The Lesson Israel Should Have Never Learned

On August 12, 1982, Israel launched a massive bombing campaign over Beirut that came to be known as "Black Thursday." In the conflagration's aftermath, over five hundred Lebanese and Palestinian civilians lay dead, countless were displaced, and widespread hunger and infestation took hold in the absence of running water and food.

Yet beyond the immediate human suffering, the biggest tragedy of that campaign was that it actually worked. On the heels of the bombing, Yasser Arafat's Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) finally agreed to leave Lebanon. It seems Israel had learned an important lesson: that massive, indiscriminate bombardment can lead to the defeat of a non-state organization.

But what does "defeat" really mean? For the PLO, a foreign and largely unwelcome entity inside Lebanon, defeat meant packing up and finding someplace else to establish a headquarters; in its case, Tunisia. For the Lebanese Hezbollah and Hamas, however, two groups that have faced the full wrath of Israeli warplanes, defeat of this kind has never been an option. As homegrown organizations that are fully entrenched within their constituencies, where could they possibly go?

During the July 2006 War, a 33-day bombing campaign launched in retaliation for Hezbollah's small-scale incursion into Israeli territory, Israel thought it could have an encore of 1982. Hezbollah's incursion ultimately resulted in five Israeli military fatalities, but the subsequent bombing and Hezbollah counter-strikes left over 1,000 Lebanese and over 40 Israeli civilians dead.

At the time, there was open talk of Israel destroying Hezbollah, an organization that is part militia, part political party and part country. But what exactly would it mean to destroy an ideology of people who keep assault rifles under their mattresses, women who teach their children to be prideful Shias and resist, and poverty-stricken men holding on to the only thing they have left on this Earth: their pride.

On a recent trip to Lebanon, I found that even secular-minded Sunnis and Christians had developed a soft spot for the Iranian-backed organization, if only because it had taught them that as Lebanese, and as Arabs, there was more glory in fighting Israel than in fighting one another.

The impact of Israel's current attack on the Gaza Strip may very well mirror what happened in Lebanon in 2006. In just three days, Israel has killed over 300 Palestinians, but at best the Jewish state can only hope that Hamas becomes so weak, and the current PLO so strong, so as to tilt the balance of power in Gaza toward more moderate forces.

At worst, the opposite will happen: the PLO will be unable to capitalize from the collective suffering in Gaza, and Hamas will benefit from the kind of Palestinian solidarity it has never enjoyed before.

(Yes, we are talking about the same "godless," Soviet-backed PLO that Israel countered in the 1980s by financially supporting Hamas: Israel's own mujahideen.)

There are many lessons that we should learn from history, and some, like Israel's bombing of Lebanon in 1982, that we should seek to forget. After all, massive, disproportionate military responses are bound to invite unintended, long-term consequences. And when accompanied by unrealistic ideas of victory and defeat, the tragedies are only destined to multiply.

Israel, torn in anger and exaggerated feelings of vulnerability, is unlikely to stop bombing until it realizes that is has once again shot itself in the foot. By then, the next big conflict will be looming on the horizon, and hundreds of innocents will have lost their lives for nothing.

Nathan Gonzalez is author of Engaging Iran (2007) and the upcoming The Sunni-Shia Conflict and the Iraq War: Understanding Sectarian Violence in the Middle East (2009)

Follow Nathan Gonzalez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/engagingiran

Comments

[Moncar]

How sad it all is. The Palestinians are on a treadmill to oblivion, the Israelis - caught up in two thousand years of European tradition - can do no right, and these posts are brimming over with both well-meaning and not-so-well-meaning enablers cheerleading suicidal Palestinians as they compulsively run off the cliff.
Nobody talks about the Christmas experience in Bethlehem this year when the tourists and pilgrims came in peace and were met in peace. The locals prospered and the Israelis accomodated them and the locals.
Hamas increased its rocket barrage.
Though there's plenty of reason to be pessimistic, things might improve if the so-called friends of the Palestinians, found here by the battalion, urged them beat their scimitars into computers, read up on Ghandi and give their children a decent chance at life.
Then we can all judge the Israelis by their reaction.

