Other considerations ignored or unaware by comment authors
Reader comment on item: Interview: ‘I watch with frustration as the Israelis don't get the point'

Submitted by yzoleowl (United States), Jun 16, 2006 at 17:48

Missing from the equation are practical considerations by Israel's leaders comment authors are unaware of , not ignored. Were they aware, they would have voiced them. Israel is also aware of world opinion and must balance its policies and contemplated defensive or offensive actions in response to every act by PA, El Fataha, Hamas, etc.

America has always acted and continues to consistently act in its own self-interest and support waxes and wanes depending on what happens in and to America, including continued support of israel. Much criticism of Israel's policies stems from Monday morning quarterbacking. Sharon moved defensive IDF to southern Lebanon to protect the border residents from PLO predation, artillery fire into Kiryat Shmona hmes and surrounding areas. Fire was returned mostly to let them know the IDF would not alllow indiscriminate firing and offensive action would follow if provocation increased. Every day policy makers weigh the consequences of leaving or holding an area.

The financial cost of maintaining sufficient troops to protect the Israeli residents reliving biblical history in a hostile Palestinian community has always been a plaguing question, the dilemma further abetted by the orthodox minority and their electoral threats. Growing opposition by veteran Army members to lead retaliatory attacks against more violent leaders of various terrorist groups opened understandable rethinking of retaliation policy, where failure to take action was a frighteningly dangerous alternative, a potentially greater hazard than the world's shrill outcries about the peripheral damage - death and injuries caused to innocent civilians caught in the surgical strike of the targeted leader and perpetrator of the justified retaliation. There is little doubt that every response planned by Israel leaders is analyzed to the last detail, political, practical, public relations aspect, ad inf. The hoped for result doesn't always take place but no doubt the envelope is pushed to the limit each time. Scoring each step is easy for us out of the area and not personally affected as each citizen of Israel, whose desires, hopes and responses are also - if you will excuse me - considered, typical of a democracy.

The reactions of us spectators not directly and immediately affected by the daily events in Haaretz range from unconditional support to violent outrage - the latter more often triggered by concern of how the world will feel about us rather than the effects on Israel by opinion and/or reaction of their Palestinians neighbors, the Arab nations, el Jazeera, the world, the UN, US Congress, American supporters and detractors of Israel, the growing antipathy of the ecclesiastic divestiture crowd, who are more emboldened each day - not by the continuing Al Quaeda-type predation acts initiated by terrorist groups but by the response by the Israeli government in defending its citizens. The decision may have been the right one at the time, but if it has failed to achieve the results, Israel will continue to be excoriatd for having made the wrong move, a criticism more harshly reserved for Israel than for any other nation who may react even more rashly to similar events by the standards of Israel's many enemies.

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