DEADLY PROMISE: Can Netanyahu Deliver Without DISASTER?
Last Saturday, a grim reminder shook us all. Hamas unleashed its terror, reminiscent of ISIS, upon Israeli civilians, laying bare the fragility of peace. Israel’s response? Prime Minister Netanyahu’s firm resolve that in Gaza, every Hamas member will be a ‘dead man’.
But let’s step back and ponder. Hamas, deeply embedded within the civilian population, operates in shadows, making it nearly impossible to discern Hamas terrorists from innocent bystanders. How then does one strike the serpent without harming the nest?
Tom Friedman rightly pointed out in The New York Times, that, ‘Israel Has Never Needed to Be Smarter Than in This Moment.’ To paraphrase, he said that this is the age-old dilemma for Israel: force versus security. It’s a tightrope walk, but in this era, it’s not just about sheer force; it’s about strategic intelligence.
Images flood our screens — innocent Gazan civilians, children playing, women shopping, and families praying — all trapped in this deadly crossfire. Netanyahu’s promise to annihilate Hamas comes with an inescapable price: innocent lives caught in the backdrop of a violent vendetta.
So this is the challenge at hand: Defending Israel’s citizens without causing undue harm to those uninvolved.
After Israel issued a blanket warning to citizens of northern Gaza to evacuate, the United Nations asked Israel to reconsider its pending invasion. The U.N. says that it’s impossible for over a million people to relocate, and that Hamas will not let them flee, even if they could.
Israel’s defense is undeniably crucial, but the cost for Netanyahu’s grandstanding should not be borne by those who merely wish to live in peace.
In this intricate tapestry of conflict, we find threads of black, white, and overwhelming gray. As we advocate for Israel’s right to defend itself, let us also champion for strategies that protect the innocents. For when deadly promises are made, it’s the silent majority that pays the price.
In an ideal world, promises would herald peace, not peril. Let’s strive for that world.”
Douglas Christian is a multimedia Capitol Hill reporter. He has covered the 2016 Democratic and Republican conventions as a photographer and has produced numerous audio and video reports for Talk Media News. He has written scores of articles and op-ed pieces for the Baltimore Post Examiner, touching on politics to the arts and to hi-tech.
Douglas has worked as a photographer for decades. He has produced a few books on Oriental rugs; one was on Armenian Oriental rugs and the other was published by Rizzoli and co-authored by his uncle entitled, ‘Oriental Rugs of the Silk Route’. Douglas attended the Putney School in Vermont, a tiny progressive school in Vermont, where he became enthralled with photography and rebuilt a 4×5 camera. Later during college, he attended the Ansel Adams Workshop at Yosemite, where he determined to pursue photography. He transferred to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and received a BFA from Tufts. He has photographed an array of people including politicos such as William F. Buckley, Jr., George McGovern, Edward Teller and Cesar Chavez. His photography URL is www.photographystudio.com. His twitter feed is @xiwix. He currently resides in Washington, D.C.