As Israel and Gaza continue their airstrikes, the effects of the Arab Spring could affect the conflict's outcome as leaders, including Egypt's newly elected president, denounce Israel's aggression. NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin reports.
It was an unguarded comment that may have strayed close to the truth: Britain’s Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks said he believes tensions over Iran were behind the Israel-Gaza violence.
That remark – made in a radio studio when he thought he was off the air – echoes a theory that Tehran’s fingerprints are all over the current escalation of violence.
Realizing that he was actually live on air, Sacks did not elaborate on his theory but Western intelligence agencies and the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) do agree that longer-range rockets being fired toward Tel Aviv are Iranian-manufactured Fajr-5 missiles.
The Fajr-5s are assembled locally after being shipped from Iran via Egypt’s Sinai region from where they are smuggled into Gaza through tunnels, the IDF says on its own public information site.
Israel believes weapons travel via Sudan – a theory underlined when it launched airstrikes on an apparent arms factory there last month, killing two people.

Digitalglobe / AFP - Getty Images, file
This combo of two satellite pictures released by DigitalGlobe shows the Yarmouk military manufacturing facility in Khartoum on October 12 (L) and on October 26, (R), two days after blasts at the factory, which the Sudanese government blamed on an Israeli airstrike.
Two Palestinian militant groups - Islamic Jihad and Hamas - have claimed to have fired Fajr-5s. Hamas calls its rockets "Palestinian made" and does not acknowledge receiving weapons from Iran, although it does refer to Iran as a "supporter of the resistance."
From Sudan to cyber, secret war with Iran heats up
A senior Iranian lawmaker has denied supplying Hamas with weapons. "We deny having delivered the Fajr-5 to the Palestinian resistance,” Allaeddine Boroujerdi, head of the Tehran parliament's foreign affairs committee said on Saturday, according to the Daily Star newspaper in Lebanon. He added that Hamas was “perfectly capable of producing the arms it needs.”
So who is telling the truth?
On Monday, the Wikileaks site reposted on Twitter a link to a 2009 diplomatic cable, first leaked last year, detailing Israeli intelligence on how Iran was supplying Hamas with long-range weapons and how such artillery was being brought into Gaza.
That viewpoint is shared by retired General Barry McCaffrey, a security consultant and NBC News analyst, who told MSNBC’s Alex Witt: “I think the Iranians have manipulated particularly [Lebanon-based] Hezbollah but also Hamas. They've equipped them with significant amounts of rocketry. One of the unclassified figures was 120,000 rockets in either southern Lebanon or Gaza in the range of Israel, so the Iranians are actively promoting trouble in Syria and Lebanon and Gaza.”
Jane Kinninmont, senior research fellow at the British think tank Chatham House, told NBC News’ U.K. partner Channel 4 News there were some indications that shifting allegiances might point to Iran’s motives.
"In the background, for more than a year, Qatar, Jordan and other Gulf states have been trying to prise Hamas away from its recent alliance with Iran in return for stronger support from the Arab world," she said. "Iran may be trying to wreck this by dragging Hamas back into a military conflict where it needs its Iranian rockets.”
Supporting that theory, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency on Sunday accused Qatar of helping in the killing of Hamas military leader Ahmed Jabari by planting spy devices in Gaza. It alleged that the emir of Qatar, King Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, distributed watches and ballpoint pens among Hamas leaders when he visited the area in October, and that those items contained transmitters that emit signals to Israeli satellites.
Israel steps up targeted attacks in heavily populated Gaza; mediation efforts gather pace
But other experts believe Iran’s role in this particular outbreak of violence is overstated.
“It would not be a surprise but I think it is unlikely,” Ali Ansari, professor of modern history at St. Andrews University in Scotland and senior research fellow at Chatham House, told NBC News.
“I don’t think even Iran would be stupid enough to provide a pretext for a war with Israel, which is something neither side wants despite all the rhetoric.”
Daniel Levy, director for Middle East and North Africa for the London-based European Council on Foreign Relations, said: “Certainly Israel will be looking at the wider issues such as Iran but I think there’s a risk of reading too much into Iranian involvement.
“There’s a war of narratives going on here. Israel will tend to blame Iran for everything it can and vice versa.”
With the rise of Islamism in the wake of the Arab Spring, and the shift of its base from Damascus to Doha, Hamas has been less reliant on Iran, the main Shiite power in the region, for backing against Israel.
“Hamas is now firmly aligned with the Sunni Arab camp and can distance itself from Iran,” Levy noted.
So is the current violence really a precursor to a showdown with Iran? Unlikely, according to Ansari and Levy.
Yonatan Touval, a Tel Aviv-based analyst, told the New York Times: “If Israel’s political leadership is treating the current operation in Gaza as something of a rehearsal for a future war with Hezbollah and Iran, it is rehearsing the wrong play.”
