Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., January 22, 2009 Tevet 26, 5769 | | Israel Time: 20:26 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 16:40 21/01/2009
Now maybe we can calm down
By Shai Golden, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Hamas, IDF, Gaza, Israel News

So what did we actually fight about? If the purpose of the campaign/war was to end the smuggling of weapons and ammunition by Hamas, apparently the most we accomplished was a postponement. If the purpose was to achieve "deterrence power" - that much discussed and deceptive concept - against Hamas and the Arab world, it seems that this issue also falls into the gray areas of games of awareness in the Middle East, the battles for images and metaphors, which in any case are matters of subjective interpretation and which always end as they begin, with abstract meeting abstract.

And if the war was "a deterrent message to Iran," and in the same breath "a deterrent message to Hezbollah" - in what way is this deterrent better, for example, than Israel's "policy of ambiguity" on the subject of nuclear capability?

Israel chalked up one significant achievement in this conflict. Since 1967, in effect, with the exception of short flashes of elation, it has emerged beaten, frustrated and embarrassed from most of the military conflicts into which it was dragged. The War of Attrition, the Yom Kippur War, the first and second Lebanon wars, as well as the prolonged years of the intifada - damaged Israel and harmed it not only diplomatically, militarily and regionally, but mainly as far as its fighting national ego is concerned.
Advertisement
Israel, and the Israelis in it, began to doubt whether it, and the Israel Defense Forces, had the power, especially after the Second Lebanon War, to strike at its enemies, as it would like to strike at them in a "perfect world," without the High Court of Justice, without B'Tselem, without the United Nations and with "international public opinion." It seemed that there was always something or someone standing in the way of the Israelis and preventing them from striking at their enemies "the way it should be done," "to the bitter end," the way "the IDF can" had it only be allowed to do so.

This time, it seems, Israel decided to ignore everything and everyone. The use of "disproportionate force" achieved the results and the desired pictures. The sights of the destruction from the heart of Gaza are shocking. The number of victims is horrifying - mainly the relative percentage of the "uninvolved." But Israel beat Hamas, Gaza and the Gazans in a manner that proved to it that it really is in charge and that it is able to go crazy if it so desires.

The pictures of the destruction, more than they were directed at the eyes of Israel's enemies, were directed at Israeli eyes. Eyes that are hungry for revenge, pride and national respect. All these are assets that we lost, in a creeping process, every time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah or Hamas leader Khaled Meshal threatened a "revenge attack the likes of which Israel has never seen," and our hearts trembled in fear.

The freedom to go crazy, the freedom that was taken from Israel, like the freedom to feel again, even for a brief period, the existence of a real "boss" in the region, is a freedom that Israel has acquired for itself with a great deal of Palestinian blood in these three weeks, and it is also the main, if not the only asset it has as it emerges from this war.

