Israel declares missing soldier dead as Gaza toll rises

Wikileaks have been posting some interesting leaked cables by the Israeli government to the US Embassy in Tel Aviv. I think they mentioned on Twitter that the cables were part of what Snowden revealed. One is in reference to Lebanon and the official policy after that war in 2006 about how to respond to threats.

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/08TELAVIV2329_a.html

(OC Northern Command Maj. Gen. Gadi) Eisenkot labeled any Israeli response to resumed conflict the "Dahiya doctrine" in reference to the leveled Dahiya quarter in Beirut during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. He said Israel will use disproportionate force upon any village that fires upon Israel, "causing great damage and destruction." Eisenkot made very clear: this is not a recommendation, but an already approved plan -- from the Israeli perspective, these are "not civilian villages, they are military bases." Eisenkot in this statement echoed earlier private statements made by IDF Chief of General Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, who said the next fight in Southern Lebanon would come at a much higher cost for both sides -- and that the IDF would not hold back.

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/08TELAVIV2447_a.html

Since the Hamas takeover, Israel has designated Gaza as a &hostile entity," and maintained an economic embargo against the territory. Under this designation, decisions on shekels in circulation in Gaza and the territory's economy in general are treated by the GOI as security matters, and therefore are subject to the same high levesl of uncertainty that the GOI uses to keep potential sources of security threat off-balance. Israeli officials have confirmed to Embassy officials on multiple occasions that they intend to keep the Gazan economy functioning at the lowest level possible consistent with avoiding a humanitarian crisis.

So, nearly 30 Palestinians killed -- and nearly all women and children, including those in a UN school! -- for every Israeli. Nah, no excessive force by Israel at all. I wonder if they're using illegal and chemical weapons like last time with the white phosphorous and what not.

The Israel response to this Ghetto uprising is to kill as many civilians as possible before they become radicalised. Destroy the infrastructure limititing such simple things like being able to wash your children after their playmates get splattered all over them. Nice use of SMART weapons, guess the bomb is only as smart as it's user.

@erbaviva Nobody came to help the Israelis either. Notice that?

Nobody came to help the Israelis either. Notice that?

Do you mean the US selling them millions of dollars worth of weapons during the current fighting isn't helping them? And from the lopsided state of affairs does Israel need anybody to come help them?

Nobody came to help Isreal? UN vetoes from the US, massive military support US, Germany paying reparations, yep no body has helped Isreal. And do they need help? They have their "enemy" boxed into a concrete incircled Ghetto and their main targets are UN safe areas and schools, that they have previously destroyed, damn those pesky children having fun on the sand, or sheltering at school, curse those who would threaten Isreal by going to a market to buy food, such threats are and will be delt with a massive response.

and were the first to build drones

Well that would depend on what you are calling a drone. The US successfully used Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones, during the Vietnam war.

I thought it was pretty clear that when I said "Nobody came to help" that I meant "people" "coming" " to help". I did not mean mere support with cash and arms.

I don't remember what countries were mentioned by erbaviva anymore and the post is gone. But neighboring countries are supporting the Palestinians in some ways, just enough that they don't get smacked by Israel again. Those neighbors sure as heck are not supporting Israel.

I thought it was pretty clear that when I said "Nobody came to help" that I meant "people" "coming" " to help". I did not mean mere support with cash and arms.

No, it was not clear at all.

But neighboring countries are supporting the Palestinians in some ways, just enough that they don't get smacked by Israel again. Those neighbors sure as heck are not supporting Israel.

Yeah, Egypt has blocked the border crossing and has been destroying tunnels. Quite the support there.

The Austrians used balloons back in 1849, against Italy, I think?

And those balloons would have had people in them, I think? And thus would not be drones.

"But neighboring countries are supporting the Palestinians in some ways."

No they aren't. Egypt, Jordon, Saudi, etc. are keeping their distance. Some there are blasting Hamas for its human shield policy.

New York Times: "Arab Leaders, Viewing Hamas as Worse Than Israel, Stay Silent"

And once again the article doesnt mention in a word the thousands of rockets fired from Gaza on Isaraeli cities. Hypocracy

No there were bombs but not people so early form of drones?

Well that would depend on what you call a drone, which was my original comment and which you have yet to answer.

And once again the article doesnt mention in a word the thousands of rockets fired from Gaza on Isaraeli cities. Hypocracy

A few points:

1) the article does mention the rockets, twice.

2) the lead element of the article is the life of a single Israeli soldier. The lives of the 110 Palestinians killed in the operation Israel launched in response to that incident is only mentioned in passing at the bottom of the article.

3) I think what you are suggesting, albeit without any connection to facts or reality, is the existence of a double standard rather than hypocricy.

And once again the article doesnt mention in a word the thousands of rockets fired from Gaza on Isaraeli cities.

One would think you would be more concerned about the number of people who died from those rockets.

Oh. Not a large enough number for the propaganda blitz? Yeah, one since the Israelis started shooting does not exactly inspire outrage or sympathy.

Hamas , like any other terrorist organization will never respect a truce. They are on their last legs now and will try their best to carry out that one big attack which will get them more funds from their fundamentalist supporters in the Arab world.

Fire a rocket from near a hospital and scoot, knowing well that an Israeli response will come and children will die. The dead baby display strategy of Hamas is sickening, but what is worse is that people are falling for it.

Fire a rocket from near a hospital and scoot, knowing well that an Israeli response will come and children will die.

@ulysses So knowing the strategy and knowing that the shooters have fled, they still flatten the hospital?

What's next? The Devil made me do it?

@Crush Them

Do you expect them not to react at all ????

