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Last update - 16:48 05/01/2009
Israelis who blame Israel are not helping the Palestinians
By Ari Shavit
Tags: gaza, israel news, israel 

Operation Cast Lead is a just campaign. Just, because in the summer of 2005 Israel destroyed all the Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and withdrew unilaterally to the international border. Just, because from 2006 to 2008 the Palestinian entity in the Strip did not take advantage of the occupation's end to build itself and its future and instead repeatedly attacked Israel within the Green Line.



Just, because for three solid years the State of Israel bit its lips and acted with restraint. Just, because no country in the world can accept for an extended period of time a situation in which its citizens are forsaken and its sovereignty violated. Just, because there is no chance for peace in the Middle East if the Jewish state is viewed as easy prey bleeding in the water and attracting sharks.
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Operation Cast Lead is a tragic campaign. Tragic, because it is causing the deaths of hundreds and injuring thousands. Tragic, because it is causing physical and emotional injury to innocent Palestinians, including women and children. Tragic, because like every war it creates intolerable human hardship and heartbreaking suffering.

But the tragedy of Operation Cast Lead is unavoidable. It derives directly from the fact that the Palestinians did not take proper advantage of the historic opportunity given to them in 2005. It derives from the fact that when the Palestinians achieved self-government for the first time in their history they misused it. It derives from the fact that the Palestinian need to destroy Israel is still stronger than their need to build Palestine.

Israel-hating Israelis call Operation Cast Lead a war crime. They record the names of each and every Palestinian killed, denounce each and every Israeli action and portray their state as a bully. While the Egyptians are saying that Hamas is largely responsible for the tragedy of Gaza, Israel-hating Israelis place the whole responsibility on their government and military. While the international community silently understands that a sovereign state is duty-bound to protect its citizens' lives, Israel-hating Israelis believe that Israeli lives can be forfeited.

While the simple facts indicate that the violence in the south derives from the despicable actions of an extremist organization that turned the Strip into a district of terror, Israel-hating Israelis persist in their hatred of their people and homeland and defend the morality of Hamas' destructive aggression.

There is no call for hating the Israel-hating Israelis. At the end of the day, their position is a pathetic one. Their self-righteousness is not at all righteous, and their moralizing has no morality. Their inability to show compassion for the Israelis of Be'er Sheva, Ashdod, Ashkelon and Sderot shows that they possess a degree of callousness. Their inability to view the Arabs firing the Grad rockets as being responsible for their actions shows that they are not free of paternalism.

The real motivation of Israel-hating Israelis is not genuine concern for the Palestinians, but rather a form of reverse racism. By showing forgiveness toward Palestinian fascism they turn their backs not only on Israelis but also on moderate, freedom-loving Palestinians. Those who blame Israel for everything and exonerate the Palestinians of everything are neither serving the cause of peace nor helping to end the violence and occupation. All they are doing is proving the extent to which they are blinded by their burning self-hatred.

Operation Cast Lead is an intelligent, impressive operation. The element of surprise was total, the intelligence was precise and the timing was brilliant. The fact that the operation was launched after a six-month cease-fire violated by Hamas gives it political legitimacy and moral justification. The fact that it was carefully planned and carefully executed has restored a degree of trust in Israeli capabilities.

It is possible that after the initial air campaign and the destruction of the tunnels, the operation should have been suspended. It is possible that the French truce proposal should now be adopted and a final chance given for Palestinian clearheadedness. But those who reject the operation in its entirety are blind to reality and the moral failure.

The coming days will be difficult. There may be errors, perhaps complications, perhaps even victims. But for this very reason now is not the time for a campaign of hate against Israel's leaders, commanders, soldiers and pilots. Just the opposite. This is the time to strengthen the hand of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is proving himself to be a respected national leader.

This is the time to stand behind the commanders, soldiers and pilots working day and night to conduct a difficult, complex and entirely just war. This is the time for Israel to finally behave as a mature nation protecting itself with wisdom and restraint.

