Israel Hits Another UN School before Ceasing Fire
Israeli military shelled yet a fourth UN school--where 1600 refugees from the vast swathe of destruction wrought by Israeli airstrikes-- were huddling. The Israelis killed two little boys and wounded a dozen other refugees.
Is there a point connected to this? Just asking.
"The key to achieving this is to inflict massive pain on the Palestinians so that they come to accept the fact that they are a defeated people and that Israel will be largely responsible for controlling their future. This strategy, which was first articulated by Ze’ev Jabotinsky in the 1920s and has heavily influenced Israeli policy since 1948, is commonly referred to as the “Iron Wall.”
What has been happening in Gaza is fully consistent with this strategy."
1) Can you provide citations that prove the authenticity of this supposed statement by Jabotinsky?
2) To claim that a supposed 'strategy" articulated nearly a hundred years ago is still at work today makes about as much sense as that Barack Obama is continuing a strategic policy first articulated by Teddy Roosevelt. There might be some elements that are the same, but times change. Well, maybe not for you
"....How did Israel behave during this same period? It continued arresting and assassinating Palestinians on the West Bank, and it continued the deadly blockade that was slowly strangling Gaza. Then on Nov. 4, as Americans voted for a new president, Israel attacked a tunnel inside Gaza and killed six Palestinians. It was the first major violation of the ceasefire, and the Palestinians—who had been “careful to maintain the ceasefire,” according to Israel’s Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center—responded by resuming rocket attacks.
OK. Let's deal with this.
First, provide sources for your statement about assassinations on the West Bank.
Secnd, why was there a blockade? Why exactly did Israel attack the tunnel? Was this really a "violation?"
You use a part of an Israel Intelligence Report about Hamas being "careful to maintain the cease fire." Either you didn't find this report yourself, or you didn't read beyond what satisfied your prejudices. My money is on the former, but, never mind, here is a link to the actual report.
<link>
Herewith some excerpts:
A period of relative quiet between June 19 and November 4 : As of June 19, there was a marked reduction in the extent of attacks on the western Negev population. The lull was sporadically violated by rocket and mortar shell fire, carried out by rogue terrorist organizations, in some instance in defiance of Hamas (especially by Fatah and Al-Qaeda supporters). Hamas was careful to maintain the ceasefire. The IDF refrained from undertaking counterterrorism activities in the Gaza Strip, taking only routine defensive security measures along the border fence. Between June 19 and November 4, 20 rockets (three of which fell inside the Gaza Strip) and 18 mortar shells (five of which fell inside the Gaza Strip) were fired at Israel .
But you left this part out, didn't you?
ii) The escalation and erosion of the lull arrangement, November 4 to the time of this writing, December 17 2: On November 4 the IDF carried out a military action close to the border security fence on the Gazan side to prevent an abduction planned by Hamas, which had dug a tunnel under the fence to that purpose. Seven Hamas terrorist operatives were killed during the action. In retaliation, Hamas and the other terrorist organizations attacked Israel with a massive barrage of rockets. Since then, 191 rockets and 138 mortar shells have been fired. The attacks have been continuous and some were carried out by weapons not previously used, such as 122mm standard Grad rockets and 120mm mortar shells. Hamas has been directly involved in the attacks in cooperation with the other terrorist organizations.
Conclusion: It is safe to say that the lull arrangement, especially its first period, provided a breathing-space in the daily fighting between Israel and Hamas. During that time there was also a significant increase in the amount of goods delivered to the Gaza Strip through the crossings. However, when the terrorist organizations began a policy of continuous rocket and mortar shell attacks against Israel , accompanied by other forms of terrorism, the lull arrangement was eroded to the point where it remained only on paper as its first six months drew to a close.
If you take the time to peruse the entire report, you might find it eye-opening, though I doubt it. And please don't complain that I'm using some kind of biased Israeli source. You started it, I'm just hitting back.
It is worth noting that not a single Israeli was killed by Palestinian missiles between Nov. 4 and the launching of the war on Dec. 27"
And aside from that being blind luck, what's your point?
"As the violence increased, Hamas made clear that it had no interest in extending the ceasefire beyond Dec. 19, which is hardly surprising, since it had not worked as intended. In mid-December, however, Hamas informed Israel that it was still willing to negotiate a long-term ceasefire if it included an end to the arrests and assassinations as well as the lifting of the blockade. But the Israelis, having used the ceasefire to prepare for war against Hamas, rejected this overture. The bombing of Gaza commenced eight days after the failed ceasefire formally ended."
Please provide your source for this statement, though, considering the line I highlighted in bold face, it's probably nothing but an Arab Propaganda site.
And, if you're thinking of sending me back to your Patrick Buchanan Anti-Semitic website, please don't bother. And please don't tell me that Buchanan isn't an anti-Semite.
And, BTW, Mearscheimer and his co-con artist Walt, have been shown up numerous times to have falsified their so-called evidence. They are totally discredited for everyone but the Jew-haters.
