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.
Comments (61)
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
- Sure, but they don't really have a great track record of actually being able to kill IDF soldiers and it is doubtful that other Arab countries will join them. If they do, Israel will defeat them, once again, and will be in a stronger position for West Bank negotiations. It is a bad strategy for them.
- Opinions on Israel and the middle east... THAT is a bad idea.— sillybilly
- Israel should invade and not stop until every last Hamas person is dead. You have to win the war before you can win the peace.— fgomarty
- ''WOKMASTER'',What exactly is a ''Seculaar''Nation?— GREEKPICNIC
- For decades this conflict is like the constant drip of Chinese water torture. The Israel hating left squeals outrage if Israel considers "disproportionate response". The only path to lasting peace is the annihilation of one side or the other. Israel will hopefully finally see this as go time. Disproportionate response by employing overwhelming force is the only response that makes sense if an end to perpetual conflict is to be achieved. It can bring and end to what will otherwise result in Israel's death by thousands of paper cuts. Besides lasting peace for Israel it would deliver a staggering blow to the world's most destructive human debris. The infestation known as Islam.— jgalt52
- Is see we have the typo police weighing in. Profound observation. Any other words of wisdom, GreekPicnic?— wokmaster
- They can have at it as long as the U.S. stays out of it Hopefully we have learned to avoid ground wars in the Mideast. A 100 years from now the religious fanatics on both sides will still be fighting over a few square miles of useless desert.— bmayer1865
- "Besides lasting peace for Israel it would deliver a staggering blow to the world's most destructive human debris. The infestation known as Islam."
Yea WW3!!! Surely our troops wouldn't be called up to help out. If that is/was the case, it's an absolute certainty that jgalt52, his children and grandchildren would all be first in line to fight the war.— wokmaster - Trudy Rubin's analysis is correct. However, we are past the 2008-2009 Israeli bombing of Gaza analogy. Hamas today is recognized by major Arab states and Turkey as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. And that recognition has effectively nulified the U.S., European, and Israeli dessignation of Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Hamas has been gaining international recognition with a recent visit by the Emir of Qatar, a visit planned by Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan, and the visit this week by the Egyptian prime minister. And all that recognition by U.S. allies while Hamas is listed as a "terrorist organization" by the West. Under U.S. law, the U.S. is supposed to punish Qatar, Turkey and Egypt with sanctions as terrorist supporting states. The U.S., however, won't dare to push its Israel-imposed on the U.S. terrorist designation of Hamas on its Middle East allies because it doesn't want to shoot itself in the foot!
The current Hamas - Israel battle, therefore, is Hama's Arab Spring against Israel. All Arab Springs were achieved with bloody sacrifices,
Hama's Arab Spring has achieved something that was unthinkable until now: The official trashing of the U.S., European and Israeli designation of itself as a "terrorist organization!"
Nikos Retsos, retired professor— Nikos Retsos - So according to this MORON from the stinky Inky the Israelis should just sit there and play catch of all the rockets from the Religion of peace... who are receiving their missiles from Iran ....Can't wait till this paper goes the way of the TWINKY— fbpdplt
- We can't expect Israelis to live with Palestinian rockets but Palestinians are supposed to live with Israeli occupation?
Did the conflict begin with Hamas's rockets? No. Israel was killing people in Gaza decades before any rocket was ever fired.
Of course it's tragic that Israeli civilians feel threatened but is it right that Israel gets to oppress the Palestinians and there are no consequences?
— PHILEXILE - What occupation? Both sides were offered statehood back in 1948 and the poor little ol' muslims chose WAR so they could have it all. They lost. When you start a war and lose, there is a price to pay. Next you'll want Israel to give the Golan Heights back so that the Syrians can shell them from a higher elevation? Oh boo-hoo-hoo for lost land.
Jordan is the Palestinian land since there's more of them there than there are Jordanians. Do the Jordanians carp about being occupied? - NO.— bad joe s - "The poor little ol' Muslems chose war...." Christian Palestinians opposed the imposition of Israel, so did secular ones. India was opposed to partition as was nationalist China. Mexico refused to vote for it. Gandhi said he wished the Arabs were non-violent but that there cause was just.
