David Weinberg, a journalist that I respect, doesn’t blame Netanyahu for the way in which he is fighting the war. He blames the IDF:

Substantial responsibility for the current stalemate rests with the IDF leadership, which has not sufficiently prepared the army for full-scale ground warfare against the enemy. This has greatly limited the military options at Netanyahu’s and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s disposal.

Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and his team have openly and unabashedly chosen in recent years to downsize and de-emphasize the ground forces, investing instead in the air force, cyber capabilities, far-reaching intelligence gathering and special operations capabilities. As a result, Israel doesn’t have enough well-trained and properly equipped troops, or truly well-developed battle plans, for re-conquering the Gaza Strip and crushing Hamas.

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This is all the more remarkable considering the support the Harper government gives Israel and given the fact that there is a vibrant Jewish population in Toronto. Further testimony that we have lost the battle of the narratives. Ted Belman

The Ontario branch of the Canadian Federation of Students unanimously passes a motion to boycott Israel.

 White House website:

Jim Foley’s life stands in stark contrast to his killers. Let’s be clear about ISIL. They have rampaged across cities and villages — killing innocent, unarmed civilians in cowardly acts of violence. They abduct women and children, and subject them to torture and rape and slavery. They have murdered Muslims — both Sunni and Shia — by the thousands. They target Christians and religious minorities, driving them from their homes, murdering them when they can for no other reason than they practice a different religion. They declared their ambition to commit genocide against an ancient people.

So ISIL speaks for no religion. Their victims are overwhelmingly Muslim, and no faith teaches people to massacre innocents. No just God would stand for what they did yesterday, and for what they do every single day. ISIL has no ideology of any value to human beings. Their ideology is bankrupt. They may claim out of expediency that they are at war with the United States or the West, but the fact is they terrorize their neighbors and offer them nothing but an endless slavery to their empty vision, and the collapse of any definition of civilized behavior.

JPOST

WASHINGTON — The Islamic State poses a greater threat to the United States than al Qaeda did leading up to September 11, 2001, top brass at the Pentagon acknowledged on Thursday, discussing the crisis fast unfolding in eastern Syria and northern Iraq.

“This is beyond anything that we’ve seen,” Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said, speaking to journalists with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey. “We must prepare for everything.”

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Ted Belman.This proposed resolution is ridiculous. First of all, Hamas has said it won’t affect them. Secondly the borders are open as Bennett said save for military supplies. This is exactly what the resolution intends. Thirdly, it suggests a joint EU/UN monitoring of the borders. But the EU had this task pursuant to the Rafah Agreement. At the first sign of trouble they abandoned their post. The Agreement provided “The PA will act to prevent the movement of weapons and explosives at the Rafah crossing.” and “The 3rd party (EU) will have the authority to ensure that the PA complies with all applicable rules and regulations concerning the Rafah crossing point and the terms of this agreement. In case of non-compliance the 3rd party has the authority to order the re-examination and reassessment of any passenger, luggage, vehicle or goods. While the request is being processed, the person, luggage, vehicle or cargo in question will not be allowed to leave the premises of the Rafah crossing point.” There is no provision for demilitarization. It intends to replace Hamas with Fatah. Its all about positioning for the peace process. The EU is determined to force us back to the 67 lines.

Diplomats say proposal, likely to be joint UN-EU effort, will include opening of Gaza’s borders, return of PA to Hamas-controlled territory, security assurances for Israel.

YNET

With Egyptian efforts to end the Gaza war collapsing, Britain, France and Germany are discussing a possible Security Council resolution calling for a sustainable ceasefire and an international monitoring mission to ensure its implementation, UN diplomats said Thursday.

One diplomat said both Israeli and Palestinian officials have privately suggested Security Council action would be helpful in persuading their constituents to accept measures to end the conflict, which has killed more than 2,000 Palestinians and 67 people on the Israeli side.
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Those of us who want to avoid a two-state solution have their work cut out for them. We can fantasize all we want, but the international community is united in support of the TSS with ’67 plus swaps as borders. The pressure on Israel to give in will only increase. The country is divided on this issue and we have no allies. The Gaza War was conducted in the shadow of the TSS. While there was some support for demilitarization, there was no support other than in Israel for destroying Hamas. The right in Israel wanted to defeat Hamas as a prelude to annexing more land. The Left in Israel also wanted to destroy Hamas as a stepping stone to a unified PA and a peace agreement. Bibi doesn’t want to destroy them for what ever reason but he too is talking about restarting negotiations. Does he think they will result in Israel getting a better deal or does he intend to capitulate? Ted Belman

Summary: The failure of the current talks with Hamas emphasize the urgent need for Israel to end its ”separation policy” of isolating Gaza from the West Bank.

By Akiva #Eldar, al Monitor

The most recent violation of the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza casts doubt on the Egyptian effort to bring the sides to some sort of “resolution,” a euphemism for an “agreement.” The failure of the Egyptian initiative thus far stems, to a great extent if not solely, from the refusal of both sides to accept two strategic decisions.

Hamas and the organizations opposed to Fatah have avoided accepting rule by the Palestinian Authority (PA), led by President Mahmoud Abbas, and the reconciliation government over the Gaza Strip. They find it difficult to commit themselves to cooperation with the PA’s security apparatus in the West Bank, adopt the practices of the security apparatus and obey the orders of its commanders. Meanwhile, the Israeli side persists in adhering to the illusion that its unilateral disengagement from Gaza effected a separation of the territory, with its 1.8 million residents, from the Palestinian problem and its solution.
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In his column in the paper Al-Anba, former Kuwaiti information minister Sami Al-Nisf wrote that liberalism and pluralism are the solution to the problems of the Arab countries, rather than nationalism or socialism, which lead to failure. He added that the Arab liberalism that prevailed in the 1920s-1950s yielded achievements for the Arab countries, unlike the revolutionary regimes and the political Islam movements that emerged later.

