Operation Mini Cast Lead
By Gideon LevyLike in "Mini-Israel," the park where there is everything, but smaller, Israel embarked yesterday on a mini Operation Cast Lead. Like its larger, losing predecessor, this operation had it all: the usual false claim that is was they who had started it - and not the landing of commandos from helicopters on a ship in open sea, away from Israeli territorial waters. There was the claim that the first act of violence came not from the soldiers, but the rioting activists on Mavi Marmara; that the blockade on Gaza is legal and that the flotilla to its shores is against the law - God knows which law.
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One of the wounded activists is removed from an IDF helicopter and taken to Sheba Medical Center. |
| Photo by: Tal Cohen |
Again came the claim of self defense, that "they lynched us" and that all the dead are on their side. Once more the use of violence and excessive and lethal force was in play and once more civilians wound up dead.
This action also featured the pathetic focus on "public relations," as if there is something to explain, and again the sick question was asked: Why didn't the soldiers use more force.
Again Israel will pay a heavy diplomatic price, once which had not been considered ahead of time. Again, the Israeli propaganda machine has managed to convince only brainwashed Israelis, and once more no one asked the question: What was it for? Why were our soldiers thrown into this trap of pipes and ball bearings? What did we get out of it?
If Cast Lead was a turning point in the attitude of the world toward us, this operation is the second horror film of the apparently ongoing series. Israel proved yesterday that it learned nothing from the first movie.
Yesterday's fiasco could and should have been prevented. This flotilla should have been allowed to pass and the blockade should be brought to an end.
This should have happened a long time ago. In four years Hamas has not weakened and Gilad Shalit was not released. There was not even a sign of a gain.
And what have we instead? A country that is quickly becoming completely isolated. This is a place that turns away intellectuals, shoots peace activists, cuts off Gaza and now finds itself in an international blockade. Once more yesterday it seemed, and not for the first time, that Israel is increasingly breaking away from the mother ship, and losing touch with the world - which does not accept its actions and does not understand its motives.
Yesterday there was no one on the planet, not a newsman or analyst, except for its conscripted chorus, who could say a good word about the lethal takeover.
The Israel Defense Forces too came out looking bad again. The magic evaporated long ago, the most moral army in the world, that was once the best army in the world, failed again. More and more there is the impression that nearly everything it touches causes harm to Israel.
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ever since erdogan's turkey had decided to leave the so-called western camp and join the iran islamist camp, these two, turkey and iran, have been working in close collaboration. in particular, they have done all in their power to irritate, frustrate and humiliate the united states. obviously, they have not received the numerous notes from obama proposing peace and kisses. israel is an excellent object of their islamist scorn. turkey-iran, together with syria, hezbollah and hamas, will attempt to defeat israel. remark the turkish ship was large and sturdy, filled with young men of the terrorist variety. many more such provacations will be forthcoming in the future. notice also that obama made no effort to pursuade turkey to disallow this little adventure.
Said so called humanitarian peace flotilla was nothing more than a well orchestrated provocation by Islamic activists to illicit a response from Israel. Israel is in a fight for her life, daily, surrounded by enemies who would like nothing more than to see said state's demise. Yes, it is bad public relations, yes it is regretable that people lost their lives. Lets get real here-they new the risks. When you enter a war zone, and are warned not to, you take certain risks. E=mc2 It is okay for Iran and other states to deny the Holocaust, and demand Israel's outright destruction. It is okay for Palestinians to indiscriminately lob missiles onto Israeli homes and schools. It seems it is okay to bash Israel anyway one likes these days. This is one Jew who stands with Israel to the bitter end, and damn the world!
It is Israel's right to defend herself. You don't even know the facts and write nonsense.
AND HINDSIGHT IS 20 20
Since those on board the ship were supporting a terrorist organization dedicated to Israel's destruction, they lost their civilian status. If you wish to call them civilians, then you must agree that Hamas, the IHH, and Turkey were using them as human shields. Israel had every right to do what it did to prevent this group providing materials to Gaza, or, if that was really their aim, and you have to be exceptionally naive to believe that, they could have transferred them, as requested, via Israel.