Nevertheless, Iran-Israel tension remains high. “Tehran is getting a bit of a break at the moment because all the attention is being focused elsewhere,” Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, told NBC News. “But if there is a truce agreement and current violence tails off, Iran remains the number one issue for Israel and the wider region.”
Ayman Mohyeldin, NBC News Correspondent in Cairo, contributed to this report.
More world stories from NBC News:
- Too much democracy? Apathy triumphs in UK's latest election
- Obama's visit a sign of Myanmar's dizzying pace of change
- Key players in the Israel-Gaza cross-border conflict
- French girl found tied up - but alive - in trunk after routine traffic stop
- Mexican company Bimbo may be eyeing Twinkies
Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook


So it was middlemen that delivered the rockets or did Hamas pick them up themselves?
Yes ....Hamas picked them up at Walmart ....on layaway
The poor poor victims in Gaza....so sad the lives they lead.
If only they elected a leader who spends time fixing up the living conditions instead of spending the money on rockets so that he can impress his big brother, the Iranians.
Hard to garner sympathy when they spend their money on rockets instead of making life better for their people. Bad choices. Bad. Bad. Bad. They make victims of themselves.
it's logistically easier to buy guns in Gaza then food. food shipments are thrown in the sea every day by isfake or held just long enough for it to spoil. geeee i wonder why the arabs are so mad
This story is a crock. There is no evidence that Iran shipped one weapon to Hamas. If they were to supply Hamas, I would hope they could do better than "bottle rockets" which have no guidance.
But other experts believe Iran’s role in this particular outbreak of violence is overstated.
“It would not be a surprise but I think it is unlikely,” Ali Ansari, professor of modern history at St. Andrews University in Scotland and senior research fellow at Chatham House, told NBC
Israelis and some in the US will attempt to blame Iran for anything that happens, but they never have any hard proof. Many arms dealers could provide Hamas or anyone else with weapons from any nation. If Iran were truly involved, we would be seeing F16s dropping out of the skies.
Israel is using American missiles to kill those Palestinan children. It goes over big with Arab countries, to see America supporting the random killing of Muslim children. I guess it is a way we gain friends in the Arab world. Not!
Lets stop supporting Israel's lmassive air attacks, by withdrawing all aid and support. The Israelis are leaches on the American taxpayer.
Ralph the bag man for the boys downtown. Um then how do you kinow that the US supplies Israel weapons, and how do you know, Oh Ali Ansari said it. Ralph, go back to the Hooka. Unfortunatly the Pai's who want peace are just pawns of Hamas, Hezbalah, Nasrelleah,Iran and your boy Assad
george pauljohn,
Your being uneducated is showing:
President Obama's US Law, (No) Material Support to Terrorist Organizations (including Legal Representation as "Expert Advise", Humanitarian Assistance, Medical Supplies, Building Materials, etc. as Ruled by the US Supreme Court 2010; as those things that Terrorist Organizations would have to buy instead of buying weapons, ammunition, bomb making materials, etc.).
Hamas is listed by the US Department of State as a Terrorist Organization.
You too RalphH your being uneducated is showing:
Pertaining to the Article. The number of times the British got things correct versus the things they got wrong can be seen all the way back to when most of these areas were British Colonies (and not learning squat from then, British refusal to accept non British ideas).
Especially, about the ignorance of stating what they did about Sunnis and Shia in the Article. As reality Sunnis as the moderate liberal interpretation of the Holy Koran (Quran); and Shia as the Fundamentalist Islamic interpretation of the Holy Koran (Quran); Actions determine if they are Sunnis or Shia NOT their Nations of Origin (how the British f**ked up the entire Middle East in the first place, drawing lines on maps since Before the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne).
Even when I was at Iraq, the British said that I did not know anything (My involvement with Iraq since the US Military Training Teams attached to the CIA's SAD/SOG sent to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars, first language learned Farsi). So when I told the British SAS at Basra Iraq to use Farsi and not Arabic, they said that this was British (Colony) before so they knew more. What they refused to acknowledge was that the majority of Shia at Basra escaped the Massive Unemployment after the Fall of the Shah of Iran and fled to Iraq as Illegal Aliens. The actual Iraqis (Arabs, Arabic, Sunnis) used Arabic and the Shia resented that as the Oppressor Language. So the Shia of Basra started to attack the British SAS believing that they worked for the Iraqis. I later had to go to Basra to talk with the Shia to get them to stop attacking the British SAS. This is the same with Afghanistan,.
This is not NEWS. This is speculation. Clearly Netyanyahu is looking for a fight with Iran.
While Iranian was looking for a fight with Israel, even before Bibi was in charge.
Hopefully we (USA) keep our nose out of it.
Which is worst?
Shooting Rockets at Israel or building settlements on occupied land?
