That's why it doesn't happen.
Conrad "Monty" Black's prescription for peace in the Middle East, written on a day he got into the cooking sherry a little earlier than usual, speculates that in the current climate of chaos wrought in the region by the Nations of Virtue, it might be a good idea if Israel, perhaps in concert with Turkey and Saudi Arabia, eliminated the threat of the imaginary Iranian nukes once and for all. (There had to be more than sherry at work here...)
Black, former publisher of the JPost, still hews to the Likud party line, and as the world knows, the Iran nuke has been a bee in Bibi's bonnet for a quarter century now. Yes, those Iranian nuclear engineers have been months away from a nuclear weapon since the early nineties!
So why does the IAF not do something about it?
The IAF/IDF at the upper echelons are populated with serious people who don't take the yapping of ultra-nationalist politicians and armchair warmongers seriously. While Conrad Black can gloat about the IDF's "thrashing" of Hamas from his mansion in Toronto, IDF boss Benny Gantz acknowledges the courage of the Hamas fighters. Gantz understands that the only result of an unnecessary war that took the lives of five dozen IDF troops was to enhance the prestige of Hamas among the Palestinians.
That's what Mr. Black calls a thrashing of Hamas. The only thing thrashed by Operation Over the Edge was Israel's standing in world opinion.
The serious people understand the limits of what the IDF can and cannot do. They can't destroy Hezbollah, they can't destroy Hamas, and they certainly won't destroy Iran. Even in a nuclear first strike, there will be enough assets left over among Iran and her allies that Israel would be obliterated.
For their part, the Iranians understand that any attack on Israel would be suicidal as well.
What we've got here is MAD lite. Might as well get used to it, live with it, and make the best of it. The threat of mutually assured destruction kept the peace between NATO and the Soviet bloc for 50 years; it can do the same for Iran and Israel.
Showing posts with label Operation Protective Edge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Operation Protective Edge. Show all posts
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Netanyahu's declaration of victory rings hollow
Prime Minister Netanyahu's declaration of victory on Wednesday is unlikely to have fooled anyone, least of all the Israeli people.
The stated goals of Operation Solid Cliff/Protective Edge were variously to eliminate Hamas' rockets, create quiet in the south, and eliminate the tunnel networks.
Some tunnels have been destroyed. So long as a single shovel remains in Gaza, more can be built.
If there is quiet in the south today it is because Hamas are observing the ceasefire; not because the IDF silenced the rockets. Hamas kept up a steady barrage of rockets and mortars right into the last minutes before the ceasefire came into effect, in spite of relentless pounding by the IDF and IAF for more than seven weeks.
Gloating about Hamas' leadership being decimated is irrelevant even if it were true; there's plenty of eager recruits where those came from, and if history teaches anything, it's that the next generation of resistance leaders are generally younger, smarter, and more ruthless. Hamas' prestige has been enormously enhanced by Netanyahu's war and to claim otherwise is either brazenly dishonest or delusional.
The unstated goal, to destroy Hamas - PA reconciliation, was also a complete failure. The fact that it was PA negotiators speaking for Gaza and Hamas in Cairo shows they have been brought closer, not driven apart.
And the damage to Israel from Netanyahu's war of choice?
Immeasurable.
Hundreds of thousands have protested against Israel in nations not that long ago considered solid allies. Countries friendly until two months ago have recalled their ambassadors. Israel's relationship with its single most important benefactor has hit an all-time low.
Israel has never been more isolated.
Some victory.
The stated goals of Operation Solid Cliff/Protective Edge were variously to eliminate Hamas' rockets, create quiet in the south, and eliminate the tunnel networks.
Some tunnels have been destroyed. So long as a single shovel remains in Gaza, more can be built.
If there is quiet in the south today it is because Hamas are observing the ceasefire; not because the IDF silenced the rockets. Hamas kept up a steady barrage of rockets and mortars right into the last minutes before the ceasefire came into effect, in spite of relentless pounding by the IDF and IAF for more than seven weeks.
Gloating about Hamas' leadership being decimated is irrelevant even if it were true; there's plenty of eager recruits where those came from, and if history teaches anything, it's that the next generation of resistance leaders are generally younger, smarter, and more ruthless. Hamas' prestige has been enormously enhanced by Netanyahu's war and to claim otherwise is either brazenly dishonest or delusional.