When Palestinians mourn for land they lived on 60 years ago that's "boo-hoo-hoo", but American and European Zionists mourning for a fabled tribal kingdom 2000 years ago is noble?
When Syria was in the Golan Hights they could have shelled much of northern Israel but they didn't. They only occassionaly shelled certain specific places.
Why? Those places were in dispute.
The point isn't that the Syrians and Palestinians are always right and Israel always wrong. The point is that it's a complicated, tragic, situation with right and wrong on both sides.— PHILEXILE - If I were an Israeli I'd be a little dubious of advice coming from half a world away.— bannedrepublican
I'm sure the right wingers on here would be very understanding if they were a peaceful Palestinian business owner having to wait at check points for hours each day to enter Israel.— wokmaster- To Drumgoole: Your response is right on and more factual and informing than the article by Rubin.
I will take the liberty to add a few comments:
1. God promised His chosen people, the Jews, this land and fulfilled His promise in 1948.
2. God did not give the land to the Palestinians.
3. No one but the Jewish people have any right to this holy land per God's word, the Bible.
4. There will never be permanent peace in that region until the Lord returns to claim His kingdom.
5. In order to please God, the USA should continue to support Israel. They are the only true friend we have in the region.
Thanks again for your excellent response.
— oneway - God has nothing to do with this. — daxtremesolja
- First of all - as soon as Israel is responsible ( regardless of circumstance ) - for 1-drop of Arab or Islamic blood - a world alarm is set off announcing "WAR CRIMES" and "MASSACRE".... etc. The UN and ARAB LEAGUE want immediate cessation by Israel to "Stop the massacre". And then other countries ( US included ) start the NONSENSE CONCEPT OF RESPONDING WITH """ PROPORTIONALITY """. Meanwhile, after 19 months of real massacre - 33,000 murdered MEN WOMEN AND CILDREN in SYRIA.... the Arab League and the UN are impotent and docile. And thousands upon thousands more in Syria have "disappeared". Israel's "very bad" decision was giving back Gaza. Hamas orchestrated being "Democratically elected" only to be an oppressive grop itself. Was Hamas democratically elected to place rocket-launchers adjacent to playgrounds? Schools? Mosques? Civilian factories? This Hamas has done.— zen
- I'm a supporter of Israel, but too all of you jewish folk who voted for obama, this is what you get!— Imbaldy
- So somehow this whole thing is Obama's fault? — daxtremesolja
- Umm.... OBama is not really that old. How are you wrapping this up so that it's his fault? You must have been one of those kids on the stairwell smoking cigs when you should have been in your World History class. Maybe his birth certificate is buried under the dome of the rock? — bad joe s
- News flash => Israel NEVER TARGETS CIVILIANS. Civilian deaths are a terrible terrible byproduct of armed conflict. They occur no matter how careful weapons and explosives are aimed. Hamas, Hezbollah, and all the other dogs deliberately - who all cowardly cover their faces - they indiscriminately target civilians. They and their ilk are hateful mongrels. Uncivilized. No culture. Add nothing positive or beneficial to society. Oppress their own people. Treat women like disposable garbage.— zen
- Jews and Muslims fighting? That's a new one. Let them blow each other off the face of the earth, and it be a much nicer place.— DoctorLoads
- "Israel" as it currently exists was created by European countries that didn't want European Jews in their midst. To create it required Europe and the UK to ignore that Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims were living there. Of course those Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims would fight to retain land that had been in their control since the 1800s. If Britain decided to repatriate some of its citizens in the US and declare the US to again be a colony, how would the people living here react? Much like the Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims are.— NorthPhillyTechie
- Your revisionist history is laughable. A partition plan by the UN was approved in November 1947, allowing both the Palestinians and the Jewish people to each have a nation. Had the Arab world including the Palestinians accepted that in 1947, Israel and Palestine would be side-by-side. The borders for both were not ideal, but the Jews accepted it and planned a nation, with infrastructure, leadership, etc. The Arabs planned a war--which they lost.
