Crossing the Yarden, 29 June 2007

Crossing the Yarden

By Yarden Frankl

Lunch is on us!

According to a report in the media, the Israeli Defense Forces are currently planning for an operation in the Gaza Strip. The operation will involve a number of helicopters which will fly over Gaza and drop large items via parachute. At the same time, armored tanks will take over the crossing points. What is the mission’s objective? To deliver food to the Palestinians in Gaza.

Wait a minute. Did I read that correctly? We are risking soldiers’ lives to make sure that the people who hate us and try to kill us every day have enough to eat? Will the guys holding Gilad get a bunch of sandwiches to nosh? Do the crews launching Qassam rockets at the kindergartens of Sderot get schwarma? Am I missing something here?

Don't get me wrong. I have no interest in seeing Palestinians starving to death. Once they surrender completely, free our soldier, and lay down their weapons, I say send the food trucks. But right now? Hamas is currently counting out all the rifles that our wise leadership decided to give to Abbas. Do you think we can hold off on the Starbucks’ orders for a little while?

In Israel, we always say that our public relations efforts are terrible. We never seem to be able to get our message out, no matter what we do. We hate it when the press ignores our efforts to feed terrorists while blaming us for Arabs killing other Arabs. We cringe when we hear that our attempt to send an ill-equipped, under-trained force with terrible leadership into Lebanon was “disproportionate.”

But the Palestinian public relations efforts are an even bigger failure. Hamas and their friends have been trying in vain to convince anyone who will listen that they are not interested in peace with Israel. Basically, they would like to kill us. Their leaders repeat over and over that they will not rest until we are dead. You can’t get more explicit than that. Yet what is the reaction? Jimmy Carter and M.J. Rosenberg applaud their “moderation” and Olmert and his crew try to figure out how to provide better catering services! They must be wondering what they have to do to convince the world of their genuine disinterest in peace. Maybe if they wore Nazi uniforms and started speaking German. You think that would help get the point across???

Has the nation fallen asleep? My neighbor told me today that he could actually hear the explosions of the Qassams in Sderot. Do the people working in the top of the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv realize that they could get in their cars and be within rocket range in about an hour?

I have respect for my enemy on one point: They are perfectly clear about their intentions and are resolved to do what is necessary to carry them out. Would it be so extreme, so “hard-line” for us to do the same sometime?

The greatest irony is that the ones who are hurt the most from the “Food Now” movement are the real Palestinian moderates. They are the ones who have been terrorized since the Oslo Accords unleashed murderous gangs into their neighborhoods. (Did they really give out Nobel Peace Prizes for that?) Every time Hamas gets stronger (and don’t be fooled, efforts to send food, water, and pizza do nothing but give them strength), they are the ones whose lives become even more marginal.

You want peace? Don’t send the sandwiches, send the army. Later, when they are finished, and the enemy is defeated, go ahead and send the pizza.

It is time for us to reject leadership that does not know how to lead and finally do what is necessary to protect our people, all our people.

Shabbat Shalom from our blessed nation.