Israel withdrew every last civilian and soldier from Gaza in 2005. There has been no “occupation” of Gaza since then. The Israelis left behind fourteen million dollars worth of greenhouses, so that the Gazans could take over the flourishing export business of fruits and flowers that Israelis had built, and were now leaving to them. Instead, the Gazans chose to vandalize and destroy the greenhouses, apparently uninterested in working for a living when deep-pocketed foreign donors have been so willing to support them. And Hamas turned Gaza into a center for terrorist attacks against the Jewish state, forcing Israel to conduct four campaigns against the terror group in what the IDF describes as “mowing the grass.” “Israeli Soldiers Die Because Its Military Is So Moral; How to Fight the Next War,” by Gil Troy, Algemeiner, October 19, 2023:
Israel has dropped leaflets before dropping bombs. Israel has texted citizens before dropping bombs. Israel has “knocked roofs,” sending missiles across a targeted building, before dropping bombs. Israel empowered pilots to abort important missions against legitimate military targets if too many civilians seem to be at risk. Sacrificing the element of surprise, Israel kept trying to act morally — yet kept being condemned internationally.
Meanwhile, cowering behind civilians, Hamas amassed arsenals, trained killers, and terrorized the Gaza corridor with rockets, riots, and attempted border breaches. In 2018, turning to eco-terrorism, they sent burning kites over the border. Their “Kitetifada” set 2,000 fires, incinerating agriculture in an area two-thirds the size of Geneva — where the UN kept skewering “immoral” democratic Israel, while ignoring totalitarian Hamas.
That year, I interviewed my cousin, Adele Raemer. For decades, she lived happily in a progressive paradise of the Gaza corridor kibbutzim, but was now watching as Israel’s disengagement made their lives hellish. “The IDF is the world’s most moral army,” she said. “They aim for the feet. They ‘knock on the roof,’ warning dwellers to flee an apartment-building-turned-terrorist-base before destroying it. If, God forbid, Hamas had breached the fence, hundreds would have been killed.”…
Troy makes a good case that Israel should be less wedded to “purity of arms” and more interested in choosing the means that minimize dangers to its soldiers. Palestinians in Gaza — described merely as “protesters” in the Western media — who took part in the Great March of Return in 2018-2019, hoped to breach Israel’s security fence, and then to enter the “Zionist entity” in order to kidnap or kill Israeli civilians and soldiers. They were armed with rocks, Molotov cocktails, fireworks, and some even had guns or grenades. Yet Israel did not use live fire except in the most dire of circumstances, when Palestinians were right at the security fence, hurling Molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers and in danger of breaching the fence.
Unfortunately, Israel’s moral code shaped the “conceptzia,” the conception that decided Hamas was pragmatic, and its violence could be indulged and contained.
Hamas has ever since the 2014 war been presenting itself to the Israelis as more interested in building a prosperous ministate in Gaza than in continuing with its terrorism, and convinced too many in Israel that it would not do anything that would lead Israel to end its practice of providing work permits which, before Oct. 7, were provided to nearly 20,000 Gazans. But in fact, Hamas is not “pragmatic,” but consists of Muslim fanatics who are like the scorpion in the Russian tale. The scorpion is given a ride across a pond by a frog, but halfway across, the scorpion stings the frog, and as the frog is dying, taking the scorpion with him to a watery grave, he asks why the scorpion has done this; the scorpion answers “I can’t help myself. It’s in my nature.” Rape, torture, murder, kidnapping — these are in Hamas’ nature.
Fighting this new unsought war for survival, Israelis should learn from this unhappy history:
First, military morality entails a sliding scale. The greater the threat, the more evil the enemy, the more aggressive armies can be. After October 7, it would be immoral for Israel to tolerate Hamas’s continued presence next door.
Think of how the Allies firebombed Dresden, and Tokyo, hitting not just enemy soldiers and military installations, but also killing tens of thousands of civilians, yet few of us think we were wrong to do so, given the need both to destroy enemy weapons and bunkers, and also to demoralize the enemy. Think of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in order to bring the war in the Pacific to an end, thereby saving tens of thousands of American lives (and even more Japanese ones) that would have been lost during an all-out invasion of Japan.
