John, with the exception of Teribus (whose hate fueled invective of 31 May 08 - 06:52 PM I prefer to treat with the contempt it deserves) I suspect there is much more agreement on this thread than would appear obvious.

My aim has been not to 'support' the democratically elected government of Hamas but to remind people that it was, in fact, democratically elected by a people who have very little left to lose and to lift the 'veil of silence' about conditions behind the shameful Apartheid Wall as 'collective puinishment' by the Israeli Government.

In addition I whole heartedly wished to refute the suggestions that drawing attention to the plight of one and a half million men women and children living in these appalling conditions is somehow 'anti semitic' by demonstrating the concern and anger of many Jewish people both in Israel and elsewhere.