Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., February 03, 2008 Shvat 27, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:08 (EST+7) 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 - 09:26 23/01/2008 They neither see nor remember By Amira Hass Tags: Gaza, Israel, Closure  The security establishment was quick on Monday to boast of the success of its tactic of escalation against Gaza: Look, the number of Qassams declined. By the time these lines are published, the security establishment may spin another logical axiom: Since we renewed the supply of diesel fuel on a one-time basis, the Palestinians have gone back to firing Qassams. The conclusion: Continue the escalation. The logic of escalation is the middle name of the current defense minister, Ehud Barak, and many Israelis are adopting it. Barak was prime minister in September 2000, when the Israel Defense Forces responded with escalation to popular demonstrations against the Israeli occupier and to the throwing of stones: lethal fire against civilians, among them many children. Not surprisingly, the Palestinians did not understand the lesson and turned to escalation tactics of their own. That is how we reached the point where we are now - homemade rockets of all kinds, which become even developed, the more Israel escalates its punishment measures in response to them. Books, articles and one or two films have have already discussed, albeit tardily, the foolishness of the tactic of escalation. But that does not matter to those who support the application of more and more pressure on the 1.5 million residents of the Strip. This shows that they - like their defense minister and the rest of the political leadership - are suffering from four failings: amnesia, shortsightedness, disorientation and learning disabilities. Advertisement Amnesia allows exponents of this position to ponder the ostensibly welcome results of the escalation for a period of time ranging from days to months. Israelis forget the deadly Israeli attack that preceded the last Qassam barrage. And because they do not connect today's Qassams to those killed at the beginning of the intifada, that is, to the steps of escalation that the army took seven years ago, they cannot imagine what the result will be of the interruption to the water supply due to the power cuts; the collapse of the sewerage system; the insult inherent in dealing only with food and the cold. Because of amnesia, Israelis do not think about the future: about the Palestinian, all-Muslim, all-Arab attitudes and positions that are being formulated at this very moment, which will end up shattering any temporary calm. The shortsightedness of those who support escalation allows them to watch television broadcasts from Gaza - of children crying and spokesmen pleading or raging - and feel these are signs that the current escalation is working. They do not see beyond the screen. They do not see the mutual help, the resourcefulness and the humor people are showing, the stubborness and the political and popular pressure on their Egyptian neighbor. Disorientation causes supporters of escalation to believe that Gaza is really a separate geographic and demographic region, that it does not not belong, that the fate of its inhabitants means nothing to Palestinians in other areas. Disorientation causes Israelis to relate to the Green Line and treat it as sacred only when Palestinians cross it and strike at them. They forget that they - that is, we Israelis - are crossing the Green Line at any given moment: with settlements and gunfire and separate roads, shelling and bombardment and military orders. And this began long before any Palestinians learned how to manufacture Qassams. It all connects to learning disabilities. The escalation, its proponents are convinced, will lead to popular pressure on the Hamas government. But the Palestinians do not forget that various forms of siege and closure, economic attrition, land expropriation and foot-dragging in negotiations, are testimony to the failure of the Palestinian Authority and its elected president, Mahmoud Abbas, much more than they are to the failure of Hamas. Those who champion escalation ignore the fact that hermetic closure of all crossings into Gaza reminds the world what it loves to forget: Israel is the occupier. The aggressor. The learning disabled and the short-sighted do not see the moral - and not just security - bankruptcy of the escalation policy. Others will do that in their place. Bookmark to del.icio.us   60 years later The JNF is reportedly planning to commemorate demolished Palestinian villages. Mika and Amy Mika says he would like to work with Amy Winehouse on her 'Jewish album'.   