It's Time for the U.S. to Give Israel Some Tough Love.

[elleng]

'It is time for the Biden administration to give Israel more than just gentle nudges about how it would be kind of, sort of nice if Israel could fight this war in Gaza without killing thousands of civilians.

It’s time for the U.S. to stop wasting time searching for the perfect U.N. cease-fire resolution on Gaza.

It’s time for the U.S. to tell Israel that its war’s aim of wiping Hamas off the face of the earth is not going to be achieved — at least not at a cost that the U.S. or the world will tolerate, or that Israel should want.

It’s time for the U.S. to tell Israel how to declare victory in Gaza and go home, because right now the Israeli prime minister is utterly useless as a leader: He is — unbelievably — prioritizing his own electoral needs over the interests of Israelis, not to mention the interests of Israel’s best friend, President Biden.

It’s time for the U.S. to tell Israel to put the following offer on the table to Hamas: total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, in return for all the Israeli hostages and a permanent cease-fire under international supervision, including U.S., NATO and Arab observers. And no exchange of Palestinians in Israeli jails.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/22/opinion/israel-war-gaza.html

[PJMcK]

1. I read this column this morning

All good points.Friedman makes solid but hard statements of reality.

Let's face it: Israel is a major power. They could destroy Gaza in an afternoon if that was really the goal. Instead, Israel needs to act like the responsible superpower it is.

There's no such thing as proportional responses to terrorist attacks. But nations with the extreme powers that Israel have must act on a higher plane.

This is not to suggest that any nation should absorb punishing attacks without a response. My point is that when a nation has the power of nuclear weapons, great restraint, sobriety and maturity of judgment need to be focused in order to make prudent decisions.

Israel can turn this latest tragic episode to its advantage if it has the will.

[elleng]

2. Yes.

Thank you, PJ, and Happy Days to you and yours.

[OMGWTF]

3. I'm so old I remember when there was a country called Palestine.