Something seems terribly wrong in regards to Israel’s attempt to keep the Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza from shooting thie rockets into Israel So far, and despite blowing up half of Gaza’s main cities, Hamas militants still seem to be able to launch their rockets, albeit at less frequent intervals. In fact, it might be said that the present scenario is very similar to what happened in Lebanon in July/August 2006. In that conflict, Israeli jets inflicted significant damage to Beirut, Tyre and other Lebanese cities. Yet despite this, the Hexbollah people still managed to shoot a total of 4,000+ rockets which caused widespread damage and suffering to Israel’s entire northern region, including the third largest city, Haifa.
Although the present operation is at a smaller scale than the Lebanon II war, the way it is being carried out is very similar, and Israel appears to be bowing once again to international pressure to reach a ceasefire. The Hamas organization, although significantly damaged, is far from being finished, as of the Hezbollah organization in 2006. Hamas, supported by Iran, Libya, Syria, and even by Hezbollah itself will reconstitute itself and rebuild all the structures that Israeli aircraft have destroyed. Hamas will also re-arm itself and as a result, will be right back in the same position it was in prior to the beginning of the Israeli bombardment. And even more important, Hamas will wind up winning the propaganda war as Hezbollah also did.
And as for Gilad Schalit, the young Israeli soldier still being held captive, will his remains be returned on day in a black box like the remains of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev’s were by the Hebollah?
In order not to have the same scenario repeat itself, some different set of tactics had better be adopted by Israel, and the sooner the better. For with Hamas, as with Hezbollah, only by punishing them thoroughly will any lasting results be made. This is the only thing these people understand, especially ones like Nizahir Rayyan, who proudly sent his own son to be a suicide bomber against Israel a few years back. With these kind of “loving fathers” only brute force and punishment will work.
While these measure may seem harsh, in the end they may actually save the people living there as it appears that the Hamas organization has less regard for their welfare than it’s leader try to portray. Even though Hamas has provided some help to local Gazans, that assistance has come at a price. And that price is the hold that Hamas has over the very lives of the people. If that is not tyranny, then what is?
