Amos Oz warns 'catastrophe' of Gaza invasion

[bemildred]

JERUSALEM (AFP) — Novelist Amos Oz, a leader of Israel's peace movement, warned on Tuesday against an invasion of the Gaza Strip to snuff out militant rocket fire, saying it could prove catastrophic.

He called for a ceasefire with the Islamist movement Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in June and does not recognise Israel's right to exist.

"Israel should refrain from sending its army into Gaza," Oz told public radio amid growing calls for an all-out assault.

"Israel would expose itself to far more losses in such an operation than those that took place during seven years of rocket fire (on southern Israel)" since the September 2000 outbreak of the Palestinian uprising, he said.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5houoWAjq3S1WtciX_0Omsf_pfqfg

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. I grew up respecting Amos Oz, but he lost me w/the second Intifada

So please keep that in context ... just when we could have had peace, it was snatched away. Oz and the other peaceniks kept their silence for a long time after that - and have nothing new to contribute now.

Israeli public opinion has been most patient, but street demonstrations cannot be ignored. The rockets must be stopped - and the the Palestinians and Egyptians won't do it, the Israelis must.

I regret everyone's losses in this, but Farah is literally asking for it. The settlers are out of the way - whoever is there is taking the ultimate risk.

[Vegasaurus]

2. A ground invasion will be ugly

but perhaps it will stop the rocket fire. Hamas wins the stupidity prize for putting its citizens in harm's way, when it could prevent any incursion completely.

[Sit-rep]

3. No it's won't be ugly

No a ground invasion of Gaza would not be ugly. First Israel shuts everything down. All borders screwed down tight. No gas, no power and no water. Two armoured brigades drive just north of the Philidelphi crossing and cut Gaza in two.

Gaza is in military terms a shit sandwich. IDF on one side and the azure blue waters of the Med on the other and HAMAS and in between. Roughly 7500 Kassems have been launched against Israel Sderot and the western Negev. Critical mass politically is near where an IDF attack against Gaza is inniment.

And the world ...really won't care. It is time for Israel to remove Gaza from the board. With Gaza in Israeli hands there is NO viable "Palestinian state"...a good thing.

[LeftishBrit]

4. Are you serious?

Israel has the right to a secure state; but so does Palestine. I strongly support a two-state solution - as soon as there are negotiations resulting in assurances of security on both sides.

Hamas are a bad government, a danger to Israel, and bad for their own people. But I definitely disagree that it would be 'a good thing' if there were 'no viable Palestinian state'. I object when the Israelis are dismissed as uniquely bad and having no right to the world's consideration - and I object when the same is said of the Palestinians.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. I'm quite sure Sit-rep is serious. His mass genocide POV is undoubtedly common.

[Douglas Carpenter]

6. Mr. Sit-rip is no longer with DU, a good thing I believe

[Scurrilous]

12. He got removed from the board.

A good thing! :thumbsup:

[azurnoir]

7. Freudian slip? or have things changed in the WB? or ????

I regret everyone's losses in this, but Farah is literally asking for it. The settlers are out of the way - whoever is there is taking the ultimate risk.


Fatah is asking for it? We are talking about Gaza, or have the WB settlers left?

Doesn't really matter to some apparently they're all just Pali's stomp hard Yee Haw:sarcasm:

[Vegasaurus]

8. I believe the poster might have meant

that Hamas is literally asking for it.

I agree with that statement.

Hamas is begging for war, and they are going to get it. They have total control on whether or not there is a ground incursion, which the Isarelis don't want, since they don't want to get retangled up in Gaza. Hamas holds the cards and is playing a losing hand.

[Violet_Crumble]

10. I believe the poster might have meant....

Farrah Fawcett. Not quite sure what she's been literally asking for or why, but it's clear she must be stopped and stopped using any means possible!!!

[Violet_Crumble]

9. What ultimate risk are people living in Gaza taking?

The settlers are out of the way - whoever is there is taking the ultimate risk.

You make it sound like it's their fault for daring to live in Gaza....

[number6]

11. Gaza already a catastrophe...

invasion will be a bigger one ....