And twice in the last 12 years, Israel has pulled out of territory that was "occupied"--Gaza in 2005 and southern Lebanon in 2000. Both of these were followed within years by rocket launches on non-disputed sovereign territory, kidnappings on Israeli territory of its soldiers, and war. Unilateral actions by Israel have had a bad outcome both times--so what do you expect Israel to do? Again, the Palestinians have had opportunity to nation build but rather than lead and plan for a safe future, Fatah and Hamas have had a bloody mini civil war in Gaza (which Hamas won) followed by terror and aggression by Hamas against Israel.— newsreader215 - Perhaps the Palestinians should have accepted partition in 1948 but it was deeply un-fair and anti-democratic.
Palestinians were 2/3 of the population and they were told that they had no say and that a 1/3 minority (most of whom were recent arrivals) was going to get it's way.
The 1/3 minority were to be given rule over most of the land.
Where else in the modern Third World have natives agreed to giving the settlers most of the land?
When Israel makes mutual agreements with Arab neighbors there aren't rockets firing. Rockets came from southern Lebanon and Gaza because Israeli actions weren't peacefull. They just repositioned the troops and kept most of the occupation of Palestine and interference in Lebanon going.— PHILEXILE - Kept most of the occupation of Palestine:
Please tell me what you define as Palestine. Is that pre 1948 territory? Is that only Gaza and West Bank?
And 'interference in Lebanon'? Huh? Israel kept a buffer zone to prevent attacks against its northern border and its northern territories, for the years following the 1982 Lebanon invasion. It was largely effective, though dangerous for the soldiers who were in the buffer zone. They pulled out unilaterally after enough violence, and the UN agreed with Israel over territorial claims of Shebaa Farms, that Hezbollah argued over. Israel did not interfere with Lebanon's internal politics though it defended itself against rocket attack. The 2006 war began because Hezbollah invaded Israeli territory and abducted (killed) its soldiers on Israeli territory. Israel was not interfering nor provoking Lebanon or Hezbollah. And Hezbollah used the Iranian rockets to provoke Israel. I don't know what you are talking about, except to blame Israel for all the problems in the area.
And Palestinians had a total say in their own self determination in 1947 had they or the Arabs accepted partition. According to Wikipedia, Arab Palestine would have been 45% or so of the land, Jewish Israel would be 53% or so, and international would have been the rest (Jerusalem).— newsreader215 - Palestine meaning Gaza and the West Bank. When the Israeli troops and settlers left Gaza the West Bank was still occupied.
You're saying that in 1947 the Palestinians would have had self-determination if they had allowed others to determine what was going to happen to them.
Back in 1919 British Lord Balfour wrote:
" For in Palestine we do not propose even to go through the form of consulting the wishes of the present inhabitants of the country, though the American Commission [evidently the King Crane Commission] has been going through the forms of asking what they are. The four great powers are committed to Zionism and Zionism, be it right or wrong, good or bad, is rooted in age-long tradition, in present needs, in future hopes, of far profounder importance than the desire and prejudices of the 700,000 Arabs who now inhabit that ancient land."
Partition meant: "We're just going to take most, not all, of your land and homes. A good number of you will be under our rule but those of you left? You can have self-determination on what we've left you."
Lebanon/Hezbollah I will agree is more grey. Hezbollah is not an innocent but neither is Israel.
I do not believe Israel is the source of all the problems. I do believe Israeli policy is the primary obstacle to peace. Peace will be risky for Israel but it will be risky for the Palestinians too. In a two-state peace along 1967 borders there will still be incidents of violence. There is still violence in South Africa and Northern Ireland.
— PHILEXILE - bannedrepublican.The US is a participant in the conflict. We arm,fund and enable Israel while opposing Palestinian independence and peace. I think Americans are entitled to their opinions.
oneway. Why do people with other beliefs have to be ruled by your belief? Your version of a God story is not everybody else's history or life.
zen. People know more about Israeli violence than violence in Syria because Israel is a much-publicized, much mythologized, heroic icon of American culture.
