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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Noah Pollak: The Problem with Playing Defense |
| 2010-06-02 |
| What would it look like if the Israeli government played offense? First and foremost, this would require some serious criticism of the Islamist government of Turkey, which masterfully created this crisis and is now denouncing Israel for it. Turkey's thuggish prime minister certainly understands the benefits of being on offense. He says that Israel committed a "massacre" and is guilty of "state terrorism," "piracy," has struck "a blow to world peace and against international law," threatens that "if Israel does not immediately free all the detainees and wounded, the rift in relations with it will widen," and thunders that "Israel will not be able to show itself in the world until it apologizes for what happened and undergoes self-criticism." Quite a performance! Wouldn't it be remarkable if the Israelis had gotten ahead of the story by making their own accusations and demands? Here are a few ideas of the kind of concrete action the Israelis could take -- if they had the stones to really take a stand. 1. Expel the Turkish ambassador and declare his return contingent on a full, credible, and public Turkish investigation of the terrorist organization that planned and funded the "aid flotilla." 2. Publicly demand reparations from Turkey for the costs of the operation, including the medical bills of the thugs and Jew-haters who have been given such lovely medical care in Israeli hospitals. 3. Demand a UN investigation of why Turkey is funding terrorist organizations that are involved in attacks on Israel. 4. Fund a Kurdish human-rights NGO in Israel -- there are lots of Kurdish Jews who I'm sure would be happy to help -- that raises awareness of the plight of Kurds in Turkey. (Short answer: they are treated horribly.) This organization must publicize the apartheid conditions of Kurdish life in Turkey and churn out op-eds, studies, videos, and press releases denouncing Turkey's brutal and racist treatment of its own minorities. 5. Fund a Turkish-language documentary on the Armenian genocide, upload it to YouTube, and promote it heavily in Turkey. If Erdogan wants to call Israel a criminal and a murderer, there's no reason why Israel shouldn't return the favor on this most sensitive of issues. |
| Posted by:Chunter Hupalet8364 |
| #5 THose are all good shivs in the ribs, but they won't change the fundamental fact here, which is that there's a new power in the middle east, and it's determined to bash Israel wherever it can. This is a big loss for Israel, and for us. We've got our work cut out for us. I have to hink the odds of war btn Israel and Iran before we can dump Barry and get a serious CinC in the WH have just gotten a lot higher. Seems pretty likely now. |
| Posted by: lex 2010-06-02 15:12 |
| #4 This is the wrong approach, because it is the "schoolyard" approach, which accomplishes nothing. Emotional gratification is not worth spending money on, compared to tangible exchange. If Israel truly wanted to light a fire under the Turks, in a way that achieved results, it could do so with as little effort. For example, let slip that Israeli intelligence has discovered that the Turkish PM wants to humiliate the Turkish military, as an excuse to purge the general staff and replace it with Islamists. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-06-02 13:55 |
| #3 The only problem with these ideas is.... no MSM outlet will ever let those stories see the light of day. Israel can scream all they like. The western press will make sure it is never heard. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2010-06-02 09:59 |
| #2 All great ideas. Also publicize the flow of arms into Gaza and by whom. Publicize every incident where a rocket is fired into Israel from Gaza--scream bloody murder. Insist the UN act (which they won't of course). Publicize the fact that Israel has a representative government of which Palestinian-Israel citizens have a voice in the Knesset. Bring in the human rights organizations. Publicize the effect the wall has had on eliminating terrorists from Gaza. Publicize all the warlike rhetoric from Iran. Publicize the connections between Iran and proxy terrorist groups. Keep up a steady drumbeat daily or hourly. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-06-02 09:21 |
| #1 Pollak has a good point on the armenian genocide issue. Israel has been treating this low key for many years (although so has Armenia for that matter). |
| Posted by: lord garth 2010-06-02 08:07 |