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Monday, December 04, 2006

Lexicographers note: Beeb redefines 'ceasefire'

A free drudgery-saving service to the lexicography community...

'The ceasefire has put an end to five months of intense fighting in Gaza and raised hopes it could lead to a renewal of long-stalled peace talks.

'Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza and the number of home-made rockets being fired at Israeli civilian targets has drastically reduced.'

(from)

On the positive side, the article has news of changes in Israel's approach to operations on the West Bank which are welcome and, many would say, long overdue. Let's see if there is reciprocation.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"On the positive side, the article has news of changes in Israel's approach to operations on the West Bank which are welcome and, many would say, long overdue."

Oh "many" would say that, would they? Would that be the same "many" who criticize Israel's every move to defend its citizens from daily assault from the Gaza strip? Bah! Humbug!

Israelis generally would like to get on with their lives without being threatened with annihilation from their immediate and near neighbours. That's why they went along with the unconditional withdrawal from Gaza and voted in Ehud Olmert who had promised them more of the same in return for peace.

Unfortunately they just haven't been allowed to do this because of the hail of 'home-made' rockets falling on their towns and villages from Gaza. Furthermore one of their soldiers has been held captive for 5 months in the wretched Gaza strip.

Had this not happened, no Israeli action of any kind would have happened in the Gaza strip.

In the circs I'd say that Israeli responses have been very moderate, and far less than the terrorists in Gaza deserved.

Cyrus said...

Hey Fran, hold your horses, we're on the same side here! I agree with nearly everything you say, but I do stand by the 'offending' sentence, and would further suggest that not a few of the 'many' who don't think the conduct of the occupation has been above criticism are Israelis. And note this:

'Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh acknowledged in an army radio interview that "the army has not always paid enough attention to such frictions".'

There's enough hatred washing around the West Bank and Gaza without the Israelis fuelling it in ways that are avoidable.

Targeted killings only with top-level government authorization: has to be a step forward, doesn't it? Though to reiterate the last point in my post, whether this leads to anything durable will depend on the Palestinians' next moves.

Thanks for the comment, anyway!

Anonymous said...

Cyrus

I tried to reply to yours this morning, but the beta blogger became a beta blocker in my hands!

We are indeed on the same side. I appreciate your posts. Really.

Here's my point "Targeted killings only with top-level government authorization: has to be a step forward, doesn't it? " - a step forward from what? And the remarks made by Ephraim Sneh refer to events which I haven't heard about. What are they?

But do you really think that any action that Israel takes to defend herself against attacks from Gaza will meet with the world's approval? And won't any mistakes Israel makes in that defence, be they strategic, operational or individual wrong acts by soldiers, be seized upon and magnified by her enemies, including the ones in the media.

Sorry my impatience with other people's blindness translated itself into an irritated comment on your blog!

Pax?