None of this 'behavior'is sanctified by God.It is based on human fallibilities and all the things that eat away at the heart,mind and soul instead of letting them grow and be nourished.God is just a excuse!
Whether Israel OR palestine, all have suffered enough and all are entitled to their own space, just as their children are entitled to their future peace.But as long as people live in a bitter past,they will never have a fruitful future.
I remain optimistic,that in my lifetime,I will witness a State of Israel living,in tolerant respect,with it's neighbour,The New State Of Palestine!

What about the rights of Palestinians? Didn't they suffer enough? They had nothing to do with what happened to the displaced Jews in Europe, why do they have to be displaced themselves to pay for the Europeans' crimes?

To grassroots, again you make some very good points. In 1948 my brother was sailing alongside a ship carrying displaced jews from Europe to Israel, a shot was fired from that ship and it hit my brother in the forehead and killed him, so I have little empathy with Isrealis. However I cannot support a gorvernment that denys the right for Isreal to exist and is comfortable with attaching bombs to people and send them into crowded areas for the express purpose of murder and dance in the streets when aeroplanes are flown into tall buildings. You mention God's help in your message, it is questionable if God supports this type of behavior.

For me,the saddest thing is to see 'Palestine'divided,even before it is OFFICIALLY recognised as a new State.I would rather think of these people as just being PALESTINIANS,living side by side in peace,with their neighbours,which to me symbolizes the peace of God.The easiest thing to do,when the heart is full of bias,bitterness and hatred,is pick up a gun a kill! The hardest thing to do,is put down the gun,offer your enemy and glass of water and invite,instead,to TALK and find a consensus agreement.The latter,would be the way of God, because I would never expect the One God to pick up a gun,or put on a bomb-vest to kill!
So,to me,right now,as long as Hamas are aligned with Iran,who are in alignment with Al Qaeda and extremists/ jihadists,whatever their nationality,I can only see more death,destruction and division of people,which only makes MORE money for corporations/cartels and war-mongers,and STILL has no benefit for ordinary people.
I am equally annoyed with,AND ashamed of many Politicians/Governments/Rulers in USA,,SAUDI,ISRAEL,IRAN,BRITAIN ETC ETC!,for all their lies and double-dealings.They should ALL be ashamed of choosing the easy way(violence),instead of taking up the challenge of finding God(in peace and agreement).
I still hope to see a new State of Palestine,with united Palestinians,not puppets of other,bigger powers!And,I think,here is where Hamas has to prove itself!
If it can prove that it is loyal only to a Democratic,multi-ethnic,Palestine and uniting Palestinians,to live in agreeable(even if not as best 'buddies')conditions,side by side with Israel(all brothers in the eyes of God!)then they will show their good will.
But,if they side with Al Qaeda and the like,and stay with the gun and bloodshed, the New State of Palestine,will be an eternal dream only!
On LinkTV(MOSAIC) news today,I am glad that,at least,Israeli P.M.Olmert has agreed to release some Fatah members.I may be getting too old,but I remain optmistic that Hamas guys will be next,because to me they are all "Palestinians"!
But I feel Hamas SHOULD show their committment to a Democratic Palestine first,before the Hamas members are released.And,they should return the Israeli soldier,unconditionally,who is sick,to his family.Trust is gained through actions, words can be empty. Just as Fatah will have to earn the world's trust, by it's actions.Then,hopefully,we will see a peaceful happy future,for the children of Palestine and Israel.
What would Allah/God do? Offer the glass of pure cool water? Or offer the heat and hate of a gun?
Let's see a successful,tolerant,Democratic Palestine.
They need to get back to tourism,fiscal security,tea,sweets,music and some good football!
Oh and give Tony Blair a chance to 'de-Bush'and redeem himself.He's a good guy,basically,and plays a crackin' game of soccer,I'm sure he'll bring his kit,with his Quartet'referee'whistle! Time for some tea!
Peace! Salaam! Shalom!
p.s.LOL! 'HAMAS' should re-name itself!
'SHAAMS'(Sunshine),Inshallah!