At the debates President Obama spoke emotionally about Israeli children who potentially could have been harmed by Hamas rockets and he said nothing, absolutely nothing, about the hundreds of Palestinian children who had been killed by Israeli arms. A year before at the UN while opposing Palestinian membership Obama spoke at great length about 13 Israeli deaths and said zero about over a thousand Palestinian deaths.— PHILEXILE - And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:3 says it all. Works for me. — bad joe s
- On what does Ms. Rubin base her statement that President Morsi desperately wants to maintain peace? In his own country, he allowed the Israel embassy to be overrun and the ambassador and other staff just escaped being lynched. He has used incredibly strong language against Israeli actions as an "aggression against humanity (paraphrased)". His intelligence people did not stop an incursion against Israel several months ago and led to the death of 16 Egyptian soldiers (but fortunately none in Israel). In fact, nothing Mr. Morsi has done has shown one iota of caring about peace. If he was interested in maintaining peace, he would have worked with Hamas to eliminate unprovoked rocket fire and anti-tank fire onto non-disputed sovereign Israeli territory, aimed at civilians with the intent to kill and maim, to terrorize and disrupt life.
I think Trudy Rubin (along with Gershon Baskin and many other Jewish writers of the peace camp) live in a utopia where they expect the enemy (Hamas) to live by our rules. An invasion into Gaza is the last thing most in Israel or the Arab world wants, but Hamas' actions of continued aggression against Israeli normalcy and existence are forcing Israel's hand. Trudy Rubin has to get her head out of the clouds of idealism and look at realism. She doesn't even take Hamas to task (or the Arab world) for targeting Israel's large and small population centers. What is a nation to do?
I guess Ms. Rubin will only be happy once hundreds of civilian Israelis die by the hands of Hamas. Shame.— newsreader215 - daxtremesolja "God has nothing to do with this." You just showed how uninformed you are! I know you most likely do not believe in God, but someday you will and you will realize God has everything to do with this situation. Unfortunately, when you realize you were mistaken, it will be too late for you and Jesus will say to you "I do not know you". Maybe in your spare time you could start reading the Bible; it just might change your opinion. I wish you the best.
— oneway - I do not need to read a book written by men thousands of years ago to teach me how to live my life and to do what is right. Imposing your Christian views on others is exactly the reason why Christianity is declining as whole in these modern times. — daxtremesolja
- So what is the reason for another book written by man increasing in strength and numbers, namely the koran? Your assumption o why Christianity is declining is sophomoric at best. When a violent hate filled book is followed by billions of people in this world and everyone is scared to even protest its hate filled rhetoric, normal people begin to undestand why our freedom loving culture allows this to o on. — phillyroll
- Christianity unlike the 'peaceful' muslim doctrine is an offer from a loving God to mankind. It is GRACE. God's Riches at Christ's Expense. It is freely offered, never forced on someone by the barrel of a gun, or a beheading. Only Christians and Jews allow other faiths to worship unscathed in their midst. They don't persecute infidels like those peaceful AK47 faithful of the prophet. You are offered a blessing at no cost to yourself. So how do you teach yourself to live your own life? Were you just born with this self omnipotence? — bad joe s
- I read the article an agree with most of the posts. I do believe Trudy that stating Israel should not invade is wrong. Have you ever been in a war zone, had bombs, napam, bullets going off around you. If so you wouldn't be saying don't invade. If the USA was to supply Israel with everything needed in weapons we could solve the mid east problems. All the Armys in the mid-east are a joke. We proved that In Iraq which boasted to have the best ever Army. Let Israel go an defend an attack an end this forever. If your muslim an don't agree then let other religions into your country - OH thats right the whole war against everyone else is about your religion. One last comment if our women go to your countries they have to wear a head scarf - they should pass a law here that when you come to the USA you can't wear a head scarf - far is far... All fair, love in war. WWII— Del/inFla
- bad joe s
Well, the problem with opinions like yours is that it characterizes the situation, as the U.S. and Israel have done for years, as a one way problem. Unfortunately, this is a two way problem, always has been. Israel has done plenty of horrible things to the Palestinians as well. It came to the middle east through war and has told its neighboring countries, under no uncertain terms, that it is our way or we will attack you. Yeah, sure, the countries around them are also implicit in the violence, but let us not pretend that Israel is some sort of innocent victim in all this. That just insults intelligence. Ultimately, HUMAS wants this. Yeah, they don't have the firepower to defeat Israel, but it serves to further turn world opinion against Israel. As long as Israel takes this militaristic belligerent approach that ends up killing more women and children than militants, they will continue to incite the anger of countries around the world. And if the U.S. ever becomes energy independent, Israel will be in real trouble, because the incentive to side with Israel on every middle east action will be taken away. Yes, Israel has a right to exist, but so does Gaza. And Israel should not get everything it wants in such negotiations. Both sides need to relinquish their hawkish ways and compromise. Both sides. Not one, but both.