The unstated goal, to destroy Hamas - PA reconciliation, was also a complete failure. The fact that it was PA negotiators speaking for Gaza and Hamas in Cairo shows they have been brought closer, not driven apart.
And the damage to Israel from Netanyahu's war of choice?
Immeasurable.
Hundreds of thousands have protested against Israel in nations not that long ago considered solid allies. Countries friendly until two months ago have recalled their ambassadors. Israel's relationship with its single most important benefactor has hit an all-time low.
Israel has never been more isolated.
Some victory.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
What's the big deal about 1500 civilian casualties in Gaza?
Make no mistake; Operation Off the Cliff is political theatre of the highest order. It's not about tunnels and it's not about rockets; it's about avoiding any "peace" that would threaten the long-term goal of the maximalists in Israeli politics, the eventual consolidation of a "greater Israel" from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean.
Or perhaps from the Euphrates to the Nile... it's always tough to nail down the borders of the Promised Land.
All the blather about "rockets raining on Israel" sounds good but doesn't justify a war that at this moment has taken the lives of 56 IDF soldiers. That's twice as many dead in a couple of weeks as the number of Israeli civilians killed by Gaza rocket attacks over the last 15 years.
Those Gaza rockets have claimed the same number of Israelis in fifteen years as lose their lives every month in traffic accidents.
In other words, there's absolutely nothing about the rocket threat that could possibly justify the thousands of civilian Palestinian deaths in this war on Gaza, and the one before, and the one before that.
Having said that, the war boosters have a point when they accuse the world of hypocrisy for its condemnation of Israel, especially when that condemnation is emanating from that most exceptional nation, the United States.
Afghanistan has never fired a single rocket at the US, but tens of thousands of innocent Afghan civilians have died at the hands of the US military.
Iraq has never fired a single rocket at the US, but hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians died at the hands of the US military.
Vietnam never fired a single rocket at America, yet millions of Vietnamese civilians died at the hands of the US military.
So, yes, it's hard to argue with that charge of hypocrisy.
Or perhaps from the Euphrates to the Nile... it's always tough to nail down the borders of the Promised Land.
All the blather about "rockets raining on Israel" sounds good but doesn't justify a war that at this moment has taken the lives of 56 IDF soldiers. That's twice as many dead in a couple of weeks as the number of Israeli civilians killed by Gaza rocket attacks over the last 15 years.
Those Gaza rockets have claimed the same number of Israelis in fifteen years as lose their lives every month in traffic accidents.
In other words, there's absolutely nothing about the rocket threat that could possibly justify the thousands of civilian Palestinian deaths in this war on Gaza, and the one before, and the one before that.
Having said that, the war boosters have a point when they accuse the world of hypocrisy for its condemnation of Israel, especially when that condemnation is emanating from that most exceptional nation, the United States.
Afghanistan has never fired a single rocket at the US, but tens of thousands of innocent Afghan civilians have died at the hands of the US military.
Iraq has never fired a single rocket at the US, but hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians died at the hands of the US military.
Vietnam never fired a single rocket at America, yet millions of Vietnamese civilians died at the hands of the US military.
So, yes, it's hard to argue with that charge of hypocrisy.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
We tried to warn Netanyahu, but would he listen?...
Surely our modest think-tank here at Falling Downs weren't the only ones who figured out there was way more than hashish and Mercedes sedans coming through the Gaza tunnels. Oddly enough, that story referenced in the link happened under Morsi's watch.
Which kinda makes you wonder... Morsi was a MB man, Hamas are an MB franchise; did Morsi order a few high-profile busts just to get happy headlines, while allowing unprecedented volumes of anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles through the tunnels in those sedans?
Looks like Netanyahu and company are determined to find out.
Which kinda makes you wonder... Morsi was a MB man, Hamas are an MB franchise; did Morsi order a few high-profile busts just to get happy headlines, while allowing unprecedented volumes of anti-tank weapons and Stinger missiles through the tunnels in those sedans?
Looks like Netanyahu and company are determined to find out.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Netanyahu to double down on Gaza war
Looks like Netanyahu wants to keep the party going till Hamas has no more tunnels and no more rockets.
That will require how many more to give their lives?
And does anyone imagine that there will be no more tunnels or rockets after he has declared victory?
That will require how many more to give their lives?
And does anyone imagine that there will be no more tunnels or rockets after he has declared victory?
Thursday, July 24, 2014
What might be different today had Netanyahu given peace a chance last April?
Does anyone remember last April?
