Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., April 08, 2008 Nisan 3, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:36 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 10:30 27/07/2007
Bunkering the country
By Yoel Marcus

Ehud Olmert was right when he said at a cabinet meeting this week that "we are a country that has been fighting for its life since the day it was born, and has invested its all in winning on the battlefield, not bunkering itself to death."

Israel is indeed the only country in the world that has been attacked by its neighbors non-stop for its entire 60-odd years of existence. We have had short wars, like the Six-Day War, and long wars, like the two intifadas, the second one waged chiefly on the home front.

The most tragic of our wars, the Yom Kippur War, in which most lives were lost on the battlefront instead of the home front, led to peace with Egypt and Jordan. Actually, our most celebrated war, the Six-Day War, was the most risky for the home front. Few people remember that in 1967 the air force sent its entire fleet to carry out a surprise attack on Egypt, leaving all of six planes to defend the home skies.
Advertisement
Sderot has been living for six years under a barrage of Qassams - rockets too primitive to be knocked out by our state-of-the-art anti-missile systems, but pretty noisy. Sometimes they hit the target and sometimes not, but they have made life hell for Sderot's residents, who certainly deserve better protection.

The 4,000 missiles Hezbollah fired at Israel during the failed Second Lebanon War, and Iran's threats to wipe us out, have sent the home front into a frenzy of bunkering and shelter building. The last time Hassan Nasrallah crawled out of his secret bunker for a breath of fresh air, he declared he had long-range missiles that could reach every corner of the Israeli home front. Nonsense, says army intelligence.

A government that includes three former defense ministers and two former chiefs of staff has enough clout to warn Nasrallah that for every missile fired at Israel, 10 will be lobbed at Beirut. It is no accident that Big Mouth Nasrallah hardly ever pokes his nose out of that bunker of his. He knows he's a dead man as far as Israel is concerned.

Missile-proofing the whole country is a deviation from Israel's basic strategic principle of moving the war quickly to enemy territory. It is a sign of cowering and hunkering down, a sign of fear, of burying ourselves in the "trenches of our lives," to quote the Israeli poet Natan Alterman. In practice, Israel is not digging trenches for the next war, but exploring ways of winning it. Offensive strategies are on the drawing board, both political and military. Not fences, not walls, not giant public shelters, but stepping out and taking actions that we initiate. Initiation, not retaliation.

Moshe Dayan used to say that Israel could not protect every pipeline, but it could exact a price from those who damaged it, on their turf. In a war on terrorist organizations, we need to sit down and plan offensive tactics that will make them lose their cool.

Last week, there was a summit in Damascus that appeared to be a success. Israel's surprising response was to declare an immediate campaign to upgrade the protection of the home front. You can't bombproof a whole country. You can't pad every house in reinforced armor and build underground shelters for the whole population.

During the Gulf War, we all donned gas masks, grabbed our atropine syringes and sat in reinforced rooms in our homes with the doors sealed shut with masking tape. Lucky for us, no chemical warhead was fired and the damage caused by the old missiles was minimal - 39 Scuds left one person dead.

Israelis love victories. They are not big fans of hiding underground or behind protective walls. In principle, there has to be some kind of clear policy about what should be done in the event of a massive attack on the home front. With the major league wackos, we have no problem. If you shoot, we shoot back with the most sophisticated weapons we are capable of producing.

Protection of the home front on a massive scale will require endless sums of money and may not always be effective. This is particularly true for terror attacks and Qassams fired at Sderot and the settlements around Gaza. Miracles don't happen every day, like a crying baby being taken out of its crib two minutes before a Qassam lands on it.

