As Israel presses on its air retaliation in Gaza, many in the world have called for a 48 hour cease-fire, a plea that the Israeli government has chosen for the moment to ignore. Writing in today's New York Times, David Grossman argues that now is precisely the time for Israel to pause its strategic campaign. Hamas cannot be driven from power by repeated air assaults on a vulnerable population. Nor can rubble be pounded relentlessly. Rocket fire from Gaza has diminished, but is unlikely to cease. Of utmost emergency is the evacuation of wounded citizens from Gaza to hospitals in Egypt and Israel. The borders need to be opened for UN emergency services. And talks brokered by Egypt or Turkey need to take place.
An unlikely scenario, perhaps, but nothing should surprise us in the Middle East. Once hopeful glimmers such as the Israeli military withdrawal and evacuation of settlers in Gaza during August 2005 and the unexpected Hamas victory in elections during January 2006 have long since been extinguished as Israel has attempted to quarantine Gaza to drive Hamas from power. For its part, Hamas has sought to use the abduction of Israeli soldier Shalit as leverage to free 1,400 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. As a result, Gaza has been turned into a heavily armed ghetto whose very existence strikes fear into the heart of Israel.
In the meantime, we are treated to the blame game. Palestinians blame Israel for crimes against humanity, demand an end to the bombing, the targeted assassinations of Hamas leaders and the occupation of the West Bank. Israel blames Hamas for the resumption of indiscriminant rocket firing into southern Lebanon once it chose to let the six-month cease-fire expire.
Cooler heads might prevail, but not as long as testerone levels soar sky high. Alas, a lot of innocent people will suffer. But such is the stuff of life in the Middle East.
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