Also, when things get close to some kind of peace talking, it is either build more settlements, or an assassination takes place to stir things up.
History will record the lopsided votes of WORLD OPINION.
They are 350+ to 2. The two being the US and Israel! BTW,. we promote democracy!!
Hatred is not a sign of nobility. Who attacked who in 1948, 1967 and 1973.
For 65 years Israel has been ready, willing, and able to live side by side with a peaceful state of Palestine as a neighbor. Problem is, the day after Israel declared itself a state Palestinians and Arab countries invaded Israel. The Palestinians and Arab countries fought to annihilate Israel, and lost. They invaded Israel again a few more times and lost. Israel had to keep more land than it started out with just to protect themselves from continued invasion and the annihilation of their country. Time and time again Israel has demonstrated a willingness to give concessions to the Palestinians in order to forge an enduring peace among the two states, but each time the Palestinians have said no to peace, unless it comes with the destruction of Israel. Israel's concessions included returning land, in which it rightfully won from invading nations, just to forge a peace. Hamas has no desire for peace with Israel, their charter calls for Israel's destruction, how is Israel supposed to negotiate with an organization bent on its destruction? Anyone calling Hamas the victims clearly has paid no attention to the situation, Palestinians and Israelis are the victims of Hamas. If Palestinians want peace, they will get rid of Hamas, if they can't accept Israel's right to exist then they deserve what they get. Through warfare over the past 65 years they have failed to destroy Israel, it's about time they try something different, give peace a chance, peace will only come through the dismantling of radical Muslim groups and the acceptance of Israel's right to exist.
Excellent post @ Rightly Concerned; thank you.
Rightly. if only that where true. isreal was born by forcing people out of their homes and killing many. you really should learn the true history. 20 years before there was a PLO, there was the stern gang and Irgun. your post is is foolish and without fact.
TruthBeTold1226-6707403,
LOL. And how did Hamas get there, after the PLO.
That's right Hamas by Force of Arms forced the Established Government of Palestine as the Palestinian Authority to flee to the West Bank.
And how did they get voted to become the "Government", simple, vote for Hamas Warlords or suffer the consequences.
george pauljohn,
Uh, huh, your "real" history is right out of the Blame the Jews for Everything, "Protocols of the Wise Elders of Zion".
The area was a British Colony. Prior to World War II, Fundamentalist Islamic Amin Al Husseini signed the 1933 Forever Alliance on behalf of the Islamic World with Chancellor Hitler with their Mutual Goal of Extermination of the Jews, and getting the British (Colonies) out of the Islamic World.
The typical British like in this article not knowning much, started to lose all their British Colonies and Former British Colonies. The British being ignorant even attempted to stop all Jewish Immigration by armed force while the Elite Muslim SS Brigades at Germany were rounding up the Jews, Gypsies, Political Dissenters, etc. for the "Work Camps". This British Policy continued even after World War II, as convinced by the Fundamentalist Islamic Believers. To further stop the immigrations of the Jews the Arabs start their Pan Arabic Plan, of by force removing all the Original Inhabitants of Palestine of the Coptic Christians, Jews, and replacing them with the Undesirables from Jordan, Egypt, etc. (Prisons) as most of the Arabs did not want to leave their own Nations.
Even later on, most of those living at Palestine sold their land to the Jews.
After the Attacks on Israel, the Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations Members lost all that land. Being sore losers they want all that land back that they either sold to the Jews or lost in the Wars the Fundamentalist Islamic Arab League of Nations started.
Ask yourselves why don't they spend all their money on their own people, and building their own infrastructure instead of buying weapons and living on all this land:
http://usiraq.procon.org/files/USIraq/arabworld5.jpg
And since YOU don't know:
It is because they are Fundamentalist Islamic Believers, with their Belief in the 109 Suras of the 114 Suras of the Holy Koran (Quran) Calls to War Against the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers AS LAW.
Rightly Concerned, that isn't entirely true. The Israeli public generally supports peace, but the Israeli government only wants peace under their terms. They've even agreed on and supported a 2 state solution (Camp David and Taba), BUT they refuse to remove their illegal settlements in Gaza.
So they're essentially saying, "We want peace, only if we can keep our illegal settlements on land that isn't actually Israel's."
Iran's role "murky" ? .....I would venture that they have everything to do with the cyber attacks against Israel .....Gimmie a break.
That because Israel was involved in the cyber attacks against Iran. A simple case of "what goes around, comes around".
MCR . What goes around keeps coming around .....That is the problem. I always held out hope that in my life time we would stop inventing new ways to kill one another .....knowing now that it will never happen.
So if your brothers are under siege, you would do what? nothing?.
Ringo, correct that is exactly why Israel, is going after Hamas!! Good point, and by brothers , you mean your brother Assad!!
