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Last update - 14:56 30/12/2008
David Grossman / Is Israel too imprisoned in the familiar ceremony of war?
By David Grossman
Tags: ISrael, Israel News, Hamas 

After its severe strike on Gaza, Israel would do well to stop, turn to Hamas' leaders and say: Until Saturday Israel held its fire in the face of thousands of Qassams from the Gaza Strip. Now you know how harsh its response can be. So as not to add to the death and destruction we will now hold our fire unilaterally and completely for the next 48 hours. Even if you fire at Israel, we will not respond with renewed fighting. We will grit our teeth, as we did all through the recent period, and we will not be dragged into replying with force.

Moreover, we invite interested countries, neighbors near and far, to mediate between us and you to bring back the cease-fire. If you hold your fire, we will not renew ours. If you continue firing while we are practicing restraint, we will respond at the end of this 48 hours, but even then we will keep the door open to negotiations to renew the cease-fire, and even on a general and expanded agreement.

That is what Israel should do now. Is it possible, or are we too imprisoned in the familiar ceremony of war?
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Until Saturday, Israel under Ehud Barak's military leadership showed remarkable cool. It should not lose its cool in the heat of battle. We should not forget even for a moment that the people of the Gaza Strip will remain our close neighbors and that sooner or later we will want to achieve good neighborly relations with them.

We should in no way strike them so violently, even if Hamas, for years, has made life intolerably miserable for the people of southern Israel, and even if their leaders have refused every Israeli and Egyptian attempt to reach a compromise to prevent this lastest flare-up.

The line of self-control and the awareness of the obligation to protect the lives of the innocent in Gaza must be toed even now, precisely because Israel's strength is almost limitless. Israel must constantly check to see when its force has crossed the line of legitimate and effective response, whose goal is deterrence and a restoration of the cease-fire, and from what point it is once again trapped in the usual spiral of violence.

Israel's leaders know well that given the situation in the Gaza Strip, it will be very hard to reach a total and unequivocal military solution. The lack of a solution might result in an ongoing ambiguous situation where we have already been: Israel will strike Hamas, it will strike and be struck, strike and be struck, and will become unwillingly enmeshed in every trap a situation like this entails, and will not attain its true and essential goals. It might very quickly discover that it is swept up - a strong military power, but helpless to get itself out of the entanglement - into a maelstrom of violence and destruction.

Therefore, stop. Hold your fire. Try for once to act against the usual response, in contrast to the lethal logic of belligerence. There will always be a chance to start firing again. War, as Barak said about two weeks ago, will not run away. International support for Israel will not be damaged, and will even grow, if we show calculated restraint and invite the international and Arab community to intervene and mediate.

It is true that Hamas will thus receive a respite with which to reorganize, but it has had long years to do so, and two more days will not really make a difference. And such a calculated lull might change the way Hamas responds to the situation. The response could even give it an honorable way out of the trap it has set for itself.

And one more, unavoidable thought: Had we adopted this attitude in July 2006, after Hezbollah abducted the soldiers, had we had stopped then, after our first response, and declared we were holding our fire for a day or two to mediate and calm things down, the reality today might be entirely different.

This is also a lesson the government should learn from that war. In fact, it might be the most important lesson.

Related articles:
  • Pro-Palestinian activists say Israel Navy fired on protest boat off Gaza shore
  • France, Britain look to impose cease-fire in bid to halt Gaza operation
  • UN official says Israel responsible for breaking truce with Gaza
  • Uncertainty and bombing keep Gazans awake and fearful of who will be next
  • Amos Oz: Hamas responsible for outbreak of Gaza violence
  • Gaza hospitals 'overwhelmed' by wounded from IDF strikes
  • No rest for the shell-shocked in Ashkelon shelters
  • Chicago synagogue firebombed; police probe possible link to Gaza violence
  • ANALYSIS / Israel's operation in Gaza is entering its problematic phase
  • IN PICTURES / Firestorm over Gaza
  • WATCH: Israel's attack on Gaza from the missiles' viewpoint





