New construction of settlements?  What about Israel's unilateral retreat from Gaza?  It left behind small cities, a booming agricultural industry, schools, synagogues, businesses and hundreds of homes.  An entire region of people was displaced in a good-faith effort to promote peace. 

What happened?  The Jewish settlements, farms, greenhouses and a thriving source of marketable products was literally torn apart by Hamas to make way for rocket staging areas.  And the range of kassam rockets was increased expotentially.

Perhaps we should learn from more recent events than those presented by President Carter.

Stephin, there were less than 5,000 settlers in Gaza. There are over 250,000 in the West Bank. They are not comparable.

Also, they didn't leave the settlements as a gift. The Israeli government demolished everything before handing over the territory.

Finally, the range of Hamas rockets is barely relevant. These are primitive, unguided weapons with very small warheads. They can kill you with a direct hit, but this is incredibly unlikely, even in compact Israel, which is why there are so few casualties from Hamas rockets.

I'm not saying the rockets are acceptable. I am saying their threat is vastly overblown. Let's put this in perspective; there were 450 violent deaths in Israel in 2008, due to car accidents. There were 8 (eight) fatalities from rockets.

I'm waiting for the IDF to start bombing car salesmen and their managers (leadership targets). I mean, by the kind of logic they are giving us for Gaza, that would almost make sense.

Dan, Your logic is convoluted. You make excuses for Hamas' behavior. Not even the UN sanctions their actions. There is no defense for their attacks on Israel regardless of how much or how little damage they accomplish. Their intention is to eventually do great harm. They have a choice - to stop the rockets or take the beating from Israel. Peace with their neighbor or continued hostility. They are their own victims. They have a right to hate Israel and Jews but they do not have a right to act on that hatred. And by the way, Israel did leave some of the settlement in Gaza standing such as a green house. But it was destroyed shortly after the settlers' departure. Settlements are not the issue. The fundamental rejection of the State of Israel by ruling Palestinians is. Once they accept Israel, the rest can be worked out.  Hamas should give peace a chance.

Leslie, I made no excuse whatsoever for Hamas' behavior. I stated that their rockets are not effective, which is an obvious fact.

And facts are a rare commodity in this conflict, are they not? Stephim claimed Israel had left Hamas "small cities, a booming agricultural industry, schools, synagogues, businesses and hundreds of homes", which sounds like paradise, and that Hamas wrecked it all. This is simply false, as your comment admits: "Israel did leave some of the settlement in Gaza standing..."

"Settlements are not the issue."
Of course they are, each and every one of them represents a fundamental rejection of the possibility of a State of Palestine in the future. The settlements have no security justification. America isn't building American settlements in Afghanistan. Israel wants the land, as much of it as possible. If you can't negotiate while being attacked with rockets, neither can you negotiate while your land is being stolen.

Hamas is not interested in peace, and this is why I don't like Hamas. But part of Israel isn't interested in peace either. Likud isn't interested in peace; the religious parties aren't interested in peace; the military isn't interested in peace. An Israeli Jew, not a Palestinian, killed Rabin when peace seemed likely.