That is not what President Obama claimed to have done (to Iran).
The more pertinent question is:
"What is the US's role in blocking the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian People to establish a Palestinian Nation?"
The only "blocking" comes from the "Palestinians", themselves. They have had numerous opportunities for a state. In diplomatic circles, the old joke is "they never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity". They have more than amply demonstrated that they don't want their own state, or peace, for that matter. Ask Mrs. Arafat while she languishes in all that French luxury, bought with the money Mr. Arafat looted from the "palestinian cause".
Nobody is blocking the Palestinian people from establishing a Palestinian nation. The problem is they want to take all of Israel to do it. The Israelites where there long before Islam appeared on the scene. Perhaps one of the sympathetic Muslim countries in the region could give up some land for the Palestinian people they claim to love so much.
ridicules ...the Israelite were there long before the Islam appeared ....
This is about people wanting to live a normal life in THEIR country, the country they were born in their parents were born in and theirs parents and so on, The country before WW 2 Palestinians where living in a place that was called Palestine I've seen it on the maps,it was there.You can make this about religion but it is not it is about living in peace in THEIR country
isreal walks in to west bank. takes their water, tells them when and where to travel. and you think they are a free nation? every attempt of palestinians to join the UN has been blocked by Isreal, America and England. So tell me how they have a chance to be a free nation. please.
I'm glad to see that more and more of my fellow Americans are finding out the truth.
@Todd-651965
"The Israelites were there long before Islam appeared on the scene." Would you be surprised to learn that more than 70% of all Palestinians are actually Christian by faith and belief? And the followers of Christ were there, long after the jews fled that region, and lived and prospered side by side with muslims, for nearly sixteen hundred years until the Balfour Resolution sought to re-establish a Hebrew homeland in that region. You should do some homework before you presume to speak on a subject you obviously know very little about.
Its time for Israel to bomb the living daylights out of Iran and Hama. America won't help you do that, but we will help if you start to get your rear end kicked. We send enough aid to your country, its about time to stand on your own two warmongering feet.
Apparently most don't know about the negotiations and the agreements made for a 2 state solution.
The most recent, and closest attempt at an agreement was at Taba in 2001. Israel had agreed in principle to vacate all lands in Gaza, which they now seem to have no interest in doing.
And even though the joint statement released at the end of the negotiations, before anything was signed, clearly states the negotiations were being suspended due to the upcoming Israeli elections and would be resumed afterwards. Some experts also speculate the elections in the US contributed to this as well.
Guess what, they were never resumed. There were private talks that allegedly led to Abbas conceding the Israeli settlements in Gaza, which led to an even larger rift.
While I agree the Palestinians have gotten in their own way at times during negotiations, the harder line is being drawn by Israel, and they don't seem to want to concede anything to the Palestinians.
If Iran wants Israel dead, why is their population similar to the US with all ethnicities & religions (including jews)?
Are you f***ing kidding? They drove the vast majority of Jews out of Iran in the 70's and 80's, and the small population that still lives there certainly cannot openly practice their religion...let along criticize the regime.
And WHAT other major ethnicities live in Iran?? Latino? Africans? Asians? Me thinks you're off your rocker!!
The last article I read said the jews are very happy there and not under any persecution. Should I believe you or the jews that actually live there?
stu... you are a liar. the jews who left iran were bribed by isreal to immigrate and each one got some $10,000.00 to move to isreal. the jews have lived in iran for 2500 years and iran has been a safe heaven for the jews throughout history. there are currently over 25000 jews who live in iran and refuse to be breibed by isreal. whay don't you fu#ing google it.
rameshm2 - I suggest you go back, finish 6th grade, and then come and give us your opinion.
Everyone did live in relative peace during the 80's and 90's . They drove out most of the jews and now they are killing and persecuting the Christian Iranians. My good friends are Iranian Christians and they are so thankful to be here in the U.S
Iran's population is not like USA at all. There are not thriving Religions other than Siite. People have been trying to come to America for many,many years because of the imprisonments and bribery (don't you know any Iranians who have been trying to save up to pay the bribe prices to get friends and family out) Bahai's are persecuted and so are other religions. Protestors are jailed and shot. Lets hope the USA is not becoming like Iran. Especially with protesters.
There are a small number of pre-Islamic Persian Jews left in Iran. By the late 1990's there were 3 Synegogs left standing in Terhan but NO Rabbi is allowed. Any suspicion of co-operation with Zionists or Imperial America is punished by death.
In the 19th century there was vast persecution. In 1925, under the Phalevi Dynasty the country was secularized and by 1970 there were 80,000 Jews but After the Islamic Revolution in 1979, tens of thousands of Persian Jews had to leave. A small handful is left with No Rabbi allowed.
They are given a seat in the parliment, but are obligated by law to support Iranian foreign policy and the Anti-Zionist position.
