Cast Lead not limited by end Bush term'

[azurnoir]

There has been speculation that Israel would seek to wrap up its offensive against Hamas before US President-elect Barack Obama takes office on January 20, and brings with him new advisers and potentially new policy positions.

"There's nothing that we have in the books that it's from this date to this date," said one official of the timetable, adding that Hamas rocket fire had more to do with when the operation concluded than American politics. He also argued that greater time for the military to operate could lead to a cleaner operation with fewer civilian casualties.

The Gaza conflict received more media coverage in America than any other story this past week, with even Obama transition stories largely focusing on the incoming president's reticence on the issue.

While he and his transition team are saying little about the conflagration or the Middle East team that will implement his regional policy there, reports are circulating about who some of the key players are likely to be.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231424895629&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[The Magistrate]

1. If The Israeli Government is Still at This Next Week, Ma'am, They Are Too Stupid For Words

This statement "He also argued that greater time for the military to operate could lead to a cleaner operation with fewer civilian casualties " reflects a disconnect from reality that verges on the delusional. The longer this operation goes on, the greater is the proportion of non-combatant's deaths and injuries inflicted, and that pattern has been clearly evident from the first days of this,

[azurnoir]

2. Very true the more ground involvment

the more guerrilla style tactics used by either side the messier it get, not to mention how much more is there to bombed or shelled, the whole is stupid and from December 19 on I had said Hamas was being stupid for ending the truce because this would be the inevitable result.

[bemildred]

3. One is always willing to continue indefinitely, escalating all the way Sir,

until one isn't. It is negotiating bluster. You will note that Hamas is saying that it's hardly been scratched too. Reminds one of the Black Knight.

http://www.linustechtips.com.nyud.net:8090/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/monty-python-black-knight.bmp

[bemildred]

4. Israel, Hamas defy UN call for cease-fire

Some of the "peacemakers" seem to be casting aspersions on each other today too, the EU is chastising Egypt, for example.

JERUSALEM – Israeli jets and helicopters bombarded Gaza Friday and Hamas responded with a barrage of rockets on two cities as both sides defied a U.N. call for an immediate cease-fire.

One Israeli airstrike killed two Hamas militants and another unidentified man, while another flattened a five-story building in northern Gaza, killing at least seven people, including an infant, Hamas officials said. Israeli aircraft struck more than 30 targets before dawn, and there were constant explosions after first light.

By midday, 19 Palestinians had been killed, pushing the death toll to more than 760 and in the two-week-old conflict, according to Gaza health officials who say at least half of those killed were civilians. Thirteen Israelis have also been killed.

A U.N. Security Council resolution approved Thursday night called urgently for an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The U.S., Israel's closest ally and a veto-wielding member of the Security Council, abstained.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

[bemildred]

5. The No State Solution

One side of the who gets left holding the bag argument in full elaboration.

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Well, here's another solution; the "no-state" solution. Instead of continuing the arguments over the 1967 borders, why not go back to the 1967 politics. In short, convince Jordan to take back the West Bank (which it ran until 1967, and claimed as lost territory until 1988, when it ceded control to the "Palestinians.") Convince Egypt to take the Gaza Strip (which has been part of Egypt for most of the last few thousand years.) Israel and Jordan work out a deal, perhaps with some international organizations, for running Jerusalem. Then get the Arab states to stop treating all the Palestinians like refugees, and absorb them (as Israel did for all the Jews driven out of Arab countries after the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.)

Egypt might seem an unlikely host for 1.5 million Arab refugees in Gaza. But Egypt is well aware of the fact that Gaza is becoming a refuge for Islamic terrorists who direct their attacks at Egypt, as well as Israel. If Egypt wants to deal with that problem, the best way is to make all those refugees Egyptian citizens, and subject them to Egyptian law (and counter-terrorism efforts, if need be.)

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htwin/articles/20090109.aspx