WORLDFOCUS

04/02/2009 :: 03:17:55 PM
Neil P. Says:

Human civilization now faces the final moment of a critical juncture. The dawn of a glorious new era is on one side, and the worn-our skeleton of the past on the other. Humanity has to adopt either one or the other.
It is difficult of Christians or Jews or Moslems to solve the problem of Gaza, because the problem is bigger that any of these socio-sentiments. When people view humanity as something less that one integral family, then there is no hope for progress. Only when we admit that our fates are woven together into a single future will that future be bright.

01/15/2009 :: 11:06:51 PM
Benedict Says:

People in Gaza have been suffering under Hamas well before Israel ever entered the picture. And the people in southern Israel have been suffering as well. Both these links show it. The issue is not Israel versus Palestinian. It must be both Israel AND Palestinian against Hamas!! Hamas is killing its own people and they are suffering terribly! Watch this youtube video and it’ll change your view!!!

Must see!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1M4eH9Kk7I

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/3#3292

01/12/2009 :: 11:13:09 PM
pete Says:

> 2.000 years of idiotic religion and anger – hey! why stop now?

01/11/2009 :: 11:05:27 PM
Jerry Wills II Says:

Concerning the two words “rain down” [as used in this article {“Code red” is a way of life in Israeli town}] some thoughts: It could [in the regions of possibility] be noted: that, these physical events of War [which are now (outwardly and inwardly) ongoing] do somewhat parallel [if in a more inward spiritual way] the words of a particular ancient text [used to describe a certain set of specific events which are said to have taken place in an earlier age] using the exact same words: “rain down”. Is this because both sets of events can be said to be taking place–in ongoing ‘layers’ of ceaseless parallels
–in the desert regions of the Middle East?

“”And the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread for you from the sky, and the people shall go out and gather each day that day’s portion…””
(Exodus 16: 4…but see entire 16th Chapter of Exodus)

Bread does not equate to rockets yet the rockets are sent from ‘places unseen’ and go up to regions of atmosphere above the limits of the earth’s surface unto where [once] during long ago former days: a Higher Source of Divine Nourishment was requested, expected, received and gathered according to specific instructions concerning allotments for each individual.
Did not Israel survive the Exodus from Egypt?

Yet a ‘negation’ [or, ‘Exodus’], [a gathering of much but without excess] in the quality of long remembrance, from the substance [a gathering of little but with no deficiency] of the[literal/figurative] ‘Egyptian Establishment’ [outside/within us] will not, by itself: alone assist in the providing of ‘true necessities’ while undertaking [continually] the [personal] Exodus of our Lives even into the ‘desert regions’ of Existence.
Why?

“Man does not live on bread alone…”
(Deuteronomy 8:3).

It can [in the regions of possibility] be true, then: that, the ‘negation’ of [the ‘coming forth by day’ of the ‘substance’ of] any human being cannot bring about a permanent gathering of an enduringly greater portion of what [in the end] proves to be only as ephemeral as the effects of the rain that falls…which may equate with the physical bread which causes, when once fallen/eaten: a gradation of cessations of nourishment to ‘come forth’ and, with those cessations: ‘slow perishings’ of the physical/spiritual nourishment inherent [involved] in the consumption of [merely] temporal foods.
In other words, if even a “double portion” of the ‘manna’ of the ‘desert’
[representing ‘temporal nourishment’ in ‘strife-torn regions’] were gathered on the appropriate day and given to the same Self of others as to one’s own Self in its appropriate time and received in its appropriate time, how would that ‘manna’ be doubly helpful beyond its being a [merely, and, singularly: temporally] physical means of nourishment which would not nourish the inner spirit or the outer body of anyone enduringly since no physical manna [even long ago as now] proved to be of any long enduring assistance to the lives of those wandering in a [physical/spiritual] desert?
If this was and is so, was not/will not something far more enduring be necessary to be received from above?

01/10/2009 :: 12:34:01 PM
Sherri Says:

Marcel wrote: “If Hamas had stopped their rocket atttacks against Israel’s civilian population’s no one in Gaza would be suffering.”
What a biased and patently untrue characterization. The people in Gaza have been suffering because of Israel’s blockade. Do these people have no right to atempt to defend their own survival. What would Israel do if its people were suffering a total blockade with the result of outrageously high unemployment and poverty? The attitude of Israel supporters is not only biased but refused to see the humanity of Palestinians. Do Israelis consider them to exist only at the mercy and pleasure of Israel?

