By Ted Belman
I correspond with a high ranking military/intelligence officer who began his career in the Reagan Administration and who was stationed throughout his service in Saudi Arabia. He is still going strong.
I told him our biggest fear is what Obama will do to hurt us in the waning months of its administration. He replied:
Israel has every right to be concerned. Past history shows that if Israel makes a concession to the United States, the US pockets the concession and does not demand that the other parties live up to their obligations.
Israel should fully change its current planning/approval situation which is stupid and self-defeating . Israel should establish construction health and safety standards and turn over permitting to the local authorities. Then, the local authorities could build. The Prime Minister could “ implore them not to build” and these public non-bonding entreaties would fulfill his international “obligations”. [Actually, Israel went in the other direction. There used to be local planning bodies which were independent but then under pressure Bibi reigned them in and ordered them not to move plans forward.]
Israel should always say “yes”. yes should always be a yes but…or yes and … or as soon as possible …or tomorrow…
In other words agree to the concept, study it a lot and let time and slow walking, kill it
It’s hard to argue with someone who agrees with you. Even states your case more firmly than you would and then proceeds to let everything fall in the cracks. Another term is “loving them to death”.
Israel should worry about its deterrence posture.
Never again should mean never again. Nasrallah should be told in no uncertain terms that the first missile directed against Israel would result in 10 bridges the destroyed. The second missile 20 bridges being destroyed. The third missile 40 bridges bridges being destroyed. And that the destruction would be increased geometrically until proportionality (that necessary to stop Hezbollah action) is reached.
Hamas leadership should be told that they are responsible for policing the Gaza Strip and that they will be hunted down and punished if anything at all emanates from Gaza. This must be carried out. Currently there is a lot of mouthing of threats but no action.
@ Ted Belman:
For me, of the most important features in IP are your analyses. You live in Israel, you see, hear, and live the events and the politics there; you are personally and intimately involved, so you provide a well-informed and honest appraisal from the *nationalist* perspective.
Along with IP, i also follow closely the so-called progressive Zionists. There are 2 robust FB groups i interact in, Progressive Zionism and FORWARD ZIONISM. I’m not sure there exists a clear definition of PZ yet. I see many Zionist hawks in the said groups; also many conservatives in socio-economic issues. But most of them are generally liberal and really support 2SS. We have here in Toronto a local PZ initiative called JSpaceCanada.ca — they work closely with people like Peace Now, Israel New Fund, even probably JStreet. But definitely not with ‘Jewish Voice For Peace’ and BDS. They are emphatically against BDS, although some (many?) seem to support BDS of those who profit in any way from the settlements in the WB/J&S (the so-called BDS-lite).
There’s still one camp whose perspective i’ve not dared to explore yet, though i do try to keep my hand on their pulse, at least, by observing their activities/events from afar: the anti-Zionist jews, such as JVP. We have some in Toronto, Critical Jew Network of Toronto in their FB group.
@ 1DavidKA:
David, its been a couple of years since you tuned into Israpundit. Could you tell us how the experience has impacted you, if at all.
Withholding revenues will not help – they will just get the money from the E.U. or some other Liberal, Left leaning organizations. There are a number of other things to withhold – water, electricity, cement, household goods, etc etc. Also I like the high ranking officer’s suggestion of playing rough – break the bridges and roads. Limit the enemy (and that is what they are) from moving around. Much can and should be done that is not currently being done. Wake up people, you are at war!
I have a very uneasy feeling about this approach. I think it does more harm than good, much more harm. Honesty and sincerity winds you trust and respect, from both friends and enemies.
Cringing defensively has not worked because Obama is a bully. It is therefore best to be the aggressor, to challenge Obama on his indefensible moral equivalence and start making demands rather than incurring them. Israel should insist that the Palis honor all existing commitments and hold Obama personally responsible for the consequences when they default. The consequences should start with the withholding of tax revenues which will be redirected to providing reparations for the Jewish families victimized by Palestinian terror.