"Steve and Jim, is it your view that Israel has a right to defend itself, provided it does not hurt anyone?"
Israel has every right to defnd herself and is extremely well equipped to do so.
The Palestinians have the same right and are not so equipped.
Israel's behavior is recognised as going far beyond "defence" - it is no more than a revenge attack for the death of four boys - the ratio of that revenge is 50 Palestinians to one murdered Israeli boy - not bad, considering those who carried out those murders have never been uncovered.
You appear to be now suggesting that the 2000 deaths were in order to close the tunnels - not even Israel has claimed this - once again, your enthusiasm has taken you in front of them in claiming something they have not.
They claimed the attacks to be in order to stop the rocket attacks which have killed less than 20 Israelis in 12 years - my maths is lousy, but I make that 100 dead Palestinians for every rocket victim.
You are obviously not going to respond to the fact that Israel would have denied the use of flechettes if they thought they could get away with such a claim - they haven't and they used them, just as they have used them, along with DIME and white phosphorus (which you have also supported) in previous attacks on Gaza, despite having renounced their us.
The fact that you have run out of everything other than straightforward denial always becomes obvious when you start referring to facts as "silly" is a recurring trait of yours.
You obviously intend to make this one of your fillibusts - back to your old "I'm the king of the castle" attention seeking.
In doing so, you are ignoring every single point being made.
Isn't it time you got yourself a life of your own away from the keyboard?
If you find yourself unable to do this, try reading what others have offered and responding to it with some intelligence and, more importantly, a little humanity - you are doing the Jewish people (who you have sown you have no regard for), nor the Christians you claim to share beliefs with, any good in presenting yourself as one of them.
Jim Carroll