1) sustained peace simply cannot be achieved by war. real peace can only ever be achieved by peace.
2) the hamas government has not pursued peace. they have a clear mission: the destruction of the state of israel. they mean what they say.
3) israel pursued a diplomatic strategy to contain the hamas government through an economic blockade. they received broad support that did severely restrict governance and eroded public support.
4) a sovereign nation has every right to defend itself when it is attacked. a country must be able to protect its citizens.
5) gaza clearly cannot defeat the israeli armed forces. when israel left lebanon the first time, and when they left lebanon after the last incursion, it is not because they were not able to achieve military superiority. it is because military superiority is not governance.
6) israel learned from a failed strategy in lebanon, and they are determined not to repeat the same mistakes. this incursion will be more powerful and more successful than the incursion into lebanon.
7) however, military incursions simply cannot deliver this peace. you can acknowledge that hamas incited this conflict, even as you acknowledge that israeli force will not deliver sustained peace.
8) israel clearly uses disproportionate force when they conduct air operations. further, bombs flown into densely populated areas are unjust. in my opinion, israel simply cannot pursue the heavy air operations if they inflict such high civilian casualties. leaflets, radio addresses, phone calls, and sound bombs simply do not justify those operations.
9) all civilian death is unjustified. it's not justified if a civilian is israeli. it's not justified if a civilian is palestinian.
10) we have to stand up when we believe things are not just. it doesn't matter who does what. it is not just for hamas militants to send missiles into israel. it is not just for israel to send heavy bomb barrages into densely populated civilian areas.
11) i would tell my kids the same thing. you punch a kid in the face it doesn't solve your problem. your problem is still there. and it's probably a little bit more pissed off.
12) why? war cannot deliver peace.
13) peace now.
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if #4, yet #8, what, then, is your solution?
ReplyDeletefirst, hi ap! how are you? how are things? i hope everyone is healthy and well.
ReplyDeleteok. . . second, it _is_ a really tough situation and one thing i'm trying to say is that it _is_ complicated. it's not so easy to say either side is just right here. i'm afraid that too many people on each side simply reject that there are points to understand more deeply.
i know the basics here say israel was not wrong to attack back here. she has the right to protect her citizens. still, this incursion will not protect her citizens.
if, in the end, the reaction will not even deliver the desired solution, then 1) it only hurts your cause and 2) creates a new set (read: generation) of problems.
i simply don't believe that this incursion will stop gaza missles. hamas has a stated desire to destroy israel. israeli incursions into gaza will not stop this.
so, if something simply won't work, why do it? even if the incursion delivers a renewed cease fire, the original cease fire was not renewed, in part, because israel rejected its terms. they felt the ceasefire and blockade were not stopping the transfer of arms designed to bomb israel.
so, in the end, i think that only an armed international peacekeeping force can defend a brokered international cease fire. not a force that can only observe (like has been placed previously in lebanon). a real international force with the right to shoot and fight and defend it's mission.
however, unilateral missions like our mission in iraq and israel's mission into lebanon and gaza also erode international support. this is a lose lose situation.
from a ha'aretz editorial:
ReplyDelete"It is possible to understand the logic of the Israel Defense Forces response. . . .The residents of the western Negev, who have lived in fear on a daily basis. . .are what provide legitimacy for the operation.
But understanding is no substitute for wisdom, and the inherent desire for retribution does not necessarily have to blind us."
besides watching above the ground they need GPS under the ground?
ReplyDeletethe rockets and their materials were smuggled in and no blockade or fence could stop how they were brought in...neither would peacekeepers with guns
M2
hey andrew. :) things are good here (other than my hubby being out of a job, unfortunately) - we're all healthy, the kids are fabulous, thank G-d - all around good stuff. your kids are beautiful, btw, i love checking on here every so often and seeing your pictures. are you guys doing well?
ReplyDeleteyou make some interesting points, but M2 makes a good point as well. what, really, would armed 'peacekeepers' on the ground in gaza really be able to accomplish? i argue little to nothing. israel is not fighting the palestinians in gaza or even hamas, really. it's iran and somehow i dont think tehran will let a few u.n. pansies on the ground stop their mission of the destruction of israel and the murder of millions of jews.
no, no, i understand what you guys are saying. (derekh agav, m2 is my mom.) : )
ReplyDeleteno, of course, part of an armed un mission would be to collapse the tunnels. egypt would be required to seal and monitor on their side, the international force in gaza.
i have no doubt that this is an imperfect solution. the only real solution is a sustainable peace agreement. of course, that's not attainable for so many reasons.
israel should be able to make real demands at the bargaining table in return for real concessions, i.e. we open crossings if the crossings are monitored effectively. there's no reason to close the crossings if we can be certain they are protected. (the same idea that we don't have to close our airports, we just have to check the passengers.)
hamas' #1 demand is open the passages. our #1 demand is stop the violence.
let's trade #1 objectives and gain real security.
i love the title of your essay on Israel..
ReplyDelete"this is what i think"
i am very pleased & happy that you think big thoughts
and great thoughts
and important thoughts!!
keep thinking...the world needs more thinkers than fighters...maybe someday the thinkers will be on both sides of the table for peace
M2