When we start negotiating with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, it will be his responsibility to halt the Qassams. From our standpoint, a launched Qassam, even if it doesn't kill anybody, is the same as a Qassam that kills a whole crowd. In the end, whatever Abbas can't do, will be done by us. And when that happens, the problem of protecting the home front will be entirely theirs, over in Gaza.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
In his father's memory
Gilad Sharon's son plans to write his father's memoirs as he lies in a coma.
Jammed FM
Police close an English radio station which encourages Israeli-Palestinian dialogue.
  1.   Israel 10:39  |  Hannah 27/07/07
  2.   a fair warning by Yoel Marcus 10:57  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 27/07/07
  3.   I don`t get it 11:29  |  Bandar Michaels 27/07/07
  4.   Building a Home and not a Shelter 11:49  |  Tzfonit 27/07/07
  5.   To Yoel Marcus 12:03  |  TonyL 27/07/07
  6.   And they took the land that the lord had given to them 12:38  |  Fritz 27/07/07
  7.   Are we for a suicide exercise ? 12:56  |  Akram Zekaria 27/07/07
  8.   Fritzi wants Israelis to settle in Germany,he`d like to be an ûbe 13:31  |  Absolute Sweden 27/07/07
  9.   THE US DOESN`T LET US SMASH THE ENEMY OUT OF EXISTANCE 13:34  |  don 27/07/07
  10.   Israel must take battle to Iranian front 13:41  |  Jonathan S 27/07/07
  11.   bandar michaels - 2. attempt 13:46  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  12.   To #3...Jew hating rhetoric doesnt help 14:08  |  stifffler 27/07/07
  13.   Israel is indeed the only in the world that still occupy PA 14:24  |  Tamir Palestine 27/07/07
  14.   The only victory in vendetta is mutual victory for BOTH sides! 14:25  |  Ivar 27/07/07
  15.   Jonathan S Advocates Wars from Germany 14:26  |  just a question 27/07/07
  16.   CHEAP CAN BE EXPENSIVE 15:08  |  Ian 27/07/07
  17.   You must remember Bandar... 15:27  |  Walter 27/07/07
  18.   And the Next War Will Bring? 15:27  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/07/07
  19.   OCCUPATION-SHMOCUPATION,RETAKE GAZA,W.BANK,LEBANON.&LIVE IN PEACE 15:39  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 27/07/07
  20.   Israel is the Palestinian homefront 15:48  |  Tim 27/07/07
  21.   tamir palestine 16:07  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  22.   Yoel, I Wish You Luck 16:17  |  Tony Anthony 27/07/07
  23.   #14 if this is the only ticket ivar im not riding 16:21  |  victor hardman 27/07/07
  24.   Tzfonit #4- Foaming 16:25  |  GABE1 27/07/07
  25.   #17 Israel attacked Egypt in 1956 and... 16:25  |  Jens 27/07/07
  26.   careful... 16:35  |  ravi 27/07/07
  27.   jens 17:00  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  28.   Separate Leaders from People 17:00  |  See the Truth 27/07/07
  29.   Yoel Marcus 98% right 17:01  |  Chick 27/07/07
  30.   ivar 17:02  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  31.   Yeah! Another 60 years of wars! 17:15  |  Pablo B 27/07/07
  32.   Little Jens, from Denmark,Asma Abdul,your SF-Parlament candidate 17:19  |  Absolute Sweden 27/07/07
  33.   The same idiotic thinking 17:19  |  Mark Lincoln 27/07/07
  34.   Tamir Palestine 17:25  |  Shepherd 27/07/07
  35.   Make the Arabs hesitate 17:37  |  Mike 27/07/07
  36.   saul a reader 17:48  |  Tamir Palestine 27/07/07
  37.   I am afraid Marcus represents the typical Israeli leader 18:12  |  Tosefta 27/07/07
  38.   Bunkering the country? 18:26  |  Otto Rand 27/07/07
  39.   Voice of Moshiach Misleads Once More 18:27  |  Isaiah 27/07/07
  40.   jens - 2. attempt 18:32  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  41.   ivar - 2. attempt 18:33  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  42.   Lincoln`s illusions 18:34  |  peter 27/07/07
  43.   tamir palestine, again 18:47  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  44.   arabist apologist advises hizbullah 18:51  |  peter 27/07/07
  45.   To Tosefta 19:02  |  Otto Rand 27/07/07
  46.   Tim#20 - You assume too much 19:08  |  William 27/07/07
  47.   To Mike #33 19:10  |  Otto Rand 27/07/07
  48.   Mike#31 - you are sooooo right 19:14  |  William 27/07/07
  49.   ok Shepherd you are good boy 19:16  |  Tamir Palestine 27/07/07
