An Opinion About the Israeli Massacre.

[Stuart G]

This is being downplayed as a major world event...Question ? How does one compare this to other world events?...In Las Vegas on October 1, 1917 58 were killed and over 800 injured. In Gaza, 60 killed, thousands injured.
... This event yesterday is horrific and awful beyond belief. Soldiers of the Israeli Army killed when they did not have to kill. (my opinion.) The U.S. has already prevented a U.N. Investigation into the killings which took place yesterday. From a few pictures that I have seen, the Gaza protesters did not have guns..They were using stones and other methods to fight the Army. This is a major event in the Middle East and in the world. The U.S. news reports are not treating it in a way that signifies it's importance.....Only time will tell. Very sad and horrific.

[hlthe2b]

1. and once again, US blocked UN from investigating..

We have NO moral high ground... zero... nada... we are complicit.

[Stuart G]

2. Yes...I am greatly saddened by this. An investigation is in order..everyone knows that.

Fair and impartial investigation to see what happened. That only makes sense. This country also supports Israel. But if murder took place, if that is what it was, then a fair and impartial investigation needs to be made. Why?...Just to find out what happened..makes sense to all concerned. At least it makes sense to me.

[JayhawkSD]

6. An investigation?

We don't need an investigation. The facts are plain on the ground, right out in the open. Israeli troops fired on unarmed protestors, and they do not deny that they did so. The protestors are decrying an illegal blockade, denying them humanitarian necessities, but regardless of what their protest is based on two facts are undeniable: they are unarmed, and they are behind a fence. They are no threat to armed soldiers and firing on them is criminal.

I repeat, what needs to be investigated?

[hlthe2b]

9. Don't kill the messenger. This is UN protocol before sanctioning a member state in any way

You may not like it, but it officially exposes what has happened to the world in such a way that history can not deny.

Of course countries are free to take individual action (as some APPROPRIATELY are) based on what is known to date.

But, this is standard procedural call for UN.

[JayhawkSD]

3. I would prefer it be called "the Gaza massacre."

Yes, the Israelis did it, but it took place in Gaza, and massacres are usually named for the place and/or time, in honor of the victims. It's not in good taste to memorialize the perpetrators.

Worse than Las Vegas. Yes, I think so. This chapter of the Gaza massacre has been going on for ten days, with dead counting well over one hundred, and the blockade has been going on for more than a decade.

[hlthe2b]

10. Yes... To cal it "Israeli massacre" implies Israelis were the victims.

[Exotica]

20. I agree

[pwb]

4. Our news that I heard said Israel was cracking down, not killing.

It's time the Israeli people rise up and protest the over reaction every time a Palestinian throws a stone over a fence. It's fucking sick to watch.

[Stuart G]

5. I agree...most people don't know it, but there is a sizable minority in Israel that is opposed

to the current government in Israel. This killing could bring the government down. Netanyahu is not supported by all people in Israel. Israel is a democracy with a wide variety of views on all major issues.

[MichMary]

7. It wasn't just rocks

Throughout the day, Gaza protesters set tires ablaze, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the air, and hurled firebombs and stones toward Israeli troops across the border. The Israeli military, which has come under international criticism for using excessive force against unarmed protesters, said Hamas tried to carry out bombing and shooting attacks under the cover of the protests and released video of protesters ripping away parts of the barbed-wire border fence.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/israel-warns-gaza-protesters-stay-border-fence-55140369

I don't know if this is true, but if so, this wasn't a peaceful protest. (Even so, the reaction was too much, by far.)

[EffieBlack]

11. By all accounts that I've read and heard, the firebombs were a very, very small part of this

done by very few people. The vast majority of this was peaceful or involved rockthrowing.

And the Israeli military is hardly a credible source on this.

There was absolutely no excuse for firing into those crowds. None.

The very fact that, as one of the journalists noted, there were no casualties on the Israeli side tells us that the Gaza protesters posed no real threat to the Israeli soldiers.

[hlthe2b]

12. First (proportionate )response does not mean live ammo to an unarmed populace

[Stuart G]

13. Of course it was not "peaceful" Was it necessary to shoot and kill 60 people?

Was it necessary to injure thousands? Can you imagine if our police did the same to protesters here? Sure it was somewhat violent. It is an ugly situation. Killing this many protesters, and injuring thousands is wrong....Ripping away "parts of the barbed-wire border fence"...is that a "killing offense" Kill those ripping the fence!!
.....I don't know cause I have not seen all the news on this. Were the soldiers lives in danger? How many soldiers were hurt in this ? Were soldiers killed?...Was the reaction..."too much"? Without a fair investigation, how are the answers to be discovered? Our country has vetoed such a fair investigation....see current news on this.................

