Who are the good guys in the Israel / Gaza war?

I strongly disagree with your assertion that, in "most wars," one side is the "good side. " In my view, it's almost always difficult to think in binary terms of "good guys" and "bad guys" in these sorts of conflicts, and that definitely applies in this case. Certainly, there are individuals who are behaving as agitators, such as the members of Hamas who are firing these rockets into Israel or the Israeli politicians who embarked on the bombing and invasion of Gaza without a concrete strategy or purpose.(It has never been made clear to me how these actions will actually make Israelis any safer.) As well, there are those being victimized, such as the innocent Palestinians who have died in the crossfire or the Israelis hurt in rocket attacks.

So that's one binary that sort of applies - agitators vs. agitated. But to apply a moral standard to this behavior - to say it is "good" or "bad" - is precisely the kind of thinking that worsens and intensifies these sorts of conflicts.As soon as a person becomes convinced they are on the side of "good," it justifies any and all atrocious, inappropriate behavior. After all, they are fighting the "good" fight, and their noble ends will justify any possible means.(See: America's invasion of Iraq) This is why I'm not swayed by the Israelis who argue that their goals are more pure.

It's easy enough to argue that Israelis fight for their own defense, and for "peace," and attempts to minimize civilian casualties whereas Hamas fights to destroy Israel and all who dwell there. This is, on one level, accurate. But it is not a complete picture for reasons several other answerers have already touched on.

Just because your intentions are "good" does not mean that this translates to "good" behavior.In other words, what matters is not simply what you WANT TO DO, but what you ACTUALLY DO. Ezra Klein makes the point better here than I could: http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=01&year=2009&base_name=israel_and_civilian_casualties#111918 Of course, there are exceptions. It's hard to avoid concluding that the Allies were the "good guys" in World War II.

I just think the dialogue should focus on pragmatism, not moralizing: - Why are groups fighting? - How can the actual violence be brought to an end? - What new policies could prevent future flare-ups between these groups?

Ooo, I don't think it's that easy to just choose sides. Israel is fighting Hamas, who are the radical political group (democratically elected) who control the Gaza Strip. In retaliation for rockets that have been fired from Gaza into Israel who have killed up to 19 since 2002 - guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/30/israel-... Israel has responded by killing over 500 civilians in the past week.

I understand everybody has the right to defend themselves and if Hamas isn't going to stop rocket attacks then maybe this attack will make them think twice when they do it next time, that's what Israel thinks. I on the other hand believe that by starting this war and killing innocent children, woman, mothers, wifes, grandmothers...all Israel is doing is creating a greater sentiment of hate against them, they are planting the seeds for greater conflicts in the future. 19 deaths in the past 6 years, I am sure there are American cities that see more murders than that in a day.

I don't think either side are the "good guys. " Hamas is a pretty brutal regime, who say they want to destroy Israel, but in the latest round of Peace talks they had (with Jimmy Carter no-less) they said that their "destroy Israel" policy was negotiable, which in most eyes was a sign of progress. Israel has made it clear, they want to get rid of Hamas, Since they are in, I hope they do it a timely manner and do something extraordinary for the lives of the civilians they have ruined in the name of future peace.

Here is a great discussion from my favourite Political minds, The Young Turks, who try to put this into perspective from the Israeli side. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvFwBOt_eRg And here Cenk discusses why it is a Stupid idea to invade. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=064hql9y7-E.

There are no "good guys" in this confilict. There is nobody that can be pinpointed as "starting the conflict". It all dates back to 1949, and has been a tit for tat battle ever since.

Both sides depend on some sort of perpetual conflict to exist politically. The United Nations started this conflict when they "partitioned" Palestine, and they are likely the only ones that will be able to end it. If the US had as many boots on the ground on the border of Israel, as they do in Iraq, there would be no conflict.

Both sides are employing terror tacticts to make gains, at the expense of the other side. BOTH sides are targetting civillians in order to force political concession on behalf of the other side. Don't tell me that Israel is "phoning" their targets to warn them.

They have simply figured out how powerful PR is in any conflict. Collateral damage is the only thing that is likely to instill a revolt against Hamas, a democratically elected, but brutal government. This latest round was launched by Israel because they could see that 2 yrs of massive embargo's and restrictions on the Palestinians, to punish them for electing Hamas, is not working.

Those people simply will not give up, and just leave their homes. They have nowhere else to go. The military incursion was launched because of the upcomming change in US government, and the perception that Obama is going to hold Israel more accountable.It was launched on purpose because of the timing of the innaguration.

