A Nation Disgraced

Ceasefire, or no ceasefire. This is not what should concern us.

The disgrace of an entire nation, that is what matters.

An entire nation, which prides itself as a “power,” with great military capabilities, was reduced at midnight on Wednesday to a beggar at the door, trembling and supplicating for the agreement of terrorists who have got them by the throat, to extend the ceasefire for a little while longer.

So far, Hamas has not given in on a single one of its demands. Israel has erased whole paragraphs describing its objectives. It did not condition any future agreement on the return of the bodies of IDF soldiers killed in Gaza held by the terrorists; nor the demilitarization of Gaza. But it has conceded an almost massive increase in goods that can be brought into Gaza.

But Hamas is still not satisfied. Hamas wants more, and more.

And any ceasefire, of 3 days, or 5 days, only serves the interest of the weaker side.

In Israel they don’t understand this. Or they do, but feel it is not worth making an issue out of Hamas’ manipulating Israel, dragging it into a war of attrition. For as things look today, Hamas will get everything it demands.

If only this were proved wrong.

This article appeared in print on page 7 of the August 14th, 2014 edition of Hamodia.