In an editorial today, the Washington Post says that newly-appointed Middle East Envoy George Mitchell ought to make stopping Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank his priority.
Even setting aside for now the argument that Israel won the West Bank in a defensive war and "to the victor, go the spoils," we're a far ways away from even considering what should be the final disposition of the West Bank.
The existence of Israeli communities in the West Bank is not what is preventing peace. Rather, the problem rests, as it always has, with Palestinian intransigence and their unwavering commitment to Israel's eventual destruction.
Gaza offers all the proof necessary of this fact. In Gaza, Israel vacated every last settlement and settler, giving the Palestinians a chance to build their state and demonstrate their commitment to living in peace. They blew that chance. Instead, they elected Hamas, despite its history of blowing up busses and other civilian targets in Israel. Hamas thanked Palestinians by turning Gaza into a launching pad for a rocket war on Israel.
Considering that Palestinians squandered the opportunity in Gaza, the last thing that ought to be considered now is allowing them to squander another opportunity in the West Bank.
Until the Palestinians get their act together, throw out their terrorist leaders, and reject violence once and for all, may Israeli settlements and settlers be "fruitful and multiply." Maybe then, once Palestinians see this happening, they will reconsider and begin making the right choices. Until then, let them suffer and learn from their wrong ones.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Secretly, Arab Leaders Are Thrilled By Israel's Actions
Egypt's foreign minister blasted the United Nations for failing to stop Israel's "aggression," while a Jordanian government spokesman predicted Israel's "invasion" would have "dangerous repercussions and negative effects" on security and stability in the region.
Are these countries, who've signed peace treaties with Israel, really that outraged by Israel's actions? While their people may be, as evidenced by street protests, their leaders, secretly, are thrilled.
To placate the masses and, in particular, members of the Muslim Brotherhood and other radicals living in Egypt and Jordan, leaders of these countries spare no effort to condemn Israel's actions. But, behind their palaces' walls, they couldn't be more relieved that Israel is doing their dirty work for them -- rolling back the influence and military capabilities of one of the region's deadliest terrorist groups, Hamas, responsible for dozens of suicide attacks that killed hundreds of Israeli civilians since October 2000.
Hamas and, with it, Iran are growing influences in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and by extension, in Lebanon and Syria, as well. In pursuing Israel's destruction and the eventual establishment of Islamic regimes, Hamas threatens the stability and security of not only Israel and Palestinians, but Egypt and Jordan, who couldn't be happier to see Hamas under attack. If only leaders of these countries were courageous enough to admit so publicly.
Are these countries, who've signed peace treaties with Israel, really that outraged by Israel's actions? While their people may be, as evidenced by street protests, their leaders, secretly, are thrilled.
To placate the masses and, in particular, members of the Muslim Brotherhood and other radicals living in Egypt and Jordan, leaders of these countries spare no effort to condemn Israel's actions. But, behind their palaces' walls, they couldn't be more relieved that Israel is doing their dirty work for them -- rolling back the influence and military capabilities of one of the region's deadliest terrorist groups, Hamas, responsible for dozens of suicide attacks that killed hundreds of Israeli civilians since October 2000.
Hamas and, with it, Iran are growing influences in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and by extension, in Lebanon and Syria, as well. In pursuing Israel's destruction and the eventual establishment of Islamic regimes, Hamas threatens the stability and security of not only Israel and Palestinians, but Egypt and Jordan, who couldn't be happier to see Hamas under attack. If only leaders of these countries were courageous enough to admit so publicly.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
"Thanks for Calling"
Palestinians in Gaza should be telling Israel, "Thanks for calling."
According to Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel has made some 90,000 telephone calls to Palestinians in Gaza advising them to vacate whatever structure they're in before Israel bombs it. Hamas has been locating its military operations in or near civilian buildings, hoping to protect them from attack. And, Israel, has been gracious enough to give Palestinians, who know that Hamas members operate among them, a chance to get out and save their lives.
The cost to Israel is that it runs missions against targets given advance warning and risks not hitting whatever persons or weapons it intends to destroy.
Israel also has been dropping leaflets over Gaza telling people stay away from Hamas members and facilities.