  50.   Tosefta#35 - there is no proof to your statements 19:17  |  William 27/07/07
  51.   Saul, diehard bitterness only increases with the Occupation 19:22  |  Ivar 27/07/07
  52.   Tamir#34 - 60 years is a long time 19:22  |  William 27/07/07
  53.   Tamir # 34 19:33  |  ChanahS 27/07/07
  54.   Tamir # 34 By the way 19:34  |  ChanahS 27/07/07
  55.   winning the peace is hard 20:05  |  Gretch 27/07/07
  56.   National defense requires a balanced approach 20:34  |  Voice of Reason 27/07/07
  57.   tim....I think it`s their fault. 21:09  |  maria 27/07/07
  58.   #49-Ivar puts the cart before the horse 21:12  |  peter 27/07/07
  59.   Sullivan, haven`t you spit at us, Jews, enough today? Do you also 21:14  |  Anat 27/07/07
  60.   ivar 21:35  |  saul a. readner 27/07/07
  61.   To Gretch #53 22:02  |  Otto Rand 27/07/07
  62.   Perfidious Ivar would never dream abut "single state" with the Ru 22:10  |  Absolute Sweden 27/07/07
  63.   Consistency (Otto Brand #43) 22:33  |  Tosefta 27/07/07
  64.   Read a little, and figure out the rest (William #48) 22:43  |  Tosefta 27/07/07
  65.   CLOSER !? 22:46  |  emad matahin 27/07/07
  66.   ----Abbas can`t come thru--- 22:54  |  Gary Pineda 27/07/07
  67.   Otto#59 - Re: Gretch - I beg to differ 23:27  |  William 27/07/07
  68.   `57" Anat re your post to Yaakov Sullivan. 23:32  |  Labhras 27/07/07
  69.   `48" William 23:39  |  Labhras 27/07/07
  70.   Israelis are not big fans of hiding underground or behind 23:46  |  lakshmi 27/07/07
  71.   Best Defense is well timed offense: this is not well timed 00:40  |  bernard ross 28/07/07
  72.   An Israel Held Back, Time for a Change 01:42  |  Yoram 28/07/07
  73.   Shepherd - USA 03:43  |  JD 28/07/07
  74.   Israel must have better control of the media 04:06  |  Zooog 28/07/07
  75.   Lakshmi: the moon and green cheese 07:30  |  Hannah 28/07/07
  76.   usual drivel 07:35  |  Gordon 28/07/07
  77.   74... zoooog 07:53  |  ravi 28/07/07
  78.   Labhras about Sullivan about hate of Jews 07:58  |  Shaul Smolansky 28/07/07
  79.   I Agree 08:36  |  Ron 28/07/07
  80.   "Fighting for you lives" - yeah, right! 10:32  |  Paddy 28/07/07
  81.   emad matahin 11:59  |  scallywag 28/07/07
  82.   ravi - 3 questions 12:09  |  scallywag 28/07/07
  83.   75Hannah,my stats are publicly known,israel dropped 4 million 13:21  |  lakshmi 28/07/07
  84.   78Shaul S.,while Yaakov Sullivan can easily defend himself I must 13:44  |  lakshmi 28/07/07
  85.   #83 LACKEY AND ITS NOT FAIR PHILOSOPHY 13:44  |  paul harris 28/07/07
  86.   Haaretz, please help with ref to accurate numbers 14:08  |  Hannah 28/07/07
  87.   self-serving falsehoods 14:43  |  Mohan 28/07/07
  88.   lakshmi and the zionist enterprise failure 14:55  |  scallywag 28/07/07
  89.   tosefta - kassams/shmassams 15:21  |  scallywag 28/07/07
  90.   Lakshmi about Sullivan`s anti-Jewish racism 15:54  |  Shaul Smolansky 28/07/07
  91.   amen v`amen 16:25  |  noah 28/07/07
  92.   Lahbras and Sullivan perfect ant-semites together. I suspect that 17:16  |  Steve 28/07/07
  93.   #89 Scallywag 17:41  |  Tosefta 28/07/07
  94.   82..scallywag 17:48  |  ravi 28/07/07
  95.   I agree with you, Steve, about Lahbras and Sullivan 18:05  |  Reuven 28/07/07
  96.   Expulsion is effective against Kassams 18:14  |  Bo 28/07/07
  97.   bandar michaels 18:49  |  citizen zero 28/07/07
  98.   ...to Hannah...we are out of virgins, join us 19:14  |  The 71...and waiting 28/07/07
  99.   JD 20:40  |  Tamir Palestine 28/07/07
  100.   Wise and refreshing article, coming from Marcus. 20:51  |  Fortuna Benmayor 28/07/07
  101.   tosefta #93 21:08  |  scallywag 28/07/07
  102.   ravi #94 21:18  |  scallywag 28/07/07
  103.   steve. from a country that hates jews 21:19  |  strongbow 28/07/07
  104.   #25 Jens - About 1948 ... 21:50  |  Bo 28/07/07
  105.   Yoel Marcus is a Dreamer 21:55  |  Ah 28/07/07
  106.   #103 and steve how does that affect the price of eggs ? 22:20  |  victor hardman 28/07/07
  107.   #101, scallywag, you are right 22:35  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 28/07/07
  108.   Saul, #60, end the Occupation provocation which feeds Hamas 22:57  |  Ivar 28/07/07
  109.   Today`s reality (Scallywag #101) 22:58  |  Tosefta 28/07/07
