Posted on 08/03/2010 12:07:04 PM PDT by Ari Bussel
Singular Incidents by Ari Bussel
Major news:
Friday, July 30th, a Grad rocket fired at Ashkelon, a city of 125,000 about six miles from Gaza, resulting in property damage but no casualties.
Monday, August 2nd, missiles launched from the Sinai Peninsula toward neighboring resort coastal cities of Eilat (Israel) and Aqaba (Jordan) at the tip of the Red Sea, killing a Jordanian taxi driver and wounding five others. In Israel life continues as usual.
Tuesday, August 3rd, sharp shooters from Lebanon in an unprovoked attack to inside Israel murdering an Israeli Lieutenant Colonel and critically wounding a Captain in a series of two attacks.
Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon are all trying very hard to control the problem. It is not in the interest of any of these countries to escalate the situation from singular incidents to a fire that can spread beyond control. After all, it is the Middle East, a barrel of explosives waiting to be lit.
Even Hamas is distancing itself from the rockets launched from the Sinai Peninsula. In the North, although the two attacks were well planned, Hizbollah has not participated in the events or tried to escalate them by rhetoric or further attacks.
So who is responsible? What explanation will be given to the family members of the Jordanian and the Israeli murdered and those wounded – were they collateral damage of no real significance?
There are elements that are interested in setting fire, each for its own reasons. In Sinai, the Bedouins are suffering greatly from loss of income due to acute reduction in smuggling activities into Gaza. It was a billion dollar business that thanks to the Turkish Terror Flotilla of Lies is now lost. The dynamics of the area have changed and there is a greater degree of flow into Gaza.
On the Lebanese border, Israel is the one being accused of “Aggression,” but it is obvious the attack was a provocation. For several days there are threats of unrest due to impending announcement that Hizbollah is responsible for the murder of the Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri five years ago.
Strange things happen in the Middle East where the only constant is uncertainty and surprise. Why can’t things be “normal?” Of course then life would be somewhat boring.
On Friday, I was asked by a very persistent taxi driver, why did I not write about the Grad rocket that exploded in a city not far away from our very destination. I was bold in my reply: “Was anyone killed?” I asked. “Was anyone injured, children maybe?” Well, just slight damage, a small crater, a few burned cars and exploded windows really no longer interest anyone.
Besides, I added, more than eight thousand rockets were shot at Israel, and what did Israel do? Not much until Operation Cast Lead in December 2008 and January 2009. “If you do not respect yourselves, why should anyone else?” I said not very gently. During the year and a half since the Operation, Hamas has continued launching hundreds of rockets toward Israeli civilian population centers. It is all Israel’s fault of course, according to her enemies.
Things are somewhat different now, as there is a Chief of Staff who does his job most professionally. So much so that the Minister of Defense does not really like him very much and has made his dislike public. Nowadays, an attack against Israel receives an immediate, swift response, usually by the Israeli Air Force.
In the response in Gaza, a high-level terrorist was killed, 38 year old Essa al-Batran. You see, even terrorists have ranks, the higher the rank, the more removed they are from the field. Rather than blow themselves up, they send others, usually very young and impressionable. It is utterly unacceptable that there is any response from Israel, let alone an effective one.
The terrorist’s death was a cause of insincere lamentation in Gaza. Al Qassam (the military wing of Hamas) announced via its spokesperson: “Hateful Israeli F16 targeted his new house in Al Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip. Essa spent whole time serving his religion, following rules of Islam and command of Allah and his Messenger Mohammed peace be upon his soul.”
The spokesperson continued: “A great commander, [Essa] spent his valuable time for Jihad against strangers who stole the land and committed the most brutal acts against the innocents. Al Qassam Brigades vows revenge and vows to keep loyal for his blood and all martyrs till the liberation of whole Palestine.”
Beautifully said by democratically elected Hamas. The original attack on Israel that prompted Israel’s response now forgotten, Israel is blamed.
There is one way to end this cycle of violence. The response must be disproportional. Missiles are aimed to murder, disrupt the daily life and affect the local economy. This is not a playground, and this is not a fight. It is an orchestrated attempt to eliminate the Jewish State, one step at a time, inch by inch. Hamas, we remember, calls in its Charter for the elimination of the Jewish State as a religious obligation of all Muslims.
If Hizbollah, Hamas and all other terrorist elements disguised as the democratic representatives of “the people” would stop their activities, there could be quiet in the region. There might even be a wider spread peace. But Hizbollah and Hamas and the Palestinian “struggle” serve well the purposes of Iran and Turkey, each striving for greater influence and a leading role in the growing Muslim world domination.
Israel ends up paying the price and being held responsible at the same time. If nothing changes, peace can never be an option.
### The series “Postcards from America—Postcards from Israel” by Ari Bussel and Norma Zager is a compilation of articles capturing the essence of life in America and Israel during the first two decades of the 21st Century.
The writers invite readers to view and experience an Israel and her politics through their eyes, Israel visitors rarely discover.
This point—and often—counter-point presentation is sprinkled with humor and sadness and attempts to tackle serious and relevant issues of the day. The series began in 2008, appears both in print in the USA and on numerous websites and is followed regularly by readership from around the world.
© “Postcards from Israel—Postcards from America,” August, 2010 Contact: aribussel@gmail.com
To the Israeli Air Force: Please take care of Iran for us - we have a pantywaist usurper in the White House masquerading as commander in chief. Oh, by the way, since we're discussing singular incidents - it only takes one nuke to ruin your whole day.
What you said.
:o]
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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