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      1.   Ari Shavit, fooling only those asking to be fooled 04:35  |  zeev 01/01/09
      2.   to be silent now? 04:46  |  diana 01/01/09
      3.   Israeli self hate 05:19  |  Dariush 01/01/09
      4.   Yes Shavit - Just Like Self Hating Jews, They must also be 06:04  |  Monitor 01/01/09
      5.   #2 06:05  |  Ezer 01/01/09
      6.   Same thing happened in America during the Vietnam era... 06:11  |  Silvienne 01/01/09
      7.   Rovian Campaign Rhetoric 07:09  |  Mark of Lewiston 01/01/09
      8.   #1, Zeev, if you are from Be`er Sheva read this 08:29  |  Mladen Andrijasevic 01/01/09
      9.   SHAVIT, THE STATE IS RACIST IN REVERSE:DEPORTS JEWS,HELPS TERROR) 08:34  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 01/01/09
      10.   RECONQUER GAZA NOW, BEFORE OBAMA AND IRAN MAKE PROBLEMS)))))))))) 08:35  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 01/01/09
      11.   #7 Silvienne, Vietnam bombed NY daily? 08:36  |  fiona 01/01/09
      12.   To # 2, Diana, from Be`er Sheva, under Grad attack, with anger 09:32  |  Mladen Andrijasevic 01/01/09
      13.   its the seige stupid...how are you gooing to build gaza w/a seige 09:33  |  also targeted assasi 01/01/09
      14.   Best article ever in Haaretz history. Please write this every day 09:37  |  Steve Randolph 01/01/09
      15.   Ari, they get you, deep down they all get you 09:49  |  Galili 01/01/09
      16.   The blame lies with Arab terrorism 09:50  |  docD 01/01/09
      17.   This is the time for Israel to finally behave as a mature nation 10:43  |  Mike 01/01/09
      18.   A record of idiocy 10:47  |  dani.a 01/01/09
      19.   self-hating israelis 10:48  |  rob 01/01/09
      20.   leftist loonies - you can`t live with `em, you can`t live without 10:50  |  Rami 01/01/09
      21.   right 10:50  |  rm 01/01/09
      22.   Convinvces only diehard Zionists 11:06  |  Truth 01/01/09
      23.   Israel is one 11:07  |  Miriam Smith 01/01/09
      24.   Israelis who blame Israel are not helping the Palestinians 14:13  |  Larry Butchins 01/01/09
      25.   Voice of Sanity! 14:15  |  Sherlock Holmes 01/01/09
      26.   Mladen Andrijasevic 14:23  |  Linichka 01/01/09
      27.   Silvienne, Meat soup with rice noodles 14:24  |  FOX 01/01/09
      28.   Truth, writing from an upside down perspective 14:32  |  FOX 01/01/09
      29.   differnt mentalities 14:34  |  A mother 01/01/09
      30.   You are able to kill but you are incabable of winning any war 14:34  |  Observor 01/01/09
      31.   israel hating israelis 14:41  |  elliot 01/01/09
      32.   The left`s narrative of history has little to do with reality 14:42  |  Barry 01/01/09
      33.   Steve #14... ta, I identify with your post (3rd try) 14:49  |  Esther 01/01/09
      34.   Great and true article 14:54  |  Shimon 01/01/09
      35.   Israelis who blame Israel are not helping the Palestinians 15:03  |  Mati N 01/01/09
      36.   Does nobody think ahead 15:05  |  Josephus 01/01/09
      37.   Thank you Ari Shavit! 15:15  |  Sarah 01/01/09
      38.   To Ari Shavit 15:16  |  sh 01/01/09
      39.   no more columnists needed 15:31  |  sparkles plenty 01/01/09
      40.   to Mladen Andrijasevic #8 - 2nd try 15:32  |  zeev 01/01/09
      41.   Wonder whether A. Hass & G. Levy are reading this (end) 15:37  |  jk 01/01/09
      42.   Shavit`s Flip-Flop`s 15:47  |  Ben Israel 01/01/09
      43.   Barry #28... don`t tar the whole left, with the same brush 16:00  |  Esther 01/01/09
      44.   to "observor" 16:01  |  Elke Libe 01/01/09
      45.   Thank you Ari, surprised this was published by Haaretz 16:09  |  ed 01/01/09
      46.   This article is FACT! Well done HAARETZ, finally! 16:12  |  Adam 01/01/09
      47.   Well said Ari, very well said. 16:31  |  Virginia 01/01/09
      48.   to observer /geneva 16:46  |  Tina 01/01/09
      49.   Awesome article 16:47  |  lady from USA 01/01/09
      50.   blame israel 16:51  |  elizabeth krakowski 01/01/09
      51.   BLAME THE MESSANGER OF THE TRUTH 16:53  |  indrajaya 01/01/09
      52.   To #40 – The exchange never ended. You just avoided the answers 16:55  |  Mladen Andrijasevic 01/01/09
      53.   #1 Zeev; this article is not about "black and white" 17:04  |  Alicia 01/01/09
      54.   Mark of Lewiston 17:22  |  lady from USA 01/01/09
      55.   Thank you Ari Shavit for expressing a sane opinion! 17:27  |  Michael 01/01/09
      56.   Good Article 17:28  |  Eyal 01/01/09
      57.   Live in Peace or Move Gaza to Syria 17:31  |  David Shapira 01/01/09
      58.   Esther (with Haaretz`s permission) 17:38  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 01/01/09