I must say that I am disappointed in the responses in this blog. The Palestinians had an election and elected a government of their choice. Hamas government officials began in good faith and worked to form a unity government while outside interests consistently harried and harassed them and set up their Fatah counterparts to attempt to overthrow them. They were denied their own tax money necessary to run a government and support their people. They maintained a ceasefire while hundreds of Palestinians, most of them civilians and many government officials from their party were murdered and imprisoned by the Israeli army. And yet you call them terrorists. To expect gratitude from them for this treatment is unreasonable and cruel.

Up until about 15 months ago my Taxes went to support Gaza Palistinians, for the twenty years I and my fellow countrymen paid taxes that ended up as aid to Gaza. I saw absolutely no positive effort on the part of the people of Gaza to help themselves during that period. I did see the people of Gaza blame everyone but themselves for their predicament. Now Gaza has gunmen "ruling" who are beginning to wonder who is going to supply them with more bullets and are complaining that the rest of the world are not helping them, surprise!surprise!.

But that's why it IS so sad.Because it wasn't a suprise,just ANOTHER disappointment. It's something that has been 'brewing' for decades.You split a cake TOO much,it collapses into crumbs! And it doesn't help by having outside bigger bullies goading from the side-lines too,concerned,only, with their own ends.
The Palestinian people,either stick together as a new sovereign State/Nation (hopefully)DESPITE their internal differences, or they finally pick a bigger human'mentor',who reflects their own true personal needs for the immediate future. There should be a FORMAL 'State of Palestine',living side by side with the State of Israel,in mutual respect and tolerance. Whatever their differences,even now,they share the GREATEST commonality.They believe in the same God!
What else do they NEED in common?
Because everything else is meagre, by comparison.
Even if they have to do ANOTHER election,overseen by a neutral Commission of multi-nationals,to make sure the final count is unadulterated. The choice is theirs and I hope they have the courage to MAKE IT!
and EVERY ONE of their neighbours should be helping them to build a new homeland!

When the Palistinian people of Gaza democratically elected a Terrorist personnel to govenment they need to accept the responsibility of this action, so why is anyone surprised at the current situation in Gaza??

I don't know what will happen now, but it doesn't look promising. The events of the last week are really very sad, but not surprising. The entire world seems to have lined up against supporting the integration of the Hamas and Fatah factions in Palestine. Although I feel that Hamas and the Palestinian people have been severely wronged with regard to their democratic choice, and though I can understand their frustration, I don't think anything good can come of the current situation. As in any situation, I find myself inclined to blame those with power for influencing the situation in a negative way. Right or wrong, those without power are the ones who pay. Unfortunately there aren't enough saints around to supply effective leadership to the disenfranchised and oppressed masses of the world.
I look at the situation of Hamas in Gaza, and see something like the final plight to Sitting Bull, and then I look at Bush and Cheney in Iraq and see a reflection Of Custer's battle at Big Horn. But there are a lot more Arabs in the Middle East than there were Native Americans on the North American continent when the Europeans arrived. There are too many Palestinians and too many observers for them to be held in their prisons indefinitely. We are moving to the point where only a one-state solution will be possible. If and when that occurs, regardless of the initial provisions, the Palestinians will eventually be restored to their homeland.

Why don't they have a 'multi-state' solution? They could have a Sunni State,a Sunni EXTREMIST State,a Moderate Shia State,A Fundamentalist State, An Alawite State,A Hesboallah State etc etc?
If God gave Abraham 12 'streams'(tribes),2'STREAMS',seems a bit cheapo, right?
Seriously! the more 'extreme' this gets,the more blood is shed,then the further it get's away from the Essence!
I never thought I would see Palestinians/Arabs killing each other again!But neither am I surprised, just SO disappointed.
AND,Alan Johnson has always been the voice of the Palestinian peoples cause. If they harm Alan,they will cut out their 'own tongue'! Alan deserves their care and respect and his freedom!
Outside of Politics and Religion, I have met many wonderful Muslim people(of many sects)and those others that live by death and bloodshed,have very little in common with them.
My own God,is the same a their God(Allah),BECAUSE there is only ONE God(of love and tolerance),one light,one essence in our soul.The Intangible,the perfect,and He said,'Do not shed blood or hate'.
One Essence,One Light? Then why separate their children by borders of brick,blood and hate? Because we are weak and greedy!
It's worse than "wild cats"!
All the points that Dr.Sarraj makes,are VERY SADLY valid!