Israel did that in 2006 in Lebanon. Even though Hizbullah proceeded to rearm itself despite the presence of UN observers, the fact that it did not enter the fray during Israel’s action in Gaza demonstrates just how successful Israel was two and a half years ago.
It can be expected that the war in Gaza will have a similar effect on Hamas. This writer stated repeatedly that the 2006 Second Lebanese War, for all its shortcomings, would come to be considered an undisputed victory for Israel. Similarly, the Gaza War will be seen as a significant victory for Israel in its legitimate struggle against terrorism – a victory the lessons of which will be studied by all Western nations that are, or will soon be, involved in the bitter struggle against the cancer of terror.
A second thing to note is the dismaying hypocrisy of the world in its attitude to Israel. The most self-critical liberal, or leftist Israeli could not fail to observe the international community’s crass and callous disregard of the admirable self-restraint and considerable suffering of a large percentage of Israel’s southern population. The moment Israel took its first measures of self-defense, precious few seemed to remember the suffering endured by Israelis during eight years of continual shelling by Hamas.
The outpouring of the world’s protest against Israel’s defensive actions was disproportionate to a gargantuan extent. Israelis may once again be led to the regrettable conclusion that Jewish blood remains cheaper than the blood of our adversaries – especially when so many of the anti-Israel protests came from nations whose behavior in times of unrest and war has been much more disproportionate in terms of retaliation.
Consider the RAF’s leveling of Dresden in 1944, America’s use of the atomic bomb in 1945, Russia’s “taking care” of Georgia in 2008, Turkey’s annihilation of many of its Kurds and Spain’s elimination of their Basques. When it comes to an allegedly disproportionate response dictated by the necessity of conflict or war, only Israel – wonder of wonders! – comes in for near unanimous condemnation.
A third thing to be noted is the remarkably low number of deaths in the South of Israel from about ten thousand instruments of death showered upon it in less than a decade. (It deserves repeated emphasis that each missile was meant to kill a man, woman, or child.) Even the most atheistic and skeptical Israeli cannot help but be impressed by this. The less skeptical Israeli will not brag about it but will allow himself the humble luxury of seeing in this phenomenon the unseen Hand of Providence.
Hopefully, the self-annihilating critics that sprout in our midst like mushrooms after a refreshing rain will not hasten to dampen our spirit of renewal, our sense of revitalized pride in our old-new nation in its ancient homeland, and our faith and trust that all the machinations of our enemies will meet with no greater success in the future than they did in the course of our 4,000-year history.
Those wishing to humiliate or destroy Israel would do well to leaf through the annals of mankind and learn how many countries that harbored similar designs in the course of history are still a vital element in the family of nations. Even the most powerful empires of their day that aimed for our annihilation are remembered and admired mainly for their formidable and impressive ruins, whereas the Jewish people continues – vital, creative and energetic – on its course, like the Gulf Stream among the towering waves of an often frighteningly angry ocean.
And so we proceed. No any longer with the naïve promise expressed in the words of the touching song that emerged from the Yom Kippur War, “I promise you my little child, that this shall be the last war.” But rather with the hope and prayer that we shall be ready for any eventuality, deriving our lessons from today’s war for the one that may be forced on us tomorrow.
We shall proceed, undaunted, trusting that ultimately the Jewish people and the State of Israel shall be accepted among the family of nations, without undue burdens on its shoulders, to fulfill its glorious destiny.