Israeli society more cruel than ever
Despite the heavy blow dealt to Hamas by the IDF, the improvement of the security situation in the South and the lower-than-expected number of casualties during combat, something very bad happened to Israeli society during the 22-day offensive in Gaza - dubbed Operation Cast Lead. On the ethical and moral front, the war in Gaza exposed the many weaknesses of Israeli society. 650 innocent Palestinians, including 220 children, were killed and no one spoke up. Accept the cease-fire
The recent Knesset decision opposing a major IDF invasion of Gaza was not made in vain. Even if the reasons to go ahead with such plans seem justified and public support is wide, the ministers along with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak know that the chances of a large operation achieving its goals are slim. If IDF soldiers were to enter the crowded refugee camps, they would be forced to contend with a society that is hostile and starving under a suffocating siege that has been in place for over a year, a society that thinks that it stands nothing to lose. Beyond the hundreds of casualties that both sides would suffer, an Israeli offensive would unite Palestinian society as a whole behind Hamas and the images of Israeli tanks chasing Palestinian children will once again return to TV screens worldwide. A dangerous coalition
The closer we move towards Annapolis, the faster we witness how the original agenda - which was supposed to play a major role in the parley - is dissipating before our very eyes. Following pressure from Right-wing parties, spearheaded by Yisrael Beitenu and its leader Avigdor Lieberman, core issues such as Jerusalem, refugees and borders have been removed from the conference's agenda. Threats to dismantle Olmerts coalition have left almost nothing to talk about. |
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