Boruch Dayan Emes
Posted on 01/12/2014 8:54:01 AM PST by Former Fetus
The formative moment of Ariel Sharon’s life came in May 1948; not with the Declaration of Independence – which he heard on the radio wafting out of an open window on his way to kiss his girlfriend Gali before a mission – but with the battle for Latrun, 11 days later, in which he was left for dead.
>>SNIP<<
For the first and last time in my life as a commander, I gave the order: retreat, retreat and leave the wounded in the field.
“There was no choice. I had to save the few that were still alive. I lay there, tormented by pain. The few who were able to move, passed me by. “Should we leave you here, too?” Yes, me too. I saw the eyes of those who fled. They contained shock and sorrow, immense pain. That look accompanies me to this day, always.”
>>SNIP<<
Bugin, though, wordlessly helped him through the hellish vista, boosting him up over terraces and relying on Sharon’s infallible sense of direction to guide them back through the killing field. >>snip<<
>>SNIP<<
They continued like that for hours, until Sharon, spotting the jeep that would rescue them, passed out.
But he did not forget the experience. As commander of the Paratroops and Unit 101, Israel’s first true elite force, he made it an ironclad rule that the injured never be left in the field. And when, in September 2001, he became the first Likud prime minister to say that Israel “wants to give the Palestinians what no one else ever has: the opportunity to establish a state of their own,” he did so, not by coincidence, at Latrun.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofisrael.com ...
Boruch Dayan Emes
How can anyone negotiate a real peace between Palestine and Israel? If either makes a major concession to the other, it essentially negates the rational of its own existence. Can Israel retreat to its “indefensible” pre 1967 borders or give up control of Jerusalem? Can the Palestinians concede property claims and civil rights even in those pre 1967 borders? Both claim the same lands. There will be peace only when one or the other ceases to be a definable political entity.
‘And when, in September 2001, he became the first Likud prime minister to say that Israel “wants to give the Palestinians what no one else ever has: the opportunity to establish a state of their own,” he did so, not by coincidence, at Latrun.’
When I read this I have to wonder if the guy just lost his marbles by a certain age. Why would he want to let blood-thirsty, death-worshiping savages/barbarians have their own country within Israel??? That’s just suicidal!
Simple reason. Because it undercut their claim to land where Jews lived, and wanted to keep. And because he knew the Arabs would make a hash of it, further undercutting their legitimacy. Gaza has proven his point.
Its far less dangerous to have them as bad but feckless neighboring states than as murderous enemies within the state.
I can only imagine what it would be like to have been a European Jew in 1948 - and having survived WWII and the Holocaust, to suddenly see the potential for one’s own independent state.
Its no wonder such a group would be willing to fight to every last man, and to every ounce of their strength strength. Their will, motivation and dedication must have been indestructible.
I suspect it was all about simple math. They all realized that the military and financial commitment to protect 6,000-7,000 Israeli settlers living among 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza was absurd.
How would it undercut the Palies’ claim?
And they're still pushing to give away the Golan Heights, as well?
Now what? Wow much the Iron Dome's trying to protect Israeli lives near Gaza?
"Don't Negotiate with Terrorists!"
Ronald Reagan
That's why the Palestinians need to be shipped to the real Palestinian state, aka Jordan!
Because it becomes obvious that they are savage to each other and can’t be trusted to live in peace with anyone. If they were civilized and successful in Gaza they would have far more traction regarding land claims in Israel proper.
They no longer need Israeli soldiers daily patrolling the streets of Gaza and getting into propaganda disputes as a result.
Oh well if IDF's were still patrolling the area from land and UAVs you probably don't hear Iron Dome today with $40,000 per piece hi-tech missile to stop a $100 per piece terrorists' missile to hit populated or industrial area.
Iron dome is mainly intended to stop more significant threats than short range ironmongery.
It seems to have effectively precluded actually damaging escalation. Hamas seems to have lost their enthusiasm for the kassam bombardment. And, everything considered, it seems to have been a cheap solution, economically and politically, compared to the alternatives.
Even Ariel Sharon knew that it's easier to ship 6,000 Israeli settlers than 1.5 million Palestinians out of Gaza.
Palestinians are just plain old Arabs, there are plenty of Arab states for them to choose from.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.