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ANALYSIS / World cannot, must not condemn our war on Hamas
By Ari Shavit
Tags: gaza, israel;, israel news 

The war on Hamas is a war for Israel's sovereignty. It was launched due to repeated rocket attacks after Israel's disengagement from the Gaza Strip. No country in the world would put up with a situation in which its sovereignty is undermined and its citizens threatened. Given its small size and many enemies, Israel cannot put up with this. It is therefore up to every decent person who wants Israel to strive for peace, end its occupation and return to its original borders to support its fight for sovereignty.

The war on Hamas has bred a humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of Palestinian civilians have been killed, thousands have been wounded, and more than a million have been left homeless and in despair. There is no denying that Israel should have done much more to prevent the enormity of this crisis from happening. But the international community - which openly supports a war against the Taliban that has taken the lives of hundreds of innocent people - cannot, and must not, condemn this war.




Over the past two weeks, Israel has behaved obtusely and insensitively. But waging war is not a crime. It is yet another chapter in this tragic saga that must come to an end.

Since launching its attack on Gaza on December 27, Israel has achieved most of its goals. Hamas received a harsh blow, Israel regained its deterrent capabilities, and there is a chance the rocket fire on southern Israel will end. A correct diplomatic move may now stop the arms smuggling from Egypt and undermine the Palestinian extremists. If this happens, Israel could achieve its desired overall goal: peaceful coexistence with a weakened and deterred Hamas.

In many respects, the war in Gaza has compensated for the shortcomings of the Second Lebanon War. This time around, the decision to launch the offensive was calculated and reasoned, and the army has shown impressive capabilities. It is therefore only fair to say that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is to blame for the botched war in Lebanon, is now the person behind Israel's achievements.

But to maintain these achievements, Israel must not expand its operation in Gaza. On the contrary. The relative success should be used to forge a swift diplomatic agreement - one that would stop the firing, halt the killings and bring the soldiers back home. Olmert should abide by his own mantra: Enough is enough.

