Something exciting is happening lately, it seems Israel is actually fighting back.
Syrian President Assad keeps butchering the opposition, while the world stands silent. Iran tests missile launches from underground facilities, and it is “discovered” by the free world Iranian missiles are able to carry nuclear warheads and reach Israel and the United States. In Egypt’s Tahrir Square, the “Arab Youth” realizes little has changed, and Libya’s Gaddafi is still ruling strong.
Agence France Presse reports bloody clashes between protesters and anti-riot police in Cairo’s Tahrir Square “as frustration mounts with Egypt’s military rulers over the pace of reform.”
“Witnesses said the overnight disturbances, which left around 50 people injured, were some of the most violent in months in the square, which was the focal point of protests that forced veteran president Hosni Mubarak from power in February.
“The clashes ‘have no reason behind them except to destabilize Egypt’s security and stability in accordance with a carefully thought out and organized scheme,’ the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said in a statement.”
Six months of the Arab Spring is turning into a disaster, the fruits of this labor of love soon to dry or rot. If anything, Saudis determination against the USA and its fear of Iran’s spreading influence has been molded into action. Any future course of action by the USA will be met by fierce resistance-turned action by the Saudis. They, of all, learned the lesson the USA is not to be trusted.
Western activists (peace, humanitarian and pursuers of novel causes) seem to have lost their focus. A tremendous thing has happened during the first half of 2011, but they are fixated solely on the plight of the Gazans. The rise of the springing youth is but a distraction for them, noise to be ignored. The real issue is the imaginary plight of the Gazans, the so-called blockade, siege, Ghettoization and thirsting of the Gazans by Israel.
Gaza, the one place that is under democratically elected government (albeit defined a terrorist organization by the misguided and misinformed West), has no shortage of supplies and enjoys a constant stream of funding. It has turned into a cause-celebre and became the sole focus of attention by those activists. They are oblivious to everything else and have gathered to leave on another Flotilla of Terror and Lies.
Save Gaza “our way” is their motto. If we die on the way, so be it. All means justify the end, and the end is designed to hurt Israel so badly it will end its so-called “Occupation” over Arab holy land along the western shores of the Mediterranean. For those who have difficulties understanding, a rough translation is: “throw the Jews to the sea (once and for all; it is long overdue)!”
It seems they had some technical difficulties in a port in Greece, which they immediately blamed on the Israeli Mossad. Several countries, including Cyprus, will not allow them to leave their ports. Insurance carriers have excluded coverage. But the group of activists is determined to sail against all odds. They, alone against the military might of the Zionists and the colonialist’s far-reaching tentacles of poison, can save Gaza from starvation.
Oh, the cafes and markets of Gaza, all overflowing with commodities, picture perfect for the Zionist propaganda. Access? There is no need even to resort to tunnels, simply pass from Egypt. But these “truths” are conveniently ignored. We insist on arriving by sea!
A lesson both learned and often implemented by Israel is that defending oneself, one cannot win. To win, one must go on the attack. So why is it that Israel is constantly on the defensive with regard to others who ignore her and international laws?
Syria buses “refugees” to the border with Israel and pays them to walk onto the border into Israel. [There is a very special bonus paid if a person is killed.]
“Activists” are boarding flotillas designed to breach a naval blockade.
More of these “activists” are planning to fly into Israel to exercise their “right of return” to the pre-1948 borders. [Make no mistake, the existence of a country called “free and independent Palestine” does not resolve the Jewish state from accepting millions of refugees to its midst.]
And Israel? Activists on behalf of Israel have been preparing. There are websites and presentations floating on the Internet, explaining, providing proof, facts and figures. All in all, it is quite useless, for no one is listening. Talk is cheap and easily ignored.
One NGO (non-government organization), for instance, under a “hot topics” dispatch titled “Gaza Flotilla 2” lists general resources from half a dozen other NGOs, reports from two Israeli think tanks, and more than a dozen references from the media, including Reuters, Jerusalem Post, Washington Times, New York Daily News, The Australian, NY Times, Irish Independent, CNN and others. Well, not all are Zionist propaganda machines, although it is generally believed that the Jews rule the media.
I am reminded of a nightmare where I am surrounded with road signs. There are so many of them that I do not know where to focus, which to read first. I finally give up in frustration, ignoring them altogether.
Israeli bureaucracy is busy too in tabletop exercises. For some odd reason, everything needs to be public information, disseminated globally. So let us be entertained, for the following looks like a page from a very badly written science fiction book:
*Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry Holds Successful Exercise Ahead of Gaza Flotilla*
(Communicated by the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry Spokesman)
The Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Ministry Tuesday, 28.6.11, held a successful readiness exercise ahead of the Gaza flotilla. In the course of the exercise, Ministry employees summoned Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein to a special situation room that has been established ahead of the flotilla. The situation room is designed to disseminate public diplomacy on the Internet via messages, photos, video clips and additional materials, with emphasis on Diaspora communities, as well as Jewish organizations and friends of Israel around the world, that are seeking to assist public diplomacy activities in their languages and local environments. Participating in the exercise were professional elements from the Ministry, along with representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Foreign Ministry, the IDF Spokesperson, the Government Press Office, the Jewish Agency and public diplomacy organizations.
