Is Israel overreacting?

Oct 12, 2023, 8:52 AM

For people who think that Israel may be overreacting in their response to the attack by Hamas over the weekend, and continuing attacks – some facts and perspective:

Imagine that the entire United States - your home - is only slightly larger than the state of New Jersey. Imagine, then, that to our south is Pakistan, to our east is Afghanistan, and to our north and northeast are Iran and Egypt. We’re bordered on 3 out of 4 sides by nations and peoples that hate us and are committed to our demise, and they’re not shy at all about boasting that.

Now imagine that at our widest point, between the ocean and our hostile eastern neighbors, we are only 70 miles wide (not much territory for our eastern enemies to conquer and drive to the sea). At our narrowest point, we’re only 6.2 miles (10km – many people run that distance easily and regularly) from our hostile eastern neighbors to the sea. Very little land to conquer. Imagine that this is the land in which we live – only an hour drive from east to west, at the widest, and a few minutes at the narrowest.

Imagine now that in the last 80 years, you have been subject to major attacks by these neighbors 17 times – attacks involving armor, air power, artillery and rockets. In between those conflicts, you have been subjected to artillery and rocket fire, terrorist attacks, and found underground tunnels designed to let terrorists infiltrate your borders, attack and sometimes kidnap your citizens.

Now, during all these years, you have poured billions of dollars into those regions from which you are constantly attacked. Your desire is to simply live in peace and see your neighbors live in peace and prosperity. You have only attacked when you have been attacked. You welcome your neighbors as citizens – even allowing them to join your government and military. You give them economic, technological and agricultural aid, only to often see those resources turned against you in the form of weapons and violence.

Imagine that, while your schools teach both your people and their people in equality, their schools teach their kids how to hate and kill you. Children are taught how to hate and kill from an early age. These are your neighbors.

This is the world in which Israel lives. This is why they react the way they do. To ensure survival, they have to. Are they overreacting? From the comfort of our homes in the United States, it's easy to say yes. But when looking at things from where they sit - not at all. I think you could actually argue that they could be holding back too much. We're really in no position to question how they choose to defend themselves when the only time we've really been attacked on our own territory it was by our own people (during the Civil War).

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Re: Not at all and I agree with you

What options does Israel have??

As I have stated in other posts - Hamas is the elected Government of Gaza and a recent June 2023 poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (Pro Palestinian think tank) of both Gaza and the West Bank found that in elections between president Abbas (Fatah leader) and Ismail Haniyeh (political leader of Hamas), Haniyeh wins 56% and Abbas 33%.

A clear plurality of Palestinians choose the Hamas ideology which calls for the eradication of Israel and it's people. How can Israel possibly negotiate with these people when all they want is their destruction and death? Simple answer - negotiation is impossible with Hamas and to pretend otherwise is pure fantasy.

The truth is the Palestinians refuse to accept the world as it is. They refuse to acknowledge that they will never have a Palestine on the same lands as existed prior to the establishment of Israel. They have carried on with that fantasy for 3 generations that somehow, some way things will eventually go back to the way it was if they could just rid the world of Israel and the Jews.

When Yasser Arafat turned down the Clinton Admin brokered Israel/Palestinian peace deal in 2000, it proved that the Palestinians had no interest in a 2 State solution. It proved that their talk of a 2-State solution is nothing but a facade to hide behind while they still cling to their fantasy of a Palestine as existed prior to 1948. There is no negotiating with people who refuse to accept reality.

So given all this - what is Israel to do? They can't negotiate with the Hamas savages with whom the majority of the Palestinian people seem to choose. When Hamas' violent rhetoric turned to action this past week, Israel is left with no other option but to choose a course of violence themselves.

I hate what is about to happen in Gaza because innocent people are going to be killed. But logically, and realistically, I can't see any other option at this point for Israel than to clear Gaza of these Hamas savages, street by street, block by block.

Is Israel overreacting?

Not at all and I agree with you

Re: Not at all and I agree with you

Israel has given the Gazan people ample warning to

Re: Israel has given the Gazan people ample warning to

Re: Not at all and I agree with you

Yes, genocide isnt acceptable.***

Re: Is Israel overreacting?

Israel just bombed two airports in Syria

If Hamas starts doing any live executions of hostages, I'd

Re: Is Israel overreacting?

What options does Israel have??

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