Really...After the Iranian Revolution the previous CIA trained SAVAK to survive changed sides from Pro Shah of Iran to Fundamentalist Islam Iranian Secret Police and Intelligence Agencies. Then the purges of the Iranian Military occurred, the massacres of any "suspected" sympathizers of the Iranian Military to the Shah of Iran.
So we were all gathered together (US Military with any "Middle East" language) and then formed into the US Military Training Teams attached to the CIA's SAD/SOG sent to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars. After we trained them we lead them into Combat, just like later on rotated to Operation Cyclone.
The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran after the purges of their Military were grabbing Iranians literally off the streets, then giving them weapons and using World War I Human Wave Charges against the machineguns, mortars, artillery of US Ally Iraq, because the Iranians had no one left that knew modern warfare after their purges. Most of these Iranians off the streets did not even know how to remove their weapons from safe to fire, or even reload. The battlefields were covered with dead and dying Iranians, so much that you could not see the ground. When we called a temporary cease fire for the Iranians to take care of their wounded, they did, by shooting them for failing to overrun us.
To this day after all the things that I have survived since then, this is the one thing that still makes we wake up in a cold sweat.
Then we were rotated to Operation Cyclone.
So it was not only the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers that were "purged", it was also all the Iranians that were not the same degree of Fundamentalist Islam that were also massacred. Many of those Iranians that were not as Fundamentalist Islam fled into US Ally Iraq (see the ending of the 2012 movie (History), "Argo (f**k yourself)", the Canadian Ambassador's Housekeeper. Then multiply that by about Millions of Iranians. Then add Millions more Iranians fleeing to Iraq when Massive Unemployment struck Iran. see 1991 Movie (History), Not Without My Daughter).
It was only the US Ally Iraq's use of Chemical Weapons that put an end to the Iran Iraq Wars, and so saving thousands to millions of lives on both sides. Just like the US not having to invade Japan during WWII.
KALLIE. that is another lie. the iranian government hate everyone the same. they arrest and kill anyone who is a threat to them. it is not like certain sect gets treated differently. you can be shiite ,but if you are a threat,you'll be put away."with the exception of bahais" who they say is an illegitimate religion. but to say that christian's are being killed in iran is not true. as a matter of fact they are participating in every part of iran activities be it sport science etc. one of iranian national soocer player "andranik taymorian" is armenian christian . there are many christian who live in iran. most of them from armenian decendant. armenia has border with iran and they could easily move to armenia, but they don't. because to most iranians, nationality comes fefore religion. some of the most charished iranian singers and musicians are armenian/iranian. Iran has been through many invasions in 2500 years. from greek , macedonia, romans, arabs, mongols, turks, british, and this time in the form of islam, but iranian always found a way to survive.
yata hey.. how many language do you speak. I speak persian, english, duetch, and a little arabic. the problem with your kind of people is thay you think people are dumb, if they mis spell a word and or the grammer of the sentence didn't come out right. you don't care about the substance.because you don't understand the concept of the substance. have problem comprehending. what education do you have. probably none and on welfare by generation.
david. I 100% agree with you. I served in iran/iraq war and went through a lot of hardships. 2 of my best friends died in the war, my cousin last his life in the war. there are still 100s of `1000ends iranian who live with the life long effects of chemical bombs that was provided to saddam by u.s , uk and france. I saw people dying in spot by thousends. I guess the people who post pro war comments have never encountered this otherwise they would not promote it. this regime has punished all iranian, not one specific sect.
Actually from everything I've ever read says that Iran has the second largest Jewish population in the Middle East after Israel, anywhere between 25,000-35,000. There are synagogues in Iran where jews observe their religion.
After the Iranian Revolution, Khomeini issued fatwa's protecting the Iranian jews and christians after he returned from exile.
Israel had made crystal-clear--on a sustained basis over decades--that it does not appreciate its neighbors raining down rockets on it. This was true in the Golan Heights when rockets rained down on a kibbutz below. Suffice it to say--no longer.
Israel is not long on words. The intentions concerning the safety of its people and the survival of the nation are clear. If neighbors decide not to listen, there will come a point when Israel concludes: "Enough is enough."
Why does Hamas think this is different? They will soon have to answer to the Palestinian people.
Hamas in engaged in a tragic miscalculation. They think the Arab Spring, or Egypt, or other Palestinians, will somehow "help" them. Iran has worked hard to equip them--but all they have done is to facilitate their plunge in to this morass--that won't save them. Quite the contrary. They think Iran is their friend; that depends on how you define "friend".
They also seem to overlook the fact that Iron Dome has been operational.
And every rocket of the hundreds they launch reveals the exact location of its launch; mobile launchers will not help, because satellites will identify launchers immediately and track them. The gift is more targets while Hamas constructs its latest ultimatum likely to meet with the same success as all the others.