What other nation in the world would make such an effort to protect civilian populations? None. What international media outlet would bother to report this extremeand unprecedented act of goodwill? Again, probably none.
According to Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel has made some 90,000 telephone calls to Palestinians in Gaza advising them to vacate whatever structure they're in before Israel bombs it. Hamas has been locating its military operations in or near civilian buildings, hoping to protect them from attack. And, Israel, has been gracious enough to give Palestinians, who know that Hamas members operate among them, a chance to get out and save their lives.
The cost to Israel is that it runs missions against targets given advance warning and risks not hitting whatever persons or weapons it intends to destroy.
Israel also has been dropping leaflets over Gaza telling people stay away from Hamas members and facilities.
What other nation in the world would make such an effort to protect civilian populations? None. What international media outlet would bother to report this extremeand unprecedented act of goodwill? Again, probably none.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
A Bittersweet Battle in Gaza
Israel's attack on Hamas in Gaza, which started today, is a bittersweet moment.
It's relieving to see Hamas, which has been firing rockets into southern Israel for months and still holds IDF soldier Gilat Shalit for over two years, finally feeling some pain. Hopefully, Israel will be relentless in its attacks and force upon Hamas a new reality in which it understands a price will be paid for any future instigation.
However, today's violence is, undeniably, also terribly saddening. Palestinians in Gaza could have been better off had it not been for Hamas. Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in August 2005 offered an opportunity for the Palestinians there to exercise self-rule and establish a nascent state. Hamas failed them, but Palestinians also failed themselves for electing Hamas to power. As a Ha'aretz columnist wrote, "Nothing has been more instrumental in harming the cause of Palestinian independence than Hamas."
It's relieving to see Hamas, which has been firing rockets into southern Israel for months and still holds IDF soldier Gilat Shalit for over two years, finally feeling some pain. Hopefully, Israel will be relentless in its attacks and force upon Hamas a new reality in which it understands a price will be paid for any future instigation.
However, today's violence is, undeniably, also terribly saddening. Palestinians in Gaza could have been better off had it not been for Hamas. Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in August 2005 offered an opportunity for the Palestinians there to exercise self-rule and establish a nascent state. Hamas failed them, but Palestinians also failed themselves for electing Hamas to power. As a Ha'aretz columnist wrote, "Nothing has been more instrumental in harming the cause of Palestinian independence than Hamas."
Instead of building a state, Hamas began building an army, with dozens of new security installations, thousands of new recruits, and tens of thousands of rockets and anti-aircraft missiles smuggled via Egypt.
Hamas and Palestinian Authority leaders need to be pressured to help Palestinians along a different path toward reconciliation with Israel. Unfortunately, they won't hear that from Israel's closest Arab allies. Egypt reportedly condemned Israel's attacks today, which Jordan's King Abdullah said "targeted innocent women and children." These Arab "allies" should know better. They should put the blame squarely on Hamas, not Israel.
Instead, the relief from Hamas rule which Palestinians deserve will be delayed and will come only once Palestinians, collectively, have tired of war and rise up against their corrupt rulers demanding change. If that time comes only in a hundred or more years, so be it. For only then will a lasting peace be within reach.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Abbas's True Colors
The United States, and much of the rest of the world, often makes out Palestinian President Mahmous Abbas to be a "moderate" committed to peace with Israel. They do so because they want to see the "peace process" move forward, and for this happen, they have legitimized Abbas as the sole representative of the Palestinian people. But Abbas continues to demonstrate weak leadership when it comes to taking steps necessary to forge a lasting peace.
This weekend in Hebron, for example, on his first ever visit there since becoming Palestinian President in 2005, Abbas reportedly told Palestinians "Hebron is ours" and that every Jewish settler must leave Hebron for there to be peace.
If there were true peace, Jews and Palestinians would live alongside each other, without any forced relocations. To foster reconciliation, Abbas should instill in Palestinians coexistence with Jews, instead of advocating separation. He should publicly and repeatedly call upon Palestinians to bury the hatchet and welcome Jews as permanent neighbors and not for their ouster. Abbas's refusal to do so demonstrates, once again, that he is a coward, a failed leader, and that his true pursuit is the elimination of the Jewish presence from historic Palestine one part at a time.
