other international organizations overlook the breaches of these accords by all the citizens of this area – including pirate drilling, water theft and routine damage to pipelines, failures to purify waste water (despite massive contributions by donor nations), irrigating crops with fresh rather than reclaimed water, dumping untreated sewage into streams, severely contaminating Israel's Coastal Aquifer and forcing Israel to deal with their sewage.

It is very hard to resist the conclusion that Amnesty's report as well as its support by other international organizations and the media such as CNN was commissioned to serve a specific agenda.

However, let it be repeated as Benjamin Netanyahu said in front of the shameful and discredited by world opinion United Nations, facing the darkness we must continue to shed light, to represent the truth and not falter – we are and always have been for the truth, the good and betterment of mankind. We focus our research in technologies to improve the world, from agriculture in desert lands, recycling of any and all materials, new energies and medicine.

What do these medias and organizations do? Where were they during the genocides Rawanda?

The self serving media and politics surrounding the criticism of Israel is not a new phenomenon. Israel knows this all too well, it is still young, but has learned some very hard lessons. But what the world needs to learn, is that LIES do not help a sensitive and hard situation to achieve a solution faster.

If Israel was what they medias describe as an Apartheid state, how is it they are able to get in the country and make reports if not for the democratic system that relies on human rights and freedom of speech? Try doing so in the other surrounding coutries! GOOD LUCK!
Instead of spreading lies, be REAL JOURNALISTS, do your research at both ends, screw your deadlines and your bosses, tell the truth or hand-in your paycheck to Amnesty so THEY can pay you for the uselessness they have in this world by hurting and lying instead of helping.

The world money given to Hamas and the PA goes to terror training, tunnels, rockets and weapons with the sole goal of eliminating any peace process and. The people never see a dime or a slice of bread and they know it. Keeping the population poor and uneducated will only give them more power in the long run, they are sitting there patiently waiting for the population to grow to a point of explosion, to try and force their way in to Israel by claims of inhumane conditions...you'll see, no other Arab state will help, they will all keep it as the Israeli responsibility and Amnesty and the UN will be on it like flies on excrement.

Keep up the great unbiased reporting Paula,that I've come to enjoy from CNN. PS. To the Israelites that are afraid of bottle rockets sold at the 7-11? I understand now, why you equate a F-22 fighter/bomber to a firecracker. Finally, I realize why one Israelite soldier is worth the deaths of a thousand Arab's. God Bless his chosen Dozen?

I wonder who funds Amnisty International. What they do and say makes one suspicious.

Linda,

The Israelis are getting less water than the Palestinians? is this what you are saying? it seem not only that but you dare say that the Israelis are giving water to their "neighbors" ! did you forget that the Palestinians are under occupation! the land belong to them and the water and the Air and the natural gas ... Israelis are not doing the Palestinians a favor.

The entire world is behind the Palestinians not only Amnesty International but the whole internationalized world.

damjan,

What if i tell that Israel never lived to any agreement under OSLO or the road map! the occupation still there ...

The Zionist response to this blog is truly and deeply pathetic.

This blog is full of Israeli supporters who claim that the world is wrong, that Israel is perfect. They make up stories of how perfect Israel is. But they can never provide proof. When CNN shows evidence, the Israeli supporters cower behind their insults and criticism, but again they provide no proof that CNN is wrong. The Zionists words are just words. Sick words!

Just like Radovan Karadzic who is under investigation for Bosnian war crimes, Israel refuses to cooperate with the international legal system, western reporters & NGOs. Just like Radovan Karadzic, Israel claims that it is innocent and that the courts are biased. Israel and Bosnia's Radovan Karadzic slaughter Muslims and then say the entire world is wrong and full of propaganda. The Zionists then make counter claims without being able to support any of their words with proof.

Why does the world even bother to give people like Radovan Karadzic or the sick Israeli regime a chance to participate in the due process of law. They will always refuse the privilege and claim the entire world is wrong, even though their crimes (such as the bombing of Gazan civilians) have been broadcasted throughout the world.

There is no difference between Radovan Karadzic and the Israeli regime. The sooner these parties are punished and imprisoned the sooner the world can move on. Why do we need to be insulted with Israels claims of being anti Semitic while they continue to murder innocent Muslim families?

CNN has investigated the facts and presented the truth. This shocks the Zionists as up until Obama all American news channels would present what they were told to by the American Jewish lobby. The truth can not be hidden for ever and the world now sees Israel as the criminal in the middle east story. Robert you are correct, their is a shocking new story every week which demonstrates the vicious Israeli regime. It is time for the state of Israel to be dissolved so that the world can once again live in peace with the Middle East.

Earle, have you ever seen the "mighty Jordan River"!?

"Why not publish the other side of the story?"..

Gladly...

The other side of the story is about Occupation and Domination. Israel's Ideology is based on racism, nationalism, and the supremacy of it's state over the undesirable minority (Palestinians).

Dare those who want to show the naked truth are labeled Anti Semitic. Go figure.

The reporter is not presenting her opinion, but merely conveying what has/is happening on the ground. The water wells were targeted on day one during Israel's military attack on Gaza in an attempt to inflict maximum suffering on its people. If that is not enough proof of modern day supremacy, then what is?

Amnesty?

Here is how they describe what happened in 1948:

"Between the two world wars Britain ruled Palestine under a League of Nations mandate, which ended with a UN decision in November 1947 to partition the territory of Mandate Palestine into two states, Israel and Palestine – 53 and 47 percent of the territory, respectively. The State of Israel was established in May 1948 amid Arab protests and a war broke out between Arab and Israeli forces from which Israel emerged victorious. "

"amid arab protests a war broke out?????

These are facts as amnesty reports them. amid arab protests?

absolute bullshit

prove me wrong, John or Hope?

Can you?

No? I thought so

Paula Hancock's report on the water situation in palestian was so flawed that it was a disgrace for it to even to be presented on
CNN. where was Israel's opportunity to respond to the charge. Israel that seriously lacks water itself is MORE than meeting it's obligation under the Oslo accord. The palestians go out of there way to pollute the waterways and even melt water pipes to build rockets to fire into Israel to kill anyone and everyone they can. If they are so able to smuggle in ever form or arms why don't they smuggle in water if they really care. Do the leaders care at all about the other Palestian people. I don't think so.

Is birth control banned there or is it prohibited by the Islamic Clerics?

The overwhelming view on my end is that the family's there in Gaza and the refuge camps are very, very large. As many as 12 children per multiple wives and the Islamic husband.

With food and water being rationed and trucked to the Gaza refuge camps, why in the world would you place such a huge burden on your children and neighbors by having so many children?

Of course Water Supply's would run low, if you spike the population of young Islamic followers, or as the Islamic husbands pronounce at their son's birth, 'Another Gun for Allah', you are going to run short on Water, Food, Medicine and the means to support them.

