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War In Gaza: Why Now?
Election Politics?
It was widely reported that Israel agreed to delay any war against Iran until after U.S. elections.
A little over a week after the election, Israel launched a "targeted assassination" against the leader of Hamas (who Haaretz called Israel's subcontractor in Gaza). That is what started the current round of fighting. Rabbi Arthur Waskow agrees that Israel started the fighting.
Professor Michel Chossudovsky notes:
On November 14, Hamas military commander Ahmed Jabari was murdered in a Israeli missile attack. In a bitter irony, barely a few hours before the attack, Hamas received the draft proposal of a permanent truce agreement with Israel.
“Hours before Hamas strongman Ahmed Jabari was assassinated, he received the draft of a permanent truce agreement with Israel, which included mechanisms for maintaining the cease-fire in the case of a flare-up between Israel and the factions in the Gaza Strip.”(Haaretz, November 15, 2012)
The targeted assassination of Ahmed Jabari was followed by an extensive bombing campaign under Operation Pillar of Cloud. The latter consists of a carefully planned military endeavor.
F-16 fighter planes, Apache helicopters and unmanned drones were deployed. Israeli naval forces deployed along the Gaza shoreline were involved in extensive shelling of civilian targets.
Israel’s defense minister Ehud Barack has confirmed a scenario of military escalation, blaming Palestine for having committed acts of aggression: .
“[t]he provocations we have suffered and the firing of rockets to the southern settlements within Israel have forced us to take this action. I want to make clear that Israeli citizens will not suffer such actions. The targets are to hit the rockets and to harm the organization of Hamas.”
The Israeli attacks were followed by the firing of dozens of rockets by Hamas against Israel.
Palestine’s response was known to Israeli war planners. The resulting Israeli civilian casualties are now being used to justify military escalation on humanitarian grounds.
What we are dealing with is a carefully planned operation, a clear act of provocation. The deaths of Israeli civilians (envisaged and foreseen by IDF military planners) are being used to muster the support of the Israeli public.
Meanwhile, the Israeli attack is casually portrayed by the Western media as part of a legitimate counter-terrorism agenda.
(Glenn Greenwald notes that America’s targeted assassination policy is identical to that of Israel. This could escalate quickly. Not only are Israel and Hamas exchanging rocket fire – with casualties of children on both sides - but Israel is calling up calling up 30,000 reserve soldiers ahead of a possible ground invasion of Gaza.)
Israel is holding its own elections in January. Many commentators say that the attacks on Gaza are a cynical ploy by the Israeli Prime Minister to win re-election:
Netanyahu was accused by left-wing opposition Hadash party MP Mohammed Baraka [the leader of the Israeli Hadash opposition party] of “making another round in a circle of blood for cynical political interests” and “speculating in the blood of the Palestinian people.”
***
Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn denounced the regime, saying that “once again Israel has wantonly attacked the people of Gaza, bombing and killing.
“This is effectively a first world state attacking a poor and largely defenceless population. It looks like a rerun of Operation Cast Lead,” he said.
“The timing is interesting and it looks like Netanyahu is creating a crisis to ensure his re-election”, the MP added.
Leading German newspaper Spiegel reports:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping the offensive in the Gaza Strip wins his Likud party more votes in January’s election.
***
“When the cannons roar, we see only Netanyahu and Barak on the screen, and all the other politicians have to applaud them,” wrote the daily Haaretz in a commentary published Thursday. “The assassination of (Hamas’ top military commander Ahmed) Jabari will go down in history as another showy military action initiated by an outgoing government on the eve of an election.”
Indeed, one can conclude that the most recent offensive against militants in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip– which started Wednesday with the killing of Jabari — has been conceived as more of a show fight for the Israeli public than the beginning of a decisive battle.
And Asia times writes:
So why snuff out al-Jabari? Simple. Israel goes to the polls in January. Thus emerges Bibi's political campaigning in full-action mode. Campaign motto: Let's kill Palestinians. With such thrills on offer, any other Israeli political voice - even slightly dissenting - is drowned.
Precursor to War with Iran?
The top British Rabbi – when asked by the BBC on his thoughts on what’s really going on in Gaza right now – replied:
I think it has got to do with Iran, actually.
Why Iran?
Anti War lays out one theory:
This escalation occurs just days after widespread reports about newly reelected Obama mulling a grand bargain with Iran over its disputed nuclear program. Barbara Slavin and Laura Rozen at Al-Monitor reported on Monday that US officials told them Washington was considering offering a “more for more” deal with Iran, based on the fuel swap deal from Obama’s first term.
