• Published 02:37 05.08.10
  • Latest update 02:37 05.08.10

Restraint is not weakness

The government and IDF must understand that not every time is right for demonstrating Israeli sovereignty right up to the last millimeter, certainly not when tension is rising on both sides of the northern border.

Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israel news IDF Lebanon Hezbollah

 

The serious firefight that developed Tuesday between Israel and Lebanon is like a match that can ignite a blaze. Lt. Col. Dov Harari was killed and Capt. Ezra Lakiya was seriously wounded, and three Lebanese were killed. That is a serious outcome in and of itself, but the incident had the threatening potential of widespread deterioration, and even war.

There's no dispute, even according to the United Nations, that Israel was operating on its own territory. If Lebanon disagreed with the way the area was marked, or opposed Israel Defense Forces operations there, it could have contacted UN liaison officers. In contrast to other IDF operations in Lebanese territory, it appears that this time there was no violation of UN Resolution 1701, as claimed by Lebanon, which does not strictly adhere to the resolution itself and appears to be unable to carry out all its provisions.

At the same time, the government and the IDF have for several months been preparing the Israeli public for the possibility of a war in the north. They are aware of the tremendous political tension in Lebanon, of the struggle Hezbollah is waging against accusations of murdering former prime minister Rafik Hariri more than five years ago, and of the massive diplomatic effort by Saudi Arabia to steady the situation in Lebanon.

This awareness should have led the government and the IDF to consider more carefully when to cut down a tree near the border. Operation Exposure, as the army is calling the tree cutting, may be necessary to give IDF troops a good view of what is happening in Lebanese territory, but when such an operation can trigger a war, the benefits must be weighed against the risks.

It is hoped that the Lebanese government and army will not draw the wrong conclusions from the incident, or from the words of support and praise they received from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

At the same time, the Israeli government must act to strengthen the liaison arrangements with the Lebanese government and the United Nations, and most of all understand that the Israel-Lebanon border is like no other. This is a border that does not forgive mistakes or rash considerations.

The government and the IDF must understand that not every time is right for demonstrating Israeli sovereignty right up to the last millimeter, certainly not when tension is rising on both sides of the border. Employing restraint and waiting at such a time are not an expression of weakness, but of wisdom and political sensitivity.

  • Print Page
  • Send to a friend
  • Share
  • Text Size +|-
 
 
TalkBacks

Why Facebook Connect?

Comment on Haaretz.com articles with your Facebook login, and share your thoughts on your own wall.

Add a comment

Add your reply

  • 29. 0 0
    Push back
    • Victor
    • 05.08.10
    • 22:18

    Israel in its arrogance is always creating tensions (over flights, etc.), perhaps to ensure there will be a ready pretext for its next military adventure, yet in this case there was a response. Perhaps the L. army felt emboldened knowing that Hezbollah (who soundly defeated IDF ground forces in 2006) has its back.

  • 28. 0 0
    Bulling nations in region is long gone
    • US person
    • 05.08.10
    • 22:08

    so stop threating people your country done nothing but killing since the creation of this doomed state or terorr and finally some body put stop for all you B-S. I was woundering when is the next time HZ will kick your ass again like 2006 and maybe better this time. Poeple are sick of you present in that part of the world that suppose to be the most peceafully part until your nation was created.

  • 27. 0 0
    Time to remove UNIFIL
    • Texan
    • 05.08.10
    • 21:14

    Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army only use them as human shields. They fullfil no useful role since they are routinely disarmed by villagers, have not stopped arms caches from being stored in violation of 1701, have no-go zones they adhere to, and everything else they are supposed to be doing. They only put themselves in harm's way by being there.

  • 26. 0 0
    Israel shouldn't visit its border territories
    • Eric
    • 05.08.10
    • 21:06

    because the Lebanese army might shoot at us. And women shouldn't go out in miniskirts, because they might get raped. It's the same logic. Equally true in both cases. Or equally false.

  • 25. 2 0
    An Israeli Life For A Tree - Hubris And Irrationality
    • chet - Canada
    • 05.08.10
    • 19:38

    The Lt-Col's life would have been spared if the IDF hadn't arrogantly dismissed the UNIFIL request for a delay. Ask his family if it was worth it. I offer sympathy for their loss.