Israel does not need to incur the political costs of a ground invasion to deal with the situation. The ground forces make a clear statement to Hamas, the Palestinians and the world--don't fool with Israel on a security issue. Apparently, for Hamas until now: the lights are on--but no one's home.
When Iran had Iraq to deal with this never happened. they must be so grateful that we took care of that problem for them.
sig...fact is the golan hight belong to syria, but isreali's are occupying it.
Blatant propaganda... You do a great job serving your bankster masters, NBC. Keep working at it and you can get America to buy the lies and pay for another war that only enriches the elites and hurts the rest of us... You realize you're cheerleading for killing another generation of American soldiers and running up even more debt for those of us on the home-front, right? Of course you do! You'll make more money that way!
Iran has never posed a threat to anything, The Rothschilds just want to add that nation to their collection. Once they build a central bank in Iran, they only have to get Cuba and North Korea and they will literally OWN THE PLANET.
@Anonymous Economist, Your comments are interesting, and I believe that President Obama when
he took Office he hoped to engage Iran. That said, an article by CNN reporter who was with the
Reagan Administion wrote that peace in the Middle East begins with talks with Iran and he made
sense to me.. He compared the region to a bowl of spagetti, its issues all tangled together.
there aren't any actual issues, only manufactured issues... The problems in the middle east were created by US/UK/France/Russia after WWII. UK was granted all this land throughout the ME as "spoils of war" and turned over the nation of palestine to the Rothschild family (in exchange for debt reduction as the Rothschilds had financed the UK in WWII, they also financed Germany but that's another story).
The Rothschilds created Israel, bribed Harry Truman to recognize the corporation as a nation with a $2million campaign donation and thus was born the great agitator known as Israel...
We're only involved in the middle east to secure resources, destroy historical evidence that contradicts the judeo-christian world view and to create another rothschild central bank.
Very interesting, and like manufactured issues by some doctors in Louisville. I get it, thanks!
I think that this article just adds an element that wasn't said before. The Israeli attacks on Gaza are retaliation because the the Israelis couldn't get the US to attack Iran for them. Israel is using Gaza as the whipping boy. What goes around comes around. Not every American administration is going to blindly swallow the lie that Israel is our friend and needs to be protected at all costs. If anything it's the neigbors of Israel that need to be protected from the nuclear armed rouge state.
I think his blind support for Israel is one of the reasons Romney lost.
Hamas should find a better sugar daddy, like the US for does for Israel. You know, so more people can be killed.
Israel has a right to defend itself, especially since Hamas fired first. Too bad the American news organization called NBC lies about it.
Now comes word that Hamas said that as a condition of a cease-fire would be that Israel must agree to all f their demands, including their right to exist. If I were the Prime Minister of Israel, time to nuke the terrorists!
Yes, when negotiating from a position of weakness, always make large demands. It's the "or else" part they seem to have trouble with. Right now the "or else" applies to their own people being killed. Just a bit backward?
Yes - You would nuke them, because you are a Zionist.
Israel's prominent miitary historian and theorist, Martin van Creveld, said “Israel
could find itself one day forced to exterminate the European continent using all
kinds of weapons including its nuclear arsenal if it felt its demise neared,”
and stressed that “Israel also considers Europe a hostile target.”
“We have hundreds of nuclear warheads and
missiles that can reach different targets in the heart of the European
continent, including beyond the borders of Rome, the Italian capital,” Creveld
said, adding that most of the European capitals would become preferred targets
for the Israeli air force.
He reiterated “Israel’s ability to destroy the
whole world whenever it felt its existence would be doomed to extinction.”
Nuking them because it would end up poisoning Israel. They are way too close together. Also, setting off nukes will piss other countries off in the Middle East. Giving just another reason for all of it's neighbors to hate them.
Obama Must Be Impeached, your facts and history are seriously mixed up and confused.
here we go...it was expected..jewish israeli scheme
what jews learned from nazi's...they multiplied that knowledge and are no applying to poor gaza people...
history repeats if you do not learn from it.
Peace!!!
Looks like it is time to put Iran in the cross-hairs. Of course annihilate Gaza first.
Then what is Israel waiting for? The fact that the Iron Dome will be overwhelmed and parts of Tel Avia will look like Gaza?
I'm hoping that you're being sarcastic TruthComesHere.
How the H*LL would Hamas/Palestinians have the technology and supplies to BUILD LONG RANGE ROCKETS on their own? I think it's a seriously imbecilic statement to think these MASSIVE long-range rockets came from anywhere BUT Iran!!
stu. from what the isreali's saying .hamas is taking the explosives out and launching the rackets without explosives to make them go farther. It is like firing a shot in the air, and there is a one in a million that the shot may land on someone's head. I know that you are itching for an attack on iran, but that will never happen. but even if iran gave hammas the weopon ,so what. u.s has given the isreali's all the weopons and isreali's are killing the palestinian every day.the comparison is palestinian have sling shot vs aytomatic riffle.
