Invading Gaza would be a very bad idea
Israel has every right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Gaza. But the Israeli government should be careful that its response does not harm its own security rather than help.
Invading Gaza would be a very bad idea
Trudy Rubin, Inquirer Opinion Columnist
Israel has every right to defend itself against rocket attacks from Gaza. But the Israeli government should be careful that its response does not harm its own security rather than help.
Specifically, if Israel sends troops into Gaza in a repeat of the 2008 Operation Cast Lead the security costs to Israel are likely to outweigh the benefits. The regional context in 2012, in the wake of the Arab Spring, is far different than it was in 2008. Back then, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak gave tacit and open support to the Israeli operation, and also kept the Rafah exit from Gaza into Egypt closed.
Mubarak is gone. The current Egyptian president, Mohammed Morsi, desperately wants to keep the regional peace and maintain Egypt's peace treaty with Israel; so far he has kept Cairo calm, despite multiple Israeli airstrikes on Gaza (which appear to be far more carefully targeted than in 2008).
But in the new Egypt, Morsi is an elected leader, who has to consider public reactions. If Israel invades Gaza with large scale civilian casualties, and pictures of dying women and children, he will be under pressure from an enraged public, and from members of his own party. Street protests could mount.
Even as I write, Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyif Erdogan is arriving in Egypt, where he will probably take a strong public stance, alongside Morsi, against any Israeli invasion. Israel's relationship with Turkey fell apart over the last Gaza invasion, and its cold, but crucial relationship with Egypt could crash over a similar invasion now.
Similarly, Jordan's King Hussein, already under fire over the lifting of subsidies, will be under heavy public pressure to react to a ground incursion. And Syrian President Bashar al Assad, who kept the Golan Front calm during Israel's 2008 invasion of Gaza, may now choose to deflect attention from Syria's ongoing civil war by heating up the border with Israel.
As if this was not enough, Israel must reckon that an invasion of Gaza will ultimately strengthen the Hamas forces it is attacking. New Hamas leaders will emerge if old ones are killed, and Gulf states will pay for Gazans to rebuild. Moreover, Gazans' discontent with Hamas over their isolation will give way to anger over new casualties from an Israeli attack. And Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas will be further marginalized in the West Bank. (Ironically, his bid to have the U.N. General Assembly endorse a Palestinian state and grant the Palestinians observer status is probably the last chance to save the concept of a two state solution from an ignominious end).
So on all fronts, a ground invasion of Gaza is likely to boomerang, by strengthening Hamas, and weakening Israel's position in its neighborhood. Better to stop now and use Egyptian good offices to negotiate another ceasefire with Hamas. That offers no permanent solution, but at least it won't make a bad situation worse.
I've always wondered why we never hear about the non-stop attacks on Israel by the Palistinians. The media only wakes up when Israel talks about retaliating.— Phillies2008WSChamps- Trudy Rubin is, at best, a mediocre writer who doesn't have a clue about the subjects that she writes about. In addition, her stories about issues in the middle east involving Israel are always negative about Israel. In the present situation, it is obvious that she doesn't care 1 iota about the Israelis of Sderot and other southern Israeli communities who are living in a hell created by Hamas. Children wake up in air raid shelters, schools are closed, and there are reports of so many of these kids developing PTSD. Yet, she criticizes every attempt by Israel to stop the rockets by saying that Israel better not do whatever because other Arabs will get mad. While she acknowledges the hostility that Morsi and Erdogan have shown towards Israel, she advises them to use Morsi to negotiate a cease fire. Can you imagine trusting Morsi and/or erdogan to help Israel? Rubin can. The idiot then admits that it "offers no permanent solution, but at least it won't make a bad situation worse." In other words, the hell with Israelis who live in Southern towns and communities.
Invading Gaza is a serious actgion. fighting will be intense and, unfortunately, world opinion will be against Israel. News media will take at face value Arab propaganda that issues 1 lie after another about non-existent Israeli massacres and the edia will gleefully report these lies as true (Remember the Jenin lies about Israeli massacres and the reports coming out of Lebanon claiming that Israel killed Lebanon's entire population). The rockets have to stop and the israeli government is responsible for stopping them as the lives in Israel's south are just as precious as those who live in Tel Aviv and Jeusalem. All Rubin offers is a continuation of the status quo.
