Sunday, September 25, 2005

Re-Engagement

Wow! I am so flattered! They must have really missed us. We have been gone just a few days and they are begging us, pleading and bleeding with us to come back and play. Shame... poor Palestinians.

Excuse the sarcasm (ok don't then!) but what oh what are they playing at now? Never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity? Right now, they are being so delightfully stupid that I'm not even sure it's registered in the collective Palestinian mindset that there in fact exists a possibility - a possibility for growth, new homes, trade, security and peace.

Oy vey! I shake my head in disbelief...

Even the Palestinian Authority accepted that the explosion at the Gaza rally on Friday was a Hamas 'work accident'. (A work accident that revealed, sources say, that the Palestinians now have Katyusha rockets in Gaza).

As we know, Hamas loves to wind up emotions, blame it all on Israel and send us back several months, years, decades even. Not only are their several dozen Qassam missiles going to bring them a very harsh Israeli response, but it does nothing for their national aspirations. If they really wanted to help their brothers and sisters receive Disengagement II in the West Bank, Jerusalem and so on, then this does nothing but damage those aspirations.

You see, not only will this harden Israeli sentiment (no one likes gifts thrown back in their face), but it's likely to provide some good new slogans for the Netanyahu, Landau and other orange campaigns - namely, "We Told You So".

Sharon and friends might well follow through with their promise to respond very harshly "should anything be fired from Gaza after the Disengagement". Whether that will be enough to maintain Sharon's nationwide popularity and to revive his troubled Likud life is another question. Operation "First Rain" could be Sharon's last rein.

Sadly, once we've made very painful and militarily risky concessions, Israel is left with no other choice (other than complete surrender) but to respond with greater force than they have done over the last five years. There are no longer Jews or their soldiers to 'antagonize' the Gazan Palestinians. We did our part and now it's their turn.

If the world has the courage, it will side with Israel strongly on this point. No other country in the world would tolerate dozens of rockets landing in their cities. If Israel is criticized in this case, it will destroy all the diplomatic backslapping of previous weeks and prove again, that when it comes to Jews defending themselves, there is no support nor tolerance.

The world must support us and the Palestinian Authority would do well to do the same. I know Abu Mazen is between a very sharp rock and a very hard place, but it's time for him to prove himself. Failure to do so will see the ultimate failure of the first test of Palestinian independence.

"The situation is very dangerous and Israel bears full responsibility for this deterioration," Palestinian PM Qureia told reporters in Ramallah. "We urge the international community to interfere to put an end to the Israeli escalation."
Blaming Israel for the destruction of the ceasefire is chutzpahdik and shows a clear lack of morality, sincerity and peaceful intentions. Israel responsible for the end of the ceasefire? Sure - and I'm the tooth fairy!

Meanwhile, while Sderot schools stay shut and the nation goes on high alert for terror attack season, let's hope and pray that something will change for the better - quickly.

Shavua Yoter Tov! (Wishing you a Better Week Ahead)

1 comment:

Michael Lawrence said...

Gavin - we can hope for the best but going on past experiences, Hamas truces mean very little. Keep in mind that an end to rocket attacks from Gaza does not mean an end to attack planning for public places around Israel. The Hamas statement basically says as much.

Meanwhile, rockets are still following even in the last hour or so.

Let's hope for better news.