Hamas and Fatah announced an historic reconciliation agreement.
Netanyahu went on the attack immediately. Abbas was choosing terror over peace, etc..
Well, maybe he wasn't.
Maybe Hamas was prepared to give peace a chance.
Too bad Netanyahu didn't.
What would be different today?
Several dozen IDF funerals wouldn't have happened.
800 Palestinian dead would still be alive.
Thousands injured would have remained whole.
But Netanyahu knew from the first moment he was having none of that.
What did he have to lose?
And what is he winning now?
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
It's not just the telegenic dead babies; Israel's public image goes down the toilet
The "greatest leader since Moses" got some bad press recently for his cynical remarks about how the "telegenic dead" are being ruthlessly exploited by Hamas to make Israel look bad.
That's the trouble with dead babies; gift dozens of dead babies to people like Hamas, and God only knows what the opportunistic bastards might do with them... surely it was predictable that some of them would end up in the international media.
Telegenic dead are common in conflicts everywhere, but in Israel the dead babies are getting lots of help from people whom one might expect to know better.
For example, here is Professor Mordechai Kedar of Bar Ilan University musing about using rape as a terror deterrent. Such a gift is beyond anything the Hamas propaganda department could possibly make up.
And here's another upbeat headline guaranteed to bring joy to anti-Semites everywhere; "Jewish law permits destruction of Gaza to bring safety to Israel."
Is this what Israel is becoming?
That's the trouble with dead babies; gift dozens of dead babies to people like Hamas, and God only knows what the opportunistic bastards might do with them... surely it was predictable that some of them would end up in the international media.
Telegenic dead are common in conflicts everywhere, but in Israel the dead babies are getting lots of help from people whom one might expect to know better.
For example, here is Professor Mordechai Kedar of Bar Ilan University musing about using rape as a terror deterrent. Such a gift is beyond anything the Hamas propaganda department could possibly make up.
And here's another upbeat headline guaranteed to bring joy to anti-Semites everywhere; "Jewish law permits destruction of Gaza to bring safety to Israel."
Is this what Israel is becoming?
How to bury Gaza
I've been reading newspapers long enough to know that the biggest stories go on the front page. Or at least the story that the editors deem to be the biggest.
For a whole lot of reasons, the Gaza story is by far the most important at the moment. Sure, global warming could bake us to a crisp, but not this week. MH17 is a plane crash that killed three hundred people. That deserves to be front page news, for a day or two, maybe a little longer if there are peripheral elements to the story, such as when that plane is shot down by a missile.
I was therefore perturbed when, as I was perusing the front page of Canada's newspaper of record yesterday morning, I couldn't find Gaza. Instead, five days after the event, MH17 remains the top story.
Except it's not so much about MH17 anymore; it's all about what Putin will do next, which could be anything from shooting down another civilian airliner to annexing Lithuania or Poland or the rest of Ukraine, apparently. Other stories deemed worthy of the front page are the Duffy Drama, a Chinese guy in BC charged with spying for China, and a court ruling about Canadians' legal rights to portage a canoe.
But no front page news about Gaza.
I'm leafing through the paper... mayor dies of wasp sting... car gets stolen... Rob Ford...
Pages 6 and 7 are entirely given over to anti-Putin propaganda presented as an insiders report on the imaginary Donetsk People's Republic.
Still no Gaza news.
On page 8 I was shocked to learn that big-talkin' John Baird wants Europe to take a tougher line toward Moscow.
Finally, on page 9, I encounter a Gaza story; "Hamas shows resilience despite shelling."
Hmm... that's not a good sign. Globe editors with an admiring headline for Hamas? Things must be going worse than we realize in Netanyahu's "Operation Over the Cliff."
OK, no wonder they buried it on page 9.
So today I pick up my paper, and guess what the top story is? Putin! Oh for f@cks sakes! And once again two pages of anti-Putin propaganda on pages 6 and 7!
First glimpse of Gaza-related news comes on page 8, where I learn that Ottawa has not yet formally banned flights to Israel but Air Canada is cancelling them anyway.
They're probably anti-Semites.
The editorial board at The Globe and Mail, on the other hand, should know better than to bury the biggest story in the world deep in their newspaper.
For a whole lot of reasons, the Gaza story is by far the most important at the moment. Sure, global warming could bake us to a crisp, but not this week. MH17 is a plane crash that killed three hundred people. That deserves to be front page news, for a day or two, maybe a little longer if there are peripheral elements to the story, such as when that plane is shot down by a missile.
