Today’s “Press Conference” on Twitter was great. Thank you to everyone who posted, followed, participated, etc. Below, we’ve posted some of the questions and answers from this session. We’ll try to put up more answers soon; keep checking in.
The conversations were ‘expanded’ (meaning we removed the short ‘twitter talk’ and re-wrote fully spelled words) but otherwise unchanged.
@rafaelprince: Is a 48-hour cease-fire (as proposed by France) a possible scenario for assessing Hamas’s intentions?
Israel is pro cease-fire, but our experience shows these are used to strengthen
Hamas. The first cease-fire was terminated by Hamas. We’d rather
negotiate than fight.
@misscharlie: Have the attacks in Gaza changed Israel’s policies regarding the Palestinian Authority?
Israel continues to work with the PA to further diplomatic negotiations.
@carrotderek: Is there a connection between the airstrikes and the upcoming election in Israel?
No, the sole purpose of this operation is to protect Israel’s southern border and allow Israelis to live safely. This operation is indiferrent to politics.
@eastmad: Will Israel try to block emergency aid getting to Gaza from the outside world?
Israel has let in aid today, including trucks from the UNRWA, Red Cross, and World Food Programme. over the past 6 months or calm, Israel has let in cargo from 17000 trucks.
http://tinyurl.com/7hmf2y
@backlotops: One side has to stop. Why continue what hasn’t worked (mass arial/ground retaliation)? What about the Arab Peace Initiative?
We are for negotiations and are currently holding talks with the Palestinian Authority on the 2 state solution. However, we only talk with those who accept our right to live.
@peoplesworld: 40 years of military confrontation hasn’t brought security to Israel, why is this different?
We have to protect our citizens. The only way forward is through negotiations. Israel left Gaza in 2005 in a bid for
peace. Why has Hamas responded to this overture with missiles?
@ajmil0: Is there any chance that the PA or Egypt would help Israel’s military in a ground invasion or in general?
There are no allied forces involved in this operation. We appreciate the efforts by Egypt and the Palestinian Authority to bring about an end to the rocket fire. We see they are excercising their better, judgement.
@knkyvxn: How many Palestinian lives are worth one Israeli life?
There is no equation. Every wounded and killed civilian is mourned. Israel is aiming only at Hamas terrorists.
@carrotderek:
What steps are being taken about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza? Is it enough?
Israel does everything in its power to prevent deterioration of situation. http://tinyurl.com/7hmf2y
@WyldDarkHeart:
Regarding the MV DIGNITY incident with Israeli vessel, can you explain what ship did what when?
The Dignity didn’t respond to calls to halt and rammed an IDF ship. It was escorted out to international waters. Until this operation, ships were let in; they are not let in now to keep them from harm.
Israel’s PR is terrible. While this is a good step in the right direction, it is not enough to illuminate your message. Your Sec. of State, her name escapes me, is a passionate defender of Israel’s action in Gaza. I recommend that she hit the road as they say and get her a..s in front of the cameras.
Finally, the loss of life in the combat zone needs to be acknowledged with genuine compassion. Your image is suffering. The people of Gaza and Hamas are coming off as victims. And, ask the idiots in the Bush administration to keep their mouth shut. I should hope that Israel does not want to be seen as allied with Bush.
We sincerely need you to COMPLETE this war on terror, but regret you are hampered by worrying about being judged by other nations. Be brave to stand out from the crowd. If the terrorists use civilians as human shields, they MUST also be destroyed. Failure to do this is accepting defeat to terror. While we are sorry about the loss of innocent life, this is the ONLY way to stop terror. It is easy for me as a diaspora Jew to comment like this, but remember we are ALL on the front line and are with you. When inocent Arab lifes are lost, you must justify it by saying “this is war”
Can you please address the media of Palestinian chaos where it is obviously propaganda again. Some of the Palestinians being carried off are injured, but they can walk and even run, but are being carried by 5 people, rather violently BTW. There are also stone throwers using slings. Unless these guys can throw rocks over at least 100 meters, they are not throwing at Israelis, IDF or civilians. It is all propaganda. Some of those being carried seem to have no injuries and their faces are hidden from the cameras. We’ve seen this time and time again. Please find a way to expose them and broadcast it everywhere. These injured people are most likely Hamas members. That is never mentioned by the press showing these clips and they are supposedly “respected” news sources. BTW: Cynthia McKinney is a disgrace and a troublemaker. Expose her too, please. Good luck!! We are with you.
