Aluf Benn is writing in Haaretz demanding answers on the public relations disaster/schools bathed with white phosphorus decisions that we call the Gaza war. Note that Benn could have written this in February or January, or December even, but he didn’t. Why not? Because of Goldstone. Because of Israel’s isolation. Note that (as Blankfort, my tipster says), this raises "questions that have been ignored such as who decided to break the ceasefire on Nov.4." Benn’s great lead:
I want to know how and why it was decided to embark on Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip and to expand it into a ground offensive. I want to know if the decisions were affected by the Israeli election campaign then underway and the change in U.S. presidents. I want to know if the leaders who launched the operation correctly judged the political damage it would cause Israel and what they did to minimize it. I want to know if those who gave orders to the Israel Defense Forces assumed that hundreds of Palestinian civilians would be killed, and how they tried to prevent this.
Related posts:
- Israel threatened to turn West Bank into ‘2nd Gaza’ if P.A. didn’t sell out on Goldstone
- Gaza changed everything (Wieseltier is ’sickened’)
- Gaza effect: European boycott is now hurting Israel
- Vermont Jew breaks personal taboo and decries Gaza as Warsaw Ghetto (Gaza effect in U.S. is still subterranean but Huge)
- IDF admits exaggerating threat of Gaza rockets
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This is much the same as asking who was behind the invasion of Iraq, whether they assumed that a million Iraqis would die in the process and if they tried to prevent this.
We all know, and we will never know. The perpetrators are always in charge of the investigation.
“I want to know if those who gave orders to the Israel Defense Forces assumed that hundreds of Palestinian civilians would be killed, and how they tried to prevent this.”
I wouldn’t assume they wanted to prevent this.
Mark Regev the Israeli spoeksperson can’t get his lies straight concerning the ceasefire.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfFMZ7Y-s_c
This is an outstanding piece. Mr. Benn asks excellent questions. Good catch, Phil.
Why did the “cease-fire” agreement between Israel and Hamas collapse, and who decided and why on an IDF operation against the tunnel uncovered near the Gaza border on November 4, which resulted in renewed escalation in the south?
Before embarking on Cast Lead, were diplomatic alternatives explored for achieving calm in the south? Was Hamas’ proposal for renewing calm in exchange for opening crossings seriously considered in Israel, or did the government only want a military operation?
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