Top commanders in the Israeli military are warning that the military is completely incapable of crushing an Egypt-style popular uprising in the West Bank, assuming one actually begins.
“There is nothing for it,” one of the commanders noted, and while the Israeli military apparently developed a major program last year to plan a response for mass public protests amongst the Palestinians, it seems the conclusion is that they simply can’t win.
Not that they don’t intend to try: officials emphasized that they would be attacking Palestinian protesters that are trying to damage the military’s checkpoint system, and would also do so to keep them away from the settlements.
But it’s a losing proposition, most of the commanders believe, and while the US would no doubt ensure that there would be no UN sanctions as there are in Libya, violent crackdowns would be extremely difficult to sell to the public across the world, particularly given public awareness for the similar protests across the region.
The pessimism amongst Israeli officials is perhaps the ultimate testimony to how poorly regimes are able to crush the uprisings, as Israel’s military is the best armed in the region and has a level of experience in crushing dissent that few other nations can lay claim to. If they cannot destroy the protests, it makes it difficult to fathom how nations like Yemen hope to do so.
The Palestinian Authority does such a good job as Israel's police force! When will the people understand that they are being hoodwinked and they do not have a democracy? The Palestinians will never get justice if they do not demand it from their own self-appointed leaders.
Excellent observation!
Even Israel's left-leaning news source Haaretz, states that Israeli military persons will have no problem shooting Muslim protesters.
Israel will shoot to kill anyone, innocent or otherwise, to advance their expansionist agenda.
The only way for US and EU to stop the peoples movement against an apartheid regime is to boycott Israel.., for Israel to go back to its 68 borders and stay there, be safe as a good neighbor and live happily side by side with Palestinians.., if not people will do it for them.
Long live america which is supporting every illegal action of israel but how long? By the time america is going to loose their credibility.
This is start of another scam. The rich people of Israel will use this cry to milk the suffering people of the united states. We have veterans who actually were in combat suffering from lack of healthcare while 100 percent of the rich and greedy of Israel live the good life with 100 percent healthcare. The IDF is a major source of money selling military equipment to the wars that Israel starts.
'JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel may ask the United States for $20 billion more in security aid, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak told The Wall Street Journal.
The aid is needed to help manage threats arising from the recent uprisings in the region, the Journal reported
Barak called the region's popular uprisings "a movement in the right direction," but said that Israel was concerned that Iran and Syria would come late to the regional unrest.'
Finally you recognize israel for what it truly is…a zionist regime.
The zionist regime is just one more instance of american support for a dictatorial power. It is the first domino of all other dictator dominos in the region. Just look at that map you have in your report , you need no other proof.
Democracies do not gerrrymander a region like israel has done. Stop calling israel a democracy for it is not. It is at best a zionist regime.
Everytime you or justin or any other person labels israel a "democracy" you make a mockery of what the word democracy means. Whenever you choose to call israel a "democracy" please be sure to include a map showing how israel has gerrymandered the area.
I am quite sure that our tax dollars have supported israel in their gerrymandering efforts….
Nuclear weapons have one purpose…to kill large numbers of civilians. That is what they are designed to do.
Israel has over 200 nuclear weapons. They have have isolated the palestinians to small areas with very high population density… perfect for the use of nuclear weapons…
Dont kid yourself, israel could(and probably would) crush any such rebellion….
I don't doubt israel's ruthlessness in using nukes on Palistinians but the contamination of the stolen water supply and the proximity to the radiation might deter them.
Israel's media campaign on various fronts. Military leaders complain that they're not prepared to kill Palestinians massively, which is a lie. On the other hand, Ehud Barack already begs for more weapons.
So the giant wall of shame is not enough? Having hundreds of atomic weapons is not enough? Having the latest US military technology is not enough? Having all the Palestinians rotting in open-air concentration camps is not enough?
What they dream of doing of course is do a Ghaddafiesque response. Use those American warplanes to bomb the concentrations camps altogether.
Palestinians have been protesting and fighting for 63 years now and where has that got them again? Oh, yeah! They've earned the official title of "terrorists" and got them shun from every nation on the face of the earth for fear. It's also made Gaza the largest open-air concentration camp in the world and has earned the civilian population several savage air strikes against them. So, please, don't tell me that they can't handle that in the West Bank because they can. They have brand new F-35s courtesy of the US taxpayers and Lockheed Martin and plenty of white phosphorus & depleted uranium in stock.