“War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want. ”
– Gen. William T. Sherman
Stand strong Israel. Our leaders may be lily livered but there is a great many of us that would stand with you.
WHY DID ISRAEL TAKE SO LONG TO CRUSH THE ISLAMIC TERRORISTS IN GAZA,ALLOWING THE HAMAS TERROR GROUP TO BUILD UP IT’S ARMY?
THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE,IS,THE IRANIAN RELIGIOUS FANATICS ARE SUPPORTING ALL THESE RADICAL GROUPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND ARE IN AN ALLIENCE WITH CHAVEZ OF VENEZUELA,SO IF THE MESSAGE IS GLOBAL TAKE OVER,WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?
As a Canadian Follower of Jesus (Yeshua), I wholeheartedly agree with your comments above.
Well said!
David is a better man than I. I couldn’t handle the vitriol that’s coming at him. (But, I guess that’s par for the course for him and comes with being a Jew and Israeli Consul in NY, eh?
Shalom,
@GaryFPatton in Toronto
you should be engaging Hamas this openly and publicly on the internet.
the idea that bombing Gaza will effectively reduce the rocket attacks is ridiculous. before they were shooting 10 a day, but now you’ve pissed them off so they’re shooting 60, and they’re bringing out the katyushas so they can hit beersheva.
you could put a camera every 100 square meters in Gaza (360 sq km) for less than the cost of a single F-16. with this sort of intelligence apparatus you could literally track the movements of every single Gaza resident and watch them long before they launch the rockets. though I guess America gives Israel coupons for the jets.
This all feels so much like the propaganda spewed by History’s dictatorial oppressors (take your pick). Like, “When innocent Arab lifes (sic) are lost, you must justify it by saying “this is war.”
Where you get off discounting ANY life? One cannot claim peace as the ultimate goal while shouting such disrespect for human beings.
While I thought this might be a forum for ‘di’-alog, it was nothing more than a weak attempt to justify child murder. IP chose the questions, so they could force-feed their pat answers. Media bias in the US? Not even in the same league as the middle-east counterparts (all sides).
its very hard get it done is better
i know w you are saying but it very hard for the pepole of israel just say nathink
i beleve no innocent sould die for no reson arab or jewish i hope hamas will leran they leson and just leve israel alone
Sadly what was to be “never again” continues. Like so many sad examples disowned neurosese of tragic individual behaviour, the victim has become the perpetrator.
Greater and greater pain, then demise.
In support of Israel, against an enemy that forces their people to be soldiers or shields, and kills their own people if they question or seek information outside of what they have been forced to believe.
It is Hamas and Hezbollah that refuse to live in peace and who demand that Israel be destroyed. the absurdity of trying to negotiation with people who want to murder them has been tried for long enough … I support Israel in whatever they do at this point, the removal of Hamas leadership, soldiers, supply lines, weapons and organization is more than warranted, and is a necessity to send the right message to terrorists that things are going to escalate until the terrorist back down or are destroyed.
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@WyldDarkHeart:
Regarding the MV DIGNITY incident with Israeli vessel, can you explain what ship did what when?
The Dignity didn’t respond to calls to halt and rammed an IDF ship. It was escorted out to international waters. Until this operation, ships were let in; they are not let in now to keep them from harm.
I have to ask ….why are you blatantly lying about the facts