If you listened to some leaders, you'd think Gaza was occupying Israel

Responses to five commonly heard pro-war talking points.

1) CLAIM: Israel avoids civilian casualties, but Hamas aims to kill civilians.RESPONSE: Hamas has crude weapons technology that lacks any targeting capability. As such, Hamas rocket attacks ipso facto violate the principle of distinction because all of its attacks are indiscriminate. This is not contested. Israel, however, would not be any more tolerant of Hamas if it strictly targeted military objects, as we have witnessed of late. Israel considers Hamas and any form of its resistance, armed or otherwise, to be illegitimate. In contrast, … with the use of drones, F-16s and an arsenal of modern weapon technology, Israel has the ability to target single individuals and therefore to avoid civilian casualties. But rather than avoid them, Israel has repeatedly targeted civilians as part of its military operations. 

Noura Erakat (July 22, 2014) Five Israeli Talking Points Debunked, The Nation 

2) CLAIM: Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005.RESPONSE:  Although in 2005 Israel removed approximately 8000 Jewish settlers who had been living in illegal colonies in Gaza under then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s so-called “disengagement” plan, Israel continues to exercise "unconsented-to effective control," the legal definition for qualifying as an occupying power. Israel continues to control Gaza’s airspace, coastline, and all of its entry and exit points except for one controlled by Egypt, which has cooperated with Israel in maintaining the siege and blockade of Gaza. This status has been affirmed by the Red Cross, Amnesty International, the U.N., and the U.S. State Department, among others.  

Institute for Middle East Understanding (July 31, 2014) Fact check: Israeli claims about the assault on Gaza

3) CLAIM: Gaza proves there can be no Palestinian stateRESPONSE: To grasp the perversity of using Gaza as an explanation for why Israel can’t risk a Palestinian state, it helps to realize that Sharon withdrew Gaza’s settlers in large measure because he didn’t want a Palestinian state.

Peter Beinart (July 30, 2014) What American Jews Haven’t Been Told About Gaza, Ha'aretz   

4) CLAIM: Hamas started this latest assault
RESPONSE: Israel’s assault on Gaza, as pointed out by analyst Nathan Thrall in the New York Times, was not triggered by Hamas’ rockets directed at Israel but by Israel’s determination to bring down the Palestinian unity government that was formed in early June, even though that government was committed to honoring all of the conditions imposed by the international community for recognition of its legitimacy.

Henry Siegman (July 22, 2014) Israel provoked this war. It's up to President Obama to stop it. Politico

 

5) CLAIM: Israel is acting under self defense. RESPONSE: All nations have a right of self-defense, including Israel. But that right may be exercised lawfully only in limited circumstances. Israel cannot validly claim self-defense in its recent onslaught against Gaza for two main reasons.

First…Israel remains an occupying power under international law, bound to protect the occupied civilian population. Israel can use force to defend itself, but no more than is necessary to quell disturbances. Hence this is not a war – rather, it is a top military power unleashing massive firepower against a penned and occupied Palestinian population. Second, self-defense cannot be claimed by a state that initiates violence, as Israel did in its crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank, arresting more than 400, searching 2,200 homes and other sites, and killing at least nine Palestinians.  
George Bisharat (July 22, 1014) Israel Has Overreacted to the Threats It Provoked The New York Times

The left hander

Seeing President Obama signing the visitors book at Westminster Abbey must have brought joy to those that believe in the American Dream.
Here we have the first black President brought up by his impoverished though hard working white family whilst his Kenyan father is obliterated from the history books. Against all odds he rises to the challenges before him and gets elected to the Worlds most powerful job.
Though he starts with enthusiasm and good intentions he soon realizes that is not how Washington works. 
Having lost control of both houses in the mid term elections he turns his attention to foreign policy where in principle he has a semblance of control.
For good measure he starts his own war in Libya but he can justify that and everybody knows you need your own war.
As events become more fluid he is told not to interfere in other areas where his allies interests are diametrically opposed to human rights and the rule of law.
So he gently  rebukes Syria, vaguely mentions Bahrain , ignores Saudi Arabia and whilst still brimming with hope makes the mistake of mentioning the Palestinian Israeli issue using  generally acknowledged parameters for peace.
The wrath of Netanyahu is unleashed before him as he is forced to back pedal to the all powerful AIPAC. Meanwhile his nemesis enjoys standing ovation after standing ovation as he plunges the area into guaranteed chaos with his clever forked tongue.
A foreign trip would make it all right there he is greeted like a superstar and no one mentions his humiliation. But then he has to sign the visitors book and guess what, he mentally goes back to a quieter time and writes May 2008 when the world really was his oyster.
In his clumsy left hand he scrawls his message.
Left hand? What in an Abbey that was built in the Middle Ages at a time they believed that a person writing with their left hand was possessed by the Devil.
How appropriate though I am sure that Netanyahu can be exorcised . Sinistra really.