1.   DON`T STOP, THAT`S THE POINT HERE 09:38  |  indrajaya 23/01/08   2.   Frantic, hungry people and the rise of world anti-semitism 09:47  |  Clickfool 23/01/08   3.   Indraya (a.k.a. Lakshmi) Has a Cruel Message 10:05  |  Craig 23/01/08   4.   Collective Punishment Is Not the Answer 10:08  |  David Howard 23/01/08   5.   good analysis 10:19  |  old palestinean 23/01/08   6.   Who`s being collectively punished? 10:27  |  David 23/01/08   7.   # 3, CRAIG (a.k.a. PETER SM) 10:28  |  indrajaya 23/01/08   8.   # 6 to david; your sderot is a decoy duck 10:38  |  eric 23/01/08   9.   an explanation is required? where does the money come from 10:40  |  v hardman 23/01/08   10.   Where do you live Amira Hass? 10:46  |  De 23/01/08   11.   What I don`t get... 11:04  |  SP 23/01/08   12.   Escalation 11:29  |  Brenda 23/01/08   13.   Amira at it again ! 11:33  |  Benzaken 23/01/08   14.   #6 to David 11:39  |  Yair 23/01/08   15.   TO AMIRA 11:44  |  ROBERT 23/01/08   16.   Telling it like it is. 11:52  |  Phillies Wright 23/01/08   17.   #to Yair 11:56  |  Aby 23/01/08   18.   brilliant article! 11:59  |  peter 23/01/08   19.   Amira move to Sderot please 12:10  |  arthur 23/01/08   20.   evil and the zionists 12:15  |  John and the truth 23/01/08   21.   True but irrelevant 12:17  |  Joab 23/01/08   22.   sderot 12:18  |  kas 23/01/08   23.   Oh Wise Amira! Tell us how to deal with Kassams 12:20  |  Allon Dabah 23/01/08   24.   They neither see nor remember 12:25  |  Ralph 23/01/08   25.   #7 Indraya to Craig 12:32  |  King 23/01/08   26.   Selective Amnesia 12:36  |  Michael 23/01/08   27.   Wow Yair, great response. 12:36  |  David 23/01/08   28.   Amira : a brave lady 12:46  |  Al Hussein Barghouti 23/01/08   29.   Yes, Yair, the evil `responsibility` of living 12:54  |  David Teich 23/01/08   30.   Sincere thanks Amira 13:04  |  Ursula 23/01/08   31.   No Kassams - No Attack of Gaza - Kassams.. 13:21  |  Rafi 23/01/08   32.   More ranting from the Ramalla-based Drekess 13:22  |  `Hass` means `Hate` 23/01/08   33.   Did Amira Support Kadima in the Last Election? 13:22  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 23/01/08   34.   Stand up, Nik Miller - we can`t quite hear you # 29 13:29  |  Clickfool 23/01/08   35.   Amira, you certainly have made a statement.! 13:46  |  Stephen. 23/01/08   36.   # 3 Craig, Excellent post 13:49  |  Petra 23/01/08   37.   Prespectives.... 13:57  |  Buzaglow 23/01/08   38.   Yeah, they blasted down the wall 13:58  |  Marilyn 23/01/08   39.   # 37, PETRA 14:01  |  indrajaya 23/01/08   40.   You forgot one Amira - Rabid Hatred 14:19  |  Fred the Magnet Man 23/01/08   41.   Amira Hass 14:19  |  Edithann 23/01/08   42.   Now listen VERY closely Motek 14:27  |  Gideon Reader 23/01/08   43.   Bold Announcement 14:29  |  bob p 23/01/08   44.   The Palestinians are saying `NEVER AGAIN, does anyone remember th 14:35  |  Ferd 23/01/08   45.   ONLY to the Jaundiced 14:41  |  B 23/01/08   46.   Not So Hermetic Any More 14:46  |  Jane 23/01/08   47.   Hammas failed to create Hizbullah like front in Gaza 14:48  |  DDD 23/01/08   48.   It Connects To An Act Of Will 14:49  |  Yaakov Sullivan 23/01/08   49.   Israel the aggressor..?? 14:49  |  Elie 23/01/08   50.   INDRAJAY A.K.A paid Arab mouthpiece.Worry about Indonesia failing 14:55  |  PETER SM 23/01/08   51.   INDRAJAY A.K.A paid Arab mouthpiece.Worry about Indonesia failing 14:55  |  PETER SM 23/01/08   52.   Amira Hass` World View 15:14  |  Norman F Birnberg 23/01/08   53.   Keep this way 15:42  |  Moaied 23/01/08   54.   