Israel doesn’t want to win
If we really wanted to win Gaza war we would kill Hamas leaders, topple its regime
Steve Plocker, YNET
In a radio interview Monday, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said that the objectives of the Gaza operation have been achieved: Israel responded “wildly” to Hamas’ rocket fire and “good thing we did,” she said. Indeed, if a “wild response” was the main means utilized in operation Cast Lead, it is no wonder that so many Palestinian civilians and so few Hamas leaders were killed in the course of the campaign. Indeed, if a “wild response” was the appropriate means, it is no wonder that at the end of the operation Israel will find itself handing over the reigns of power in the Strip back to Hamas.
Yet if a “wild response” was the appropriate means, what exactly was our objective? Here is the common answer: To etch the lesson in the consciousness of Hamas leaders, so that in the future they will know that Israel is “crazy,” wild at heart, and will wipe out a residential home on the outskirts of Gaza in response to every Qassam rocket fired in its direction.
We shall put aside the moral issues for a moment and only focus on the question of benefit: Will this truly deter Hamas? I’m doubtful.
During World War II, the allies attempted to etch the consciousness of the Nazi leadership by massively bombing German cities, yet without success. The cities were wiped out, yet perceptions did not change. In order to defeat the Nazis, the allied armies were forced to reach Berlin.
Earlier this week, Time Magazine claimed that Israel cannot defeat Hamas. As usual, Time is wrong. Of course Israel can win. Hamas is not a mass Palestinian liberation movement: Rather, it is a small Islamofacist organization that forcefully took over a despaired region and turned it into an Islamic state nightmare.
Is there no effective way to defeat Hamas? Of course there is. For example, for every Qassam fired from Gaza, we can bomb Hamas’ headquarters in Damascus. For example, for every Qassam fired at Israel, we can assassinate a senior Hamas figure, either belonging to the military or “political” wing. Israel won the second Intifada not by bombing Palestinian towns and neighborhoods and refugee camps, but rather, by methodically and gradually assassinating terror leaders. Back then, we wanted to win.
Remove malignant tumor
This time around, we don’t want to win. The official Israel does not wish to eliminate Hamas’ regime in Gaza - despite the fact that the entire world, including the Arab world, granted us permission to do it. It even deplored us to do it, as long as we avoid major Palestinian bloodshed. However, we are disappointing them: We caused great bloodshed, yet we do not intend to win. Perhaps because of the upcoming elections; who knows?
When Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was assassinated we expected an earthquake, yet nothing happened. And what was the Arab street’s reaction to the killing of other senior Hamas figures, including those killed during operation Cast Lead? No reaction. Arab citizens watched al-Jazeera and told themselves: “The Israelis are brutal, and Hamas is dumb” - before going back to their own affairs.
We can defeat Hamas and remove it from here. However, the Israeli leadership apparently believes that it’s a good thing to have Hamas rule the Strip. It is good to have a group that does not recognize our existence, and therefore we do not need to talk to it. Our leadership is making a historical error, which may be fateful. A malignant tumor must be removed on time.
The elimination of Hamas and its Gaza regime should have also been a blatant interest of Israel’s dovish Leftist camp, which aspires for a two-state solution. After all, as long as Hamas rules Palestine or parts of it, Israel has nobody to talk to and nothing to talk about. Hamas justifies the occupation and not the other way around.
However, the Israeli Left is also addicted to the false claim that Hamas reflects the true desires of the Palestinian people. The Left also firmly objects to surgical strikes against Hamas leaders. Instead, it recommends that we tame this poisonous snake and convince it to adopt our views.
If we do not defeat Hamas now, but rather, merely “respond wildly” and punish – unintentionally so, but nonetheless – Palestinian civilians, Israelis will be seen as wild creatures who do not belong among civilized nations, and Hamas will emerge victorious.
Perhaps. One wonders if its worth it. The Arab terror groups are like weeds - they can be mowed down but they always keep growing back. All Israel can do is raise the price to a point where attacking Israel again would be very painful to them. Right now, Israel does not have the will or the stomach to completely reoccupy Gaza. That will probably happen some day. People who expect this war to lead to the disappearance of Hamas under a weak Israeli government are expecting too much from it.
Comment by NormanF — January 13, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
Ted Belman, if you were next to me, I would curtsy. I had this assessment since the start of the war, and was ostracized from a group of Israeli Jews I called my “friends”. I was called an enemy of the state of Israel, received threats, called antisemetic, and all the rehearsed buzz words that Jews hurl at other Jews when they don’t agree with the official stand of the Israeli government. Tonight, I watched a program called “Frost on Top of the World” where David Frost interviews representatives from both Hamas and the Jewish Community. A blind man could see that Israel is grasping at straws. A man on the ground in Gaza said that all Israel has done is kill civilians while the governing arm of Hamas is quite safe and sound.