  • 24. 1 0
    Restrain is not weakness
    • Steve Gure
    • 05.08.10
    • 18:09

    This is he wrong message to send to to anyone. In the region, restrain is weakness.

  • 23. 0 1
    Mike
    • Military Restraint Results In Huge Losses of Israeli Livess
    • 05.08.10
    • 17:59

    Military Restraint Results In Huge Losses of Israeli Lives The practice of wars against Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists prove convincingly that the military restraint leads to more aggressive attacks by the Arabs against Israel. Having Obama-Biden-Hillary in power with Barak a Defense Minister of Israel invites numerous terrorist attacks against the Israeli civilians and the IDF. Obama's pro-Islamic views and activities gives the Arabs a good position for limited attacks against the Jewish State while being defended by Obama-Biden-Hillary-Ehud Barak from the Israeli meaningful retaliation. An indecisive weak Prime Minister Netanyahu who is mortally afraid of Obama definitely encouraged the Lebanese Hezbollah in the uniforms of the so-called Lebanese Army viciously attack Israel without any provocation. Also activities of the Jewish traitors in Israel and the United States like Jews for Obama or J Street, Soros, Reform rabbis and Peace Now and War Later makes Israel look weak,

  • 22. 0 0
    if you want lebanon to loves you then give her money
    • Tamir Palestine
    • 05.08.10
    • 17:41

    in Lebanon its easy to buy love and anything you want if you show them your heavy pocket full of money. You can buy calms, peace....money talks.

  • 21. 0 0
    "Israeli sovereignty" ER when was the northern area adjacent to Lebanon annexed to Israel?
    • CJ
    • 05.08.10
    • 17:04

    Britian has never recognized it, because recognition was granted on the information given by the Provisional Government of Israel. It DID NOT INCLUDE big chunks bordering Lebanon. Fact is, it was never legally annexed, it was not and still is not Israel and the last people who want Israelis to know, is Israel... http://wp.me/pDB7k-tM

  • 20. 0 0
    Restraint is weakness
    • Build Israel
    • 05.08.10
    • 16:39

    It is the very essence.

  • 19. 0 1
    Not Israel's Fault At All
    • Jane
    • 05.08.10
    • 16:24

    Restraint should have been shown by the trigger happy guy who killed an Israel. I don't accept your entire argument on this one.

  • 18. 7 1
    Restraint Is Not Weakness
    • Mark Gary Blumenthal, MD, MPH
    • 05.08.10
    • 15:30

    “For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” Sun-Tsu, The Art of War.

    • 0 0
      That's nice
      • SDHD
      • 05.08.10
      • 18:07

      Now all you have to do is consider which enemy you are dealing with. Then again, the Art of War is full of all sorts of commentary, such as, "Now in order to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards." Since that is your source, do you think Israel should now plunder Lebanon and give the IDF the bounty?

  • 17. 2 1
    Yes ...
    • bobharis30
    • 05.08.10
    • 15:10

    That is exactly the message conveyed by Hezbollah to the Lebanese people ...

  • 16. 9 4
    Predictable responses
    • Mark Lincoln
    • 05.08.10
    • 14:55

    The responses to this editorial are predictable. The question is ultimately how closely should military response match the problem at hand. The 'enemy' was a tree. It was an Israeli tree near the border. It had been condemned by some officer upon a reasonable charge of capital occultation. Some Lebanese objected vocally to the execution of the tree which they thought was a Lebanese tree. Rather than utilize available means of resolving the dispute this operation went from a pruning action to artillery retaliation against Lebanon in a few unnecessary steps. The steps were not necessary. Men were killed and maimed over a tree. Had UNIFL been contacted the dispute could have been easily and bloodlessly resolved. Just because you have a weapon does not mean it is wise, prudent, or sane to use it. I wonder if the family of Lt. Col. Dov Harari consider his life worth what it was sacrificed for. He died over whether a tree died one day or the next. Which was, I feel, a really foolish thing to have anyone die for.

