(Jerusalem Post) Neville Teller - Bombarded by missiles from its foes and advice from its friends, Israel has learned to stand firm against both. Well-meaning advice is easy to promulgate from the safety of the U.S., the UK, and the capitals of Europe. But humane and virtuous calls to "react proportionately," "negotiate a ceasefire," and "stop firing in civilian areas" put Israel in the dock in the eyes of the world. Purveyors of well-intentioned advice to Israel seem to ignore the oft-stated intention of Iran and its satellites in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq to eliminate the Jewish state and its people. Israel's friends often appear to discount the fact that the nation has been fighting for its very existence from the moment it was established and that the fight is far from won. Who is better able to assess Israel's best interests - well-meaning friends or Israel itself? They either fail to appreciate or simply do not believe that Iran has the West and its democratic way of life in its sights just as much as Israel and that by battling the Iranian octopus, Israel is fighting for the West as much as for its own continued existence. The writer is Middle East correspondent for the Eurasia Review.
2024-10-22 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive