Is Israel a "Safe Haven" for Jews?

Barak: Invasion of Gaza won't stop rocket attacks

[quote]

Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

If Israeli forces did go into Gaza, Barak said, "afterward we would have to
achieve a truce, and we would have to deal with the same parties as before."

"Even if Israeli forces stay there two years and destroy the Hamas regime
down to the last office and the last activist, in the aftermath [Israel] is
controlling another people against their will, and the Palestinian people,
when they compare the two, will choose Hamas ... and not those who talk
peace," he said, referring to the moderate Fatah, headed by President
Mahmoud Abbas.

That's "talk peace" - not "make peace".

And Barak believes that if Israel destroys Hamas that the Palestinian street
will choose Hamas over Fatah.

Does he think that the Palestinian street will choose Fatah over Hamas if
Israel allows Hams to continue and grow stronger?

Question: What does Mr. Barak think should be the primary objective of the
Government of Israel (hint: he is minister of "defense").

Ehud Barak apparently thinks that the primary objective of the Government of
Israel is to get the Palestinian public to support Fatah.

And while he himself demonstrated in his failed negotiations with Arafat
that it is hardly a foregone conclusion that even a deal that includes
reckless Israeli concessions will satisfy the Palestinians, it would also
appear that he accepts the assertion that a necessary condition of any
Israeli strategy/plan is that it ultimately leads to the creation of a
sovereign Palestinian state come-what-may.

But is it indeed reasonable to insist that a necessary condition of any
Israeli strategy/plan is that it ultimately leads to the creation of a
sovereign Palestinian state come-what-may?

A sovereign Palestinian state is at best a "means" rather than and "ends"
for Israel.

Israel has goals: survival, development, Olmert's goal that Israel be "a fun
place to live in", etc.

One may think that a sovereign Palestinian state would help Israeli attain
these goals, but it isn't itself a goal.

Back to the Gaza Strip.

Barak now argues that it doesn't matter how strong Hamas gets now as a
result of their exploitation of the ceasefire because even before the
ceasefire (thanks to the smuggling that has taken place since Israel's
retreat from Gaza) "Everyone knows that when the truce was declared, there
were already hundreds of Grad missiles there."

Again - that's Defense Minister Ehud Barak. A man boasting a military
career. Saying with a straight face that there is no difference between
Hamas having hundreds of missiles that can reach as far as Ashkelon and
Hamas having thousands that can reach Ashkelon and hundreds that can reach
Ashdod and beyond. Not to mention an army that has been able to exploit the
ceasefire to openly engage in large scale training exercises, build
fortifications, underground launching position, dig tunnels, extensively
plant mines and otherwise transform the Gaza Strip into a giant killing
field against Israeli troops.

By the way - does the fact that Hamas already has " hundreds of Grad
missiles" in the Gaza Strip weigh in as an argument that Israel should wake
up and do something already, or, as DM Barak seems to contend - as an
argument for Israel to surrender?

What is really going on?

Is this really what Mr. Barak thinks or is he simply jockeying for a
position on the Left end of the Israeli political spectrum in anticipation
of elections?

One thing is clear: Mr. Barak has sent a message to the world that the
ongoing smuggling into Gaza and strengthening of the Hamas army isn't really
a big deal as far as Israel's Minister of Defense is concerned.

And if Defense Minister Barak doesn't give a damn - why should the world?

Expect the same with regard to Hezbollah in the north.

[close quote]


=============

[original Haaretz article]

Barak: Invasion of Gaza won't stop rocket attacks
By Haaertz Service and News Agencies Last update - 21:23 10/08/2008
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1010195.html


Defense Minister Ehud Barak admitted Sunday that even a large-scale Israel
Defense Forces invasion of Gaza would not stop militant attacks on Israel,
saying he would prefer to see the current truce remain in place.

Barak has often said that an Israeli invasion is nearing, but in an
interview with Channel 10 TV, he indicated even a large-scale invasion would
not stop Hamas rocket attacks. Instead, he said, a seven-week-old
Egyptian-mediated truce is effectively halting the barrages.

If Israeli forces did go into Gaza, Barak said, "afterward we would have to
achieve a truce, and we would have to deal with the same parties as before.

"Even if Israeli forces stay there two years and destroy the Hamas regime
down to the last office and the last activist, in the aftermath [Israel] is
controlling another people against their will, and the Palestinian people,
when they compare the two, will choose Hamas ... and not those who talk
peace," he said, referring to the moderate Fatah, headed by President
Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas overran Gaza last June, expelling forces loyal to Abbas.

Israel pulled out of Gaza in 2005, withdrawing its military and taking down
21 settlements, expressing the hope at the time that its pullout would end
the rocket fire.

However, according to Israeli military figures, more than 6,000 rockets and
mortars have been fired from Gaza at Israel since the disengagement.

Barak said the Israel-Hamas truce, which began June 19, has reduced rocket
fire from Gaza from hundreds to just a few. He said he hoped the truce would
last a year.

Before the June truce, Palestinian militants pelted southern Israel daily,
sometimes with dozens of rockets and mortars, disrupting the lives of tens
of thousands of Israelis.

Many have clamored for an Israeli invasion to stop the barrages, and Barak
frequently announces that such a ground operation will occur in just a
matter of time.

In the past, Israel has sent ground troops into Gaza to stop rocket attacks,
but the relief has been temporary. Despite inflicting heavy casualties and
causing severe damage, Israeli forces were able to stop the rocket fire only
as long as they were in Gaza.

Barak said the truce was the first time in seven years that the rocket
salvos have been silenced.

Israel has blockaded Gaza since the Hamas takeover, citing security, closing
crossings and allowing only the minimal humanitarian supplies in. Egypt has
closed Rafah, the only Gaza crossing that does not go through Israel.

In another shift, Barak said that the reported strengthening of Hamas
through arms smuggling during the truce is not a problem for Israel, though
four tons of explosives and several dozen anti-tank rockets have been
brought in.

"Everyone knows that when the truce was declared, there were already
hundreds of Grad missiles there," he said, referring to rockets that can
reach the southern city of Ashkelon, as well as simpler rockets and mortars.

During the interview, Barak also said the 2006 Second Lebanon War - in
effect, carried out to stop Hezbollah armament - had actually strengthened
the Lebanon-based militant group.

The defense minister said the the six years prior to the war had actually
been some of the quietest on Israel's northern border, despite the growth in
Hezbollah's military capabilities.

"Sharon and his leadership were wise not to respond to Hezbollah's
strengthening," Barak said. "We went to war unprepared and unjustified."

In regard to Israel's renewed talks with Syria, Barak said that the two
sides have very different agendas, which makes it "impossible to conduct
serious negotiations. They have interests in Lebanon and the interest of the
Assad family is to stay in power and only then go after the Golan Heights
issue.

Barak also discussed Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's chance of becoming the
next prime minister, despite her lack of experience in military defense.

"There can be a prime minister without a defense background. The question is
just whether it is wise to do so. This disadvantage we saw two years ago,"
he said, in reference to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.


--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: http://www.imra.org.il/

COMMENTS (by Leslie White)

Ehud Barak: "If [we] did go into Gaza, Barak . . . we would have to
achieve a truce, and we would have to deal with the same parties as before."

Comment: Not if these "parties" are no longer occupying Gaza.*
_____________________________________
*http://www.kahanetzadak.com/defense.html