[plantwomyn]

28. Our 'Border Patrol'

have been getting away with shooting rock throwers across the Mexican border, at least so far.
The Israelis cannot claim they are defending their 'sovereignty' by shooting across the border into another country. The Gaza 'buffer zone' is officially .5 km but was unilaterally expanded by Israel to 1.5 m, which means that Israel still claims 24% of the Gaza Strip. The land within the expanded buffer zone is off limits to ANY activity, including cultivation. It's an utenable situation and the expandtion hasn't been addressed by the UN.
At the same time, I beleive that the Israelis made a big mistake when they gave up the territory they gained in the 6 Day and Yon Kipper Wars for a false 'peace'.

[EffieBlack]

8. I'm glad you called it a massacre, because that's exactly what it was

It was good to hear some of the reporters at yesterday's press briefing push back hard on the WH insistence that the Israelis bear absolutely no responsibility for the deaths of the people they killed.

"But people were throwing rocks 50 meters from the wall and were faced with sniper attack. I mean, is the White House in denial of the split-screen reality that’s occurring?"

"Jared Kushner, in his speech, pointed a finger at the Palestinians, saying they were responsible for provoking violence. But given the fact that it’s only Palestinians who are being killed, should Israel not shoulder some of the blame?"

Many years ago, I was involved - in a peripheral role - with the Middle East peace negotiations and we had so much hope that peace truly was at hand - back when the U.S. was honest broker that was always seen as a steady hand. Now we've come to this. It is absolutely heartbreaking.

[Mosby]

14. publicity just helps Hamas

I don't know much about what is happening at the Gaza border, but when 50K Gazans try to force their way into Israel its likely people will be hurt. Why they are using live fire I'm not sure, they claim it has to do with their distant positions.

Hamas is responsible for these tactics, including paying Gazans to risk their lives by trying to damage the fence.

[sinkingfeeling]

16. I'm biting my tongue so as not to reply.

[bluestarone]

15. SAD DAY FOR AMERICA!

We had a chance to do the right thing, and we voted NO? SAD SAD SAD!

[elmac]

17. 4 dead in Ohio

remember in 1970 when national guard troops murdered 4 unarmed students at Kent State, the US did nothing, most citizens sided with the guard, this country will always side with the fascists because there is no empathy left, only sociopathic greed.

[SCVDem]

18. Niki Haley disgusts me!

She said they were asking for it.

[Pepsidog]

19. In terms of public opinion, this tragic and unnecessary response must diminish support for Israel

worldwide. Besides the human tragedy Israel will most undoubtedly pay a toll internationally. The shear disproportionate scale of the response juxtaposed with Ivanka and Jared who had no business representing the USA at such an event were an optics nightmare. While I support Israel and their plight for survival, I was angered at their utter lack of humanity and cruelty towards the protesters. Israel thinks they can indiscriminately kill Palestinians with impunity? It was a shocking and wholly unwarranted response. Israel was wrong and should be condemned for their actions. Itnis just another example of the United States under the immoral leadership of Trump has lost its bearing. I am ashamed of our country. I am sickened by the smiling Ivanka with her breathy voice and Jared The Dumb advancing his own personal political philosophy. Besides the fact that Jared has no security clearance, no special knowledge of regional affairs his personal family history with family members who were Holocaust victims/survivors makes it impossible for him to be a fair and objective arbiter of the Mideast conflict.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

21. Las Vegas was not much in 1917.

Las Vegas was founded as a city in 1905, when 110 acres (45 ha) of land adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad tracks were auctioned in what would become the downtown area. In 1911, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city.[23]

1931 was a pivotal year for Las Vegas. At that time, Nevada legalized casino gambling and reduced residency requirements for divorce to six weeks. This year also witnessed the beginning of construction on nearby Hoover Dam. The influx of construction workers and their families helped Las Vegas avoid economic calamity during the Great Depression. The construction work was completed in 1935.

If you mean 2017, you'll need to edit your OP.

[FSogol]

25. RW talking point much?

[mwooldri]

23. This is NOT being covered well in US TV media. ESPECIALLY FOX.

No mention of this whatsoever on Fox "News" website. Totally scandalous.

CNN leading with White House phone ban, but does cover this further down.

NBC news leading with ZTE phone news, Gaza is #2.

NY Times and Washington Post lead with this story.

Any UK news outlet I visit have Gaza leading.

This "meme" is a bit dated but it gets the point across about US Cable News ...

[mwooldri]

24. Who here listens to BBC World Service?

Granted it was about 5am, but the guy who was interviewing the Israeli armed forces spokesperson... the questions were pretty brutal. I was pretty much dozing but no punches were pulled. Fair, but tough interview.

[Kurt V.]

29. i listen every morning on the drive work.

i didn't hear that one because I'm at work by then but that's typical of their interviewing style. tough but fair.

[zentrum]

26. T and Bolton are fomenting

…war in the Middle East.

What's going on is tragic, illegal and horrifying.

Must have UN investigate.

[OMGWTF]

27. I looks to me as if the Israelis have become the Nazis

[FiveGoodMen]

30. It has looked that way to me for quite some time

They ALWAYS kill disproportionately.