(Untitled)

[kateorman]

The thing I want to find out is what Israel's other options are. Everything they're doing right now seems, to my admittedly underinformed eyes, to be counterproductive - at least, if the goal is peace, 'cos that's not always what politicians are trying to accomplish. I want to find out what alternative strategies Israel could use - military tactics

Comments

pollie tix is all about endless talk...

[ajponder]

1) This is a really good question. It's something that needs to be asked because you can't just call atruce and think everything will be alright, usually adversaries have to be more pro-active about the peace process -- as the Americans keep on finding out - it's all very well to shoot up the opposition, but you need to spend money on the civilian population to clean up the mess afterwards because power vacuums and desperation through lack of food and infrustructure etc. tend to lead to enormous problems.

2) I would suggest the Sinn Fein/British model. In other words the desire for peace, respecting the other side has valid points and plenty of TALK. Obviously it's not perfect but it shows what can happen once two apparently irreconcilable sides start talking. And of course this would entail Israel taking some responsibililty for the territories that are/have been under their control

3) To modify behaviour you need CARROT as well as stick.

Unfortunately the people in the Gaza strip have very little to offer so it is pretty much up to UN and Israel to MAKE peace if that's what they truly want. Find a neutral peace negotiator (that the other side are also happy with) have a timeline focussing at first on food. Access to border. Access in some way to medical care, self governance, education etc - including the possibility of education in the west. The problem once things have gone this far is trying to remove the criminal factions and simmering resentments that arise as people turn to more and more desperate measures just to survive.

And how to convince Israel this is all in their best interest? Who knows. Because it's mostly just provision of basic human rights. Living standard and self governance - one would hope they wouldn't need convincing. But if Israel need convincing to stop stealing people's property (confiscating fields and houses)I'm not holding out much hope. Maybe that's another way the UN can make reparations for not forseeing this (long time ago now), or more accurately ignoring those people who did, by coming up with an incentive for Israel - although what it would be I have no idea - and I truly think it would be worth more if Israel stood up and said - hey - you know we were frightened but really we're not any more, and it's in our best interests that you guys are happy (happy people with you know something to lose tend to be less fond of both killing and dying).
Sorry - that's the best incentives I've got.

Shrodinger's box. Is the cat dead? The longer you leave it closed the more likely it is.