Like the main stream media ("MSM"), Ms. Mavrikos tries to turn reality upside down by arguing that Israel's most recent attack on Gaza was "retaliation" for rocket fire into Israel. The actual timeline, which has been very well documented (mondoweiss.net/2012/11/4-myths-about-the-israeli-attack-on-gaza.html ): Nov. 4: Israel killed a mentally ill Palestinian walking near the Israeli-imposed “no-go zone” inside the Gaza Strip -- an event that triggered a rocket from Gaza into southern Israel, which did not cause any deaths or injuries. · Nov. 8: Four Israeli military tanks and a bulldozer entered Gaza, fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy who had been playing soccer by his family’s house. · Nov. 10: In retaliation, two rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel, and an anti-tank missile injured four soldiers, when it hit an Israeli army jeep that had crossed over into the territory. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported the killing of five more Palestinians, four of whom were civilians – including two soccer players age 16 and 17 and two young men (18 and 19) who ran to the scene. Forty-nine others were wounded, including 10 children. · Nov. 11: Amid talks of a truce, six more Palestinians (all but one were civilians) were wounded and another was killed by both air strikes and troops on the ground. · Nov. 12: With Israeli air strikes continuing, two rockets from Gaza hit Israel. · Nov. 13: After two mid-afternoon air strikes, news services announced a truce had been agreed-upon. · Nov. 14: Israel ignored the nascent truce and assassinated Hamas military chief Ahmad al-Jabari. Contrary to his portrayal by Israel’s hasbara campaign and the MSM which has portrayed Jabari as merely a leader of “terrorists,” Israeli activist Gershon Baskin confirmed that Jabari was engaged in peace settlement negotiations with Israel and was due to send Hamas’ version of a draft agreement to Baskin on the Wednesday evening before he was killed. The events following Jabari’s targeted (and extra-judicial) killing are better known, highlighted by the beginning of Israel’s Operation Pillar of “Defense”. The timing of Jabari’s assasination casts serious doubt as to whether Israel's government ever wanted a truce and suggests that his assasination was intended to torpedo efforts to bring it about. As Phyllis Bennis from the Institute for Policy Studies wrote in The Nation: “Earlier this year, on the third anniversary of the Gaza assault of 2008/9, Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz told Army Radio that Israel will need to attack Gaza again soon, to restore what he called its power of ‘deterrence.’ He said the assault must be ‘swift and painful,’ concluding, ‘we will act when the conditions are right.’" The impending Palestinian bid at the UN for an upgrade in its status, the upcoming Israeli elections, and the desire to give its new Iron Dome defense system a "live" test run cast further doubts as to Israel's true intent. By merely accepting Israel's and the MSM's characterization of Israel's attack on Gaza as "retaliation" for rocket fire from Gaza, Ms. Mavrikos becomes just another cog in Israel's hasbara campaign. Perhaps mere ignorance underlies her apparent knee jerk acceptance of the "Israeli retaliation" line of propaganda. At some point, however, willful ignorance provides no excuse for perpetuating a lie.

I wonder if RFar515 has any regard for those suffering in the Arab world who are NOT Gazans?  40,000 dead in Syria, countless dead throughout the Muslim world, and people like RFar really don't care, because their only concern is the fictitious presentation of the story of the poor persecuted Gazans, who for the most part are living quite well in Israel - better, in fact, than the vast majority of their Arab counterparts throughout the Arab world.

It's a phony concern you present, RFar, and a twisted and distorted picture of reality - and until the Arabs stop persecuting their own people, you will never find the relief you seek for Gaza.