  • 15. 2 2
    Inaction is not restraint, its suicide
    • Ilan
    • 05.08.10
    • 12:15

    Maintaining good visibility is essential as blind spots will be exploited for kidnapping attempts or terror attacks as they have been in the past. What this editorial calls for is mislabeled as restraint. The Israeli response of only firing to suppress fire was the correct decision. That was acting responsibly although it leaves open what other retaliation is appropriate. Something is needed to dissuade Lebanon from picking off soldiers whenever the fancy takes them, but the response shouldn't have to be a military one. What Haaretz is calling for is inaction bordering on a complete abdication of the consequences of doing nothing. That is beyond stupid.

  • 14. 3 2
    In this case, self restraint has consequences as far as IDF operation are concermed in the future.
    • Alex, Israel
    • 05.08.10
    • 10:49

    We clearly cannot have a modus vivendi in which Israeli officers are being shot routinely. Thus, self-restraint would necessarily imply that IDF perform less activities near the border. Perhaps even station itself away from the border, inside Israel. If you have a party, and a guest misbehave, self-restraint is proper and smart. The problem is that we are not dealing here with appearances. Lebanon tries to prevent IDF from performing legal routine operations. If we comply, we will have less of a defense in the North border.

  • 13. 6 3
    It is not rational to expect the cutting of trees to lead to a war
    • O
    • 05.08.10
    • 10:07

    According to various articles the cutting of trees is a standard procedure, there was no reason to expect that it would lead to an attack from Lebanon. Even if it could be seen as a provocation, which I don't agree with, it is not something that should lead to lethal force from the other side. All in all I think that the Israeli response to the Lebanese attacks was rather restrained, and certainly legitimate.

  • 12. 5 7
    Just to point out, yet again....
    • Johnboy
    • 05.08.10
    • 09:51

    "If Lebanon disagreed with the way the area was marked, or opposed Israel Defense Forces operations there, it could have contacted UN liaison officers. " They Did. The Israelis sent a message on Sunday via UNIFIL, and the Lebanese sent a reply back saying that they objected with this plan. The IDF then completely ignored that objection and then informed UNIFIL on Wednesday that they were going ahead with the operation, and they gave the UN six hours to warn off the Lebanese. That is a show of utter contempt towards the Lebanese.

    • 4 2
      Huh?
      • Peyman
      • 05.08.10
      • 10:16

      So a sovereign nation needs to ask permission to do a routine thing such as clean up a part of their border? This was done in Israeli territory completely as later confirmed by the UN. The fact that Lebanon "disagreed" with Israeli plan has no meaning. They can disagree all they want. This was within Israeli territory. Can Israel bomb a neighborhood in Beirut because it "disagrees" with a future planned building construction? Do you even think before writing comments?

    • 9 6
      Explaining it to the Slow Learners.....
      • Johnboy
      • 05.08.10
      • 11:00

      The Lebanese had told the Israelis Not To Cross That Fence. They were ignored, and so they fired warning shots into the air. The question of "Dude, where's my Blue Line?" relates to wether the Lebanese were justified in firing those warning shots but - JUSTIFIED OR NOT - there is no justification in responding to "warning shots" by laying down an artillery barrage on the people who are trying to warn you off. It's a F**KING TREE. It ain't goin' nowhere. Israel wouldn't have fallen to the Barbarians if that IDF officer had heeded that warning and pulled those arborist back over the fence. He decided instead to go all Monkey-Shit on the Lebanese, and he paid for that decision with his life. The Lebanese staged a "confrontation" - they admit it - but it was Israel who turned that into a "firefight".

    • 5 0
      Johnboy... Normally some your comments make sense but this one?
      • Immanuel
      • 05.08.10
      • 11:54

      Lebanese have no right to tell Israel not to cross the fence considering that it was built on Israeli land and the actual blue line is demacated by barrels and other markers put there by the UN itself when Israel withdrew. If they didn't like the border, they have had 4 (FOUR) years in which to lodge a complaint at the UN but until that is done, it remains Israeli. If an Israeli soldier wants to take a dump at the fence it's on their side of the border!. By the way, you're in a very tense situation where soldiers on the opposing side have been raining verbal abuse on you and they suddenly fire. You would 1) return fire or 2) do a roll call on site to find out if these were warning shots or actual targeted bullets. Are you for real? A f**king tre that was providing cover. If Hezzbolala were to try any stunt from there, I guess you would probably the first shouting blue murder about an Israeli response.

