The shadow of conflict in Israel

The shadow of conflict in Israel


What about the traumatized Israeli children who face incessant rocket attacks from Hamas terrorists in Gaza?

The Jan. 6 news article “In Gaza, a childhood shadowed by conflict” devoted not a single word to the thousands of rockets and mortars Hamas has fired at Israelis since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2005.


War didn’t just strike again, as The Post describes the November conflict. Israel endured days of rocket attacks on its citizens until it began a defensive response to the onslaught. More than 1 million Israelis sought safety in bomb shelters from the Hamas rockets, and the Israeli population lives in fear of the next round of Hamas attacks. But readers wouldn’t know that from this story.

And while Hamas and its allies fire indiscriminately at Israelis, Israel has been extra-mindful of trying to avoid civilian casualties — often putting it at a tactical disadvantage. The Post failed to note that Hamas leaders hide among the civilian population.

The article also left a misleading impression about aid — Israel is permitting humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. Only two months after the latest fighting, Israel is allowing in concrete and building supplies, even though this risks having those materials used in rebuilding tunnels and other facilities used to carry out a war of terror against Israel.

Since its founding, Hamas has called for Israel’s destruction. That has not changed. The Palestinians have refused for years to sit down with Israel to negotiate a peace deal.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-shadow-of-conflict-in-israel/2013/01/11/e6cfe9d8-58f9-11e2-b8b2-0d18a64c8dfa_story.html