Remember how the American soldiers called down airstrikes to bomb ISIS sites in Mosul, strikes that also killed many thousands of civilians, or how the Americans flattened Fallujah to clear out Saddam’s loyalists. Yet if Israeli bombs, despite the IAF’s best efforts to warn civilians to leave targeted buildings, cause civilian casualties, much of the world erupts in fury at what they call “war crimes.” Israel has to simply carry on, pointing out again and again that it has no desire to hit civilians, and makes every effort to minimize those casualties, while Hamas makes every effort to maximize them, even preventing many Palestinians from leaving areas — like northern Gaza — where Israel has warned civilians to leave. Hamas does not care about the lives of Gazans; it is perfectly willing to sacrifice them, aware that it will score propaganda points against the Jewish state.
Second, among the many anti-Israel libels distorting coverage, reporters must stop claiming that Gaza is so “densely populated,” treating Palestinians like sitting ducks. How could anyone in Manhattan, with 72,918 residents per square mile, deem Gaza overcrowded, with 16,583 residents per square mile — even fewer considering the extra living space Hamas developed in underground tunnels by siphoning humanitarian aid from the UN and other dupes.
Third, end the charade. Although Hamas is cruel to its people — many of its people have been cruel to Israelis. Don’t blame every Palestinian. But every Palestinian who cheered this rampage, who shared snuff videos, who giddily distributed candy after any terrorist attacks — is neither innocent nor hostage to Hamas….
This insistence on the “innocent Palestinians,” who, we are told, do not support Hamas, is much too optimistic. A great many people in Gaza support Hamas’ war on Israel, even if they are not members of the group. Those who celebrated on Oct. 7 by handing out candy, or who take great pleasure in watching the videos Hamas has posted of Israelis being raped, or tortured, or murdered, cannot be described as “innocent.”
Gil Troy suggests that a little less “purity of arms,” when the lives of IDF soldiers can be saved as a result, is be worth considering. At this point, just before the IDF battles its way into northern Gaza, trying to ferret out and kill the enemy under the hellishly complicated conditions of urban warfare, where every house, alley, tunnel, basement, or rooftop, may hide Hamas killers, in the midst of civilians, the IDF would do well to heed his advice.
PART 1
HAMAS is very different from the PLO,the former terrorist organization founded in 1964.
1. The PLO is SECULAR and NATIONALIST and in 1993,in the OSLO accord, accepted the existence of the state of Israel as it existed pre-1967.
Before……..the PLO was for the destruction of the state of Israel,its disappearance.
2. It also did like the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and ETA( Basque terrorist group) the PLO RENOUNCED terrorism in the Oslo Accord,
3. Hamas is RELIGIOUS,it is the Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine,created in 1987,its Charter says it is for the destruction of Israel, accepts the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion” as authentic,
says the Jews were responsible for Communism,the UN, WW I and WW II, the French Revolution.
TAQIYA
It is a Muslim doctrine,meaning “dissimulation” where in certain circumstances, you can lie. Hamas has done it saying:
1. Formerly,that it had accepted DEMOCRACY, taqiya.There has been no election in GAZA since 2006,when there was a brief civil war
with the PLO-Fatah,a COUP d’ETAT.Since then,it has been a THEOCRACY.
2.That it is NATIONALIST: no,the Muslim Brotherhood was created in 1928 to reestablish the CALIPHATE,which was suppressed in 1924, in Turkey.
They want ISLAMIC LAW and do NOT care about ethnicities, only Islam. They want to conquer the whole world for Islam.
MOSAB HASSAN YOUSEF
He is the SON of one of the 7 founders of Hamas.
For 10 years he worked undercover for Israel’s internal security service Shin Bet from 1997 to 2007.
Against Hamas terrorism,saving HUNDREDS of lives by giving information to prevent terrorist attacks. And later he became a CHRISTIAN and wrote about it in his book “Son of Hamas”.