war crimes accountability 15:49  |  margaret 23/01/08   55.   they neither see nor respond 16:12  |  jorge luis 23/01/08   56.   Gaza siege reminds people that Gaza is Egypt 16:35  |  Herbert Kaine 23/01/08   57.   Hass vs Levy 16:42  |  Yaacov 23/01/08   58.   Amira Hass neither sees nor remembers 16:52  |  Barry Newman 23/01/08   59.   Gaza "seige" reminds the world who voted terrorists into power 17:49  |  smarter then amira 23/01/08   60.   #53 Norman F. Birnberg` world view 18:27  |  Dutch 23/01/08   61.   GAZA 18:31  |  JW 23/01/08   62.   So What is the answer 18:35  |  Preston 23/01/08   63.   clickfool israelis are not savages they just want to get to 18:37  |  Real Palestinian 23/01/08   64.   who needs reminders.....? 18:46  |  ravi 23/01/08   65.   margaret,international court judge for war crimes? 18:54  |  JfromC 23/01/08   66.   The Escalation 18:56  |  Ron 23/01/08   67.   Really having a field day 18:58  |  Dangalil 23/01/08   68.   Amira, It`s like dumb and getting dumber 19:00  |  Dutch 23/01/08   69.   #55 fake margaret 19:10  |  margaret 23/01/08   70.   stones and suicide bombers originated escalation 19:30  |  reizel 23/01/08   71.   #69 Dutch 19:30  |  Amira 23/01/08   72.   What else? 19:39  |  Laurent 23/01/08   73.   #3 Craig is right 19:44  |  Tom 23/01/08   74.   #60 Israeli voted Terrorists in power too 19:48  |  dutch 23/01/08   75.   # 63 The answer is tolerance 19:48  |  Yaakov Sullivan 23/01/08   76.   The answer is American people must get awakened 20:57  |  Moe 23/01/08   77.   Actually, it reminds world of the Pal double-speak 21:13  |  William 23/01/08   78.   "Israel is empty of Jews" - Indrajaya #7 21:20  |  William 23/01/08   79.   Thanks Amira Hass 21:49  |  John 23/01/08   80.   Fight for FREEDOM! Defeat the Enemies of the FREE WORLD 21:52  |  Linda Rivera 23/01/08   81.   Amira, Enjoy your BLOODY Peace Process. LIVE 24/7 in SDEROT 21:59  |  Linda Rivera 23/01/08   82.   #72 Amira, Re: ineptitude 22:02  |  Dutch 23/01/08   83.   Bravo Amira Hass 22:06  |  Paul Fingerhut 23/01/08   84.   The WICKED LIE of Occupation. Return STOLEN Jewish Land! 22:06  |  Linda Rivera 23/01/08   85.   Why would anyone want to do this? 22:22  |  Dari Ben Akim 23/01/08   86.   Collective punishment perpetrated by each side 22:33  |  Morris Valentine 23/01/08   87.   reminds world? it already is known 22:34  |  me2 23/01/08   88.   #78 Linda Rivera How about you moving to Gaza for a few days 22:36  |  Moe 23/01/08   89.   re above heading 22:36  |  flatfoot 23/01/08   90.   #63 Preston. You have things upside down 22:47  |  Dutch 23/01/08   91.   #85 here is the proof that you asked for 22:54  |  Moe 23/01/08   92.   amira...who are the aggressors? 22:55  |  nmf 23/01/08   93.   It shows the world,Amira is insane,together 22:55  |  TOMY 23/01/08   94.   #76 Yaakov , The settlers must be rocketed out 23:01  |  Dutch 23/01/08   95.   OLMERT TOLD THEM TO WALK 23:01  |  Dangalil 23/01/08   96.   #19 Arthur: How about you moving into Gaza for a few days 23:03  |  Moe 23/01/08   97.   Come on Amira...we all know the only solution 23:30  |  Ariel 23/01/08   98.   Stop the flow 23:53  |  Fair 23/01/08   99.   the peace of the graveyard 23:56  |  rickibobbi 23/01/08   100.   Israel was and is a historical mistake. 00:11  |  Dutch Dirk 24/01/08   101.   What Amira really wants 00:19  |  Rajeev 24/01/08   102.   Stop US Aid to israel NOW! 00:39  |  LanceThruster 24/01/08   103.   Any time I see "NOW" in capital letters, I know it`s a bad slogan 00:56  |  Tom 24/01/08   104.   i`m not sure. i think i h.sent similar post befre 00:57  |  bozhidar balkas 24/01/08   105.   Gaza situation reminds the world that Pals attack civilians 01:00  |  Tom 24/01/08   106.   You make a diffrence! 01:10  |  RJ 24/01/08   107.   Morris and Dave Valentine # 87 fair and balanced approach 01:14  |  American in NY 24/01/08   108.   Gaza Ghetto/Warsaw Ghetto 01:23  |  fred schumacher 24/01/08   109.   Jane - this whole episode 01:29  |  Mark Lincoln 24/01/08   110.   #89 PA Call for the MURDER OF ALL JEWS & MURDER of Americans 01:29  |  Linda Rivera 24/01/08   111.   "THEY" see Israeli civillians bombed hourly"they"remember suicide 01:40  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   112.   "THEY" see Israeli civillians bombed hourly"they"remember suicide 01:40  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   113.   "THEY" see Israeli civillians bombed hourly"they"remember suicide 01:40  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   114.   #94 Dutch calls for geoncide 01:44  |  Tom 24/01/08   115.   #89 I can`t live in Gaza. 10,000 Gaza Jews Ethnically CLEANSED 01:51  |  Linda Rivera 24/01/08   116.   What`s would be a logical response? 02:03  |  Logical Tomer 24/01/08   117.   Amira is a hero. She was already brave enough to live among Pals! 02:11  |  Jeremy Martin 24/01/08   118.   Olmert` Aushwitz Borders Plan Equal Peace of the Grave 02:13  |  Joseph E . 24/01/08   119.   MOE AMERICANS were awakened by 9/11.USS Cole,Farrakhan calling 02:19  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   120.   American in NY/Morris Valentine 02:29  |  Dorothy 24/01/08   121.   Amira Hass: I`d bet that you don`t live in Sdarot 02:30  |  GPS 24/01/08   122.   Hass blind on the subject again 02:32  |  Joe Sittizen 24/01/08   123.   This shuld explain every thing 02:32  |  Moe 24/01/08   124.   INDRAJAYA again I`am not Craig,he tells the truth. 02:33  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   125.   As Ben Gurion said... 02:33  |  Moe 24/01/08   126.   The gigs up Israel............ 02:43  |  Deborah 24/01/08   127.   What Amira really wants 02:55  |  ** 24/01/08   128.   Now the World has seen starving Palestinians 03:23  |  Scharker Yid 24/01/08   129.   To AiNY (#98) aka Axel 03:54  |  Morris Valentine 24/01/08   130.   #102 03:58  |  Tom 24/01/08   131.   # 99, PETER SM (a.k.a, CRAIG) 04:00  |  indrajaya 24/01/08   132.   Amira Hass obviously isn`t living in Sderot 04:13  |  Tacky 24/01/08   133.   Amira fromRamallah.Forget it.Bombing Israeli civillians is a nono 04:16  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   134.   palestinian break out 04:16  |  llloyd 24/01/08   135.   Clickfool and indrajada aka lakshimi 04:34  |  Giora 24/01/08   136.   INDRAJAYA "STARVING GAZA" Please send some photos! 04:51  |  PETER SM-no aliases! 24/01/08   137.   MOE.IT would explain more if it was not 2nd hand & in context 04:58  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   138.   #111 (should have referred to #108, not #102) 05:00  |  Tom 24/01/08   139.   1# indrajaya. That what Hitler does he never stop. 05:20  |  Akram Zekaria 24/01/08   140.   AMIRA HASS 05:23  |  MOHAMMAD 24/01/08   141.   Gaza sieze reminds Israel a n aggressor 05:59  |  Dr. Somasundar 24/01/08   142.   Haaretz - Why did you not publish my two responses to #88 ? 06:09  |  Linda Rivera 24/01/08   143.   Haaretz.Please print "The poison that nobody needs or want" 06:14  |  Akram Zekaria. 24/01/08   144.   #123 PETER: The quote is accurate and correct 07:09  |  Moe 24/01/08   145.   #125, AKRAM ZEKARIA 07:11  |  indrajaya 24/01/08   146.   Gaza and Amira 07:24  |  howiej 24/01/08   147.   Ha`aretz is a freedom of expression 07:27  |  Faris 24/01/08   148.   #PeterSM. Something for you to read. "Israel`s Sacred Terrorism." 07:48  |  Maureen Ann 24/01/08   149.   And this is an Israeli Newspaper? 08:07  |  Proud Israeli 24/01/08   150.   Amira`s mind 08:08  |  standish 24/01/08   151.   dr. somasundar....don`t blame israel...get your facts straight. 08:13  |  from far away land 24/01/08   152.   American in NY #97 08:34  |  S 24/01/08   153.   stop the flow 08:36  |  USA Deborah 24/01/08   154.   amira and gideon are legitimate reasons for closing down haaretz 08:38  |  v hardman 24/01/08   155.   indrajaya 08:38  |  USA Deborah 24/01/08   156.   proud Israeli 08:42  |  USA Deborah 24/01/08   157.   MOE I have seen the QUOTE not the ORIGINAL 08:53  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   158.   ....AND HITLER & STALIN werent aggressors either 09:07  |  rich 24/01/08   159.   amira hass, you`re beautiful! (another try!) 09:08  |  eric 24/01/08   160.   