[bbrecht]

I am no fan of Hamas-- but you must see that the kind of indiscriminate violence Israel is engaging in only serves to build support for Hamas and the like who claim to be acting in defense of the population. Moderates will be alienated in the arab world as a result of this crisis.

How shall the Palestinian people end the system of apartheid they live under? When will the international community quit ignoring Israel's violations of international law? Who will protect them from indiscriminate bombings, summary execution, and forced starvation?

While you were enjoying a peaceful visit in Israel -- 1.5 million people in Gaza were without bread or medical supplies because Israel had choked off the borders. For two months they did not allow supplies to reach Gaza.

How are the Gazans to take up computers or read up on anything when their college and schools have been bombed?

[ron ray]

what I have yet to see in all the articles and posts is the alternative for israel. they have offered land and self government in exchange for peace. and got no peace. missile rain down day after day on their citizens.

they can strike. or they can take it and let their people die. That's the decision most huffposters seem to think they should, but no government will choose that. ever.

[bbrecht]

During the truce there were no deaths. Israel broke the truce on Nov 5 with an incursion into Gaza, killing five Palestinians. The solution is to end apartheid in Israel, and respect the rights of Palestinians to govern themselves. They had an election, yes, but Israel did not approve of the result, and now they are punishing the population. There will never be peace until people are treated as humans.

[papapj]

You say Israel offers land for peace, yet they continue to build settlements - that doesn't square.

You equate the glorified fireworks that Hamas uses with the state of the art artillery that the IDF uses against a captive population in Gaza, who don't have the luxury of bomb shelters or hiding places - that doesn't square.

How can any constructive dialogue ensue when certain parties are wont to recognise the facts as they stand?

End the occupation, end the blockade, and MAYBE some good will come of this intransigent situation.­...

[gmmonko]

Lot's of bla-bla - to hide one import thing: the Zionist genocide!

[tomorrowman58]

When some dude in Brooklyn or Buenos Aires feels he has some "Divine right" to live in other people's land, imprison them, lock them up like dogs and expect everything to be just fine is a formula for disaster. multiply that for decades, add a healthy dosis of religious fanatisim ( and expect the others to not have theirs), add lopsided, unconditional support from an arrogant/naive Bible-eating superpower anb yes ladies and gentlemen : we have the Israeli Arab (not just Hamas) conflict. The difference is that Israel has nuclear weapons and is damn willing to use them because Religion my friends is non-thinking self-centered and blind. Time for rational thinking and for a new US approach to the problem because NOBODY in the rest of the world belives the US is an honest broker.

[Steamboater]

If Mexico or Canada had terrorists firing rockets into the U.S. almost daily, those countries woud have ceased to have existed by now and rightfully so. These Palestinians are always complaining about 'poor us ... how terrible the Israelies etc' and expect the world to feel sorry for them. That's all they have is character of victimization that they pride themselves on, these same people who danced in the streets and celebrated when thousands were murdered in New York on 9/11, the same people who stay quiet when Israelie civilians are murdered by rockets and bullets and knives in the back on Israelie streets.

[IndependentAllways]

"That's all they have is character of victimization that they pride themselves on, these same people who danced in the streets and celebrated when thousands were murdered in New York on 9/11, the same people who stay quiet when Israelie civilians are murdered by rockets and bullets and knives in the back on Israelie streets."

It sounds like you are doing a jig right now too as "these same people" are being killed? Justify it as you would my friend.

[robizio]

How convenient to cast the U.S. in the role of Israel to make your point. And if the U.S. were not the military powerhouse that it is (inconceivable as that may be to you)? Suppose Canada and Mexico teamed up to blockade our borders and patrolled our coasts with their superior navies, only allowing in enough food and supplies for our citizens to subsist in poverty? And perhaps the Mexicans occupied California, as some of their citizens live there and require protection. Are we now supposed to shut up and take the oppression, or, do we fight back?

Your ability to dehumanize "these Palestinians" puts you in the same camp as those who would justify suicide bombings and launching rockets into Sderot. Justify murder anyway you like; it still makes you a supporter of murder.

