For the sake of Friends

Submitted by Jay1 (United States), May 13, 2010 at 21:44

Dr. Pipes wishes Israel well and so when he says total victory is what Israel needs his point is appreciated. But Israel is in a situation that almost no society has ever been in. Israel is apparently not allowed to win. Even Israel's best of friends can not stomach an Israeli victory that totally destroys the enemy. Barely a month went by in the most recent Lebanese war when Israels "friends",let alone their enemies, didnt mourn the destruction of innocent Lebanon whose only guilt after all, was that a large portion of their populace has a private/public and very well armed force that fired 5,000 rockets into Israel. Lebanon cried Hezbollah is not us. Who are they Israel asked? They're greatly represented even in your parliament. They're only some of us countered Lebanon. Only some of us?

And so pressure was brought on Israel to stop the war. No victory for Israel. And Hezbollah has more missiles now than ever, breaking the end of the war agreement ,and being the new front line for Iran and Syria. In Gaza, thousands of rockets were fired into Israel over years,and upon killing 1,000 people in a close quarter response, Israels "friends",let alone enemies had seen enough because apparently Israel may loose a close ratio of life to life in a conflict,otherwise there deemed as too good a victor. And so again,Israel didnt win. And so there are now two Palestines to contend with .And another front line for Iran and Syria. Thats why this 62 year old stalemate continues. And thats why Dr Pipes is right.

Where I somewhat differ with Dr Pipes is on the best probability of what an Israeli victory would look like. It is I confess in the negotiating room ,where again Israel's friends will probably lose stomach. An Israeli victory will have to be a combination of territories settled and sealed, iron clad agreements like it or not,and an understanding as to what will be tangilbly lost on broken agreements. So for arguement's sake, in the upcomming Palestinian negotiations, Israel should insist on territorially adjusted borders, (ala resolution 242) which I think in good reason is about 8% of the territories,as deemed meeting the word secure.

In addition Israel should insist on a 2 mile wide strip along all of the Jordan and Dead Sea as a patrolled no mans land. Jordan will never admit it,but there praying for it.Leaving Jerusalem for the end,but with parameters on lands set, Palestine can be Palestine provided that it is totally militarily demilitirized through constant inspection, and the nature of the skys and alliances are in agreement.

Should the agreements be broken by Palestine, Palestine should expect to loose territory the agreement would read .The Palestinians who are staving for a state but say no to everything will say no. After all they will claim,how can we settle on a demilitirized state that doesnt recieve simply everything. How can we be dimiltized like a beautiful Luxenburg, or a beautiful Puerto Rico they will cry.? Arab honor they will call it. Because, ...Israel should admit out loud and to themselves,...sadly...,we are tired and exhausted of loosing provoked uncomfotable victories to defeat. And we want to avoid that .For the sake of us, for the sake of you, and for the sake of our friends.

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".