"Major polls show that the Palestinian population is against attacks on Israel. Likewise, Hamas stopped claiming responsibility for attacks and is gearing up for the parliamentary elections set for January 2006. Yet Israel has chosen to keep the peace process frozen, to mull over the next unilateral step, which according to Sharon and his aides won't be coming for a longtime anyway. This contradicts the mighty claim that Israel has no partner for peace."

"This temporary short life in this world is a test. God Almighty is testing the individuals and the collective community, as to how they will respond to such catastrophic events. Answers will be revealed on the Day of Judgment. Hence, life is not meaningless without purpose."

"Some U.S. officials, usually former military officials like Powell and Wilkerson who served during the Vietnam period, do evidently have some qualms about such wars of choice. It’s too bad that even as civilians, they remain such good soldiers that they fail to publicly protest before American lives are endangered needlessly. According to the Senate staffer, even when they do openly dissent after the fact, they “go out of their way to blast the incompetence of the execution, while avoiding any criticism of the premise on which the whole mess was based, that is, that the U.S. has a presumptive ‘right’ to invade and occupy other countries.”

"The lifeblood of democracy is the free flow of information for the body politic. Corporate media and inordinate government power are responsible for deadly blockages."

"With stakes so high, given the huge foreign policy agenda launched during Bush’s first term, the consequences of this second term slide can be dramatic."

"When trees are uprooted, people are torn with agony and despair because the trees are an integral part of their lives. For these reasons, the people continue in their struggle against the occupation."

"One of the most disturbing elements of this sorry chapter in the history of American journalism is that Sulzberger is virtually immune from impeachment. His best defense is that he broke no law. As the master of a hereditary political fiefdom – he feels a sense of entitlement to contaminate the nation with war fever."

"The Palestinian quest for justice is unshakeable. A greater number of people are realizing that peace in the Middle East -- and ultimately in the rest of the world -- cannot be achieved until the racist ideology that guides the Apartheid State of Israel is replaced with an inclusive ideology where Muslims, Christians and Jews have equal rights and responsibilities and where the 5 million Palestinian refugees around the world can return to their homes and property."