This weekend in Hebron, for example, on his first ever visit there since becoming Palestinian President in 2005, Abbas reportedly told Palestinians "Hebron is ours" and that every Jewish settler must leave Hebron for there to be peace.
If there were true peace, Jews and Palestinians would live alongside each other, without any forced relocations. To foster reconciliation, Abbas should instill in Palestinians coexistence with Jews, instead of advocating separation. He should publicly and repeatedly call upon Palestinians to bury the hatchet and welcome Jews as permanent neighbors and not for their ouster. Abbas's refusal to do so demonstrates, once again, that he is a coward, a failed leader, and that his true pursuit is the elimination of the Jewish presence from historic Palestine one part at a time.
Israeli Papers Call for Tough Response
I'm glad to see that three major Israeli dailies, including left-wing Ha'aretz, agree with me that, in the face of constant rocket fire by Palestinians in Gaza, Israel must restore its deterrence.
Ha'aretz says to "leave no stone unturned" to restore calm but, sadly, stops short of endorsing the only meaningful action that would be effective -- military action. Right-of-center Yisrael Hayom, on the other hand, gets it exactly right, advising that military action would make Israel's enemies "think twice" before firing more rockets.
By sitting on its hands, Israel's current government thinks it wins itself sympathy and goodwill internationally. This is unlikely. With few exceptions, the world will be no more willing to see Israel's point of view and allow it to action it feels is necessary, whenever that might be. The effect of Israel's hesitance is to make it appear weak and vulnerable and to further erode its image as a strong, vibrant country not worth bullying.
Ha'aretz says to "leave no stone unturned" to restore calm but, sadly, stops short of endorsing the only meaningful action that would be effective -- military action. Right-of-center Yisrael Hayom, on the other hand, gets it exactly right, advising that military action would make Israel's enemies "think twice" before firing more rockets.
By sitting on its hands, Israel's current government thinks it wins itself sympathy and goodwill internationally. This is unlikely. With few exceptions, the world will be no more willing to see Israel's point of view and allow it to action it feels is necessary, whenever that might be. The effect of Israel's hesitance is to make it appear weak and vulnerable and to further erode its image as a strong, vibrant country not worth bullying.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Israel Shouldn't Beg for a Ceasefire
Hamas says a "ceasefire" with Israel since June is over. Hamas won't extend the ceasefire because Israel has blockaded the Gaza Strip and conducted periodic raids there in response to rocket fire and terrorist planning. Israel wished to see the ceasefire continue.
Hamas is importing advanced weapons into Gaza via Egypt, and it continues to hold IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, whom it captured in a cross-border raid two and a half years ago. Now, Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorists are renewing rocket fire into Israel in an attempt to provoke an escalation.
The solution to this nonsense out of Gaza is for Israel to send a strong, unequivocal message that violence from there will not be tolerated. And preventing attempts to seize additional soldiers requires sending a strong message that the price for doing so is simply too high.
When Hamas seized Shalit, Israel should have undertood, like is the case with Hizballah in Lebanon, that the terrorists did not intend to return him alive. Israel should have launched a rescue as soon as possible and pounded Hamas targets until the group either relented or understood that provoking Israel simply is too costly. Gaza should suffer such overwhelming force from Israel that its terrorist rulers would never again contemplate provoking Israel. The price of doing so must be judged as simply too high. Israel must reestablish deterrence.
Hamas is importing advanced weapons into Gaza via Egypt, and it continues to hold IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, whom it captured in a cross-border raid two and a half years ago. Now, Hamas and other Gaza-based terrorists are renewing rocket fire into Israel in an attempt to provoke an escalation.
The solution to this nonsense out of Gaza is for Israel to send a strong, unequivocal message that violence from there will not be tolerated. And preventing attempts to seize additional soldiers requires sending a strong message that the price for doing so is simply too high.
When Hamas seized Shalit, Israel should have undertood, like is the case with Hizballah in Lebanon, that the terrorists did not intend to return him alive. Israel should have launched a rescue as soon as possible and pounded Hamas targets until the group either relented or understood that provoking Israel simply is too costly. Gaza should suffer such overwhelming force from Israel that its terrorist rulers would never again contemplate provoking Israel. The price of doing so must be judged as simply too high. Israel must reestablish deterrence.
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