Quote Originally Posted by Andres
Do you believe there exists a justification for, let's say, letting explode a bus filled with people, children included?

To make things clear: I don't think either site in this conflict is "right" or "wrong", they have both done despicable things.
No I don't think there ever is a justification for killing any civilians either through terrorist attacks of any kind or through bombings/rocket attacks as Israel has done in the past in built up civilian areas while trying to take out terrorist leaders.

Hate breeds hate, and this is the problem here. This kind of terrorism gets itself ingrained into the culture and has be pulled out from the roots. The more Israel retaliate and attack the more hatred that is generated and the more young men (and young women) joining the ranks of the terrorist groups.

This problem will never be solved in any other way except through determined diplomacy, all past efforts have fizzled out when Israel have lost patience. Some kind of settlement has to be found. This should take the form of a seperate internationally recognised Palestinian state (whether they're capable to run it or farm it or whatever is not the issue, but they need their own state). There will always be rotten elements within the Palestinian state that will push for return to the old ways. Israel has always been ready to use these incidents as a pretext to reinvade Palestinian areas and renew hostilities. The old claim that the Palestinian Authority is not doing enough to contain the extremists and terrorists is recycled again and again.
Quote Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit
Vis a vis the idea that 'The Palestinians are being punished for the crimes of a few' - it is the Palestinians that elected Hamas, who's goal is to destroy Israel.
A flawed argument, as in desperate times equally desperate people will vote for the extremes. Also it was not all of the Palestinians that voted for Hamas in the same way that all Americans did not vote for Bush.