MAUREEN"The Zionist military forces that invaded Palestine in1948 09:10  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   161.   Bush set you up 09:10  |  flimflam 24/01/08   162.   To AMira Hass 09:21  |  Gabe 24/01/08   163.   Indrajaya (a.k.a. Lakshmi) Supports the HAMAS Death Merchants 09:29  |  Craig 24/01/08   164.   To: Indrajaya 09:31  |  Ruth 24/01/08   165.   MAUREEN.Livia Rokach Italian journalist of Pal origin, published 09:41  |  PETER SM 24/01/08   166.   # 161 to gabe...why should she be ashamed? 09:58  |  eric 24/01/08   167.   # 162 Be ashamed of yourself Amira 10:14  |  Alain 24/01/08   168.   Lay off the ad hominem attacks on Amira!! 12:18  |  Daniel 24/01/08   169.   Minda 15:35  |  HEDGES 24/01/08   170.   161: Eric`s fantasies continue 15:43  |  David Teich 24/01/08   171.   145: Indrajaya, you just proved Akram`s point 15:45  |  David Teich 24/01/08   172.   Dorothy # 120 re morris valentine 15:50  |  American in NY 24/01/08   173.   S # 152 You are right 16:05  |  American in NY 24/01/08   174.   To S (#152) 17:40  |  Morris Valentine 24/01/08   175.   170 David, You are in a fantasy world yourself 18:12  |  Dutch 24/01/08   176.   #157 Peter: You just made the point 18:40  |  Moe 24/01/08   177.   154 Victor, Haaretz` has a responsibility to the truth 19:06  |  Dutch 24/01/08   178.   Peter SM: here is the document you asked for on Ben Gurion 19:20  |  Moe 24/01/08   179.   Disregard of law 21:13  |  Eva SK 24/01/08   180.   Morris Valentine # 86 21:50  |  American in NY 24/01/08   181.   Morris valentine # 174 22:34  |  American in NY 24/01/08   182.   Morris valentine # 174 typo correction 23:52  |  American in NY 24/01/08   183.   145# indraja. "I believe` what you `believe` is wrong. 00:19  |  Akram Zekaria. 25/01/08   184.   To AiNY (#181) 02:41  |  Morris Valentine 25/01/08   185.   # 170 you seem a bit confused, david teich 07:40  |  eric 25/01/08   186.   Morris valentine # 184 15:01  |  American in NY 25/01/08   187.   re: #22 sderot kas london 18:22  |  ridiculous 25/01/08   188.   185: Yes, I am confused, eric 13:06  |  David Teich 26/01/08   189.   News media half truths makes Israel the bad guys 19:48  |  sam 26/01/08   190.   # 188 teich? nowhere on your list of half-truths...(2nd try) 08:09  |  eric 27/01/08   191.   To AiNY (#186) 18:42  |  Morris Valentine 27/01/08   192.   190: Again, eric, your avoidance proves my point 10:57  |  David Teich 28/01/08   193.   # 192 tiech...you still haven`t! (last try) 06:06  |  eric 29/01/08   194.   193: Denial is not an argument, eric 12:57  |  David Teich 31/01/08   195.   # 193 to david teich 08:08  |  eric 01/02/08   196.   195: Poor eric, selective perception at its worst (3rd try) 22:43  |  David Teich 03/02/08

Today Online Barak: We urgently need a fence along Egyptian border Responses: 178 IDF commander gets 15 months in prison for W. Bank rampage Responses: 69 U.S. Methodist Church renews drive for divestment from Israel Responses: 189 Report: JNF parks to mark demolished Palestinian villages Responses: 55 Al-Qaida claims attack near Israeli Embassy in Mauritania Responses: 29 For all the excitement, very little has changed in the Gaza Strip Responses: 36 More Headlines 22:57 IDF kills Lebanese man in cross-border shooting 21:26 Shin Bet: Militants smuggled advanced arms into Gaza Strip 19:43 Egypt: We won't tolerate further attempts to breach Gaza border 20:43 IAEA chief brushes off concern over Arab nuclear development 18:41 Report: JNF parks to mark demolished Palestinian villages 22:17 Brothers jailed for plan to set fire to cars during Gaza pullout 18:37 MKs slam Barak decision to remain in government despite campaign pledge 21:02 Histadrut chair warns of strike if gov't does not boost dollar 20:39 Brig.-Gen. Udi Dekel appointed to head PMO negotiations staff 17:14 Mika: I want to work with Winehouse on her 'Jewish album' 19:59 Man suspected of severely beating wife released to house arrest 22:10 Obama, Clinton and Iran: The vote that made the difference Previous Editions Select Day 01 feb 31 jan 30 jan 29 jan 28 jan 27 jan 25 jan 24 jan 23 jan 22 jan 21 jan 20 jan

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