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      1.   Grossman imprisoned by his illusions 02:29  |  Nathaniel 30/12/08
      2.   Grossman! In which world do you live? 02:48  |  Joe Starr 30/12/08
      3.   So after next ceasefire breaks missiles would reach Tel-Aviv? 03:05  |  Rob 30/12/08
      4.   Is Grossman Conscious ??? 03:06  |  Yisroel 30/12/08
      5.   Elections? 03:11  |  Paulo Costa 30/12/08
      6.   Give Hamas a way out... 03:50  |  Marc Benisri 30/12/08
      7.   Fiction 05:52  |  ian 30/12/08
      8.   creative wisdom 05:55  |  david 30/12/08
      9.   Antibiotic treatment interuppted? 05:59  |  Aryeh Leib 30/12/08
      10.   sorry david 07:04  |  itzhak 30/12/08
      11.   Good Idea.. 07:05  |  goldman 30/12/08
      12.   He is right on the action, not the reasoning 07:07  |  Bison 30/12/08
      13.   What to do in Gaza 07:18  |  Moshe 30/12/08
      14.   As if Israel hasn`t tried and failed with Grossman`s NEW IDEA 07:32  |  dr. dave 30/12/08
      15.   Hear hear 07:38  |  Dafna 30/12/08
      16.   Grossman`s idea 07:43  |  Daniel Donaly 30/12/08
      17.   Beware of Pride and overconfidence Israel 07:46  |  Scott 30/12/08
      18.   Israel too imprisoned 07:47  |  Robyn 30/12/08
      19.   Mr. Grossman, you contradict yourself. 07:51  |  Gary 30/12/08
      20.   a country that goes to war every two years is psychotic 07:51  |  deborah 30/12/08
      21.   Grossman is a genius! All ya need is love! 08:10  |  Ethan 30/12/08
      22.   Grossman has a good idea 08:14  |  Ran 30/12/08
      23.   I support the idea 08:17  |  David 30/12/08
      24.   delusional 08:29  |  yonatanmiller 30/12/08
      25.   re: antibiotics and Shalit 08:32  |  Agree with Grossman 30/12/08
      26.   it`s election time in israel... 08:41  |  jw 30/12/08
      27.   He is only talking about 48 hours..not 48 days! 08:46  |  meir gush etzion 30/12/08
      28.   David Grossman, please read the Hamas Charter 08:48  |  Mladen Andrijasevic 30/12/08
      29.   Grossman - Gazans are not reasonable men 08:49  |  Mike 30/12/08
      30.   David Grossman 08:58  |  Frank Zabow 30/12/08
      31.   I agree 09:00  |  Eldar 30/12/08
      32.   Attacking another to stay alive 09:07  |  Star of David 30/12/08
      33.   Grossman is a European 09:10  |  Eric Bater 30/12/08
      34.   israel is all to imprisoned in the familiar ceremony of `tit for 09:11  |  Doniel 30/12/08
      35.   Exit strategy 09:11  |  merom 30/12/08
      36.   Ethan (10) - Great Post 09:16  |  Tod Zuckerman 30/12/08
      37.   Limitations On Everything These Days 09:26  |  Yosemite 30/12/08
      38.   Unfortunately 09:30  |  even steven 30/12/08
      39.   Out of prison 09:38  |  james hazan 30/12/08
      40.   YES, IT IS 09:40  |  indrajaya 30/12/08
      41.   Grumbling or growling to non-belligerence 09:43  |  allang 30/12/08
      42.   Again pre-conditions? When pre-conditions 09:44  |  Kris Lazar 30/12/08
      43.   48 hours 09:46  |  George 30/12/08
      44.   David Grossman, more Holocaust reasoning, 09:47  |  solomon 30/12/08
      45.   The answer is "not this time" 09:49  |  TW 30/12/08
      46.   There is no such thing as a "just Israeli war"...... 09:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/08
      47.   yikes 09:53  |  Michal 30/12/08
      48.   Grossmann 09:58  |  rudzeev 30/12/08
      49.   Grossman`s proposal 09:58  |  DW 30/12/08
      50.   DAVID GROSSMAN``S ARTICLE 10:01  |  PATRICK RIORDAN 30/12/08
      51.   Einstein said... 10:29  |  Shtarka 30/12/08
      52.   here is the problem 10:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/08
      53.   David Grossman 10:34  |  R 30/12/08
      54.   In my view, Grossman doesn`t understand what Hamas wants! 10:45  |  S 30/12/08
      55.   To Swiss (Dino): your posts : "everyone must be the same" 10:45  |  Israeli citizen 30/12/08
      56.   It is interesting the point: make war when it`s the time, but... 10:49  |  Israeli citizen 30/12/08
      57.   Simple question for David Grossman 10:55  |  Clickfool 30/12/08
