I cannot believe what is going on in Israel right now. With the kidnapping especially, but also...well, here's an excerpt from a NY Times article:

But Hamas officials remained reluctant to acknowledge the right of Israel to exist, while accepting that it does exist and is not likely to disappear. Referring to the Palestinian territories, a Hamas legislator, Salah al-Bardawil, told Reuters: "We said we accept a state in 1967 — but we did not say we accept two states."

Another Hamas legislator and spokesman, Mushir al-Masri, said in an interview: "Our problem is the legitimacy of their existence, not the fact of their existence. Is their existence legitimate or not? That is our problem. They do exist. It's tangible, they exist, we recognize the fact they exist. What we don't recognize is the legitimacy of the occupation."

I see. So, basically you do not believe it has a right to exist. That its existence is not legitimate?

Oh, even better. Well, why don't you just say that then!

I hope Gilad Shalit is returned back to his family, and no more lives are lost in this.

I also hope things calm down and don't reheat again because of all of this. In a couple months I shall be in Israel...and I cannot wait.

Does anyone else find it ironic that all this started in near Kerem Shalom?