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tw · 08-29-2014, 04:58 AM

A forceful interview on 25 Aug 2014 by BBC's HardTalk Stephen Sackur grills Israel's intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz who calls the Gaza conflict "brought only misery and suffering on both sides". Without a strategic accomplishment by the Israeli government? No, although it was a heavy price costing 70 Israeli lives (while killing over 2100 Palestinians). Israel's government "seriously considered" a full military reoccupation of Gaza. If Hamas continues rocket firing, Israel's only alternative is a Gaza invasion and occupation.

So what has this latest truce accomplished? Israel will now end a seven year embargo on aid and on building materials. Expand Gaza's fishing area. Consider opening Gaza's only airport. Permit an ocean shipping port for Gaza. Open the Egyptian Gaza border. In short, Hama's rockets may have accomplished everything intended resulting in new respect for Hamas. A major setback for Israel especially when Israel gets nothing by making Hamas more popular among Palestinians.

Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, claims victory because 30 some Terrorist Tunnels were destroyed and Hamas has promised to stop digging such tunnels.

Although Steinitz does concede some new information (ie a Gaza invasion), what makes this interview most interesting are facts from Sackur that Steinitz sidesteps. For example, the American Israel relationship has been declared disfunctional. Many in Likud openly advocated a complete massacre of all in Gaza is justified if it protect only one hair on an Israeli's head. Israel intentionally targeted Gaza civilians and infastructure necessary to support civilian life.

Unfortunately, this contentious interview can only be played on BBC's iPlayer only when hardware is in the UK.

08-29-2014, 04:58 AM	#142
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	A forceful interview on 25 Aug 2014 by BBC's HardTalk Stephen Sackur grills Israel's intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz who calls the Gaza conflict "brought only misery and suffering on both sides". Without a strategic accomplishment by the Israeli government? No, although it was a heavy price costing 70 Israeli lives (while killing over 2100 Palestinians). Israel's government "seriously considered" a full military reoccupation of Gaza. If Hamas continues rocket firing, Israel's only alternative is a Gaza invasion and occupation. So what has this latest truce accomplished? Israel will now end a seven year embargo on aid and on building materials. Expand Gaza's fishing area. Consider opening Gaza's only airport. Permit an ocean shipping port for Gaza. Open the Egyptian Gaza border. In short, Hama's rockets may have accomplished everything intended resulting in new respect for Hamas. A major setback for Israel especially when Israel gets nothing by making Hamas more popular among Palestinians. Mark Regev, an Israeli government spokesman, claims victory because 30 some Terrorist Tunnels were destroyed and Hamas has promised to stop digging such tunnels. Although Steinitz does concede some new information (ie a Gaza invasion), what makes this interview most interesting are facts from Sackur that Steinitz sidesteps. For example, the American Israel relationship has been declared disfunctional. Many in Likud openly advocated a complete massacre of all in Gaza is justified if it protect only one hair on an Israeli's head. Israel intentionally targeted Gaza civilians and infastructure necessary to support civilian life. Unfortunately, this contentious interview can only be played on BBC's iPlayer only when hardware is in the UK.