— Hemingway - It's the liberal spin on the conflict that always gets me going. After years of rocket the attacks on the Israelis, the paeolestinians cry to the united nations to do something against the Isralis retaliating. And we have bleeding heart liberals defending our sworn enemies. I would not even care if the Israelis leveled Gaza. When the arabs stop brainwashing their children into killing themselves just to kill some innocent Jews, they might have a chance. When paeolestinian mothers start loving their children as much as civilized people of the modern world do, and stop hating Jews, they might have a chance at peace. But of course, we all know the arabs dont't want peace, they want the destruction of Israel and the total anhialation of Jews.— phillyroll
- You realize that if Israel invaded Gaza, it would radicalize another generation of disaffected Palestinian youth? And the cycle of violence continues for another 20 years? Just as American drone strikes in Pakistan are radicalizing the people there, creating a whole new generation of terrorists. You guys really need to step out of your one-dimensional box and try and look at how both sides of this conflict see things and how it shapes the future of the region. — daxtremesolja
- dax..your saying that Israel "turn the other cheek"? That would get them no where. Hamas is a hate filled organization hell bent on the destruction of the Zionist way of life. Dax, I have been there 10 times over the last 4 years. Palestinians are a bunch of parasites. Funny how the rest of the Arab world won't even take these people. You know why? They are a troublemakers. Anarchy is their calling card. Israel will do whatever it needs to defend their land, people and way of life. Plain and simple.
- Ms. Rubin is right, no matter how many posters go against her here.
All an invasion is going to do is create more radicals to replace the killed ones. In addition, every other country in the region and the most Western States (ecluding the US) will have to react negatively because of their own street protest.
It is best for Israel to stop here! Reacted to the Hamas provocation, but it is time to stop and negoatiate, any ground invasion has more costs than benefits!— EIK - Trudy's piece will get her another week of work at the Inky. Why doesn't she go there to visit and give all of the liberal peace signs and speeches, when she's returned in a body bag--I for one will say all kinds of nice things about her. Trudy, stay off of the 5000 block of Irving street and out of the middle east--it be's what it be's.— paulfromtheoblongtable
- "Egyptian good offices" -- Trudy still cheering the Muslim Brotherhood, I see. What a naive "analyst" she is.
And sad.— mmds - Somebody explain to me why Israel continues to supply electricity and water to the terrorist genocidal Gazan animals.— Joe_B
- There needs to be an end game eventually. Islam is a Satanic infestation on our planet. Infestation calls for extermination. If Israel does the job correctly, the annihilation will be so complete we won't have to worry about future generations of Islamic Savages.— jgalt52
- Seems to be a rather naive understanding of power in Ms Rubin's article.
Those in Gaza are clearly asking for something in return for all their unprovoked attacks on another country.
Please recall that Israel withdrew from Gaza to allow those there to prosper on their own. There response has been to send rockets into Israel.
Rubin seems to support the Obama Doctrine which says: if the US retreats, decreases the size of our military, apologizes for being the biggest, strongest and more reliable force on the globe, then all our enemies and future enemies will stay home, be happy and say how nice we are. Good grief, go back to Chicago, please.
It clearly shows how unprepared Obama still is to be president and what an uncompetitive and weak man he is and always has been. We are stuck with him now yet again, but we will have so much more to clean up after he leaves office because of his weak knee approach to the world and to the responsibilities of the US.
Rubin's article mirrors that weakling in the sandbox attitude.— GAC
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About this blog
Trudy Rubin’s Worldview column runs on Thursdays and Sundays. In 2009-2011 she has made four lengthy trips to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Over the past seven years, she visited Iraq eleven times, and also wrote from Iran, Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, China, and South Korea. She is the author of Willful Blindness: the Bush Administration and Iraq, a book of her columns from 2002-2004. In 2001 she was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in commentary and in 2008 she was awarded the Edward Weintal prize for international reporting. In 2010 she won the Arthur Ross award for international commentary from the Academy of American Diplomacy.
Reach Trudy at trubin@phillynews.com.
Trudy Rubin
Inquirer Opinion Columnist
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