— Drumgoole - Great points. Special care was made to say that innocent children were killed when Israel targeted Hamas leaders, but not a word about children who die in rocket attacks towards population centers.
Sorry Rubin does not offer a continuation of the status quo. It's worse. She suggests that the Palestinians continue their attacks on civilians. Can anyone say "Morally Bankrupt?"— GHK - Drumgoole, I'd trust Trudy's analysis and years of experience of traveling to the Middle East over your simpleminded jejune and obtuse views of the situation any day.
— daxtremesolja - Of course you would- you'd rather stay in yu cushy little worm hole and be spoonfed by the terrorist lovin left.
— phillyroll - Oh, yes-
Brilliant insight from someone who doesn't even know the King of Jordan is named "Abdullah", not "Hussein".
Unsurprising admiration from someone with the ridiculous self-regard to call themselves "daxtremesolja". - Another battle being fought becuase both sides believe it's their "holy land". Netanyahu is a warmonger. There are quite a few Israelis who want peace. Maybe when they stop electing hawks from the Likud Party, peace will at least have a chance. Then again, as America becomes a more seculaar nation, the hawks in Israel won't have the green light to flout the UN whenever it serves their purpose.— wokmaster
- If you were being attacked by rockets on a daily basis, would you consider your own self defense to be a flouting of anything? If my country was being attacked on a daily basis, I would turn the attacking nation into a parking lot. There are only two or three nations that allow other other groups to practice their religion freely. The USA, Israel, the UK. How is it that the 'peaceful' muslims forbid other religions to exist within their borders? The UN is a joke that should be eliminated. At the very least, they should be forced to pay the US every cent they owe us. — bad joe s
- It's the arabs who don't want peace. They were given control of gaza years ago as part of a peace agreement with Israel and all they did was use Gaza to launch terrorist atacks on Israel. All they want is the total destruction of Israel. If any of you paeolestinian lovers read world history, you'll understand why this conflict has gone on for centuries and why the Israeli hav th right to defend teir homeland. But you won't, you'll just go back to watching msnbc or cnn and their lies. — phillyroll
- The conflict has gone on for centuries?
When was there a battle between Palestinians and Zionists in the early 1800s? Or anytime in the 1700, 1600, 1500 or 1400s? Or anytime before that?
Political Zionism is a creation of the late 1800s. The Age of European Empires.
In the late ancient/early medieval worlds Jewish Berbers fought Moslems in today's Tunisia and in what is today's Saudi Arabia Jewish Kings massacred Christians before being defeated by Ethiopians.
Today's Israel/Palestine battles are a modern issue.
— PHILEXILE - WOkmaster...you have no idea what your talking about. I guess when someone keeps punching you in the face, your answer would be give them flowers. you would be one of the first dead in a conflict. Here's to hoping.
- Does anyone think this recent step up of Hamas rocket attacks is not tied to Iran's increase in uranium enrichment? Diversion is an old ploy. The Iranians help arm Hamas & give them marching orders as well.
Very dangerous times ahead. Israel has no choice but to invade & clean house. I wish them well. Agree with Drumgoole's comments, too.— narkose3535 - So if Cuba decided to lob a couple hundred rockets into Florida, we should not invade based on Russia being mad? Thats basically what your saying Trudy? Dumb. Israel has every right to do what they feel is in their best interest of their people. This has gone on long enough, I say the USA minds its business in this situation and allow Israel to do what it needs to do, a repeat of June 5th 1967. And when they are done with that have them take care of Iran as well.— Flyers2001
- Also a terrible idea, lobbing rockets at a much stronger, better equipped neighboring country. Obviously, said neighbor will be incensed and will be forced to react to end the aggression. Perhaps for once, western writers will put Hamas to task for its actions besides a throwaway line here or there. Hamas could end the entire situation by stopping the rocket fire, and negotiating with Israel.— Northeaster
- Do you think it's possible that Hamas actually wants a ground invasion of Gaza? It's a lot easier to kill Israelis marching through your streets than it is to launch, small inaccurate rockets over tens of kilometers. They can then use the photos and video of Israelis in Gaza as a rallying cry to unite the other Arab countries surrounding Israel hoping to turn this small conflict into a much larger one. Netanyahu is falling right into their trap. — daxtremesolja
