Israel holds the West Bank. They ensure the peace, and there are no rocket attacks into Israel.

Israel turned over the Gaza Strip. Since then, it has been a base for countless attacks into Israel.

This is a clear justification for continued occupancy.

Put it in another context, what would your response be if thugs in Mexico started to fire rockets from Juarez into El Paso? Sure, El Paso was once part of Mexico at one time. Do you turn over El Paso? Do you launch punitive attacks into Juarez? Do you sit back and say "Those damed Americans deserve whatever they get"?

And if the military responds with force, do you condemn them? The people killed in El Paso, are they guilty of some crime deserving of death just because they live in El Paso?

And it could just as easily be Tiajuana and San Diego, or Dickey Maine and Canada.

One of the promises made when the West Bank was turned over was that the violence would stop. And in all the years since then, I have not heard of one incident where Israel attacked unprovoked.

I don't have much sympathy for the Palestinians. Probably because they continue to use fear and death as a tactic to try and get what they want. And they do not negotiate in good faith. They might get more sympathy if they follow much more successful "resistance leaders", like Dr. King and Ghandi.

But like children, they simply lash out at something that angers them. And wonder why so many people consider them thugs and barbarians.