So what does Israel’s impending war on defenseless Gaza have to do with Iran diplomacy? Here’s a tweet from the Tehran bureau chief for the New York Times, Thomas Erdbrink:
Forget ANY #Iran-US talks if conflict in Gaza escalates
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) November 14, 2012
And here:
#Iran leaders can never be seen as talking to US, while its “eternal” ally Israel assassinates Iran’s ideological allies
— Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) November 14, 2012
I suspect this point was not lost on the Israeli leadership, either. So, is Netanyahu knowingly escalating military tensions in order to avoid a successful diplomatic overture? I’m speculating, but it isn’t far fetched. We know from extensive reporting, mainly in Israeli media, that in 2010 – just as President Obama requested a freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank with the aim of resuming peace talks – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to provoke Iran into a war with Israel that would eventually drag in the United States.
It reminds me of what former CIA Middle East analyst Paul Pillar referred to this week as “Netanyahu’s tension-stoking brinksmanship: to divert attention from continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and inaction on the festering Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” “[T]he Iran issue,” Pillar has previously written, provides a “distraction” from international “attention to the Palestinians’ lack of popular sovereignty.” Now the situation seems reversed: Israel is escalating war with Gaza to maintain deadlock with their favorite scapegoat, Iran.
Israel, lest we forget, instigated this resumption of missile exchanges last week when two Palestinian civilians were shot and killed and
Israeli tanks intruded into Gaza, prompting Gaza militants to respond by targeting Israeli soldiers, which then gave Israel an excuse to unleash successive airstrikes. And Israel had numerous chances to pacify the situation, considering Hamas publicly offered to establish a total ceasefire and Egypt appeared about to broker a truce between the two. Israel has intentionally inched towards escalation from the beginning. Are we to believe this isn’t strategic?
A second theory is that this is a prelude to an Israeli attack on Iran. Specifically, some theorize that Israeli is trying to assassinate top Hamas militants before hitting Iran … so that Iran’s proxy Hamas cannot retaliate.
A third theory is that Israel is trying to drag Iran into a war. Given that Israeli treatment of Palestinians is perhaps the key source of hostility towards the current Israeli administration in the Arab world, starting a war in Gaza may be an attempt by Israeli to drag Iran into war.
After all, Iran backs Hamas, and Israel just assassinated a top Hamas leader after making an overture of peace to him. So some believe that Israel is attempting to poke the hornet’s nest in an attempt to justify wider war.
By provoking Hamas into attacking, Israel might point to Hamas-backer Iran. Specifically, Israel may claim that pre-emptive strikes on Iran are "necessary" to undermine Hamas and make sure it doesn't obtain "weapons of mass destruction".
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Who cares what this blowhard "rabbi" has to say? Who the fuck died and made him G-d? It that supposed to be your "proof?" If I get a quote from another rabbi who disagrees or moderat muslim Imam, will that cancel the rabbi out? I guess the last few years and thousands of rockets don't count for shit. I guess the constant threats of annihilation by Iran and its proxies Hamas, Hezzbollah, etc. don't mean squat. I guess the fanatic average Muslim who's never read the Koran can't take a shit without his Imam's say-so and who is constantly calling for the death of Jews and Americans...that means you GW ... don't count either. Ever read the Hamas / Hezz / Fatah / PA charter. It's full of peace and love...just like the Koran...you fucking Infidel! OK ... now I feel better.
WE ALL should care what this blowhard rabbi says. Are you not aware of how much sway they have in Israel? Have you not seen videos of Israeli political candidates grovelling at the feet of said rabbis for their support and "blessing"?
Here's just one of many examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeXKCptUIUY&feature=player_embedded#!
Do you really want Lubavitcher puppets running Israel? Or America, for that matter?
xxx
"Why now".
First, Hamass just keeps firing rockets into Israel like morons knowing if they a retaliated against they can just use women and children as shields and the world will feel bad for them. Stupid world.
Second, Hamass wants to see if the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is going to help them.
Send bullets to the Mid East for Xmas.
If Israel had really wanted to avoid a serious confrontation, they had the means to kill the Hamas guy in a low profile way. Mossad knows how to do so. But they chose to go public, with a fucking drone bomb. That, I think, says it all...
The publically-stated intention of Israel is to meet provocations with overwhelming force. The goal is to make it clear what the consequences of further provocation will be. Whether that approach ends up being successfull will be for history to decide.
A letter from the Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN addressed to the UN General Assembly & Security Council...
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=s/2012/11
...speaks volumes.
good link, out! thanks
Hasbara is pretty effective, and certainly ardent.
Israel - A BLIGHT Unto The Nations
'You will rule over nations with an iron rod....'
