Opinion
Don’t march into Gaza
Amos Oz
Published: 13.02.08, 09:58
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1. Don't March: Arial Bombardment Instead
Yishai Kohen ,   YeShA, israel   (02.13.08)
We should give them 1 hour tto evacuate Beit Hanun, then bomb it from the air. Then artillery- until nothing is left. THEN send in tanks and infantry. There's no reason why our boys (including potentially my friends and I who are combat reservists) have to die so that our enemies don't. I guarantee you that ONE such example will change the situation for the better.
2. Don't March Into Gaza
barbara ,   israel   (02.13.08)
I agree with Yishai...aerial bombardment instead. ceasefire with hamas? do they want one? get rid of hamas...stop the bombing of sderot, make a DMZ...anything but continuing with the status quo.
3. Which desperate people ???
rh ,   Modiin Israel   (02.13.08)
Oz's comment "at least on the horizon, a measure of hope for those desperate people" - Who is he referring to the people of Sderot or Gaza. I think he has nailed his colours to the wall here since we all know he means Gaza. The world tends to forget that the people of Gaza knowingly and willingly voted for Hamas a terrorist organisation. They celebrate in the streets at every Israeli casualty. There are no innocents in Gaza The Army must protect the citizens of Israel even if it means that soldiers will die doing it. We cannot treat this attack on our people and sovereignty by ignoring it. Mr Oz is not in Sderot.
4. you are a false prophet !
albert ,   jerusalem   (02.13.08)
the history will judge you amos
5. gaza
bixpix ,   boca   (02.13.08)
Why is there even consideration in Israel of risking IDF soldiers lives due to an invasion of Gaza? It's so simple. Hamas fires rockets at Israel. Israel fires rockets back at Hamas. What more does anyone need to know?
6. oz right about 1 thing: don't send troops; BOMB THEM!!!
dante ,   uk   (02.13.08)
the gazans love rockets? SEND THEM ROCKETS. SEND THEM BOMBS. SEND THEM DESTRUCTION UNTIL THEY STAY ON THEIR SIDE OF THE BORDER AND ARE PREPARED TO LIVE IN PEACE.
7. A "hudna" Mr Oz?
Ram ,   London   (02.13.08)
The hardship of the Gaza Palestinians is largely attributed to their own leaders. Whatever additional hardship they face from Israel is usually as a response to the firing of Qassams or a suicide bombing. Hamas's charter not only does not recognise Israel but vows its destruction. They are in government and a sworn enemy of Israel. Pray Mr Oz, if this is the case what would you expect from a "hudna"? Don't you think that by deferring todays problems to another day all you are doing is giving the enemy the time to fortify itself so it can kill more Israelis in future? Israel would love to make peace with all the arab nations, including the Palestinians. The problem does NOT lie with Israel, unless in the eyes of some its very existence is a problem. If a country is constantly attacked by a relentless enemy it is insane for that country not to retaliate in a manner as to extingwish the threat, regardless of what collateral damage that may cause. In conclusion Israel's dilemma is: a)Either hand over Israel to the Palestinians or b) take the path history has shown to be right - "smight your enemy". These are the stark choices unless a miracle happens and the Palestinians offer true peace.
8. Impaired Judgement.
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (02.13.08)
Mr Oz is among the last to talk about "impaired judgement" - his positions being normally excellent examples of impaired judgement. There are good reasons not to re-occupy Gaza (none of which Mr Oz mentions) but there are no good reasons not to take effective action against Hamas. The situation with Gaza is complex & certainly demands a sophisticated plan of action based on our national interests over the long-term. That any such sophisticated plan could be conceived & executed by this gov't. is highly unlikely. While it is perhaps emotionally satisfying to call for "flattening Gaza" the proper strategy requires analysis as to goals, tactics, & the possibility of unintended consequences. The basic idea is to maximize our strategic position. Whatever plan of action we take will have advantages & disadvantages. This, of course, does not mean doing nothing. Mr Oz seems far more concerned about Palestinians than about our security. He mentions refugee camps. Well, Mr Oz, there are no refugee camps after 60 years. The abysmal conditions are far more the fault of the Arabs themselves not to mention the UN which supports the continuation of "refugee status" than with us. And their welfare is not our responsibility & merits no consideration vis-a-vis our necessary military actions. Mr Oz recommends a ceasefire - but the most elementary logic tells you that if the Kassams stopped, there would be a ceasefire. The fact of the matter is that regardless of our actions, terrorism continues. There was terrorism in the 1920's & 1930's, there was terrorism after 1948, there was terrorism before 1967, there was terrorism after 1967, there was terrorism after Oslo (actually, much more), & there has been terrorism ever since. And there will be terrorism by both Hamas & Fatah in the future, regardless of the outcome of negotiations. Mr Oz should examine the assumptions upon which he bases his opinions. He might find that it is his judgement that is impaired.