What is not running short is the sheer amount of ignorance on what is causing this situation and their solutions.

A. Smith
Oregon

From the responses on this blog, it's good to see that the vast majority of those reading the reports have the ability see right through the half truth's and falsifications provided by CNN.

Let the Hamasnicks dig their water wells vetically until they hit water--instead of horizontally until the hit Egypt !!!!

Stop the whining, crying, slobbering and stupidity associated with the claims of impoverishment and persecution against the outside world.

Put the blame for your self inflicted life situation squarely where it belongs-- on your elected government and their support of jihadism !!

It's time to take responsibility for your own situation !!!! The world fails to agree with your constant whining that blames everyone except your own selves !!

Hope,

Israel is a democracy with no 'state ideology'.

Within the democratic system there are numerous political parties and a myriad of ideologies.

Jews are and always have been a nation, historically, religiously and culturally connected no matter where they were scattered.

Israel's actions wrt the Palestinians is a response to the Arab-backed desire for regional dominance and Islamic supremacy accompanied by non-muslim ethnic cleansing or at least dhimmitude.

The Gaza Coastal Municipal Water Utility engineer, Majed Ghannem recently wrote of the various problems causing water shortages in Gaza. He did not mention the supposed Israeli bombing of water wells.

It won’t be long before a Zionist justifies the murder of Palestinian pregnant women. They will claim the pregnant woman was about to give birth to a terrorist!!!

Wake up. Where are the terrorists?

9/11 Saudi Arabians trained to fly in Florida. Not Afghans in Afghanistan.

Madrid train bombs – North Africans living in Spain. Not Afghans, Iraqis or Palestinians.

London train & bus bomb – British born citizens of Pakistani origin. Not Afghans, not Iraqis and not Palestinians.

A.Smith perhaps you should think before you blog. This would be a new trend for Israeli supporters. You say the problem is that Palestinians have too many children with too little water. In fact the largest amount of Palestinians are refugees without the right to return to their place of birth (because Israel won’t let them) At the same time Israel has invited millions of Russians to move to Israel under the claim that they practice Judaism.

Basically it is the Israeli population which has grown and the Palestinian population which has diminished. This control of the population has been made so the Jews are the majority and then they can pretend to be democratic i.e. wipe out the opposition and then vote.

The water supplies have been targeted by Israel as a part of Israel’s ongoing attempt to drive Palestinians away i.e. they can’t live in their place of birth because they are not allowed to drink.

When Israel bombs civilians, it claims Palestinian terrorists were hiding amongst civilians.
When Israel bombs water works it claims Palestinian terrorists make rockets from water pipes.
When Israel shoots at ambulances it claims that the ambulance was driven by a terrorist.
With so many terrorists how many Israelis were killed in the latest Gaza conflict? Answer 3 Israelis died from Palestinian rocket fire and 8 Israelis died from friendly Israeli fire. The 3 Israelis were killed after Israel had started bombing Gaza. i.e. in retaliation for 1.400 Palestinians’ killed by Israel!

America fights in countries which have not attacked it. Why? Because the Jewish lobby in America has educated you to fight a war on Islam. Why? Because this gives Israel the political freedom to wipe out Palestinians’ and occupy Syria, Palestine & Lebanese territory. Why? So Israel can take land and all resources at their neighbour’s expense.

Today Israel can murder anyone and claim the victim was a terrorist. But after they have murdered Israel will always refuse to participate in a UN investigations, human right group investigation or even CNN investigations. Israel’s refusal to cooperate with independent organisations is the biggest warning that Israel is a criminal state hiding from the truth.

Re: @ Jules The answer is,... Yes! In the stoic mud-sopped wrinkles hiding behind a child's eye's,caused not by gravity,but premature attrition brought on by the "Gaza Death Camps"! What takes a life-time for gravity to sculpt old age? What takes a life-time of wind-blown-desert sand to undress the mighty-granite? What gives a parable thrice read a myriad of meaning,or the blind spot in your mind saving you from insanity? Have not these children's eye's told the story,..even a blind man can sense! Shame !!! Shame!!! Shame!!!

You guys sound like a frantic synchronized orchestra,...All harmonized to the same tune..Yet can't seem to proof anything!!..Spitting nonsense accusations (Palestinians polluting water!!)..Talk and more talk, but no substance, very interesting. Good job Paula Hancocks, and thanks cnn.

Hope

1. you helped us understand that the palestinians migrated from the palestinian peninsula. thank you
2. palestinian municipalities pollute the watersources by pouring untreated sewage into water sources. fact!
3. disprove any of the above
4. you cannot

johnny baby

sirhan sirhan who assissinated bobby kennedy is a palestinian

John A,

Yes you're right --as you so plainly pointed out-– the terrorists you listed and identified all had and have one thing in common-they are all believers in a radical Muslim ideology-- how many of them were actually "Palestinian" who friggin' cares?? No one on this blog claimed any of them to be Palestinians!!!

So what is all of your nonsensical gibberish and ranting about ???

This blog is about the Palestinian water supply--or the supposed lack thereof !!!!

Maybe they should spend their time digging a friggin' water well ????

What do you think ????

The worthless POS claim to have been able to dig "hundreds" of tunnels to Egypt-- each more than a Km long.

If they had any friggin' brains at all they certainly figure out how dig a water well !!!!

But that's OK- just continue your blind hateful ranting, whining and crying about how the poor Palestinians are mistreated by Israel!!!!

But don't mention Egyptians, Jordanians, Lebanese and Syrians--who all keep them locked up in camps !!!!!!

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!!

Hope,

Funny how you seem to think that everyone else --being "synchronized" are the ones "spitting nonsense"!

Ah ha ha ha ha ha.

If you have facts different than those provided above-- spell them out-instead of your silly whining and crying that everyone else is wrong!

Who is it in Gaza that you think pollutes the water and the run off in Gaza ???

The Israelis??? The Egyptians???

I'm a Jew and I think Israeli politics sucks. The Zionists in Israel give all Jews a bad name.

No more blood in the name of the promised land!!

Boycott apartheid Israel.

A two state solution and an end to Israel's illegal settlement building!!

Obama should cut of the aid to Israel.

To damjan – It about Israels illegal occupation stupid.

Uri or should I say University Rector? You are a real nut job. Stop attacking CNN and the free press. Israel is the problem! Your whining, crying and blubbering at the free press wont help resolve the problem.

Filipe writes, "Why don't you publish the whole story ??? I guess that wouldn't be the correct thing to do if your agenda was specifically set to bash Israel"!
-----------------------------
Here Filipe defines whining, crying, blubbering, dribbling, moronic, feeble, dimwitted behavior. Filipe whats your problem, don't you like the free press and independent reporting. Guess you only read bogus reports written by the Israeli army. Filipe why do you spend so much time on this blog. Don't you and your religious fanatic Zionist friends have some defenceless Palestinian families to bully?

