Israel's War On Terror
Has any other country during the course of a war against a democratically-elected Islamist jihadist government forewarned the civilians that they should evacuate certain areas lest they become victims of war? Was that done in Dresden, in Nagasaki or Hiroshima, in Kabul, in Baghdad? Leaflets addressed to the residents of Gaza, and telephone calls to Gazans, warning them to remain at a distance from Hamas's weapons caches, rocket launchers, and Hamas leaders and their buildings.Hamas jihadists, in the very act of launching rockets into Israel, are themselves dispatched, to eternity. Including one regarded as a leading expert on the use and firing of long-range Iranian Grad missiles. Impetuously irritated that his subordinates had balked at themselves preparing the attacks, and taking over the duty from them, revealing himself and presenting handily vulnerable to martyrdom.
Israel has been lobbing phosphorous bombs into the interior of Gaza, to create a protective sight-fog as troops advance. In the process, Palestinians have been burnt by the white phosphorous, more casualties of the brutality of war. Hamas is not merely a terror group dedicated to the annihilation of Israel. It is also a legitimately-elected government. This is how the government of Gaza protects the interests of its citizens.
A majority of Gazans saw fit to cast their ballots for Hamas, rather than Fatah. In so doing, they rejected their long-time government that promised much and delivered little, for one whom they trusted to act in their best interests. Hamas reacted to that trust by focusing on the importation of munitions and weaponry, and ignoring civic infrastructure to produce an emerging and workable civil society.
The aerial bombing has taken many casualties from among the Palestinians, and many innocent lives, while also taking a good share from among the Hamas fighters dedicated to destroying Israel. Despite the alarmingly growing death rate, Hamas insists it is not in the best interests of the Palestinians that it cease lobbing rockets into Israel. Evidently, not enough Palestinian children have yet died.
Israel now prepares to enter its ground troops into the maze of urban Gaza, knowing from experience elsewhere that there will be booby-trapped areas in the labyrinthine interior, and sharp-shooters who know the territory and its hiding spots well. Yet the Israeli troops see few Hamas fighters seeming to be willing to face off with them, preferring their safe hiding spots.
Despite the unspeakable carnage taking place in Gaza, despite the plight and the desperate fear of the residents, the growing death rate, Hamas remains firm in its resolve: there can be no ceasefire until and unless Israel and Egypt re-open borders with Gaza, and Israel must withdraw its troops from the territory. As though Israel unilaterally invaded, for no due cause.
Israel, so unreasonably, holds firm to her position that there can be no ceasefire until rocket fire stops from Gaza. And until international mechanisms are put in place to ensure that Hamas cannot continue its importation of weapons through the hundreds of tunnels it has up to now employed for that purpose.
Cause and effect, assault and consequence, resolution: cessation.
Labels: Israel, Middle East, World Crises
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, January 11, 2009
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