    • 2 0
      Johnboy... Normally some your comments make sense but this one?
      • Immanuel
      • 05.08.10
      • 11:54

      Lebanese have no right to tell Israel not to cross the fence considering that it was built on Israeli land and the actual blue line is demacated by barrels and other markers put there by the UN itself when Israel withdrew. If they didn't like the border, they have had 4 (FOUR) years in which to lodge a complaint at the UN but until that is done, it remains Israeli. If an Israeli soldier wants to take a dump at the fence it's on their side of the border!. By the way, you're in a very tense situation where soldiers on the opposing side have been raining verbal abuse on you and they suddenly fire. You would 1) return fire or 2) do a roll call on site to find out if these were warning shots or actual targeted bullets. Are you for real? A f**king tre that was providing cover. If Hezzbolala were to try any stunt from there, I guess you would probably the first shouting blue murder about an Israeli response.

    • 2 0
      Johnboy... Normally some your comments make sense but this one?
      • Immanuel
      • 05.08.10
      • 11:54

      Lebanese have no right to tell Israel not to cross the fence considering that it was built on Israeli land and the actual blue line is demacated by barrels and other markers put there by the UN itself when Israel withdrew. If they didn't like the border, they have had 4 (FOUR) years in which to lodge a complaint at the UN but until that is done, it remains Israeli. If an Israeli soldier wants to take a dump at the fence it's on their side of the border!. By the way, you're in a very tense situation where soldiers on the opposing side have been raining verbal abuse on you and they suddenly fire. You would 1) return fire or 2) do a roll call on site to find out if these were warning shots or actual targeted bullets. Are you for real? A f**king tre that was providing cover. If Hezzbolala were to try any stunt from there, I guess you would probably the first shouting blue murder about an Israeli response.

    • 0 2
      Are you an idiot?
      • Peyman
      • 05.08.10
      • 11:56

      So I think Israel should fire "warning shots" and kill Lebanese army personnel anytime say they want to up keep their neighborhood, or build a building in Beirut. B/c as you say the question is not where the border actually is but rather whether or not you ignore warning shots. I take it you will then blame Lebanon for rocketing Israel because I mean they ignored warning shots? Right?

    • 0 0
    • 0 0
      Well now Johny I disagree
      • Elise
      • 05.08.10
      • 16:12

      When you take pot shots at my tropops, you are going to receive a disporportionate response. amnd I will call down Apache and aartiller on your head to make my point. Do teh words "Dont tread on me" hold any meaning to you? Any commander who permits teh random "scare shots: on an opponent who is also fully armed and combat hardened is asking for trouble and is not much of a commander. The dumb ad dirt LAf fired Warning shiots or not, they fired. The response was too limited and too light in my expert opinion as an Officer. You pull that stunt in my sandbox Johnboy and would guarantee you there would not be enough left to put in a spoon. rounds out!

    • 0 0
      I'm talking to an arrogant fool
      • Johnboy
      • 05.08.10
      • 16:52

      "So I think Israel should fire "warning shots" and kill Lebanese army personnel anytime" You seem to be unable to grasp the concept behind "warning shots", because they are used to 'warn", not to "kill". The Lebanese insist that they only shot-to-kill after the IDF had already killed three Lebanese. Keep that in mind before you rant your nonsense at me again....

    • 0 1
      That's because the INIFIL is in Cahoots With Hezbollah Johnboy
      • Ross
      • 05.08.10
      • 17:55

      And they hear AND OBEY.Afraid of their own shadow..UNIFIL are a bunch of ninnies not to be trusted anyway.However they said it LOUD AND CLEAR that the IDF did NOT innitiate the fight and were on Israeli soil.Youcan bend it twisted any way you like this is the REALITY.

    • 0 0
      Dumboy's warning shots
      • SDHD
      • 05.08.10
      • 18:00

      Dumboy's warning shots sound differently than shots intended to kill. That's how the Israelis soldiers were supposed to know the difference.