In a recent video he also says it, Hamas is NOT a nationalist group in its philosophy,but against it:
“Son of Hamas leader breaks silence: They must be stopped” ( in Fox news ) ( 7 min )
Mosab Hassan Yousef says IRAN is the one that gives the MOST money to HAMAS.
Experts disagree………………it is QATAR.
SO?
Qatar and the United States are STRATEGIC ALLIES,Qatar has been designated a MAJOR NON-NATO ally ………………………….by the United States governement.
Qatar has a STATE TV channel,it is AL-JAZEERA.
For YEARS till his DEATH it had a weekly program with Yusuf AL-QARADAWI………………..the SPIRITUAL leader of………………….the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD and Hamas=Muslim Brotherhood in Palestine.
AL-QARADAWI and HITLER
On Al-Jazeera TV on January 28 ,2009 he said:
” Throughout history, ALLAH has imposed upon the JEWS
people who would PUNISH them
for their CORRUPTION.
The last punishment was carried out by HITLER.
By means of all the things he did to them – even though they exaggerated this issue – he managed to put them in their place.
This was DIVINE punishment for them.
Allah willing, the next time will be at the hand of the believers.”
I don’t hear any condemnation by Netanyahu on Qatar.
.
PART 2
For the last 15 years or so the Israeli government has been ruled by political parties ( SECULAR ,like LIKUD, and others that are RELIGIOUS)
that have THIS in common………………..with HAMAS.
They REJECT the two state solution: having Gaza and the West Bank become independent, and Israel would continue to exist.
Hamas in its charter is for them to conquer ALL of Israel.
WHY the RELIGIOUS POLITICAL parties in ISRAEL are against the Two State Solution.
1. It is NOT because of Muslim terrorism,if there had NEVER ever been a single terrorist attack,if ALL the Palestinians were Buddhists or Christians or atheists,100% pacifists, they would still be
AGAINST it by PRINCIPLE.
2. Just like the ultranationalist party Likud…..against it by principle.,in its charter.
3. The Orthodox Jews are against it because in the Bible GOD himself gave LAND to ABRAHAM, including Gaza and the West Bank. It is in GENESIS 15:18:
“On that day YAHWEH made a
COVENANT with ABRAM
and said, “To your DESCENDANTS I give this land,
from the RIVER of EGYPT ( my note: the NILE ) to the great river, the EUPHRATES”
SO?
It includes not only Gaza and the West Bank but goes all the way to the EUPHRATES river, the Orthodox Jews says it includes all the state of JORDAN…………………….which has 11 MILLION Arabs.
Those religious political parties say Israel is JEWISH and if you are to include Gaza,the West Bank and Jordan as part of Israel ( 16 million Arabs)…………………then they can NOT ever have the right to VOTE.
Since there are only 7 million JEWS in Israel.
PART 3
The argument that bombing DRESDEN,killing 25,000 civilians war necessary for VICTORY………..well,it happened in FEBRUARY 1945.
THE BATTLE of BERLIN ( it began on APRIL 16, 1945,lasted 2 weeks)
The fall of Berlin was INEVITABLE, it would have happened no matter what,no matter what.
2.3 MILLION Soviet soldiers fought 764,000 German soldiers.
THE BATTLE of VIENNA ( conquered by the Soviets)
It lasted one month,16 March till 15 April,1945.
Its fall was INEVITABLE,it would have happened no matter what,no matter what.
It was 1.2 MILLION Soviet soldiers vs……………………..270,000 German soldiers.
I think it was said that Patton was against the fire bombing of German cities that had no military bearing on the outcome of the war. He considered it an immoral thing to do.
PART 4
THE DRESDEN DOCTRINE
The argument is now being said by people of the Israeli government,that bombing Gaza(when they know ALL the 40,000 Hamas soldiers
are safe and sound 85 to 100 ft UNDERGROUND) is necessary for victory………….just like DRESDEN in 1945.
THE BUNKER BUSTERS
Israel will use bombs that destroy to a depth of ………………50 ft,while Hamas is 85 ft to 100 ft below.
It won’t harm them.The two recently released HOSTAGES,women, by Hamas, were INSIDE the tunnels
with the 200 other hostages.They have been interviewed and have said Hamas down there has EVERYTHING: food,water,electric generators, weapons manufacturing workshops, etc,etc,
There are two videos that discuss this,by Jimmy Dore,in RUMBLE.