Sounds familiar bitches?....that was written almost 3000 yrs ago.
I just wonder if all the pro-philistine bleaters here would give a fuck if Israel was moo-sleem and the Philistines were christians...
Hell no....is the answer
Dozen dead due to Israeli counter-strike, in a war started by Gaza-led-Hamas, and everybody and their sister are up in arms.
100s Copts are slaughtered in Egypt - that is not news, nobody seem to care.
--
1000s of Egyptians die in its Arab *spring* - and nobody really cares.
10,000s die in Libya - and the West was helping ... to kill civilians and bring in an exrimist regime.
60,000-100,000 die in Syria by Syrians - we hardly hear about this .
100,000-250,000 (depends who you ask) died in Iraq, mostly by other Iraqies. It made the news, but we got used to it.
1,000,000 or more casualties in the Iraq-Iran war, and hardly made the news.
--
See the pattern?
There was an article in Hareetz the other day saying that this military action in Gaza IS a precursor to an attack on Iran. Kind of like live practice for the military before they do the real thing on Iran. This does not bode well for the world. Does Israel really want to start WW3? Do they understand what will happen to them if they do? God and Jesus do NOT approve of Israel's actions. Israel will find that out mucg too late I'm afraid. Netanyahu MUST be stopped at all costs.
Netanyahu's Prime Ambition is absolute control of the USA and its Military: Obama handed him this over the telephone this day.
Now Israel controls the Western World: notice how most World leaders are defending Israel's intended genocide of Gaza. No Nation now has the right to defend itself against Israel.
The Gaza people will now be annihilated to celebrate Netanyahu's Glory.
Netanyahu will now do his God's bidding and bring the Goyim into slavery.
The "neocons" have won and the Bolsheviks will now come out into the day (again) for the slaughter is about to begin.
You American's go first.
What choice are they left with. Don't you understand the entire Islamic world wants to wipe Israel off the map. If your neighbor was throwing rocks at your house day after day would go out and invite them over for dinner? Israel is a tiny speck on the map surrounded by Islamic countries. Have you forgotten the past wars? Hamas continues to be supplied with rockets from Iran and Syria. Now that Egypt is run by the Muslim Brotherhood, its clear to Israel, their backs are up against the wall. Obama has already said he's on the side of Islam. Thus Israel stands alone. Obama couldn't even save Stevens and his friends. How can Israel count on him for much support.
The vomiting of the state of Israel on the people of Palestine was one of the most cynical acts since WWII.
Fundamental Christians, God and Jesus actually DO want this war, as it is the precursor for the second coming and the rapture. I read it in the Book.
It is also what formerly rich but now broke assed nations ultimately do; capital controls, tyranny, propaganda, confiscation and ultimately war.
Me, I'm in no hurry for this insanity to start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTHBRdd0JhY
If the "book" you read it in is the Bible, then you best believe it. However, you did not read it well, nor do you represent the views of evangelicals truthfully. First, there is no precursor to the rapture. It is imminent, meaning there are no preconditions or events required prior to the rapture.
Secondly, there is nothing in the Bible indicating we should wish for war in order to hasten the rapture and any Christian who proclaims that is seriously mistaken.
Third, He (Jesus) did promise to return and He will. All who love life should be ready.
You may want to do some research on Shia Muslim (as Iranians are) ,end-of-days beliefs...
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/beck-who-is-the-12th-imam/
http://www.mahdiwatch.org/
LOL!!! Gotta love it when people link to Zionist tool Glenn Beck...
"Does Israel really want to start WW3?"
Clearly, the answer to this is :Yes.
But they do not intend to fight WW3. That's the job of the cannon fodder they view American lives to be.
Will they admit they view Americans in this manner? Perhaps looking into the teaching of the Talmud would be instructive:
"To communicate anything to a Goy about our religious relations would be equal to the killing of all Jews, for if the Goyim knew what we teach about them, they would kill us openly."
Libbre David 37
"A Jew should and must make a false oath when the Goyim asks if our books contain anything against them."
Szaaloth-Utszabot, The Book of Jore Dia 17
"When the Messiah comes every Jew will have 2800 slaves."
Simeon Haddarsen, fol. 56-D
"When a Jew has a Gentile in his clutches, another Jew may go to the same Gentile, lend him money and in turn deceive him, so that the Gentile shall be ruined. For the property of a Gentile, according to our law, belongs to no one, and the first Jew that passes has full right to seize it."
Schulchan Aruch, Choszen Hamiszpat 156
"If it can be proven that someone has given the money of Israelites to the Goyim, a way must be found after prudent consideration to wipe him off the face of the earth."
