“For the Israelis, this time is different.”
“Hamas has exacted a high price from Israel these past weeks. But it has also awakened a sleeping giant. The question now is whether the Palestinian cause is furthered, or dramatically weakened, by the fear this war has created.”
Read the whole thing. Combine this new Israeli resolve with the public relations disaster this war has been for Hamas and it seems obvious that there will be no easy concessions from the Israelis in any negotiations for years. And that I consider a good thing: The Israelis, as well as a good part of the civilized world, have finally realized that there is no point negotiating with someone who wants to kill you. Only when the Palestinians and the Arabs finally honestly and sincerely accept the presence of Israel will there be any chance for a negotiated settlement. And I don’t expect this anytime soon.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
“Hamas has exacted a high price from Israel these past weeks. But it has also awakened a sleeping giant. The question now is whether the Palestinian cause is furthered, or dramatically weakened, by the fear this war has created.”
Read the whole thing. Combine this new Israeli resolve with the public relations disaster this war has been for Hamas and it seems obvious that there will be no easy concessions from the Israelis in any negotiations for years. And that I consider a good thing: The Israelis, as well as a good part of the civilized world, have finally realized that there is no point negotiating with someone who wants to kill you. Only when the Palestinians and the Arabs finally honestly and sincerely accept the presence of Israel will there be any chance for a negotiated settlement. And I don’t expect this anytime soon.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I agree – I think this newfound resolve among Israelis bodes well. There’s just no point in negotiating some nebulous “peace agreement” that has no chance of really changing anything. Neville Chamberlain found that out the hard way…
Especially now that islamistic terrorists are, or at least give the impression of being, very successful in different parts of the Middle East, it is important to give them a big and humiliating defeat. I would think that it would give many “moderate arabs” who now consider to opportunistically join with the extremists one way or another, a good second thought about what it would mean for their own future if they did so, if Israel totally eliminated Hamas.
“Have finally realized”, that’s funny to read that thought in that sentence. Strategy, which includes other country’s and organizations agendas like the U.N. is a function of political opinions and needs based in politics. Counter balanced against the Israeli need for moral (from their point of view), existential measures to ensure their survival.
The Israelis, as would anyone or country in their position have always known what must be done to ensure their existence whether any one else agreed with them or not. What has allowed the situation to fester to the point that these kind of ongoing crisis is the insistence that Israel not do what must be done (from their point of view).
Like I said, “Have finally realized” is funny to read in your opinion.
Until relatively recently there was a large contingent of Israelis and American Jews who refused to recognize the desire of Hamas and many Arabs to kill them. Seems absurd but it is true nonetheless. That contingent has evaporated, in Israel at least. I suspect it has also shrunk in the U.S. as well.
I would think that an Israeli who lives in Israel who might, maybe have had a doubt about what the intent was and what must be done in order to take care of business now fully understands what they are up against and have readjusted their opinion. Although that would be one confused Jew IMO.
I would agree with you wholeheartedly about the American Jew and their apparent inability to recognize what must be done. I have many Jewish friends that confuse themselves constantly. I suppose it is because of the luxury of distance and safety that allows such ignorant behavior.
I have one female former liberal Jewish friend who has seen the light, one.
The current ‘regime’ should be (but won’t) ashamed by the lack of support if Israel…
Maybe the silent majority of American Jews will turnout in November, as well as 2016 in a complete dissolution of the liberal ideology that has plaque the USA for decades?
We can hope this for us and Israel.