Humanity, Tommy Tainant, et al,
Whatever else you might think of Israel, they did not become the most successful country in the immediate region through stupidity. You may not agree with the strategies they adopted, the paths they have taken, or the choices they have made; but in the overall ∑ total of all things considered --- not bad.
Don't think for a minute that they have not conducted a risk assessment on the probable outcomes to the question of lifting the blockade. The facts on the ground have changed and seemed constantly moving; so the "Risk Assessment" is constantly up-dated.
And there is the political angle to consider. If Israel were to relax or lift the Naval Blockade today, that would be propagandized as both a military and political victory for HAMAS and essentially vindicating the violence employed and the strategies used to break the (so-called) siege. Each time HAMAS attempts to exploit the actions of Israel, relative to the conditions in which they find themselves, the aggravate the conditions more and actually induce a setback. AND, every time HAMAS or the Palestinian terrorist in general, conduct hostile operations, then they cannot even used the provisions of
Article 6, Fourth Geneva Convention, to end application of the Convention for one-year after the close of military operations. Every time HAMAS, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (all splinter groups), and the martyr's brigades (eg al-Aqsa and al-Qassam) opens up hostilities, the the clock is reset. There has no been a continuous year of non-violence since the time the Arab-Palestinians first pledged there would be no peace, when the Khartoum Resolution reaffirmed it, and as Khaled Meshaal repeated in the last several years.
Thought I would start this new thread rather than allowing the question to derail an ongoing OP...
The answer has to be, for me at least, I have no idea if Hamas would stop firing rockets into Israel...
However, it wouldn't be a bad first step by Israel would it, in an attempt to finding a peaceful solution.
Let's face it, the blockade could VERY easily be reimplemented should Hamas be found to be firing rockets into Israel once the blockade were lifted...
Lift the blockade on the condition that no rockets are fired into Israel by Hamas.
Any Hamas rockets fired into Israel results in an immediate implementation of the blockade.
Easy right?
(COMMENT)
There is no reason to believe that the Hostile Arab Palestinians will adopt a non-violent posture upon lifting the Naval Blockade. The Palestinians will simply exploit the Mediterranean gateway to smuggle more weapons.
* Example:
On 5 March, the Israeli Navy intercepted a ship containing dozens of long-range rockets being smuggled from Iran to the Gaza Strip.
Anything which helped those people would be welcomed.However it would need to be accompanied by the Israelis stopping their random slaughter.
(COMMENT)
There is no "random slaughter" on the part of the Israelis. Israel has been under intense scrutiny by the UN Membership, select UN Activities and NGOs, since the turn of the century. And each time Israel has taken action against the Palestinians, there were numerous Hostile Arab Palestinian attacks that preceded the Israeli Response.
Security Council Resolution 2220 (2015) EXCERPTS:
• Page 1/9
Noting that this resolution focuses on the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, including in respect of Council-mandated arms embargoes,
Gravely concerned that the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons in many regions of the world continue to pose threats to international peace and security, cause significant loss of life, contribute to instability and insecurity and continue to undermine the effectiveness of the Security Council in discharging its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,
Page 4/9
Expressing its determination to implement existing and to take further practical steps to prevent the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, including in support of other ongoing processes,
1. Welcomes efforts made by Member States, regional and subregional organizations in addressing the illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons, and encourages the establishment or strengthening, where appropriate, of subregional and regional cooperation, coordination and information sharing mechanisms, in particular, transborder customs cooperation and networks for information-sharing, with a view to preventing, combating, and eradicating illicit transfer, destabilizing accumulation and misuse of small arms and light weapons;
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10. Recognizes the need for Member States to put in place, where they do not exist, adequate laws, regulations and administrative procedures to exercise effective control over the production of small arms and light weapons within their areas of jurisdiction and over the export, import, transit or retransfer of such we apons, in order to prevent illegal manufacture of and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons, or their diversion to unauthorized recipients;
This tells you that the UN is fully aware, at some level, that the Palestinians are attempting to illicitly import weapons from numerous sources. I encourage you to read the "Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) Report
S/2015/289 on the issue.
"HAMAS and Jordanian Brotherhood Smuggle Weapons into Palestinian Territories" EXCERPTS
IPT News Service 2 December 2014
The Israeli Navy has foiled numerous attempts to smuggle weapons to Hamas off the coast of Gaza since the end of last summer's war.
