• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Donate
  • Comment Rules
  • Privacy Policy

Tikun Olam תיקון עולם

Promoting Israeli democracy, exposing secrets of the national security state

You are here: Home / Mideast Peace / U.S. Heading Off Gaza Invasion?

U.S. Heading Off Gaza Invasion?

February 21, 2008 by Richard Silverstein 1 Comment

Share this:

An already dark Israeli predicament in Gaza looks even darker by the moment. Israeli hawks are pressing for an all-out assault on Gaza to root out the last vestiges of Hamas resistance (as if this were possible). In a comment earlier today, reader American Goy links to this Scotsman article about preparations for all-out war against Hamas in Gaza.  It won’t be like the Lebanon invasion they claim. This time we won’t make the mistake of relying on air power. We’ll go in with guns blazing and take out every last one of the mother-f(#*ers who stands in our way. This is of course a recipe for disaster. The only question being whether it will be a minor disaster or full-out catastrophe of Lebanon proportions.

The reason why this fatally flawed option is so attractive to so many in Israel is that the U.S., Quartet and EU are complaining ever louder that the current siege isn’t working. In addition, today’s N.Y. Times notes that the Arab states are now making rumblings of withdrawing the 2002 Saudi peace initiative from the table if Israel isn’t ready to grasp it wholeheartedly:

Arab leaders will threaten to rescind their offer of full relations with Israel in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied lands unless Israel gives a positive response to their initiative, indicating the Arab states’ growing disillusionment with the prospects of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At an Arab League meeting next month in Syria, the leaders are planning to reiterate support for their initiative, first issued in 2002…

But this time, “there will be a message to Israel emphasizing the need to respond to the initiative; otherwise, Arab states will reassess the previous stage of peace,” said Muhammad Sobeih, assistant secretary general of the Arab League in charge of the Palestinian issue. “They will withdraw the initiative and look for other options. It makes no sense to insist on something that Israel is rejecting.”

Such a development would signal throwing in the towel to the idea of a two-state solution. Some of these states may not have been overjoyed with a two-state idea in the first place, but they were willing to settle for it if it brought the region the stability that was needed to preserve their regimes and promote economic development.

I don’t know what Ehud Olmert thinks of all this bad news. But if I were him (thank God I’m not) I’d be very worried. Signs are he doesn’t share my worry because just yesterday he assured his Shas coalition partners, who threatened to bolt the coalition at the first sign of wavering on the status of Jerusalem, that the PA had agreed to put off Jerusalem till the end of the negotiations–a claim immediately denied by the Palestinian side. Olmert may be worried, but if so he’s worried about the wrong things. Instead of worrying about losing a fickle coalition partner who could easily be replaced by drawing Meretz into the coalition, he should be worrying about far more powerful external forces that are arrayed in opposition to Israeli policy.

This Haaretz story speaks vaguely about U.S. “concern” over the “humanitarian situation” in Gaza:

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice while both are in Japan next week. The meeting was requested by Rice. It is particularly surprising because Rice is due to come to Jerusalem for a working visit the following week.

Government officials predicted that the meeting would focus on the situation in the Gaza Strip, and said that Rice probably wanted to express her concern over the humanitarian situation there.

…Haaretz has reported that the U.S. — like its fellow members of the Quartet, the EU, UN and Russia — is increasingly unhappy with Israel’s policies in Gaza. Rice’s deputy, David Welch, even told the last Quartet meeting that the U.S. “is not comfortable” with Israel’s operations in Gaza.

But I strongly suspect that the U.S. is convinced there will be a major invasion, and doesn’t believe it can end any better than the Lebanon war did. So the “concern” is likely to be a dire warning or even putting the kibosh on the entire military operation.

But where does that leave Israel and the poor souls under the rocket path in Sderot? Nowhere good. It takes you back to the place Israel refuses to go–which is a negotiated ceasefire with Hamas. Tzipi Livni is usually one of the more pragmatic, level-headed figures of this government. If there was any chance of this option being seriously considered by policymakers you’d expect her to be touting it. But even she’s lost her bearings in the current policy morass with outlandish statements like this:

“Europe must understand that Hamas is not an organization that is interested in setting up a Palestinian state,” she told her Romanian counterpart. “It is not seeking rights for the Palestinians; it wants to deprive others of their rights.”

“All indirect support for Hamas, even via discussions about opening the [border] crossings or about the humanitarian situation, only weakens those parties that are interested in reaching a [diplomatic] agreement,” she said. “The Palestinian people has no future with Hamas, and Israel will continue to fight the terror that Hamas perpetrates.”

