First of all: Hamas started the recent attacks and second of all: Both sides wont stop until the other is completely wiped out.

I think Israel would love to live in peace, but hasn't been allowed to by it's neighbors. They've certainly born a heavy burden in attacks by both neighbor nations and terrorists -- probably more so than any other nation in the world. As peaceful as I think they would like to be, WWII put an end to any "turn the other cheek" sentiments. They will no longer allow themselves to be attacked and killed without a fight.

Hamas and their backers Iran are in the wrong here, they want to wipe Israel off the face of the Earth, they are putting their own people in jeopardy, they need to be stopped.

With what's going on currently, I'd say they have a pretty strong case for self defence. If Hamas puts down their rockets, I'll bet a weeks pay that Israel would stop pounding them into the dirt. Hamas is trying to fight way outside their weight class and if they want to survive as a political entity, they better think about their tactics. Funny how Fatah isn't having this issue right now. Ohh, right...they put down the rockets and started negotiations which may not be going at lightning speed but..nobody's dying that way either. Hamas deserves what they're getting, now if only they'd step out into plain view and make it a little easier so that the women and kids they're hiding behind can live out a long normal life, why...that would be just great. Edit: Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, the Fatah head honcho has just gone on record for calling Hamas idiots for setting the peace process back and that they "brought it on themselves", as he put it. A Palestinian in charge of the West Bank said that. Makes you wonder what sort of suicidal idiots are in charge of Gaza. Ohhh...yeah...Hamas. The same idiots that tried suicide bombings in the past using kids. Funny, I don't see Israeli kids lined up to kill other innocent kids that are Hamas. Why is that? Now put your negs down again or did you use them all? Friggin' idiot, get your head out of your_____. You're giving Arabs who have sense, a bad name world wide.

I'm with the Palestinians and believe Israel to be totally in the wrong!

There is no justification for indiscriminate killing of women and children! The israeli leaders that have decided to launch these brutal and barbarous attacks should be brought before an international legal tribunal and face the charges for their actions! Any usage of missile or bombs or strafing from any aircraft is indiscriminate, because they really can't control where the rounds are going to strike next! They don't want pin point accuracy the israelis want the maximum terror they can generate using these weapon systems supplied by the US!

I just heard (on the radio news) a local official (in the middle east)who has ties to Egypt saying that Egypt has rescinded all leave for troops and officers and will ASSIST Israel to wipe out Hamas when they go in on the ground. Wrap your head around that. It's getting crazy over there. "Dogs and cats, living together... mass hysteria!"

Tough call? Happy New Year 2009

Israel is a nation oppressing the Palestinians. I don't agree with all the Palestinian tactics but they are the ones trying to gain freedom from, basically, an outside occupying force. +5

Israel is every bit as warmongering a nation as its partner in crime and supporter to the West is

Disproportionate? When you are attacked you don't fight back with one arm tied behind your back and play tit for tat, You give them everything you got and end it! Fighting a limited war is what gave us Vietnam and Iraq.

Absolutely! Israel and the US are two of a kind!

If you protect a combatant or hide their weapons you become a combatant. Sending missiles indiscriminately into another country makes you a terrorist. I do not agree with a lot of things Israel does but this one is necessary. I agree that the Israeli government has not always done right by those people but they are not right either. They should both sit down and work out their differences as should all the countries in that area but they don't. All this is probably instigated by Iran and Syria who arm them with those missiles. Instead of sending food, aid and teachers, doctors and such they send them missiles to launch at Israel. Dumb.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/end-unlawful-attacks-and-meet-gazas-emergency-needs-20081229

This is a bit of a loaded question, isn't it?

I applaude them. Israel takes shit from no one, and they don't really care what liberals (or anyone else for that matter) thinks about it yo...

Israel is a "warmongering" nation - but it has some justification in being so - and I said SOME justification here - it does not have the right to exploit it's neighbors or to abuse the refugees from that land land know known as Israel.

there not warmongers there defending themselves and we would do the same in there position.

Is Palestine justified? How about the rest of the Islamic groups justified in wanting to kill those who simply have a different religion? Hey, how about Hitler? Was he justified? They are hated simply due to religion. They PAID for their land, they are extremely fiscally smart. Look at their opposition. They live in squalor, they don't think or try and say "Hey, if we want better, why aren't we working for it? No, they would rather hate, fight and die for their false God.

I take it you are talking about the indiscriminate shelling on the West Bank by the Israeli Army. Well I find it very strange that Israel can get away with some of the things they do like invading the Lebanon just because they have terrorist cells living there. Did the British invade Southern Ireland during the recent IRA troubles to root out their training camps. The answer is we did not because we are more civilized and do things diplomatically. Anything that Israel does never gets any condemnation from the western powers. We all sell them arms and ammunition to kill their neighbours and that is why we do not condemn their political policies. What people tend forget is that the state of Israel only came about through immigrant European Jewish Terrorists who came to a land which their ancestors had abandoned a thousand years earlier and terrorized the local Arab Palestinians in their own country. It was only because of the western Jewish businesses who financed terrorism that they were able to overpower the Palestinians who were the majority.Yes, the should be made to answer for the attacks on their neighbours.

No, their attacks are disproportionate. PS: Deleted the rest of the answer to avoid electronic harassement, SAD!

If defending ones self when surrounded by enemies sworn to destroy you is 'wamongering', then I suppose so. But rational people know better. Israel has not caused any problems with Egypt since they made peace. Too bad the rest of the Arabs out there can't take a hint.