Leave the Gaza 'blockade' alone
The best thing we can do about the Gaza 'blockade' is to leave it alone, because it works, says Jonah Goldberg. By all means, let the Gazans have their chocolate. Though, as William A. Jacobson, a Cornell law professor and blogger, notes, claims that such items are banned should be taken with a grain of salt. But this is a terrible moment to consider abandoning the blockade.Indeed.
Why? Because it would rightly be seen as giving the organizers and supporters of this seaborne propaganda stunt a victory. It would signal that America can be conned. It would reward Turkey’s outrageous insult to us (a NATO ally) and to Israel, a longtime friend of Turkey. It would undermine Egypt and other Arab governments (including Fatah) that don’t want Iran’s clients in Hamas strengthened (their propaganda notwithstanding). And it would signal that Iran is the most important power in the Middle East.
Alas, it seems President Obama cannot think straight about Israel because he has so many preconceived notions about it and about his role on the world stage. Like so many liberals, he claims to be “realistic,” but he actually sees things through a literary prism, living in a world of symbolism and metaphors.
It’s amazing to read news reports about how the blockade “serves as a symbol” of this or that. “You know what else the blockade serves as?” asks Commentary’s Abe Greenwald. “A blockade. It separates Israel’s sworn enemies from those who would help them arm and kill Israelis. Oh, and by the way, as a blockade, and not asymbol, the blockade works.”
Alas, such realism has no place in this debate.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:16 PM
3 Comments:
We can remove the blockade, as well as the security fence...
...AFTER we have expelled all the Arab settler-colonists from our native land, the Land of Israel.
I would not be surprised if Israel gives in on the blockade. Israel is not Russia. And the world pressure is just enormous.
What could go wrong indeed
Jonah Goldberg's mention of North Korea is an interesting one. I'm not exactly sure who is responsible for saving it's 23 million from outright starvation but whoever it is is doing a horrible job. Can you find a picture of an average North Korean that ISN'T emaciated? (put it next to the picture of a Gazan who is!) And, food aid has been withheld due to "bad behavior" even though it's a totally useless, counterproductive and cruel form of collective punishment.
We live in a world where 23 million starving pales in comparison to the living hell that is the Gaza Strip, where they can enjoy cinnamon on their toast but not strawberry jam.
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