We'll see how things evolve in the days and weeks to come and it is too early to draw any conclusions.
But one thing sticks in my mind. I've been wondering how the Palestinians have been processing their gradual abandonment by the rest of the Arab world, how they've become a footnote in world politics, how their only support comes from ineffectual and blathering leftist groups in the West. I've been wondering whether that would lead to dull apathy (with the occasional meaningless outburst, like the knife attacks) or if it would lead to an explosion.
I never imagined as cruel, horrific, and yet supremely sophisticated an explosion as this.
And that led me to an image, and please excuse the triviality of it: it's when Glenn Close as Alex Forrest in "Fatal Attraction" spits at the Michael Douglas character, "I will not be ignored, Dan!" as she boils the rabbit.
Regarding the IDF's capability and resilience: Several years ago mandatory service for women was increased from 24 to 28 months, that for men reduced from 36 to 32 (with an eventual goal of achieving gender parity in length of service), and the the age until which and the number of weeks reservists are required to serve each year were also reduced. The result is that the IDF is under staffed. To fight a wave of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria troops were transferred from the Gaza border leaving the Gaza envelope under protected. There is a limit to which technology can replace or reduce the number of active duty soldiers in any army. The IDF has run PSAs on Israeli media reminding parents that elite combat units should be considered more prestigious than cyber units.
As for what will replace Hamas in Gaza (and parts of Judea & Samaria where the PA no longer exercises effective authority) an obvious solution that no one is discussing is for Jordan to annex Gaza and Areas A & B (with perhaps limited home rule under the PA), and for Israel to annex Area C.
Superb essay, Noah.
We'll see how things evolve in the days and weeks to come and it is too early to draw any conclusions.
But one thing sticks in my mind. I've been wondering how the Palestinians have been processing their gradual abandonment by the rest of the Arab world, how they've become a footnote in world politics, how their only support comes from ineffectual and blathering leftist groups in the West. I've been wondering whether that would lead to dull apathy (with the occasional meaningless outburst, like the knife attacks) or if it would lead to an explosion.
I never imagined as cruel, horrific, and yet supremely sophisticated an explosion as this.
And that led me to an image, and please excuse the triviality of it: it's when Glenn Close as Alex Forrest in "Fatal Attraction" spits at the Michael Douglas character, "I will not be ignored, Dan!" as she boils the rabbit.
Well said. When you take away the hope for a better future from an entire society, this is what happens.
I'm all over the place on this. I don't know what to think, and any opinion I have is not particularly well informed.
But I can say I am glad your cousin is okay, and I'm sorry you and your relatives and friends have to go through this.
Regarding the IDF's capability and resilience: Several years ago mandatory service for women was increased from 24 to 28 months, that for men reduced from 36 to 32 (with an eventual goal of achieving gender parity in length of service), and the the age until which and the number of weeks reservists are required to serve each year were also reduced. The result is that the IDF is under staffed. To fight a wave of terror attacks in Judea and Samaria troops were transferred from the Gaza border leaving the Gaza envelope under protected. There is a limit to which technology can replace or reduce the number of active duty soldiers in any army. The IDF has run PSAs on Israeli media reminding parents that elite combat units should be considered more prestigious than cyber units.
As for what will replace Hamas in Gaza (and parts of Judea & Samaria where the PA no longer exercises effective authority) an obvious solution that no one is discussing is for Jordan to annex Gaza and Areas A & B (with perhaps limited home rule under the PA), and for Israel to annex Area C.
There are only two endgames
Regime change and building a new culture in Gaza. 20 years. 200 billion. 20,000 lives of the defence force. A rerun of Afganistan and Iraq.
Continue the isolation of gaze
and stagger on and hope intergenerational change over the next 40 yrs changes the culture