In an interview with news program Democracy Now, U.S./Middle East Project president Henry Siegman described the Gaza Strip violence as a "slaughter of innocents" and discussed the effect of Israel's actions on the Palestinians.

Siegman compared what he called was a humanitarian crisis in Gaza to his past experience in Nazi Germany, saying the German citizens were not evil but they allowed evil things to happen to the Jews during that time. Referring to the Israel-Gaza crisis, he said the Israeli public turned a blind eye on the Gaza bombing and chose leaders who support the violence. 

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Siegman said the Palestinians have the right to desire for more land and go about their business without Israel meddling into their affairs. He added that Israel thinks they have the right to rule over the Palestinians and are angered at the Palestine's resistance, Guardian Liberty Voice detailed.

For Siegman, Hamas is a legitimate political group and he said he understands their anger at the "slaughter of innocents" that occurred in the Gaza Strip.

However, the U.S. government considers Hamas a group of terrorists.

The violence in the Gaza Strip displaced 120,000 Palestinians. Israel continued to bomb Gaza in the last few weeks and several attempts to broker a truce between the two parties failed.

Israel's main objective for the military offensive on Gaza was to defend itself from what it felt was a threat from surrounding countries, Siegman said. Although Gazans reside on land that Israel considers as its own, they also have the right to live in a safe environment, the Jewish leader added.

Siegman compared what he called was a humanitarian crisis in Gaza to his past experience in Nazi Germany, saying the German citizens were not evil but they allowed evil things to happen to the Jews during that time. Referring to the Israel-Gaza crisis, he said the Israeli public turned a blind eye on the Gaza bombing and chose leaders who support the violence.

As a leader who is actively involved with the Palestinians, he urged the latter to shift to nonviolent ways of asserting their right to solutions that will appeal both states. Siegman thinks Israelis would see Palestinians differently if Gaza tried this approach.

Siegman condemned the "slaughter of innocents" in Gaza. He concluded that if Gaza implemented rules for non-violent protests, Israelis would realize that they could co-exist peacefully and this would perhaps end the violence in the area.

TagsDemocracy Now, U.S./Middle East Project, Henry Siegman, Gaza Strip, Israel, Palestine, Palestinian, Israelis, Guardian Liberty Voice, Hamas, U.S., Nazi Germany