Gaza, Gaza, Gaza

The IDF closed the investigation into alleged misconduct by IDF forces in Gaza.  I am not sure on what basis the IDF made this decision; there are accounts by soldiers that are on their face extremely problematic.  These accounts have been corroborated by independent accounts from Palestinians.  (The very skeptical will say, 'of course, the Palestinians are lying...do you think they would defend the actions of the IDF.'  I don't think that is entirely out of the question.  However, there are ways of independently verifying these accounts--the details of the Palestinian accounts precisely match the accounts of soldiers to the extent that the information cannot be dismissed out of hand.)

Operation Cast Lead has been extremely problematic for the Israelis.  As I said previously, I'm not sure it was in Israel's best interest--which is my ultimate concern.  Perhaps the goals are clear to the commanders and politicians that conceived and authorized it; but as rockets are still falling (more than 30 in March) and Gilad Shalit is still being held prisoner and now Israel is letting through humanitarian aid--it is difficult to understand the goal since the situation now seems fairly similar to the situation before Operation Cast Lead. 

Yes, I'm willing to concede that there may be goals of which I am not aware; I'm not privy to the decision making at any level.  And yes, maybe we need to wait longer to find out more.  Yet, I think it is fair to ask 2 questions:  Has Operation Cast Lead improved the security of Israel? 2)Is the position/status of Israel today better, worse or the same as it was before Operation Cast Lead?  If Israel is not more secure today and if the position/status of Israel isn't better today...then I think the merit of Cast Lead is called into question.

To me, this underscores one expectation we should have of our leaders:  decisions should be based on cold, hard, facts and an assessment of the reality and realpolitik we confront rather than emotions or to appease political constituencies (yea, good luck with that!).  I feel the same about the United States as I do about Israel in this regard.  

The Continuing Battle of Gaza

The fallout from the Gaza War continues in Israel, although it is not widely reported here.  You can read transcripts of accounts from IDF soldiers here.

This transcript is harrowing.  On the one hand, I cannot argue with the premise that protecting the lives of IDF soldiers is paramount. This is a military theatre in which the distinction between civilian and combatant is blurred by virtue of Hamas' appalling actions.  A young boy could, in fact, be a combatant.  But, he could also just be a young boy in the wrong place.  Thus, on the other hand, I'm not sure how any sophisticated person cannot but feel great ambivalence about these accounts.  

Gideon Levy's column in Haaretz is a particularly harsh critique of the IDF.  This editorial in Haaretz is also worth reading.  This editorial asserts that the declared achievements of Operation Cast Lead are dissipating...if there were in fact any in the first place.

However, the most disturbing bit of news recently, which has received almost no coverage in the United States, is the cottage industry of t-shirts for IDF soldiers and others.  What's wrong?  Well, for example, one t-shirt depicts a soldier next to a woman with bruises with the caption, 'Bet you got raped!'  Citing more examples is meaningless; check out the article and see for yourself.

There is no justification for this.  Whether you believe the Gaza action or any other Israeli action was justified or not, no army in the world should be printing these kinds of shirts.  Clearly, the creation of these t-shirts is more than an innocuous 'boys will be boys' kind of fraternity prank.  There is something more sinister--a complete dehumanization of Palestinians.  

We should know from long, sordid, experience of human inhumanity that once your opponent becomes dehumanized, it is a long climb back to civilization.

Gaza Redux

My bulletin article for the February newsletter spurred a great deal of debate about the Gaza offensive known as Operation Cast Lead.  I argued that war can easily damage our individual and collective psyches.

Now, Israel is in the midst of a growing debate about the conduct of soldiers during Operation Cast Lead.  While a number of news reports have raised this issue over the past weeks, there are now first-hand accounts from IDF soldiers attesting to a rather unfortunate lapse in what the IDF itself is calling 'ethical judgement.'  

War is tragically necessary and profoundly difficult.  Few who serve come out emotionally unscathed.  Personally, I do not 'blame' these young men who are in situations I cannot not imagine.  The point of this, about which I'll write much more, is that civilian leaders--be they Israeli, American, or anyone else--should not undertake lightly the decision to launch a war.

Israel...

Here's a link to an interesting article by Bradley Burston, a columnist for Ha'aretz.  Burston is responding to an essay by Anne Roiphe; I followed the link to the essay, but nothing was there.

He boils down the conflict to one word:  rockets.  He makes a good point, but like all attempts to distill a very complex problem into a single word, it presents A truth, but not the entire truth--which is the entire point.

There is no single truth about this wretched conflict.  Who's right?  Who's wrong?  Those questions are meaningless.  Is it 'their' fault?  Is it 'our' fault?  Who cares any more?  

