Why Hamas must be driven completely out of all areas where it's located
The inflammatory remarks by Haaretz editor Amos Schocken at a conference in England – where he labeled Palestinian terrorists as "freedom fighters" – is not the biggest hit his newspaper has produced during this war. That harsh anti-Israel speech was general and didn't address specific events. The newspaper's new campaign – defining IDF operations in northern Gaza as war crimes – is not only more focused but could potentially trigger criminal proceedings against IDF officers in international tribunals.That's something Haaretz's staffers clearly aren't willing to back convincingly. They've been responsible for some of the worst internal problems Israel faces, and it's a tragedy any other leftists will give them financial backing.
Haaretz has dedicated multiple "investigations" and editorials to this topic. Meanwhile, writers like Tomer Persico are pushing messages such as "What's happening in northern Gaza is a massive war crime... They're trying to unnecessarily expel civilians from their homes and besiege them to death through starvation."
This campaign reflects both ignorance of international law and a strategic misunderstanding of Israel's challenge. The IDF consistently adheres to humanitarian law principles established in the Hague and Geneva Conventions. The principle of proportionality is maintained, and the extensive destruction in Gaza stems solely from the depth of the problem Israel faces.
Both the Lebanese government and what remains of Hamas could end the war tomorrow by simply agreeing to Israel's elementary demands. In Lebanon, this means disarming Hezbollah, preventing rearmament from the east, and demilitarizing the area south of the Litani. Under such an arrangement, Lebanon would not be able to rebuild Shiite villages adjacent to the fence but would not lose its sovereign territory. In Gaza, it means dismantling Hamas rule, exiling surviving organization leaders, and accepting external mechanisms to manage civilian life in Gaza. From that moment, there would be no more shelling or casualties.
Labels: anti-semitism, dhimmitude, islam, Israel, jihad, military, misogyny, racism, sexual violence, terrorism, war on terror