      59.   Mr Shavit ... 17:38  |  Morris Valentine 01/01/09
      60.   TO: Ari Shavit 17:40  |  John 01/01/09
      61.   Accountability 17:43  |  Nathalie Klein 01/01/09
      62.   Great article Ari Shavit !!~ 18:10  |  Ines 01/01/09
      63.   Morris Valentine 18:11  |  FOX 01/01/09
      64.   Mike #17 18:14  |  Esther 01/01/09
      65.   Right .. Ari Shavit 18:17  |  Ines 01/01/09
      66.   #60 John 18:22  |  in der Tat 01/01/09
      67.   There is a lot of 18:23  |  Ines 01/01/09
      68.   #60 John in London 18:26  |  Alicia 01/01/09
      69.   shavit article 18:26  |  david 01/01/09
      70.   Re# 45 Surprise ??? Why ?? 18:34  |  Ines 01/01/09
      71.   Re# 42 The way I see it 18:44  |  Ines 01/01/09
      72.   Re# 1 Failed to forget... 18:53  |  Ines 01/01/09
      73.   # 66 in der Tat 18:58  |  John 01/01/09
      74.   Re# 38 Hamas... 19:03  |  Ines 01/01/09
      75.   # 68 Alicia 19:04  |  John 01/01/09
      76.   Re #6 Right freedom of speech... 19:11  |  Ines 01/01/09
      77.   Israel defense picked best time to deal with Hamas & there`s... 19:20  |  PK 01/01/09
      78.   For Silvienne ,# 6 and Ines, # 76 19:39  |  Israeli citizen 01/01/09
      79.   #63 Fox So what happened to our great wisdom? 19:59  |  Smadar 01/01/09
      80.   #73 John Part 1 20:11  |  in der Tat 01/01/09
      81.   #73 John Part 2 20:29  |  in der Tat 01/01/09
      82.   Silvienne....it seems to be working in Israel too 20:33  |  Lynn 01/01/09
      83.   Smadar #79 20:35  |  Esther 01/01/09
      84.   big hug to shavit 20:36  |  shraga 01/01/09
      85.   Nathalie Klein #61 20:42  |  THK 01/01/09
      86.   Alicia #68 "the dog attacks and tears you apart" 21:59  |  Roo 01/01/09
      87.   #86 Bravo Roo, there is a small philosopher in you 22:48  |  Alicia 01/01/09
      88.   #11, fiona, no wonder you`re puzzled... 22:55  |  Silvienne 01/01/09
      89.   good column 23:54  |  Mark 01/01/09
      90.   Agree w/ also targeted assasi 23:55  |  faizah 01/01/09
      91.   if they were Palestinian sympathetic to Israel 23:55  |  Ben S. 01/01/09
      92.   Oh my poor Gaza 00:27  |  Avrum 02/01/09
      93.   Who hates Israel? 00:42  |  Jackie 02/01/09
      94.   gaza strip 00:50  |  Darla Lehman 02/01/09
      95.   faiza 02:12  |  Jasper 02/01/09
      96.   Darla Lehman (#94) and Shavit, my sentiments exactly 02:14  |  Harry 02/01/09
      97.   #88 Hey,Hey Who said the Israeli population is 02:14  |  Israeli 02/01/09
      98.   Bad memory........... 02:15  |  Anna 02/01/09
      99.   Mr A.Shavit I sent You a post to thank you on your excellent . 02:44  |  Israeli 02/01/09
      100.   To John - Haaretz, one more time 03:07  |  Pls post 02/01/09
      101.   to Ines #72 - 2nd try 03:14  |  zeev 02/01/09
      102.   Israel will not 03:16  |  Amen 02/01/09
      103.   #98 Anna,..Anna...How many Times Have we Said 03:17  |  Israeli 02/01/09
      104.   This is a lame attack on a STRAW MAN stance. 03:22  |  Ricardo 02/01/09
      105.   to Anna #98 03:38  |  zeev 02/01/09
      106.   There is nothing just about attacking a civil society &its people 04:25  |  Dutch 02/01/09
      107.   Do we have Jewish Blood? I have to think before I hate Jews. 04:40  |  Ramzi of Bethlehem 02/01/09
      108.   Who hates who the most? 04:44  |  Ben 02/01/09
      109.   Motives of Jewish critics of Israel 05:16  |  David R. Zukerman 02/01/09
      110.   #102 Ramzi of Bethlehem; Right, Jews & Palestinians same DNA 05:49  |  Smadar 02/01/09
      111.   a civil society, says Dutch 06:04  |  Jasper 02/01/09
      112.   #1, zeev 06:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 02/01/09
      113.   Mr. Shavit Asks You to Shut Up and Follow.txt 08:10  |  Timothy 02/01/09
      114.   #109 david R. Zukerman - Clarification. 08:10  |  Christopher 02/01/09
      115.   #11 fiona 10:30  |  Jim 02/01/09
      116.   #16 docD 10:57  |  Jim 02/01/09
      117.   #94 (4th TRY)to Darla Lehman Please read.. 20:31  |  Israeli 02/01/09
      118.   #94...Darla dear,do you get out much? 20:51  |  Malone 02/01/09
      119.   Thirst of blood 23:03  |  Flan 02/01/09
      120.   Josephus 06:23  |  Remember? 04/01/09
      121.   Israel & Gaza - my view, your choice 19:21  |  Rachel in USA 04/01/09
      122.   to Rachel in USA #121 20:14  |  zeev 05/01/09
      123.   to Alicia #53 (9th try) 20:32  |  zeev 05/01/09
      124.   on Ari Shavit and clearheadedness - 8th try 20:34  |  zeev 05/01/09
      125.   to CJ Kohn #112 (8th try) 20:36  |  zeev 05/01/09
      126.   Christopher & david R. Zukerman - Haarezt pls post 2nd try 19:36  |  Rachel in USA 09/01/09
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