It has nothing to do with rockets. The citizens of Israel are desensitized to the constant threats of terrorism from Hamas, just as the Palestinians are desensitized to the nightly secret incursions into their territory, to assasinate hamas members. Just as people who ride the subway in New York city are desensitized to gang activity.

It Israel only wanted to "stop the rockets", they would be far better off with black ops, helicopters in the middle of the night, assasinations, etc. Bombing a school? Come on! Thats a little easy to see through isn't it?

I will admit that the pro Israelli propaganda machine has always done a good job, and continues to do a good job, even here on the Mahalo (in the answers to this question), and manges to be be the single biggest recipient of US foreign aid (how many Americans know that fact), but it still doesn't change the facts. Both sides are bad guys. Equally.

Nobody is the good guy. If my country were occupied by another force, I would be the first person building homemade, un-guided, rockets in my basement. Oh, and by the way.

I am not a "Palestinian" or an "immigrant". I am a "white" sheep farmer from Canada.

(500/19). Horrible precedents are being set here and I just hope it won't escalate- it's a shame that once again Israel have shown how weak the UN are.

I may continue the list of these questions on and on. I do not approve of killing. I don't think there are right and wrong, or "good" and "bad" sides in any war; both sides are wrong and bad.

But I do think, that Israel has the right to ensure that hostile country does not kill its citizens. For a long time now (years) there are talks with Palestinians, trying to stop attacks on Israel. This does not help, instead, Hamas retaliates by shooting even more rockets.

And this even before mentioning kidnapping of Israelis and lynching them? youtube.com/watch?v=IWJJyKRFk50 Not mentioning not being safe in your own neigborhood: youtube.com/watch?v=lOnUdSufSHA Israel does talk with hostile parties, but there are times to talk and times to protect yourself.

There are "good guys" and "bad guys" on both sides of this conflict in my opinion (and at the risk of jumping into a hornet's nest here). Israel is firing on Hamas stronghold areas in the Gaza Strip, and many "good guys" (i.e. Innocent civilians) are being killed.

These two sides are showing no sign of any kind of common ground - and they continually provoke each other over and over again. I was heartened to see that Israel agreed today to halt military operations for three hours each day in order to allow humanitarian aid shipments in: washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discus... However, now the UN aid shipments have been suspended - apparently because some aid workers came under fire. news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7818577.stm The aid workers are without question the good guys (and girls).

Regardless, war is war and there will always be good and bad guys on either side. We will likely find out who the good ones are when lasting peace is established - those who facilitate it will most definitely be the true good guys.

To understand the war you need to understand what brought it about ... in this case is was upwards of three missiles a day in Sderot jeremiahfilms.com/BlogWatch/Sderot/ If these missiles did not exist the war would not exist.

There are no good or bad guys there. It's a War! The only good ones are the children.

I'm not sure that history shows good guys or bad guys. This has to be based on one's perspective. US history certainly would present a different story on WWII than Japan.

Even in the US Civil War, there would be a question of who the good guys were depending on one's perspective. Each side traditionally believes in what they are fighting for. Sometimes they aren't even fighting for the same things.

For example, history records that the confederacy was fighting for states' rights (if you're taught history in the southern part of the US) The republic was fighting against slavery. There is no simple good guy/bad guy in war. Those involved believe in whatever they are fighting for (or against) so much they are willing to die for that cause.

Being an old Vietnam vet where as it is now known, the US was the bad guy not there to fight the Commies but rather to get access to the vast oil reserves just off the coast of Vietnam just like the pretense Bush used to go into Iraq it seems quite clear to me that Hamas and Egypt are to blame. The truce that Egypt brokered was not the secure the peace, but to allow the rearming of the Hamas terrorists. Bush and Rice were hoodwinked (which is really quite easy as we all know except the brain dead Republicans).

Over the hundreds of centuries the Jews have been targets of annihilation evidence by the Old Testament and, of course, the Nazis. Jews represent a very small portion of the 3 religions worshiping the same God. One wonders what it is about the jewish faith that pisses off Muslims and Christens.

I am constantly amazed that Christens and Muslims alike condemn what they call the Jewish God, which also happens to be their God. Story shows that more people have been killed in the name of God than any plague or pestilence. It seems that religion is dangerous to one's health.

Anybody disagree with this, if so show the proof that I am wrong.