University Rector as you know nothing about the birth of Israel I will grant you a reply.

In July 1948, the neighbouring Palestinian towns of Ramla and Lydd, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, were almost entirely emptied of their inhabitants on Ben-Gurion’s orders, despite the fact that they had been designated part of the Arab state under the UN plan. As Lydd was attacked, a large number of men sought refuge in the local Dahamish mosque. When they eventually surrendered, they were massacred by Jewish forces led by Yigal Allon and his deputy, Yitzhak Rabin, a later prime minister. Some 176 bodies were reportedly recovered from the mosque. Allon then rounded up the 50,000 inhabitants of Lydd (today the Israeli city of Lod), who were forced at gunpoint to march many miles to the Jordanian border; some died en route of exhaustion.49 Years later Rabin recalled how Ben-Gurion indicated what he wanted done with the inhabitants: ‘Yigal Alon asked: what is to be done with the population [of Lydd and Ramla]? Ben-Gurion waved his hand in a gesture that said: “Drive them out!”’

As Israel signed the armistice agreements with its Arab neighbours in 1949, at the close of the war, the Jewish state found itself in possession of 78 per cent of Palestine, far more territory than the 55 per cent allotted it by the UN Plan.51 Under the same agreements, the tiny coastal strip of Gaza was occupied by Egypt, and Jordan acquired control of the West Bank and the eastern half of Jerusalem, the consequence of an earlier secret pact with Israel that prevented
the two armies from engaging in serious fighting

The UN classified some 750,000 Palestinians as refugees, the great majority of them by then living in makeshift camps across the Middle East. Ben-Gurion was determined that they should not be allowed to return. ‘Land with Arabs on it and land without Arabs on it are two very different types of land’, he told his party’s central committee in March 1949.

Fearful that the UN might insist on the return not only of the refugees but also of the areas of Palestine like the Central Galilee not assigned to the Jewish state under the Partition Plan, he cautiously referred to these regions as ‘administered’ rather than as part of Israel. His worries were unfounded, however. In May 1949, as Israel was admitted to the UN, Pappe notes, ‘all distinctions disappeared, along with the villages, the fields and the houses – all “dissolved” into the Jewish State of Israel. For a considerable time, government officials, private citizens and especially soldiers enjoyed free rein looting Palestinian homes of their valuables. One government minister reported seeing the army take 1,800 truckloads of property from the single, largely deserted city of Lydd, while another admitted that ‘the army does what it wants’. The government sought to reassert control with new emergency regulations. One, passed in late 1948, ended the legal definition of land as ‘abandoned’ and instead declared the Palestinian owners ‘absentees’; their seized property was then reclassified as ‘state land’.58 In an attempt to make this land grab appear legal, the same regulation invested authority in an official, the Custodian of Absentee Property, whose job was supposedly to safeguard the property of the Palestinian refugees. According to a statement in 1980 from the Custodian, about 70 per cent of Israel’s total territory was ‘absentee’ land – that is, rightfully the property of Palestinian refugees.

Although officially a trustee, the Custodian – and in turn the State of Israel – was soon reaping the profits from rental income from buildings, farmland and religious endowment land; from his newfound ownership of large Palestinian businesses; and from the sale of produce from the refugees’ olive and citrus groves, their tobacco, fig, apple, grape and almond crops, and their quarries. Of items from the large store of confiscated merchandise – from clothes to furniture the army was given first refusal. Remaining goods were put up for sale, with priority going to disabled war veterans, soldiers’ families and government employees. Palestinian bank accounts were seized too. When Ben-Gurion was told that refugees’ deposits totalling 1.5 billion Palestinian pounds had been discovered in the banks of Haifa, he noted simply in his diary: ‘The banks are willing to hand this property over.’

The historian Michael R. Fischbach reports that a UN committee set up to evaluate Palestinian losses produced a very conservative estimate in the mid-1960s that Israel had confiscated at least 1.75 million acres of land (or seven million dunams, in the traditional unit of measurement used by the Ottomans) – about a third of Israel’s total territory. This land was valued at close to $1 billion in the prices of the day and would be worth many hundreds of billions more today. If confiscated Palestinian moveable property such as bank accounts, jewellery, artworks, safe deposit boxes, bonds, as well vehicles, furniture, agricultural equipment and herds of animals was included, the total was pushed far higher. To the Palestinians, of course, their homeland was priceless. None of the successive Custodians,
however, regarded their role as the protection of the refugees’ property. Mordechai Schattner, the incumbent in 1953, observed: ‘All money accruing from these sales should go the development authorities. This means, in fact, that it would be used for the settlement of new [Jewish] immigrants.’

Decades later, in 1990, Israel’s state comptroller demanded a list of the refugees’ moveable property as part of an audit of the Custodian’s office. Seven years on, the Custodian had still not complied, claiming that the task was ‘impossible’ because some of the records were lost and others incomplete and because he had no computer. He added that ‘it would require 500 workers to sit for two years’ to prepare a complete list. On another occasion, in 1998, when an Arab legal group, Adalah, requested information about the property under the country’s Freedom of Information Act, the Custodian replied that he could not divulge details because he needed to protect the refugees’ privacy. When pressed further, the government responded in 2002 on the Custodian’s behalf that such information would ‘damage relations with foreign governments’.67 And when Israel and the Palestinians came to the negotiating table at Camp David in 2000 to reach a final-status agreement, Israel’s attorney general, Elyakim Rubinstein, disclosed that the Custodian’s records were no longer available and that the income from Palestinian assets had been spent. ‘We have used them [the monies] up. It is up to the international community to create funds for this [a final settlement with the Palestinians].

haha thats funny! thanks for the laugh

John A and friends,

Your reply is another cut and paste from the same notorious anti-Zionist, darling journalist, of the anti-semitic, anti-Israel left.

Historical revisionism at its best.

'Shame on anyone who supports Israel' is typical of the un-educated Jews who know little about their own faith and jump on the band-wagon of creators of anti-semitic, revisionist lies, believing that somehow that will protect them from the perceived threatening powers who will perpetrate the next in the long line of attempts at annihilation of the Jewish people.

Shame on he who is so gullible.

Miriam You pretend to be paranoid about Jewish persecution, meanwhile it is the Jews who occupy other peoples land with a brutal military. I am a Jew and sadly it is the Jews who killed 1400 Palestinians in Gaza last Christmas.

Miriam's fake paranoia of Jewish suffering is an unacceptable smoke screen to excuse Israels persecution of Muslims. And as always if somebody justifiably opposes Zionists like Miriam, they are labeled "a Jew hater" (even if the opposing view is from a Jew). Well Miriam people are not Jew haters they are Israeli haters. To hate Israel is to hate fascists and Nazis. Do you hate Nazis Miriam?

