Losing while winning

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.”

I wonder why.

Abe Greenwald comments:

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.