Nothing On Israel It Seems

[DTCwordfan]

Are the Israelis justified taking out buildings when Hamas are using them to hide their missiles and even their intelligence (in the press building). To be fair on the latter, they gave warning to all to get out before they flattened the place. Isn't it cynical of Hamas to be stuffing the missiles into the cellars with ordinary residents living above them.

What's the way out as to breaking the impasse?

[Untitled]

If nothing happened each time - and the world's media were flooded with images of grieving Jewish families instead of grieving palestinians - I think in the long term it would serve to demoralise them. At present they get their hour in the spotlight, they get dozens of new recruits for every dead Gazan... it's not worth it just to "demonstrate" to Hamas.

[Untitled]

Hamas currently has a strategy that relies on Gaza being bombed... they want it and welcome it from their luxury apartments in Turkey.

What's the best way to disrupt that strategy? ... do not bomb Gaza.

[emmie]

you can't seriously think that Israel would take a back seat and let themselves be bombed, killed in their hundreds if not thousands...

[Untitled]

Bombing back clearly isn't working - and it is what their enemy wants.

This "something must be done" attitude does not seem to be achieving very much to me.

[emmie]

both sides think they are right, both sides won't stop, a loss of innocents is all that i can see.

[naomi24]

Untitled, //I think in the long term it would serve to demoralise them.//

As victors why would they be demoralised? That makes no sense. Apart from that they couldn't care less what the western world thinks of them. I don't believe you're taking account of the mindset involved.

[Untitled]

I disagree, I think they are obsessed with winning the propaganda war... that's why they are so obsessed with getting the limelight... that's why they are so desperate for Israel to attack them... that's why they hide in civilian areas, knowing they'll get bombed. They want the world's news agencies to see Israeli bombs dropping on refugee camps and hospitals. If every missile attack (at least the few that actually hit) simply resulted instead in a wave of sympathy for jewish victims rather than palestinians then they'd be losing.

I repeat... if you are at war with an enemy, does it make sense to do what they want you to do?

[naomi24]

But Israel isn't doing what they want it to do - and propaganda only works if no one realises it's propaganda. We know Hamas sets up targets in order that it may claim that Israel is bombing hospitals etc so their propaganda isn't working. The fact is Israel cannot sit back and allow itself to be attacked. No nation can do that.

[emmie]

think if we had done that in WW2?

[Untitled]

Israel is doing what they want perfectly - Hamas wants Gaza bombed, and Israel bombs Gaza... more Gazans are recruited to Hamas and they'll shoot some more missiles in a few years, undeterred by Israel's gestures...

Without retaliation: 10 Israelis dead (last I checked)

With retaliation: 10 Israelis still dead, 197 Gazans, and untold new recruits for Hamas.

These retaliations are not working. Doing nothing would be more effective... however injurious to pride it might be.

[Untitled]

Our retaliation in ww2 was effective emmie - it stopped us getting invaded.

What has this retaliation to Hamas achieved? Nothing... except recruit more young men to keep the war going for the corrupt leaders of Hamas, which is what they want.

[emmie]

injurious to pride, what about those who will be killed?

[Untitled]

They're being killed anyway.

[emmie]

they will never see eye to eye, only kill one another at every opportunity.

[naomi24]

Untitled, if there was any chance of your solution being effective the Israelis would have adopted it. As it is, it really is unthinkable. It's the first time I've ever heard anyone suggest such a course of action.

[Untitled]

and yet you can't point to anything these responses actually achieve other than sending a message that obviously doesn't work. I think Israel's strategy is motivated by politicians who want to look tough and like they are "doing something".

[naomi24]

The message that Israel won’t be intimidated works.

[Untitled]

It obviously doesn't.

[naomi24]

You’re going round in circles. All I can say is if your way is the right way someone involved in trying to find a solution would have considered it and advised Israel to try it. I wouldn’t blame Israel for not acting on such bizarre advice though.

[emmie]

for Israel to sit back and let her self be annihilated would be madness.