This was very very well written, and in many ways echos my own reaction to the situation (believe it or not) :)
It is terribly complex, and I fear that there are really no right answers. All the answers I can think of seem wrong. I'm just hoping that some clever diplomatic people can find a solution that is better than any of the ones I can see.
In this situation I find myself with far less anger at Israel than I felt during the Lebanon war. I have been trying to figure out why that is, but it isn't clear to me. Maybe it is because Israel's goals are a bit clearer and somewhat more achievable? Maybe it is because in this case they aren't attacking another sovereign country because of the actions of a group inside that country that the government doesn't control? I mean that is one difference. Hamas IS the government of Gaza. The people of Gaza are no less innocent than the people of Lebanon, but the guys who control Gaza are the ones at fault in this case, so that is a difference. I don't know.
No matter what Israel does in this situation, they lose, as you have noted. It is arguable that losing without killing a bunch of people and causing destruction might be preferable. On the other hand, if there is ever going to be peace, the other side has to be brought to a place where they are willing to actually make a deal and keep it, and I don't think pure niceness is going to work with these people. See, I'm as conflicted as you are.
I'm trying to reconcile my view that violence isn't an answer, with my other view that in the case of Al Quaida and the Taliban, because they are armed and crazy, the only possible solution is their complete elimination. And if I think THAT, then, while I feel the Palestinian situation is far less black and white (Hamas are assholes and intolerant, but they aren't religious crazies a la the Taliban) I can see what drives Israel to try military solutions.
And you know, let's not kid ourselves. If Mexicans started lobbing missiles at Texas, would the US not react militarily? Granted we'd probably just occupy an area for 50 years or so, but then that has its own drawbacks which are complicated in the crowded setting of a place like Gaza.
The people I've seen and heard in the media trying to explain the Hamas side have told a bunch of absurd whoppers like "Hamas didn't fire any rockets. We have searched for the people who fired them and have found no-one so we must conclude that they were fired by Israeli sypmathizers" Yeah, right. Or "Hamas did not break the cease-fire. Israel did by blockading Gaza"
Why would anyone buy that kind of nonsense? However that latter quote does make a point. It IS as untenable for Gaza to be cut off as it is for Israel to just keep absorbing rocket attacks. That action DOES target the civilians just as much as rockets vaguely aimed at Israeli towns. I understand why it was done, and the security requirements behind it, but I think a way has to be found to stop closing Gaza's borders, because that is the main valid argument that Hamas has, and it needs to be taken away from them.
In the land of pipe dreams, I truly wish the Jews had never gone to Palestine. It seemed like a noble idea, but that action has cause so much suffering on all sides that it should never have been. Unlike you, I am an anti-zionist. I don't believe the people who moved there to create a Jewish state had the slightest right to do so any more than the Europeans who came here and decimated the Native Americans had. Both of those actions were wrong, but they're in the past and we don't want to un-make Israel any more than we want to unmake the USA.
The parallel is actually pretty apt. The Native Americans are our Palestinians, and look what we've done to them. Surely Israel can find a better solution than we did. :(
Wow. Look at the ramble you just inspired! :)
Anyway, I'm with you on the ambivalence. Philosophically I lean the opposite way that you do, but I keep finding myself at this point hoping that the IDF is successful so that all of this hasn't happened for NOTHING.
One thing I would suggest, if you aren't already doing it. Pray for the people in Gaza too. They need all the help they can get.
It is terribly complex, and I fear that there are really no right answers. All the answers I can think of seem wrong. I'm just hoping that some clever diplomatic people can find a solution that is better than any of the ones I can see.
In this situation I find myself with far less anger at Israel than I felt during the Lebanon war. I have been trying to figure out why that is, but it isn't clear to me. Maybe it is because Israel's goals are a bit clearer and somewhat more achievable? Maybe it is because in this case they aren't attacking another sovereign country because of the actions of a group inside that country that the government doesn't control? I mean that is one difference. Hamas IS the government of Gaza. The people of Gaza are no less innocent than the people of Lebanon, but the guys who control Gaza are the ones at fault in this case, so that is a difference. I don't know.
No matter what Israel does in this situation, they lose, as you have noted. It is arguable that losing without killing a bunch of people and causing destruction might be preferable. On the other hand, if there is ever going to be peace, the other side has to be brought to a place where they are willing to actually make a deal and keep it, and I don't think pure niceness is going to work with these people. See, I'm as conflicted as you are.
I'm trying to reconcile my view that violence isn't an answer, with my other view that in the case of Al Quaida and the Taliban, because they are armed and crazy, the only possible solution is their complete elimination. And if I think THAT, then, while I feel the Palestinian situation is far less black and white (Hamas are assholes and intolerant, but they aren't religious crazies a la the Taliban) I can see what drives Israel to try military solutions.
And you know, let's not kid ourselves. If Mexicans started lobbing missiles at Texas, would the US not react militarily? Granted we'd probably just occupy an area for 50 years or so, but then that has its own drawbacks which are complicated in the crowded setting of a place like Gaza.
The people I've seen and heard in the media trying to explain the Hamas side have told a bunch of absurd whoppers like "Hamas didn't fire any rockets. We have searched for the people who fired them and have found no-one so we must conclude that they were fired by Israeli sypmathizers" Yeah, right. Or "Hamas did not break the cease-fire. Israel did by blockading Gaza"
Why would anyone buy that kind of nonsense? However that latter quote does make a point. It IS as untenable for Gaza to be cut off as it is for Israel to just keep absorbing rocket attacks. That action DOES target the civilians just as much as rockets vaguely aimed at Israeli towns. I understand why it was done, and the security requirements behind it, but I think a way has to be found to stop closing Gaza's borders, because that is the main valid argument that Hamas has, and it needs to be taken away from them.
In the land of pipe dreams, I truly wish the Jews had never gone to Palestine. It seemed like a noble idea, but that action has cause so much suffering on all sides that it should never have been. Unlike you, I am an anti-zionist. I don't believe the people who moved there to create a Jewish state had the slightest right to do so any more than the Europeans who came here and decimated the Native Americans had. Both of those actions were wrong, but they're in the past and we don't want to un-make Israel any more than we want to unmake the USA.
The parallel is actually pretty apt. The Native Americans are our Palestinians, and look what we've done to them. Surely Israel can find a better solution than we did. :(
Wow. Look at the ramble you just inspired! :)
Anyway, I'm with you on the ambivalence. Philosophically I lean the opposite way that you do, but I keep finding myself at this point hoping that the IDF is successful so that all of this hasn't happened for NOTHING.
One thing I would suggest, if you aren't already doing it. Pray for the people in Gaza too. They need all the help they can get.
Stay as safe as possible. *hugs*
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