Choschen Hamm 388, 15
These are their core beliefs. Act accordingly when dealing with them.
Oh come on..
Frankly, the Talmud is a pile of crap.
It is as dodgy and 'manufactured' as the christian non-canonical Gospels.
....but every Jew-hater is exclusively quoting from this book
So, you have admitted that the Talmud is a "pile of crao"! Good for you. Unfortunately it is so much more than that, and it is the most important text, above the Torah, that ALL Orthodox, Hassidic, and Israel Govt leaders use as their handbook.
And why NOT expose the Talmud for what it is? Only recently is it being exposed as the threat to al humanity that it is. And why is it that the leaders of Israel and Judaism will not denounce the Talmud? Think about that for awhile.
The problem is that every thing about this shitty little country is a pile of crap.
That the commonly received bollocks about the "pre-christ" middle east is taught today is nothing less than child abuse.
SHAME ON YOU ZEROHEDGE
You guys do important work and serve a valuable purpose, providing a forum for those who see what is really happening in the financial markets.
But this is pure anti-Israel bullshit. Blaming Israel for starting this round of violence flies in the face of all the facts - easily verifiable facts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israe...
I definitely agree that if Israel hadn't started bombing the Strip, Israel wouldn't be bombing the Strip. But the Palestinian rockets would still be falling in Israel.
So is it anti-semitism? Or some other anti-Israel irrationality? Doesn't matter.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But you are also entitled not to give a platform to people such as this author.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion. But you are also entitled not to give a platform to people such as this author"
repeat that sentence three times
Even the Zionisy NYT reported that Israel started it
"
Israel’s Shortsighted Assassinationhttp://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/17/opinion/israels-shortsighted-assassina...
But, never let the truth get in the hasbarist lies, hey?
And just who the fuck are you to determine who gets to speak? You vile piece of filth.
And let us not forget that even before the assassination, two innocent civilians (one mentally disabled man simply walking, and a 13 yr old boy playing soccer) were shot by IDF inside Gaza. That could add fuel to the fire.
Of course, Israel relishes and uses as a military tactic these provocations, and the retaliations that ensue, as a moral justification to start an escalation. They know they have precious little time left to get this major war that they want so badly going. Cease fires do not serve Israel's long-term goal of encroachment and domination of the whole region.
Rocket attacks from Hamas are EXACTLY what Israel wants!
What you are really saying, in a not so subtle manner is "everyone has the right to their opinion, as long as it is pro-Israel".
You guys used to throw out the "anti-semite" defense as a last resort...now it's your first, last and only defense because the facts do not support the fantasy you are trying to push on the world.
Israel is not a victim, they are the victimizers. That fact is plain as day and the whole world can see it. The days of hiding behind the skirt of US veto power in the UN are coming to an end as are the days of US support for that apartheid nation.
America will be the 110th nation to expel you. Only this time...you will have nowhere to go.
"Why are the Jews hated? It is the inevitable result of their laws; they either have to conquer everybody or be hated by the whole human race..." - Voltaire
Israel has been huge violators of human rights in regards to the people of Gaza and the West Bank for a LONG time. The things that Israel has done to these people is horrible. Israel is even treating its own people who disagree with Netanyahu horribly. Netanyahu does NOT want peace.
NathanSDS, this is not pure anti-Israel bullshit. Open your eyes to what really goes on there. Why is it that no one is allowed to criticize Israel for its actions? Why must people like you start throwing around the ant-Semitism labels? That in itself is pure bullshit. It's so easy for you & others to use those labels because you refuse to open your eyes to what is really going on there. People like you are assholes. It's so easy to throw those words around isn't it asshole?
Take your anti-Semitism labels & stick it up your ass! You are bullshit NathanSDS!!
They are forced to use those labels, as it is the only thing they have left in their morally bankrupt toolbox! Have you noticed that the hasbara-trolls seem a bit panicked and defensive these days?
They will NEVER win the ideological battle, and in the long-run will not win the strategic one, either. Their doctrine of death will be stopped.
So keep on shillin' your vitriole and nonsense, Hasbarians! You only expose your alliance with evil all the more. Thanks for helping the rest of humanity begin to understand the disgusting spirit that is the Talmudic World Agenda. Your assistance is most welcome!
The expressed intent of the Arabs since 1948 is that they will not cease in their efforts until the Zionist Regime is driven from Palestine. Denial does not make this statement untrue.
Either you support the United Nations mandate that created the State of Israel or you do not.
