I don't understand the Israeli strategy here.  When you are kind to the cruel you end up being cruel to the kind.  I never thought that Peretz would be more hawkish than Olmert.  You never get a better chance than your first chance and he has blown the first and second chances.  How did Israel elect a Jimmy Carter type as PM? 

Hi Doc,

I want to be delicate about this, Peretz is not more hawkish.. He's more a bit out of his league so his response as the Defense Minister is likely an extension of what the Defense organization feels needs to be done as opposed to his own personal view or wishes. If say I or yourself  were made CEO of a major international company one night out of the blue, we'd probably also go with that the board says for a while as we'd be understandably out of our depth in the interim..

RE Olmert, again being brief until the war is over.. He's concerned about his party platform which calls for withdrawals, every metre that the IDF progresses into Lebanon is another chip away at the logic of his plans. I think that was clearish, I don't want to venture into these topics much more I'm sure you understand. But please feel free to discuss them. He's not Jimmy, he's hawkish & stubborn but he's unfortunately also a politician.

Cheers

How much longer can Israel endure the ineptitude of its leadership?  I understand the need for unity it war, but the more critical need–especially for Israel–is competent leadership in war.  The Kadima coalition is an unmitigated disaster. I cannot believe that 24 days into the war, the North is still under relentless rocket and missile attack.  There should be no ground left to fire Katushas from and nailing Fajr-5 launchers AFTER they have done their damage is hardly a victory. I cannot imagine a Netanyahu-run war going this way.  I fear for Israel in the years ahead if decisive, crushing action is not forthcoming soonest.

Hi Gus – you are correct on many points in my opinion, but?the government is democratically elected and it must be supported full tilt now in conflict.?

A full push, orderly and organized to the Litani River is needed, I think you will see this consensus develop now.. Is there time? Israel must make time and this touches on leadership again.

Today’s heart wrenching rocket attack hit a squad of reserve unit paratroopers (EDIT: Some tzanhani, mostly gunners called up 24 hours earlier.. oy), the reserves are often a bit older, with families & children, the mood in Israel is one of rage?over these rockets, this was a tragedy of epic proportions for Israel and I am consumed by sadness.

Update: From Ynet on the tragedy

YNET: [...] The soldiers congregated in an open field near the Tel Hai cemetery, 200 meters from the kibbutz’s entrance.

The soldiers had arrived at the meeting point in trucks laden with ammunitions and equipment.

Around 12:20 pm a rocket barrage was fired from Lebanon and one rocket scored a direct hit in the meeting point.

Paramedics who took part in the evacuation efforts spoke of horrific scenes.

“Never saw anything like that’

A reserve military doctor who treated some of the injured said: “One of the soldiers I treated said he heard the explosion and ran in shock to check if his friends are ok. He found the bodies of two of his friends. He was shocked and suffered a nervous breakdown from the difficult sight. The first hours of shock victims are most critical and I hope he overcomes this.”

Eli Peretz, was one of the first paramedics to arrive at the scene: “We…saw very difficult sights. A whole group was injured some very seriously. The lightly injured ran in all directions. We transferred the seriously injured by helicopter to hospitals in Haifa…I never saw a more difficult incident.” [...]

“Reutered” is the New Word…

Lots going on today, and I do mean LOTS.
First off, the Reuters photo.  YNet News has the scoop of Reuters admitting the photo was doctored.  Any idiot with Photoshop could pull this job in under 5 minutes.  Left & Right has another point that …

When will they learn……

When will the mainstream media learn… You go up against the conservative war machine, and you don’t have your facts right, or play fast and lose with them… YOU LOSE! Game, set, match Mofo, and they will pile on: Cox……

Sadly, I fear that Olmert cares much more about Ha-aretz than ha-eretz.  How else to explain his indecisiveness and flip-flopping on IDF goals.   Yes, I do understand and agree with your point about Peretz.  He is not intrinsically a hawk, but the ostensibly more hawkish Olmert has appeared to many of us strong supporters of Israel in the diaspora to have been unexplainably weak.   I was in Israel when the first soldier was kidnapped by Hamas and I will be travelling back to Israel in one week (Aug. 13/14).  Personally, I have no fear for my own safety.  But I am more worried about Israel than any time since September 1973.   I also want to thank you for your excellent blog. 

ReutersGate/2…

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