Israel-Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Caroline Glick explains in her article, "Who's being rational? about the rockets landing in southern Israel from the Gaza terrorists, Hamas. Every day many rockets are landing in places like Sderot. Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, chief of the General Staff of Israel said that they should go into Gaza if Israel wants to make its citizens safe.

Against the idea is Israel's foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who warned that if they did so, Israel would destroy the peace process. She's afraid that Bush and the Arabs would be "mad" and that Abbas, the Palestinian leader of Fatah who they think is a moderate, would reunite with the Iranian-trained Hamas. She says that they must choose either having security or the peace process.

I ask what good a peace process is if it does not include security, but Livni got the vote. Israel is afraid to go against Condoleeza Rice and Bush, and it's citizens are in jeopardy because of it. Yesterday a 2 year old child was injured when a rocket went through his house in Sderot.

In the meantime, in Gaza 200,000 people rallied on their 20th anniversary of Hamas's founding. Six months ago they took over Gaza. This was a show of "samoud" which is steadfastness. Israel declared the area a "hostile entity", which indeed it is. Their speeches were against Israel and the USA, unity with Abbas in the "West Bank." Gaza is under an embargo from Israel which is affecting the 1.5 million people who live in Gaza. If you wonder why, look at the danger they have put on Israel. They do not want to live in peace, but they want all of Israel. Israel has to do something besides take the shelling.

The people of southern Israel are living under constant deadly attacks. There is no other place for them to go. They cannot sell their homes, and would not be able to find other jobs. They are gritting their teeth and praying that they will live to the next day. If they leave Sderot, the terrorists would probably take it over and move closer to the other towns of Israel. Israel feels it's hands are tied in their desire to stop the shelling. And who cares? The defense will come for the "poor" bloodthirsty Palestinians who are the aggressors and do not want peace. The world's leadership is gathering billions of dollars to give to the Palestinians at this moment. Israel is between a rock and a hard place. Logic in the world has died.

Reference: Oregonian Dec 16th page A17

Caroline Glick, reporter for jewishworldreview.com