The New York Times reports Few Israelis Near Gaza Feel War Achieved Much
Elad Katzir, a potato farmer, was nervous as he drove through the lush fields, agreeing to stop the car only behind clumps of trees or bushes as cover in case of sniper fire. By one thicket, nestled among wildflowers, was a memorial to a soldier who was shot dead here while on patrol seven years ago.
“I do not feel any victory,†Mr. Katzir said. “I still do not feel safe.â€
Israel managed to curry an impressive amount of international goodwill throughout the Gaza operation, and perhaps Ehud Olmert determined that an internationally overseen cease-fire could help secure that goodwill – to be capitalized on another day. But when you let global opinion influence operational decisions so directly you end up constrained by the reality that’s been imposed on you from third parties. If Israel continues to simply fight back, they may very well fall from the temporary good graces of the governments that had shown support. In short, Israel may have opened itself up to national security blackmail. That’s not state of affairs one can easily imagine Israel tolerating very long.
Still let’s remember regardless of how Israelis feel, Hamas lost. Badly.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
Also note that the IDF is the most diligent force in history with regard
to avoiding civilian casualties.
Don’t take my word for it.
The BBC interviews a British Military
Expert who states exactly that. His
words:
“no time in the history of warfare
when an army has made more efforts
to reduce civilian casualties and
the deaths of innocent people than
the IDF did in Gaza.”
URL: http://www.youtube.com/v/WssrKJ3Iqcw&hl=en&fs=1
First seen at the Volohk Conspiracy
web site.