*The simulation*:
The exercise was based on a scenario in which approximately 500 activists on approximately ten ships reached Israel’s territorial waters at 10:00. Despite having been warned by the IDF, the ships continued on their way. At 10:30, the Israel Navy began approaching the ships. Stun grenades were thrown at the IDF soldiers, as well as one live grenade that caused a number of casualties to our forces. At 11:00, the order was given for IDF units to physically seize control of the ships on which there was resistance. Our forces were attacked with live – and other – weapons and were obliged to neutralize the assailants. The results, by 11:45, were ten IDF soldiers wounded (one critically, four severely and the rest lightly). Among the flotilla participants, there were two dead and 14 wounded, including two severely.
As the events were taking place, the media – with emphasis on the Internet, Facebook and Twitter – were flooded with mendacious reports (by private users, Hamas and others among Israel’s enemies). The situation room, in coordination with the IDF Spokesperson and the National Information Directorate, began to disseminate credible messages to Jewish communities and friends of Israel around the world. Those in the situation room responsible for new media began to update messages on the social networks, Facebook and Twitter.
Minister Edelstein said that, “Given the provocation by the flotilla, which is entirely designed to attack Israel’s image around the world, we established a special situation room that will ensure coordination between Government officials, Diaspora Jewish communities and friends of Israel around the world. We are here to expose the true face of the terrorist organizations and the inciters to hatred that have organized the flotillas and which disseminate messages and photos in real time over the Internet. I am certain that alongside us will stand significant force multipliers in the form of thousands of activists from Jewish communities around the world.”
Israel’s main problem is looking at her past failures and congratulating herself on improved performance. Her enemies, though, did not sleep during the time it took Israel to recover, and they surely have more surprises in store. Israel rather than leading proactively is trailing behind and engages in reactive postures.
Imagine, a Minister was distracted from his very busy schedule to attend a simulation of some sort. Why should the world know that, and why would anyone care? Is it not the Very-Important-Minister’s job? Quite frankly, if this is the first time he has been involved in such a simulation, maybe something is very wrong in his ministry? The last flotilla, whose echoes are still heard today, was 13 months ago.
I am immediately reminded of Pac man, a game so many play to pass time. The “eating head” advances and is supposed to eat everything that comes in its wake. Similarly Israel is attacked, to the point where she is overwhelmed by everything thrown at her. She needs to digest and swallow them all, at an ever increasing rate. Except that life is not a game, and Israel will choke to death unless she goes on the attack.
What Israel needs to do is simple. Relying on the action of foreign governments may work once, even twice, but it is subject to their good will and interests at that particular moment.
Israel should warn anyone breaking the law they will be court-martialed and sentenced to long prison terms without possibility of parole, early discharge on good behavior or one’s own recognizance or blackmail by the international community or terrorist organizations. Or warn that any vessel approaching the area under Naval Blockade will be fired upon without further warnings (as numerous such warnings have already been issued).
Israel needs to make her position known and then execute. Neither will work without the other.
It will not take long for the world to understand that the era of games has come to an end.
Complaints anyone? Syria, Libya and Iran should be consulted (although Libya has been temporarily suspended from the UN Human Rights Council until the West can execute Gaddafi). Each of these sovereign nations, leaders by example, is very successful at doing what it wants, with complete disregard to human life or decency, while the world stands silent.
Israel never misses an opportunity to fall into a trap: Prime Minister Netanyahu instructed the responsible authorities to formulate a special procedure regarding foreign journalists that participate in the flotilla and arrive in contravention of the Entry into Israel Law.
When the matter was brought to his attention, the Prime Minister directed that the regular policy against infiltrators and those who enter Israel illegally not be implemented. It has also been agreed that members of the Israeli and international media will be attached to Israel Navy vessels in order to create transparency and credible coverage of the events. Credible coverage? That would be incredible.
Deja vu, just repeat past occurrences. A year ago there were embedded journalists and the subsequent rift was who was responsible for not releasing tapes within minutes but rather hours of the start of the operation (the IDF or the MFA). Since when do modern-day journalists behave in an objective manner? Are they now to serve as official observers on behalf of Israel?
For Israel to win the war, she must fight back. Not by feeding NGOs and playing tabletop exercises for the public’s enjoyment. Israel must make her enemies understand she is serious and will do everything to protect herself, her people and her sovereignty. They want to break the blockade or cross the border or even show up at her international airport and claim a “right of return,” they will be made to pay a price.
A price so dear, in fact, that no one will dare follow suit.
If anything, we should look to Russia as the trendsetter in these matters of defense.