I was therefore perturbed when, as I was perusing the front page of Canada's newspaper of record yesterday morning, I couldn't find Gaza. Instead, five days after the event, MH17 remains the top story.
Except it's not so much about MH17 anymore; it's all about what Putin will do next, which could be anything from shooting down another civilian airliner to annexing Lithuania or Poland or the rest of Ukraine, apparently. Other stories deemed worthy of the front page are the Duffy Drama, a Chinese guy in BC charged with spying for China, and a court ruling about Canadians' legal rights to portage a canoe.
But no front page news about Gaza.
I'm leafing through the paper... mayor dies of wasp sting... car gets stolen... Rob Ford...
Pages 6 and 7 are entirely given over to anti-Putin propaganda presented as an insiders report on the imaginary Donetsk People's Republic.
Still no Gaza news.
On page 8 I was shocked to learn that big-talkin' John Baird wants Europe to take a tougher line toward Moscow.
Finally, on page 9, I encounter a Gaza story; "Hamas shows resilience despite shelling."
Hmm... that's not a good sign. Globe editors with an admiring headline for Hamas? Things must be going worse than we realize in Netanyahu's "Operation Over the Cliff."
OK, no wonder they buried it on page 9.
So today I pick up my paper, and guess what the top story is? Putin! Oh for f@cks sakes! And once again two pages of anti-Putin propaganda on pages 6 and 7!
First glimpse of Gaza-related news comes on page 8, where I learn that Ottawa has not yet formally banned flights to Israel but Air Canada is cancelling them anyway.
They're probably anti-Semites.
The editorial board at The Globe and Mail, on the other hand, should know better than to bury the biggest story in the world deep in their newspaper.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Gaza war is Netanyahu's Waterloo
Every observer not blinded by nationalistic jingoism or outright race hate predicted the disaster that Netanyahu has precipitated.
Even before the ground invasion, Israel was massively losing the PR war on a global scale. As long as one confines their news consumption to safe platforms in the usual Israel-first states like the US and Canada and a few others, it is possible to ignore that fact, but the fact is, those "telegenic dead" are making an impact.
With the ground invasion, Israel is losing not only the PR war, but the lives of Israeli soldiers as well.
This Haaretz article reflects the doubts that many Israeli's are having about the greatest leader since Moses. The writer knows that this war was instigated by Netanyahu. He knows that the so-called objective has morphed from stopping rockets to finding tunnels. He knows that the goal of pursuing this mission until there is "quiet" is unattainable without a complete re-occupation, and he knows that will entail many more Israeli lives lost.
And he knows that the Israeli public won't stand for it.
Even before the ground invasion, Israel was massively losing the PR war on a global scale. As long as one confines their news consumption to safe platforms in the usual Israel-first states like the US and Canada and a few others, it is possible to ignore that fact, but the fact is, those "telegenic dead" are making an impact.
With the ground invasion, Israel is losing not only the PR war, but the lives of Israeli soldiers as well.
This Haaretz article reflects the doubts that many Israeli's are having about the greatest leader since Moses. The writer knows that this war was instigated by Netanyahu. He knows that the so-called objective has morphed from stopping rockets to finding tunnels. He knows that the goal of pursuing this mission until there is "quiet" is unattainable without a complete re-occupation, and he knows that will entail many more Israeli lives lost.
And he knows that the Israeli public won't stand for it.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Ukraine horror deepens as Gaza horror remains invisible
Reuters is informing me that the US is pressing the case against Russia as the Ukraine horror deepens.
The "Ukraine horror" refers to those 298 unlucky souls who boarded a passenger jet that they had no idea would be flying through a war zone. That horror is the result of a civil war ceaselessly fomented by the "democracy promoters" in Washington.
The Gaza horror (400 plus killed, many thousands wounded, billions of damage to civilian infrastructure, tens of thousands displaced) is nowhere in Western media referred to as "horror", rather it is about Israel's "right to self-defence."
Apparently the wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure and wholesale murder of civilians is not in any way a horror.
Rather, it is the benign manifestation of an ethos that "values life."
And if you have any problems with that, you're obviously an anti-Semite.
The "Ukraine horror" refers to those 298 unlucky souls who boarded a passenger jet that they had no idea would be flying through a war zone. That horror is the result of a civil war ceaselessly fomented by the "democracy promoters" in Washington.