Hey Stu - They are not long range rockets. They have no guidance. Don't you think that Iran could come up with a better product than those rockets that have killed 3 people, after hundreds or thousands were fired? Are you so stupid that you can't figure out it is all propaganda?
Iran does supply Hezbollah, but Hamas gets nothing of real value, militarily.
I always wondered why Iran wasn't supplying weapons to Hamas, considering that their Hezbollah strategy worked beautifully in thwarting Israel's aggressions a few years ago in Lebanon. Hezbollah showed the sophistication of their weaponry by kicking Israel's ass so bad they had to fire all their commanders and generals. Now it looks like they are.
The article says Palestinians say their rockets are Palestinian made, not Iranian made. ???? Where? In Palestinian rocket factories? Give me a break!
What about American fingerprints on Israel's weapons? To the tune of several billion dollars every year.
Max, congrats!!! Most stupid post of the Day!
Israel is a country. Hamas and the Palestinians are terror groups. Wake up!
The only reason Palestine is not a country is Israel's appetite for Palestinian land. As long as the conflict continues, Israel can keep on stealing land from Palestinians. Israel is just as much a terrorist organization as Hamas. We should not give a dime to either Israel or Palestine.
Palestinians are not terrorists. Where do you people get your nonsense.
Palestinians are terrorists ? WOW !
Obama must be impeached just won his own "Most stupid post of the day !" award.
Great post Max^108, not to mention the long history of American government fingerprints on other weapon supplies to not so good people.
Blame Obama
United Nation's Ban Ki-moon to meet Netanyahu in Israel, Abbas in West Bank after visit to Cairo, Egypt, UN spokesman says - @Reuters
Hamas is wasting time and the lives of Palestinians. It is now Monday night in Gaza. Hamas intransigence means the bombing continues for at least another 48 hours--no land invasion during that period--and it does not change one bit Israel's bottom line: "Get those rockets out--or we will."
Israel has no interest whatsoever in going back, or a re-do: "The security will be firm--or we have yet to see good will. Words don't count."
The transmittal about "22 min--Hamas commander" (Nov. 14) was an electronic error.
The item "United Nation's" is accurate and current.
So this will be the great war of 2012, huh? Israel Vs. Iran.
Let's hope our president has the wisdom to stay the hell out of it.
There are two men sitting in a row boat. One man starts drilling a hole under his seat. The other man yells, "What are you doing!?" To which the reply is, "What concern is it of yours, I'm drilling under my own seat. Mind your own business!"
Hamas, Muslims, and pinko Commies here started this most recent incident by bombing Israel! Muslims are the aggressors here and need to be punished for their bullying Israel!!!!!
The Hamas terrorists need to be dealt with. The Palestines allow themselves to be used as human targets for the sake of welfare needs. They need to grow backbones and support themselves instead of relying on welfare from Hamas. I applaud Israel for standing up to Hamas cowards who are in hiding with their cell phones turned off so they can't be found, knowing that children will be killed in their stead. Hamas is the target here. If they stopped firing rockets, Israel would also stop. I applaud Israel!
So, these "experts" are unfamiliar with the concept of a "proxy war"?
Has everyone lost their collective minds?
First of all, there is NOTHING murky about Iran's role Israel's Gaza crisis. Iran is all about the destruction (no... wait... make that anihilation) of Israel. And now it seems that they are poised to accomplish this even WITHOUT a nuclear weapons program.
Secondly, everyone talks about how this is the result of Israeli aggression, when in fact, Isreal, historically only fires weapons when fired upon.
As far as America's support for Israel is concerned, this country has been an ally of the United States for 11 administrations. Let's set aside, for a moment that, since the fall of Lebanon, Israel stands as the ONLY Democracy in the Middle East. I cannot imagine what it must be like, living in a country, the size of New Jersey, where every one of my enemies was a mere 10 minute flight away.
America does NOT turn its back on its allies. At least it never did. I have no idea what to make of President Obama's foreign policy. All I know is that it's deteriorating. I don't think he knows what he's doing (or maybe he does and it goes against American interests). One thing is curious.... with each passing day, the Middle East is set to explode. What's he doing in Burma?
jim.. seems to me that you are the one who lost his mind, or perhaps trying to deceive people. historically isreal assassinate people and deceive others with false flags. Isreal has been using u.s for their evil agenda. they are no alley,they are just users. the isreali democracy is a joke. they are deporting thousends of ethiopian jews, because they are black. isreal is an apartheid regime. believe me that isreal would turn back on u.s as soon as they feel threaten. there is nothing that isreal has done for u.s and the people of u.s accept propaganda garbage, but people are becomming more aware of isreali's evil agenda. go find a hole.
