. . . The goals of the Israeli government it seems to me are pretty clear. Number one Israel wants to reestablish what it calls its deterrence capacity. That is a technical term that the Israelis use. It basically means to restore the fear of Israel among the Arab states in the region.At the end Finkelstein explores territory previously inaccessible even to Juan Cole:
After the defeat inflicted by Hezbollah and the inability of Israel to launch an attack on Iran it was almost inevitable that they would attack Hamas, because Hamas is defying the Israeli will. According to the Israeli papers, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak was planning the attack before the last ceasefire and they were just waiting for a provocation from the Palestinians.
On November 4, the Israelis broke the ceasefire with Hamas knowing full well--and if you review the Israeli papers, they say so knowing full well that when they killed six militants in Gaza the Palestinians would retaliate and then Israel would have the pretext to invade. Therefore, the first goal was to restore the fear of Israel among Arabs by inflicting a bloodbath in Gaza.
Well we have to be clear that Israel's war is not with Hamas but with the international community, including Iran. Israel is defying the international community, including Iran on the two-state settlement.And there you have it. In addition to being a martial arts expert, Finkelstein is able to conjure up Iranian support for a "two-state settlement" out of thin air. The Mullahs have hidden their true opinions from all but the most penetrating minds. For instance, "Islamic Revolution Leader's Advisor, Ali Akbar Nateq Nuri" stated last February:
The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported the idea that all the Palestinians and immigrant Jews must return to their country of origin.Would ordinary mortals such as you and I ever discern the support for a "two-state settlement" hidden in that statement? Surely not. What would we do without scholars?
Crossposted on Soccer Dad
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