"There have been a number of smuggling attempts in recent months that we have thwarted. We are monitoring the area day and night; thwarting smuggling is one of central missions," a senior Israeli navy source told the Jerusalem Post.
Meanwhile, members of Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood reportedly tried to create a secret military organization planning terrorist attacks in the West Bank, senior Jordanian sources told Al-Hayat.
Jordanian officials arrested 21 Muslim Brotherhood personnel for smuggling money and weapons into the West Bank. Two of the suspects were charged with getting military training in Gaza.
The Jordanian sources revealed that "these two young men tried to train other Muslim Brotherhood members in order to carry out operations in the occupied West Bank." Salah al-Arouri, a senior Hamas official based in Turkey, also came up in the investigation.
These allegations come after Israeli authorities thwarted a large-scale transnational Hamas network planning to attack Israelis in Jerusalem, the West Bank and overseas. Hamas' new headquarters in Turkey reportedly oversees the terrorist organization's West Bank operations.
SOURCE: Investigative Project on Terrorism
(SIDEBAR)
There is no question that the Palestinians have mounted a superior campaign for hearts and minds on social media. This propaganda program has multiple purposes and multiple fronts, but its most immediate effect was to open an extremely exploitable
exposé on three fronts:
• The disparity between civilian deaths; as if the casualties on each side must be equal. Do not make association relative to Customary Law Rules 23 and 24.
• To make an association between Israeli Security Barriers and "apartheid" and playing the "race card" at every opportunity. This disguises three factors:
∆ The actual mean in ICC Code of the Crime of "Apartheid."
∆ The fact that Israel has more racially diverse population than the Palestinians.
∆ That there are people trying to break-in to Israel from Africa. The number of immigrants that arrived illegally was estimated to be 26,635 in 2010, and over 55,000 during the period 2010 to 2012. The Palestinians do not have an illegal immigration problem. It is the Hashemite Kingdom that has a control problem with Palestinians illegally crossing into Jordan.
There is no reason to suggest that the Hostile Arab Palestinians will cease operations against Israel, when that is blockade is simply one of their goals. Just as the old Palestine National Charter (1968) indicated, and as the HAMAS Policy (2012) describes today, Israel is not a country by a province of Palestine.
Some of what we will put forth would fall under the category of fundamentals and principles, and some under policies and positions. These are summed up as follows: (2 of 19 Points)
1. Palestine, from its river to its sea, from its north to its south, is the land of the Palestinians; their homeland, and their legitimate right. We will not relinquish an inch or any part of it -for any reason or under any circumstances and pressures.
2. Palestine, in its entirety, is an Arab and Islamic land. It has Islamic and Arab affiliations and is considered a blessed and sacred land. Moreover, it has a special place in the heart of every Arab and Muslim, as well as standing and respect in all religions.
Or we can to the beginning:
In conclusion, the Arab Higher Committee Delegation wishes to stress the following:
(a) The Arabs of Palestine will never recognise the validity of the extorted partition recommendations or the authority of the United Nations to make them.
(b) The Arabs of Palestine consider that any attempt by the Jews or any power group of powers to establish a Jewish state in Arab territory is an act of aggression which will be resisted in self-defense.
(c) It is very unwise and fruitless to ask any commission to proceed to Palestine because not a single Arab will cooperate with the said Commission.
(d) The United Nations or its Commission should not be misled to believe that its efforts in the partition plan will meet with any success. It will be far better for the eclipsed prestige of this organization not to start on this adventure.
(e) The United Nations prestige will be better served by abandoning, not enforcing such an injustice.
(f) The determination of every Arab in Palestine is to oppose in every way the partition of that country.
(g) The Arabs of Palestine made a solemn declaration before the United Nations, before God and history, that they will never submit or yield to any power going to Palestine to enforce partition. The only way to establish partition is first to wipe them out — man, woman and child.
As long as there is a State of Israel WHERE the Jewish People can construct a safe haven, free from the political expedient expulsions; --- a land where they can preserve and protect their culture from the excesses of outside leaders acting under the color of law; there will be an opposition. In 1891 it was the Czar, 1933 it was the NAZI supported by England and the US, and today it is the Arab, supported by the UN.
Most Respectfully,
R