The Bad Guys' (whatever they are) on on both sides. Yes Hamas would like it if Israel ceased to exist. But the ongoing behaviour of Israel in the Occupied Territories in the past 30+ years has done nothing but fuel an every increasing resentment, even hatred of Israel amongst the Palestinian population that is pushing people towards Hamas.

Consider this. Another country had occupied your land for the past 30 years, controlling all the borders, restricting your ability travel both within your own country and to neighbouring countries. Despite saying they have an ongoing commitment to negotiation and handing back your territory one day, with each passing year a little bit more of your land has been annexed for their own expanding population, more security barriers raised and your own growing population squeezed into an ever shrinking area of land.

How would you feel? Pretty depressed at the least. Some may try to fight back - wether that be out of ideological opposition to the others religion or simply due to the fact they want their land back.

Noone can expect Israel to sit on its hands an do nothing, but if they showed as much skill and willingness to negotiate a peaceful settlement as their skill and willingness to execute a military solution (both short and long term) this conflict would be long over. I am sure every Israeli would love the day to arrive it was not necessary for each one of them to serve in the military. For the rockets to stop.

I'm sure the Palestinians would also love the day they can walk down the street and not worry they are going to be killed by a stray missile from an invulnerable F16 overhead. It is not going to happen until there is an end to the occupation. The extremists will always be there to some extent, but if the occupation ends then the major reason so many in the territories are fighting Israel will be gone.

Israel can continue to kill as many Palestinians as they want (accidentally or not), but as long as they do there will be yet another brother, cousin or friend turning to Hamas, to anyone for the opportunity to shoot back.

Another link: jordantimes.com/ check it and see what we don't see in usa now imagine each one is your bro or sis or worse your mom or you kid! And you can't do anything . Israel and am sorry to say this for the 6 times on my life hit UN buildings ..then say there was someone who shoot from there!

Everytime kids, women die... what hamas doing is soooooo wrong but that what israel forced them to do when israel started weaking abbas! Give abbas the power and you will get rid of hamas plus that asshole in lebanon nasr..something.

There are no good guys or bad guys here. Both sides as simply humans that fail to see the the reality from the other side's perspective. There is zero trust between the parties, each side believes the other side wants to destroy it, therefore taking more militant position.

Each side believe that the other responds well only to violence. It all started when the Jewish people wanted to set their home in Israel after the holocaust. Palestinian groups resisted, the UN supported it - and this is where the very long bloody journey began.In '48, Arab nations attacked Israel in response to the UN decision and the Palestinian refugees problem was created.

In '67, following the 6th days war, Israel gained control over the Palestinian territories, and given the after-war climate, it was reluctant to retreat from there. Settlements came next, intifada and terrorism came after. We've created a mess which is very hard to fix.

If Israel and Palestine were husband and wife, they would divorce a long time ago and go their separate ways. But unfortunately, they are stuck with each other as neighbors and they have no choice but to rebuild trust if they want to live in peace. The fact that there is some religious fundamentalism on both sides doesn't help.

It can take many more years (50? ) until both side are truly tired from killing each other. Many more will die.

Many more will morn. Basically for nothing. There is only one kind of weapon that can end this war http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFgo0ubA4os#t=4m30s.

Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic fanatics from Gaza are "the bad guys". Here's a background on how we ended up with the current war, see: Summary: why is there a war in Gaza? factsofisrael.com/blog/archives/000864.html The above link includes supporting links to the video below: youtube.com/watch?v=j61ktUeDDuo Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic fanatics from Gaza are "the bad guys" - regardless of who is winning the war (who has killed more enemies).

I feel for any civilians killed (by accident) in Gaza, but when Palestinians fire thousands of rockets specifically targeting women and children, Israel is justified in fighting back. U.S. President elect Obama agrees - he said last July, "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I'm going to do everything in my power to stop that. And I would expect Israelis to do the same thing" - see: U.S. President Obama: Israel justified in its war on Hamas terrorists http://www.factsofisrael.com/blog/archives/000862.html This war will end when Hamas stops firing rockets at Israeli children.

I don't agree for killing innocent people. Who are Commanded for war they live in a Palace. First , I hate them, who care them politics life even some groups leader too.

They like to keep them position on the state. Some of them use the war for that. What ever, I have been experience the war effect and saw So many people died front of me in Srilanka.

I take over to hospital who wounded by shell attack . Still war continue there So, We can't convict any side both side have to be responded the war.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.