PART 5
Here are the two Jimmy Dore videos,from Rumble,very interesting:
“Hamas Is Underground So Why Is Israel Leveling Gaza Buildings? ” ( 7 min )
About the declaration by the Israeli ambassador to the UK, and by the ex-PRIME MINISTER of Israel
EHUD BARAK that Gaza has to be bombed to have VICTORY…………..just like DRESDEN and by others.
““Gaza Is Our Dresden” Say Bloodthirsty Israeli Officials” ( 22 min )
Saying that there are good people among so called palestinians who don’t support ham-ass is the same as the BIG LIE that there is moderate islam and extreme islam.
Passivity in the face of evil is acquiescence.
Remember in islam there is no such thing as a “civilian”
So it should work both ways
LOAC
This is a very interesting article. The “dirty hands problem” as it is sometimes known is brought to the fore during a time of war. As the writer of the article rightly states, the British government constructed a fleet of heavy bombers during WW2 and used them to bomb German cities – and due to the ferocity of the German defences and the impossibility of hitting anything they were aiming at, they had to resort to area bombing. In the last week of July 1943, Bomber Command attacked Hamburg and, using a mixture of incendiaries and HE, managed to start a “firestorm” where the heat from the flames rose into the sky above the city, and fresh air rushed into the vacuum that had been created at street level. It is difficult to comprehend the level of destruction that followed. This all followed Churchill’s visit to Moscow in August 1942, where he had promised Stalin that he would use Bomber Command to lay waste to German cities, and it had been agreed that “morale” was a legitimate military target. That is now the British government waged war against the old Nazis. Now Israel is fighting the new Nazis and they are supposed to do so with one hand tied behind their back. It’s crazy, and a denial of reality. War is what it is. The best thing a nation state at war can do is hit the enemy as hard as possible and try to end it quickly, instead of prolonging everyone’s misery by fighting half a war and allowing the enemy to live and commit even more terrorist atrocities in the future. A good book on this subject of the dirty hands problem during wartime is “The Road to Gomorrah” which you can find on Amazon.
Funny how the anti-Semites have us all wrapped over the IDF’s military tactics.
Anyone with a brain-cell who supports civilization knows Gaza needs to become a parking lot. And the Fakestinians (who all support Hamas by their silence if nothing else) – need to be disarmed and shuffled off to their enablers in the Arab world. They should get a choice of Iran, Jordan, Syria, etc. And yes, we know the Arabs don’t want them either, but that just needs a ‘fixer’ with some fortitude.
Just for the record – hanging all of the baby killers would be a great idea, but it’s impossible in the world we live in. My hypothetical solution is also impossible, but that’s only because we have no leadership with sufficient toxic masculinity to pressure the Arabs to take back their ‘problem’ children.
Meanwhile the legitimate criticism – of US policy, of the Media, of the planet’s criminal leadership – is silent. All of the oxygen has been sucked out of the room.
Actually innocent people are being murdered right now … in Armenia and Nigeria. And they’ve tried to start a genocide in Kosovo – against the Christians again. And the situation in the Dombass is intolerable. The Ukrainians have exhausted the supply of Nazis and gone on to send old men and teenagers – and call for women too – all while the Nazis party in Kiev. And we’re told to war until Russia pulls out … effectively ethnically cleansing the Dombass of Russians … regardless of our opinions or real life experience with the people who live there now … that expectation is about as realistic as turning Gaza into Singapore. And I could on, and I know many of us here could run a lengthy list just of the armed conflicts that ought to be ‘defunded’ from the funds our central banks are printing …
Never mind inflation and the continuing roll out of jab injuries and the insane anti-climate and pro-pollution agenda of the “Climate Change” commies … and on and on and on …
But yeah … we have to get our panties in a wad because the IDF might defeat a terrorist group and neutralize its support community and Fakestinian enablers.
Just let the IDF do what they need to do …
… and we should worry about stopping the funding for ALL of the wars we’ve started.