# 107 – Ground Operation

January 4, 2009

I watch the some of the international news, I read some of the intl press……My fingers itch to write more.

I do notice that the ‘world opinion’ is less anti-Israel than, say during the Lebanon war, but it’s still so sad to see how many see ‘only what they want to see’.

I just watched Manchester United beat Southampton in the British FA Cup (football/soccer). It was already an unfair match, although Southampton’s home fans were dreaming of a repeat of a surprise victory some 33 years ago. Man Utd’s defender, Vidic, ran forward and was crudely tackled by S’oton’s Patterson, studs clearly showing. Legs are so easily broken by such fouls.

Out came the red card – Patterson was off. The reaction of the Soton’s manager was pure anger. The partisan crowd were furious. From then on, they booed consistently, voicing the loudest boos for Vidic, the very player who’s career had been put in danger by the tackle.

The Arabs are the partisan crowd. The Palestinians are the most fervent of home fans; those who support blindly. Unfortunately, many ‘neutrals’ out there act similarly. Don’t they see what is so obviously in front of their noses?

Let me quote Hamas’s own Al-Aqsa TV – February 20, 2008.

“For the Palestinian people death became an industry, at which women excel and so do all people on this land: the elderly excel, the Jihad fighters excel, and the children excel. Accordingly [Palestinians] created a human shield of women, children, the elderly and the Jihad fighters against the Zionist bombing machine, as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: We desire death as you desire life.”

Hamas and their supporters complain about the imbalance between Israel and Palestinian forces. So many of the UN reps, the Europeans etc. conveniently minimise or even forget about the 8 years of Hamas rocket attacks. If they are so ineffectual and if there is no chance of victory using them, WHY BOTHER FIRING THE B. THINGS!!

If/when Israel withdraws, it is GUARANTEED that a few more rockets will be fired. WHY? Because the Hamas can/will then claim victory. Like the silly kid in the playground who never knows when to give up. And unfortunately, the only way to prevent this, without outside help, is for Israel to remain in Gaza. And they are not going to do that.

500 Palestinians now dead. Whether Hamas or civilian, of course it’s 500 too many. Believe it, everyone: Palestine could be another Dubai had it chosen peace instead of self-destruction. (By the way – and this is not me saying this – it needs double that horrible number to equal 1 Israeli life…….That’s the number of Palestinian prisoners Hamas insist on exchanging for the 1 Israeli soldier still being held: Gilad Schalit).

I’m now watching a Syrian diplomat  on Sky – and he’s very simply a liar. Don’t be a Southampton supporter. Hamas is terrorism. You’re either for it or against it. I hate to shatter some neutral’s belief, but Israel is definitely against terror.

And now, Palestinian minister, Mustafa Barghouti, and he also is lying – saying that Israel is re-occupying and that is their intention. No mention of the Hamas rockets.

The bastard calls us – me – extremist and racist –  now mentioning Apartheid. And I spoke just 2-3 hours ago with Ahmed, the Israeli Arab who acts as janitor in our building. He is one of 1.3 million living in peace here. What a difficult situation for them.

Thank-you, Egypt, for realising the predicament you are in and for standing up to radical Arab criticism.

Thank-you, Jordan, for keeping quiet.

Thank-you, Czech Republic (now with the EC presidency), for criticising Hamas, despite wimpish words from the French and, I am sorry to say, British governments.

800,000 Israeli civilians are currently within range of Hamas’ wayward and little rockets – which, when killing someone, do it in a ‘wayward and little way’. As Obama said when he was in Sderot, “if my daughters are in that house, I’d want to do everything to protect them. And I defend Israel’s right to react the same way”.

I do hope my next letter will be a celebration of peace – on both sides.

Stephen