Gaza on my mind

Once again, violence between Hamas and Israel had exploded to the point where the international community cannot ignore it.  Though the situation saddens me greatly, I have not written about it until now.  Part of me was just not ready to begin the New Year focusing on such an intractable issue.  It’s much pleasanter to muse about things to look forward to in the incoming administration. Perhaps part of me was hoping that this would just be a minor blip, over quickly.  But as the situation continues and more facts come to light in the mainstream American media, it becomes more and more obvious that this is not a minor escalation in the ongoing “low-grade fever” of violence in this region.  Now that Israel has sent ground troops into the Gaza Strip, it is highly unlikely that the current outbreak will be resolved quickly.  So I will be sharing with you some of my views on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and surrounding issues.

Prior to Israel’s current military action, Hamas forces had been shelling Israeli civilian population centers from the Gaza Strip.  This shelling had reached an intolerable level, and the Israeli government felt compelled to take action to protect it’s citizens. One might wonder what interest Hamas has in goading Israel into action at this time.  What is indisputable is that Israeli military action is a reliable “draw” for international media coverage, which is reliably followed by anti-Israel protests around the world, engendering further media coverage.  Which brings me to the proximal cause of this particular posting…

The other night, I caught a report on the nightly news covering a demonstration in Boston against the current Israeli military action.  I was listening with half an ear as the reporter interviewed a demonstrator identified as Merri Najimi, belonging to an Arab-American organization.   I try to pay attention when an interviewee’s affiliation is identified, because it’s generally a good predictor of what they’re going to say.  “Two things have to happen,” said Ms. Najimi, and my ears perked up. 

“We’’re going to finally have some balance here,” I thought.  “Isreali’s must…., and Hamas must…” 

The interview proceeded:  “The Israelis must immediately cease the bombing, and…”

“Here it comes!” I thought.  “The Hamas must also stop shelling Israeli populations.” 

The interview continued:  “and the Israelis must immediately restore the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and...”  She continued to enumerate some additional actions that Israel “must” undertake, as I stared in astonishment, and then disgust, at the TV screen.

And?  And what?  Allow their own citizens to continue to live under a daily bombardment by Hamas???  I am so frustrated by the single-minded finger-pointing of the Arab apologists, and refusal to acknowledge any responsibility, or demand any accountability, for the actions of their leadership and compatriots.  

It may be that Hamas chose to goad Israel into action at this time in order to bring attention to the Palestinians, sending a message to the incoming US administration that there is a problem here that is not going away.  It may be that they were under the mistaken impression that the Israeli government, which is facing an election in February ,would not respond so strongly and risk getting embroiled in a ground war.  It may be some kind of convoluted message to the Israeli public ahead of the elections.  It may just be that after a six-month cease-fire, which Hamas requested but didn’t always honor, they have re-armed to the point where they felt ready to return their norm: armed conflict. 

Whatever their thinking, Hamas leadership (and their Iranian sponsors) are certainly aware that when they provoke Israel long enough and hard enough, Israel will respond in spades.  And those who follow events in the region have seen this play often enough to know that then the Palestinians will go crying to the media: "Look what Israel is doing to us!"  The script is so familiar.  Next the demonstrations in the streets, the appeals to the UN, Israel's refusal to step down until it has destroyed munitions and weakened their attackers' capabilities, finally an uneasy truce riddled with ever-escalating violations, until the cycle begins again.  So as you watch these events unfold, bear in mind that they've all happened before.  In 2005, Israel ended its occupation of Gaza, hoping to break the cycle.  When will the Gazans decide to move forward?

NEXT: Disclosures