Shame,

Jews do not "occupy" anyone's land. That language is anti-Israel rhetoric that has no basis in real International law, and is only popular, politically motivated, so-called law that has been created under no authority.

If you knew about your own Jewish heritage it would be obvious whose land it is and that Israel is tolerant of other people living in the state and is prepared to accept a Palestinian state next-door.

Last Hannukah Israel launched an attack against Hamas who had brutally taken over Gaza from PA control and had increased tha rocket and border raids that brought the southern communities to a stand-still.
Israel's figures for Palestinian casualties differ from those of the Hamas (and all the gullible NGOs and UN committees), but you, in your blind contempt, prefer to believe the terrorist rather than the democratic, accountable, law-respecting Jewish state.

It seems that it is not only religious knowledge that is lacking but also Jewish history.
Every generation has seen Jewish persecution and the current one is no different.
Israel does not "perscute" Muslims, Christians, Druze, Ba'hais or any other religious group.

The Jewish state is singled out for attack, criticism, double -standard application etc precisely because it is the Jewish state.

I disagree with Nazi and fascist ideology just as I disagree with the labelling of Israel with terms that deliberately aim to hit at recent Jewish memory and sensitivity but are absolutely false, as false as the claims the Nazis had against the Jews.

Anonymous Friend-– If your such a friend-- why do you feel the need to be anonymous!!!!

This blog is about the water in in Gaza--why would anyone read anything written by the IDF if they were interested in the water situation in Gaza?? Are you simply dense or what??

But if you think posting half the story is an acceptable for of journalism-- you've chosen the correct forum to read.

However- many of the those posting on this blog have in fact chosen to look into various sources for the complete facts-–and have posted them on this blog!!!!

Too bad you don't have the ability to open your eyes and read-– the details are everywhere-– nothing seems to support the nonsense spouted by Paula Hancocks!

Kaitlin,

I doubt many in the ME would approve of such photos.......except for the Israelis!

John A., if 300 Jihadist Wacko's poured out of a Mosque in Afghanistan and attacked my position as recently occurred on a small base in Afghanistan, I would immediately request a single air strike of two 500 lb. bombs in the center of that Mosque.

And John A., I would direct all remaining ground based weapons to train not only on the 300 armed Jihadists that poured out of that Mosque but also on anyone that is in or directly around that Mosque.

Does that clear up any confusion you have?

A. Smith
Oregon

Mr A. Smith, am I supposed to be impressed by the way you can kill other people in their own country. Ask yourself the question, why are you in their country and who is the real Wacko?

What have you achieved in Afghanistan. The terrorists who committed 9/11 were Saudi and trained in Florida. Perhaps you should be dropping your 500lb bombs in Florida. Then you will also see the citizens of Florida would turn "Wacko" and run out of their churches to attack you. The fact is neither the people of Florida or Afghanistan are "Wacko". The only "Wacko" has been the American Government. Bye the way have you found any weapons of mass destruction? Get the point now Wacko Smith?

So why has the American administration been so "Wacko" sacrificing its youth on wars that achieve nothing? Ask the Jewish lobby, who are still running the White House despite Obama's promise on lobbyists.

If you can end the Jewish lobby in America, Israel & Palestine will be treated with an even hand. A two state solution will be achieved, relations will improve in the Middle East, your 300 citizens in a mosque will not look at American forces as if they are "Wackos". Then American troops can return to their families and the world can move on.

The only Wackos are on Capital Hill and they sit inside the pocket of the Jewish Lobby.
Clear now Mr A Smith?

Earle, I suggest you seek professional help. you are one strange dude. maybe you are getting too much sun in Fla.
PS there are Gaza death camps but they are perpetrated by Hamas

The truth about human rights in Gaza: http://www.faceglobal.com/posts/Human-Rights-in-Gaza.aspx

I am a Jew and sadly it is the Jews who killed 1400 Palestinians in Gaza last Christmas.

The Jews killed 1400 palestinians? Oh yeah? define palestinians, do they include hamas terrorists firing at jews from mosques, television studios and next to unwra schools?

when your friendes the muslim terrorists massacre jews, are you outraged? for example at the disco bombing? or the natanya pesach massacre?

Are you?

This is soo sad. my heart and prayers go out to the palestinians. Thank you CNN for reporting this article.

University Rector were you in Israel in 1948? I was. At this time the Jews created the first Middle East terrorist gang called the Irgun.

Under the leadership of Ben Gurion , Jewish "Irgun" forces drove Palestinians from their homes via massacres and intimation. The unlawful origins of Israel sparked 60 years of conflict. This has manifested in many misguided retaliations from the Palestinians. The only way this cycle of violence will end is if Israel repents and returns to its recognized boarders, as called for by the United Nations.

Israel will never willingly comply with its international responsibilities for two reasons.
First – Greed
Second – Jewish religious fanatics who feel the land was given to them by God. Sadly many Jews in Israel actually believe they are superior to Muslims and Christians. They use religion as an excuse to feed their primitive and tribal instincts to dominate and rule. Until Jews in Israel are educated to treat other religious groups as equal, there will be no peace in the Middle East.

David Stern, your link is total BS

Israel is not democratic. If it were democratic it would allow Palestinian refugees to return to their legally owned homes. If this happened and democracy was allowed, Jews would have the minority vote. Therefore Israel controls the voting population to prevent Jews from losing the vote. This has nothing to do with democracy.

You should also recognize that evidence of the Israeli army hiding behind Palestinian child shields has been found. No evidence in the recent Gaza conflict has pointed to Hamas using human shields.

No more blood in the name of the promised land!!

Israeli politicians need to face justice and be placed in front of an international criminal court!

University Rector "The Jews killed 1400 palestinians? Oh yeah? define palestinians, do they include hamas terrorists firing at jews from mosques, television studios and next to unwra schools?"

No stupid!! They can be defined as Old age persons, Mothers, Children, white flag holders, hospital patients and ambulance drivers.

Israels attack on Gaza makes the Nazi Polish Ghetto look like a holiday camp.

No more blood in the name of the promised land!!
No more American taxes should be sent to Israel!!

Israeli politicians need to face justice and be placed in front of an international criminal court!

John A,

You seem to over-estimate the power of any Jewish lobby in the US and assume all Jews are single minded.
The Jewish population of the US is minute compared to the Muslim population of the world who have influence over international conventions, media and public opinion aswell as modern day fantasy writers and disinformation creation.

If Jews have been successful in America and have the freedom to express their beliefs, that is a sign of a healthy democracy and not some kind of Jewish plan to run the world.

