"This world is ruled by violence, but that's better left unsaid." ~ DylanWhen my brother Ron was eleven and I thirteen, there was a lot of conflict between us because though we had been close, I was now imagining myself more grown up. For sure I had more school work to do, and my passion for sports and interest in girls wasn't as fully developed yet in my younger sibling.
We used to get into a lot of fights during that period. I remember vividly on one occasion where I was at my desk doing homework in my room. Ron came in, hit me on the back and scampered out. I ignored him. A little later the imp repeated the annoying attack, and I continued to ignore him. It must of been five or six times this happened before I sprang into action. Actually, I was waiting for him at this point and when he hit me, like an uncoiling spring I leaped up, chased him down and gave him a very solid punch on the arm. My intention was to hurt him and I hurt him. He cried and ran to mom.
Mom could be wise in these things. She knew what was going on and listened to both sides of the story. I was not punished in this instance. This is not to say that I was always right nor even right to use violence. The story is intended to note that there is more than meets the eye to even a simple incident like that one.
Today, Israeli ground troops entered Gaza after a week of air strikes. The Pope has called for a cease fire. The ELCA Presiding Bishop has called for a ceasefire. The British Prime Minister has called for a cease fire. London demonstrators are calling for a cease fire. Hollywood stars are even weighing in, calling for a cease fire.
If one compares the Hamas to my brother's annoying interruptions, who is going to stop them if not the one who continues to be hit? Despite the pummeling by the Israeli army, the Hamas has not discontinued lobbing missiles into Israel.According to the Wall Street Journal, Israel's policy is perfectly proportionate and that Hamas are the real war criminals in this conflict. (As if violence that destroys innocents can ever be "perfectly" proportionate.)
Another variable here is the upcoming Israeli election in February. My brother, who visited Israel in December, says that the fighting will continue until the election. There's a political aspect to this invasion that to my knowledge has not appeared in the U.S. press.
I am not one who believes in the notion of "Israel right or wrong." I do know that both sides have an axe to grind. And I have no clue how we will ever see peace in the Middle East, which is pretty sad.
At a blog for the United Church I read this statement yesterday: "We at Churches for Middle East Peace mourn the loss of life on both sides and call now on the United States to exercise bold leadership to immediately end the violence, restore the cease-fire and lift the blockade of Gaza's borders."
But amidst the comments at the United Church of Christ blog, this one shines light from a different angle. "It's time to stop pretending that a cease fire equals peace. A cease fire to Hamas only gives them time to re-arm and attack Israel when they are stronger militarily. They do not desire peace with Israel - they do not desire a co-existence with Israel. They do not even allow for Israel's right to exist."
Which is why there is weeping in Jerusalem.
4 comments:
>>>>>>>>>>>According to the Wall Street Journal, Israel's policy is perfectly proportionate and that Hamas are the real war criminals in this conflict. (As if violence that destroys innocents can ever be "perfectly" proportionate.)
According to Haaretz, from Israel: "The ground invasion was preceded by large-scale artillery shelling from around 4 P.M., intended to "soften" the targets as artillery batteries deployed along the Strip in recent days began bombarding Hamas targets and open areas near the border. Hundreds of shells were fired, including cluster bombs aimed at open areas."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052331.html
Those cluster bombs will be killing and maiming civilians (mostly children) far into the future, as US cluster bombs are still killing and maiming children, here in Laos.
The cluster bombs the Israelis are using are of US origin, and are forbidden by almost every nation in the world.
I looked up the word "proportionate" in the dictionary. It means "agreeing in amount, magnitude, or degree".
If your brother is swatting you in the back of the head, and you give him a punch in the arm, that would fit into that meaning of proportionate.
If I had a neighbor who was taking pot shots with a rifle at my place, by shooting up in the air from a 1/4 mile away, it would be very upsetting, and would make me very angry -- especially if one of the bullets killed one of my family. But if I sent several large bombs into his general neighborhood, killing 100 of his neighbors and family (probably missing him), and making the ground lethal to children for the foreseeable future, it would be NOT be proportionate.
The Wall Street Journal is twisting the English language into utter nonsense.
There's been an average of maybe 10 rockets a day, coming out of Gaza. These are not large bombs; they're small rockets and hand-fired mortar shells, fired mostly undercover, at night.
Here's the list of all (as claimed by Israel), during 2008. I think my estimate of 10 a day is actually very high. I didn't add them all up and divide by 365:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rocket_and_mortar_attacks_in_Israel_in_2008Also, Israel has Mossad, which is at least as sophisticated as the CIA. Sending in undercover commando teams to take out isolated rocket launchers would pit military men against military men. This would be a much more proportionate response than a major bombing campaign (including cluster bombs), plus a massive ground invasion.
I understand all that. What I do not understand is why Hamas is doing the taunting? What do they stand to gain by that? Are they trying to incite a war and get other players to jump in? Are they trying to draw attention to Israeli injustices? (They need a better PR firm, then.)
Israel's motive can be explained in a few ways. I suggested the one, that there is an election coming in Feb. The ruling party now is LESS hawkish than the one in the wings, and might be doing this for the purpose of showing they are "strong" and tough... in order to maintain power. A pure Machiavellian move, which is ironic for a nation which claims its foundation as God...
Yes, your suggestion does seem sensible... Delta teams taking out the rocket launchers. Instead we have blockades, hunger, massive deaths of innocents.
What will it take to bring peace?
The rockets and mortars have killed roughly 5 Israelis, and injured more. According to the Wikipedia article which is obviously slanted toward the Israeli government view, the majority of the injured were injured "by shock".
Is the shooting of these almost ridiculously ineffectual rockets and mortars actually the official policy of the Hamas government, or is it just a few embittered and desperate -- or perhaps just loony -- bad apples who are doing it?
No matter, punishing an entire people either for the actions of their government, OR for the actions of a few, were both declared war crimes after WWII, as the world reacted in horror against the Holocaust.
One poster on ThinkProgress noted that the Jews trapped in the Warsaw ghetto also committed sabotage against the Germans whenever they had the opportunity. Though that too was ineffectual, in retrospect, THEY are cheered for it. It by no means justified the Germans blockading and burning the ghetto.
What will it take to bring peace?
"And There Shall Be Wars." (I didn't like that title in the beginning, but now I think it's very appropriate.) And the big poster that dad had hanging in the basement most of my life: "Only the dead have seen the end to war." (Plato)
I do not dare claim with certainty that I know there will be a final Judgment Day. I CAN say, though, I certainly HOPE there will be a final Judgment Day, because there is certainly no justice, here on earth.
I read the other day that Mark Twain once said that the Sermon on the Mount is "great satire". IF there's no final Judgment, that's about all it (and this world) amount to.
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