Amid fears of escalation in the Israel-Gaza conflict, consider this: war without end suits Netanyahu
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
W arnings about a region-wide escalation engulfing the entire Middle East have been circulating since the first fraught days after the 7 October Hamas terrorist atrocities. The most dangerous flashpoint is generally believed to be Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, where lethal clashes between the powerful Shia militia Hezbollah and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have greatly intensified in recent days.
Yet, so far at least, the much prophesied regional explosion has not occurred. There are two principal reasons for this. One is that Israel’s war cabinet, led by the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, having reportedly initially contemplated simultaneous assaults on Hamas and Hezbollah after 7 October, was dissuaded by US pressure. Since then, Israel’s official position has been that the destruction of Hamas in Gaza is its foremost priority.
The second reason stems from a calculation by Iran’s hardline conservative leadership that its interests are best served by keeping the war at arm’s length. Hamas, Hezbollah and the Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni groups are all Iran’s proxies, armed, equipped, trained and, despite denials, often directed by Tehran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). They, not Iranians, do the fighting. In this way, Iran wages war on Israel – but indirectly and, up to a point, deniably.
The immediate problem is that the strength of these two key factors, jointly encouraging mutual restraint, is degrading. Put more crudely, as the war approaches its fourth month, the gloves are coming off on both sides. This perception may explain the latest, frantic intervention by Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, who – echoing the UN general assembly – demanded a “lasting ceasefire” in Gaza in talks with Netanyahu this week.
It also helps explain growing US, British and German emphasis on de-escalating, pausing and containing the Gaza mayhem. This is ostensibly prompted by concerns about more than 21,000 Palestinian deaths , as counted by Hamas, and what the UN decries as a humanitarian disaster. Yet western leaders, supposedly powerless to stop it, know the IDF’s relentless, criminally indiscriminate, self-defeating Gaza killing spree has become an unbearable daily provocation to Israel’s foes. The consequent looming spectre of a far-ranging regional explosion, not photos of dead and maimed Palestinian children, is what truly moves them.
LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/amid-fears-of-escalation-in-the-israel-gaza-conflict-consider-this-war-without-end-suits-netanyahu/ar-AA1mchEW?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=35b0b9d8cdfd4605a29ad682ede96f57&ei=20
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In the last week we've seen a continuing upsurge in attacks it both directions. The North as mentiond with Hezbollah is probably at the moment the closest to a full on slaught. Netanyahu has said if Hezbollah isn't stopped by outside countries that Israel will do the job themselves.
bibi and his pals probably own a piece of a rocket factory in iran...
This looks just like the war on terrorism fought by NATO from 9/11 until Biden's horrendous retreat.
Two difference stand out for me.
The civilians killed and wounded is horrible the deaths of Hamas are unknown but they are taking their toll but Hamas are also taking a toll on Israel.
2. People are actually supporting the terrorists.
That is true some are supporting Hamas.
Yes, terrible, especially the woman and children. Gazans from the constant shelling, lack of water, food and medical treatment.
Israeli victims of 7 Oct and hostages who were forced to take drugs, sexually assaulted or children forced to watch and psychological torture.
US State Dept believes that the ceasefire ended when Hamas decided that releasing more woman hostages was counter productive given what these women would testify to.
With terrorists, you can't take their claims that "X forces killed these civilians" as absolute fact unless fully investigated. During my tours in Afghanistan, the Taliban killed women and children, then after an engagement, they had brought the bodies in, claiming US Soldiers killed them. It took a lengthy investigation to find the truth.
With the proximity of Israel and Gaza, there are going to be casualties on both sides of the border. It has been reported that Israel is telling the civilian population to evacuate the area to minimize non-combatant casualties. But on the other hand, it's hard to tell who is a non-combatant and who is fighting to support Hamas.
With the situation in Gaza, the concentration of people and the type of weapons being used by Israelis lend themselves to massive casualties. You know that a 155 will do to an area and body along with 2,000 lb bombs dropped by the Israeli air force or the 125mm tank cannons.
are there Palestinians killed by Hamas, without a doubt there are, but whether the overall number is 21,000 or 12,000 the number is staggering to say the least.
Exactly, terrorists and/or guerilla action is always to blend in with the non-combantants, I saw plenty of that in Nam.
I believe that they are correct and if there is ever a hostage exchange you can bet the women that experienced this will not be released if they are not aready dead.
Afghanistan is a hell of a lot bigger than Gaza; and far less densely packed.
When you drop a building on civilians it isn't hard to argue which side did it. Hamas doesn't have an air force, tanks, artillery, or a navy. If they had missiles capable of demolishing structures they would already be using them.
