Hamas and Iran's Gaza victory
There's a great article in Thursday's Wall Street Journal by historian (and college classmate) Michael Oren that should give pause to anyone who thinks that the 'truce' that went into effect between Israel and Hamas on Thursday morning is a good thing. The entire article is worth reading, but his recap of events since 2005 is particularly striking.The roots of this tragedy go back to the summer of 2005 and the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The evacuation, intended to free Israel of Gaza's political and strategic burden, was hailed as a victory by Palestinian terrorist groups, above all Hamas.Note what I highlighted there. I had forgotten that we had a 'cease fire' with Hamas in June 2006 when Gilad Shalit was kidnapped. Unfortunately, the Israeli government seems to have forgotten too.
Hamas proceeded to fire some 1,000 rocket and mortar shells into Israel. Six months later Hamas gunmen, taking advantage of an earlier cease-fire, infiltrated into Israel, killed two soldiers, and captured Cpl. Gilad Shalit.
Hamas's audacity spurred Hezbollah to mount a similar ambush against Israelis patrolling the Lebanese border, triggering a war in which Israel was once again humbled. Hamas now felt sufficiently emboldened to overthrow Gaza's Fatah-led government, and to declare itself regnant in the Strip. Subsequently, Hamas launched thousands more rocket and mortar salvos against Israel, rendering parts of the country nearly uninhabitable.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:12 PM
3 Comments:
It wasn't just the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.
EoZ has a lot more.
David,
November 2006 was after Gilad Shalit's kidnapping. I was referring to the earlier cease fire from January 2006 (and I think Oren was too).
This Israeli government hasn't learned that appeasing terrorists does not bring about peace. And Gilad Schalit still hasn't been released despite sparing Hamas. That says it all.
Post a Comment
<< Home