The Jewish populations in virtually every country in the world have decreased as a result of discrimination, expulsion, genocide and assimilation and it is no secret that the threats from the growing Muslim masses and the appeal of Arab money have restricted the freedom of expression for Jews along with the ability of governments to listen to the truth.

At present, those on Capitol Hill are not intimidated by the 1.57 billion and the gullible who fall in their snare, and are able to differentiate between the bribe-free truth they are fortunate to be exposed to and the disinformation and greed that has engulfed so many others.

If your wish is granted and the Jewish state disappears, don't for one minute believe that there will be world peace and security. The convenient excuse will have disappeared but that won't matter because the first line of the West's defence will have gone too and the valuble role it plays in world security.

Anyone reading this page can see that CNN has no use for Israel.

Shame,

If you really were in Israel in 1948, you must have been disinformed of what was going on.
Perhaps you were one of the British serviceman who, afraid of constant Arab attack, joined with them in persecuting the Jewish population.

The Irgun formed in 1931 and was established when Jews were fed up of being attacked by Arabs and being denied the right to respond. The alternative was annihilation and there were those who had seen enough of that in even pre-WW2 Jewish history.
Some of their activities were extremist but no different from the Arab gangs who also committed crimes.

Ben Gurion had nothing to do with the Irgun and was originally one of those who was prepared to let Arabs attack with no response. He disbanded the Irgun immediately when the state was created and even blew up their weapons.

Israel has never had any recognized borders.
After 1949 there was an Armistice Line between Jordan and Israel, not a border. This followed the rejection by the Arabs of the UN resolution to create what could have been a Palestinian state.

The West Bank was controlled by Jordan when the PLO was formed and carried out terrorist attacks in Israel. The issue wasn't the borders, it was Israel's existance.

Yes, Jews believe the land was given by God. It is central to their religious practice. Islam is attempting to rewrite history and the bible, aswell as their own religion, by denying the Jewish connection to the land. If you have a problem with religion then don't just take it out on the Jews. The Arab/Muslim claim to the land is religion based. They want dominance with no room for the Jews despite the fact that their only interest in the land was because it was holy to the Jews.

The Jews ie. Israel allows freedom of religion to all faiths.

If you were around in 1948 don't you remember how the Jordanians destroyed all the synagogues in the West Bank and Old City of Jerusalem?
Don't you remember how Jews were banned from visiting their most holy sites?

You've got the story the wrong way round!

Miriam you claim Israel is the Wests first line of defense against terrorism. Strange thing as the first middle east terror group was the Jewish Irgun. And there were no threats to the west before the birth of Israel and its lawless regime. If John A has his wish and Israel is dissolved, the world will be a far better place. Jews could be free to practice their religion in any country of the world without continuing with their "Promised land" war in the middle east.

Bruce,

There is no international law requiring the return of Palestinian refugees.
UN GA resolutions are non-binding and are not law.
The claims based on resolution 194 are irrelevent because the Palestinians/Arabs rejected the original resolution.

This has nothing to do with democracy.
Arabs in Israel whose ancestors did not flee in 1948 have full voting rights, as do the Arabs of East Jerusalem who accepted Israeli citizenship in 1967.

If Israel was inundated with millions of Palestinians claiming to be refugees, not only would the state no longer be Jewish you can be sure it will no longer be democratic. If democracy is so important you should turn your attention to criticizing PA, Hamas, Iraqi, Jordanian, Lebanese, Egyptian etc democracy.At the same time, ask them about the Jewish refugees and their millions of descendents.

More Jews became refugees in 1948 than Arabs.

BTW, there is loads of evidence showing Hamas using Palestinan civilians including children as human shields. So called "evidence' of Israelis using Palestinians consists of Hamas declarations.

Comparing one of the numerous Nazi ghettos in Europe with the conditions in Gaza is cheap abuse of the Holocaust and genocide.
What would you do if there had never been any mass Jewish extermination throughout history? There'd be a major dearth of vocabulary. But then again, there would be no trendy, anti-semitic precedent to continue.

Fillipi says anyone reading this page can see that CNN has no use for Israel.

That makes a cool question. Who can think of any use for Israel?

What joy has Israel brought to the world?

Everyone who can remember Lebanon in the 50s and 60s will recall a beautiful land and entrepreneurial people. Lebanon had streets lined with flowers, great shops and hospitable people. Since the birth of Israel in 1947 all countries in this region have been thrown in chaos and despair. Its so sad to see. And lets be honest, if it were not for World War Two the state of Israel would never have been created and the world would be much more peaceful today. In some ways Israel is the last global wound of World War Two.

If the ugly Israeli regime could be fixed, humanity will be taking a huge step forward into a better future.

It never ceases to amaze me, how gullible so many uninformed people are about the Israel/Gaza situation. Eveready to accept what they see and read in the media without challenging the source.

Some of the so-called journalists need lessons in the art. Worst still is the media which accepts their reports. What happened to balanced reporting?

CNN,

How is it that Shame...... can reply to my post when it is still waiting to be moderated?
Is there some kind of 'insider posting' going on?

Perhaps if the Gaza refugee's began rebuilding their infra-structure including their broken water and sewage lines, water supplies would not be wasted.

Are they waiting for American tax dollars and contractors wearing full body armor to re-plumb Gaza's water works projects?

Islam nations with Trillions in Oil Revenues should donate several Saline Conversion plants to the Gaza residents and supply them with heavy construction equipment and contractors to repair their infra-structure, rather than continuously begging for western handouts.

It is infinitely human for Israel to give Gaza residents a bowl full of desert sand to drink, after being bombarded with hundreds of Qassam rockets.

It is definitely a humane gesture on the behalf of Israel to provide any water at all to the Gaza residents.

A. Smith
Oregon

Please read all the facts. Amnesty International has distorted Israel again- but read the link, don't take my word for it.
Best,
Jim

http://www.honestreporting.com/articles/45884734/critiques/new/CNN_Waters_Down_the_Israeli_Response.asp

Shame,

The Irgun was formed in 1931 and dissolved in 1948.

Massacres of Jews by Muslim terrorists in the ME pre 1931 include:

All areas of Bristish Mandate 1920-1921
Hebron 1929
Baghdad 1828
Meshed 1839
Barfurush 1867 etc etc

You can go all the way back to Medina in 627.

Sharon,

Arab states misery and decline has nothing to do with Israel.
They were not states themselves long before 1948 and it was their own independence and self-rule that has led to their dispair.

The Jewish state was in the REmaking long before WW2.

If someone told you that it was Israel's fault that the sky is blue, you'd believe them!

BTW if it wasn't for Israel you wouldn't be communicating on your computer and being able to deseminate such stories.

That's just one of many Israeli innovations that are now part of your everyday life.