  110.   strongbow # 103 23:03  |  ChanahS 28/07/07
  111.   cipora julianna kohn 23:25  |  scallywag 28/07/07
  112.   #18 Yaakov Sullivan, How True .... 00:41  |  Dutch 29/07/07
  113.   Yoel Marcus, Please Don`t Start with Olmert`s BS & Blame Game 02:06  |  Dutch 29/07/07
  114.   It does not matter 03:44  |  Palestinian Prince 29/07/07
  115.   Bunkering The Country 03:44  |  Jim 29/07/07
  116.   Israel will increasingly be a bunker state 03:54  |  steve 29/07/07
  117.   #87 - Response #1 - Re your accusations 03:59  |  MN 29/07/07
  118.   #87 - Response #2 - Hypocracy? 04:06  |  MN 29/07/07
  119.   Bunkering The Country 04:25  |  Jim 29/07/07
  120.   Hit HARD - Hit Often 04:52  |  Dr David I. Gross 29/07/07
  121.   Jim - sheer speculation based upon the past 04:57  |  Mark Lincoln 29/07/07
  122.   Israel has never claimed that the West Bank is it`s 05:00  |  Mark Lincoln 29/07/07
  123.   #29 - Chick`s suicidal thoughts 05:05  |  spyguy 29/07/07
  124.   The appropriate role of defense 05:06  |  Mark Lincoln 29/07/07
  125.   #8 absolute sweden 05:12  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 29/07/07
  126.   HAARETZ WHY DO YOU CENSOR SO MANY JEWISH POSTERS- BUT 05:18  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 29/07/07
  127.   To Jim #119 05:20  |  Otto Rand 29/07/07
  128.   To Jim #119 05:20  |  Otto Rand 29/07/07
  129.   Bunkering the country 05:21  |  David Goliath 29/07/07
  130.   "fighting for its life(existence?) since the day it was born"? 06:17  |  eric 29/07/07
  131.   #121 Mark Bunkering The Country 07:12  |  Jim 29/07/07
  132.   Oslo criminal Marcus - there wouldn`t be Qassams if it weren`t .. 07:24  |  Maya 29/07/07
  133.   Jim - bull twaddle 07:31  |  Mark Lincoln 29/07/07
  134.   Does Fascism threaten the world? 07:35  |  Mark Lincoln 29/07/07
  135.   eric 08:21  |  Hannah 29/07/07
  136.   To Maya 08:22  |  Otto Rand 29/07/07
  137.   FALSE HANNAH ALERT! #1, 75, 86, 135 09:12  |  Hannah 29/07/07
  138.   To #13 - The Pals will be occupied for another 100 years unless.. 09:30  |  Moti 29/07/07
  139.   ivar 10:02  |  saul a. readner 29/07/07
  140.   #126 Jon Feigenbaum, Re Criticism among the states 20:34  |  Dutch 29/07/07
  141.   To # 127 Otto Rand 02:14  |  Jim 30/07/07
  142.   The "survival" of Israel in `67... 03:26  |  Paddy 30/07/07
  143.   "THIS" is happening, at this moment in time... 08:14  |  Paddy 30/07/07
 Today Online
Bradley Burston: I want the Palestinians to win
Responses: 23
Rosner: Evangelist to Yoffie: 'I'm not trying to undermine peace'
Responses: 17
Moshe Arens: Making Palestine Judenrein
Responses: 5
Barghouti peace overture to be read at Peace Now rally
Responses: 2


More Headlines
10:02 Sirens sound as IDF carries out largest civil defense drill ever
09:02 Vice PM: Ofra settlement homes built on private Palestinian land
03:28 Evangelist to Yoffie: 'I'm not trying to undermine peace'
10:14 Ex-chief justice: Friedmann reforms will make Israel third world country
06:39 Gaydamak, Pensioners poised to form new Knesset faction
09:26 Barghouti peace overture to be read at Peace Now rally
08:48 Gazans turn to black market to overcome gasoline shortage
02:36 Opposition to national service in Israel's Arab sector is bitter
03:44 Court extends remand of sixth suspect in case of abused Jerusalem toddlers
05:36 Report: Settlement planned for Gush Katif evacuees likely to damage nature preserve
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Learn Hebrew online
with Israel's best teachers Sign up for a trial lesson today
Behind the Z Word
Scholarly essays, commentary, podcasts, blogs and much more.
NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel
Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates
Pardes Institute Summer Sessions
Study Jewish texts and issues in Jerusalem, Co-ed, All Levels
FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film
The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer
Free the Palestinians from:
Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy
Fattal Hotel Chain
Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
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 |
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