Haniyeh: We have achieved victory
Jerry Gordon comment:
What’s wrong with this picture. Ismail Haniyeh emerges from his dog hole under Shifa Hospital in Gaza to declare a ‘victory’ in Gaza. ‘Annihilationist’ Iranian President Ahmadinejad congratulates Haniyeh and Hamas on their ‘victory’. IDF troops withdraw from Gaza in time so as not to embarrass President Obama’s Inauguration, tomorrow. What was this a three week war for votes for the Kadimah Labor bloc? Didn’t work. Likud and the right bloc rises in Israel polls for February 10th general election. Tells me that perhaps the Israeli body polity is smarter than Olmert-Livni-Barak combined on the assessment of Operation Cast Lead.
by Khaled Abu Toameh, Jerusalem Post, Jan. 19, 2009
Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas PM
Hamas agrees to ceasefire, gives IDF week to leave Gaza
The Hamas leader repeated the terror organization’s demand for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Strip, and for the opening of the border crossings.
Haniyeh promised that Hamas would give aid to Palestinian families whose relatives were killed or injured during the war, and said Israeli leaders should be tried for war crimes.
Haniyeh went on to say Hamas’s decision to declare a truce on Sunday was “wise and responsible.”
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Hamas leader in Syria Khaled Mashaal and congratulated him on the “great victory” the Palestinians had achieved over the IDF, the Iranian ISNA news agency reported on Monday morning.
According to the report, Ahmadinejad said that this was “just the beginning of the victory, which will be completed with patience.” (Continue Reading this Article)
Jerry, I agree with your initial premise that the timing of this war was in part motivated by potential political gain for Kadima and Labor. I disagree with your conclusion that it didn’t work out as planned for Labor and Kadima, it did. Barak is being praised by his capable handling of the military, Livni by her statesmanship. Reports suggest that the israeli society is heartbroken by the destruction that was rained on the palestinian civilians, who are viewed as victims! Never mind what has happened to israeli civilians and to Gilad Shalit, who is being left behind and nobody even mentions. Israel, after all is a strong country. This mentality, so prevalent among israelis, make it an electorate that is easily manipulated. Israelis don’t like/trust Netanyahu, who is moving more to the center and away from the right, so even a marginal Likud win would translate to a coalition with Kadima and Labor. In other words, nothing will change in Israel. If the israeli electorate had any smarts, Kadima and Labor should be decimated in the polls leading to the election, unfortunately it doesn’t. Sad but true.
Comment by drjb — January 19, 2009 @ 9:50 am
Nothing will change. Hamas will grow stronger and the next rockets it gets will be capable of reaching Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem. All of Israel will be within firing range simply because Israel’s marshmallow government didn’t want to finish the job when it could have been finished at little to no risk to the IDF.
Comment by NormanF — January 19, 2009 @ 11:04 am
There will be more and there will be better types and from all three sides simultaneously. They are getting what they want, they are succeeding in their plan to make a Palestine from the river to the sea.
Comment by Max — January 19, 2009 @ 11:42 am
And with an ally in the White House it’s no surprise Iran’s dictator and the rest of the world’s jihadists are confident of such a complete victory over Israel.
Comment by Laura — January 19, 2009 @ 5:11 pm