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War in Israel and Gaza.
In the tapestry of our global community, the Gaza Strip stands as a vivid thread, resplendent in its resilience yet torn by decades of strife. Nestled in a slice of land, slightly over 360 square kilometers, is a population that has experienced the pendulum swing between hope and despair more times than anyone would care to count.
The crisp dawn of yesterday was pierced by the chilling sounds of conflict, a symphony of fear and aggression as the Hamas Terrorists in Gaza initiated a ground and air assault on Israel. One would be hard-pressed to find a corner of the globe where the ears aren’t attuned to the developments in this region. The buzzing drones of helicopters, screeches of rockets, the rapid shutter of cameras, and the furrowed brows of reporters are as emblematic of the area as the olive trees that dot its landscapes.
Gaza, though small in size, carries the weight of history and geo-political significance. The tales of its streets, markets, and mosques are interwoven with the narratives of the wars of 1949 and 1967. It’s a remnant of territorial allocations, a product of decisions made in conference rooms and battlefields, often without the voice of its inhabitants being genuinely considered. A complex tapestry, where every thread tells a story of resistance, of dreams, of lost opportunities, and of undying hope.
Yet, behind the headlines and beneath the rubble, there’s an element often overshadowed by the broader narrative. The humans. The father striving to put food on the table, the teacher molding young minds in makeshift classrooms, the young artist painting murals of peace on walls marred by conflict. And then, there’s Israel, a nation birthed from the ashes of persecution, standing tall amidst existential threats, its populace oscillating between the joys of life’s milestones and the alarms of incoming rockets.
Walking the cobblestone streets of Jerusalem and Gaza, you encounter a melting pot of cultures, religions, and histories, each with a song of its own. In this vibrant cacophony, it’s essential to keep an open mind. While narratives often draw a line between heroes and villains, life isn’t black and white. Both Palestinians and Israelis have stories drenched in both valor and vice.
But here’s the rub – amidst this ebb and flow of tensions, we must foster a narrative that transcends blame. We must inspire a dialogue that seeks to understand rather than vilify. We need to shine a light on the grassroots movements, the collaborative projects, the shared businesses that blur the lines of division and sow the seeds of unity.
In this complex narrative, one thing remains clear: the cycle of violence benefits no one. The true victory lies not in territories won or rockets fired but in bridges built, in laughter shared, in dreams realized together.
May the tales from Gaza and Israel not be of endless conflict but of a collective aspiration for peace, where every individual, regardless of their creed, finds their rightful place under the sun, in the shared shade of an ancient olive tree.
I am saddened to see the loss of life on both sides of this conflict. I know people all over that region. What is most sad of all is that both the Israelis and Palestinians are just pawns in a proxy war between Iran and the West, a.k.a. America.
The elusive world of proxy wars, where the puppeteers remain shrouded in the shadows while the marionettes take center stage. Let’s unfurl this concept with a touch of drama and a sprinkle of hard facts.
Proxy War Defined:
A proxy war is akin to two rival chess grandmasters employing novices to play on their behalf. The grandmasters whisper moves in their proxies’ ears, but never directly face off against each other. In geopolitical terms, a proxy war occurs when two or more opposing powers use third parties as substitutes for fighting each other directly. While they might provide material, financial, or logistical support, they don’t get their hands (or uniforms) dirty on the battlefield.
Israel, Hamas, America, and Iran – The Tangled Web:
Now, enter the labyrinthine maze of Middle Eastern politics. Israel and Hamas, on the face of it, are two entities clashing over deep-rooted ideological and territorial disputes. But behind the curtains, the shadows of larger powers loom large.