Any facts to support what you say about deporting Ethiopian Jews or anything else in your post, or do you have no qualms with spewing complete lies?
Israel is such a great ally of the United States? Seems like quite a one-sided relationship to me. One is the taker and the other is the giver.
RIGHTLY. no lies. the truth hurts. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/israel-african-migrants-deportation_n_1586998.html
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/articles/37056
rameshm2, it does not say anything about deporting people because they are black, like you assert. It's not as simple as that and shouldn't be characterised as such. There are many Ethiopian and Sudanese immigrants who came to Israel legally and have become part of the fabric of the nation.
Also, there have been many technological developments coming out of Israel that have benefitted other nations, in fact their development of Desalinization technology could prove vital for all nations in the future.
My post at 4.2 breaks down the situation of the current crisis going on between Hamas and Israel.
RIGHTLY so explain why they pay white jews to move from anywhere in the world to isreal , but the black jews have to get there illegally.
It is a joke when any of the parties involved in this latest blood bath claims innocence. I don't know who is aiding Hamas, but just calling Iran an abettor because they are cheering Hamas on is stupid. If alliances are made by supporting the same foe, then the Jews and Muslims are allies. At least in the sense that they believe they are fighting, evil and a Satan like creature. Perhaps if both the Jews and the Muslims looked at their common interest of fighting evil, they could be allies. At the same time, calling each other evil is as stupid as claiming their own innocence.
Except for the fact, John, that Israel wants to live side by side in peace with Palestine in a two-state solution and Hamas wants Israel destroyed. Those two things are not compatible. Hamas controls the Gaza strip, Hamas is a radical Muslim group that has a mandate to annihilate Israel, and fires rockets on a daily basis into Israel. Israel only attacks Hamas in retaliation for Hamas attacking it. If the Palestinians truly want peace they should show as much by getting rid of Hamas and other radical Muslim groups who stand against any peace that includes the existence of Israel. It is a tragedy that any innocent Palestinians have been killed, if Hamas wasn't launching rockets against Israel and wasn't using innocent Palestinians as human-shields, there would be fewer deaths of the innocent Palestinians. As it is, Israel makes every effort to minimize civilian Palestinian deaths, Hamas takes no such measures to prevent civilian Israeli deaths, they purposely try to kill all Israelis.
They also want to control their borders (air, land and sea). Smells like Apartheid to me.
If Israel could have assurance that the Palestinians would cease arming themselves and attacking Israel, then Israel would not have a reason to want to keep control of the borders. Smells like Israel is just trying to protect themselves from groups that want to destroy it. The only party in this whole conflict that has ever been willing to make an enduring peace between two states is Israel, the Palestinians only want a one-state solution.
rightly. as far as we know the assassination of jabari was to avoid peace process. he was working with egyptian for a permanent peace truce and isreali government knowingly assassinated him. it is obvious that isreal benefit alot more from war than peace.
RIGHTLY. ya right. isreal wants to live side by side in peace. then why the hell do they keep building in parts that doesn't belong to them. is that the interpretation of peace. Isreal is nothing but an apartaid neonazi government. one would think that what the jews had to go through during wwII ,they would have some sympathy towards fellow human. but I guess if the part being exterminated are not jews, but the other way around, then that's ok. But it is not ok and people around the world are noticing that.have you bought your hole yet?
You must be an atheist,I am not. G_D gave HIS people all the land west of the jordan river hence the term west bank.There are more people that are anti -semitic and atheist than would admit it.
if you belive in that , then god also took the land away from them and exiled them. as far as we know there has been no notices by god that the jews are free to go back. It is funny how the jews write a book and in that, they say that god gave them the land and everyone buys the lie like sheeps.
The USA made a commitment to the creation and support of Israel after WWII. Frankly, the entire project was botched by ignoring the Palestinians and by Eurocentric political biases which led to the belief that European powers had some right to carve the boundaries of nations out of the old Ottoman Empire. The problem is not just Israel or its existence, the problem includes the borders of Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon. At some point the leaders of those nations, and the Palestinians, will have to draw a map. Only then will there be any hope for peace.
As for the current crisis; it is no coincidence that Iran was on the verge of suffering a preemptive strike by the Israelis , but now enjoys a buffer-period while Israel responds to conveniently timed missile attacks from Gaza (drawing Israeli assets away). During this delay Iran will continue creating nuclear weapons . Gaza is a diversionary action.
Meanwhile, President Obama heads off to SE Asia. Good to see that President Poof and Hillary are demonstrating their usual "hands on" control of events, eh? Yessir, and during the Benghazi attack Poof-Boy told his staff to "handle it" while he went to Las Vegas. WE have 4 more years of this Punk, and I dread them.