A crowbar to the head is deadly, as are 20 men pulling a gun from a soldier and tryingto lynch him to death. The mob was armed with knives, metal bars, explosive cocktails and guns. Israel was fully within its right to open fire on them in self-defense. Anyone else would have sunk the ship outright.
It is the mission, the overall goal that is leading nowhere. The backlog of unresolved systematic problems has become so huge that nobody can even imagine just thinking about them. Where to start, with the refugees from -49 perhaps? No, you don't wanna hear, not now, not ever. Lah lah lah lah....
the Armenians watch everything Turkey does, so it is no surprise I agree with an Armenian turkologist that this was a provocation that Erdogan will use to win islamist votes. This year at Turkish fest in Chicago, there were no pictures of Ataturk - I expected to see a picture of Erdogan instead.
The "civilians" that were shown on the videos attacking the Israeli troops were trained terrorists.It's a miracle Israel did not loose IDF lives...The Israelis were mostly armed with paintball guns.They should have rappelled with Uzis blasting away...As always,the terrorists won the pr battle,because the u.n. is a cesspool...They do not chastizae n/korea for sinking the s/korean ship and killing 46 sailors,but they make a big stink for Israel killing 9 terrorists...
Israel could have done a thousand things to avoid this unnecessary attention. 1. At least they could have waited until it reached Israeli/Gaza waters 2. Blocked the path with a ship and let the folitta come towards it and open fire saying they were about to ram the IDF navy But I suspect the idiot at the top wanted to show how tough he is and ended up looking like a Somali pirate in international waters. The PM should resign . . . stop embarrassing us
It is not about brainwashed people, it is about to be united in order to live.
Excellent analysis. Glad to see not everyone in Israel is detached from reality or suffers from a siege mentality. With it's current policy Israel is on a road to nowhere and it's leaders need to finally wake up and realize that it only has a future if it makes a just and lasting peace with the Palestinians. The Taba Conference talks should be the starting point for reaching such a peace deal. Sadly today's tragic events only serve to weaken Israel's hope for a bright future.
The enemy is intractable and must be met with force.
people with sticks, knives, poles and bats are not civillians. They are criminals or violent activists. Do NOT call them civillians.
wha rubbish. i've never read such naive, simplistic and self deprecating words. The IDF has teh resposibility to defend the citicens of Israel the Blockade is there to prevent arms from being brought in to Gaza. it is therfore their duty and responsibiltyto stop any challenge to those basic rules. to think otherwise is foolhardy or a death wish
Mr. Levy, yoou are a wise man. I am a Palestinian American and it kills me every time I hear about loss of civilian life on either side. When is all this madness going to stop. When are both the Jewish and palestinian populations going to stand up and tell their governments enough is enough. No one will ever flat out win this war. Israel with all its might will never be able to defeat people that have had no hope in life for the last 50 plus years. The Palestinians will never beat Isreal because instead of focusing on educating their children, they are too busy fighting over the little crums of land they have. Please people, quit fighting and end this sensless continuous bloodbath for the sake of your kids.
But I disagree with you, Israel blunder was to take them on international waters Israel should have waited until the flotilla reached Gaza waters and proceed to divert them to Ashdod. The blockade must stay on until Hamas show sthe intention to make truly peace
Assaulting a Turkish civilian ship in international waters and killing 10 people aboard? This is pure insanity.
Levy asks the obvious question: what was Israel expecting to achieve? And the answer appears to be that Israel was simply doing what Israel does, which is to use blind brute force as its first and its last and its only option. A leadership of thugs ordering its thuggish goons into action, and then being astounded when the shit hits the fan..... Doesn't ANYONE in Israel (apart from Levy) think to weigh up the risks before throwing the dice?