@MidnightRider I do believe there are ways to achieve peace other than war. More had to be done to open humanitarian corridors. ENORMOUS pressure should've been exerted on Egypt, and particularly Qatar, who harbor and help Hamas. As one analyst said, tell Qatar to denounce Hamas and stop supporting them, or be named a state sponsor of terror AND lose rights for their airlines to fly to other nations. Israel has every right to be angry and want vengeance, but that road usually goes nowhere.

@EdgeOErin Additionally Israel could have stopped annexing land for houses while giving Gaza a middle finger.

@MidnightRider Yes, the whole stealing of Palestinian land in the West Bank for new Israeli settlements is horrible. How would a people not feel hate if that were done to them?

@EdgeOErin Mad enough to combust and be judged for snapping, why I just did the family version of that in August.

@EdgeOErin @MidnightRider War is the solution when words fail. HAMAS attacked Israel. So there can be only one response. They've tried all of the others.

@danielbsmith @EdgeOErin I don't disagree but punish the right people, war never seems to get that right. Just like the psycho shooters in the USA.

@MidnightRider @EdgeOErin As I believe you've said, it is HAMAS using human shields, not the Israelis.

@danielbsmith @EdgeOErin They always fight dirty with the hostage bullshit, then we pretend to be Iran's friend for political points. War sucks Daniel, the Bataan death march was as bad as anything done here. Also if you think "Rodger Ramjet" never raped, stole or killed for thrills you're so wrong.

@MidnightRider @EdgeOErin History is written by the victors.

@danielbsmith @MidnightRider That is, and probably will ever be, so.

@EdgeOErin @danielbsmith Not so much if you are living during what they are recording, sometimes you can see what's what.

@MidnightRider @danielbsmith Oh yes, you can see it, but will it be recorded and recognized unless you are from the majority or on the winning team? Fortunately, we live in the age of information (and misinformation), so it's possible "the truth" can prevail.

@EdgeOErin @danielbsmith Our government lies to us EVERY day! Here's your Kennedy files America: _____ had lunch with ____ who said he knew____ . If our government knew 100% there were aliens, they sure as hell wouldn't tell us.

@MidnightRider @EdgeOErin In the case of aliens, the government has told us repeatedly that there are no aliens, but many of us refuse to believe it.

@danielbsmith @EdgeOErin It was an allegory, not literal. What "they" know we never will until it has value to the USG.

@MidnightRider @danielbsmith Ah, yes, I see :)

@EdgeOErin @danielbsmith I wanted to type about something on coso, it's way old. Then I realized it shows up in no shape or form on the internet and I'm confident it was a secret, so I'm taking it to the grave like the man who related it did. There's a TON we are not told about on purpose.

@MidnightRider @danielbsmith I've no doubt of that. There is so much more to life than meets the eye.

@EdgeOErin @MidnightRider What if the invisible things you speak of are sometimes angels but mostly demons? You know, the biblical kind. 😉

@danielbsmith @EdgeOErin
what if spirits are there and they have zero nexus with the man written oxen yoke called the New Testament? What if the "surprise" is for you Daniel? Most people have some sense of wonder and flexibility about possible life after death, an open mind. Except the pious humans who masquerade through life pretending they have knowledge that the rest of us know no human being has. As I've said before I believe NDE stories far more than the book.

@danielbsmith @MidnightRider Please don't misunderstand, as pretty much any level-headed person in the world, I also want Hamas eliminated.

@EdgeOErin @danielbsmith Of course, all extremism needs an end. The morons in the USA dressing as Nazi's? Where's the crazy fuck in the pickup at ramming speed when they march?

@MidnightRider @danielbsmith Yes, sadly, the mad and maniacal only seem to go after the innocent

@MidnightRider @danielbsmith True that, MidnightRider

@mcfate I do believe there are ways to achieve peace other than war. More had to be done to open humanitarian corridors. ENORMOUS pressure should've been exerted on Egypt, and particularly Qatar, who harbor and help Hamas. As one analyst said, tell Qatar to denounce Hamas and stop supporting them, or be named a state sponsor of terror AND lose rights for their airlines to fly to other nations. Israel has every right to be angry and want vengeance, but that road usually goes nowhere.

@EdgeOErin

Okay, but given that the past can't be rewritten and the word "should" means "didn't, despite my desires", what would you have them DO?

@mcfate Open humanitarian corridors. Get as many women and children out of Gaza (and into Egypt or Jordan) as possible. MORE PRESSURE on Qatar to eject (or hold in jail) Hamas leaders from their country. Maybe a cease fire to remove injured and hospital patients to a place they can be treated. Basically, show some compassion.

@EdgeOErin

How does Israel manage to keep Hamas from exploiting "open corridors"? We've established that they've got no compunctions about using any human shields that happen to be handy.

Let Egypt and Jordan open some corridors, I've got no insight into what the State Department is doing, nor do you, for really good reasons.

I'm asking what you want Israel to be doing differently. I see a lot of issues with an "open corridor" between Gaza and Israel at the moment.

@mcfate I think I've answered that here a few times already. But to add to it, at minimum, prioritize food and medical relief.

@EdgeOErin

Tough to do when you're being shot at by a bunch of terrorists, though.