Sami Al-Nisf

The following are excerpts from his article:[1]

“During the golden age of Arab liberalism, from the 1920s until it fell [victim] to the barbaric coups of the 1950s and subsequently, the [Iraqi cities of] Basra, Baghdad, and Mosul were united and a constitutional monarchy was established in Iraq; the [Lebanese] Rachaya, Hasbaya, and Western Beqaa districts were united, greater Lebanon was established, and its territory was expanded…; Sunnis, Druze, and Alawis rejected the autonomy that had been given to them [by the French colonial power as part of a divide-and-rule policy]and modern Syria was established; the liberal regime in Egypt preserved the unity of the Nile valley, that is, [between] Egypt and the Sudan; and, likewise, King Idris Al-Senussi [Idris I of Libya] united the provinces of Barka [Cyrenaica], Fezzan, and Tripolitania (which for a while was a separate republic) into a single federal kingdom, which he later transformed into a united kingdom.
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INSS Insight No. 596, August 21, 2014

As war goes on, politics as usual

By Dan Margalit, ISRAEL HAYOM

I am very upset. Netanyahu keeps talking about protecting our citizens rather than destroying Hamas.  What better protection is there than that? His goal is still restoring calm. Ted Belman<

Gilad Morag, YNET

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the press Wednesday evening and said the operation in Gaza would not end until calm is returned to Israel. He refused to respond torumors regarding the fate of Hamas’ military leader Mohammed Deif, only saying that “Hamas leaders are legitimate targets.”

Netanyahu began his speech by praising IDF soldiers and sending his condolences to the bereaved families. He said the operation was not over yet, and would not be until calm is returned to the south.

“Our policy regarding Hamas is simple: If you fire, we will hit back. They think they will exhaust us, but they are wrong,” Netanyahu said.

“The operation did not end. Our struggle against terror groups is a long and goes back many years. In recent weeks we have dealt Hamas a massive blow, the most serious blow since their establishment. We are determined to continue and use any means needed,” he said. Read more…

By CAROLINE B. GLICK, JPOST
20/08/2014

It doesn’t take a PhD to understand what the game is. And Israelis – even many with PhDs – understand what is happening.

For most Israelis, the international discourse on Gaza is unintelligible.

Here we were going along, minding our own business.

Then on a clear night in June, apropos of nothing, Palestinian terrorists stole, murdered and hid the bodies of three of our children as they made their way home from school.
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By Daniel Greenfield, CFP

Know your enemy. To know what ISIS is, we have to clear away the media myths about ISIS.

ISIS is not a new phenomenon.

Wahhabi armies have been attacking Iraq in order to wipe out Shiites for over two hundred years. One of the more notably brutal attacks took place during the administration of President Thomas Jefferson.

That same year the Marine Corps saw action against the Barbary Pirates and West Point opened, but even Noam Chomsky, Michael Moore and Howard Zinn chiming via Ouija board would have trouble blaming the Wahhabi assault on the Iraqi city of Kerbala in 1802 on the United States or an oil pipeline.
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Mati Tuchfeld and Gideon Allon, ISRAEL HAYOM

An Israeli air strike in Rafah on Tuesday

Israeli politicians across the political spectrum are calling for a tougher response to Hamas, following a barrage of rockets launched at southern and central Israel on Tuesday, in violation of the temporary cease-fire agreement that had been in place.

By Vic Rosental

‘Israel, US secretly agreed on gradual easing of Gaza blockade’

This was reported before the barrage of about 50 rockets which were launched last night in violation of the ceasefire, including some at Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and even Hebron (even usually quiet Rehovot was a target last night, with at least one rocket taken out by Iron Dome. Another barrage is going on as I write, at 8:15 AM).

Nevertheless, I doubt that this will have any effect on the ultimate outcome. The American plan is that Hamas will be moderated and legitimized, somehow reconciled with Fatah (details on this are fuzzy), and then a two-state solution will be implemented with Israel sandwiched between two halves of ‘Palestine’. In order for this to happen, the war has to end with Hamas intact.
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DEBKA

DEBKAfile’s intelligence sources disclose that the Egyptian-brokered draft deal Israeli and Hamas delegates inked in Cairo Monday night, Aug. 18, contained, in return for a Hamas commitment to withhold rocket fire on the Israeli population for an extended, though unspecified, period, a number of Israeli concessions and waivers. They are subject to endorsement by the Israeli security cabinet, which does not convene until Tuesday. The Egyptian foreign ministry later Monday announced that the two parties had agreed to extend the Gaza truce for 24 hours “to complete negotiations.”

These provisions of this draft, according to Egyptian sources – though not confirmed by Israeli officials – are disclosed here for the first time:
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The US should be fighting for disarmament, period.  It is despicable that she is demanding an Israeli concession for so doing.  Ted Belman

Israel reportedly gives up on demand that Hamas, other terror groups in Gaza disarm

Israel and the US have already coordinated and agreed on the details of a future agreement for a long-term ceasefire with Hamas, and a gradual lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip, Ynet reported early Tuesday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is reportedly expected in Israel next week to support the Israeli government headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the report indicated, citing diplomatic sources.

The sources told Ynet that the agreement between Israel and the US on the terms of a deal with Hamas was reached secretly and entails Israel opening the land crossings into Gaza, followed by sea access, not objecting to the payment of salaries to Hamas men in Gaza, and facilitating the reconstruction of Gaza with international aid.

The US, according to the report, will support Israel’s demand to prevent the rearmament of Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza, and will help Israel promote this goal in the international sphere. Israel reportedly gave up on the demand that terror groups in Gaza disarm. Read more…