February 8, 2009

Deluded Are the Peacemakers

By Dexter Van Zile
The IDF has withdrawn its troops from the Gaza Strip but the debate over who bears responsibility for the Palestinian deaths caused by Israel's attack on Hamas will continue for the foreseeable future - probably until the next round of fighting. On an international level, commentators as Christopher Gunness, spokesperson for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians in the Near East (UNWRA), will maintain that "any military commander would know" that attacks on Hamas in a densely populated area like the Gaza Strip would invariably cause civilian casualties and as a consequence, Israel bears the moral responsibility for the carnage that took place during the fighting.For Gunness, the knowledge that civilian casualties would result from an attack on Hamas is somehow enough to prevent them. Under this rubric, Israel is expected to either come up with another way to stop the rocket attacks, or tolerate them. Sadly, finesse and forbearance can only get a...(Read Full Article)