So
Israel decides to attack an old target; indeed they’ve done a good effort in misleading the world into thinking it is close to attacking Iran or Syria after the American elections. It was supposed to be just a matter of when and not which. Indeed, it is a well-played deception that only means harm to Israel’s and the West’s enemies. There has been uneasy speculation whether Israel will attack before or after the US elections. Nevertheless, Israel was more expected to attack once a new US president assumes office.
As it went, the re-election of Barack Obama was a doubled-edged sword in its own right as the actual Israeli aggression came earlier than expected and surprised with its choice of target. What a surprise it has been indeed. On the one hand, an informed expert can find refuge in Israel’s recent past, and future — that it was back in 2008 (US presidential elections) it last attacked the brutally repressed Palestinians, and that it will be holding elections come January 2013. Is Benjamin Netanyahu playing out the failed cards of his defeated presidential bet Mit Romney? He was open to favor Romney, but nevertheless admitted that he will continue a hard stance against its enemies regardless of who wins the US presidential elections, a fact vindicated by its fresh attacks on Palestine.
How can a nation pretend to be threatened when Israel itself brags about its precision missiles and air power while its enemy is not even allowed to have its own airport? Can Israel ever be threatened when it has nuclear weapons that it promises to use not as a last resort?
Is there any conscience among Israeli leaders when they continue to ban and isolate Gaza’s interaction with the outside world? Indeed there is no conscience in indulging in efforts to ban fishermen to fish more than a mile from their borders, and when it pursues to block the entry of basic goods such as school books, fruits, paper, and even chocolates for concern of ‘national security’. Sardonic as it seems, but how do you keep reminding the world of the Berlin Wall when you keep downplaying or even hiding the existence of the Israeli West bank barrier wall?
If the blocking of these most basic of human needs do not haunt their conscience, then it is no surprise that Israel continues to derail peace efforts from Gazan leaders, such as their recent assassination of military leader Ahmed Jaabari, who was already proposing a longer-term cease fire (assisted by Egypt) when he was killed by Israel defense forces. Despite that, however, Israel is insisting it is only responding to rocket fires from Hamaz. But with the polarization of the international landscape, this time Israel cannot escape fresh war crime charges by no less than the Arab League on the side of Palestine.
Although the fighting has stopped, we are but left to wonder when Israel will assert itself again. To which I pose a curiosity: does Israel have qualms against Washington’s ‘pivot’ to Asia? Is it left vulnerable and wanting?
Views From The East 