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      1.   every war needs to be condemned 00:00  |  watcher 01/01/09
      2.   Condemnation? 00:07  |  Daniel Donaly 01/01/09
      3.   This is not a war 00:14  |  Baz Mann 01/01/09
      4.   Israel is blind 00:30  |  Miriam 01/01/09
      5.   The princess on a pea in "danger" 00:55  |  Fritz T. 01/01/09
      6.   What? What planet does Ari Shavit live on? 00:40  |  Mark Lincoln 01/01/09
      7.   Sorry to rain on your parade, but .. 00:40  |  un2here 01/01/09
      8.   BLIND 00:42  |  IAN 01/01/09
      9.   Very wise advice by a sound columnist, Ari Shavit. 00:44  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/01/09
      10.   War crimes to impose occupation 00:58  |  American 01/01/09
      11.   Really? 00:13  |  Candida 01/01/09
      12.   no condemnation - begin at home 00:18  |  michael cohen 01/01/09
      13.   Gosh! Aren`t zionists master of the pea`n`thimble game. 00:29  |  Johnboy 01/01/09
      14.   No Condemmnation? 00:44  |  Jeffrey 01/01/09
      15.   Sorry. Not this time around. 00:49  |  Arturo Grunstein 01/01/09
      16.   Please spare us this lies, which nobody is believeing anyway 00:59  |  Kris Lazar 01/01/09
      17.   ANALYSIS / World cannot, must not condemn Gaza war 00:59  |  Tomas 01/01/09
      18.   Agree to 1. and more 00:05  |  AA 01/01/09
      19.   #1; Jeffrey, what if you are wrong? 00:35  |  leo 01/01/09
      20.   900+ innocent civillians and we must not condemn israel? 00:39  |  Nagiha 01/01/09
      21.   #1 Jeffrey You`re Right. We must Deport them All NOW 00:45  |  meir elazar 01/01/09
      22.   Begging your pardon, au contraire! 00:49  |  Ivar 01/01/09
      23.   Candida Is Lying 00:59  |  Brad 01/01/09
      24.   To Nagiha @ 9 - War is War and its ugly accept it 00:13  |  NoName 01/01/09
      25.   Jeff: If your right 00:15  |  Brad 01/01/09
      26.   What exactly did you think israel should do? 00:24  |  Jordan 01/01/09
      27.   In reply to #9: 900 civilians!?!? 00:29  |  Jordan 01/01/09
      28.   Nagiha: Israel had zero options, including how to fight 00:35  |  Brad 01/01/09
      29.   shooting fish in a barrel - how courageous! 00:45  |  richard 01/01/09
      30.   Condemnation 00:47  |  Cooks 01/01/09
      31.   Wrong. It`s plain to the world that Gaza could have been avoided 00:39  |  Ivar 01/01/09
      32.   #14 All Resistance Fighters should be put in a barrel 00:45  |  Eve 01/01/09
      33.   Arrogance and machism 00:51  |  marina 01/01/09
      34.   Richard`s "fish in a barrel" 00:56  |  SDHD 01/01/09
      35.   Wishful thinking 00:57  |  Natallie Durson 01/01/09
      36.   Cook`s "how can Israel?" question 00:58  |  SDHD 01/01/09
      37.   ISRAEL IS LOSING, and this is how 00:14  |  VIPER 01/01/09
      38.   The world? The world? 00:14  |  Angel 01/01/09
      39.   Imagine if Hamas bought food instead of missiles 00:15  |  dina 01/01/09
      40.   If Isreal wants peace then don`t cut off the strip 00:29  |  Mosdave 01/01/09
      41.   Brad`s amnesia # 13 00:40  |  Clickfool 01/01/09
      42.   What the world thinks? 00:40  |  Hank 01/01/09
      43.   It is easy to start a war 00:43  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/01/09
      44.   Really? 00:51  |  Israel 01/01/09
      45.   Viper not clued in on "deterrence" 00:56  |  SDHD 01/01/09
      46.   #24 Dina 00:57  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/01/09
      47.   CAST LEAD STRENGTHENING HEZBOLLAH 00:58  |  Arik Silverman 01/01/09
      48.   whatever jews/Israëlis are doing.... 00:01  |  Tina 01/01/09
      49.   There`s no world condemnation at all, don`t be fooled by a the 00:29  |  Pierre 01/01/09
      50.   To Angel / the world... 00:45  |  Anne 01/01/09
      51.   war????? what war??? there is no war on Hamas 00:46  |  marcello 01/01/09
      52.   who are YOU to dictate the "moral judgement" to the WORLD? (2nd t 00:48  |  eric 01/01/09
      53.   a notable difference of late...about people`s views (2nd try) 00:50  |  eric 01/01/09
      54.   ANOTHER FAILURE... 2006-2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IMP.................. 00:52  |  DAVID 01/01/09
      55.   A war must pass three tests... 00:06  |  Anne 01/01/09
      56.   We ARE condemning it 00:10  |  Gustaf Rosell 01/01/09
      57.   Condemning is not enough! 00:14  |  Wes Hockley 01/01/09
      58.   Palestinians want to leave like human being 00:17  |  sam 01/01/09
      59.   Estonia-Russia 00:24  |  Neighbors 01/01/09
      60.   Can your leaders make the land promise? 00:35  |  Stephen L 01/01/09
      61.   Opium for the people 00:40  |  Rob 01/01/09
      62.   The World can and will! 00:40  |  Barry 01/01/09
      63.   Protecting civilians from harm 00:11  |  David N. Decker 01/01/09
      64.   YOU GO GIRL! 00:42  |  jpudentain 01/01/09
      65.   Pictures of pro-Israel rallies around the world 00:28  |  AA 01/01/09
      66.   Some of you here pro-Palestinians are ignorant 00:53  |  Maria 01/01/09
      67.   War on Terror? 00:49  |  Joe 01/01/09
      68.   sovereignty? 00:50  |  Michelle 01/01/09
      69.   Sense from Down Under (NZ) 00:56  |  ChanahS 01/01/09
      70.   what about the Palestinian`s sovereignty never respected? 00:01  |  kaled 01/01/09
