A post by Maynard
Israel’s 59th independence day was marred by a series of rocket and mortar attacks from the Gaza Strip.
Is the “truce” (marginally in effect for the last five months) over? A spokesman for Hamas said it is:
“The cease-fire has been over for a long time, and Israel is responsible for that,” spokesman Abu Obeida told the Voice of Palestine radio station. “This is a message to the Zionist enemy that our strikes will continue. We are ready to kidnap more and more, and kill more and more of your soldiers.”
There have been numerous Palestinian violations of the “truce”; however this is the first time Hamas (which shares governing power with Fatah) has openly acknowledged responsibility. And from the “good guys” at Fatah…
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, speaking in Rome after meeting with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, said the rocket attacks were a “one-time violation of the truce.” He called on Israel to show restraint in order to avoid a “deterioration” in the region.”
So is the war going to heat up, or will the Israeli response be “restrained”? Here’s an analysis that suggests an a major Gaza operation is coming up. It notes that “the army is preparing, and on a scale that some liken to the preparations preceding the first Lebanon War in 1982.”
It’s obviously a tough situation. On one hand, the enemy government has gone on the record that it’s shooting at Israel. Anywhere else in the world, this would be regarded as a declaration of war. But there’s always tremendous pressure on Israel to “show restraint” and “respond in proportion”. Considering that this attack didn’t do serious damage to Israel, and also that the recent war in southern Lebanon didn’t clean house to the extent it was supposed to, the domestic political pressure for Israel to respond in force isn’t as high as it might be. Indeed, some speculate the attack by Hamas was mainly for internal consumption:
Palestinian security officials on Monday claimed that Hamas deliberately aimed at open areas, in order to prevent a massive Israeli response, but fired enough rockets to create the impression that it is once again leading the fight and to divert attention from the failures of the new Palestinian unity government. This government has not managed to end the bloody gang wars in Gaza, nor has it ended the Hamas-Fatah rivalry: Both sides are busily arming and recruiting in preparation for renewed infighting. It seems the only thing that can save the Gazans from civil war is a large-scale Israeli military operation.
In other words, the only thing that will stop the Palestinians from killing each other is when they unite in the common cause of killing Jews. Obviously the Arab state of mind will bring more war, if not sooner then later. But, aside from the obvious fact that Gaza richly deserves to be militarily crushed, what’s the best practical response?
I try hard to shy away from this conversation, I don’t know quite enough about it to really weigh in, but something in the last paragraph gave me pause.
I don’t think it is necessarily the “Arab state of mind” that is causing these conflicts, remember, Iranians are Persian, not Arab, it is the reality of the lifestyle that causes this.
No, we can’t change them with ipods, computers, and microwave dinners, we can’t change them until they see they need to change, until they ‘love their kids more than they hate us’ to borrow a phrase.
Jealousy? Maybe, but I think it is more along the lines of knowing nothing different, of being taught nothing different.
Religion? Sure, a big part of it, when you are a slave to a religion, you base all decisions on that religion. Christians, Jews, and the rest of non-islamists seem to understand that there are other viable religions in the world that may lead to personal peace (I know, there are fanatics in all religions), but islamists are taught this ‘one true religion’ stuff way too forcefully.
We here in America can not really understand what it is like to live in the Middle East, to survive on almost nothing, yet find time to make children, smile, and enjoy life. They do, they are humans, and shouldn’t be lumped into an ‘Arab state of mind’, that is almost as dangerous as ignoring the stated goals Islam
So many responses, so little time.
Glad you put the word truce in quotes, since we know the rockets never stopped. Only Hamas/PA can get away with claiming to have a truce while still shooting off rockets. Charming.