The Gaza horror (400 plus killed, many thousands wounded, billions of damage to civilian infrastructure, tens of thousands displaced) is nowhere in Western media referred to as "horror", rather it is about Israel's "right to self-defence."
Apparently the wanton destruction of civilian infrastructure and wholesale murder of civilians is not in any way a horror.
Rather, it is the benign manifestation of an ethos that "values life."
And if you have any problems with that, you're obviously an anti-Semite.
How to create lasting peace in Israel/Palestine
The current state of affairs in Gaza is providing plenty of food for thought about how this situation could have been avoided, and how we can prevent it happening again.
In that context, it's worth having another look at a document titled U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel, prepared for the Congressional Research Service in 2014.
Tables on pages 26 and 27 provide a breakdown of annual US aid to Israel, from the inception of the state to the present time.
What we see is that US aid was consistently in the mid tens of millions per year for about the first 15 years of Israel's existence. The first time aid breached the 100 million mark was the year before the Six Day War.
Did that boost of confidence help instigate that war?
The first time annual aid passed the billion dollar threshold was in 1974, the year after the Yom Kippur War. By the mid-eighties annual multi-billion dollar gifts to Israel had become the normal state of affairs. With the emergency funding for more Iron Dome installations we should hit four or five billions this year.
As US aid has increased, illegal settlements in the occupied territories have blossomed. Israeli belligerence towards any perceived enemy has risen in lock-step, and the centre of gravity in Israeli domestic politics has shifted massively to the right, to the point where far-right politicians routinely make racist pronouncements that would not be tolerated in any other developed nation.
The expansionist triumphalist Netanyahu is today being pilloried as a moderate, even a leftist!
Who can imagine such a thing?
Alas, he is being out-manoeuvred by Neanderthal warmongers like MK Feiglin who openly advocate for the genocide of the Palestinians.
That such advocacy is countenanced in the Israel of 2014 speaks volumes.
Israel's permanent war footing and the rise of the extreme right have been facilitated by American indulgence. Israel today is a modern fully-developed nation that does not require US aid in any way, shape, or form. In fact, if you look at the economic fundamentals, Israel should be sending foreign aid to America!
Only when America turns off the "aid" tap will Israel's politicians come to their senses and realize that the road to lasting peace is to make peace with the neighbours.
Until then, many more are destined to die.
On all sides.
In that context, it's worth having another look at a document titled U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel, prepared for the Congressional Research Service in 2014.
Tables on pages 26 and 27 provide a breakdown of annual US aid to Israel, from the inception of the state to the present time.
What we see is that US aid was consistently in the mid tens of millions per year for about the first 15 years of Israel's existence. The first time aid breached the 100 million mark was the year before the Six Day War.
Did that boost of confidence help instigate that war?
The first time annual aid passed the billion dollar threshold was in 1974, the year after the Yom Kippur War. By the mid-eighties annual multi-billion dollar gifts to Israel had become the normal state of affairs. With the emergency funding for more Iron Dome installations we should hit four or five billions this year.
As US aid has increased, illegal settlements in the occupied territories have blossomed. Israeli belligerence towards any perceived enemy has risen in lock-step, and the centre of gravity in Israeli domestic politics has shifted massively to the right, to the point where far-right politicians routinely make racist pronouncements that would not be tolerated in any other developed nation.
The expansionist triumphalist Netanyahu is today being pilloried as a moderate, even a leftist!
Who can imagine such a thing?
Alas, he is being out-manoeuvred by Neanderthal warmongers like MK Feiglin who openly advocate for the genocide of the Palestinians.
That such advocacy is countenanced in the Israel of 2014 speaks volumes.
Israel's permanent war footing and the rise of the extreme right have been facilitated by American indulgence. Israel today is a modern fully-developed nation that does not require US aid in any way, shape, or form. In fact, if you look at the economic fundamentals, Israel should be sending foreign aid to America!
Only when America turns off the "aid" tap will Israel's politicians come to their senses and realize that the road to lasting peace is to make peace with the neighbours.
Until then, many more are destined to die.
On all sides.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Netanyahu's options on Gaza
The first and best option would of course be making peace with the neighbours.
But anyone who has followed Netanyahu's blood-soaked career knows that's not in the cards.
Having got yet another "war" that was cynically and obviously provoked by him alone, he seems unsure what to do now.