One day the world will know what the Jews have had to put up with from anti-semitic peoples throughout history.
Obviously, the muslims are the worst because their Islamic ideology teaches them to hate the jews from early childhood.
Therefore they lie and twist the truth to make sure they get the sympathy and support of the world, especially monetary, which is mostly used for weaponry to use against the jews, and therefore making it look like they are neglected by their Israeli neighbours.
If people choose to believe their sob stories all I can say is how gullible they are. Israel do their best to be fair to all!

Sharon,

It quite amusing how you conclude that since Israel became a sovereign state in 1948-–and Lebanon in the 1950's and 60' was beautiful and wonderful place-- that their current state of conflict, poverty, destitution is somehow attributed to the birth of Israel !!! And that the current state of all the middle east countries-- is somehow dependent on and caused by Israel !!!!!

Are you for real???

Listen to yourself !!!!!!

Does no one in any of these countries have any responsibility for their own personal situation??? Is everything always the fault of someone else ????

And another thing-– there was a plan in place 50 years prior to WWII via the Balfour Declaration and the League of Nations that the land which became the British Mandate Palestine would become a free and sovereign Jewish State!!!

You really need to listen, think, investigate and learn before speak and post your nonsense for the rest of the world to read !!

Re: @ Jules I have not thrown any sticks, or stones at you sir...only "Words" for mutual discourse,and in your defense you bombard my integrity. How typical for a Ashkenazi Jew,...a feigned surrogates birth-rite predictable response! Why is it that the blue coloured flag of Israel have a hexagram emblem (sign) on it? Why the change,...why? The real Jewry,... that being the Esau (aka, Edom) live, and preach the "Torah",and with the almighty Talmud walking them through their daily holy lives,but somehow can't hide their distain for aggressive Ashkenazi Jew. Peace ,and love be with you,....in your little Temple of the world?

earle, florida

Did Jules accuse you of throwing stones at him???

As well--where in the world did you ever get the idea is a Jew-let alone an Ashkenazi Jew???

This seems to another indication of your delusional mental state!

Do you just assume that anyone who has a view different than your own is automatically a Jew ???

I'll have you know-- I differ with your views quite drastically and I am neither an Israeli nor a Jew !!!!

So you need to get over your obvious bias, bigotry and hatred for anyone who who opposes your point of view-– including but not ,limited to Israelis and Jews!

Earle,

What change are to refering to wrt the Israeli flag?
The "hexagram" you talk about has been associated with Judaism for at least 1700 years and probably longer.

In designing a flag, for any state or purpose there are always various proposals and the Israeli flag was chosen after having been used as a symbol of the Zionist movement for the previous 80 years.

The Edomites, who lived in the area which is today mostly Jordan, disappeared after the Roman conquest of the region. That was long before the compilation of the Talmud and it is doubtful that the Torah featured much in their way of life.
Nor are the non-Ashkenazi Jews descendents of the Edomites.

earle

wouldn't it be nice if you knew what you were talking about?

why don't you comment on the muslim who massacred 13 in fort hood and about his al queida connection as reported by ABC news today (which CNN refuses to report out of fear)

Re: @ Miriam/Filipe,.....Please do not postulate your biased zeitgeist. Your both wrong regarding history. Let me pose, hypothetically a question to your similitude myopic minds? Who really owns america,...the indigenous indians,or the conquering american's! I'll let you fugure it out,but....the United States was civil enough to designate landmass for their co-existence,and assimilation of all people. Guess what,...it worked! Now ,for your lesson in current history regarding the United Nations. What International Laws did they breach when they unconterminously parsed the middle-east. Remember this,....it would be totally legitimate for Jordan ,and Syria to cut off Israel's water supply,but they choose not for humanities sake. The Ashkenazi "Goyim" Jew's proliferate hedonistic- hegemony and, aren't worthy of putting the sandles worn by the "Esau's" on their feet,period! Finally,..I would be remiss not to mention water,enough to fill your household swimming pools,and lush gardens,at the expense of the "Gaza Death Camp's". PS. You, and your ilk should get bi-focals, and delve into the Talmud for your salvation,... God Bless.

To Hunk and Robert
About witch occupation you are talking?
For more than decade Palestinian Authority have full civilian and security rule over Arab population in Judea and Samaria and while in Gaza Hamas is ruling, not Israel.
Occupation is when some state holds by force soveregn parts of another state.
If you are using term "occupation" please let us know when there ware any Arab soveregnity and entity in land between Jordan River and Mediterainian Sea. 160 years ago there were 40000 Sunis, Jews, Christians, Beduins, Druzes and Shiats. In Goosh Etzion, Jordan Valley, North Dead Sea and Goosh Katif witch are parts of Judea Samaria and Gaza Arabs have never lived.
After Jews start to came back to land from witch they were expult by force and to developed economy Arabs from Iraq, Lybia, Egypt (including Cairo born Yaser Arafat), Syria and Jordan start to immigrate in. For first time in history term "Palestinian nation" was mentioned in 1973. Now decendans of this immigrants want to take land that Jews purchased, build and developed and call legal owners "occupators".

University Rector – CNN reports news and not speculation. And please remember the phrase Al Queida was invented by an American informer after 911.

So who is Al Quieda?
Is it an American in Fort Hood?
Is it Saudi Arabians who learned how to fly in Florida, before targeting the twin towers?
Is it North Africans who lived in Spain and bombed Spanish trains?
Is it Pakistani who live in England and bombed English buses?

According to America Al Quieda is an Afghanistan "Taliban" supported operation running a world wide net work even though they don't even have sandals to wear on their feet.

In short Al Quieda is an American term used to focus the world on a war on terror. Which just happens to allow America to control oil rich Iraq and important oil pipe lines across Afghanistan. And don't forget Bush senior was Bin Ladens best mate and the entire Bin Laden family are VIPs in America.

So University Rector, please tell us more about Al Quieda and do you think CNN has joined their terror network?
What a gullable clown your are.

America will never win the war against Al Quieda, because Al Quieda does not exist. But America does not want to win the war. America wants a never ending excuse to interfere with the oil regions.
So if a Muslim makes a bad action its Al Quieda. If a Christian does something (Oklahoma bombing) he is a crazy individual.

Who wins from the dreamed up war on terror. America & Israel. America gets oil and Israel is free to expand settlements into Arabic land. So who is Al Quieda, who invented the name. Oh yeah America and Israel.

earle, florida,

Right-the conquering Americans were civil enough to designate land mass !!!!! And you believe it worked !!!!! Maybe for your sorry a$$ it did--but where are the original inhabitants of the land you refer to as Florida-- I doubt very seriously that they would agree with your assessment.

You're kidding, right???? Are you simply just trying to justify the existence of your own sorry a$$ on the land that really belongs to the Seminoles??? You are a joke !!!!!

The European "settlers" never had any legitimate claim to any of the land in North America--who gives as s**t if they were "civil" enough to provide land mass!!!! They decimated nearly the entire indigenous population of the entire continent.

