PrintJanuary 9, 2009
Israel's non-war
According to FM Tsippi Livni, Israel's goals are: "halting the rocket fire and terror from Gaza, stopping the smuggling into Gaza, and international supervision."Boldly, she insisted: "We don't sign agreements with terror; we fight terror."But that has not been her policy up to now. In fact, the Israeli government allowed smuggling and did not respond vigorously to rocket attacks; international supervision is an admitted failure. Having once agreed to a cease-fire with Hamas, the Israeli government is under pressure to renew the process. Despite its losses, this would be a clear victory for Hamas. Aware that they cannot win a conventional war with Israel, Hamas will accept de facto recognition as a consolation prize, and wait for the next round. Israel's current action in Gaza is the direct result of past failures: the failure to adhere to "red lines" despite years of rocket attacks and terrorism; the failure to heed warnings of what...(Read Full Article)