Faced with a Hamas leadership every bit as cynical and opportunistic as he is, if not more, he is being goaded by his own right wing to a ground invasion.
Netanyahu knows that's a bad idea, but at the same time, quitting the war he started while Hamas can still fire one single rocket anywhere will look like failure for him and victory for Hamas.
So that means a ground invasion, which is exactly what the Hamas are waiting for.
Iron Dome has been surprisingly effective in deflecting Gaza rockets.
Iron Dome won't save those Israeli tank crews once they are running rough-shod over Gaza City.
Hamas has already surprised Israel with the exponential improvement in its rocket inventory since Pillar of Defense. Gaza rockets hitting Haifa has been unheard of in any previous conflict.
Those rockets came through the Gaza tunnels.
What else has come through the Gaza tunnels?
The IDF and everybody in Netanyahu's government knows what else has come through those tunnels, which is why they're all hoping "international pressure" will provide a convenient excuse to abort a ground mission.
It will let them pose as the humanitarians who stopped a ground invasion or reoccupation of Gaza because they were concerned about the loss of life etc..
The reality is that a ground invasion means Israeli casualties, and plenty of them.
It will be the Hamas dream come true. Sure, lots more Gaza civilians will die, but there's lots more where they came from.
Even while Israel gets token support abroad from Israel-firsters like Canada's foreign minister John Baird, the reality is that this "Protective Edge" (and who comes up with these really stupid monikers?) has already done grave damage to Israel's reputation.
Netanyahu is up a stump, and no matter which way he jumps, it's only gonna get worse... for both the Palestinians and Israelis.
Then again, you could always give that up and make peace with the neighbours.
But anyone who has followed Netanyahu's blood-soaked career knows that's not in the cards.
Having got yet another "war" that was cynically and obviously provoked by him alone, he seems unsure what to do now.
Faced with a Hamas leadership every bit as cynical and opportunistic as he is, if not more, he is being goaded by his own right wing to a ground invasion.
Netanyahu knows that's a bad idea, but at the same time, quitting the war he started while Hamas can still fire one single rocket anywhere will look like failure for him and victory for Hamas.
So that means a ground invasion, which is exactly what the Hamas are waiting for.
Iron Dome has been surprisingly effective in deflecting Gaza rockets.
Iron Dome won't save those Israeli tank crews once they are running rough-shod over Gaza City.
Hamas has already surprised Israel with the exponential improvement in its rocket inventory since Pillar of Defense. Gaza rockets hitting Haifa has been unheard of in any previous conflict.
Those rockets came through the Gaza tunnels.
What else has come through the Gaza tunnels?
The IDF and everybody in Netanyahu's government knows what else has come through those tunnels, which is why they're all hoping "international pressure" will provide a convenient excuse to abort a ground mission.
It will let them pose as the humanitarians who stopped a ground invasion or reoccupation of Gaza because they were concerned about the loss of life etc..
The reality is that a ground invasion means Israeli casualties, and plenty of them.
It will be the Hamas dream come true. Sure, lots more Gaza civilians will die, but there's lots more where they came from.
Even while Israel gets token support abroad from Israel-firsters like Canada's foreign minister John Baird, the reality is that this "Protective Edge" (and who comes up with these really stupid monikers?) has already done grave damage to Israel's reputation.
Netanyahu is up a stump, and no matter which way he jumps, it's only gonna get worse... for both the Palestinians and Israelis.
Then again, you could always give that up and make peace with the neighbours.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Obama to mediate Middle East cease-fire
That's not a good news story. That's a save-Netanyahu-from-the-consequences-of-his-stupidity story.
And why should Obama be doing that for Netanyahu?
No, far better to let Netanyahu follow through. I don't think Hamas has got the message yet. There still remains considerable attitude on their part. The good sharp slap has thus far failed to shut them up.
Slap them harder.
Send the ground forces in there, Bibi.
Let's find out once and for all what kinds of anti-tank weapons might have got through those tunnels before your friend al-Sisi took the helm in Egypt.
The beauty of an air campaign against an enemy that has neither an air force or air defences is that you're going to come out looking pretty good.
As in "oh look, we killed 2,000 terrorists and all we got was a guy who scraped his knee..."
But if the terrorists are still sending rockets to Tel Aviv, the people will have their doubts.
So root out those terrorists once and for all, Bibi, as you have promised.
Send in the ground troops.
That's what Hamas is waiting for.
And why should Obama be doing that for Netanyahu?