01/09/2009 :: 01:24:56 AM
Jerry Wills II Says:

When “ovens/furnaces” (of the World) are no longer capable of being used in ways other than for the baking of staple foods such as Bread or other Types Of Sustainments necessary for the Preservation of Human Life…then Israel may be, justly and completely, condemned. Otherwise? No. Why? The World’s “ovens/furnaces” (of opinions) seem to be heating up again. If this heating up is done only to provide true Unbiased Sustenance for the Suffering in a, truly, unbiased way…then those who have sincerely helped will, no doubt, be nourished themselves…even, perhaps, in unseen ways.
Yet, what do these things now happening in the “kitchens” of Life–since the “ovens/furnaces” (of affairs) seem to be in the process of being greatly heated again–reveal about the World when all these things are considered, in objectively purified truth, beyond the heat of “unreasoned/unreasonable” (flames of) opinions?
What would (whether literally or figuratively) Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego say, today, to (a modern) “King Nebuchednezzar” (from Daniel 5) from the depths of the fiery “oven/furnace” if such processes are proving (or showing the potential) to be continued…on different levels?
Will History like what it sees when it looks, once again, into the Great Oven/Furnace Of Time when it sees, deeply, into itself as to the full Nature of what it has long seemed to be, is, and may still be in the process of becoming? (…the answer can only be found within one’s own Self)…or is History, once again, providing itself with many more reasons, in shame, to deeply blush as it turns what should have been, sacredly, Human into mere Dust and Ashes?

01/08/2009 :: 04:11:07 PM
Elad Says:

Thank you for this. I am posting a link to your blog on mine.

Elad

01/08/2009 :: 01:28:02 AM
Avi Harel Says:

This whole crisis could have been prevented, should the Israelis listen to the Hamas, which means, go back to where they came from: to the concentration camps in Europe.
Remember that Hamas was elected by the Palestinians in a rare democratic procedure, and Hamas represents them. Hamas fights, because this is what the people want Hamas to do, because Hamas represents the Palestinian dream to throw the Israelis away, so that they can get their lands back.
Unfortunately, the Israelis do not have anywhere else to go, and they are determined to stay where they are. And even more unfortunate is that the Palestinians prefer to follow their nostalgic dreams, instead of looking for their future.

01/06/2009 :: 04:48:38 PM
Sam Says:

With Jews ppl controlling the big media firms, Gaza has no chance to tell the world about its tragedy. 30% of the victims are women & children. They have nothing to do with Hamas. If you want the truth, don’t watch CNN, BBC and alike. Go to Al jazerah channel and see the other side of the story! You will be shocked. War crimes every day against the Palestinians and then you would laugh at this movie.

01/06/2009 :: 02:16:11 PM
Adam Says:

It is a shame for PBS to not mentioning the war crimes that are happening in Gaza Palastine. They just targeted a United Nation school in Gaza and killed 54 so far most of them are children and women were hiding there. The total killed in Gaza are more than 600 and over 3000 enjured, 45% of them women and children and 95% of whom they are killed are civilian, according to a western doctor in Gaza. Are the Israel’s doing to the palatinian what Germany did to them, is that it?

01/06/2009 :: 07:54:00 AM
bruce Says:

Let’s not forget that Israel has thumbed it’s nose at the UN since 1967 and has been creating it’s own Warsaw Getto in Gaza.You would think that a people who have been so perscuted in the past would look in the mirror and see that they have become just like those people of the past.

01/06/2009 :: 06:40:47 AM
satis Says:

Jews are illegal occupant of this place , thanks to USA’s double policy. They instead of giving back illegal occupied teritory to poor Palestenians ;are attcking them with crude bombs; killing innocent civilaians. These should be stoppde. Very unfortunate thing is tha this terror is fully supported by USA.

01/06/2009 :: 01:57:28 AM
Debbie Says:

I really enjoyed the view inside Israel, and the look at daily life including the realism of the place and people. I do not side with either the Jews or Palestinians, but seeing for myself how it looks and hearing the common people speak for themselves is very refreshing and helps me to better sort out and understand what is really happening over there. I have long suspected that if we could hear from the people on the streets we would get a more true, unbiased perspective of what’s going on. I was also struck by the physical similarities of the Israeli’s and the Palestinians. I only wonder why we don’t see more real life views like you have shown on mainstream TV. Great Work! Thank you

01/06/2009 :: 01:47:02 AM
elsa first Says:

Sderot has an anti-war group of 1,500 members calling for a cease fire in the slaughter in Gaza which they in Sderot believe is wrong and a human rights crime. Sorry I cannot give you their contact but your reporters should be able to find them. Appreciate both stories especially showing some of the distress and terror inside Gaza. It is not “balanced” to let the Israeli consul give the official line without mentioning the siege of Gaza over the last 18 months which kept it on the brink of humanitarian catastrophe, and for which the home made rockets were a protest. Hamas is actually asking for the embargo to be lifted as part of continuing the ceasefire. Why is this not mentioned? Did World Focus ever mention this? Tonight’s presentation made it seem as if Hamas has been seeking to invade and wipe out Israel rather than to get its border crossings opened for ordinary passage of goods medicines doctors etc.

