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What Israel Should Have Done

By Larry Johnson on January 2, 2009 at 5:28 PM in Current Affairs

Yes, I’m beating a dead horse but it is for a good purpose. Israel’s image is taking a beating with each passing day and it is not a positive make over. So let’s review the bidding:

Point Number One–Israel is not required to sit and do nothing while Hamas launches rockets, mortars (hell, even rocks) against Israel.

Point Number Two–Israel has every right to destroy the rockets and those firing them.

Yep, because I believe this I’m an anti-semite who hates Jews. Right?

If you don’t understand sarcasm you should not read or visit this blog. And I mean ever!!!

So here is what Israel should have done:

Filed a complaint with the United Nations/National Security Council after every rocket launch.

Deployed counter battery units with international observes and members of the media to establish that Israel is retaliating only against specific rocket/mortar sites. Israel would fire counter battery at every source for a rocket/missile. This is called “proportionate” response. Now, if those Hamas rockets were causing significant Israeli casualties–let’s say 50% of the rockets killed or wounded someone–then you could make a case to escalate the Israeli response.

Promoted internationally supervised aid/healthcare missions. Yes, a hearts and mind campaign. Ensure that Israel and the Palestinians cooperating with her are the source for food and medical care. As it stands now, Hamas is that source.

There is no guarantee that this would eliminate the Hamas threat but this approach does one thing that the current approach does not–it gives Israel the moral high ground and makes it easier to build world opinion against Hamas. Nope, why do that. Israel prefers its foolish and ineffective macho routine. They set their hair on fire, use a hammer to extinguish the flame, and then complain about the headache. There are some other options.