Ground Offensive Launched in Gaza

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I share your concern, but I don't think Israel's broad international support is in decline. Even Arab leaders seem to be growing tired of Palestinian terrorism against Israel.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/31/world ... srael.html

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/2533 ... ar-on-gaza

And I think weve just hit upon the reason this conflict has gone on for so long. The fact that Israel's civilian casualty rate amounts to 75% means that their attacks are creating legions of people willing to support Hamas. Israel are creating the next generation of terrorists. These terrorists provide Israel's justification for continued attacks.

Only outside intervention will solve this issue. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world ... 68800.html demonstrates that Israel is not a benevolent nation at all. Conversely Hamas have also demonstrated that they will never recognise Israel's right to exist.

Hamas can never be eradicated because it's existence is guaranteed by Israel's disregard for civilian life. Even if Israel were to alter its tactics Hamas would still be a force to be reckoned with because its existence is also guaranteed by Israel's presence. Because of this the conflict will be waged indefinitely unless either the Israeli's or the Palestinians cede their claim on the lands in question. This would have to be accomplished under threat or force and neither Israel no Palestine are in a position to do so.

Israel's approach seems to be terror and attrition. Targeting civilians creates terror and blockades and the disruption to the infrastructure caused by their attacks constitutes attrition. Why Israel feel the need to do this when the Palestinian war machine doesnt seem to be capable of even creating a comparable death toll is beyond me. One might argue that failure to do anything would give Hamas time to rally but this doesn't really work. Can someone explain the purpose of Israel's Military approach with regards to civilians. Without recourse to human shield arguments

Hamas fired 3,000+ unguided rockets at Israel. If Israel had no defenses they would happily kill Israeli civilians in large numbers. These people just don't like each other. Israel's goal may very well be the destruction of tunnels, or to teach a lesson. The US would certainly act if under fire and lesson teaching might well be on our agenda too.

The difference between the two is that Israel is a functioning nation with a political spectrum. There are limits to what they can do before the pendulum swings. The Palestinians just don't have a healthy system. They have one answer to all situations and the only possible option beyond that calls for more extremism. They have worn on the nerves of their neighbors themselves.

Palestine has tried more peceful means in the past. It is usually after rounds of peace talks with tentative agreements for Israel to stop building settlements in the West Bank, which they have only honored once (and then only for 10 months). Hamas has always been hostile, but they gain more and more support as time goes on. After the blockade began to punish Gaza for the actions of one comparatively small group, their support gained ground very quickly. The US sending billions in military aid, supplying weapons and ammo, and funding their military research makes the US more and more unpopular with the Palestinians and much of the rest of the Middle East.

Here is how the cycle generally goes:
1. Hamas (or another group) shoots off some rockets without bothering to aim at anything.
2. ALL Palestinians in Gaza are punished, including a substantial Christian minority (which lives peacefully along side their Muslim neighbors, BTW).
3. A cease-fire is negotiated between Palestine (NOT Hamas) and Israel, which is sometimes honored by Hamas.
4. Israel ignores all of the terms and conditions of the cease-fire except for the actual firing of weapons.
5. Palestinian leaders appeal to the international community, which largely supports them.
6. The US usesz its veto power on the UN security council to prevent anything from being done.
7. Hamas (and Islamic Jihad and other extremist groups) then issue demands and threats.
8. Israel either ignores them or uses it as justification for sweeping property seizures and imprisonments.
9. Hamas gains support.
10. Go to 1.

Turns out that Israel destroyed the last of Hamas' tunnels 13 hours ago according to the Jerusalem post.
The tunneling system was complex and highly sophisticated consisting of offensive defensive and smuggling routes. This will make rearming for Hamas extremely difficult, This plus the blockade and the destruction of infrastructure makes the situation in Palestine rather grave.

Last edited by Ectryon on 04 Aug 2014, 9:22 am, edited 1 time in total.

You could put the tunnels in with the response to ignored demands and threats (#7). You could throw the kidnappings in there, too.

I think Qatar is supporting Hamas more than Iran at the moment. You know, that country that the US sold $11 billion in weapons to around the same time as the most recent big fat check to the IDF.

The Hamas Israel conflict is indeed about far more than Hamas and Israel. Egypt Eastern Europe Qatar Iran and the US are all major players with various vested interests. Hamas' tunneling system has been attacked by both sisi (Egypt) and Israeli ground troops. This deals a massive blow to Hamas who will have to begin construction all over again. This destruction reconstruction has major implications for the Gazan economy and Hamas' offensive capabilities. I suspect that a new ceasefire may well be on the way to give Hamas time to regroup and get spelunking

On a different tangent

http://occupiedpalestine.files.wordpres ... .jpg?w=588
http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/ ... re-in-gaza

It's a shame the kids can't play together,it would be the only way to end the conflict.Instead they grow up hating each other.It should be like this.