No, far better to let Netanyahu follow through. I don't think Hamas has got the message yet. There still remains considerable attitude on their part. The good sharp slap has thus far failed to shut them up.
Slap them harder.
Send the ground forces in there, Bibi.
Let's find out once and for all what kinds of anti-tank weapons might have got through those tunnels before your friend al-Sisi took the helm in Egypt.
The beauty of an air campaign against an enemy that has neither an air force or air defences is that you're going to come out looking pretty good.
As in "oh look, we killed 2,000 terrorists and all we got was a guy who scraped his knee..."
But if the terrorists are still sending rockets to Tel Aviv, the people will have their doubts.
So root out those terrorists once and for all, Bibi, as you have promised.
Send in the ground troops.
That's what Hamas is waiting for.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
Rockets rain on Israel - nobody hurt
That's a common theme in news stories about the latest round of IDF-Hamas violence.
The fact that the same can't be said about Israeli rockets landing in Gaza tells you a lot about the technological divide between the adversaries.
It's a lot like cowboys and Indians...
Nice bow and arrow ya got there fella, but watch this!...
But the fiction of victimhood gives the Likud strategists and IDF commanders carte blanche to unleash their overwhelming technological superiority on the men, women, and children of Gaza without too much of a bad conscience...
At least so long as they don't think about it too much.
The fact that the same can't be said about Israeli rockets landing in Gaza tells you a lot about the technological divide between the adversaries.
It's a lot like cowboys and Indians...
Nice bow and arrow ya got there fella, but watch this!...
But the fiction of victimhood gives the Likud strategists and IDF commanders carte blanche to unleash their overwhelming technological superiority on the men, women, and children of Gaza without too much of a bad conscience...
At least so long as they don't think about it too much.
Papering over the cracks in the House of Israel
Naftali Bennett was one of the invited speakers at the Haaretz Peace Conference today. Bennett leads the Jewish Home Party. The main difference between Jewish Home Party and Likud is that Netanyahu still pays lip service to the idea of a Palestinian state.
At some level Bennett should be respected for his honesty. He doesn't mind admitting that there will never be a Palestinian state. There will be no two state solution. There will be no peace among equals.
Ever.
Netanyahu shares those beliefs. Unfortunately, he's been caught flat-footed by a photogenic contender coming up on his right.
That's why Netanyahu needs this latest war with Hamas. He's got to underline his maximalist bona fides. Yes, the words "two state solution" may have passed his lips once or twice, but look, he is a man of action who knows how to give the terrorists a good hard slap...
There are many in Israel who find both Netanyahu and Bennett and the entire maximalist project repugnant. Just how many is a matter of conjecture. Surely anyone living on the other side of the Green Line has in effect voted with their feet, and many on the Israeli side of the Green Line sympathize with the maximalist viewpoint too.
But there are certainly many who don't, and needless to say, many of those would be represented at the Haaretz Peace pow-wow.
Which is why it's not a complete shock that Bennett's message of exclusion and ethnic cleansing would not be embraced in that venue. But still, an actual physical assault on the man was unexpected.
What spells out the deep divide in Israeli society is the reaction to this news.
Check out the comments after the article. It's an unfortunate but all too common example of Jew-on-Jew hate speech:
At some level Bennett should be respected for his honesty. He doesn't mind admitting that there will never be a Palestinian state. There will be no two state solution. There will be no peace among equals.
Ever.
Netanyahu shares those beliefs. Unfortunately, he's been caught flat-footed by a photogenic contender coming up on his right.
That's why Netanyahu needs this latest war with Hamas. He's got to underline his maximalist bona fides. Yes, the words "two state solution" may have passed his lips once or twice, but look, he is a man of action who knows how to give the terrorists a good hard slap...
There are many in Israel who find both Netanyahu and Bennett and the entire maximalist project repugnant. Just how many is a matter of conjecture. Surely anyone living on the other side of the Green Line has in effect voted with their feet, and many on the Israeli side of the Green Line sympathize with the maximalist viewpoint too.
But there are certainly many who don't, and needless to say, many of those would be represented at the Haaretz Peace pow-wow.
Which is why it's not a complete shock that Bennett's message of exclusion and ethnic cleansing would not be embraced in that venue. But still, an actual physical assault on the man was unexpected.
What spells out the deep divide in Israeli society is the reaction to this news.
