YNET asks, “Digging for tunnels, attacking commanders”
[..] Despite the fact that by definition this operation was tasked with taking out tunnels used for terror (as opposed to smuggling) it is wrong to view it solely through that prism.
The IDF, namely the air force, promised the public a short and strong offensive in which targeted attacks would hit high quality targets. The IDF had emptied its target bank from the last Gaza operation a year and a half ago – Operation Pillar of Defense – and has since banked an additional 1,257 targets which the IDF put in its sights upon embarking on Operation Protective Edge.
During the operation itself the IDF has added another 2,423 targets to the bank and all in all has targeted over 3,900 targets in Gaza – a number of which were hit more than once. According to the military, 1,542 rocket launching sites were hit as well as 143 arms factories and outposts.
However it seems that one number summarizes the operation’s true goal: The IDF has hit over 678 homes of Hamas commanders which were turned into terror command centers. This is a very high number, but sadly the IDF did not succeed to hit the commanders themselves, which are hiding inside bunkers or moving with packs of civilian shields.
These numbers are testament to Israeli intelligence. Apparently the Hamas leadership was and is also a target.
On the contrary, it appears they are avoiding killing hamas leaders and hitting empty homes instead. Asking for credit where none is due, benefiting from the appearance of attacking leaders but bombing empty houses which their intelligence would have known.
This is so elementary how can the military “experts” miss it? It’s not the bombs and tunnels that threaten Israeli lives but the motivation of the enemy which must be utterly destroyed or else it will only be a matter of time till we have to watch this movie again! Regrettably the motivation is not subject to attenuation as it is deeply rooted in Islam itself which leaves Israel with only one option to utterly destroy the enemy.
I’m not the only one holding the view that Hamas has to be defeated. No less than Shlomo Gazit, a general long identified with Israel’s “Peace Camp” – holds the same opinion:
As he rightly warns:
This should be Israel’s central task. Merely destroying the tunnels and obliterating Hamas’ rocket arsenal will not address the existential threat Hamas poses to Israel’s survival. A jihadist entity of any kind should never be acceptable as a neighbor for the Jewish State.
If they do get them, I’ll eat crow and apologize to every one.
Israel needs to make it happen to scum of the earth who would do to Jews what they to do defenseless dogs.