Today's anguished musing minute.

As if the news of the unspeakable atrocities committed by Hamas terrorist in the ongoing battle, were not enough, we now hear from various sources, veiled attempts to account for, even excuse, these acts by pointing to Israeli accumulated human rights violations - blockading Gaza, oppressing West Bank Palestinians, etc.

It leaves me speechless, breathless, to contemplate the degradation of moral sensibilities in the so-called civilized parts of the world, suggested by the fact that anyone could attempt to rationalize such barbarity. No doubt Israeli policy has problems, and continued scrutiny and analysis is appropriate - not to suggest that the characterization of the rationalizers is even close to being accurate. Israelis themselves are among the most severe critics of their government's policies. But, this has absolutely nothing to do with the unrestrained depravity recently unleashed against them by humans who can only be described as lower than the animals - animals, though often savage, do not derive pleasure from the suffering of others.

Before I can credit any argument critical of Israel I want to hear a full-throated condemnation of these atrocities and a clear admission that nothing Israel has done could possibly excuse them.

Additional thought.

Even to imagine that these barbaric acts were a response to persecution, is an insult to the Palestinian people as a whole. It is an instance of the paternalism of soft expectations, as in, "Yes, they acted like depraved beasts, but, after all, they couldn't help themselves because they were so persecuted." What kind of people must we think they are if persecution can cause them to sink so low?