War Boosted Extremists In Gaza, Says U.N. Official

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

GENEVA (Reuters) - Israel's invasion of Gaza has strengthened the hand of extremists and only a credible independent investigation into alleged wrongdoing can quieten growing Palestinian anger, a U.N. aid official said on Friday.

John Ging, head of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, called for new U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell to talk to ordinary people in Gaza as part of a "new track" in diplomacy.

U.S. President Barack Obama named Mitchell, a former U.S. Senator who helped settle the conflict in Northern Ireland, on Thursday to try to jump-start Arab-Israeli peace talks.

"My first request to the U.S. administration is talk to the ordinary people in Gaza. Come to Gaza and talk to the ordinary people -- the mothers, fathers, leaders of civil society, the people who are not involved in politics," Ging, speaking from Gaza, told reporters in Geneva.

"They are still quite shell-shocked but there is more and more anger growing."

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/usTopNews/idUKTRE50M3OB20090123

[Karenina]

1. File under: DUH!

Some EXCELLENT ADVICE there.

[laissezfairesucks1]

2. Democratically Elected Extremists

Let's not forget that Hamas was elected by the Palestinian people then divided against the puppet Abbas, divided finacially by Israel which controls Palestinian tax revenues. Abbas represents Israel moreso than ANY Palestinians. Gaza is beseiged by Israel in violation of the original promise some years ago when Israel vacated Gaza, and Israel continues an economic stranglehold on Gaza, pursuing targeted assassinations and kidnappings, including civilians which precipitated the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, a combatant soldier not a civilian. So the recent rocket attacks are mitigated by these fatcs and Israel's murderous invasion would only gain Hamas and the Palestinians sympathy. I agree, the response is "Duh!"

[DCKit]

7. What Karenina said. Doh!!! n/t

[LynnTheDem]

3. It always does.

Every single time.

[Pike]

4. UN

I'm afraid I don't have a lot of faith in the U.N. and it's representatives.

[EstimatedProphet]

8. And people like you are the reason I have little faith in Repubs.

[jsamuel]

5. Hint: Bombing people doesn't stop terrorism.

In fact, in many cases, it can encourage it. We went through this with Lebanon people...

[redqueen]

6. And Iraq.

Guess the neo-cons' little fantasy about propping-up / creating more enemies so they could have endless wars might not work out so well as they hoped. Looks like people might actually perceive reality and not their sanitized propaganda after all.