Friday, November 23, 2012

Short: Gaza ceasefire

I think about foreign issues fairly often, but I don't write about them because my lack of background makes my opinions as worthwhile as, um, the proverbial bucket of warm spit.

That said, perhaps I should refrain now. However, I want to share a few sources from my research into the lead-up to the recent upsurge in fighting:
This information confirmed one thing I already knew--there are frequently rockets shot from Gaza into Israel. I don't particularly want to argue whether they are justified or not. I also learned something that I hadn't heard or read before--Israel broke the most recent truce on November 8.

Maybe with four more years of Obama, there will be the impetus for the Israelis to seriously negotiate. Maybe. I won't hold my breath for that possibility.

[No extra picture of destruction needed.]

2 comments:

Rose said...

Israel was legitimately provoked by the crowds approaching the fence, since they do have an explicit policy of maintaining that no-approach zone, but offhand I'd say their use of live fire was disproportionate. Couldn't they have used rubber bullets or tear gas or something? Were they too far away to use non-lethal weapons? If so, couldn't they have aimed at the protesters' feet instead?

Or Israel could, like, allow Palestinians to approach that strip of land by the fence as long as they do it peacefully.

ModeratePoli said...

@Rose, I may not understand, but the shooting at the fence happened today. That's not the breaking of the truce on Nov. 8 that I'm referring to. On Nov. 8, Israel assassinating a military official in Gaza.

I don't have comments on the specifics of how Israel should handle border issues. I just don't have enough info to make my opinion informed and therefore worthwhile.