Israel’s Scramble to End the War Too Soon
The rush is on before Barack Obama takes office.
by P. David Hornik, Pajamas Media, Jan. 16, 2009
War in Gaza
For Israel, putting military concerns second means certain aims won’t be achieved — like stopping Hamas’s bombardment of southern Israel. True, since Operation Cast Lead began, the daily number of rocket launches has declined from about 80 to a couple of dozen.
On Thursday, though, a rocket hitting a street in the city of Beersheba gravely injured two Israelis, including a seven-year-old boy, while wounding four others. On Friday, another one hitting the town of Kiryat Gat wounded three and severely damaged shops — meaning Israeli forces have hardly had enough time to put an end to the threat.
Reportedly under an emerging proposal for a deal, Hamas will agree to a one-year truce conditional on Israel withdrawing all its forces within a week. Not only does past experience show that Hamas honors such truces mainly in the breach, but Hamas will also be able to boast that — as with Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006 — Israel wasn’t able to stop the rocket fire up until the last day of the fighting. For Hamas itself and the masses throughout the Arab and Islamic world who admire it, that’s a psychological victory.
The Olmert-Barak-Livni government also appears ready to end the war without any conclusive results regarding Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier kidnapped by Hamas in June 2006 and held ever since in Gaza without visits by the Red Cross or anyone else. The same reported ceasefire proposal says Israel “wants Hamas to agree to an explicit timetable for concluding a deal on … Shalit and to be more flexible in what it is demanding in exchange for [him].” (Continue Reading this Article)
What everybody here knew would happen and knows always what happens and was afraid would happen and didn’t want to happen, it seems is happening after all. With Obama in , it will be too late for Likud.
The headlines should read: “Kadima assassinates Israel”
Comment by Max — January 17, 2009 @ 10:02 am
If those terms are true, Kadima and Labor deserve to be heavily punished by Israeli voters next month. For a hudna Israel went to war? And there’s not even the sweetener of Galid Shalit’s return thrown in to soften the blow? Israel is throwing Hamas a lifeline at the exact moment when it is on the ropes. I don’t get it and I’m livid!
Comment by NormanF — January 17, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
So am I. Kadima cocksuckers.
Comment by Laura — January 17, 2009 @ 2:43 pm
Laura, sometimes I laugh at your use of profanity, but this time I agree with you. At this time, I would gree to the assassination of any and all three stooges. May G-d curse them for the rest of their lives.
Comment by Ed D — January 17, 2009 @ 3:36 pm
Did anyone in their right mind think that it was Israel and Israel alone that sets the agenda in this situation. Israel requres Washington’s approval in matters of war and ultimately peace. Don’t blame Kadima-Blame the Bush administration.
Comment by h peskin — January 17, 2009 @ 4:11 pm
The hell I can’t blame Kadima. I blame the three stooges for not having the balls to stand up to The USA, EU, Muslim bastards in Middle East. I, also, blame the Obama government for changing the rules of self defence. I think maybe all of the Jews should move to Illinois.
Comment by Ed D — January 17, 2009 @ 5:12 pm
It isn’t over till it’s over..For now IDF is in place all over Gaza and I believe will keep the northern part. Hamas can’t abide IDF in any part of Gaza and if they are true to form will attack both Israel and IDF…That’s when phase 3 kicks in. That should then reduce INTL. Pressure now building.
Peskin why is it you are always wrong?
Comment by yamit82 — January 17, 2009 @ 7:06 pm
Yamit, from your mouth to G-d’s ear.
Comment by Ed D — January 17, 2009 @ 7:09 pm
Yamit, I’m not expecting much from Israel’s Three Stooges. They’ve raised sheer stupidity to an art form!
Comment by NormanF — January 17, 2009 @ 9:39 pm