Of course they have!
Efraim Halevy has unimpeachable credentials as an Israeli patriot. The former Mossad boss admitted today to the long history of negotiating with those who the political elite always claim cannot be talked to.
The 2012 Israeli assault on Gaza was launched with the assassination of Hamas boss Ahmed Jabari, who had been a frequent negotiating partner of elements in the Israeli security apparatus.
This is of course not the public image that Israel's political elite want to project. It is essential for them to maintain the "we don't talk to terrorists" narrative, especially for foreign consumption. The standard "no partner for peace" line has been a godsend over the years as international law and international opprobrium are ignored and the settlements relentlessly expand.
Common sense dictates that your enemies are the most important people to talk to, and while the politicians and their communication consultants deny it ever happens, behind the scenes it happens every day.
Showing posts with label Ahmed Jabari. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ahmed Jabari. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Killing Ahmed
In 2004 the IDF killed Ahmed Yassin with a Hellfire missile strike that also killed a number of bystanders. Yassin was an octogenarian in a wheelchair. While the civilized world would generally look askance at firing a Hellfire at an old guy in a wheelchair, the IDF was given a pass because Yassin was a senior Hamas boffin.
The IDF remained the most moral army in the world.
Eight years later, Ahmed Jabari was one of the first casualties of the 2012 attack on Gaza. Jabari was a senior Hamas figure. He died on a Wednesday. Until the preceding Tuesday, he had been involved in "peace" talks with Israel. While the civilized world would generally look askance at murdering one's peace partners, the IDF was given a pass because Jabari was a senior Hamas boffin.
The IDF remained the most moral army in the world.
In between those two murders was Operation Cast Lead. The debut operation of Cast Lead was to attack a graduation ceremony of Gaza traffic cops. Gaza traffic cops are trained to manage traffic in Gaza, and God knows they need more of those. Gaza traffic cops do not launch missiles into Israel. Traffic cops are in no way a legitimate military target. The IDF was given a pass because Gaza traffic cops are issued sidearms, and they are Palestinians, so obviously they are legitimate targets.
The IDF remained the most moral army in the world.
How far will we stretch the concept of "morality" before we admit that there are no moral armies anywhere in the world?
The IDF remained the most moral army in the world.
Eight years later, Ahmed Jabari was one of the first casualties of the 2012 attack on Gaza. Jabari was a senior Hamas figure. He died on a Wednesday. Until the preceding Tuesday, he had been involved in "peace" talks with Israel. While the civilized world would generally look askance at murdering one's peace partners, the IDF was given a pass because Jabari was a senior Hamas boffin.
The IDF remained the most moral army in the world.
In between those two murders was Operation Cast Lead. The debut operation of Cast Lead was to attack a graduation ceremony of Gaza traffic cops. Gaza traffic cops are trained to manage traffic in Gaza, and God knows they need more of those. Gaza traffic cops do not launch missiles into Israel. Traffic cops are in no way a legitimate military target. The IDF was given a pass because Gaza traffic cops are issued sidearms, and they are Palestinians, so obviously they are legitimate targets.
The IDF remained the most moral army in the world.
How far will we stretch the concept of "morality" before we admit that there are no moral armies anywhere in the world?
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Opening the gates of hell
You have to hand it to the Palestinian leadership. Whether the PA or their brothers in Gaza, it's not hard to argue that they haven't delivered a whole lot for their people over these last thirty or forty years.
Except in one area. When it comes to blood-curdling rhetoric, the Palestinian leadership is second to none. Thus, after the dispatching of Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari by an IDF missile on Wednesday, Hamas spokesmen were quick to proclaim that the Israeli's had "opened the gates of hell".
Alas, opening the gates of hell is a little more difficult than opening one's mouth to announce it, and that is where the Hamas leadership is playing directly into Netanyahu's election campaign. There is utterly no objective reason whatsoever for the recent escalation other than Netanyahu's obsession with being perceived as the strongman who will stand up to terror when the voters head to the polling stations in January.
How much more fruitful it would have been for Hamas to rein in the rocketeers in the run-up to this election. Keep their mouths shut and their powder dry even in the face of the inevitable provocations that Netanyahu was assured to send their way. Maybe even take the initiative in reaching out to peace-minded Israelis.
But no, they did the predictable thing that Netanyahu was counting on. And now he has a chance to strut about as the heroic savior of the Holy Land, just in time for the election.
Except in one area. When it comes to blood-curdling rhetoric, the Palestinian leadership is second to none. Thus, after the dispatching of Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari by an IDF missile on Wednesday, Hamas spokesmen were quick to proclaim that the Israeli's had "opened the gates of hell".
Alas, opening the gates of hell is a little more difficult than opening one's mouth to announce it, and that is where the Hamas leadership is playing directly into Netanyahu's election campaign. There is utterly no objective reason whatsoever for the recent escalation other than Netanyahu's obsession with being perceived as the strongman who will stand up to terror when the voters head to the polling stations in January.
How much more fruitful it would have been for Hamas to rein in the rocketeers in the run-up to this election. Keep their mouths shut and their powder dry even in the face of the inevitable provocations that Netanyahu was assured to send their way. Maybe even take the initiative in reaching out to peace-minded Israelis.
But no, they did the predictable thing that Netanyahu was counting on. And now he has a chance to strut about as the heroic savior of the Holy Land, just in time for the election.
Netanyahu gets serious about re-election campaign with assassination of Hamas military chief
Netanyahus poll numbers will be going through the roof as Hellfire missiles are going through roofs across Gaza tonight.
"Operation Pillar of Defense" was launced with the assasination of Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari. At the same time Army Radio reports that at least twenty underground missile bunkers were destroyed.
While some would argue that Netanyahu is playing with fire by choosing this time to unleash another Gaza war, he has limited options for goosing his popularity before the upcoming election.
Besides, the American's are preoccupied with the antics of General Pantsoff and General Boner this week, and as long as the attack on Gaza doesn't end up hitting Tehran they probably won't care.
"Operation Pillar of Defense" was launced with the assasination of Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari. At the same time Army Radio reports that at least twenty underground missile bunkers were destroyed.
While some would argue that Netanyahu is playing with fire by choosing this time to unleash another Gaza war, he has limited options for goosing his popularity before the upcoming election.
Besides, the American's are preoccupied with the antics of General Pantsoff and General Boner this week, and as long as the attack on Gaza doesn't end up hitting Tehran they probably won't care.
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