The goal--real or an utterly unattainable fantasy--is that Israel should be able to live without threat from its neighbors within secure borders.  Peace?  I didn't mention peace.  Peace may or may not come.  Do the Israelis have peace with the Egyptians?  The Jordanians?  Well, they don't have war.

This is what the Israelis want.  We know what the Palestinians may want:  no Israel and no Jews.  We know they can't have that.  So, what now?  Is there anything short of the Israelis packing it in and moving to Canada that will make it possible for their to be no war between the two?

In the long-term, Israel is in the weaker position:  the demographics favor the Palestinians.  So, what do we do?

One actual solution that would have a great chance of working is that every Jew in every part of the world move within the next five years to Israel.  This would have two important consequences.  First, the vast majority of these would be non-Orthodox, centrist or moderate Jews.  The entire Israeli political landscape would change domestically and in foreign affairs. People like Bibi Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman would not be elected.  Second, the demographic equation would alter in favor of Jews.

Obviously, this ain't happening, so we need to have other solutions!

Gaza, Durban

Today a rocket fired from Gaza hit a synagogue in Netivot.  No one was injured and the building was only slightly damaged.  Israel struck back at the notorious 'tunnels.'  

Again, the only question I pose is this:  what course of action will secure Israel's future?  Or, at the very least, contribute to securing Israel's future?  

I've previously referred to a book called 'Terror and Consent,' by Philip Bobbitt.  Bobbitt makes clear that our adversaries (Hamas, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, etc.) simply do not respond in the same manner as previous adversaries (Germany, Japan, etc.).   Israel can bomb Hamas in the 'tit-for-tat' kind of method they've used over the years...but Hamas has no compunction about sending every single man, woman and child to their death.  This makes it very difficult to 'win' a war in sense familiar to the Western World.  

By the way, I urge you to check out the writings of Rabbi Donnel Hartman, co-director of the Shalom Hartman Institute.  One voice, yes, but an important voice.

Meanwhile, Italy is the first EU country to pull out of Durban II.  This is very good news and we can only hope that every other civilized country will follow the lead of Italy, Canada and the United States.  Durban II will be an antisemitic debacle.

Gaza

An Israeli missile killed Khaled Shalan, a leader of Hamas responsible for a number of the rocket attacks on Ashkelon.  What's important to keep in mind, however, is that the 'truce' is a farce and that Hamas continues to pummel southern Israel with relative impunity.  Maybe this assassination (which is what it was) will make some difference...maybe not.  You have to wonder how long this 'status quo' can continue.  The only question, in my mind, is:  what is the most effective mechanism to stop the bombs in the first instance and topple Hamas in the second instance.

Meanwhile, Israel is allowing limited goods to pass through Gaza crossings in a gesture to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the United States.  I think this is wise--certainly good PR, but here, too, it will have no real impact on the actual situation in Gaza.

Israel Elections

Benjamin Netanyahu will likely be sworn in as the Prime Minister of Israel within weeks.  On the most important issue facing Israel, Netanyahu is extremely problematic:  he opposes a fully sovereign Palestinian state, known as the 'two-state' solution. 

What does Bibi support?  He supports Palestinian autonomy with 4 crucial 'caveats:'  No Palestinian control of airspace; no Palestinian control of borders and crossings; no Palestinian control of their own electromagnetic spectrum and no Palestinian military.  He is in favor of Palestinians being able to sell dates and figs.  For more on Bibi, see this editorial in the March 3 edition of Ha'aretz.

Thus far Tzipi Livni has refused to join Bibi's coalition, leaving him to form a coalition with other parties that are further right than he is (Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu wants to expel the Palestinians completely).  One distant possibility is a 'sharing' of government in which Netanyahu would be PM for 2 years and Livni for the other two.  

Israel Update

Rockets continue to fall on Southern Israel.  There is a conference about aid to Gaza. Israel is waiting for a new government to emerge.  Just another day in the Middle East.

Since January 18, when a cease-fire was declared, Hamas has fired 118 rockets into Southern Israel.  Thankfully, no one has been killed. Operation Cast Lead did not work.  

With Secretary of State Clinton in the Middle East, Israel simply cannot launch any response.A  Although PM Olmert has asked for the IDF to prepare for another response, it will have to wait until Clinton has 'left the building.'  But, Israel has a decision to make:  is it going to take out Hamas or not?  

Personally, I advocate taking out Hamas.  Hamas is not simply a terrorist organization...it is now the leader of government.  One 'state' is launching un-provoked attacks on another.  As many people have pointed out, there is no way any country would tolerate a similar situation. The only possible goal of any military action against that state should be the unconditional surrender of that government of the state.  If Israel determines it can be done, it should do it, regardless of public outcry.  If Israel determines it cannot be done, then I do not see the point in launching another round of fighting.