9. easing their pain
leo solomon ,   nahariya,israel   (02.13.08)
The only thing that aleviates their pain and gives them pleasure is our pain and the prospect of our demise.Amos Oz and the pollianna others like him,continue to fascilitate both.
10. Gaza belongs to Egypt
mb   (02.13.08)
Somebody can teach me anything diferent? I start thinking what would be if IDF open blow it,( in a mistake of course!) the wall between gaza and egypt. I think tha gazans have more to do with egypt than with the people of W.Bank. If they want to link with West Bank, a peace process wit Israel is needed. Egypt will never, by its own diplomacy takes back gaza.It was their horse of troya gift to israel. Maybe Egypt will use the same drug as ever, poison gazan people against Israel. Or joint them in the attack, but in the end, they will do the same. The gazans will have a good market to sell their products in egypt, and buy from it, they can be supplied by egypt and be an district of egypt as were before.
11. Oz is right!
joseph ,   israel   (02.13.08)
Instead we should give the Arabs weapons, money and international recognition. We should give them as much land as possible to build on, free access to borders, an airport and a sea port. This will certainly bring peace, just like Oslo I and II brought us peace, just like Wye conference brought us peace, and just like the ethnic cleansing of Gush Katif brought us peace.
12. During the 1991 missles from Iraq...
ys ,   Tel Aviv Israel   (02.13.08)
... we used to run away from Tel Aviv to hide in Ashqelon and the vacinity and they used to over charge us with a stiff amount of money for letting us sleep in hotels, hostels, everywhere. I really think that accurate ariel shootings rather than marching into Gaza and there will be unnecessary casualties with our soldiers. The Airforce should put a lot of pressure on them. A lot!!
13. How about easing the Despair of the People of Sderot?
Esther ,   Ofarim, Israel   (02.13.08)
Mr. Oz, you're a fiction writer. Why don't you go mind your stories and leave politics alone? You are so out of touch with reality, it's not even funny anymore.
14. Gazan's Have Same Right to Fight Terror as Israel Do!i
Lev Bronstein ,   Moscow, Russia   (02.13.08)
Israelis seem to believe that they have a right to occupy and terrorize Palestinians for demanding the same rights as the enjoy themselves, which is a belief clearly not shared by the majority of the World's citizens, who understand that just because you were once victimized by Europeans, it does not give you the right to do the same to others. Israelis must denounce the sinister Zionist ideology that has polluted your culture and brought shame to all the World’s Jews and accept the right to exist of your victims as you so vehemently demand that your victims do for you.
15. roll over block by block leveling everything from the air
jack bauer   (02.13.08)
dont make the troops fight for something olmert will just give back to terrorists anyhow. level it all so that the troops dont have to capture anything but rubble
16. Oz the perpetual liar
eddie ,   London UK   (02.13.08)
The same Amos Oz in the 80s was draming of peace with the palis, but criticizing those who make love with the enemy and not peace - yet this is what he is doing now. When he was asked about the consequences of a palestinian state and the increas in terror, he woudl famously say "it is easier to break the back of a young palestinian army , than the back of a young palestinian stone thrower". This wizard, Amos Oz, has misled the public into the disaster it faces now. Yet when the leftist government decides it is finally time to fight a war of defence, Oz changes his original statement. Now, he says it is impossible to break the back of a young palestinian army. So, whilst putting down the first intifada was relatively easy; the second intifada was difficult and costly (becasue the PA had been armed by Israel), not hte 3rd intifada is impossible to put down. So what does Oz suggest? make more political concessions - this means of course, surrendering mroe land, more than Gaza, the west bank, and Jerualem - bcause according to Oz's thinking, defending one's own land is not worth the price to pay in blood, hence he is willing to surrender Sderot. BY obvious implication, Oz will surrender all of Israel, rather than defend it - as he has treacherously shown in his lies and propaganda.
