Is Tzipi Livni Evil, or Just Stupid?
Posted by jonathanfryer on Friday, 2nd January, 2009
‘There is no humanitarian crisis in the [Gaza] Strip,’ Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said in Paris yesterday, ‘and therefore there is no need for a humanitarian truce.’ I imagine the Germans said the same thing about the Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto during the Second World War. I wonder how Ms Livni squares her statement with the recent verdict of the UN’s Special Rapporteur for human rights in the Palestinian Territories, Richard Falk, that ‘Israel is commiting a shocking series of atrocities by using modern weaponry against a defencless population — attacking a population that has been enduring a severe blockade for several months.’ At least 60 of the approximately 400 fatalities so far in the Israeli assault have been Palestinian civilians, including children, but apparently for Tel Aviv they do not matter. They’re not Jews.
I deplore the rocket attacks on Israel by Palestinian militants and it is essential that some mechanism be found whereby these can be stopped. But turning Gaza into an enormous ghetto and then bombarding it, as Israel has done, is not the solution. It can only make things worse. I applaud the fact that several human rights groups inside Israel have called on the government to ease the blockade — for example, by allowing a resumption of the supply of industrial diesel, so hospitals and other vital institutions can function normally, thereby reducing yet more unnecessary deaths. And I welcome the fact that in Israel, it is possible for such human rights groups and dissident voices to exist and to speak out.
However, the Israeli government is quite clearly commiting a war crime against the civilian population of Gaza and needs to be brought to book. Tzipi Livni and other political leaders who aspire to be Israel’s next Prime Minister must realise that, surely? Which invites the question, are they evil or just stupid?
Matthew Huntbach said
Defenders of Israel often say “well, you would do the same if you faced the same threats”. Well, no actually, we didn’t. Had we done so, Crossmaglen and various other places in Ireland would have ben reduced to smouldering ruins.
As a result of this action and previous, I just dismiss the Israelis as psychopaths with whom it’s pointless arguing.
So I turn to the Gazans. And I ask them (rhetorically) “what actually were the point of those missiles you launched into Israel?”. They were launched knowing they were almost certain to result in what has now happened. So what was it? Macho pride? A wish to have the Israelis react in this way, so the rest of the world would then feel sorry for the Gazans? Well, I’m sorry, but either way, it’s such a sick mentality that it leaves me struggling to feel much sorrow for the Gazans. They brought it on themselves.
Dan said
The problem is that, as Israel has proven multiple times, there is no Islamic country in the region powerful enough to tell them to stop and back it up with thier own warplanes and bombs. Maybe Saudi Arabia is capable (maybe), but they are pretty distant and don’t seem to want in that mess anyway. The fact is, French President Sarcozy might go to Jerusalem, but he won’t be sending the carrier Charles De Gaulle to the Coast of Gaza anytime soon. Until something like that happens, Israel will continue to do what it wants, even if lesser action is actually called for.
I think that Hamas is at fault, but to say there is no humanitarian crisis in Gaza is just plan unintelligent.
Jess said
I say she’s evil.
Dr Paula Pritchard said
If one visits Gaza, as I have done as a doctor many times, one sees the frustration of being under a blockade for years, depriving the citizens of essential medical supplies, and basic humanitarian necessities. Of course the rocket attacks by Hamas are wrong and probably pointless, but equally they ate totally understandable. The people of Gaza are being strangled and a strangled person can do irrational things.
Israel is wrong, utterly wrong to blockade Gaza – it is wrong a hundred times over to attack Gaza as it has been doing for the past 9 days. How can they, the Israelis not to mention the US and the EU and even Fatah be so stupid not to talk to Hamas. Lizni should know as her parents were both members of the Irgun terrorist organisation. She is, like so many Israeli leaders before her being politically opportunist. There is an election in Israel in 6 weeks and she was behind in the polls.
David Mendoza said
I hear a lot of condemnation, but no suggestions about how the Israelis should deal with the religious nuts of Hamas. How can the Israelis talk to people who want to destroy their country? Is there any evidence that Hamas want to talk to Israel?
Hezbollah have been quiet since their ‘victory’ in Lebanon. Maybe the Israelis think that a similar bruising will have the same result on Hamas.
I found this blog because I live in Fortaleza in Brazil. Many people here have a standard of living below that of Gaza. One is seen as a Hell-hole, the other as a sort of paradise.
jonathanfryer said
David, I know Fortaleza well, having been there many times over the past 20 years, including another month-long visit last March/April. Yes, there are a lot of poor people in the city and I remember a time during the drought 20 years ago where some people were on the verge of starvation. I certainly wouldn’t call it ‘paradise’, but it has a lot going for it and it has got a lot richer. Job opportunities are rising, and as yo know, the beaches are open to all and free.
Alas, Gaza today is rather like hell. 80% of people are unemployed, electricity and water supplies are intermittent, the population has been living under siege for months and now is enduring an inhumane asault. Nowehere is safe, not people’s houses, not public buldings, not the streets. It is enough to drive an entire people mad.
Israel HAS to talk to Hamas. We had the same dilemma in the UK with the IRA (who killed far more people with their terror bombs than Hamas has done). They kept up these terror attacks for years and a military solution was shown to be impossible. The same will be true in Gaza. Israel is actually generating more Hamas fanatics by its actions. We bit the bullet and talked to the IRA, and peace was brought not only to Northern Ireland but to the mainland as well.
Joseph Fattal said
The Israeli Government to include all of its member are stupid, to consider Hamas a fighting force capable of destroying the state of Israel, and evil because they can’t understand other people suffering. Maybe that have something to do with their days of suffering in Germany, or maybe they just confuse, they think they are the Germans, and the Palestinians are the Jews, and Gaza city is the Warsaw ghetto.
Luis Vega said
להפסיק את רצח העם.
pierre said
zion-zian-nazi
kari vilkman said
ZIPI YOU DID IT U OUWN WAY .
NEVER CALL U Stypid . tuotch by the blod !
Hi´ DO ME THE FAFUOR ? How is On Neuman , Lawyer . Use to live = Kfar El Safa . Pashon street 4 . Tel Aviv .
Then U KNOW ME Better !
On Hawe a two Kids . Ben and More .
Bodyguard whas Miha .
He have a frien nemed Spyiros in Cypros ! Fischerman .
kari vilkman said
ZIPI . RIGHTH DIRECTIONS !
kari vilkman said
hizbollah WANNA TALK ?? OR Hamas ??