@mcfate So much goes back to pressuring entities like Egypt and Qatar to leverage Hamas, or at least allow for a UN force at the Raffa crossing to let woman and children out. I suppose I am 4 parts hopeful, 4 parts naive, and 4 parts devil's advocate/optimist in thinking there must be a way that is better than the status quo slaughter.

@EdgeOErin

I keep asking for that "way", and I'm pretty sure the State Department is applying what pressure they can — note that Qatar is keeping Iran's six billion out of Iran's hands — but they're sovereign states, we don't get to issue orders to them.

Why do you assume none of these things are being attempted, though? Because you're not seeing anything on YouTube? Why WOULD you?

@mcfate YouTube [eye roll confused emoji]. A nation can be decreed a state sponsor of terror ; it's been done at the UN (though I confess the UN is, and will presumably remain, ineffective). I am not assuming these/other things are not being worked on; I watch the news [eye-roll emoji]. I've no problem with you, or an end to this discussion. I just want to see peace in the middle east and more efforts to attain it.

@mcfate I'm also Canadian, so am not just looking at this from the standpoint of what [more] the USA can do.

@danielbsmith Biblical excerpts mean pretty much nothing to me. Far too often they are used to delegitimize one population while exalting/empowering another. I will say I do like the quote about all people being created equal.

@EdgeOErin The Bible should never be weaponized. Neither conversion nor compliance can be forced. They must be chosen by the individual or it is not of God.

@TomB I agree...it's all terribly sad

@TomB @EdgeOErin I believe Israel will help Gaza rebuild after HAMAS is removed. Don't assume anything right now. Right now removing the cancer that is HAMAS is the priority. It must be. How many kidnapped victims do they still have? HAMAS cannot be allowed to survive.

@danielbsmith @TomB I do agree Hamas must be wiped out. I'm not sure what the end game is, but I do not subscribe to the theory that the end justifies the means.

@LindaGoodliffe I agree with you, Hamas is scum. They must be annihilated. I believe there was an opportunity for other solutions (read my other responses if you can), but, sadly, I think that time has passed. I feel for both sides...what Hamas did was absolutely horrible.

@EdgeOErin I watched one of the few hostage negotiators who got Hamas to release hostages, like 10 hostages in exchange for 100 Hamas prisoners, and it took him FIVE YEARS. Israel is doing the only thing they can, in my opinion. The rest of the Arab world should absorb Palestinians, and be done with this.

@LindaGoodliffe I agree other countries should bring in Palestinians temporarily and then lands Israel stole from the West Bank should be returned to them. Israelis and Palestinians both deserve their own homeland. Forcing Palestinians to a new land, or for other countries to absorb them is like saying Europe should've absorbed all the Jews after WW2, or Russia and Europe should be absorbing the Ukrainians today

@EdgeOErin As for Gaza once Israel gets rid of Hamas, I say to the victor go the spoils. That sounds harsh, I know, but I’m thinking that maybe the West Bank will think twice about their terrorist ambitions if Gaza is no more after the worst terrorist attack on Israel. Maybe, they’ll learn to focus on themselves instead and build themselves some prosperity by investing in their society rather than terrorism. I know it’s a reach.

@LindaGoodliffe I don't agree, but I understand where you are coming from. It's all so frustrating. I suspect if Israel stopped stealing West Bank land for illegal settlements, that might ratchet down some of the violence and hate. I do not subscribe to the might is right and the end justifies the means school of thought. As I said a few times now, much more pressure needs to be applied to Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar to a) wipe out Hamas, and b) allow help for temp. Palestinian refugees

@EdgeOErin @LindaGoodliffe Israel isn't stealing land. That is another lie. And none of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, or any other Arab state want anything to do with Hamas. After Israel, Egypt probably hates Hamas the most because every time they're let in they've tried to take over the country.

All of the Arab states are happy to let Israel clean up the Hamas mess and take the blame for it. None of them will say this publicly though.

@danielbsmith @LindaGoodliffe Israel taking land from the West Bank is known and recognized by most nations on Earth as occupied territories (land taken from Palestinians). Honestly, it shouldn't even be up for debate (all sorts of evidence and maps to support it). But, I do agree, nobody wants anything to do with Hamas. Who would? They are a bunch of cowardly murderers. Yet, Qatar allows Hamas' leadership to live in penthouse suites and 5-star lodging in Doha. That, I think, is also criminal.

@EdgeOErin @LindaGoodliffe

@phase2 posted something about those maps lying in the past few weeks.

@danielbsmith @LindaGoodliffe @phase2 Lots of current maps to show much land has been taken from what was promised to the Palestinians

@danielbsmith @EdgeOErin @phase2 I’ve seen that.

Though, I think it’s important to note that Israel stopped taking land, gave Gaza to the Palestinians along with money and all kinds of support, and has worked toward a two state solution for decades. Yet, Palestine walked away from peace many times in order to hold to their mission of killing all the Jews.

I agree that every INNOCENT civilian death is a tragedy, but I’m not falling for the look at the poor-sweet
-terrorists lies.

@danielbsmith @EdgeOErin Jordon won’t let Palestinians in anymore either. The last time they did they suffered horrifying terrorist attacks. No one wants them because they are terrorists. Much of the arab world wants nothing to do with terrorism and war.

@LindaGoodliffe @danielbsmith I don't agree, but you are entitled to your opinion and I won't argue with you about it. I just want their to be peace. Have a Happy Halloween.