From the Jerusalem Post:
Moderate forces in Middle East bring new diplomatic opportunities for Israel, says prime minister; Ya'alon states: "Gaza does not look like it did 51 days ago."
Amid rapidly declining approval ratings, deep frustration among residents of the South, and harsh criticism from senior cabinet ministers, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the nation on Wednesday the Gaza operation was a military and diplomatic success.
Netanyahu, speaking at a Jerusalem press conference alongside Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz, said that “Hamas was hit hard, and did not get any of the things it demanded for a cease-fire.”
A sedate, low-key Netanyahu said that from the first minute of the operation he set out clear goals: To hit Hamas and the other terrorist organizations hard, and through this to bring about a prolonged quiet for Israeli citizens.
“I can say that Hamas was indeed hit hard,” the prime minister said of the first goal.
As for the second, he was more circumspect.
“Will we get long term calm?” he asked. “I think it is too early to tell. But I can say that the blows to Hamas, and our ability to keep them from rearming by supervising the borders, increase the chances that this will be achieved.”
If there isn’t quiet and Hamas again starts a “drizzle” of rocket fire on any part of the country, he warned, “we will respond harder than we have until now. We are prepared for all possibilities.”
2 comments:
I was a little torn on this. Allowing a ceasefire that, mechanically, wasn't on Israel's side. However, diplomacy is what it is. He did send them in to tear it up, and they did. But for foreign, even domestic, economic, political, military, and cultural reasons... perhaps they really couldn't stay and finish the job. I still think that was a mistake. But, much like a surgeon, who has time limits when working on a patient, and a number of peculiar to the patient risks... I'm still a little torn.
I guess we will find out if a microsurgery was a better call than a major one, at least in part. We can never go back and find out some things that might have happened otherwise, but we can easily check the level of success for the way it did go, in the near future. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. He bet big then left the table with very meager earnings, and those are more like ioy's. It is Netanyahu... he has a little room for risk, even mistakes, up to a point.
Gotta love as much mind over matter, and fewer lost coin and lives, as possible. But only if it pans out. David and Goliath when possible, the flood, and having to face Goliath in the first place, because the Jews did not abide God's will in the first place, though, too.
Doom - same here with mixed feelings and mixed messages. We know Obugger is very much not happy with Israel and I wonder how much was brought to bear on Bebe in order for him to agree with a cease fire. Perhaps a promise to help him rearm?
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