      58.   Grossman and blindness 10:57  |  Truth 30/12/08
      59.   David Grossman`s suggestion 11:03  |  Carol SCHELLER 30/12/08
      60.   A basic imbalance 11:05  |  x-ray 30/12/08
      61.   A basic imbalance - an illustration 11:08  |  x-ray 30/12/08
      62.   Not loud enough David Grossman 11:14  |  sh 30/12/08
      63.   Don`t romanticize war 11:15  |  Debbie 30/12/08
      64.   David Grossman fails to understand 11:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/12/08
      65.   Barak the leader 11:44  |  Refugee 30/12/08
      66.   amer, this is what i said the other night.... 11:44  |  tamir 30/12/08
      67.   Let`s invite Bin Laden to mediate 11:49  |  shlomo 30/12/08
      68.   #44, S, who cares what Hamas wants 11:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/08
      69.   Did you listen to the victims in Gaza ???! 11:53  |  Abdulla Shukri 30/12/08
      70.   Gossman should be heard! Peace is the ONLY solution 12:00  |  Ivar 30/12/08
      71.   Misleading article. 12:22  |  O Hanssen 30/12/08
      72.   support the idea 12:25  |  Notyet 30/12/08
      73.   vacillation is deadly 12:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/08
      74.   to be chosen 12:38  |  sparkles plenty 30/12/08
      75.   # 51 Israeli citizen, indeed, that is what I believe...... 12:39  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/08
      76.   #62 12:39  |  sb 30/12/08
      77.   to Nathaniel #1 - fatal illusions 12:46  |  zeev 30/12/08
      78.   1st Step: Hamas Changes Its Covenant, Or It`s No Deals At All 12:49  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 30/12/08
      79.   david grossman`s artcile 12:51  |  dave waimann 30/12/08
      80.   Very good proposal 12:54  |  Tulip 30/12/08
      81.   Cipora on Hamas 12:56  |  Marcos 30/12/08
      82.   i`ve had enough 13:06  |  jw 30/12/08
      83.   What Chrish Linthwaite fails to recognize 13:07  |  Joe Sittizen 30/12/08
      84.   Nor Clickfool nor Chris will never undestand that... 13:17  |  Israeli citizen 30/12/08
      85.   to CJ Kohn #66 13:19  |  zeev 30/12/08
      86.   #75, zeev, total nonsense 13:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/08
      87.   Who would I vote for? 13:24  |  Voter 30/12/08
      88.   grosman 13:41  |  dr mostrel daniel 30/12/08
      89.   a basic imbalance revisited. 13:46  |  jack 30/12/08
      90.   Leave it to the next government 13:52  |  Bruce 30/12/08
      91.   wise proposal 13:53  |  ifat 30/12/08
      92.   #81, Marcos, subtle lies 13:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/08
      93.   Marcos blames Israel and has faith in Obama 14:02  |  Robin 30/12/08
      94.   #85, zeev 14:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/08
      95.   What about tomorrow? 17:40  |  Julie 30/12/08
      96.   Is he sane? 17:45  |  Victor 30/12/08
      97.   Hamas is Evil! T 17:46  |  Eyal 30/12/08
      98.   To Cipora 17:47  |  Alberto 30/12/08
      99.   Marcos re `Israel helped to create Hamas` #81 19:14  |  Roo 30/12/08
      100.   CJK`s got a brand new word 19:14  |  Roo 30/12/08
      101.   Swiss(Dino) - What a crok of BS 19:16  |  JP 30/12/08
      102.   David Grossman 19:20  |  Adrian 30/12/08
      103.   Clash of Civilizations 19:32  |  Javileo 30/12/08
      104.   Grossman is almost right... 19:44  |  Gideon 30/12/08
      105.   Is Grossman High? 20:03  |  Baruch Gold 30/12/08
      106.   Talk.... 20:57  |  me 30/12/08
      107.   Einstein also said:- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21:01  |  Robert 30/12/08
      108.   Love you, Grossman - come again and often 21:04  |  David 30/12/08
      109.   Grossman, Good Intention! Other Ways Could Be Better! 21:15  |  SympathyForPalestine 30/12/08
      110.   Israel`s shocking atrocities against Gaza civilians! 21:19  |  Maureen Ann 30/12/08
      111.   earth to grossman: are you nuts? 21:20  |  disgusted american 30/12/08
      112.   Hamas changing its charter 21:32  |  Adam 30/12/08