01/05/2009 :: 10:43:44 PM
Jerry Wills II Says:

There are Eternal Themes of Possibilities existing even in what seems to be, currently, Impossible.
How can we research the Eternal Themes, to their most hidden depths: both in times of War when the geometry of Peace is one primary Theme to be studied…and in times of Peace when the strategy of War is one primary Theme which could, as a preventative measure, remain within the diplomatic scope of Negotiation which might be used as a ‘peaceful’ Hammer–not a ‘hammer’ for wrongfully ‘hitting’ but for the ‘shaping’ of a better Form into a more authentic ‘working Material’–upon the ‘metallic’ Nature Of (the substance of) Human Correspondence which could often be placed upon the Anvil Of In-Depth Study (or, that Instrument which could allow ‘hard’ Materials to be ‘molded’ properly). These Themes, then, could be similar in Form (in a somewhat different yet spiritually relational way) to the Flames which could be lit upon the Menorah:
each one being able to be lit in its appropriate timeframe. These Studies, as well, could be like the Menorah itself awaiting such Symbols of Light to enlighten a Renewal of ‘prayer-caused’ Understandings (if not in others, necessarily; then, within one’s own Self) into a meeting of the very Forms of the most ancient Flames which are, symbollically: themselves, like the Holy Words of Ancient Instruction.
The lighting of Menorah candles remains a simple yet profound set of…Acts.
The study of Eternal Themes could surely give the same kind of Healing (array of) Lights to all who may yet be receptive to the Possibilities of divine consolations even in the midst of seemingly endless (arrays of) reasons for darkest cynicisms and despairs.
If you believe such Light can push back the Darkness as many times as some form of that Light is lit–however small–and can be nurtured just in the same way as any loving Mother would nurture her young, then this may be as the finding of a long forgotten cruse of Oil(even if that cruse contains only, realistically: enough for a mere day or night) which shall yet supply the length and duration of Light necessary when the purpose of that Oil is a rededicating of some aspect of some Area within the Temple of a possible internal Agreement (for no Agreement–external or internal–can hold if not considered sacred) just as there is such a sacred agreement, first, in mothers: that, they will never, willingly, agree not to nurture their children by all means within their mortal powers: holy flames of infinite compassion concerning their innocent children…those who yet warmly hold true light witin themselves…despite the various national, regional, traditional, ethnic, and other Names given to various peoples of the Earth. Can the darknesses inherent in the improper use of Names be transcended by any form of Light? For as a well known ancient Chinese text states: “Name that can be named, is not the Everlasting name.”
But another more closely related text–to the spiritual issue involved in the physical matter– states: “Hashem spoke to Moses, saying: Command the Children of Israel that they shall take for you pure olive OIL, pressed, FOR ILLUMINATION, TO KINDLE A CONTINUAL LAMP. Outside the Partition of the Testimony, in the Tent of Meeting, Aaron shall arrange it, FROM EVENING TO MORNING [during Night: the time of darkness], before Hashem, continually; an ETERNAL decree for your generations. On the pure Menorah shall he arrange the lamps, before Hashem, continually.”
–Leviticus 24: 1-4.
If this text can be read with a certain spiritually ‘prayer-caused’ understanding, then the text may illumine some of what has been said above.
For the remainder, the in-depth Study continues.
Still, can the current usages of Names be–even, if only periodically–transcended till the darknesses of Hatreds are, at least: diffused and, eventually, dissipated?
If not, then whatever the nature of the apparent solution that might be achieved, very temporarily, will not likely be accomplished by any traditionally permanent Human Method. However, Our perceptions of Light will still be lit into endless other forms of Light. Why do I say this?
If Jerusalem may–whether literally or figuratively–be considered the City of David and if King David was considered to be a ‘lamp’ for His people and if Israel may–in any way–still be considered as a Lamp for the World…then, I may say that there still exists Eternal Light within all the Infinite Themes of Possibilities even if the current limitations of our mortal lives do not allow us to perceive, immediately, the hidden natures of all the Stars: those literal and figurative Symbols which may signify the Lights which are as the true finite–yet, to be treasured–representations of what is allowed to us in our meditations upon vast scope inherent in those Infinite Possibilities.