Iran’s Hand:
Iran has historically been a supporter of Hamas, seeing it as a tool against its arch-nemesis, Israel. Tehran’s support has included funding, weapons, and training. This relationship is also a facet of Iran’s broader strategy to expand its influence in the region, often at the expense of U.S. allies. The timing of this massive attack on Israel would suggest that Iran was waiting to get back the last six billion dollars that was frozen by the US, and now that they have received these six billion dollars, they have nothing to lose. Also, you might want to keep your eyes on the weapons America left in Afghanistan, which are now in the hands of a terrorist organization that is selling everything it can to anyone.
America’s Role:
The U.S., on the other hand, is a staunch ally of Israel. American support manifests in various ways – military aid, intelligence sharing, diplomatic backing, and more. The bond is fortified by shared democratic values, strategic interests, and influential domestic constituencies. They will be moving a Naval Fleet into the area to support the Israelis. This will be the US Gerald Ford, a newly commissioned and the most superior Aircraft carrier in the world.
Drawing the Proxy Line:
Given the above, one might infer that the Israel-Hamas clashes are a manifestation of the U.S.-Iran rivalry. However, things aren’t quite that linear. While Iran certainly uses Hamas as a proxy against both Israel and, by extension, the U.S., the conflict is primarily fueled by the Israeli-Palestinian issue, which predates the Islamic Revolution in Iran and has its roots.
Additionally, painting the Israel-Hamas conflict purely as a U.S.-Iran proxy war might oversimplify things. While external actors undoubtedly play roles, the conflict’s core remains the territorial, political, and ideological disputes between Israelis and Palestinians.
The Grand Theater of Geopolitics:
In the opera of global politics, proxy wars are recurrent themes. They allow major powers to advance their agendas without direct confrontation, which in a nuclear age is a particularly perilous proposition. Yet, while the major players pull strings from afar, it’s often the local populations that pay the price, caught in the crossfire of larger geopolitical machinations.
So, while the Israel-Hamas conflict has elements of a proxy war between the U.S. and Iran, it’s essential to view it in its nuanced entirety, acknowledging both external influences and the deep-seated local grievances that fuel it.
Having witnessed this conflict for over 50 years, I believe that the recent events on October 7, 2023, in Gaza marked an unprecedented and well-planned attack, possibly signaling the end of the ongoing conflict in the region. When I say the last war, I say this because Israel is now forced to permanently occupy Gaza in order to eradicate the terrorist threats by Iran-backed Hamas.
Just think about this small fact: Both sides are reporting nearly 3000 rockets fired from Gaza into Israel. The Qassam rocket, often referred to in its variants as Qassam-1, Qassam-2, and Qassam-3, has different specifications for each type. Here’s a concise breakdown of the general measurements of the three primary variants:
Qassam-1:
– Length: Approximately 1.8 meters (5.9 feet)
– Diameter: Around 60 mm
– Weight: Roughly 5.5 kg (12 lbs)
– Payload: 0.5 kg (1.1 lbs) of explosives
– Range: 3-5 km
Qassam-2:
– Length: Approximately 1.8 meters (5.9 feet)
– Diameter: Around 115 mm
– Weight: Roughly 32 kg (70 lbs)
– Payload: 5 kg (11 lbs) of explosives
– Range: 8-12 km
Qassam-3:
– Length: Approximately 2.2 meters (7.2 feet)
– Diameter: Around 170 mm
– Weight: About 90 kg (198 lbs.)
– Payload: 10-20 kg (22-44 lbs.) of explosives
– Range: 10-16 km
It is hard to believe that they made 3000 or more rockets, and no one knew it. Imagine having 3,000 of these rockets stacked up. How much space would be needed to conceal them from the most resourceful intelligence agency in the world?
Questions arise about how the building materials were obtained and who constructed these rockets. Moreover, when did Gaza obtain paragliders, and when did the Israelis permit any flying activity? It is important to note that the Gaza Airport has been non-operational since 2001, when Israel destroyed the runway and tower during the Second Intifada.
I truly hope that this war ends quickly and without much more carnage and loss. However, I fear we are about to see Gaza sent back 1000 years.
I wish the innocent people on both sides of this conflict good luck.
