JERROLD SOBEL: REMOVING A TUMOR
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Not including this latest spate of violence between the terrorists of Gaza and Israel, over 800 rockets and Mortar attacks have been launched against the the Jewish state since January 2012.
During this period of time, 30 people sustained injuries in March of this year after rocket hits were reported in the southern towns of: Beersheva, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Yavne, and Netivot. Living, if that’s what you wish to call it, the people of Beersheva were lucky when a rocket scored a direct hit on an elementary school but was vacant at the time.
Between June 19-23 of this year, Hamas and affiliated terrorists launched 70 rockets against towns in the western Negev, two civilians were wounded, several sustained minor injuries but equally horrific, many suffered injuries not so readily visible, shock trauma.
Every single week of every month from January 2009 to this writing rockets and mortar shells have been incessantly raining down on the Israeli towns and cities adjacent to Gaza in southern Israel. To their credit, or as some including this writer might say, to their discredit, Israel has been responding with restraint that arguably no other nation with their military resources would.
Trumping the diplomatic blunder of Oslo II signed in September 1995 which created the Palestinian Authority, and the clause never adhered to by the Palestinians: “Neither side shall initiate or take any step that will change the status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip;” was the security fiasco of unilateral withdrawal from Gaza by the Sharon government in August of 2005.
For Sharon’s misconceived effort to improve Israel’s security and international status, the Jewish state has not known anything but violence, kidnappings, death, and destruction over the past seven years. Literally, not a month has passed since her unilateral withdrawal has Israel had a moment’s peace. In fact, less than three years later she was forced to invade Gaza and launch Operation Cast Lead. Then like today, at great cost in blood and treasure, incessant shelling of her border towns and raids conducted by Hamas necessitated this response.
Likewise, prior to the 22 day incursion of Gaza during Operation Cast Lead, to no avail, Israel tried numerous non-military diplomatic efforts to halt the violent rocket attacks from Gaza; appeals to the U.N. Secretary General, as well as appeals to successive presidents of the Security Council all came to naught. Through intermediaries, then Prime Minister Olmert even reached out to the terrorists themselves. Hamas’ response, an escalation of violence.
Then as now Hamas has proven to be a cancerous tumor in Israel’s side which has metastasized since at the behest of friend and foe alike Israel foolishly placed the wishes of others before the security of her own citizens and withdrew her forces before her objective was completed. Having not eviscerated this insidious, terrorist disease four years ago, without a day of remission, Israel today must battle Hamas, more vehement than ever.
Ever emboldened, Hamas, sworn by charter to the total destruction of Israel, is an Iranian client which possess greater amounts of far more powerful and accurate weaponry. She is supported by the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood now in charge of Egypt and bolstered by once moderate but turned radical, Turkey.
As things heat up and the inevitable ground war is set to begin, the usual groundswell of hypocritical condemnation aimed at Israel from the Jackal nations of the world is beginning to intensify.
Paying no attention to the interminable rocket attacks from Gaza and with little concern for the deprivations a million Jews in the outlying area have been suffering since the year 2000, anti-Jewish protests have begun. This past Friday thousands of people across the Middle East, the West, and Europe demonstrated against Israel’s attempt to eliminate the rocket launchers being used against her.
In New York, large crowds gathered in front of the Israeli Consulate chanting Palestinian slogans denouncing Israeli airstrikes. In Egypt, where Mubarak had kept the peace for over 30 years, several thousand protesters came out Friday to demonstrate against the Israeli attacks, chanting “we will go to Gaza in our millions,” swearing to “sacrifice ourselves for you, Palestine.”
In Lebanon, thousands turned up in Palestinian refugee camps in the north and south of the country to show their outrage against “Israeli violence,” shouting “O Qassam, O beloved, bomb and destroy Tel Aviv,” referring to the rocket and the armed wing of Hamas of the same name.
Needles to say, in Iran, over 700 cities saw anti-Israeli protests after Friday’s prayers, including Tehran. Crowds there were chanting “death to Israel” and “death to America.”
The world leaders? Up to this writing and prior to the ground attack the usual calls for restraint from both sides emanate from the world capitals. As if there is equanimity between Israel, a sovereign nation defending herself, and Hamas a terrorist entity sworn to war and perpetual aggression.
Through a spokesman this past Friday, Ban Ki-moon, head of the U.N. stated: “He urgently appeals to all concerned to do everything under their command to stop this dangerous escalation and restore calm. Rocket attacks are unacceptable and must stop at once. Israel must exercise maximum restraint.” Restore calm? there hasn’t been any calm. That’s precisely what Israel is being forced to go to war for.
Maximum restraint? One has to wonder which nation within the World Organization has ever shown more restraint than Israel has under similar circumstances. How many missiles into Texas would it take before the U.S. would obliterate a rogue group from Mexico? The correct answer is probably 1.
The British sent an armada 8000 miles and went to war with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, a speck of land inhabited by more sheep than people.
During the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 Russia fought 2 wars against separatists from the Islamic region of Chechnya. Responding to condemnation for some tactics used during the conflict, then President Yeltsin replied: “You have no right to criticize Russia for Chechnya. We are obliged to put an end to the spread of the cancer of terrorism.” Israel, having abandoned Gaza in pursuit of peace is somehow expected to do less.
If and when the ground attack proceeds, the terrorists are certain to employ their usual tactics. Despite every effort made to avoid collateral damage and despite warnings which no other country has ever given during a time of war, civilian casualties are sure to mount. Most assuredly this will not occur by Israeli intention but by the cowardly placement of rockets, munitions, and fighting personnel in schools, Mosques, hospitals, and private residences by Hamas. As always, more concerned with propagandist benefit than the welfare of their own people, pictures of children with amputated limbs, and others traumatized and disfigured will fill the world media and blogosphere. Staged photo ops and contrived incidents will garner sanctimonious, widespread sympathy and universal condemnation of the Jewish state. What else is new?
Long forgotten, except by the 1,000,000 Israeli citizens living in bomb shelters, will be who started this war and how it could have been avoided. Also forgotten will be where the onus for this death and destruction should lie, Hamas and their patrons.
So what’s different today than before? As mentioned earlier, unlike four years ago, backed by 1.1 billion dollars in American aid and hardware, the Muslim Brotherhood now controls Egypt and supports Hamas to the hilt. Turkey once an ally to Israel is an emergent, Islamic power and now an antagonist. Iran, the puppeteer of global terrorism continually supplies her client Hamas with sophisticated weaponry which as we have seen in recent days can now reach every part of tiny Israel. With good reason, unlike four years ago Hamas sees itself in ascendency.
What are Israel’s options? Simple and clear, benign mediation has proven ineffective, total resection of this tumor known as Hamas must be made now before the negative aggregate of her enemies further coalesce against her. Are there dangers? As in any operation there are inherent risks but palliation is no longer a viable option. The time is here, the time is ripe, the time is now for Israel to forgo the predictable world outcry for a premature cessation of hostilities and eliminate this tumor before it spreads further and destroys her entire body.
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