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Negotiation = Escalation?
WWI and II brought about the clear defeat of the enemy. While it's possible to argue the value of the long-term effects on modern history, the negotiations were clearly between the victor and the vanquished. The immediate result was some measure of peace from massive warfare.
Since the end of WWII, localized wars have had negotiated endings with "equality" between the participants. Each side was able to argue it had the upper hand and had the force of right on its side. And so we have the aging, but not quiet demarcation line in Korea; the world stood by watching millions slaughtered in Cambodia following a negotiated surrender in Vietnam; the ebb-tide of civil war and terrorist control grows completing the destruction of a once-prosperous Lebanon; and deadly missiles penetrate the skies over Israel. All of these “conflicts” and more in Africa, eastern Europe and Asia are smothered by uncountable reams of paper, all filed under PEACE AGREEMENTS, signed by 100's of the world's best negotiators and destined for dusty tomes of history.
Is it not possible that these very negotiations are protagonists in the wars? That the negotiators’ give and take prolong the suffering, increase the death toll, and eventually destroy the homelands, economies, and culture of the ones they claim to be ‘saving’? The evidence would seem to indicate just that.
Perhaps, however, it’s not the negotiation of peace that is the culprit, but the lack of wisdom and justice demonstrated by the negotiators.
It would seem that the firm rule of justice needed as the basis for any negotiation is either undefined or crippled by a prevailing unwillingness to recognize, label and stand against even the obviously evil actions of those who murder babies in their beds for political gain. The world powers seem to excuse the use of any means to justify any end, especially if it is demanded under threat of violence – in much the same way as local justice systems today make excuses for criminals. And so blood fills the streets of our cities.
Perhaps it is an unwillingness to destroy evil that strengthens the spirit of compromise by the strong with the weak, even compromise by the obviously good with the clearly evil, that determines the failure of the process?
Isn’t anyone with the power to change this failed political culture asking the right questions? Are there no clear-minded leaders with the power to enforce just agreements?
Violent pressure tactics are an important part of today’s negotiations, as obvious from this May 31st headline which appeared in the DEBKAfile newsletter (see “www.debka.com”):
"Hamas threatens Gaza escalation..." just as PM Olmert is planning a Washington trip.
In that article it says, ‘Mahmoud A-Zahar, speaking for Hamas in an interview Saturday, May 31, threatened that if Israel rejects his group’s ceasefire terms in Gaza and refuses to end its blockade, “the Palestinians will resort to all means at their disposal including armed force.”’ Of course, the ceasefire terms on the table are not those which Israel can accept. In essence: It’s give in or die.
Meanwhile, some of Israel’s military and intelligence leaders confirm what common sense should make apparent: the longer Israel waits to clean out Gaza, the more of her soldiers will pay with their lives. Worse, many civilians on both sides will be injured or killed in the “collateral damage”, as they call it euphemistically
Meanwhile, on the 3rd of June, Hamas backed up their threat by firing a multiple Launch rocket that was made in Iran. There was no damage since it landed but it could have been devastating as it carried a heavier payload.
Kibbutz Nirim in the Negev was hit on June 5th and Amnon Rosenberg, the 51 year old father of three was killed when the factory where he was worked was hit. Two others were injured seriously and other lightly.
Turkey now is the intermediary trying to bring about an agreement between Syria and Israel. While several Israeli Prime Ministers have stated that the Golan is negotiable in theory, there has been no agreement. Now that Hizbollah is threatening Israel again and Syria can stand behind the terrorist force, Syria has upped the ante. Now Syrian’s PM Assad is talking about the shores of the Sea of Galilee. This is another condition that Israel cannot afford to approve.
Today the Jerusalem Report is reporting that….
Kassam rockets and mortar shells pound western Negev
Despite IDF operations in Gaza which killed a Hamas gunman early Friday and the looming possibility of a large scale IDF raid on the trip, Palestinian terrorists persisted with their rocket and mortar shell attacks on southern Israel. “
And so it continues……at the table and on the ground.
For how long?
Israel Responds to Hamas Missiles