More than Noble

Submitted by Jay (United States), May 12, 2008 at 19:22

Israel should be congratulated on its 60th birthday.Israel and for that matter the Jewish people have a lot to be proud of.

Their advancements in freedoms, arts, business, technology, farming, country creation-you name it ,are to be admired. You dont need a UN resolution to admire Israel. Indeed Israel has been more than noble in most of its achievements. Being more than noble is what Israel does right. But it also what Israel doesnt do so right.

Sometimes Israel should be a little less noble. The Gaza strip is a perfect example. Israel was noble to withdraw from Gaza. But Israel was too noble in not retaining the Philadelphia strip. And Israel was too noble in not enlarging the Philadelphia strip to at least two miles. If it is deemed that the first two miles of Gaza can safely contol items in and out of Gaza like rocket parts, then Israel should retain those two miles.

New homes for the Palestinians that live in those two miles can be rebuilt a mile or two away. Because Israel was too noble, Israel has became a rocket dartboard from Gaza. When Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon,Israel was applauded as being noble .Hezbollah brought in 10,000 missles and fired a third of them into Israel last year. Israel was noble and like with Gaza, Israel now is in danger.

Israel should have insisted on 25,000 UN maned but Nato led watchmen (Israelis included) as to prevent what is still now a real danger. Probably if they had,there would not have been 10,000 rockets and a strong Hezbollah mini state in Lebanon. If it is deemed by Israel that a smart, verifiable force, Israelis included, will keep southern Lebanon free of Hezbollah and rockets, then Israel should insist on it.

But like Gaza,Israel wanted to do the noble thing. And they were too noble. Just like there doing in the Palestinian negotiations. With the never make or keep a commitment Palestinians, Israel has convinced themselves that when they draw a new safe border, they have to do the noble thing and avoid every single Palestinian village.

It is noble to try. But it is too noble if parts of your new border looks like a unsafe starfish instead of a secure border. It may be better if 3 or 4 small Palestinian villages will fall within a secure border instaed of a ultra noble insecure border. If it is reasonably deemed by Israel that these are the secure borders needed for Israels part of UN resolution 242 then insist on it.

Like it or not ,the Palestinians, Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria and Iran are gunning for you. The bottom line is as Dr. Pipes hinted. Israel barely has time to celebrate their birthday.Their neighborhood stinks .But there are things Israel can do to get ready for its 70th birthday.

Happy Birthday Israel.And Best Wishes. And oh yes.Please don't be more than noble.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".