By agreeing to "suspend" the war for a daily trickle of hostages, Israel placed sentiment over national strength and honor -- and any chance at victory.
Israel should have told Hamas We consider the hostages Dead. You have to be a brutal asthey ae.
There was a TV show Crime Story Some bad guys have got hostages
"Lt. Mike Torello: Hey you. You hurt anybody else, when this is over, I'm gonna find what you love the most and I'm gonna kill it. Your mother, your father, your dog... don't matter what it is, it's dead.
It is hard to believe that the Israelis did not anticipate this response/ploy by Hamas. You do not hear much about how the ground assault is proceeding (it must be great, otherwise the press would be telling us how bad things are going). There is every possibility that the delay is actually benefitting Israel. More time to seal and destroy tunnels already under their control, more time to get the maximum armaments committed and delivered, more time to get the laser rocket defense implemented, more time to plan and get ready for their next phase (utilizing the knowledge learned from this first phase). I am also optimistic. This looks like rope-a-dope to me.
I agree with you that the pause and willingness to negotiate for the release of hostages was misguided and a mistake. I strongly disagree with your pessimistic take that Israel will not resume the war and ultimately end the reign of Hamas. I am certain that they will. They told Blinken as much when he insisted on attending a war cabinet meeting as reported on Israeli news. The country nearly to a person insists on it. And not incidentally the vast majority also insisted Israel rescue at least the children which it has now done. I expect the war to resume within days with full force. I know you hope I am right. I think I am.
You bet I hope you are right. But Israel did not rescue any hostages; it paid a form of ransom for them, the ransom being the Hamas-desired cease fire.
As to Blinken and Israeli officials: What they say on camera is one thing. What they say off camera is, I strongly suspect, something else.
Israel should have told Hamas We consider the hostages Dead. You have to be a brutal asthey ae.
There was a TV show Crime Story Some bad guys have got hostages
"Lt. Mike Torello: Hey you. You hurt anybody else, when this is over, I'm gonna find what you love the most and I'm gonna kill it. Your mother, your father, your dog... don't matter what it is, it's dead.
It is hard to believe that the Israelis did not anticipate this response/ploy by Hamas. You do not hear much about how the ground assault is proceeding (it must be great, otherwise the press would be telling us how bad things are going). There is every possibility that the delay is actually benefitting Israel. More time to seal and destroy tunnels already under their control, more time to get the maximum armaments committed and delivered, more time to get the laser rocket defense implemented, more time to plan and get ready for their next phase (utilizing the knowledge learned from this first phase). I am also optimistic. This looks like rope-a-dope to me.
Don Burden
I agree with you that the pause and willingness to negotiate for the release of hostages was misguided and a mistake. I strongly disagree with your pessimistic take that Israel will not resume the war and ultimately end the reign of Hamas. I am certain that they will. They told Blinken as much when he insisted on attending a war cabinet meeting as reported on Israeli news. The country nearly to a person insists on it. And not incidentally the vast majority also insisted Israel rescue at least the children which it has now done. I expect the war to resume within days with full force. I know you hope I am right. I think I am.
You bet I hope you are right. But Israel did not rescue any hostages; it paid a form of ransom for them, the ransom being the Hamas-desired cease fire.
As to Blinken and Israeli officials: What they say on camera is one thing. What they say off camera is, I strongly suspect, something else.
Fair point about rescue vs. ransom. Yet I remain optimistic.