For the first time in its 76-year history, Israel’s entire security calculations have been turned upside down: the occupation state is today grappling with buffer zones inside Israel. In past wars, it was Tel Aviv that established these “security zones” inside enemy territory — advancing Israel’s strategic geography, evacuating Arab populations near their state border areas, and fortifying its own borders….
Today, Israel is horrified to find itself retreating from direct confrontation lines with its arch-enemies in Gaza and Lebanon. The formidable capabilities of the resistance now include drones, rockets, targeted projectiles, tunnels, and spanking new shock tactics, casting doubt on the feasibility of Israeli settlers remaining safe in any of Israel’s border perimeters.
Maybe the difference is, in the past, Israel was leaning on the Pals in Gaza and, especially, the West Bank. Now, “Bibi” has made it official: Israel will run everything “from the river to the sea”, forcing the resistance into neighboring, sovereign, states, that can defend themselves.
As offered before, Israel’s plan for Gaza appears to be to render the territory uninhabitable. Several weeks ago, the news ran video of a UN run school building, apparently relatively undamaged, being blown up by Israeli troops. In a piece on the movement, among Israelis, to move back into Gaza, permanently, there was video of an Israeli soldier, reciting, according to the translation, slogans about Israeli re-occulation of Gaza. As soon as he finished his speech, an apparently relatively undamaged building in the background, of some 8 floors, was blown up. The IDF’s largest casualty event, a few days ago, was when troops were setting demolition charges, to destroy another building.
The State Department on Wednesday refused to condemn the shooting of unarmed Palestinian men waving a white flag in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, a scene that was captured on video by the UK’s ITV News.
Asked if he would support an investigation into the killing, Patel said it was up to the Israeli military. “That is for the IDF to undertake and to determine based on the circumstances of that situation,” he said.
Patel was also asked about the Israeli tank shelling of a UN shelter in Khan Younis, which occurred on Wednesday. He claimed the US “deplores” the attack but refused to say if the US would discuss it with Israel. “I’m not going to read out every single conversation that we have with the Israelis, ” he said.
Perhaps it time have an Israelgate investigation.
Has the American president compromised? LOL
And the above raises the question: Who is the f#cking super power?*
Apparently not the USA.
Surely, most here have noticed that, over the decades, most people running for POTUS have made a pilgrimage to AIPAC to pledge fealty to Israel. Now “Bibi” is pushing the envelope on how far that fealty will stretch.
A few weeks ago, IDF soldiers shot dead three Israeli male, civilians, who had escaped from their captors, and were waving an improvised white flag, as they approached the IDF soldiers who they, no doubt, thought were their rescuers. Seems clear the IDF mindset is to kill everyone who is not known to be IDF.
Let’s start with the war on ISIS because this is the same thing. ISIS also can make huge claims to territory.
Let’s start with this is a proxy war between the US and Russia. So let’s investigate Russia.
Let’s start with an investigation of Hamas.
Let’s start with an investigation of the Islamic schism and the millions upon millions of Muslims dead instead of worrying about Israel at all. Or other fights caused by the schism out of the the Islamic world.
Let’s start with the fact that Bibi has aimed for ethnic cleansing to resolve this because the Islamic schism won’t end. There does not need to be a war on Israel at all. Or a war on Yemen. Or a civil war in Syria. Or a non state in Somolia. Or brutality in Sudan. Or problems in the Punjab.
Let’s start where? Just with Bibi? I do not like what is happening but it is not just Israel playing the cards. Bibi love him or hate him is creating a resolution at least for Israel.
Nah it is just good cop bad cop so SA can still pump oil. SA needs us to play the good cop.
Israel is the bad cop. SA wishes other Arabs were more peaceful. SA does not have a huge population. Meanwhile what SA did in Yemen is on a scale several times the Gaza war. UAE right in there with SA and the US. Nothing to do with Israel. SA and UAE worry about defending their oil with small populations. Qatar as well worries. Iraq worries even more.
Israel is the bad guy? Or the Palestinians who fight in other Arab countries as much as with Israel is the bad guy? To SA et al, Israel will not fight with them. Palestinians will.
But look deeper Hamas is aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. There are no military leaders in the Middle East that support them. That is all out war between them. SA worries endlessly about people in the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt as well. All of them.
They are all fighting. It is not like it really has anything to do with Israel.
Yes Palestinians have a claim.
Sephardic Jews have honest claims in the Middle East as well.
I wonder if it is the Ashkenazi Jews on the West Bank who act like punks. While in NYC Ashkenazi Jews preach peace for Israel under any conditions. A total misunderstanding by American Jews of the Sephardic position. Arab Muslim idea of peace with Jews is poverty for Jews. Just go back to the village and sit around with no job. We were all happy.