      113.   To Javileo, Nr 103 21:43  |  Jano Van der Werf 30/12/08
      114.   To Baruch Gold #105 21:49  |  Jano Van der Werf 30/12/08
      115.   Robin 21:51  |  Marcos 30/12/08
      116.   Hamas should use 48 hours to move their civilians from Hamas 21:51  |  Gina 30/12/08
      117.   To the Voter #87 21:55  |  Jano Van der Werf 30/12/08
      118.   I agree - I hope Barak does too 21:56  |  Alex 30/12/08
      119.   Gaza 22:15  |  Louis Corriveau 30/12/08
      120.   Grossman - a breath of Wisdom 22:46  |  Fromm 30/12/08
      121.   Javileo on Clash of Civilizations 22:47  |  Roo 30/12/08
      122.   imprisoned 22:47  |  nikolai 30/12/08
      123.   #107 moaning ann and the always arabs are right syndrome 22:51  |  v.hardman 30/12/08
      124.   Dylan: the ceremony you corrupt with 23:05  |  yeastbite 30/12/08
      125.   # 101 JP 23:21  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/08
      126.   wasted lives 23:31  |  molly 30/12/08
      127.   #100, Roo 23:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/08
      128.   Hamas should use 48 hours to move their civilians from Hamas 23:50  |  Gina 30/12/08
      129.   2006? 00:07  |  JS 31/12/08
      130.   to CJ Kohn #86 00:18  |  zeev 31/12/08
      131.   #46 Swiss , even now Israel is wrong ????? 00:27  |  TOMY 31/12/08
      132.   Swiss (Dino) sharing the land 00:49  |  David Israel 31/12/08
      133.   Dedication to Diversionary Conflict 00:52  |  Gray 31/12/08
      134.   Grossman you are a wise man. I wish the Arabs had a few like you! 01:00  |  Ahmad 31/12/08
      135.   David Grossman`s article 01:47  |  max 31/12/08
      136.   Shalom? Take it or leave it! 01:52  |  ruiz 31/12/08
      137.   Grossman - mediocre writer, delusional "thinker" 01:56  |  Mickey 31/12/08
      138.   If Abraham would have just talked peace. 03:20  |  David Mandeville 31/12/08
      139.   115Dino, It looks like you finally read Hamas Charter and now say 04:47  |  Rob 31/12/08
      140.   71O Hanssen: Also, we must use all money for bombs to kill enemy 04:53  |  O Hanssen 31/12/08
      141.   Grossman`s Specialty Is Fiction 05:04  |  Dan 31/12/08
      142.   Settler colonial states are destined for perpetual war 06:34  |  peacelover 31/12/08
      143.   to CJ Kohn #86 08:16  |  zeev 31/12/08
      144.   Grossman Understands the Theater of the World 08:38  |  Efraim Aldouby 31/12/08
      145.   Ceremony of War 09:00  |  Claire 31/12/08
      146.   what makes you think we`ll EVER have peace with hamas? 11:54  |  michelle 31/12/08
      147.   Get Real ! 14:01  |  Rob 31/12/08
      148.   CJ Kohn #86 - and something else (2nd try) 14:05  |  zeev 31/12/08
      149.   to michelle #143 14:06  |  zeev 31/12/08
      150.   to CJ Kohn #94 14:08  |  zeev 31/12/08
      151.   The article in Ha`aretz from 30--12-08 from David Grossman 16:31  |  Alexandra Terlouw 31/12/08
      152.   there are no military solutions 17:33  |  tony 31/12/08
      153.   Finish it now, or repeat later. 17:46  |  Tom Genin 31/12/08
      154.   Response to #107 17:57  |  Tom Genin 31/12/08
      155.   Grossman is as usual intelligent and humane 19:16  |  Shane 31/12/08
      156.   Naive mr. Grossman 23:43  |  vigo zelten 31/12/08
      157.   Israel is doomed 23:59  |  William 31/12/08
      158.   Thank you 01:41  |  Nathan 01/01/09
      159.   to Tom Genin #153 07:08  |  zeev 01/01/09
      160.   Israel is not necessarily helpless and entangled ... 20:15  |  Ines 01/01/09
      161.   Re David Grossman... I also love peace but 21:52  |  Ines 01/01/09
      162.   Re# 6 Hamas and Gaza had the way out... 22:04  |  Ines 01/01/09
      163.   Re# 17 Grossman is saying that Israel... 22:54  |  Ines 01/01/09
      164.   Need to have a faster response -- reed it... 04:13  |  Mori 02/01/09
      165.   to vigo zelten #156 - 6th try 10:38  |  zeev 03/01/09
      166.   to vigo zelten #156 - and something else (2nd try) 20:18  |  zeev 10/01/09
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