Its like an open invitation to Hamas to fire as many rockets as they want, replenish their supplies and fire some more. There are only so many rockets the Iron Dome can handle.

The Hamas and other Islamic terrorists are not know to have a soft side.

Do you expect them not to react at all ????

When it is a choice between a reaction that kills dozens of innocent children and no reaction then yeah, I`m pretty comfortable with saying that they should hold fire in that situation.

Do you expect them not to react at all ????

@ulysses

So if the police cannot find who killed your neighbor, you are good with them blowing up your house as a reaction?

Failing to find the perps, YES, I expect them to do nothing! What good is it killing kids in their place?

But of course there is the reaction of freeing Palestine. You know, not pretend to do it, but actually do it. Drop the blockade. Cease the flyovers. Recognize Palestine's independence.

If Palestine is ever going to be peaceful, it can only happen from within. The Israelis trying to do it from without has been failing for 6 decades now.

@ senseiman, Crush Them

The Israelis are not too keen on lying down meekly and let the Hamas killing machine destroy each one of them. I am sure most other nations in the world also are keen on self preservation.

It is easy to walk on a moral high ground when you dont have death hanging over you every moment, day and night. Seeing rockets come in without provocations, suicide bombers blow themselves up randomly and listening to a group which rules your neighbouring terrtory describe destruction of Israel as its primary objective, changes perspective, at least a little.

I`m pretty comfortable with saying that they should hold fire in that situation.

The problem here is the 'comfort'.

Unfortunately the ones that have rockets raining down on them, dont have any 'comfort'.

Unfortunately the ones that have rockets raining down on them, dont have any 'comfort'.

1) Unless you have rockets raining down on you, then you are in the same boat and that point is meaningless within the context of this discussion.

2) Even if we are to use your suggested lack of comfort as a basis for legitimizing one side in the conflict, surely this would lead one to sympathize much more for the Palestinians who have had way more rockets (etc) raining down on them than the Israelis have.

who have had way more rockets (etc) raining down on them than the Israelis have.

This is not a prize fight where you pull for the underdog. It is a situation where Hamas is using women and children both as a shield and a weapon to win outside sympathy and support.

It is good that most of the world is smart enough to see through Hamas histrionics.

It is a situation where Hamas is using women and children both as a shield and a weapon to win outside sympathy and support.

The Israelis keep repeating this mantra, yet continue the bombing. They are either incredibly stupid, (which I sincerely doubt) or deliberately committing war crimes.

yet continue the bombing.

What is the alternative?

Rolling over and playing dead does not work in real wars, nor turning the other cheek.

deliberately committing war crimes.

In an area run by criminals who routinely bump off their opponents, mostly of their own kind, who will judge what is a war crime and what is not?

This is not a prize fight where you pull for the underdog.

I`m not rooting for the underdog, I think Hamas is a horrible group. Criticism of Israel for killing massive numbers of civilians does not equal support for Hamas.

In an area run by criminals who routinely bump off their opponents, mostly of their own kind, who will judge what is a war crime and what is not?

Ummm...international law? Pretty crystal clear as a legal proposition that an army which knowingly bombs schools full of children is committing war crimes. Hamas has probably committed them too, but that fact in no way serves as an excuse or justification for Israeli atrocities.

Ummm...international law?

If naivety were a fuel, we would never be out of power.

How do you differentiate between what is a war crime and what is not.

US bombed a few shelters in the Iraq war, Afghan civilians died during that war. I did not hear of anybody being persecuted there.

So just because Hamas ensures a daily parade of dead body of children, you expect this to become a war crime???

It is good that most of the world is smart enough to see through Hamas histrionics.

They certainly see through the "innocent victim defending itself" deceit:

http://mondoweiss.net/2014/07/worldwide-protest-israeli.html

They certainly see through the "innocent victim defending itself" deceit:

Demonstrations, rallies by a minority who are more extreme in their beliefs dont prove much.

Extremism, terrorism are all about minority opinions expressed through brute force.

The countries which matter see through this facade,in fact there is not too much support for Hamas even in the Arab world.

So just because Hamas ensures a daily parade of dead body of children, you expect this to become a war crime???

Israel is the one ensuring the daily parade of dead children, being the one which is actually killing them. As far as I know, Hamas for all its faults hasn`t actually killed any children in this conflict. Israel has killed over 300. That anybody can defend that sickens me. That is my final word on this.

Hamas for all its faults hasn`t actually killed any children in this conflict.

Children have been injured, mainly Arab citizens of Israel living in the "open areas" where some of these rockets have landed. Hamas is essentially little or no control where these rockets are going to land. As military hardware goes, these rockets are a step or two up from pyrotechnics -- very small and light with payload to match. Yes, like pyrotechnics, they can cause death and injury, but they're nothing compared to what Israel is sending back.

Which brings up another issue: Israel claims it is targeting civilian buildings because that is where Hamas is firing these rockets from. But think about it. These rockets are light and portable enough to be set up and fired from just about anywhere. And once they are fired, the building where they were carried to no longer holds them. So destroying the building and the people in it no longer has a defensive purpose, but is purely retaliatory in nature.

So to combat those rockets from a purely preemptive defense standpoint would mean that Israel would need to level every building in Gaza. It's more than likely that rocket caches are being stored underground and moved to the areas where they will be fired shortly before.

ulysses,

Extremism, terrorism are all about minority opinions expressed through brute force.

Exactly. The Israeli people, who as a nation of conscripts rally behind their govt. during war, sees through Netanyahu's extremism, and the Far Right's bully boy terror tactics.

They are a minority. They will not prevail.