Opinion
Our punching bag
Yigal Sarna
Published: 20.01.08, 15:22
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45 Talkbacks for this article
1. Complete non-sequitur
Xaxam ,   Rehovot   (01.20.08)
100 Shin Bet officials told the author that it is impossible to crush "popular resistance to occupation ", - yet that's exactly this same Shin Bet achieved in Samaria and Judea. One should not necessarily suffer heavy losses from house-to-house fighting: announce the complete evacuation of all the non-combattants and treat everybody who remains as a fighter, - shell them from a distance, clean the 5-km zone in the North Gaza, declaring it no-entry area. If the enemy improves the range of the Qassams, - the depth of this demilitarized zone should be appropriately increased. It will reach Gaza City, - well, too bad, but that's what you get when you lob rockets to the neighbor's yard. Thus far the Gazans learn only one lesson: the more they fire, the louder the rallying cry against "Zionists' aggression". Change the equation and look for the new roots!
2. The Hell That is Gaza
Jose' ,   Israel   (01.20.08)
The demands upon Israel that emanate from Gaza are suicidal for Israel to meet. ......and therefore Mr. Sarna, what do you propose?
3. A defeatist attitude...The author gives no answers
Freejay ,   Israel   (01.20.08)
The problem is that we dont hit them hard enough, whether it be Gazza, Lebanon or even Iran. A defeatists article like our defeatist, appeasing and inept government!
4. I know what's going to stop the shooting!!
Chaya ,   Bat Yam, Israel   (01.20.08)
It's very simple - Israel just has to give up! All of us who weren't born here are to pack our bags and leave. Those who were born here can become 'citizens' of 'palestine' bu with dhimmi status! And, of course, all the leaders of Israel will have to be brought up on charges. Only then will the shooting stop!!
5. Total Rubbish.
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (01.20.08)
6. silly article
Paris Hilton ,   is, smarter   (01.20.08)
Does the author believe what he wrote, or did he write it because he was paid?
7. Someone in Ynet should be fired...
Jon Stein ,   Tel Aviv, New York   (01.20.08)
This collage called the southern front that appears above the article. Pretend you know nothing about Israel and are reading this article without any previous knowledge. It looks like there is a mean soldier, aiming at this family, and then you have a woman who looks like he bloodied her face and in a "veil" like attire. So it looks like a "soldier did this to the 'palestinian"" We really suck at prpoganda this image can be used with out any modification for a PLO poster.
8. Nonsense Rubbish
Ralph Levy ,   USA   (01.20.08)
Tell that to my friends on one of the kibbutzim getting rocketed daily. You obviously have not read your history. IN WWII how was the fanatic Japanese were stopped. Same fanaticism. By bombing, cutting off their supplies and also a SHOCK the A bomb. A economic SHOCK will work and destroy their fanaticism. The only time this type of policy does not work is when survival is a question aka Britain during the second world war and if it was done to Israel. http://ralphsrant1.blogspot.com
9. punching bag
mo ,   us   (01.20.08)
sounds like this writer wants israel to stay a punching bombing bag. I thought the Winograd report concerns the government actions leading to, and during Leb II and therefore how to improve military actions to win in the military political and diplomatic realms - not to offer defeatist do nothing polemic as the writer here does. This item is illogical and is only empty rhetoric
10. Very good article.
cfs ,   Tlse, FRANCE   (01.20.08)
This is a great article.
11. the months after disengagement was COMPLETE rest for gaza
mike ,   israel (formerly usa   (01.20.08)
yet gazans never ceased their aggression. this article is pie-in-the-sky rubbish that is proved wrong before it was even written.
12. Yigal Sarna
RobertK ,   Jerusalem   (01.20.08)
So much multiple idiocy in this article that it would take another article, not a talkback, to address it. Gaza's economic situation--literacy, life expectancy, infant mortality rates, standard of living--improved DRASTICALLY during the "Israeli occupation" in 1967-93; things got much worse in Gaza during the Oslo years and then much worse again after the disengagement. Yes, Israel failed militarily in Lebanon in 2006 under incompetent leaders. Perhaps it has escaped Mr. Sarna's attention that Israeli military activity in the West Bank has SUCCEEDED and STOPPED THE SUICIDE BOMBINGS. Intelligence and military work did this, possibly with a contribution by the security fence, and NOTHING ELSE. Sarna doesn't explain--are we supposed to leave Gaza completely including intelligence-gathering and border crossings, or go back in and make life good for them again? He doesn't know and he doesn't care--his agenda is to be a pacifist and to bash Israel no matter what. Damned if we do, damned if we don't. That the Gazans, and the Egyptians who occupied them from 1948 to 1967, have a Muslim-Arab culture that has been seen to be aggressive, violent, and intolerant in numerous contexts, and that this may have something to do with the fact that Israel gets attacked no matter what it does (be in Gaza, leave Gaza, whatever), does not flicker across the radar screen of the estimable Mr. Sarna, who talks at a level of idiocy and disregard for facts and reason that is inexcusable. This is why people hate the Left, Mr. Sarna, and why your Left is going to get removed from the political map in the next elections in this country. Your views would mainly be understandable in a rebellious adolescent (these poor people are in hell, we made them be in hell, they're attacking us because we're mean to them, it's all our fault)--but you are not an adolescent and you would really be a better writer if you could grow into political and personal maturity.
