Why does Israel continue to cut it's own throat?
January 13th 2009 04:00
The Israeli made film Waltz With Bashir won a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film last night. An ironic counterpoint to what is going on in the "Holy" Land right now. The fact that there is a strong anti-war movement in Israel does offer hope. But alas, the right-wing hardliners are in control. And they seem determined to make the idiocies of the Bush Administration look positively progressive in comparison.
In response to rockets being launched into Israel (although there is ample evidence that in fact Israel provoked a good deal of what is happening) the government ordered widespread bombing runs followed by massive ground incursions.
Perhaps if it was just that a strong reaction could be seen as credible. But there's the messy little side note of widespread civilian casualties. Why is Israel using so much force and intentionally targeting civilians? Why is it that fully one-third of the Palestinian deaths have been children?
Apart from the sheer horror of the fact that we still live in a world where children are killed in the name of war, there is the impractical reality which comes from the waging of a war that cannot be won.
Every dead child has relatives, neighbors, friends, classmates. And every one of them has a personal reason to hate the military and the country responsible. The only possible way to even hope to overcome something that strong is to maintain a large and very expensive occupation, and that doesn't work forever.
The Israeli government seems determined to wipe out Hamas as a viable organization. Many moderate Arab countries aren't opposed to that. Dealing with Islamic fundamentalism themselves, they wouldn't miss Hamas for a minute. What Israel is doing, however, will not only allow Hamas to stay in power, but in all likelihood make the group stronger.
One would think it might be far more productive to have been seeking real peace and accommodation for years, and it might have paid off by now. The logic seems to sharp to ignore. Of course it's easier said than done, and of course there will be failures. But the stakes are too high to not try. Or even worse, to launch a massive invasion that results in high civilian casualties.
A two state strategy is probably the only solution for the short term. Jerusalem as an international city would be a good idea too. Palestinian right of return, drawing out of borders, and what sort of military forces are allowed are issues to be addressed. Hope being audacious indeed, here's hoping the changes in America can help to force changes in the "Holy" Land.
In response to rockets being launched into Israel (although there is ample evidence that in fact Israel provoked a good deal of what is happening) the government ordered widespread bombing runs followed by massive ground incursions.
Perhaps if it was just that a strong reaction could be seen as credible. But there's the messy little side note of widespread civilian casualties. Why is Israel using so much force and intentionally targeting civilians? Why is it that fully one-third of the Palestinian deaths have been children?
Apart from the sheer horror of the fact that we still live in a world where children are killed in the name of war, there is the impractical reality which comes from the waging of a war that cannot be won.
Every dead child has relatives, neighbors, friends, classmates. And every one of them has a personal reason to hate the military and the country responsible. The only possible way to even hope to overcome something that strong is to maintain a large and very expensive occupation, and that doesn't work forever.
The Israeli government seems determined to wipe out Hamas as a viable organization. Many moderate Arab countries aren't opposed to that. Dealing with Islamic fundamentalism themselves, they wouldn't miss Hamas for a minute. What Israel is doing, however, will not only allow Hamas to stay in power, but in all likelihood make the group stronger.
One would think it might be far more productive to have been seeking real peace and accommodation for years, and it might have paid off by now. The logic seems to sharp to ignore. Of course it's easier said than done, and of course there will be failures. But the stakes are too high to not try. Or even worse, to launch a massive invasion that results in high civilian casualties.
A two state strategy is probably the only solution for the short term. Jerusalem as an international city would be a good idea too. Palestinian right of return, drawing out of borders, and what sort of military forces are allowed are issues to be addressed. Hope being audacious indeed, here's hoping the changes in America can help to force changes in the "Holy" Land.
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Comment by Janet Collins
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The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Yes, they are building and strengthening the hate of the Israeli military in the children who have lost friends and loved ones. This will not be overcome in the short term because the hatred will brew and fester and I doubt if that can be changed simply by a "ceasefire".