Ceasefire?
No sooner has the volatility of the situation between Israel and Gaza cooled with the tentative hope of a ceasefire, than the incendiary ambitions and hubris of jihadists tenderly whisper the flame of conflict back toward killing, wounding, further reprisal. Leading an Israeli attack helicopter to wound a motorcyclist later identified by Hamas as a member of one of its military units who had assisted in the placing of five bombs along the border, one of which proved to be lethal to an IDF soldier.And, predictably, leading Israeli tanks and armoured bulldozers and infantry to once again cross into Gaza. Where, near the town of Khan Younis, the citizens there were once again impacted by the violating stresses of war. At the very time when President Barack Obama's newly-appointed emissary presented himself to the region. And once again, Israel's response to the attacks was to close crossings into Gaza from Israel. Halting humanitarian aid in the process.
Israel still hopes that a durable, long-lasting peace may result from the prickly, ongoing negotiations between itself and Hamas through Egyptian mediation. Hamas prefers, as always, a hudna, a one-year period of truce whereby it may once again undertake to acquire new weaponry, train more militants, collect additional funding, agitate through ongoing public relations ploys for more international sympathy toward its cause.
It seems clear enough to even the casually studied observer of the Middle East that Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other reasonably 'moderate' Arab states have no love for Iran's and Syria's proxy militias furthering their agenda that threatens not merely the State of Israel, but the longevity of those other Arab governments as well. It remains to be seen how West Bank Palestinians will react to further and future violence.
Their own aspirations, separate from that of Palestinian Gazans, may or may not yet be realized, differentiating their future irremediably from that of Hamas-led Gaza. The two enclaves, apart from their status as Palestinians, appear to have not all that much in common. They are inspired, from time to time, to agitate on behalf of their Gazan brethren, but there doesn't appear much heart in it.
Time and further pain and aggravation, mourning and blame, will inevitably lead to something; whether positive or entirely negative for all concerned, is yet to be realized.
Labels: Israel, Middle East, Traditions, Troublespots
posted by Pieface @ Wednesday, January 28, 2009
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