|
|
|
|
Hi people. Sorry I haven't been around here, but it has just not been easy. Every time I looked in I found so many threads to read that I just gave up. I promise to return "full time" when this war is over.
There are things happening in this war about which I am not happy, but I recognize and accept that they are necessary for the survival of my country and my people. Israel has tried several times to ease tensions and act peacefully towards her enemies. Sometimes that has paid off well: we are at peace with both Egypt and Jordan and both countries try to be helpful in the ongoing conflict. I no longer think that the conflict is between Israel and the Palestinians: it is between Israel and fanatic Islamic extremists - Hamas ( which means Islamic Resistance Movement) in the south and Hizb'ullah ( which means God's Party) in the north (both aided and abetted by Syria and Iran).
When the Islamists first started crossing the border from Lebanon into Israel, Israel pushed them out of Southern Lebanon with the help of the local Christians (Lebanon is a multi-religious country). Israel occupied Southern Lebanon for nearly two decades simply in order to prevent the Islamists from attacking our northern cities and villages. World public opinion did not like that, so six years ago Israel vacated Southern Lebanon and left a United Nations patrol unit (UNIFIL) to guard the border for us.
Immediately, Hizb'ullah re-entered Southern Lebanon and UNIFIL did absolutely nothing to prevent them setting up there a state within a state and stockpiling weapons sent by Iran via Syria to an inordinate degree. (On more than one occasion it was proven that soldiers from Fiji had collaborated with Hizb'ullah.) It is estimated that Hizb'ullah has more than 15,000 short and long range rockets at its disposal, weapons which can reach most parts of Israel. For six years Israel tried to keep the peace, even knowing all the while that more and more weapons were entering Lebanon. (The Lebanese government is powerless against Hizb'ullah. There are no Lebanese soldiers in Southern Lebanon.)
Last year, Israel vacated the Gaza Strip: another gesture of good will. The result has been that all Israel's communities that border the Gaza Strip are daily bombarded by short range rockets.
When Hamas in the south and Hizb'ullah in the north abducted three soldiers Israel's government said: enough! Hizb'ullah wants an exchange: "We'll give you back your soldiers if you give us back terrorists who are in Israeli jails." Those terrorists murdered innocent civilians, were caught, given a fair trial and sentenced. They all have "blood on their hands".
Israel has three objectives:
1. Unconditional restoration of the abductees. (If you bargain for them you are just inviting more abductions for more bargains.)
2. The effective disarmament of Hizb'ullah.
3. The deployment of the Lebanese Army along the border with Israel, according to resolution 1559 of the UN Security Council which Hizb'ullah has actively prevented. (It may be necessary to augment the Lebanese Army with an International Force either from UN or from NATO.)
This war is between Israel and Iran. Hizb'ullah is just a local arm of Iran which supplied all their weaponry, Syria acting as a transit station). The USA (and most western governments) understand that Iran must be brought to heel by Israel defeating Hizb'ullah. Until the Islamic extremists have been dealt with there cannot be peace in the Middle East.
So, if the cause is so just what makes me unhappy? It is a simple fact that I forgot to mention. Hizb'ullah learned a useful lesson from Fatah. Their rockets, launchers, ammunition dumps and administrative facilities are housed in schools, hospital, mosques and private homes. Thus any attempt by Israel to eliminate that weaponry and infrastructure involves innocent civilians. To solve this problem Israel dropped leaflets advising the citizens to leave. Many of them did, but Hizb'ullah also has prevented many of them from leaving! So innocent people are hurt and killed.
Of course, innocent people are also being hurt and killed in Israel because it will take time to effectively eliminate the Hizb'ullah arsenal. The Israel public - especially in the North - are adamant that despite the tragic losses and the social and financial inconvenience this war must be fought to its conclusion. The Israeli public has no confidence in international cease-fire agreements which never solve the problem and just create a new one. The mood is that "this time we must finish the job ourselves".
How can anyone be happy knowing that in order for them to have a modicum of security such as people all over the world enjoy innocent people are being made to suffer. It hurts, believe me. No one in Israel wants the Lebanese people to suffer. But they let the Hizb'ullah into their schools, hospitals and homes in the first place.
Lastly, I have a personal reason for concern, a concern shared by tens of thousands of Israelis: as of these last couple of days I have a son and a son-in-law who have been called up for reserve duty.
This has been very long, but I have managed to get a few things off my chest. Hopefully, if you managed to wade through this to the end, you now understand the Israeli view of the situation a little better as you see it through my eyes.
I just don't have the time to visit the Message Board as often as I would like to these days, but I shall try very hard to follow this thread at least, if anyone shows an interest. And there is always email too.
In many ways I look upon the regular participants on this board as true friends, so I miss you all a lot. I try to be in reasonably regular touch with Timmy via IM. That's it folks, for now. Having read all this you can now get back to your normal lives. Lucky you! God bless you all.
The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Progress Report
By: JFR on Sun, 23 July 2006 10:57 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: NW on Sun, 23 July 2006 11:20 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: timmy on Sun, 23 July 2006 12:26 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: kupuna on Sun, 23 July 2006 12:29 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: timmy on Sun, 23 July 2006 12:33 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: NW on Sun, 23 July 2006 13:00 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Navyone on Sun, 23 July 2006 13:44 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Deeej on Sun, 23 July 2006 16:25 |
|
|
Shalom Aleichem
|
|
|
Re: Progress Report
|
|
|
Responses
By: JFR on Mon, 24 July 2006 06:34 |
|
|
Re: Responses
|
|
|
Re: Responses
By: Deeej on Mon, 24 July 2006 08:08 |
|
|
Oh, and
By: Deeej on Mon, 24 July 2006 08:18 |
|
|
Re: Responses
By: Deeej on Mon, 24 July 2006 12:19 |
|
|
Re: Responses
By: JFR on Mon, 24 July 2006 12:21 |
|
|
Re: Responses
By: Deeej on Mon, 24 July 2006 12:31 |
|
|
Re: Responses
By: NW on Mon, 24 July 2006 10:36 |
|
|
Re: Responses
By: JFR on Mon, 24 July 2006 12:20 |
|
|
Re: Responses
By: NW on Mon, 24 July 2006 15:27 |
|
|
Re: Responses
|
|
|
Re: Responses
By: JFR on Tue, 25 July 2006 07:07 |
|
|
Re: Responses
|
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Navyone on Mon, 24 July 2006 22:18 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
|
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: NW on Mon, 24 July 2006 22:46 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Deeej on Mon, 24 July 2006 22:57 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Navyone on Mon, 24 July 2006 23:22 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Deeej on Mon, 24 July 2006 23:36 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: NW on Mon, 24 July 2006 23:45 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: marc on Tue, 25 July 2006 00:54 |
|
|
coffee smelling
By: timmy on Tue, 25 July 2006 11:37 |
|
|
Re: coffee smelling
By: marc on Tue, 25 July 2006 11:57 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Deeej on Tue, 25 July 2006 11:54 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: marc on Tue, 25 July 2006 11:57 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Deeej on Tue, 25 July 2006 12:08 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: marc on Tue, 25 July 2006 13:18 |
|
|
Re: Progress Report
|
|
|
Re: Progress Report
By: Navyone on Mon, 24 July 2006 22:21 |
|
|
Even the UN says so!
By: JFR on Tue, 25 July 2006 07:10 |
|
|
Re: Even the UN says so!
By: lia on Tue, 25 July 2006 12:32 |
|
|
Re: Even the UN says so!
By: Deeej on Tue, 25 July 2006 12:52 |
Goto Forum:
[  ] |
A Place of Safety
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
