'Israel Is Not Going to Show Restraint'

[Barack_America]

From the Washington Post:

'Israel Is Not Going to Show Restraint'

Lally Weymouth
Saturday, January 10, 2009; Page A13

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told Newsweek-The Post's Lally Weymouth that the conflict in Gaza is not a fight of Israelis against Palestinians but a case in which Israel represents moderates in the region, including the Palestinian Authority. Excerpts:

Q. How do you respond to the pressure for a cease-fire from the international community?

A. I don't like the term cease-fire since it looks like an agreement between two legitimate sides. At the end of the day, this is not a conflict between two states but a fight against terror. . . . We need to fight in Gaza because they have targeted Israel for eight years. We are fighting in order to weaken them and to affect their ability to target Israel in the future.

<snip>

Would you say {Hamas} needs to be removed?

I would say that the Gaza Strip controlled by Hamas is a burden not only to Israel but to the Palestinians themselves.

Do you feel have the backing of the Arab moderates?

I don't want to embarrass anybody, but I know I represent their interests as well. It is no longer the Israeli-Palestinian or the Jewish-Arab conflict, but it is a conflict between moderates and extremists. This is the way this region is now divided.

More (I posted the beginning and ending):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/09/AR2009010903127.html?hpid=opinionsbox1&sid=ST2009010903175&s_pos=

[Idealism]

1. Yet another example of why Israel is as much a hindrance to peace as Hamas is

"I don't like the term cease-fire since it looks like an agreement between two legitimate sides. "

A democratically elected government isn't legitimate because Israel never wanted them to win, and actively tried to get Hamas engaged in a civil war with Fatah after the election results came in.

If Livni is a moderate, I'm a communist.

[Barack_America]

2. I find it ironic...

That for all of their insistence of being "recognized", they don't seem very willing to return the favor.

But, in any case, the article gave insight into what exactly Israel might be after in this stage of the game (i.e. now that they're losing the PR war). It was interesting, though not particularly encouraging.

[Idealism]

3. It is pretty clear what Livni wants

"Is Iran behind it all?

Oh, yes, clearly. We know that. When they started, the missiles were homemade -- made in the Gaza Strip. But not anymore. Now they are professional, coming from Iran. "


Its pretty easy to see, they want to draw the US into a proxy war to fight Iran. They want another Cold War. Similar to the detentes and alliances that drew all countries into WWI, they want to draw their allies into this fight.

[Barack_America]

4. In a pure coincidence...

Today Israel bombed the building where Iranian state television was broadcasting from Gaza. They arrested one of their journalists earlier this week too.

:eyes:

God they're transparent.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[azurnoir]

6. I found a couple of "interesting" items

Livnis short diatribe on Egypt was a stunning example of at least part of why Egypt was not willing to open Rafah and her side stepping questions about Obama quite revealing and in the end her well worded "fuck you" to the international community

[bemildred]

7. She's really been very disappointing.

The level of groupthink in the Israeli ruling class is, well, is, well, words fail me.

[azurnoir]

8. does political pandering fit at least partially ? n/t

[bemildred]

9. Well, yeah.

But not just that, stupid, not subtle, immature, lacking in restraint, words fail. Ranting on like they do would not get you elected even in the USA.

[ohio2007]

10. talk about "showing" restraint

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=23a_1231593272

disturbing bias ?