The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on the escalating Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip today, but with the US standing in their way, no resolution is likely calling for a halt to the strikes.
Nor does Israel want one, and Israeli officials say that the goal is no longer a new ceasefire with Hamas. “We don’t want a ceasefire,” declared Israeli envoy Ron Prosor, saying rather “our goal is to dismantle Hamas’ rocket infrastructure.”
That’s a nebulous mission, and one that doesn’t seem particularly forwarded by bombing civilian homes, but reflects Israel’s comfort with escalating more and more, as the Hamas rocket fire, while a great talking point for hawks, is doing virtually no damage to Israel itself.
Israel continues to mobilize more and more troops for a ground invasion of the tiny strip, which seems less speculative and more like a matter of time at this point. President Shimon Peres said yesterday that such an invasion could happen quite soon.
The password IS… cleansing.
The rockets/mortars have killed 23 people in the history of their use.
Israel has already killed almost a hundred people just in this current act of terrorism.
If Israel doesn't like unguided scrap metal rockets, they should give Palestine some guided missiles like the ones they have, that we give them. Except they would never because they are cowards, and they like the dynamic of poor, repressed people throwing rocks and scrap metal at gigantic armored tanks, drones, towers, bombers, and across concrete walls.
They'd like it even better if the Palestinians would just do exactly what they're told, like slaves, and accept being wiped off the map and confined to the dustbin of history, like the Native Americans. One Israeli supporting twitter user even made the comparison directly, endorsing the idea of "killing them all" because look how well that worked out for the USA.
One has to wonder what Israel would do if an outside nation- say, Russia, for example- stepped up and put Israel on notice that any further aggression against Gaza would be visited upon them via missile and/or strategic bombers. The average Israeli probably doesn't give a damn about what the IDF does to someone else- but oh, if the man in the street had to face some sort of consequences they'd be singing a different tune.
It's the same with the American public- it's all rah-rah-wave-the-flag-hail-the-heroes when the troops parade past, but if New York, or Los Angeles, or Atlanta, or any US city had to undergo just a day's worth of what the we dish out to other nations the clamor for war would be far different. War is cool because we don't have to deal with it.
It's one thing to go to war for self-defense- but it's an entirely different situation when the opponent you attack poses no real threat and has no way to resist. Consider the IDF attacking Gaza as 'taking candy from a baby' and you'll begin to see the comparison.
This is more like shooting fish in a barrel than taking candy from a baby. It is collective punishment, a war crime condemned and outlawed at the Nuremberg Tribunals, but the U.S., the U.N., Israel, and U.S. media do not give a damn.
or "shooting fish in a barrel"
How does one bombed a densely populated area with civilians and gets away with it, I thought it was a war crime so say the UN…..oops, the UN? Hahahahaha.
Peace is not an Israeli goal. Duh, what else is new?
"But with the US standing in their way, no resolution is likely calling for a halt to the strikes"
No, no resolution is likely, . . . . as long as members of Congress can fondle their 30 pieces of silver and look the other way. Israel has corrupted America even more than America has corrupted itself.
Why aren't congress reps and senators howling about Gaza's "right to defend herself", and calling for military aid to be rushed over there?
Wouldn't Israel have the technology to figure out where the Palestinian rockets are coming from, and deal with that isolated problem without destroying the entire population and infrastructure?
I have not seen that specific idea addressed anywhere.