There's a lot of good commentary out there today on the situation in Gaza. The cover story in Time is entitled "Can Israel Survive Its Assault on Israel?" -- a sign of how the conventional wisdom is that Israel's military assault, with its horrific toll on civilians, is badly backfiring.
Some of the best commentary, not surprisingly, is from Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times. Read the whole thing because there's a lot in one column, but here's one worthwhile snippet:
“This policy is not strengthening Israel,” notes Sari Bashi, the executive director of Gisha, an Israeli human rights group that works on Gaza issues. “The trauma that 1.5 million people have been undergoing in Gaza is going to have long-term effects for our ability to live together.
“My colleague in Gaza works for an Israeli organization. She’s learning Hebrew, and she’s just the kind of person we can build a future with. And her 6-year-old nephew, every time a bomb drops from the air, is at first scared and then says — hopefully — maybe the Qassam Brigades will now fire rockets at the Israelis.”
Israel’s strategy has been to make ordinary Palestinians suffer in hopes of creating ill will toward Hamas. That’s why, beginning in 2007, Israel cut back fuel shipments for Gaza utilities — and why today, in the aftermath of the bombings, 800,000 Gaza residents lack running water, Ms. Bashi said.
War is always a horrible thing, but a war that is killing civilians and helping to create the next generation of extremists -- and yet is so counterproductive to the health of our ally, Israel, that is waging it -- is not just horrible but remarkably stupid. And it needs to stop right this second.
(h/t E&P Pub)
The policies that Israel employs toward Palestinian civilians has been frustrating for a long time. Even when I was there in 1997, before the intifada, Israel controlled water into Gaza. Israel provided one hour of potable water a day, and it was between 2 and 3am. Families had to wake up in the middle of the night to get their "sweet water" for the day. I understand Israel's security concerns and restrictions on travel, entry, etc. but issues like this that punish those that aren't extremeists just continue to push more people in that direction.— etotheb- the world is watching, and they're pi$$ed. if this goes much longer, as the death of children hits every tv screen on the planet, people will look at that flag and no longer see the star of david, but a twisted blue swastika.— scorpio27
- 700 plus, and counting.— scorpio27
- Keep this up, Will. Ignore the "friends of Hamas" nonsense, and keep pointing out the borderline war crimes Israel is commiting. All for nothing, too, as this mission has zero chance of being successful, next to getting a hardliner elected. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/world/middleeast/09redcross.html?_r=2— RG
- A huge percentage of Palestinian children are malnourished. I tend to doubt that bombing them on top of allowing them to starve is going to convince them to want peace. It almost makes you think that the Israeli government doesn't want peace - because acting "tough" wins votes, and secures political support from Israeli religious fanatics. Oh. Wait.— Talking point sleuth
- Isreal doesn't seem to understand that the only people who will do anything to avoid attack, the only people who respond to fear, are American neocons.— SteveMG
- Seriously, Steve, you nailed that one. The whole belief system of American neocons is based on a false premise - that bombing civilians will turn them against their leaders. It has NEVER worked; not in Gaza or the West Bank, not in Lebanon, not in Iraq, not in Afghanistan. No where. All it does is build further resentment. Hamas' popularity was in the tank prior to the Israeli military action, and now the public will coalesce around them again. But there is a difference with the Israelis. My guess is that they know exactly what type of reaction they will get from the bombing - that any chance of Abbas gaining political power will be diminished. Why? Because Abbas is on record of desiring a two-state solution, whereas Hamas is against it. Many Israelis don't want a two-state solution either - primarily the Israeli religious fanatics; and they have significant political clout in Israel. And so, in this case, the definition crazy as doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results doesn't apply to the Israeli government. They're not insane, except that they don't want peace.— Talking point sleuth
- Sorry - forgot to mention that you're correct, Steve, in the sense that the belief system of American neocons is, undoubtedly, rooted in their own behaviors. Look at what happens when the Republican party loses popularity among the American public. The neocons turn on their own - and savage Bush even though they voted for him. Twice. And inevitably whine like schoolgirls as they refuse to admit the obvious failures of Bush's administration. No wonder they project from their own behaviors to mistakenly think that the Palestinian population will turn on Hamas.— Talking point sleuth
- many americans, the people of europe, the entire islamic world, who knows who else, are all against this police action. when does washington get on board, and apply pressure? that is the fastest way to stop the carnage, threaten to cut of u.s. aide. hit them in the wallet, i bet they get real peace loving.— scorpio27
- look at the living conditions of the people in gaza. reminds me of what i read about the warsaw ghetto, circa 1942. is evil contagious?— scorpio27
How many missles fired into Florida from Cuba would it take before the U.S. invaded Cuba??? During the "neocon" Kennedy administration it took exactly zero before the U.S. engaged in an act of war. But of course that administration was allowed to engage in pre-emptive policy in defense of U.S. citizens. (BTW while not a big JFK worshipper I definitely agreed with the blockade)— bird11- Honest question - how should Israel respond to the Hamas attacks? Should they just grin and bear it?— Paul Miki
- they were a major player in creating the problem. oppression is always gonna' start a fight.— scorpio27
- I don't know Paul, but since Hamas started firing the Qassam missles at Israel in 2001, 15 Israels have died, and 500 have been injured. Israels incursion into Gaza has already greatly topped those numbers, and wil do nothing to stop future rocket attacks. Therefore, it fails the just war test imo.— RG
bird11, re: Cuba, I believe that would've been called World War 3, assuming civilization survived it. Fact is, we didn't invade Cuba, nor did the Russians deploy any of their missles. A more fitting analogy might be this: what would the US do if the Cherokee, suddenly under the grip of extremists, started shooting rockets outside of their reservation in North Carolina into the Great Smoky Mtn Natl Park? Would we bomb their civilians?
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
E-mail Will by clicking here.
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