Wednesday
Dec312008
Gaza and Domestic Politics: A Reader Comments
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at 19:57
A reader from Turkey has offered these shrewd observations. I don't think Israeli domestic politics is the primary motive for the operation --- remember, it was planned back in June --- but it is a supporting reason that may have accelerated the Israeli attack.
Would you agree with me that I think the basic stimulus behind the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza is beyond the worries growing out of the terrorist attacks of Hamas and the weariness of these rockets into the Israeli territory? It is basically an internal problem. As Netanyahu, Livni and Barak are going to run for the elections in February, each of them are trying to show more decisiveness in responding attacks. And each move is pulling others to come into a harder-line position which brings the Israeli politics into a vicious circle.
Secondly, this has been a an important test for the Obama administration. His pro-Israeli discourses (which have been one of the most pro-Israeli discourses since George W. Bush) were tested and Obama has not stated any seriously negative comment for the operation in Gaza. Moreover, this operation probably made some neocons really happy cause they are going to leave a bomb in the Middle East in Democrats' hands.
The ongoing economic crisis and the Middle Eastern issue are going to put pressure on the Obama administration and the more pressure Obama feels on his shoulders, the more public support Republicans get with the "necessities" of the "significance of the war on terrorism" and "the importance of Israel" as a strategic ally for the US. As a result, the Obama administration will be bound to draw its line closer to conservative perceptions.
Would you agree with me that I think the basic stimulus behind the ongoing Israeli operations in Gaza is beyond the worries growing out of the terrorist attacks of Hamas and the weariness of these rockets into the Israeli territory? It is basically an internal problem. As Netanyahu, Livni and Barak are going to run for the elections in February, each of them are trying to show more decisiveness in responding attacks. And each move is pulling others to come into a harder-line position which brings the Israeli politics into a vicious circle.
Secondly, this has been a an important test for the Obama administration. His pro-Israeli discourses (which have been one of the most pro-Israeli discourses since George W. Bush) were tested and Obama has not stated any seriously negative comment for the operation in Gaza. Moreover, this operation probably made some neocons really happy cause they are going to leave a bomb in the Middle East in Democrats' hands.
The ongoing economic crisis and the Middle Eastern issue are going to put pressure on the Obama administration and the more pressure Obama feels on his shoulders, the more public support Republicans get with the "necessities" of the "significance of the war on terrorism" and "the importance of Israel" as a strategic ally for the US. As a result, the Obama administration will be bound to draw its line closer to conservative perceptions.
tagged Barack Obama, Benyamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Palestine, Tzipi Lvini in Middle East & Iran
Barack Obama, Benyamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Palestine, Tzipi Lvini in Middle East & Iran
Reader Comments (1)
In addition to the comments stated above, all of this process is serving to an intensified hatred between Israelis and Palestinians. Consequently, Hamas and the Israeli right are capitalizing on this mutually "beneficial" onslaughts. Nothing could be better for Hamas than a brutal Israeli operation and nothing could be better for the Israeli right than a stronger Hamas up to an extent that would not shake some chairs in Israel. That is why Israeli officials are still not sure about sending IDF into Gaza because this constitutes a high risk for elections in case of a second knock against the Israeli army since 2006 summer. Wow, still the rightness of "the nature of war" and Clausewitz in 2009?