Monday, July 17, 2006

Israeli Public Opinion

Just a short post to note what I've been reading just now. Our news sites here have a popular feedback feature. Extremely popular lol, leading stories can get 200-300 comments in a couple of hours. What can I say, every 2 Israelis have 3 opinions. Anyway, reading those comments today doesn't make me very happy. Looks like people are getting angrier by the day... feelings of revenge and of "let our army hit them harder", people calling for the IDF to escalate the attacks on Lebanon.

The article itself I did like. It was an interview with a senior officer in the IDF who said that Israel will not escalate the war, even if the Hezbulla hits Tel Aviv. He said that Tel Aviv is just like any other settlement, no more, no less (that bit upset the Tel Avivians lol). Said that Israel does not want to reach the point where Lebanon will not be able to re-build its infrastructure. That the Israeli response is well measured, in that respect, and will not be escalated unless the Hezbulla escalates things by hitting strategic targets within Israel. Incidentally, the officer also mentioned that Israel is deliberately avoiding hitting Lebanese national treasures and tourists attractions, as we consider them to be strategic assets for Lebanon and don't want them destroyed beyond repair.

I have heard the Hezbulla is hoping for the Israeli public to panic and tire of the war, and put pressure on the government to reach a cease fire. Well, Nassy dear, you're acheiving the complete opposite so far. Israelis are getting angrier, but the pressure they apply is in the opposite direction...
Boy, did he get flamed! People went ballistic (pardon the pun). They said this was as good as providing Hezbulla with a license to hit Tel Aviv. That the IDF should not hold back and just erase any place in Lebanon where they suspect there are Hezbulla supporters and also hit targets that will increase pressure on the Lebanese government to act.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Annette, it is excruciating watching this unfold. One so wants Hezbollah to wake up and smell cooperation. One suspects they could not care less, though, hell, their jobs are being Hezbollah's, fer Pete Sakes, paid by "other" people.
Israel has to protect herself, most Americans I know agree fully. So tired of religious nuts, on all sides, any more. How do they expect a world to get by with their overweaning smug certainties about their "mission"? Punkasses.