The European settlers of north America have no more right to the land they squat on that than the Arabs have in the land of Israel !!! The Arabs are immigrants for the Arabian Peninsula--descendants of the original tribes of Arabia.

What makes you think they have the right to squat on the land of Israel which belongs to the Israelites????

Arabs are from Arabia !!!!

But please do tell us all-earle, florida-– exactly what international laws did the United Nations and the member states break when they approved the partition to create a Jewish State and an Arab State??

You're a hoot !!!

Darren,

Who does America get oil from because of their action?? Israel?? Iraq? Hmm -there's less oil coming from Iraq than there used to be?? Syria? Lebanon? Jordan? Does US support for Israel deem them to be worthy of more generous oil supplies from the Arab oil countries???

I'm not sure where people like you come up with this nonsense !!

And you say "Israel expands into Arabic lands" !!!! I think you need an education in basic geography-- "Arabic" land is the Arabian Peninsula-– Arabs originated in ARABIA-– they are migrant Bedouins -– who spread throughout the region-– Israel has no interest in ARABIC lands !!! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!

But you just go right ahead and continue to believe there is no terror organizations to fight and that terrorism is all a myth!!!!!! The daily suicide bombings across the middle east by the terror groups with "fictitious American made up names" who don't really exist-will miraculously end and fade into nothingness if everyone just closes there eyes and wishes for it to occur.

IF a mere 1/10 of the money the oil rich Islamic ruled country's in the Middle East were used to purchase Saline to Fresh Water processors in Gaza, then Gaza would have all of the fresh water the city residents need.

Instead, the oil rich Islamic ruled country's in the Middle East pour hundreds of millions of dollars into weapons and explosives that are shipped into Gaza to promote its proxy war against Israel.

Instead of feeding the Gaza and West Bank slums with AK47's and explosives, the Oil Rich Islamic ruled country's should be providing the women and children in those slums with those same hundreds of millions of dollars in food, water and medicine.

A. Smith
Oregon

Earle,
" Biased zeitgeist"? Look who's talking.

Your claims prove that you have no knowledge of the region.

UN resolutions are not international laws!
If you want to believe those who mislead you and suggest that they are, why did the Arabs reject the first resolution that was passed that dealt with the situation?

Syria does try to divert water to Israel as does Lebanon. Jordan couldn't even if it wanted.

The ME is not Florida.
Barely anyone has a swimming pool in Israel and there are few lush gardens. Anyone who does is charged a fortune in water tariffs.

Re: my brother,and friend Filipe,....Perhaps Israel would like to return the $3 Billion + the United States "gives as their annual charitable contribution" each, and every year. No interest paid as of yet on monies given, even before they started begging for american shekels. Imagine ,....Israel the poorest nation in the entire world getting one-third of the entire american foreign aide allotments,..not to mention being on America's most favored nations status when handing out lucrative contracts oversea's. What a country,.... the United States is Filipe,...be careful not to bite the hand that feeds you my blessed friend. Love ya earle........? PS. Keep talking,I'm trying to figure how large your footsize is in comparison/proportion (metabolical intelligence) to your mouth. Please leave enough wiggle-room to drink the kool-aid in your water.

Darren

you want to call me a clown instaed af addressing another muslim terror attack against innocents, t'fadal habibi

but stop your whining and lying for one minute

Darren, you haven't a clue of what is happening, maybe you are al quaida?

Darren I agree with you. Al Quaida is McCarthysim revisited. Invent an enemy and control the masses with fear and slurs. And with this control America influences the oil regions and Israel can wipe Palestinians of the face of the earth, while they perversely pretend Israel is under threat.

America is Israels ally, America is not Palatines ally. How can America even pretend to be a even handed peace broker.

The Middle East crises wont end until a neutral super power like China steps up to lead negotiations. If America tries to bully China, China can pull its financial credit out of the states.

Egyptian Cleric Mahmoud Al-Masri Recommends Tricking Jews into Becoming Muslims

Following are excerpts from a sermon delivered by Egyptian cleric Mahmoud Al-Masri, which aired on Al-Nas TV on August 10, 2009.

Mahmoud Al-Masri: My dear brothers, we want to repent, and we want to take by the hand those people who have not yet repented. We should feel pity for them. By Allah, we should not be tough with them. These people are sick. They are sinners. We should feel pity for them, we should care for them. We should act like doctors who care for the sick. You should care for them and feel great pity for them, and seek any ingenious way to make a person repent.

I’d like to tell you a very nice story. Once there was a Muslim who lived next to a Jew. The Muslim saw in the Jew a measure of goodheartedness – however small – and he wanted to find any way to make him convert to Islam. So he went to him and asked: “Don’t you feel the need for Islam? Why don’t you become a Muslim?” The Jew said: “The only thing preventing me from becoming a Muslim is that I love drinking alcohol. I would have become a Muslim ages ago, but the only thing stopping me is that I am an alcoholic.”

The Muslim devised a plan. He said: “No problem – become a Muslim, and continue to drink.” The Muslim didn’t meant this, of course, but he said to him: “Become a Muslim, and continue to drink.” The Jews said: “Fine.” He said: “I proclaim that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” The Muslim said to him: “Now you have become a Muslim. If you drink alcohol, we will carry out the punishment for drinking alcohol on you, and if you renounce Islam, we will kill you.” So the man remained a Muslim and never drank alcohol again. This was a nice trick by this good Muslim.

------------

John A, just for you so you can tell us whos problem THIS is:

Egyptian Cleric Mahmoud Al-Masri Recommends Tricking Jews into Becoming Muslims

Following are excerpts from a sermon delivered by Egyptian cleric Mahmoud Al-Masri, which aired on Al-Nas TV on August 10, 2009.

Mahmoud Al-Masri: My dear brothers, we want to repent, and we want to take by the hand those people who have not yet repented. We should feel pity for them. By Allah, we should not be tough with them. These people are sick. They are sinners. We should feel pity for them, we should care for them. We should act like doctors who care for the sick. You should care for them and feel great pity for them, and seek any ingenious way to make a person repent.

I’d like to tell you a very nice story. Once there was a Muslim who lived next to a Jew. The Muslim saw in the Jew a measure of goodheartedness – however small – and he wanted to find any way to make him convert to Islam. So he went to him and asked: “Don’t you feel the need for Islam? Why don’t you become a Muslim?” The Jew said: “The only thing preventing me from becoming a Muslim is that I love drinking alcohol. I would have become a Muslim ages ago, but the only thing stopping me is that I am an alcoholic.”

