A friend passed along this wonderfully (un)insightful petition to stop the violence. Note the firmness of the stand taken in the text:
I support immediate and strong U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to urgently reinstate a meaningful ceasefire that ends all military operations, stops the rockets aimed at Israel and lifts the blockade of Gaza. This is in the best interests of Israel, the Palestinian people and the United States.
If only diplomats had thought of this before! A petition! To stop the violence! In fact, if only we could soften the cruel visions of violence with cute captions, in the style of ICanHasCheezeburger. Let's give it a shot:
Man. Solving international crises is exhausting. I'm going to go take a nap.
Thomas| 12.29.08 @ 9:28PM
Gee, the Palestinians are shocked, shocked I say, that the Israelis have the chutzpah to shoot back. The affront of some people. Don't they understand that the long suffering Palestinians, who never had a country to call their own, have, after being given one by Israel, the right to have it all?
With any luck at all, the Israelis may just solve the Palestinian Dilemma once and for all. Then they can address the Iranian Intransigence.
Happy End Days, one and all.
Farid| 12.30.08 @ 1:38PM
Really, Thomas? The Palestinians have a country? Strange, I thought countries had national autonomy. Thanks for recognizing the state-less nation, you international lawyer, you! Oh, and kudos for the allusion to the Final Solution. Classy.
J. Peter Freire| 12.30.08 @ 1:41PM
In fairness to Thomas, I believe he meant that the military strikes may finally hit the Palestinian trouble-makers hard enough that they reconsider their approach. I don't think he was referencing the "final solution."