If you do not support the mandate that created the State of Israel, then you are justified in supporting all efforts to drive the Zionists out. Netanyahu is not the problem, and it is disingeneous to make him the problem. The rockets will fall on Israel no matter who is the Prime Minister. It is the overall intent of the Arab world to push the Zionists out. The tactics for doing so will vary, and will be on-going - regardless of who is Prime Minister in Israel or what cease-fires are "agreed" to. That is the truth and you know it.
On the other hand, if you do support the United Nations mandate that created the State of Israel, then you understand that Israel must implement a defense against all that is stated in the previous paragraph - if they are to survive as a State.
This is a battle of those who would dismantle the State of Israel versus those who would ensure the survival of Israel. It's that simple. And it is today. All of the postings about who blew up what hotel and conquered which village in the 1940s or earlier is totally irrelevant to today's conversation. Those who wish to dismantle the State of Israel today would still want to dismantle it today even if the atrocities pointed to in the past had never happened, even if the current Israelis were not "barbaric" for shooting mainly women and children. For this reason, those atrocities are irrelevant.
Either you want Israel to survive, or you want it to go away. Now. With the current players. Acting in current events.
In that context, rockets are falling on Israel because the desire is to make the Zionist regime go away. That is the only reason they are falling. And that is the only reason they will not stop until a greater force makes them stop if it can.
Man up wussies. Call a spade a spade. Stop blaming the rockets on the fact that Israel shoots mainly women and children. That is not the reason for the rockets. If you don't know that, you should know it. Root for the destruction of Israel just because you want the Zionist Regime to go away. You don't need any other reason - because I know you are not going to start rooting for Israel if they stop shooting women and children.
I am all for the destruction of the Zionist Regime of Israel. They are a cancer on humanity! And they oppress and endanger the average Israeli as much if not more!
Since you are so concerned about abiding by the dictums of the UN's 1948 recognition of Israel as a state (which was achieved through bribery and fur coats to world leaders!), then tell me why you are not equally concerned that Israel continually violates the boundaries and rules that the UN has set?
You can't have it both ways, pardner.
You changed the subject by invoking my concern (or support?) for the 1948 UN recognition of Israel. I have no such concern. I'll re-state my point: If you don't approve of the State of Israel, then Root for the destruction of Israel just because you want the Zionist Regime to go away. You don't need any other reason.
Israel has been huge violators of human rights
______________________
'Americans' do respect human rights. That is just that sub humans and non humans are not eligible for human rights.
'Americans' solved the conundrum of their natural rights theory stuff a long time ago. From day zero actually...
and who precisely are these "sub humans"?
Anyone 'americans' elect to feed their extorting of the weak, farming of the poor scheme...(in the position of extorted and farmed, it is understood)
And that could be a lot of people indeed.
One thing has always been clear. Netanyahu is a cancer.
It has been clear for decades now that this guy has not honest intentions but blood and there are many in Israel who know this but are powerless to do anything about it.
What would the US do if Mexico on a daily basis fired rockets into the US. Mexico would be parkinglot soon. Sorry for the Palestinian people but they voted for Hamas which then subsequently proclaimed war with Israel. With Fatah, the Palestinians would have had chance on their own country.
Israel has made sure that any non-militant rule, such as Fatah, is undermined, cheated, or neutralized. If it is not clear to you yet that Israel secretly ENCOURAGES leadership by Hamas, as it serves their long-term military agenda, then you need to go back to school....somewhere else besides a yeshiva, please.
And why would Mexico fire rockets into the US.
Chicken... meet egg.
Mexico doesn't need to fire rockets into the US. They just continue to send their poor her to leach off us tax payers. The Obama regime is now working with the Mexican government to help the illegals that do make it accross the border, get food stamps. You do realize that much of the welfare you and I are paying for goes to Illegals? Why would Mexico want to ruin such a cozy setup.
WOW, this is an understanding of the situation which is so .... uninformed .... that I assume you listen to either FOX or NPR.
but how would you finish it man
Palestinian terrorist groups have fired over a thousand missiles into Israel in 2012.
no, no no...it was millions of missiles...no, no, wait...I meant BILLIONS of missiles...oh, oh no, no wait...it was TRILLIONS of missiles, yeah...that's the ticket...trillions.
you fuckin dolt.
We used to fire bottle rockets into my parents' neighbors' yard every Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day. They didn't send a drone over to drop a bomb on us, or strategically assassinate our parents while dropping off a casserole.
I guess you're saying you don't live next door to Israelis.
I wish my Zionist Reserve Notes TAX dollars were going to them so they could send in thousands more. Then at least I know my hard earned slave notes were going to a good cause instead of the decepticons.
Encore.