EDITORIAL

Let’s clarify one thing from the outset the Arabs must recognise the right of Israel to exist and for all Israeli's to live in peace.  This however does not give the right to Israeli politicians to order the bombing of civilians, and have 400 plus deaths by the Palestinians, and subsequently creating a tsunami of hatred towards Israel in the Arab world.

What does Israel think it will achieve by using its high tech weapons against Hamas?  Everyone knows militarily Israel is superior, but this superiority does not act as a confidence building measure, but rather it promotes extremism by Arab youth and hence put more peoples lives at risk.

If the IDF is to continue with a ground offensive then Israel will suffer fatalities, how will the Israeli public react to this?  What Israel needs to do now is to stop the attack on Gaza, allow relief efforts into the West Bank and engage with Hamas to seek a settlement.

There is no other option for Israel, the situation in Palestine is different to Lebanon were citizens of that country could flee, the Palestinians are locked in to a narrow strip of land and cannot leave their homes.

In terms of comments by the Jewish Diaspora in the London Daily News when foreigners question the logic of attacking Hamas using F-16's and Apache helicopters do you honestly think you will win this way?  If the "apparatus" of Hamas is dismantled another extremist more militant group will spring up.  Why not adopt the opposite of what you are doing now.  Invest build up the West Bank and Palestine, let the Arabs have a livelihood and eliminate the need for conflict.  

Moreover as this conflict escalates the fewer doors are left open to either Israel or the Arabs, and the only winner here will be Israel's enemies the Iranians who have played a very strong hand again.  The leader of Iran has used his very effective Press TV channel to convey Iran as the moderate voice of the Muslim world and to organise international opinion against Israel.  

Ultimately will Israel be safer after this war?  We hope but this is unlikely.

photo credit: IDF archive