The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office yesterday announced that “returning the residents of Israel’s north to their homes” is now determined to be a “War Goal”. Are we supposed to be happy with this remark? Are the residents of the kibbutzim and villages in the north, now going home?
It is unbelievable, that, after almost of year of war, which has seen many rockets and drones being launched from Lebanon, that NOW, the return of a hundred thousand residents to their home is a goal of the Israeli government. Where have they been all this time? How can it possibly be that a government does not have as a major priority that their citizens can live quietly and safely in their homes?
People have been living in hotels or cramped holiday rooms for almost a year now. Young people have moved to the center of the country and many of them do not intend to return and are building themselves new lives. But older people, retired and often not healthy, have just been waiting. Waiting to return home, waiting to return to their own bed, waiting to return to their garden, environment, neighbors etc. etc. And this government has kept them waiting, without sometimes even appearing to be aware that a large number of residents has been displaced.
The threat from the north, the terrorist organization Hezbollah, is a serious one. Hezbollah is assumed to have thousands of rockets in their arsenal; many of them sophisticated high-precision rockets, that could do immense damage when shot at Israel, in particular the center of the country. But the war, until now, has been low key (relatively) and neither Israel nor Hezbollah seems to believe a full-scale war at this time is advisable.
Moreover, Hezbollah has stated again and again, that a cease-fire agreement in the war with Hamas in Gaza would be an incentive for them to stop the enemy activities in the north. But the Israeli government also in Gaza appears to be out of touch with reality. “Total Victory” is still the slogan used by Netanyahu and his cronies, but it is becoming more clear by the day that they also are aware that “Total Victory” is not a real option and the slogan is being used only as an excuse to keep the war going and thus preventing this government to fall and new elections to be held.
And, if the residents of the North suffer because of this political and personal chicanery, that apparently is something we will have to live with.
I do not understand war or war strategies, but the impression is that also our army brass does not. Do we need a full-scale war in the north? Can Israel survive a full-scale war in the north? The talk from senior army personnel is contradictory and the commentators in the TV news shows aren’t any better or clearer on the subject. But as is necessary in a “Democratic” country like Israel, the last word is on the politicians. And in Israeli political circles, while most also do not have the slightest inkling on military strategy, the lack of interest is even worse, and thus nothing is done.
And a full-scale war is not the only option. In addition to the statements from Hezbollah in connection with the Gaza war, there is also a serious diplomatic effort being made by the Americans, to solve the issue between Israel and Hezbollah, without a full-sale war, which may very well escalate into a regional conflict with devastating consequences.
The diplomatic effort is (mostly quietly) being supported by Lebanon and influential figures have pressured the U.S. to find a solution because they are aware that Lebanon will be mostly destroyed in a wider conflict with Israel, and the damage even today can hardly be coped with by the Lebanese.
Surely the diplomatic negotiations with a terror organization like Hezbollah are extremely challenging but, also Hezbollah is clearly aware of the consequences of a war with Israel and the support of the Lebanese people for Hezbollah, if that still exists, will evaporate when Lebanon is being destroyed in the conflict with Israel.
Thus, it appears that if both sides are serious about this, a diplomatic effort may yield a solution that both sides will be able to live with, at least for now. So why is Israel not pushing harder for such a solution? Why only after a year of hostilities Netanyahu relates to what is happening in the north, and he does not talk about diplomacy but about “War Goals”? Is this part of the “Total Victory” nonsense? Or is it also subject to political and personal ambitions of Netanyahu (and not to forget, his wife)?
Judging from the way Netanyahu (and his cronies) have handled the hostage crisis (which by now is almost solved because they will all be dead), the residents of the North had better not rely too much on the “statements” that come out of the Prime Minister’s Office. Nobody else takes them seriously, in particular not the people who are in charge of their lives (and ours).
I hope you found this article interesting and I welcome any comments you may have.
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