I really don't care if Israel is telling Gazans where to evacuate to- there is no room for them anywhere in Gaza anymore. Israel is shelling and bombing everywhere; and expanding their ground operations into areas they told people were safe. Israel is systematically destroying all of Gaza. Those that don't die from the bombings/war will die because of disease, famine, dehydration, or simply because you can't cram that many people into such a small area without proper resources.
Don't worry, Hamas will outlast the people they were supposed to be protecting. They have the resources, planning, and obviously the training.
As for arguing over who is to blame. Both Hamas and Israel are. Neither give a shit about the Palestinian people and are proving it daily.
Meanwhile in the West Bank Israel is going about business as normal of having their settlers and IDF assault and force Palestinians from their homes. Gaza is the perfect cover for it. Bibi couldn't have asked for a better scenario.
I will believe the Israelis are ready for peace when they stop electing fascists to government repeatedly; remove the settlers and IDF from the West Bank; allow a land corridor between the West Bank and Gaza; and pay full on reparations for the damage done. I will believe the Palestinians are ready for peace when they stop following the PA, Hamas, Hezbollah, and all of their offshoots; realize they can never win a war with Israel but that doesn't mean stop fighting to protect their people and save their land; and get a real leader to rally behind that can present their case on the world stage to force Israel to comply.
So are innocent civilians on both sides (if there are any).
Just exactly who are the terrorists? Hard to tell sometimes.
These folk have been oppressing and killing each other for longer than this 70 yr. old has been alive.
Israel became a country in 1948.
The Middle East has been a blood bath long before that.
Maybe it has something to do with silica composition.
Hamas and EVERY person supporting them through word and deed.
It's hard to tell at times because of the terrorists using civilians as shields.
Exactly, the lack of uniforms and using hospitals, apartments, mosques, and schools to hide C2 sites, logistics sites and munition launching sites will do that.
Since you are youngster, you might want to study history. The Middle East has a very violent past.
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They've been at war for centuries. Guerrilla warfare demands these tactics.
Only fools think wars should be fought "fair" when one is outnumbered and out armed.
Read The Art Of War by Sun Tzu sometime.
Not all that much between the 7th Century and the 19th Century, where did you study ME history?
I don’t think that’s true, name some.
The Arabs have greatly outnumbered the Israelis since that country was founded.
I did years ago when I attend Command and General Staff College, how about you?
Say, did you hear the big news?
The Middle East has a violent past.
Best keep it on the downlow--we don't want everyone to know!
Don't recall asking questions (silly or otherwise).
Your response to my intel. means nothing.
Intel, what intel?
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bibi herding the gaza refugees to the next IDF bombing locations seems to be working out well for him...
It's not like Israel hasn't notified the civilian population of what is coming. We did the same in Afghanistan before dropping 155mm, JDAMS or brining in MQ-9 Reapers.
13 years as a Field Artillery Fire Direction Chief. I know EXACTLY what the 155mm can do. And that still does not mean I'm going to take the word of a terrorist.
Then you know why I really don't have too much sympathy.
Yes, they have notified them but the problem is they have nowhere to go.
Just looking at the destruction in Gaza from the bombing you know that thousands are dead and in past wars with Hamas the count of killed has been fairly accurate even the IDF has confirmed that. Is it 12,000 dead or 21,000 either way it is a staggering number of deaths.
Yes, that is of course your right, but for me, I do have sympathy for the children, both in Nam and Gaza.
they don't care about those kids, born or not...
Now start asking why they have no where to go. Over the years several countries have deported Palestinian refugees because of their actions. And because of that they are not willing to take them in, even on a temporary restricted basis.
IT also tells us that Hamas are using the civilian populace as shields and hiding among them. It's not a large area to begin with and everything is tightly packed in there. So what normally would be minimal destruction, looks worse.
I'm sure you've seen it in Nam as I have in Iraq and Afghanistan, children have been used to carry out attacks. It's very difficult to determine friendly from enemy.
Some countries have deported Palestinians and millions are living in countries around the world. In Gaza they have nowhere to go since they are not allowed out of Gaza the IDF makes sure of that. So, go south, get bombed, go north get bombed, trapped in a deadly maze with survival an outside chance.
That is a known fact, and like all terrorist groups that is their MO. No matter how you slice it the damage to Gaza is devastating.
I have seen it, and yet I still do have sympathy for them since they are being used by adults and their lives are meaningless to those adults.
religious wackos of every stripe hide behind kids...
... and dead kids are great recruiting tools.
Better than the 72 virgins in the hadith corpus?
EVERYONE GET BACK ON TOPIC, NO MORE WARNINGS.
The IDF is pushing deeper into Gaza and in the north the IDF has launched attacks against Hezbollah, the heavyest to date in the war. They also killed a top Iranian General that was in Syria a few days ago.