Mick's hyperventilating aside Gene, I find that Netanyahu's characterization today of the flotilla as a 'terrorist attack' is the typical arrogant, intransigent response we always seem to get from Israeli Government officials when they have have overplayed their hand and perpetrated another atrocity.

There is never an apology- never an acknowledgement- that they have contributed to, and ratcheted up the danger for all civilians in the Middle east -including their own- by their actions.

Do you really believe ANY military action is justified in Israel's defense? And who makes these calls? Is the Israeli program of 'collective punishment', besieging Gaza for three years justified?

I find myself besieged by sadness for my many Jewish friends here in the States who struggle watching Israel behave so arrogantly, so lethally and so short-sidedly. I know Holocaust survivors. It wasn't that long ago.

At the same time I am revolted by Israel's behavior toward the Palestinians, especially for the children who are being bent toward a hatred they will never lose. I'm disgusted by right-wing politicians like Netanyahu and the cozy financial dependency they have cultivated with the likes of Pat Robertson and his ilk. I'm revolted by the cowboy mentality of the IDF and the religious zealotry and political clout of the settlement movement.

For me it's not as simple as Mick's neo -nazi killing machine nor your (apparent) inability to accept that Israel can do some very wrong, and bad, things. I try to remember that there are human being son both sides of this equation. Our own country has perpetrated some heinous shit but that doesn't make all Americans bad people.