Time and time again Israel is slammed for it's actions. Today after 50+ people (mainly women and children) were killed in Qana there was outrage around the world and many more calls for an immediate ceasefire. Israel is once again being hailed as the unprovoked aggressor and embarrassed into cautious fighting - which does nothing but jeopardize the lives of it's brave soldiers.
One should start by asking, what could we have done differently in order to save the lives of innocent people in Qana today.
Should we have warned the residents that we were going to attack and told them to evacuate - check
Should we have used extreme caution in trying to pinpoint exactly where the rockets were being fired from yesterday - check
Should we have bowed to International pressure preventing us from expanding ground operations and use air force instead- check
Perhaps we should be shouting these questions:
Why aren't the foreign media and the so called International peacekeepers following up on many claims that Hizbullah fighters are trying to prevent (and even killing in some cases) residents of Southern Lebanon towns who are trying to flee?
Why were there so many civilians still embedded in towns such as Qana and why weren't they doing more to stop the Hizbullah fighters living amongst them from firing rockets?
If the Lebanese government is so adamant that they too wish to disarm Hizbullah but have never had the power to do so, then why don't they attack from the North and help Israel to destroy the terrorists?
When Israel is slammed for doing what it can to protect itself, when it is raked over the coals for "regretfully and not intentionally" killing innocent people in order to realize this goal. WHY are we unable to clearly and forcefully state our cause, hold our ground and still come out smelling like roses?
Today Israel invited leaders from the UN into it's situation room. Perhaps we should do that some more - invite the leaders of some of our biggest critics to sit in the situation room with us. Let them share in our frustrations and work with us to decide how to deal with the rocket attacks up North. Let them see what it's like to decide that Qana is a legitimate target - only to find out that 50 civilians were killed in the attack. No country is perfect, and Israel is under an awful lot of pressure to conform to so many different critics. The best thing that could happen to us right now would be silence, if everyone would just shut up we would be able to get this over with as soon as we can. Our sons, cousins, nephews, friends and colleagues would be able to return from the army, our Northern residents would be able to come above ground or go back home. But most importantly - innocent people would be allowed to go about their normal lives here and in Lebanon.
Just shut up and let Israel do what Israel has to do and UNIFIL, UN, and Lebanon have been too chicken to do themselves.
Wake up and smell the roses! (written by someone who believes in Peace, who believes the Palestinians have a right to their own state, who does not think it is a crime for Israel to give up land for peace, but who is realistic to know that we have to protect our right to exist as a Jewish homeland without the threat of terrorist attacks)