The Muslim devised a plan. He said: “No problem – become a Muslim, and continue to drink.” The Muslim didn’t meant this, of course, but he said to him: “Become a Muslim, and continue to drink.” The Jews said: “Fine.” He said: “I proclaim that there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” The Muslim said to him: “Now you have become a Muslim. If you drink alcohol, we will carry out the punishment for drinking alcohol on you, and if you renounce Islam, we will kill you.” So the man remained a Muslim and never drank alcohol again. This was a nice trick by this good Muslim.

----

earle

your whining and crying about so-called US aid to Israel is hilarious

Even you nitwit know, but refuse to speak about it, that the US military aid is spent in the US (by law of congress) so that you and the likes of you are not on the dole and have jobes!!!

truth is not aword in your vocabulary, is it?

Earl:

"Gaza Death Camp's"

I understand that you are referring to the Hamas camps where they keep all adversaries of their bloody rule?

University Rector possibly you should ask the same question to Yaakov Teitel. Then you would be speaking with a like minded person.

Yaakov Teitel, an American immigrant who lives in the West Bank, faces 14 charges, including two counts of murder and three of attempted murder.

"God is proud of what I have done," Mr Teitel said in court.

Police called him a "Jewish terrorist" when he was arrested in October. His lawyer says he is mentally disturbed.

"It's been a pleasure and an honour to serve my God," he said as he entered Jerusalem District Court. "God is proud of what I have done, I have no regrets."

Police say Mr Teitel, a 37-year-old and father of four, has confessed to the 1997 murder of a Palestinian taxi driver in East Jerusalem and a shepherd in the West Bank, which he told them were to avenge suicide bombings in Israel.

He is also accused of:

• Placing a bomb near a convent west of Jerusalem, wounding a Palestinian, after previously attempting to set fire to the building

* Sending a bomb disguised as a gift for the Jewish holiday of Purim to a family of messianic Jews – Jews who believe in Jesus as a saviour – seriously wounding a 15-year-old boy
* A bomb attack which lightly wounded the left-wing Israeli academic Zeev Sternhell last year
* Placing a bomb in a police station in an attempted attack which police say was aimed at diverting them from providing security for gay pride parades
* Laying an explosive device next to a Palestinian home near the West Bank settlement of Eli
* Putting poisonous antifreeze in three bottles of juice and leaving them near a Palestinian village in the hope of poisoning a passer-by.

The charge sheet says some of the attacks were motivated by Mr Teitel's "hatred and objection" to individuals and groups whose lifestyles and ideology conflicted with his own.

Charges include: Premeditated murder, attempted murder, weapons violations, arson in grave circumstances, incitement to violence and terror, threatening from a motive of hostility against a specific group.

The judge said Mr Teitel would remain in custody until further notice, and further hearings would be held in mid-December.

He was arrested in Jerusalem after he was found giving out leaflets in the ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood praising an attack on a gay youth club in Tel Aviv in August that killed two people.

A large weapons cache was later found at his home in the West Bank settlement

Mr Teitel's lawyer, Adi Keidar, at the time said his client was "mentally disturbed" and believed he was an "emissary of the Lord" who was instructed to carry out the attacks by God.

He said Mr Teitel had confessed to attacks he did not commit, and therefore his confessions could not be relied on.

earle,florida,

You must fail even read my posts-- you have obviously failed to understand that I am neither Jewish nor an Israeli!

You also fail to understand that 100% of the money your blessed USA provides to Israel is spent in the USA resulting the support of your lousy friggin' economy and increasing your tax revenue.

So-- maybe you should get a clue !!!

Don't spend too much time in the sun-seems to be affecting your cognitive functions in a negative fashion

John A

teitel is a terrorist

i need not ask him anything

did you ask anything of your bosom friends, the arab terrorists

1. I visited Gaza three times in the years 1900 – 1995. The water was undrinkable then. We were told not to drink it as it was contaminated from pipes that had not been maintained since the British left in 1948.

2. The Israeli airforce and artillery seems to have been remarkably clever in their destruction. What sort of armaments are capable of removing the rivets, one by one, without damaging the pipes? Judging from the rust and general state of disrepair the plant hasn't been used for years, long before Cast Lead.

Re: @ Filipe.... my apologies,but you are very biased towards one side...where I myself try to find the higher-ground,but reluctantly admit I fail at times. We all get alittle carried away with the horrible thing happening in the world today. What I've found through this blog... is that they offer a great venue for intellectual dialogue,but unfortunately the conversation always gravitates to an impasse,...(:

Filipe & Earle & others

What started out as a comment about water for Gaza has I'm afraid, degenerated into a slanging match between bloggers with different points of view.

None of which help to come to a proper understanding of the opposing views of commentators. Sending insults is very unintelligent.

Why don't you get back to offering sensible arguments and possible reasoned ideas for solving the problem without resorting to insults.

Sonny

Be careful . As Philip K. Dick (greatest sci-fi author; Blade Runner, Minority Report) said, " watch the MSM(mainstream media) only to find out what they want you to think and find everything taboo, banned, censored, suppressed along with the foreign press to discover what is actually happening." Having experienced 1st hand the Stalinist Propaganda Machine , I can justly assert that CNN, ABC, all network TV news, All Major American Newspapers, Radio, Direct TV , History Channel, National Geographic, is all thoroughly infiltrated by US intelligence agencies. We are living in a Stalinist Propaganda Nightmare- even worse than that- because at least we knew it was not the truth, but Americans are so naive and stupid that they actually believe the News media. Please Wake up America!

wainwright,

From my experience of censorship, this CNN blog is more likely infiltrated by Arab disinformation agencies than anyone else.

damjan,

Its not a problem what the Palestinians called that Place wither its land of Kannan or Palestine , there were no Israel either , except if you count the Prophet as the name of a state !

Palestine is under occupation and its occupied by Israell. do you want to debate that? it seems so then we have to start from down of History ? do want that? for me as an Arab the land is occupied, and israell are conqueror and can never be equalized with the Native Arabs who buried their grandfathers in that place , you if you want to visit your grand fathers where you go > most probably out the middle east!, i dont mean you in person but the vast black majority – Arabic Expression – of Israelis have thier roots outside the south west Asia.
You speak of Isrealies going back to their land , do mean the transfer? i think i will not debate with you . Shalom if you know the meaning of this word.

Thru coincidence or spiritual design, the residents in Gaza, West Bank and Israel are going to have to more fully share natural resources in a region of ever shrinking natural resources.

As populations in each of those groups increases, the pressing needs for additional resources is becoming ever more apparent along with the need to share and reach agreements on how to proceed together in the future.

Israel, the residents on the West Bank and Gaza have learned to make due with very little resources for many years. With large increases in the population groups there, the pressing needs for additional resources is pushing each group to more fully cooperate with one another.

A. Smith, Oregon, You are living in a dream. Palestinian houses are being demolished and Israeli settlements are being expanded. This is not cooperation or sharing. This is Israeli state supported theft!