    • 0 0
      bombing Lebanon
      • n
      • 05.08.10
      • 19:03

      Do you remember the bombing of Lebabon, killing thousands of people, destroying their infrastructure, applying cluster bombs and permantently violating their air space?? You can now blame the lebanon army for killing an IDF officer, but you must admit at the same time Israel´s attrocities during the last war. Israel is not God´s chosen people, who has every right to commit crimes against their neighbours.

    • 0 0
      No clear evidence of warning shots
      • ERSB
      • 05.08.10
      • 20:22

      1. there's no clear evidence that warning shots were in fact fired before they opened fire directly on Israeli troops. 2. Ya ever been in a fire fight? I can tell you this, when you're in close range with an enemy military and you hear shooting hown in the world do you know whether they shot at you and missed or are firing warning shots???? Not to mention that the Israeli officers that were killed and wounded weren't even the ones who supposedly had crossed the border, the were a few hundred meters back. 3. It's very difficult to treat and evacuate wounded soldiers during the middle of a fire fight, artillary is often used to get the other side to keep their heads down and stop shooting so you can evacuat the wounded. Maybe the Lebanese officers should've thought twice before shooting 2 Israeli officers. Lastly, it's amazing that even when all of the facts clearly show that Lebanon instigated a completely unneccessary flare up on the border, Israel haters like yourself don't have the intellectual honesty to acknowledge that Israel wasn't at fault or at the very least keep quiet.

  • 11. 6 1
    Sensitivity
    • Eyal
    • 05.08.10
    • 09:50

    Cutting down a tree near the border, to protect against infiltrators, is not a provocative action. I have never disagreed so strongly with the editorial in Haaretz before.

  • 10. 4 1
    Why don't you have any reproach to the Lebanese army? Even the UN accused Lebanon of wrong doing, yet you have no word of comdemnation for them? Why support this illegal Lebanese killing?
    • Israeli
    • 05.08.10
    • 09:49

    Few years ago, soldiers were kidnapped near Lebanese border at a "blind spot" on the border. What did the media shout then? The media then asked how come the IDF leaves those blind spots near the border? How come we don't have control over our parts of the border? Now suppose that due to lack of visibility, another incident would have happened. How would the media react now? Clearly they would say "the IDF is responsible for all security measures in Israel, and if a tree within our borders must have been cut, IDF should have cut it. We send our sons and daughters to the army and we expect the best care of them from the IDF". In short the Israeli left media position is clear: "IDF is wrong no matter what it does". To prove it, note that there is no criticism of Lebanese army from the left media. In their view, the Lebanese army is exempt from trying to "consider more carefully" their actions. The fact that they violated the cease fire and killed an Israeli officer, is completely understandable in the eyes of left media. But this is not new, in Sabra and Shatila incident, the left media totally exempted the Lebanese Militia perpetrators of the murder, from any charge whatsoever.

  • 9. 9 3
    The arrogance of strength
    • salem
    • 05.08.10
    • 09:49

    Wsdom and political sensitivity are not the character of israeli leaders.

    • 4 1
      Yea right
      • Peyman
      • 05.08.10
      • 10:12

      Salem, Of course Israeli leaders should learn wisdom and political sensitivity from your leaders. The leaders of the Arab countries who starve their own people with such grace and tact while they live is a mansion. I think you should look in the mirror before you open your big mouth.

  • 8. 5 6
    restraint
    • colin
    • 05.08.10
    • 09:43

    restraint is not a sign of weakness IT IS A DIRECT SIGN OF COWARDICE IN THE FACE OF THE ENEMY.

    • 2 2
      YEAH!!!!
      • O
      • 05.08.10
      • 10:20

      The correct way to resolve any dispute is all-out war. From past experiences we know that there is nothing that is as productive and beneficial to mankind as the irrational slaughter of people with whom we disagree.

