Who could object? “Shalev: Israel seeks to ‘destroy’ Hamas,” from AP, December 30 (thanks to Dan):
Israel will push forward with its offensive in the Gaza Strip until it “completely destroys” Hamas, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Gabriela Shalev, said Monday, saying that the operation will continue as long as necessary to reach that goal….
Shalev expressed regret for civilian deaths in Gaza, but said Hamas was responsible for the bloodshed by operating in residential areas and using civilians as “human shields.”
“We are very sorry, and really I say it as a mother, as a grandmother … to speak of children and of women being killed,” she said. But “it’s only the Hamas to blame.”
Shalev refused to discuss Israel’s war strategy, but said the operation would continue “as long as it takes to dismantle Hamas completely.”
“The main goal is to destroy completely this terrorist gang, which makes people on both sides of the border, in Gaza and in Israel, suffer daily,” she said….
Shalev said Israel would not accept a return to the terms of the recent truce, which was repeatedly marred by sporadic Palestinian rocket fire. She noted that Hamas simply used the lull to restock its arsenal.
What a surprise! In Islamic theology, that’s what a truce is for. But as everyone knows, Islamic theology illuminates nothing about this present conflict.
“What we want this time is a commitment and assurances that Hamas will not shoot any rockets and will not fire on Israeli citizens any more,” she said.
Shalev said Israel is “concerned” about the international criticism, and has tried to send messages to the Arab world that it wants peace.
But of course, the Arab world doesn’t want any peace except the peace of Sharia rule and dhimmitude for the Jews.
“But first of all, we have the right to defend ourselves and we have the duty to protect our citizens. This comes before the understanding, which we hope to receive, of the international community,” she said.
Good luck with that.