What Else Could Israel Do?

I mean, after all, Israel pulled out of Gaza and look what happened. Hamas began launching rockets against innocent Israeli citizens living in Sderot. They must be crazy. Israel has a right to defend itself. Listen to the evening news and it’s pretty clear who is to blame for this “all out war,” against Hamas in Gaza. (Of course, only one of the sides has planes and tanks or a standing army. On the other side, until Israel’s attack this week, all the Hamas rockets launched during the truce had not killed anyone.) Even President- elect Barack Obama has been shown over and over on television saying, “ If someone fires a rocket onto my house where my daughters sleep at night, I am going to everything in my power to stop them.” So, go, Israel, go. Bomb those Palestinians who don’t want you to control their land, labor and resources. Just like you killed hundreds in Lebanon, and displaced thousands more two summers ago. You have enough congress people in the pocket of AIPAC, enough God approval from the “Christian right,” and you have an American public ignorant of your actions in the Middle East, so you can do anything you wish and our taxpayers will foot the bill. No criticism of Israel allowed. Under the present circumstances, it’s guaranteed.

Of course, rockets, even those rudimentary home made types, though not causing much damage, certainly disrupted everyday life, cannot be tolerated. But could you not find a better way to deal with Gaza’s frustration? Americans think that when you pulled your illegal settlers out of Gaza in 2005, that you were concerned for the Palestinians whose land you had been occupying for 38 years. They are unaware that as soon as you had your people out that you encircled Gaza with a blockade. Although the truce deal required you to open up border terminals, you locked them down, and cut humanitarian aid trucks entering Gaza from 400 a day to about 40 per day, leaving impoverished Palestinians starving for food, fuel, and medicines. Americans do not know that there are actually Palestinian families forced to eat grass in order to survive.[1] Americans do not know that you, Israel, were the first to violate the truce agreement and that during the “truce” the Israeli army killed 22 Palestinians, including many children, wounded 62 and kidnapped 38 residents in the Gaza Strip,” that prior to the latest bombing, you had in fact bombed the supply tunnels into Egypt which were used mainly to smuggle in food and medicine to a sick and hungry people. According to Saed Bannoura, of the International Middle East Media Center, you, Israel, carried out 193 violations before December 18th. But, what else could Israel do?

Well, there are some who wonder why Israel could not consider one of the many plans and offers of peace. “At least ten times since 2006, Hamas has offered peace with Israel in exchange for Israel’s withdrawal to its 1967 borders.” In fact, shortly after being elected Prime Minister of Hamas in 2006, Ismail Haniyah wrote George W. Bush offering a truce and recognition of Israel. Bush did not reply.[2]

Some wonder why Israel barred news reporters from entering Gaza if Israel was so righteous and had nothing to hide. The Palestinians have been begging for international observers for years.

President-elect Obama says that he would do what he could to stop a rocket launcher from threatening his home where his children sleep. Some wonder what he would do if a powerful neighbor built a fence around his house and caused his children to go hungry. Would he seek relief or would he just tell his children to eat grass?

Thomas Are
January 1, 2009
[1] Marie Colvin, Gaza Families eat grass as Israel Locks Border., The Sunday Times, December 14, 2008,
[2] Rachelle Marshall, Middle East Leaders Hold Open Door to Peace. (Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, January 2009) p.7.