  • 7. 7 3
  • 6. 10 1
    "restraint" in the eyes of the beholder
    • Chafeeka
    • 05.08.10
    • 08:38

    It is, for example, hard for Israel to accept calls for restraint when it sees no mechanism for protecting its civilians other than unilateral force. If I am not mistaken, there have been few, if any, Qassam rockets from Gaza as well. In fact, Hamas has been relatively quiet recently." I wonder why ... I am sure it's because Hamas, after reflecting on their moral values, decided it was immoral to kill women and children over the border. It show, of course, how the restraint on Israel side works so well. Another option: Israel restrained itself for abou seven years, while Hamas was firing the rockets into its towns. The rockets never stopped. Then Israel stopped being restrained, and answered properly - finally answered with war to these acts of war. And now - as you say - "Hamas has been relatively quiet recently". Makes you think...

    • 1 0
      Restrain up to a point..Otherwise you are dead if you do not counterattack the aggressor.
      • Ross
      • 05.08.10
      • 18:07

      Simple as that.Yo cannot have restraint and win wars. It not only shows weakness but encourages the enemy by seeing the RESULT OF SUCH TYPE OF RESTRAINT.NAH,nah THERE IS O SUCH THING AS RESTRAINT WHEN TRYING TO DEFEND YOURSELF.Or else you must be prepared TO DIE IF YOU DO.I think the author is being mealy mouthed about it. Since the best defence is a good offence, being restraint gives the enemy ample opportunity to do its worst.Never heard iof anything so stupid.Are the Americans showing RESTRAINT IN AFGHANISTAN? If so the'd be there not only for the passed 9 years but will be there for ever.Or else leave with their TAILS BETWEEN THEIR LEGS. Notice Iraq is still very unstable,which proves you cannot trust any jihadist by being soft and the damn restraint ..written here by Haaretz.

  • 5. 4 1
  • 4. 7 3
    Haaretz is incapable of clear thinking
    • A Nice Fellow
    • 05.08.10
    • 05:03

    Appeasement, surrender, and wishful thinking are the orders of the day here.

  • 3. 20 13
    Bring back 1922 mandate NOW!!
    • Chafeeka
    • 05.08.10
    • 04:24

    The 1922 Mandate was clear enough - and it was International Law, yet it was reneged upon and Jordan was created illegaly by Churchill. Subsequent UN resolutions have no legal effect. Ex PM Tony Blair as 'ambasador' for the quartet is well placed to enact the Mandate. Jordan MUST become the home for ALL the Pals who do not accept Israels rule over them. Those who chose to stay must take up temporary resident status with no voting rights but full access to state benefits. The two state solution was put in place and forgoten about (Israel - Jordan); its time to remind the world of it and enact it.

    • 9 7
      May God speed and make it so
      • Gabriella
      • 05.08.10
      • 08:43

      enough with appeasement and playing nice its time to take the bull by its horns and tackle the problem with Jordan with the help of the INTL community. Of course thre will be opposition and all kinds of bla blas especially from our beloved Leftys however, this is the best solution to the problem of the so called parasitic situation

    • 0 3
      This is not right, Chafeeka. Resolutions founding Israel clearly stated, the land is to be divided at some time. Who tends and cares will own. The enemy of Israel are the people who lie and apply blood libel on Jewish Israelis raising homes in the land designated for state.
      • Miron
      • 05.08.10
      • 09:51

      Who wants to be Israeli in the land to be divided, may not be thrown out, unless he is harboring some kind of crime... or lies about his commitment to Israel. The political game started in 90th was never about making Palestine. Nobody can make state for someone else. The game was to turn around the Arab world, the states neighboring Israel. As it turns out the volume of combined hatred of Israel overcame any nascent sentiments, even if any was there to begin with. And Arab hubris slapping Danny Pearle's father at the table to dine with them was not the last, but just one of many nails in the coffin of dream that something can be different, ever. Israel has no other path than keep making one she is given. We are not here to wipe anyone… let’s hope everyone makes it to the next stop. Remember the 60th? Had US not made fool of herself in Vietnam, we would have had a shared springtime… It was so beautiful. The horrible war was behind. Every flower though, this is my time to bloom. We will have times like this. People do not like changing. We have a lot more in common than anyone may want make us to believe.

    • 1 5
      Gosh! Wrong in the first two lines!
      • Johnboy
      • 05.08.10
      • 09:59

      "The 1922 Mandate was clear enough - and it was International Law, yet it was reneged upon and Jordan was created illegaly by Churchill. " Chafeeka clearly has never read the Mandate, because if he did he would have suddenly gone Very Very Quiet when he came across Article 25. "Subsequent UN resolutions have no legal effect." Do you want my copy of the Mandate text, Chafeeka? You need a copy from somewhere, coz you clearly haven't read Article 27.....

    • 0 1
      Sigh
      • O
      • 05.08.10
      • 09:59

      I thought the Israeli school-system had an extensive coverage of the events leading up to the holocaust. Both of your posts contain good examples of the same kind of dehumanization that the Nazis used. Is the explanation for these daft notions that you think that a specific action can be both good or bad, depending on who does it? Or are you simply too ignorant to see the similarities?

    • 8 2
      we do have a lot in common Miron
      • Chafeeka
      • 05.08.10
      • 10:31

      I totally are in agreement with you and I read your lengthy post with great appreciation. Look I am an Israeli arab and I love the Jewish state it has been nothing but welcoming and wonderful to us we are Israeli arabs and are proud citizens we are for Jewish State and democracy compared to those folks next door my goodness its like stepping into vision impossible what will be is those arabs who titled themselves so conveniently as "refugees" are useless parasites and I will elaborate. Most real refugees like the Jewish people they suffered, they got OVER it and moved on to very successful life the "REfugees" of the other kind who sit and still bemoan their status and the only good they do is procreate like ants.. at other's handouts how absurd is the situation while their leaders pocket all the funds every sucker in the world sends good example - Suha Arafat shalom

    • 3 1
      Jordan
      • W.E.
      • 05.08.10
      • 10:39

      "Jordan MUST become the home for ALL the Pals who do not accept Israels rule over them." JORDAN WON'T FIT THEM ALL!

    • 5 6
      Chafeeka
      • Sam Soul
      • 05.08.10
      • 14:22

      If you're happy in Israel, good for you, mabrouk ! after all, as an arab, you live on the land of your ancesters. Now you're a lucky man Cahfeeka, not all palestinians have that privilege. Do you know what it's like to be a refugee and/or living in diaspora ? do you know what it's like ? it's very easy to give lessons to those who lost everything, those in Gaza or elsewhere. Shall i remind you that most refugees come from Jerusalem, Haifa, Yaffa etc they had a life, a house. Emancipation needs freedom and independance. Palestinians are not free nor independant. They've been under military occupation since 40 years, struggling and resisting. It's very easy to put the blame on palestinian leaders. That way you deny the real issues and your responsabilities. Israel has always behaved like this.

    • 1 0
      "Palestinian Refugees"
      • Chafeeka
      • 05.08.10
      • 19:12

      “Palestine” is the ultimate welfare state. Supported by the UN, socialist Europe and the American State Department. Highest per-capita income in the Mid-East. Bleeding heart central. Give the Kurds, the Armenians or the Copts half the welfare dollars and opportunity the “Palestinians” have received and all would be thriving, contributing member states of the world community. The “Palestinians” are not worthy of a state and do not deserve one. Nearly seventeen years after the signing of the Oslo Accords and a decade since Palestinians achieved autonomy via the apparatus of the Palestinian Authority, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians retain the designation of “refugee” and live in “refugee camps.” Every single one of these camps is within the jurisdiction of an Arab government. Despite a history of flowery pronouncements celebrating the “commitment” to the resolution of the refugee issue, Palestinian refugees continue to be used as pawns by their own leaders. Even worse is the entrenched cultural and political commitment to maintaining a culture of victimhood and recidivism. Just last month the Jordan Times ran an article featuring children demanding the “right of return.” Far from encouraging a sense of responsibility for pursuing peaceful co-existence with Israel (as was agreed to both in the Oslo Accords as well as the Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty), the children reveal a much deeper pathos of an education dedicated to fostering hatred. The children, several of the 1.9 million Jordanian citizens registered by UNRWA as “refugees,” still live in refugee “camps” – in a nation in which they are full citizens – and participated in a demonstration calling for the “liberation of Palestine.” If the Obama administration is serious about helping bring a Palestinian state about, UNRWA should be out of the picture. Only then can the U.S. — along with other nations — begin to demand of the Arab nations and the Palestinians themselves that this issue be resolved on the ground by remediating the political, economic, and social conditions of those designated as “refugees” for way too long and without real cause. Palestinian independence will only come about when they abolish the “refugee problem” and the “right of return” which is what prevents Palestinian society from ever becoming an independent nation-state.

    • 2 0
      Chafeeka
      • Texan
      • 05.08.10
      • 21:33

      Nice to hear from an Israeli-arab expressing his love for the State of Israel and the freedoms he enjoys. It would be beneficial for someone in the worldwide media to make a documentary of how the Lebanese cage palestinians in refugee camps, how Jordan has revoked citizenship and their military of palestinians, how palestinian's who sided with Sadaam in Iraq had to flee for their lives, how the palestinians are treated in Syria or Saudi Arabia. How they haven't been assimilated into these country's society's or giving rights to own homes, businesses, or to serve in their military's. It seems that the only two country's that have provided these freedoms for them are the US and Israel. Ask any palestinian living in Israel if he would rather live in any other arab country and enjoy the same benefits? All the palestinians that I've ever know or met were highly educated, warm and friendly, peace loving, and very successful in business.

    • 1 0
      @Sam Soul
      • Kan
      • 05.08.10
      • 22:29

      Israeli Arabs and pals are two different thing. Until 1993 WB was a part of Jordan. Administrated by Israel and Jordan to 1988, to 1993 by Israel, from 1994 by PA. Anyway WB has not been occupied since 1993 when PA got the Government.

  • 2. 7 0
    How Israel should deal with Lebanon
    • Logios
    • 05.08.10
    • 04:03

    "But despite strong backing for Hezbollah, Syria remained keen to strike a peace deal with Israel... A political settlement with Israel is high on Syria's list of priorities and intelligence shows a will to reach an agreement – but on their terms, meaning a return of the Golan Heights and American involvement" [Brig. Gen. Baidatz of MI] said." - Haaretz One would think such an analysis, and others over the years, would lead to one simple conclusion: Get Syria out of Iran`s orbit and make peace with it. This will bring an end to military Hizballah by chocking off its weapons supply, and also bring peace with Lebanon. Syria`s close alliance with Iran is not natural. Syria is secular, Iran fundamentalist. Syria is an Arab state, Iran Persian (long time no friends). Syria is mostly Sunni, Iran Shiite. Syria used to be friendly to the US, since they joined the coalition against Saddam in the 1991 war. Jim Baker visited Syria 15 times. After the 9-11 attacks Syria helped the US in hunting al-Qaida, even to the extent of torturing some on behalf of the CIA. But Syria continued to support Hizballah as pressure against Israel. However, Bush had larger (and confused) ambitions, so he made Hizballah one of his targets. Syria, as their supporter, became "evil", and Israel can now use this excuse to refrain from dealing with Syria and maintain its hold over the Golan. There is a price to the Israeli reluctance to talk peace with Syria. Since 1973, when Egypt got out of the Israeli-Arab conflict, Syria tried to cause trouble only indirectly, so as not to be attacked itself. Israel, though had to go to war twice already, in Lebanon, in 1982 and 2006. Another one is expected. All these were indirect Syrian wars. But now, Syria is willing to repeat the Hizballah strategy and engage Israel in its own war, perhaps as part of a larger war led by Iran.

  • 1. 8 8
    To the last millimeter is too little , it has to go way beyond that .
    • TOMY
    • 05.08.10
    • 03:47

    Nothing is worse then an emboldened Arab terrorist .

    • 10 5
      Huh
      • oldav
      • 05.08.10
      • 08:18

      Personally i think the IDF has killed many more people than all the terrorists put together. To me whether or noit a bomb belongs to an army or a resitance group(Old name for terrorists) makes no difference.

    • 0 1
      If a responce to terror equals terror itself in your mind
      • TOMY
      • 05.08.10
      • 21:43

      then I can see the real limits of your analytical abilities . But it might be acceptable only in a very primitive provincial , or pro Arab settings . In the rules of law those are not equal .