[ron ray]

his dispersions of character of the palestinians aside, the point is valid:

if someone is lobbing missiles at your home and your kids, would you simply take it?:

or would you try to cut off their support, blockade the lines, and if it still didn;t stop, eventually take forcible action?

this is what Israel has done.

[Steamboater]

So Israel is not supposed to defend itself? If Israel has shot itself in the foot, they can live with that. Hamas however is about to be shot in the heart.

[robizio]

You can kill a person. You cannot kill an idea, or an ideology. Inflicting violence on a group which thrives on conflict and derives its power from its willingness to fight back does not weaken it. The members of Hamas who have died were accompanied by civilians whose deaths will awaken the same urge to retaliate and "defend" oneself as the Israeli government clings to.

[UnknownSoldier]

Both sides in the conflict are dirty, so it is best to chose NONE. It would be best I would think to make Jerusalem an International city and move the UN headquarters there. A place where everyone is free to come and go, but no one can live there as permanent residents.

One day I hope they will all see how stupid this entire mess is.

[Steamboater]

Yes, Jerusalem should be internationalized but do you really think Hamas will accept that? They want all of Israel and the Jews out completely. Ntohing wil be solved until Hamas is destroyed and those left among them realize they haven't a choice any more but peace.

[UnknownSoldier]

Steamboater, do you really expect any rational person to believe that the Hebrews do not want the Palestinians out. I say let everyone stay.

If Jerusalem is an international city an attack on Jerusalem would be an attack on the world, and the world should respond accordingly.

[pahpah25]

IF YOU LOOK AT A MAP OF THIS AREA, YOU CAN EASILY SEE WHAT ISRAEL IS AFTER....I­SRAEL ALREADY HAS TAKEN CONTROL OF THE FRESH WATER SOURCES..N­OW IT WANTS THE COAST LINE..ALL OF IT........­.....THERE BY DENYING PALESTINIANS ANY ACESS TO SUPPLIES AND COMMERCE BY WAY OF PORTS,ETC. THE WEST BANK PALESTIINIANS ARE TOTALLY LANDLOCKED, SURROUNDED BY, MOSTLY ILLIELGAL ,JEWISH SETTLEMENTS. SO IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ISRAEL HAS EXPELLED ALL NON -JEWISH PEOPLE FROM THEIR 'GOD-GIVEN' LANDS.

[thinktobelieve]

This is not "God given" land. This is land that they fought for and won in the 6 Day War when the Palistians once again attacked Israel. Israel is the only country in the world to give back land that it rightly won. Again, would you like to give Massachusetts back to the British???!!!!!

[Steamboater]

Or New Mexico and Texas back to the Mexico? (Well, maybe Texas :))

[nequam]

"This is not 'God given' land," you say? Are we to ignore that the illegal Jewish settlers make this very argument. And what of the agreed-upon 1967 borders? Is Israel, which was created by diplomatic fiat, somehow absolved from violating diplomatic agreements?

I'm not sure who the Palistians are.

[Motorinstructor]

You mean the six day miracle war? Here was little tiny Israel against how many Arab nations? It sounds like God was in the details. Read Ezekiel 37 and 38. God promised the Jews that He would bring them back to their land and He has done it against all odds. Nothing can defeat them because, like it or not, God is on their side.

[maddie0001]

If it's land that was fought for it's land the Palestinians will have to fight to get back. Which seems to be what they are doing. Beat 'em, stave 'em, kill 'em hasn't worked so far.

[rudiy]

The author says Israel's exaggerated feelings of vulnerability are part of the cause. Maybe, but I guess if i was a country of 5 mil Jews being surrounded by 70 mil Muslims calling for my destruction, I would feel vulnerable.
Israel may have over retaliated but just by the fact that Hamas is still firing rockets after firing hundreds, means that they have been well supplied with weapons but complain they have no food or medicine. Maybe they could have smuggled in more humanitarian aid and less weapondary?

[Donald-Iowa]

Ah pity us poor Palestinian terrorists. Why can't those Israels just stand there and let our rockets fall on their heads and not fight back. ? Things would be so much easier. But no, they refuse to be driven off the face of the earth. Don't they understand we will never give up trying to kill each and every one of them ? So what if they kill 10,000 of us. It is our destiny to die for our cause. BTW, will someone tell us what our cause is again ? Oh yes. PEACE....