Now, when a balance has been achieved between the size of its ego and its military power, maybe it will be able to calm down. Maybe it will be able to deal with the real core issues of the conflict rather than with its violent, neighborhood, childish images. In that sense, on Sunday, when Prime Minister Ehud Olmert prophesied that "this war is likely to bring peace between Israel and the Palestinians closer," there was no small degree of justice to his words. Paradoxically, a strong Israel, unified and burning with a sense of justice, an Israel that circled above the bodies of its defeated rivals with the hardheartedness of a victor, is an Israel that is far more ready for peace. Perhaps more than ever.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Foot in both camps
Jordan's king is torn between U.S.-Egypt and Syria-Hamas axes.
Mideast in dark
Aside from Iraq, Obama's plans for the Mideast are still vague.
  1.   I guess we have heard that one before, haven`t we....???? 09:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/01/09
  2.   Strong and victorious Israel? Choose your wars carefully 10:05  |  Natallie Durson 21/01/09
  3.   Iran is sending a ship with tons of weapons 10:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/01/09
  4.   War has NO deterrence, just the opposite. Saudi Plan NOW! 10:37  |  Ivar 21/01/09
  5.   The stronger Israel is, the less interested it is in peace 10:57  |  Paul 21/01/09
  6.   Camp David 78 came when Israel was weak 11:31  |  Spider 21/01/09
  7.   "far more ready for peace"? 12:55  |  Murray 21/01/09
  8.   to # 6 & to # 1 13:20  |  Judah N. Wenkel 21/01/09
  9.   Who will realy gain from this war? 13:25  |  Medo 21/01/09
  10.   We can beat the Gazans but we can`t beat the settlers 13:35  |  dyinglikeflies 21/01/09
  11.   Objective assesment of the war 13:38  |  GalileeHero 21/01/09
  12.   Speaking of occupation - to Ivar and co. 13:51  |  Sceptic 21/01/09
  13.   Give the man five shovels (out of a possible five) 13:56  |  Mark Lincoln 21/01/09
  14.   A strong state is better able to ensure peace. 14:00  |  Hal 21/01/09
  15.   Withdrawal causes war. 14:01  |  Ish-Zahav 21/01/09
  16.   Camp David 78 came when Egypt was weaker 14:02  |  Bird 21/01/09
  17.   The stronger Israel is, the less willing Muslims are to attack it 14:03  |  Humanist 21/01/09
  18.   Camp David and spider 14:09  |  Sleptic 21/01/09
  19.   4$ Are Hamas willing to accept the Saudi plan Ivar??? 14:10  |  kb 21/01/09
  20.   4.Ivar Hamas are not intrested in the Saudi Initiative 14:11  |  kb 21/01/09
  21.   Keep your eyes on the prize 14:44  |  Natallie Durson 21/01/09
  22.   It takes two to make peace! 14:44  |  Manny Goldstein 21/01/09
  23.   Exactly. 15:03  |  AA 21/01/09
  24.   Religion-cum-Land 15:16  |  Rose-Marie M. 21/01/09
  25.   Natallie 15:24  |  Bluto 21/01/09
  26.   1973 15:28  |  michael 21/01/09
  27.   To make peace both must be winners. The Saudi Plan seems best.... 15:33  |  Joe 21/01/09
  28.   Cipora, obviously gaza needs those weapons 15:50  |  Ibrahim 21/01/09
  29.   Israel needs to be "right sized" 15:52  |  Ibrahim 21/01/09
  30.   Now maybe we can calm down? 17:06  |  David Nigel Braham 21/01/09
  31.   Dearest 25.Natallie 17:23  |  Sceptic 21/01/09
  32.   To my friend Ibrahim 17:33  |  Sceptic 21/01/09
  33.   My cousin from Ashdod 18:07  |  Ibrahim 21/01/09
  34.   Study your history, Israel has nothing to fear! 18:10  |  Levi 21/01/09
  35.   kb - Hamas offered to accept any plan 19:12  |  Mark Lincoln 21/01/09
  36.   no peace 19:18  |  bloub 21/01/09
  37.   #22 Manny. The only country that seems not to like 19:51  |  Abdel Kader 21/01/09
  38.   #31 - Sceptic 20:43  |  Natallie Durson 21/01/09
  39.   Ibrahim 29 what happens when Jihad is in your Palestine? 22:38  |  Big Sur 21/01/09
  40.   #28, Ibrahim 23:43  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/01/09
  41.   a strong, victorious 23:48  |  widmerpool 21/01/09
  42.   ISRAEL DISGRACED 02:16  |  MARK RABINOW 22/01/09
  43.   Shai Golden`s Question 02:20  |  Jasper 22/01/09
  44.   A Victorious Israel 02:23  |  Lisa Javner 22/01/09
  45.   Ridulous cost for empty nationalism 02:51  |  Yaman Salahi 22/01/09
  46.   the gaza wae 08:13  |  nathan friedman 22/01/09
  47.   "we proved to be stronger" 08:57  |  floris 22/01/09
  48.   re:"a strong, victorious" 09:09  |  Yaakov 22/01/09
  49.   re: "A victorious Israel" Lisa Javner.... 09:14  |  Yaakov 22/01/09
  50.   Re: "We proved to be Stronger" Floris from Leiden 09:23  |  Yaakov 22/01/09
 Read & React
Gideon Levy: Gaza war ended in utter failure for Israel
Responses: 187
Top IDF officer: Hamas use of children during Gaza op was 'monstrous'
Responses: 100
Editorial: Israel should launch its own probe into Gaza war crimes
Responses: 44
Yossi Melman: Obama plan to talk buys Iran time for nuclear program
Responses: 33
Israel Harel: Like in Lebanon, IDF displayed mediocrity in Gaza
Responses: 38


More Headlines
20:00 Livni to Clinton: World must not grant Hamas any legitimacy
17:57 Top IDF officer: Hamas use of children during Gaza op was 'monstrous'
17:08 Israel's 'Waltz with Bashir,' on 1982 Lebanon War, nominated for Oscar
19:06 Olmert: Gaza op spurred efforts to expedite Shalit release
19:56 Obama spy chief choice: U.S. intel should try to work with Iran
14:11 Sources: Hamas arms smuggling never stopped during IDF op in Gaza
11:07 ANALYSIS / Obama plan to negotiate buys Iran time to complete nuclear program
14:51 Senior Hamas official dismisses reconciliation talks with Fatah
04:19 Gideon Levy / Gaza war ended in utter failure for Israel
19:13 Oslo parties demand censure of envoy who likened Gaza op to Holocaust
14:12 Meshal urges West: Stop trying to eliminate Hamas, deal with us
13:27 Palestinians: Shell fired from Israeli gunboat wounds two in Gaza
14:45 Israel to open Gaza border crossing to journalists on Friday
19:56 Hamas pledges to begin distributing cash to Gazans on Sunday
14:53 Israeli student collects 10 truckloads of basic aid for Gazans
18:19 How IDF legal experts legitimized strikes involving Gaza civilians
05:59 35,000 Israelis turn out to help 6-year-old leukemia victim
18:31 Jewish groups condemn reprinting of Nazi-era newspapers in Germany
13:26 Hundreds of Gazans amasse on Egypt border to repair tunnels destroyed by IAF
13:48 UN to probe claim Israel used depleted uranium bombs in Gaza
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Summer in Israel
Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
Blue And White Forever Israel Army T-shirts
Wear with Proud Donate the Soldiers Kit
You can make a direct IMPACT!
on the life of an Israeli soldier
State of Israel Bonds
During this time of market volatility, Israel bonds can help.
SURF RAMBAM
Keep current about new-wave medical care, education and research.
Summer Camp in Israel
The best place for your children this summer
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved