What’s amazing has been Israel’s patience with Hamas. Imagine any other country faced with missiles being fired at its civilians and how they’d respond. Given Israel’s military might, they could obliterate Gaza at a moment’s notice. But instead, after months of incendiary balloons burning Israeli farms, missiles launched at Israeli towns and continued hateful rhetoric, Israel is responding with surgical strikes at Hamas military installations. Hamas is lucky I’m not the guy in charge.
2
Geez, I thought Prince Jarrod fixed the Middle East
2
If Hamas was really concerned about improving dismal conditions in Gaza, it should have filed a complaint about the Israeli intelligence mission with the UN or the Egyptians, not sent hundreds of missiles into Israel.
3
If all the war wearied Israelis had banded together to vote against Bibi, knowing how this guy's track records, he might have gotten the message even if he managed to get reelected.
This is not just the story for Israel but also the U.S., and everywhere else for that matter: fool me once, shame on you; but fool me twice...
2
"Another target, in a densely populated area, housed both Hamas military and intelligence forces and a kindergarten. It was the heaviest fighting between Israel and Gaza since their war in 2014."
Did I read that correctly? Hamas houses it's military and intelligence assets in a kindergarten?
Is everybody okay with that?
4
@Neil That jumped out at me too. It might be stupidity on Hamas's part more than their nasty habit of using kids as human shields. In the Oklahoma City bombing the building housed the FBI and a daycare center. Of course a major difference is that the FBI had no reason to expect that anyone in that building would be in danger. Hamas has been terrorizing Israel long enough that they should know better than putting their "assets" in proximity to civilians.
3
We need to keep in mind that Israel is at war with terrorists . No country in the world would put up with thousands of rocket shot at them . Why is Israel ,the only democratic country in the middle east ,where Arabs can vote , held to higher standards than other countries. Hamas should build schools hospitals , learning centers, rather than concentrating on destroying Israel.
4
@seth In what world are they being held to a higher standard? We let them get away with whatever they want and just keep pumping in money.
9
Perhaps if Trump wants to learn something, this would be a good example. Hitting back ten times harder doesn't work and is usually counter-productive.
4
Egypt has lately been brokering reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah. A cease-fire was currently in effect, which Israel blatantly violated. Recall that in 2014, before Israel's massive onslaught of Gaza, killing over 2,200 people, Fatah and Hamas were also nearing reconciliation. Coincidence? I don't think so.
7
Our involvement in the middle east for the past half century has brought mostly pain and suffering. The billions of dollars that we spend there each year is wasted. We are powerless to have any positive effect. The US needs to put the myths aside and get out ASAP before we are dragged further down by the mess there.
6
the IDF should fire a missile at the source of each rocket and mortar 1 for 1 very proportionate
2
All who have supported the present-day government of Israel, and its enslavement of the people of Gaza, are to blame for this, including the NYT.
10
Funny stuff. The people of Gaza are only enslaved by Hamas and quite willingly.
6
@Martha Stephens "Enslavement?" Um, how exactly are the Israelies "enslaving" the people of Gaza? The terms "genocide" and "aparthied" have been proven false with fact. Are Gaza supporters now trying the term "enslavement?"
7
@Frederick Northrop I don't like the tactics of Hamas. They are helping to throw their own people under the bus -- but what answer IS there to the enslavement of Gaza? The U. N. has tried over and over again to help solve this terrible enigma, and every year only the U. S. and Israel, of all member nations, continue to object to any modem put forth. Israel has virtually no partners around the world but US.
5
A political solution must be found. Many of the people behind the Gaza fence used to live on the other side of the fence and they want to go home. Israel has done everything in its power to create facts on the ground, i.e., steal more Palestinian land, that prevents a two state solution. We stole it, we keep it, and we'll give you crumbs--take it or leave it. Israel is armed with the most advanced weapons American tax-payer dollars can provide. If justice prevailed and the U.S. and UN had the will to implement it, this 70 year old tragedy would have ended at least by 1967. With elections to win the US has skewed the narrative as to who are the victims. And, the US has paid a price more costly than dollars.
13
So you really believe that “Many of the people on the Gaza side of the fence used to live on the other side of the fence and they want to go home”? Wrong. Very few residents of Gaza ever lived on the other side of the fence (in Israel or pre-1948 Israel / British Palestine), but their ancestors did. If any of these descendants (second, third, fourth generations) are granted Israeli citizenship it would be as a result of diplomats sitting around a table, not mortar shells and rockets flying across the international border into Israel.
3
The nature, timing and political context of this event raise the strong suspicion that the purpose of the Israeli mission was not “routine surveillance”. Three separate vehicles carrying commandos some of whom were dressed in women’s clothing penetrated deep into Gaza. One vehicle stationed itself near the home of Nour Baraka, a senior commander of Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades, the group's military wing. When Baraka went to investigate the suspicious van, he was shot dead.
The military purpose of the mission was to capture or kill Baraka.
The political purpose was to stage an event whose outcome was bound to disrupt the recent progress made in truce talks between Hamas and Israel mediated by the UN and Egypt.
In late October an agreement was reached to allow Qatar to transfer millions to Gaza to pay for fuel and the salaries of Palestinian civil servants. Such actions to reduce tensions would provide Hamas with a significant diplomatic achievement. This clearly did not sit well with some political rivals of Netanyahu, who see no need to reduce tensions or reward Hamas. While Netanyahu was away in Paris, something happened.
So, exactly ten years after a similar Israeli provocation triggered the bloody “Cast Lead” attack on Gaza by Israel, killing thousands of Palestinian civilians and three Israeli civilians, Gaza will need to brace itself once again.
20
@FB
Not sure about your source of information.
The israeli unit was fired upon by Hamas operatives, who did not have to open fire.
All the truce talks and humanitarian aid in the world cannot hide or halt Hamas intentions: for a break in fighting in order to replenish its military efforts.
7
@eve ben-levi,
You said, "The israeli unit was fired upon by Hamas operatives, who did not have to open fire."
Using your logic that means that if an Israeli patrol on the Israel-Lebanon border happens upon a Hezbollah commando squad inside Israel, you would expect the Israeli team to "Not open fire?"
I find that rather difficult to believe. One should expect Hamas's military to guard their territory as fiercely as the Israeli military guards their territory.
9
Israeli intelligence mission in the world's larges ghetto? Yes right.
8
@John oof right?
This is conflict is presented as two equal 'national' entities in a military conflict, but that's insidious propaganda!
Israel's is one of the most powerful (& nuclear-armed) army in the World, while the Palestinians of Gaza are captives in an open-air prison, chucking what amounts - in comparison to Israeli ordinance - to 'firecrackers' at the genocidal, occupying, force.
The asymmetry is akin to David v Goliath; only, in this telling, Goliath is pounding David into dust.
25
@bluecedars1 So in essence what you are saying is that Israel shouldn't use immense force to kill civilians (I agree with you), but the people of Gaza can use their "firecrackers" to kill Israeli civilians and that's ok?
2
@bluecedars1- After WWII the Germans and Japanese renounced violence and rebuilt their countries under the direction of the victors. They didn't try to kill the victors or reclaim territory they lost! Look at both today! Until the Palestinians sit down and deal with Israel's concerns they will suffer under the leadership they select.
5
For most Americans unfamiliar with Israeli undercover forays into Gaza, a rather good fictional representation of these missions and how they can quickly go wrong, I suggest you check out the "Fauda" on Netflix.
7
@Jay Amberg TV, that should give a realistic picture. It doesn't.
2
The Israeli government, with the cooperation of Egypt, Qatar, and the U.N., just initiated last week the flow of cash and goods into Gaza. The hope was that it would alleviate some of the tension.
But the violence instigated by Hamas has increased instead. And then you have the Israeli operation to take out the Hamas leaders. Followed by hundreds of rockets launched toward Israeli civilians.
But rest assured, the international media and the Left will paint the entire issue as Israeli aggression, and will carefully omit that Israel is under siege.
Add to that cauldron the fact that the Palestinian Authority is thrilled that Israel and Hamas are fighting. Abbas hates Hamas more than he does the Israelis.
What a mess.
34
@David G
What a mess indeed. Mistakes after mistakes by both sides over seventy plus years. A toxic mix of religion, ethnicity, and historical mistakes by world leaders after WWI and WWII.
Israel has the unfortunate problem of being held to a higher standard because it has presented itself to the world as a beacon of democracy and human rights.
In the end there may have to be a single state solution.
3
@mike. Why can't Gazans use their aid to grow an economy instead of building terror tunnels?
27
@mike
"In the end there may have to be a single state solution."
Mike, a Single State Solution", Like Lebanon, and the rest of Muslim Arab "Single States" in the region. Right? (Tongue-in-Cheek, of course)
4
I understand the biggest problem with achieving peace in the Middle East is that every ethnic population can claim a glorious past of intellectual rigor and opulent society, and refuse to understand the value of humility and acknowledging that every human is subject to human errors.
They all think they are the smartest guy in the room and refuse to back down.
Being right, and being in control is more valuable than being peaceful.
No side will stand down until all others are exterminated.
And all sides seem blind to the disappearing water table, and predictions of climate change making the Middle East uninhabitable in the following decades.
It seems any “winner” will inherit a landscape of dust.
15
The infiltration was a purposeful provocation. The IDF knows exactly what they’re doing. The whole point is to keep the conflict going.
As long as they’ve got the upper hand in the “narrative war,” the State of Israel will continue its persecution of the Palestinian people.
Benjamin Netanyahu is a creature of habit.
24
What a bizarre analysis! I visit Israel regularly, including just a few weeks ago. The Israeli population most assuredly does not want to continue the fighting, narrative notwithstanding.
They’re beyond weary of the fighting, tired of sending their children into battle, and basically don’t care about narratives. They want to be safe, and they don’t want rockets falling on them.
27
@David G
Now imagine you had a very similar perspective, except that your compassion also extended to residents of Gaza.
Bazaar, indeed.
17
@ubique
The ones who aren't tired of fighting is Hama. Get rid of them and there might be peace.
5
The decision of Hamas to respond to the raid with rockets aimed at Israeli civilians is why there is a risk of all-out war.
Not the raid itself, which was targeted only at Hamas militants.
28
@Lisa. Is Israel ever responsible for its provocative actions, e.g. a commando raid that kills 7 people, thus provoking a rocket response which Israel answers with an air attack?
24
@Lisa as every abuser says to their abused victim: "you see what you made me do?"
25
@Mary, Hamas has been firing thousands of rockets indiscriminately into Israeli civilian areas for years. Each one is a violation of the Geneva accords and a war crime, yet nothing is done to punish Hamas and Gaza. In my opinion, Israel has been extremely restrained.
36