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An Unequivical Lesson On How Not To Deal With Terrorism

One of the goals of terrorist groups around the world is to provoke an overreaction from the government being attacked, and precipitating a backlash that weakens the target in the eyes of the world. Israel is no stranger to this, and has suffered that backlash no matter what its initial reaction. The UN in particular relishes terrorist attacks on Israel, because it can then trot out its tired old canards about disproportionate force and illegitimacy and a host of thinly veiled anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist arguments. They are followed by the same list of countries proclaiming their own moral superiority over Israel, while conveniently forgetting their own behaviors in response to terrorist attacks.

The unfortunate expectation is that no matter what Israel does in response to terrorism, or steps that it takes to prevent terrorist attacks will be seen by much of the world as inappropriate. So why bother trying to carefully titrate its response to the daily attacks on its land and people, whether by "lone Wolf" attacks at bus stops or concerted efforts to storm the border by thousands of rioters, or most dangerous, the launching of rocket attacks into Israeli cities?

What happens when Israel does not respond forcefully is exactly what just happened.

How Hamas Brought Israel to the Brink of Election Chaos

Israel’s defense minister Avigdor Lieberman resigned on November 14 in the wake of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza. His resignation has now plunged Israeli politics into chaos as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must juggle what’s left of his fragile coalition government and is being pressured to appoint Naftali Bennett, head of the Jewish Home party, as the new defense minister. Hamas, which has been challenging Israel with six months of protests and rocket fire from Gaza, has now achieved what it sees as a victory. Despite its inability to penetrate Israel’s defenses around Gaza, it may bring down the government.

The problem with Netanyahu's strategy is that after so many years, the pallies now know that what is inside the velvet glove is not an iron fist but a bowl of Jello. Until the people of Gaza are more afraid of Israel than they are their rulers, the attacks will continue, and Israelis will be killed. If Israel is to be vilified no matter what, then the rational response is to inflict maximum damage on its enemies until they lose the will or capacity to conduct terrorist attacks on Israel. If that means immediate artillery attacks on all rocket launch sites regardless of their locations? Then do it. If that means pushing back the border to provide more room for crowd control? Do it. If that means destroying all Hamas facilities no matter where they are? Do it.

Israel will be demonized no matter what. Why not get the best bang for that public-relations disaster buck?