17. Israel has not controled the entire Gaza Strip since 1994
Avi ,   Israel   (02.13.08)
Oz Says that " in five out of the seven Qassam years we controlled the entire Gaza Strip, and still, hundreds of rockets were fired from it at Sderot" This is a lie repeatd over and over again by left leaning acadmics and members of the press. Israel has not controlled the cities of the Gaza stirp nor the population since the Gaza-Jericho agreement withdrawal was completed on May 18, 1994. Durring the time previoius to this withdrawel there were no Kassam attacks since Israel actually controlled what was going on.
18. "Ease Gaza despair"??
Uzziel   (02.13.08)
I can´t believe the extent of dhimmitude in some jews. Israel must ease JEW´S DESPAIR. For fakestinian´s despair, give em painKILLERS.
19. another coward
Joseph ,   Italy   (02.13.08)
Amos Oz, a typical coward - Mr Oz, fight for yourself and read Hamas "statuto", that is not considering Israel existence wake up, peacenik
20. End Gaza Despair Amos Oz
yonatan ,   beit shemesh   (02.13.08)
Amos Oz should go himself to Gaza and end despair there when they shoot him to death. It would end Israeli despair too.
21. Oz's children have all there legs intact (end)
(02.13.08)
22. I totally agree with Amos
Y ,   N   (02.13.08)
Why invade Gaza? You got 100s of tanks and artillery pieces. You got a large air force. You could theoretically totally destroy the strip in one bombing mission. But this will only give Israel more trouble internationally. My suggestion is to close the border between Israel an gaza. Put your gun on the border and fire back everytime the palis fire at you. Let hamas rule gaza, the airspace and sealanes. Cut the power, fuel and water supply and let Egypt care for the gazans. Then israels hands are clean and nobody can blame you for the palis situation.
23. Good article
gabi ,   Nbg., Germany   (02.13.08)
and a reasonable judgement of the situation.
24. What is Barak waiting for ?
Jean Van Daem ,   Metula   (02.13.08)
Three words have been characteristically associated with the Gaza strip: Occupation, "siege," and more recently,"breakout." Hamas leaders, having scored a big public relations victory with the "breakout" into Egypt, are now contemplating another coup: they intend, or so they claim, to “brek out” Israel with half a million Gazans. The more we wait the the harder it will be. We should stop them with a clear cut victory as explained at : http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.com/2008/01/stop-them-with-clear-cut-victory-part-i.html
25. Oz is full of himself
David ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (02.13.08)
His view of self importance is obvious, but that only towards us his own people. Because he seems to desperately want approval the"world". We know what the world thinks us Amos, when are you going to wake up to that. Additionally, cow-towing to them make them loose respect for you and hate you even more. The only respect us when we are strong. So, let's do what is right, defend our own people and let the Gaza arabs suffer the consquences of their hatred for us.
26. OZ is pathetic
Michael ,   Miami   (02.13.08)
Oz, do not worry. you can be first in line at the catttle car. You are worse than a sheep being led to slaughter, you actually crave the day that Israel is destroyed. This will be the only thing to satisfy your leftist anti-Zionism and abundant self-hatred. Israel will one day spit out people like you.
27. Let Oz prove that he is not a phony
Sidney ,   USA   (02.13.08)
Move to Sderot, Mr. Oz, and then make these recommendations.
28. A great write, but a politicial and religious moron
S Judah ,   London   (02.13.08)
Not surprising, the world is full of little celebrities who think that their expertise in one field give them great insight and wisdom in other areas. The Sephardim know Amos Oz to be a religious, political,cultural and ethnic racist.
29. #14
Ram ,   London   (02.13.08)
You require either history lessons or a thorough shake off of a deeply engrained bias within you!
30. Voting for Terrorists, #3 rh from Modiin
Said ,   London, UK   (02.13.08)
You write: "The world tends to forget that the people of Gaza knowingly and willingly voted for Hamas a terrorist organisation". We all know why they voted for Hamas, because Fatah was too corrupt, funneling funds to their bank accounts, and Hamas actually had a welfare programme going. But as you say, people are responsible for their governemnts. So you are also responsible for the brutal occupation and subjugation of an indigenous populace for 60 years. You live in a terrorist state in direct contravention of innumerable international laws. Maybe the world community should bomb you instead? Naturally, you'd disagree with me; things aren't as black and white as you'd like them to be.
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