01/05/2009 :: 09:49:15 PM
linda Says:

It is interesting that we have set 2 poles on this issue..and like the poles the 2 sides will never meet or see each olters points of view. Ironically the North and south poles have many similarities and in many respects are mirror immages. Its so easy to live within our polarized worlds, its familiar and we are surrounded by a familiar environment. I wonder what would happen to an eskimo if he were plucked from the north and spirrited to the South pole without knowing him knowing. Would he know he had even left home? I wonder.

01/05/2009 :: 08:43:16 PM
Doron Says:

Thank you for tonight for beginning to restore some balance by
(1) showing Sderot’s plight for the last 8 years, with the Martin Greenspan piece;
(2) finally reporting Egypt’s blockade of Gaza in the interview with Geneive Abdo. Egypt has kept its Rafah border crossing tightly shut for months. In recent days, it has allowed some medical trucks through, but still not food. Despite all the rockets, food going into Gaza still comes from Israel – and most medicines too. Israel is still taking in Gazans for medical treatment.

As regards the emotive report of people in Gaza: It is truly heart wrenching, and disturbing. But again – Hamas is primarily to blame. There is precious little mention that Hamas has many tunnels for weapons storage, which civilians cannot use. Why did it not build a single bomb shelter for anyone but its leaders? In stark contrast, Israel has kept civilian casualties low through bomb shelters. Hamas has also made a practice of firing from civilian areas and using human shields. The casualty count does not reflect culpability.

Anthony Cordesman noted that the civilian casualty rate is not high given the nature of Gaza worse. It is now worse than in similar conflicts, and would be dramatically higher if Israel targeted civilians. It would also be dramatically lower if Hamas cared about civilians, and stopped firing from homes and using civilian shields.

I hope and pray for peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. The tragedy is that many Palestinians are imbued with Arafat’s dictum “we will drown them in our own blood”. They are far more intent on the destruction of Israel than on the creation of a Palestinian state. And until that changes, Israeli concessions cannot bring peace, and people on both sides will suffer.

01/05/2009 :: 08:27:01 PM
Herb Gardner Says:

Thank you for showing the effects on the children of Sderot of daily rocket attacks. It is a shame that the children of the world suffer for the fanaticism of their elders.

01/05/2009 :: 07:52:05 PM
David Cheney Says:

Thank you for this story. The media–and world opinion–tend to focus only on the suffering Palestinians, failing to appreciate the Israeli suffering from Gaza rocketing these these eight years. As long as the world sees Palestinians in Gaza as victims and Israel as aggressors, the Arab-Israel problem will never be solved.This is because Hamas will never feel that it must cease terrorist attacks, accept Israel’s existence, and negotiate peace–as Egypt and Jordan have done. Until then, Hamas will “keep hating Israel more than it loves its children.”

01/05/2009 :: 07:32:41 PM
Mindy Says:

Kudos to you for showing the daily terror the citizens of Israel live with. the Palestinians were let down by their own govt, who they elected, Hamas. This is not Israel’s fault, nor can Israel be held hostage by terrorists because Hamas shields itself with women and children.

01/05/2009 :: 06:46:29 PM
anthony Says:

With thousands of Palestinians suffering in Gaza (not only over the past days but for decades), I think it is unacceptable for World Focus to show such a huge segment on daily life in Sderot. In fact, events in Gaza and pictures of civilians butchered only make Sderot’s citizens issues seem ridiculous. I understand media is not allowed into Gaza to capture the brutalities there, but it would have been only objective to either show both sides or none at all. Also, in future, Mr. Savidge, please try to present a more objective news of what’s going on in Gaza by not only inviting Consul General of Israel but someone from the Palestinian side as well.

01/05/2009 :: 06:32:13 PM
Viviana Grosz Says:

Bravo to you for honest bilateral reporting.

There are two sides of a coin and the average media is just showing one, contributing to Israel bias and anti Israel sentiment.

01/05/2009 :: 06:30:18 PM
Bill Says:

Yes CNN and BBC are biased against Israel!! What a jibberish nonsense!

01/05/2009 :: 06:11:40 PM
Marcel Says:

I spent the weekend listening to CNN ,BBC and the other overtly biased media give the Islamic terrorists in Gaza a pass and targeting Israel for their blame.
It’s refreshing to see the good effort you are doing to remain balanced in your reporting as this signature series on life in Sderot has done.
I know the pressure you will be under to follow the BBC and CNN model of giving Hamas as pass.
Never forget to remind the viewers of one fact.
If Hamas had stopped their rocket atttacks against Israel’s civilian population’s no one in Gaza would be suffering.
Keep up the rare,balanced reporting.

01/05/2009 :: 02:48:36 PM
Chaya Says:

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING THIS HERE!