(no subject)

[desh]

You know, I've always felt much less connection to Israel than your typical active American Jew. I was only in Israel once, 10 years ago, and haven't had much desire to go back since. When the Israeli government does things I don't like, my reaction isn't "let's do something about that", but rather, "I don't want to be associated with that".

So why is the news making me sick to my stomach?

Comments

Re: Jeff Rants!, Exciting Conclusion

[jdcohen.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to try to argue that Israel is a monster, because that's patently untrue. However, I will argue that Israel is reacting emotionally instead of rationally - for exactly the same reasons you just put forth. Israel sees itself as the victim only, and sees its conduct as justified. That's just not true. Israel is at war with Hezbollah, not Lebanon. Blowing up bridges, fuel depots, and airports affects everyone in Lebanon, not just Hezbollah. Ideally, Israel could rely on the Mossad to carry out targetted assassinations against Hezbollah members, which is riskier than airstrikes but a lot more focused, surgical even. And if Hezbollah still sends rockets over the border, then Israel should respond with a single artillery shell per rocket. And if Israel wants, they should defoliate a kilometer's worth of no-man's land along their northern border to prevent exactly this kind of kidnapping. Instead, Israel sends in jets and helicopter gunships, which are precise enough to target bridges and Hezbollah convoys, but still not precise enough to avoid civilian casualties. That's why Israel gets bad foreign press - because, for example, the death of an entire Hamas family is acceptable to Israel's military strategists as long as they get the Hamas leader they wanted, while the rest of the world mourns the loss of a half-dozen women and children. Israel's perspective is tainted by rage, to the point that the IDF and the government can write off these women and children as "acceptable collateral damage". No innocent lives should be "acceptable collateral damage".

If that doesn't convince you, maybe this will: there is a terrible price to be paid by escalating this conflict in Lebanon to beyond just Hezbollah, which is the very reason Barak pulled out in 2000 - two Israeli lives are not worth the sacrifice of future hundreds or even thousands. I don't care how high minded your principles may sound, an escalation of the Lebanese border conflict will bring more death than Israel is prepared to handle. I don't know if you see it this way yet or not, but please, consider it.

Our greatest advantage as members of Habonim Dror, our acute ties with and sense of Israel, is also a great weakness. We get involved, we get emotional, and we don't fully consider the consequences. I'm asking you to consider that now. Please consider the price Israel will pay down the road for lashing out. In my mind, it's not worth it.

--Jeff

Re: Jeff Rants!, Exciting Conclusion

[gutwoman.livejournal.com]

Jeff, obviously I wish there wasn't such an escalation of violence going on right now. And I agree with the majority of what you just said, although maybe not with the whole one shell for one rocket idea. At the same time, one argument I've heard from the beginning is that Israel IS attacking Lebanon - not just the Hizbollah - for not doing anything about the Hizbollah up til now. Whether or not they could do anything is another story, but the fact of the matter is that they have not... and even in agreement with all the things you just said, I still can't see how at this moment an immediate retreat by Israel would work in calming the entire situation. I really, truly hope it doesn't get more serious though than it is now. And I don't know if this is stupid but Iran's threats scare the crap out of me.