Victory
02-08-06, 16:01
Israel's Defeat Is Killing Her
By Luc De Barochez
Israel is not accustomed to lose in its wars; this is an issue of life or death with respect to a county that does not enjoy a geographic depth.
In fact, since the first Arab-Israeli war started in 1948, Israel succeeded in portraying itself as a constant triumphant. However, the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 with the massacres of Sabra and Shatila, followed by the unilateral withdrawal in 2000 and the halo that circled Hizbullah throughout the Arab world exterminated this image of victory.
The present war which Israel has launched against Hizbullah since the twelfth of present July is shaking again this legend. Although it was natural to retaliate to Hizbullah attack, yet it is utterly unacceptable to crush tens of children under the bombs.
There is no doubt that the Israeli political and military leaders confirm they will "pluck out" Hizbullah this summer has placed them in a very critical situation, knowing that this confirmation derives above all from arrogance. In fact, the uprooting of Hizbullah is impossible because it is resisting by all means and each day the heroism of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is increasing in the eyes of the Arab public opinion and the magnitude of this party is enhancing on the Lebanese arena. Israel, on the other hand, finds itself weak especially because it depends on a France-administered multinational force to protect its northern border. When we realize the price which Israel employs in order to solitarily defend its security, while at the same time several Israelis look at France with suspicion, we will be able to understand the adversity in which the Hebrew state has fallen.
In fact, Israel, in its current war with Hizbullah, achieves nothing but one defeat after another. It miscalculated the capacities of this party and chose to seek refuge at military strategies that are costing it several lives of its soldiers. Hence, it forced its moderate Arab allies to shun from it after they agreed in the beginning on the dismantling of Hizbullah. Lastly, when Israel failed in achieving its war aims, it revealed its weakness that will not be missed by its enemies which they will consider as an evidence for its susceptibility to debacle.
It is noteworthy to say that Europe and the USA do not want Israel to weaken and live in isolation; they have to set aside the European divisions and the French-US competitions because they can make the quest for a solution of the present conflict difficult. Since there are no signs of an end of the crisis in the near future, the diplomats must broaden their imagination if they want to change a futile military campaign into a political victory.
Le Figaro.fr
By Luc De Barochez
Israel is not accustomed to lose in its wars; this is an issue of life or death with respect to a county that does not enjoy a geographic depth.
In fact, since the first Arab-Israeli war started in 1948, Israel succeeded in portraying itself as a constant triumphant. However, the invasion of Lebanon in 1982 with the massacres of Sabra and Shatila, followed by the unilateral withdrawal in 2000 and the halo that circled Hizbullah throughout the Arab world exterminated this image of victory.
The present war which Israel has launched against Hizbullah since the twelfth of present July is shaking again this legend. Although it was natural to retaliate to Hizbullah attack, yet it is utterly unacceptable to crush tens of children under the bombs.
There is no doubt that the Israeli political and military leaders confirm they will "pluck out" Hizbullah this summer has placed them in a very critical situation, knowing that this confirmation derives above all from arrogance. In fact, the uprooting of Hizbullah is impossible because it is resisting by all means and each day the heroism of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is increasing in the eyes of the Arab public opinion and the magnitude of this party is enhancing on the Lebanese arena. Israel, on the other hand, finds itself weak especially because it depends on a France-administered multinational force to protect its northern border. When we realize the price which Israel employs in order to solitarily defend its security, while at the same time several Israelis look at France with suspicion, we will be able to understand the adversity in which the Hebrew state has fallen.
In fact, Israel, in its current war with Hizbullah, achieves nothing but one defeat after another. It miscalculated the capacities of this party and chose to seek refuge at military strategies that are costing it several lives of its soldiers. Hence, it forced its moderate Arab allies to shun from it after they agreed in the beginning on the dismantling of Hizbullah. Lastly, when Israel failed in achieving its war aims, it revealed its weakness that will not be missed by its enemies which they will consider as an evidence for its susceptibility to debacle.
It is noteworthy to say that Europe and the USA do not want Israel to weaken and live in isolation; they have to set aside the European divisions and the French-US competitions because they can make the quest for a solution of the present conflict difficult. Since there are no signs of an end of the crisis in the near future, the diplomats must broaden their imagination if they want to change a futile military campaign into a political victory.
Le Figaro.fr