13. OF COURSE WE PULVERIZE GAZA !!!!!!
trumpeldor ,   eurabia   (01.20.08)
AND WE ARE ENTITLED TO DO IT BY INTERNATIONAL LAWS !!!!! IMAGINE METZ CITY IN FRANCE BEING KASSAMIZED BY TINY LUXEMBURG PROBLEM WOULD BE QUICKLY SOLVED... ENOUGH OF THIS LEFTIST NONSENSE THEY VOTED FOR IT ?THEY WILL GOT IT !!!!! SINAI WOUL BE A NICE SETTLING PLACE FOR THESE "CHRONIC" REFUGEES BEFORE GOING TO EUROPE
14. Everytime I read a Yney article
Reality Check ,   BaGolan   (01.20.08)
I can pull up al-jazeera and see the same opinions and articles. Why is that?
15. Give Up and Close Down!
Jamal ,   New York   (01.20.08)
Sama and other moronic defeatists like to appear 'in the know' to others. But they really acomplish something only for their own egos, and nothing for us. He is correct that making life hell for the Palestinians in Gaza isn't the answer. The answer is simple: make life impossible! Cut off their electricity, and have them subsist on the absolute bare minimum of life essentials until they stop trying to kill innocent Jewish civilians for both themselves and their patrons in the UN and European Union who give them financial and moral support. The government is finally waking up and doing exactly this. They must resist the call of the Palestinians' UN patrons to stop this new policy.
16. CORRECT. PUSH THE GAZANS BACK TO EGYPT.
BEN Avraham ,   Tel Aviv   (01.20.08)
17. Israel has never even come close to "pulverizing" Gaza
RA   (01.20.08)
Though perhaps if the Chechnya model was applied, Sderot would be living in peace right now.
18. Negative criticism is easy. Yigal Sarna just waffles!
redmiike ,   TA - LA - London   (01.20.08)
Incredibly simplistic waffle masquerading as journalism! Around 41 years ago I started my first job as a second assistant editor on a film. The first day after dailies the director asked if anybody had any comments and nobody said anything - except me that is. I mentioned two or three things that I thought were wrong and the director patiently asked me how I thought the problems could be corrected. I had no answer and he replied, "I welcome all constructive criticism but negative criticism aids no one. Always feel free to comment if you feel you can be helpful". I have never forgotten his words. Michael P.S He was not a very good director but won two Oscars for lighting! - Freddie Francis
19. 10 hopefully you don't make a living as a literary critic:-)
redmiike ,   TA - LA - London   (01.20.08)
20. What about before 67?
Yosef ,   Jerusalem   (01.20.08)
so what do you suggest? give them the rest of israel? is that the hope your talking about? oh wait what about the 40 years BEFORE we "ocupied" it, when egypt was running mujahidin operations into israel killing israelis for the sake of killing israelis, did they have hope then? that their operations would result in throwing us all into the sea? WAKE UP! what else are we supposed to do? i say we cut the cancer out!
21. stupidity of unilateral surrender
arthur ,   jersey city usa   (01.20.08)
after the surrender of gaza we were told there would be peace instead the situation got worse. It does not make any sense for Israel not to respond. ANY nation would respond, more brutally. If the Spaniards were shelling southern france the paratroopers would respond. If the Poles attacked russia the Spitznas would respond. Only Israel is supposed to absord attack. After the surrender of gaza there was supposed to be peace.
22. Gaza
David ,   Boston,Mass. USA   (01.20.08)
The power to change circumstances lies with the Gazans themselves. How naive to think that they are the victims. Stop this self loathing and let the responsibility for peace rest with those who have the responsibility for terror. When the Palestinians stand up to the terrorist it will change for their betterment.
23. do to Gaza what you did to Gush Katif
stop ,   leftofascism   (01.20.08)
or do you thing kicking jews around is the only solution? typical auto-antisemitism
24. YGAN SARNA MUST LIVE WITH HIS FRIENDS FROM HAMAS IN GAZA
(01.20.08)
25. The key is full end to the occupation
Shulamit   (01.20.08)
We must end the law of return and implement the right of return. Every inch of land needs to be turned over to the democratically elected government of Palestine. Hamas wants peace unlike the racist Israeli government. Hamas is democracy freedom and peace. Zionism is war hate and violence,
26. I see alot of whinings but no solutions..
(01.20.08)
Like the slew of other left-wing reporters in Ynet, Igal just say the situation is bad but offer no real alternative. This is just a pointless and illogical article.
27. Bombard gaza now!
jason white ,   afula,israel   (01.20.08)
Keep it up till the sands are turned to mud with pali dead. Till they surrender and turn over Gilad safe and sound,all terrorists,politicians,weapons,explosives and ammo.
28. defeatist crap, from a pathetic non-journalist
jack bauer   (01.21.08)
gaza should be swept clean of terrorists just as it was swept clean of law abiding jews..... then it can be turned into a giant greenhouse, and if there are any friendly non-violent arabs left anywhere....they can get a job in the giant greenhouse.....as long as they dont wear green diapers on their heads and shoot rockets
29. foolish thinking.unfortunatly you dont know arabs
reuven ,   usa   (01.21.08)
we must make them suffer so they have nothing there to stay, so the leave and go to other arab countries.like iraq, many left after sadam because iraq was no longer safe or happy to be there.cut evrything to gazan and you get better results and evry katiyusha send 100 on there head.
30. I didn't have to be this way
Zardoz ,   USA   (01.21.08)
I think cutting off power is probably the best move you could make. A few days w/o power I think will surely make a difference. It could mean the end of Hamas. Bombs and bullets only seem to harden the Gaza resolve toward Israel, but no power...? I think you got a winner now.
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