Submitted by Laney Bormel, Jan 16, 2008 11:50

That there is reflection and split opinion on war in a democracy is not so unusual. That Jews, even in a histile georgraphical situation, can reflect on missteps in the attempt to rid themselves of a murderous enemy is also not surpirsing. If any people are curious, reflective, posing eternal questions as to why, it is Jews. Therefore, I am not certain that anyone should be so shocked that there is not unanimity in Israel as to how best to defend itself, particularly when actions taken are not as resourning a success as, say, The Six-Day War.

In the scope of Jewish hsitory in the last 2000 years, they have been more subject to failure that victory over those who wish them wiped from the earth. That they enjoyed military success between the years 1948-1973 (a mere 27 years in a history of 6000) is a result of strong American support, superior weaponry, and a generation of leaders to whom victory was the only option after losing 6 million to the banal evil of Hitler's Germany and world indifference.

The modern generation of leadership and citizenry in Israel have little viseceral connection to the early days of nationhood, and are only linked to it through archives and family tales of the perils of that time. Fatugue and a certain resigned attitude has permeated Israeli thinking, and so with battles fought that bring no resolution to the age-old inherent conflict of how a European outpost in millions of square miles of Arab lands, what else can we expect of these beleaguered people other than to question decisions by others regarding their lives and their deaths?

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