Comment by Sasha56 — January 13, 2009 @ 10:59 pm
Sasha, if you ask me that - go ask Sasson Nuriel’s family. The Hamas Nazis murdered him. There’s a video about him and if I was living in Israel, I would demand the Israeli government avenge his blood. A murder should not go unpunished and if this was a just world, the wild beasts who took his life would be wiped out from the face of the earth.
Comment by NormanF — January 14, 2009 @ 2:33 am
Sever plocker is the financial editor for Israeli most read daily newspaper Yediot Achronot. He spent most of his career in Davar (linked to Labor Party now defunct) so he speaks from the left to extreme left politically.
The way to defeat an ideological and in Hamas case a fundamentalist religious organization is to drain the swamp/ Cut off all of their lifelines Financial and military. Keep them under constant pressure and when they get the urge to strike Israel we strike back 7 fold. We teach them that for every attack or failed attempted strike they personally will pay a heavy price. \\\\\\\\\\faced with a choice of Hamas or Fatah I pick Hamas. Hamas seeks to bring a real change: an honest government based on non-Western principles. Unlike European parties which buy their way to power with media ads and don’t differ from each other in practice, Hamas is genuinely different - and popular. Now, one might not like the Taliban-style Palestinian leaders, but by any moral gauge they stand head and shoulders above corrupt European politicians and Fatah gangsters.
Egypt is isolated in the Arab world for its all-out collusion with Israel against Hamas. Mubarak’s government leans to Israel because Hosni needs American approval to pass the reins to his son Gamal, suppress the Muslim Brotherhood, and prevent democratic elections which would bring the Islamist group to power.
The two-state solution is increasingly recognized as obsolete. World leaders realize that Hamas cannot be eradicated. If the Egyptian government failed to extirpate the Muslim Brotherhood with all kinds of unseemly measures, Israel has still fewer chances with its offshoot Hamas. Dependent on Iran and true to Muslim values, Hamas would neither settle with Israel any time soon, nor allow Fatah to do so. Since Bush Sr., and especially Clinton. These are reasons for keeping a weakened Hamas in Power, it saves us from having to deal seriously with the concept of 2 state solution and Peace.
Comment by yamit82 — January 14, 2009 @ 3:21 pm
What a crock of shit. Israel is seen this way by much of the world regardless of what it does. When it specifically and methodically targeted hamas leaders without massive bombing, it was still condemned.
Comment by Laura — January 14, 2009 @ 4:38 pm
Sasha, who was this “man on the ground”? Someone from hamas? I’m sure its wishful thinking on his part that Israel will fail in this war. Anyway David Frost is anti-Israel. Why would you accept anything that is broadcast on his show or any of the British media? Frankly I don’t blame your Israeli friends for ostracizing you since you are listening to the enemy’s claims.
Comment by Laura — January 14, 2009 @ 4:44 pm
Sasha56:
No matter what our politicians and our spoon fed pundits say, the reasons for this incursion is more for internal consumption and morale than any grandiose strategic world shaking reasons. First the timing brought a convergence of Interests came together now and allowed general consesus for this military operation ( not really a war). Barak and Livni needed something dramatic to elevate their low and dropping pre-election poll numbers. Olmert at worst wanted to go out on a popular corrective( Lebanon) high. Or if allowed delaying the election for a few months that would allow him to continue as PM.
The IDF wanted a live exercise to test IDF readiness and performance. Raise IDF morale,reduce enemies capabilities, punish Hamas as much as they could be allowed, create a lasting deterrent against Hamas and send a Message to Israels enemies and so called friends around the world that we are tired of being pushed around and loosing, tired of being tired of winning and have decided that winning is better than loosing even a great cost to us.
The timing coincided with a very Lame duck Bush administration and also as a message to the incoming Obama administration that they will not face the same Israel as their predecessors. Israel has gone right (Lieberman) is polling at 14 mandates and might go Higher. BB will now be forced to go right also as he is no longer a shoe in for PM.
The price of oil has exacerbated Iranian ability to financially help Hamas rebuild Gaza like they did with Hizbolla and Hamas afterall will have to face Gazan supporters with little to show for their aggression against Israel. The physical destruction in Gaza is extensive and will be viewed by every Gazan daily, Hamas a Party of the people are in real trouble to explain and convince their public that they are responsible leaders, especially with empty pockets.
The next Israeli government and their policy toward Hamas will determine if and how long it will take for Hamas to reconstitute themselves to pre- Israeli incursion status. Could Israel have done more to hurt, punish, are reduce thier strength even more? Yes but then it seems it was never in the operations objectives to begin with. There will in all probability be many opportunities for that in future rounds, THERE ARE ALWAYS FUTURE ROUNDS AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
Comment by yamit82 — January 15, 2009 @ 2:37 am
The only thing Livni and Kadima want to win is the elections. They wil lead Israel to it’s incineration.
Comment by Max — January 15, 2009 @ 6:26 am