Israel Committee: Initiative for Israel – August 5, 2014
What did Israel accomplish?
- Israel completed a difficult operation with US and EU support intact, and quiet but surprisingly strong support of many Arab states: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/netanyahus-new-friends-yield-new-possibilities-for-regional-security/
- http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/31/world/middleeast/fighting-political-islam-arab-states-find-themselves-allied-with-israel.html?emc=edit_th_20140731&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=51726815&_r=0
- Can Gaza be demilitarized? Hamas’s leaders and most valuable assets are holed up in the centre of Gaza City: http://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-at-gaza-crossroads-as-cabinet-pulls-in-different-directions/
Exposing Hamas
- Hamas is built to wage war: http://www.timesofisrael.com/from-tunnels-to-r-160s-a-primer-on-hamas-and-its-deadly-capabilities/#.U9phJQzQ8KA.gmail
- Mosque with tunnel entrance and weapons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWkjwfkh-qM
- Fear of tunnels: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/29/world/middleeast/tunnels-lead-right-to-heart-of-israeli-fear.html?_r=0
Media coverage
- Western media still emphasize loss of life – what do the numbers mean?http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/07/30/15_dead_after_israeli_tank_shells_slam_into_un_shelter_for_gaza_refugees.html
- http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4469/new-york-times-war-statistics
- Response to claim of “disproportionate” response: http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-gold-israel-gaza-proportional-force-20140801-story.html
Advocacy and Opinion
- Interview with Col. Richard Kemp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYaHKyn2bD8
- Ari Shavit interview: http://youtu.be/x6aSZBPnJuo
- In Defense of Zionism, by Michael Oren: http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/in-defense-of-zionism-1406918952-lMyQjAxMTA0MDAwMzEwNDMyWj?tesla=y
- Why I don’t criticize Israel: http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/why-dont-i-criticize-israel
- I want to close my eyes and cover my ears: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/i-want-to-close-my-eyes-and-cover-my-ears/
Road to Recovery – A window of hope
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- A video of Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier believed kidnapped but later determined to have been killed. In the video he’s in uniform playing a Shabbat melody on a violin, then wishes us Shabbat Shalom: https://holyblossomarchives.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/VID-20140804-WA0000.mp4
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