Check out the comments after the article. It's an unfortunate but all too common example of Jew-on-Jew hate speech:
- Jeffrey Marson · Top Commenter · Cornell University
No wonder they're called, "The Left." It's obvious they've left behind all their logic, reason, and sanity.
Joel Fisher · Top Commenter · St. John's University
Despicable leftist hypocrites. They came to a peace convention - but these Haaretz sycophants don't want real peace - they want Haaretz peace - peace at the expense of zionism
Boris Ryvkin · Top Commenter · Cornell
Lucky for the attacker that Bennett's bodyguards whisked him away. I am for avoiding violence, but Bennett could probably have broken the leftist puncher in half or maybe in thirds. Are these bozos not aware that Bennett served in not one, but two elite IDF special forces units? Best not to screw with someone like that.
Jack Shuman · Top Commenter
ok-college boy geniuses------what was going thru your mind when bibi was announcing settlement building in the face of any possible peace initiative?what went thru your mind when bibi chose to release prisoners rather than a settlement freeze?. what do think about the fact that there is no security wall where kids were kidnapped and killed?. greedy settlers wanted no wall so they could expand. what did u think would happen after bibi has stuck his thumb in everybodys eye for 5 years.? what do u think will happen to investment capital flows if tel aviv is hit? couldnu not envision todays events----1 year ago? if not your wasting mommy and daddys money.
but just blame it on those leftys
akiva48 (signed in using AOL)
The left of Israel politics is basically a call for a godless non-Jewish state. They are self Jew hating communists who wish the term Jew could be eliminated.Reply ·
· 8 minutes ago
yyjm77 (signed in using yahoo)
The leftist bolshevik Joseph Goebels Followers Haaretz Journalist must be tried for high treason and hanged like Eichman.Israel needs a million Great Tzadik like Yigal Amir to destroy the traitor erev rav leftists a million great Tzadik like Dr Baruch Goldstein to destroy all the arabs and a thousands of Meir Kahana to be the Prime Minister and Minister of the goverment and the leaders communities
Karol Yanovshcinski · Top Commenter · Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
another idiotReply ·
· 38 minutes ago
Steve Klein · Top Commenter · Works at Self-Employed
Punched Bennett in the back? My goodness. That was not too courageous.
John Levine · Top Commenter · Works atWeighmaster, facilitator
BENNETT IS MY GUY FOR NEXT PRIME MINISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jack Shuman · Top Commenter
ive been baiting and insulting right wing commentors like that idiot jeffrey marston but this is over the edge.
with regard to occupation and settlements im way left of karl marx but this is gross.jeffrey marston its alright to have strong opinions but your cognitive process is distorted-----jewish kool-aid try a different religion for a while. take joel fisher to church with u.
Yani Haigh · Top Commenter · Works atXslaves.com
Yes peace is clearly a left wing agenda and brutal repression on of the right. No one cares what Bennett has to say about peace because the only thing he has to say is about piece, a bigger piece.
If he got booed at a peace conference maybe it was because he never talked about peace. Drrr!
brenrod· Top Commenter (signed in using yahoo)
the left like the arabs only understand violence. that is why they were purged and disappeared in chile and argentina. Their tactics bring back revenge, just like the arabs. Afterwards they whine like little girls.
Samir Halabi · Top Commenter · Works at France, Israel, Italy and the UK
These Leftist Jewish traitors should be thrown out of Israel into Gaza, then see how they like it there.
Why do 'Kharrah' like this live in Israel?
Finally Free · Top Commenter · Works atUnderground in New Class Central
Lefties looking for fascists: turn to the mirror and you will see them.
Karol Yanovshcinski · Top Commenter · Royal Academy of Art, The Hague
another disgusting forum, stains of muddle east
Yaron Buki · Top Commenter · Katzrin
Only in your wet dreams. These are loons, most Israelis don't see Bennett as the extremist.Reply ·
· about an hour ago
Finally Free · Top Commenter · Works atUnderground in New Class Central
Haaretz should be called HaEres!!!
Hans Peter · Top Commenter
Those peacenicks seem to have lost all their senses.
What a ridiculuous group of bigots and traitors.
No wonder the world's antisemites treat Israel like shit if they can count on such stable support from Israel within.
What a disgrace, those left hypocrites.We've gone far beyond "vigorous debate" here. This is nothing but Jew-on-Jew hate speech.But let us bury our differences by focusing on a common enemy...All aboard for the next Gaza adventure!
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