At her meeting with [EU envoy] Otte, Livni was even blunter. “Israel wants to advance the diplomatic process, but we cannot allow ourselves to close our eyes to the difficult reality of terror in Gaza,” she said. “The international community’s desire to see a change on the ground sometimes leads it to ignore the reality and is liable to [lead it to] push for compromises that those who live here cannot permit themselves. Europe ought to understand that it is either Hamas or the moderates.”

Everything I’ve written above presumes that Condi Rice has a clear-eyed view of what lies ahead if Israel invades and wishes to avert it. That’s an awfully big presumption considering how awfully she performed during the Lebanon war. But who knows–maybe she’s learned a lesson. Dare we hope?

Related

Filed Under: Mideast Peace Tagged With: ehud-olmert, saudi peace plan, u.s. mideast policy

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  Subscribe  
newest oldest most voted
Notify of
americangoy

Boy, am I embarrassed that my crappy blog is linked to prominently on this great one…

Re: “Everything I’ve written above presumes that Condi Rice has a clear-eyed view of what lies ahead if Israel invades and wishes to avert it.”

I think everyone is missing the point that this administration is effectively over, and has been for the past 2 years. Bush jr. does nothing, except go on an international vacation. There is no leadership of the country now – NONE at all.

So when the cat’s away…

Rice, feeling pangs of conscience for the “birthing pangs” of the Alien chestburster creature ripping thru the Middle East’s chest, tries to do what she quite blatantly sucks at – diplomacy. Her statements to the press, her trips are inconsequential, however, as she in reality does not represent the United States but herselfm and possibly the State Department.

It is not as if the idiot we have in the White House now would knowa nuanced approach to diplomacy if it came and bit him on the… yeah.

I think that Cheney, the neocons, Powell and Rice are all furiously scrambling to do as much good (or evil) as they can , because the president has…. taken a leave of absence for the past few months, and he ain’t coming back folks.

I am willing to bet that in a few months or years we will hear that the US did some actions at the end of Bush Jr’s tenure that will make our hair stand on end…

After all, when the cat’s away..