[thinktobelieve]

I have never heard or read such nonsense in my life. Are you all seriously suggesting that you would have any different response if the same happened to us? Think about it...we can give up one of our states to an enemy that routinely markets our dimise as the right thing to do and then we can endure a month of daily bombs being launed into our households in say Cleveland Park or Captial Hill and do nothing! It will never cease to amaze me how some of my fellow citizens think that America is Disneyland and every one else just hasn't figured out how they to can be happiest place on earth yet. Wake up people, yes the Palistian people are victims and perhaps the US and Isreal should have gone in to liberate the people in the Gaza strip after Hemas forcefully took over the "government". But, that wouldn't please most of you since that is what we did in Irac and you are still not "pleased" with the progress. For once, Isreal is a country that defends itself against terrorists unlike Irac. Let them do so and we will be safer. Even Obama knows this this what is right and true.

[SaraE]

HuffPost's Pick

OK. So the million dollar question (now devalued to about 3 bucks) is: What is Israel supposed to do? Sit by / live in terror / die / get wounded, a few at a time?

Negotiations were had. Withdrawal was done. Israel's settlers - removed. GAZA WAS FREE to become a democracy (in theory), had billions of European dollars to build factories and schools and a society, etc. But the Hamas, like Arafat before them, stole the $ from the people and started building weapons to shell Israel inside its legitimate borders. Sderot (not a settlement) has been shelled since 2001, getting shelled worse since the pullout in 2005.

I'm sure the moral complications of war - especially when you are the better-armed party and the enemy (Hamas) hides behind women and children and stores warheads in mosques - are clear to Israel. It's a huge heartache and you are right about the foot, if only because the media, for the most part, is intent on getting it wrong.

But at the end of the day...assu­ming a country has the right to live a normal life - What should Israel do when continually threatened, on the small but unliveable scale of several rockets a week for years aimed at kindergardens but mercifully missing??

The ONLY answer to the logic of your article is this: Stop existing, like the Hamas (among others) wants. It's the only honest answer. If Israel is unwilling to stop exisiting, it must fight back and live

[SaraE]

...last few words of that post cut off...they were..."li­ve with the lame foot."

[Nathan Gonzalez - Huffpost Blogger]

You make some good points, Sara. If I were living in Israel, I would probably be so angry I would call for an even heavier response. But the thing is, that doesn't make this war productive. If it ends up hurting you more, why do it?

Re: the Gaza withdrawal, I don't doubt that Israel was trying to do the right thing. But the well was poisoned when, during the Second Intifada, Israel kept retaliating against the PA for everything Hamas did, eventually weakening and undermining the moderates. In other words, every action has a reaction. I hope that for the sake of both Israel and Palestinians, both parties take that that into account. Israel, as the more cohesive and much stronger party, has a better ability to shape events on the ground, so that's why I focus on their decision-making.

[Hondu]

The US has shown no backbone when it comes to Israel. The jewish lobby controls every president: Dems and Repugs. US citizens should be appalled at the fact than we finance the atrocities committed by Israel.

[Fein]

Well said, except they've probably done more than just hurt their foot. No, they never learn- stupidity and hubris are twins.

I suppose that the Israelis thought that they could recoup just a bit of the shame of their failure to even damage Hizbollah in Lebanon, by attacking a much weaker foe.

[max08]

Israel is going to lose the PR campaign with this carnage. Friends dont let friends drive drunk, and Israel is drunk with power and malice right now, needless malice. First they starved these people and now they are killing them.

This is what South Africa did four decades ago, and the world took notice.

[Rowland]

The inability to see what has, in the past, happened to one's self, in the larger context of what is presently happening to humanity is the ultimate definition of failure.

[ZTB]

hondu, maxo8 and fein....Is­rael was/is being bombarded with rockets...­..aimed at their civilians.­..
they finally fought back....
so let me get this straight..­....it is OK to kill innocent Israeli's .... but Israel should just sit back and
not defend themselves? horrendous. absolutely horrendous.
so if your property was being attacked..­...you would just sit back and watch? I think not.