      71.   No:55 Anne, a war must past certain tests 00:02  |  rwilder 01/01/09
      72.   Foolishness and hatered 00:06  |  Adil 01/01/09
      73.   Message to all the anti-semites on this blog.. 00:06  |  John Allen 01/01/09
      74.   To Maria 00:13  |  Brendan Holleran 01/01/09
      75.   some of us do not condmen 00:37  |  richelle 01/01/09
      76.   to Angel 38 00:48  |  bg 01/01/09
      77.   Brendan Holleran 74 00:49  |  ChanahS 01/01/09
      78.   GOOD EDITORIAL. THANK YOU ARI 00:41  |  James Spade 01/01/09
      79.   #11 & #23 Candida vs Brad 00:06  |  Eric 01/01/09
      80.   world cannot, condemn 00:08  |  lainey 01/01/09
      81.   "Yes to Peace" = "No to Jihad" 00:40  |  ZISD 01/01/09
      82.   Indeed, Enough Is Enough 00:40  |  Yaakov Sullivan 01/01/09
      83.   Brendan Holleran...Have you read a story 00:41  |  Maria 01/01/09
      84.   Estonia-Russia 00:04  |  Jaan Kaplinski 01/01/09
      85.   Israel completely justified- Don`t stop on your great work 00:07  |  nate 01/01/09
      86.   Jordan - what should the Palestinians do? 00:37  |  Sylvie 01/01/09
      87.   The price for continuing will grow 00:39  |  mike 01/01/09
      88.   America and the free world support you Israel 00:49  |  ed 01/01/09
      89.   Absolute nonsense 00:52  |  Ussishkin 01/01/09
      90.   Utterly wrong 00:04  |  Sean 01/01/09
      91.   Re-occupy Gaza 00:09  |  Professor Bader 01/01/09
      92.   gaza 00:09  |  freddy 01/01/09
      93.   #47 Arik Silverman..just a note to your post 00:11  |  Lynn 01/01/09
      94.   Gaza 00:12  |  R.E.Lombardi 01/01/09
      95.   to mark lincoln 00:16  |  citizen zero 01/01/09
      96.   how many civilans... 00:28  |  Christos 01/01/09
      97.   To sylvie #86 00:42  |  Jordan 01/01/09
      98.   world opinion 00:40  |  Karel 01/01/09
      99.   #54 David fause propaganda does not work! 00:10  |  Rachel in USA 01/01/09
      100.   I`ll give it another try, Mr. Shavit 00:27  |  hollingsworth 01/01/09
      101.   twisted logic and hypocricy !!!!!! 00:43  |  Supreme justice 01/01/09
      102.   The world SHOULD and MUST condemn your war. 00:03  |  Ariel Darrah 01/01/09
      103.   Long Planned Killing Deserves Condemnation 3rd TRY**** 00:06  |  Gray 01/01/09
      104.   israel doesnt read history 00:41  |  eiric 01/01/09
      105.   condemnation 00:43  |  Jozef 01/01/09
      106.   World cannot, must not condemn 00:49  |  John Kozy 01/01/09
      107.   Too late! The world has already condemned Israel 00:45  |  Damian Lataan 01/01/09
      108.   Hamas 00:53  |  Jim 01/01/09
      109.   Ariel #102 -a brillant play on words! 00:21  |  hollingsworth 01/01/09
      110.   Even Handed 00:35  |  Tony Price 01/01/09
      111.   Countries that really condemn Israel are not 00:42  |  Maria 01/01/09
      112.   The Mother of All Stupid Mistakes 00:44  |  Gray 01/01/09
      113.   You have no idea 00:49  |  NC 01/01/09
      114.   40 yrs of occupation---this will end it? 00:57  |  Ben 01/01/09
      115.   It has BECOME an atrocity 00:41  |  James S. Henry 01/01/09
      116.   A differing, more broadly accepted legal opinion 00:59  |  Larry 01/01/09
      117.   If you don`t want to be condemned... 00:04  |  Pablo B 01/01/09
      118.   Jim in San Antonio,you said it all,certainly Hamas will remain a 00:23  |  Ben Kova 01/01/09
      119.   #116 Interesting link indeed, Larry 00:44  |  Johnboy 01/01/09
      120.   Pablo B....The Hamas knows that 00:50  |  Maria 01/01/09
      121.   Pablo B....you identify with the Palestinians 00:54  |  Maria 01/01/09
      122.   # 111 to maria re: condemnation of israel 00:06  |  eric 01/01/09
      123.   Baz Mann is right. This is not a war 00:04  |  Janice 01/01/09
      124.   Eric speaks for God. 00:26  |  SDHD 01/01/09
      125.   Lincoln needs better Intel 00:39  |  Rambo 01/01/09
      126.   Silly Janice 00:00  |  SDHD 01/01/09
      127.   No possible excuse 00:02  |  Michael(UK) 01/01/09
      128.   BRILLIANT ARTICLE - THANK YOU FOR POSTING IT 00:57  |  Rachel in USA 01/01/09
      129.   Ari Shavit - THIS IS A BRILLIANT ARTICLE 00:00  |  Rachel in USA 01/01/09
      130.   tax dollars 00:19  |  rey 01/01/09
      131.   We pray for Israel, bless Israel 00:33  |  rey 01/01/09
      132.   well said Rambo! 00:36  |  A Mother 01/01/09
      133.   A c t as Gaza?s Cast Lead already ended 00:13  |  H.H.M. 01/01/09
      134.   Michael (UK) #127 And Genocide 00:18  |  Gil 01/01/09
      135.   Michael (UK) #127 And Genocide 00:19  |  Gil 01/01/09
      136.   peaceful coexistance???? 00:27  |  sameh 01/01/09
      137.   We must condemn Israel 00:10  |  Peter James 01/01/09
      138.   to richard 00:54  |  Alex 01/01/09
      139.   World Condemning Israel? 00:50  |  Anjie 01/01/09
     Read & React
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    Responses: 153
    Spanish FM: We'll act to prevent war crimes probes against Israel
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    Secret database reveals full extent of illegal Israeli settlement
    Responses: 35
    Top Hamas leader in first public appearance since Gaza war: We won
    Responses: 21


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