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
February 22, 2008 8:34 AM
wpdiscuz   wpDiscuz
  • Bibi Netanyahu (Steve Bell)
  • Neyestani: Leaders to war, followers to peace
  • neyestani bibi-ahmadinejad
    Neyestani: Lower life forms of Middle East
  • Neyestani: Netanyahu in Gaza
  • Gee's Bend African-American quilt
  • Gee's Bend quilt
  • Gee's Bend quilt
  • Gee's Bend quilt, Ana Mae Young
  • Palestinian Refugee, 1948
  • Nakba: grandaughter and grandfather
  • historical Jerusalem map
  • Neve Shalom, Dove of Peace
  • Jerusalem Hope, Palestine Poster Collection
  • Offering Reconciliation, Parent's Circle exhibition
  • Mohammed Said Kalash bowl, Offering Reconciliation, Parent's Circle
  • Tsilya Aguf, Ukraine 1930s (Centropa)
  • Shushan Machzor (New York Public Library)
  • Haggadah, 14th century
  • Sarajevo Haggadah
  • Sarajevo Haggadah, Mah Nishtanah
  • Ketubah, Iran
  • Israel-Palestine Dove (Avi Katz)
  • Pinchas and Jamila (Avi Katz)
  • avi katz fired
    Animal Farm parody (artist: Avi Katz)
  • Bibi Netanyahu (Vanity Fair)
  • Naftali Bennett, Lebanon war criminal
  • Sabra Hulk (Mysh )
  • Adelson with Israeli Tembel ( Mysh)
  • A Problem of Self Image (Mysh )
  • Kol Isha 'Two Birds'
  • "Promises," Israeli & Palestinian Boy
  • menachem froman
    Rabbi Menachem Froman z"l (Rina Castelnuovo)
  • Rabbi Menachem Froman & Imam
  • Great Day on Eldrige Street, Klezmer musicians
  • Eldridge Street Shul
  • Yale Strom, Klezmer-Eldridge Street shul
  • Brundibar set, Maurice Sendak
  • Besa Albanian-Muslim Righteous Gentile (Norman Gershman)
  • Daniel Barenboim, West-Eastern Diwan Orchestra
  • Hebron Palestinian in IDF gunsight (Breaking the Silence)
  • Banksy revolutionary flower thrower
  • delegitimize occupation
    Delegitimize Occupation (Michael Levin-Richard Silverstein)
  • Archipelago of Palestine
  • Bedouin: I am Invisible
  • East Jerusalem shouk
  • dolls of palestine
    YWCA Dolls of Palestine
  • Fabric of Our Lives, YWCA of Palestine
  • Fabric of Our Lives Project, YWCA of Palesstine
  • Palestine
  • Palestinian embroidery, Bethlehem
  • palestinian quilt
    Palestinian child's quilt
  • Palestinian embroidery
  • Bethelehem embroidery
    Palestinian embroidery, Bethlehem
  • Balian Armenian ceramics, Olive Tree
  • Marie Balian, Armenian ceramics
  • Jerusalem pottery, 1972
  • Balian ceramics, East Jerusalem
  • Balian ceramics, East Jerusalem
  • Mosque ceiling, Iran
  • Mosque ceiling, Iran
  • Mosque ceiling, Qom Iran
  • Vakil mosque, Shiraz
  • Nasir al Mulik Pink mosque
  • Seyyed Mosque, Isfahan
  • Mosque ceiling, Iran
  • Aliqapu Palace, Isfahan (photo: M. Ganji)
  • Sheikh Lutfollah Mosque, Isfahan
  • Vank Cathedral, Isfahan (photo: M. Ganji)
  • Golestan Palace, Tehran (photo: M. Ganji)
  • Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, Shiraz (photo: M. Ganji)
  • Tabātabāei House, Kashan (photo: M. Ganji)
  • Borujerdi Kouse, Kashan (photo: M. Ganji)
  • Chehel Sotoun Palace, Isfahan (photo: M. Ganji)
  • Timche-Ye Amin Od-Dowleh, Kashan (photo: M. Ganji)
  • 12th century quran
    12th century Qur'an (Iraq)
  • Bellevue skyline with Cascades
  • Pacific Crest Trail near Stevens Pass
  • Washington Park Arboretum, fall 2015
  • Rose, Honorine de Brabant
  • Sunflower
  • Abraham and Akeda
  • Pincus and the Pig: a Klezmer Tale
  • Abuyudaya: proto-Jews of Uganda
  • Im Tirzu: a Fascist Movement
  • Marcy Silverstein and semi-pro baseball team circa 1920
  • Elijah's Cup by Szyk
  • Pete Seeger & Bruce Springsteen, 'This Land is Your Land' (Justin Sullivan-Getty)
  • Leonard Baskin: Ruth and Naomi, "Five Scrolls"
  • Ben Shahn, "You Have Not Converted a Man"
  • Study for Goyescas, Ben Shahn
  • Ben Shahn Allegory
    Allegory, Ben Shahn
  • Ben Shahn's Ecclesiastes
  • Ben Shahn, The Phoenix
  • Ben Shahn Warsaw 1943, "These I Remember"
  • Ben Shahn exhibition poster
  • Ben Shahn's Haggadah
  • chagall hadassah window
    Chagall Hadassah chapel window
  • Shavuot papercut, Poland
  • Hamsa with Star of David
  • Beatrice Wood: vase gourd

Tax Deductible Donations

Support Tikun Olam via Paypal

Follow Tikun Olam

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Recent Posts

  • UK Investment Firm Claims Israeli Cyber-War Firm It Bought Adheres to UN Ethical Guidelines
  • After Buying Major Stake in Israeli Cyber-Attack Firm, NSO Group, Global Witness Director Quits Board
  • Netanyahu Calls on Arab States to Join War Against Iran
  • Israel Lobby Seeks to Muzzle Ilhan Omar, Sabotage Democratic Resurgence
  • American Muslims to Saudis, American Jews to Israel: Why Do You Hate Us?

Categories

Archives

Pages

  • Photo Gallery
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Publications (author page)

  • Middle East Eye
  • The Nation Magazine
  • New Arab
  • Comment is Free
  • Mint Press News
  • Truthout
  • Seattle Times

Mideast Peace

  • HaOkets העוקץ
  • Penjihad's Blog
  • Zochrot
  • Doctor in Galilee
  • Extend
  • Visualizing Paiestine
  • Palestine Poster Project
  • Encounter Programs
  • Negev Co-Existence Forum
  • Refusers

Progressive Blogs

  • Transatlantikblog
  • Jews on First
  • Global Voices
  • Challenging Christian Zionism

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2019 · Magazine Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to provide you with the best browsing experience.

Find out more or adjust your settings.

Tikun Olam  תיקון עולם
Powered by GDPR plugin

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Cookie Policy

More information about our Cookie Policy