As we await the land, sea and air invasion of Gaza for which Israel is gearing up, and the destruction and loss of life we expect, it is not too early to ask ourselves what are the take-aways from this costly conflict.
If we don’t ask and try to discern the WHY, we are doomed to see such tragedies repeated again and again.
To simply say that Hamas hates Israel is not enough. It’s no doubt true that Hamas’s hatred for Israel has been brewing for many years, but WHY? People tend to become the product of their environment. Countless Palestinians have been born, raised and have died under a regime that denies them the basic freedoms they see others enjoy the world over.
This is not a religious war between Islam and Judaism. It’s not an ethnic war between Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs. It’s a human rights war between the haves and the have-nots. I make no apologies for Hamas’s atrocious conduct. It has shown itself to be a pariah, a cruel and short-sighted junta whose actions have wreaked havoc on the people it claims to represent and has set back the legitimate Palestine cause many years.
The denial of basic rights to the Palestinian people is real. It has persisted far too many decades. It is not enough to say that the government’s repressive acts are required to protect Israel from those who wish it harm. I strongly believe that the oppressive policies of right wing governments is counterproductive to Israel’s quest for peace and security, and contrary to the values cherished by most Jews the world over. These policies have created utter desperation, and we have seen the terrible deeds to which desperate people resort. Clearly these policies have never worked in the 56 years since the1967 war when Israel conquered the West Bank and Gaza. Reminds me of the definition of insanity.
No people in the world have been more persecuted than the Jews. I admire how they have struggled against widespread tyranny and gone on to excel in every field and to make enormous contributions the world over. Current Israeli policies imposed in the occupied areas is inexplicable when administered by a people who have suffered a similar fate for so long and in so many places.
Our Government’s blind, unquestioned and enabling endorsement of these policies for so many years is inconsistent with our own values, has done great damage to America’s image among its allies and has frustrated the restoration of basic rights of the Palestinians.
Israeli ultra right wing policies are not good for Israel, not good for Palestinians and not good for America.
– – – – – Just the view of a common man
Views of a Common Man 
Excellent opini
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Well said! it’s starting to look like there is a push to excile the Palestinians in Gaza to Egypt? I heard this morning on BBC an Egyptian diplomat saying Egypt is ready with humanitarian aid and supplies as soon as Israel opens their side of the border but there were a few questions from the BBC correspondent about Egypt allowing the Palestinians to flee Gaza. The Egyptian diplomat was very careful to make the point that Gaza is their home. i took this to mean Egypt does not want to allow a repeat of past wars where Israel ends up creating millions of refugess for their neighbors, then confiscates the land they once occupied.
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Ollie’s well-stated comments “On the Gaza War” in Parts 1 and II are
thoughtful, balanced and engaging.
I recently listened to Madeleine Brand’s interview with Ambassador
Dennis Ross, American diplomat and author. Ross once served as
Director of Policy Planning in the State Department under President
Bush, and as the special Middle East coordinator under President Clinton.
His interesting assessment, among many others, is that Israel is fighting
Hamas, not Palestinians. If Hamas survives it will have won; therefore,
Israel contends that it has no choice but to defeat and destroy Hamas.
I note that Hamas is headquartered in Gaza City which is surrounded
by 1.1 million people of Gaza’s 2.3 million people. The attempted
elimination of Hamas could include thousands of innocent civilians
on both sides. In anticipation of the collateral damage that will be
inflicted on Gaza civilians, the Israelis sent notices to them to evacuate
and relocate in seven areas that will be “safer”. Unfortunately many will
not, or cannot, heed this humanitarian effort. The taking of innocent
hostages by Hamas will not deter the Israelis’ end game of getting rid
of Hamas, the Palestine de facto government in the Gaza Strip.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, may support Hamas but the Shia base in Lebanon
does not want to be pulled into a war. Hopefully Hezbollah will not attempt
to expand the conflict which would, indeed, be a game changer.
Assuming there will be an end to this most recent conflict, there needs to be
changes to dissipate the festering hostility and conflict that could continue to
reoccur periodically. As Ollie addressed, there are some real dire issues that
must be resolved. For nearly 17 years Gaza citizens have been cut off from
the rest of the world. There is 50% unemployment, severe restrictions on
goods and people movement, 80% of its citizens depend on foreign aid, and
Israel controls Gaza’s water, electricity, food, and job opportunities. In a
nutshell, there needs to be some massive reconstruction programs implemented
by politicians who can cut through argument, debate and doubt. The aim of
great leaders should not be for victory, but for peace and progress.
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