Monday, January 19, 2009
The ceasefire and playing Obama's inauguration
Here's an interesting little public relations gambit, and I cannot decide whether it is smart or stupid:
Israel plans to pull all of its troops out of the Gaza Strip by the time President-elect Barack Obama is inaugurated Tuesday, but only if Hamas militants hold their fire, Israeli officials said...
By getting its soldiers out before the Obama inauguration, Israel hopes to pave the way for a smooth beginning with the Obama administration and spare the incoming president the trouble of having to deal with a burning problem in Gaza from his first day, the Israeli officials said.
On the one hand, Israel is trying to put the ball in Hamas court; it is up to the Palestinians, now, whether the fighting goes on. On the other hand, it is essentially telling Hamas that it has a golden this-time-only 48-hour opportunity to muck up Israel's relationship with the incoming Obama administration. Is that true, or a head fake? Would Israel prefer that Hamas pack it in now so that Israel actually can withdraw in the next couple of days, or that it take the bait, as it were, and give Israel an excuse to keep shooting in the early days of the Obama administration?
What say you?
4 Comments:
By 
smitty1e, at
Mon Jan 19, 08:25:00 AM:
I ask, why the defacto acknowledgement that the POTUS is President of the World?
The historical and strategic implications are far more troublesome than Hamas.
By 
, at
Mon Jan 19, 09:58:00 AM:
In a PR gambit of their own, D.C. cops are allowing prostitutes special areas to ply their trade during the inauguration. Just kidding, I think. The grammar used in the poster headline allows for different interpretations, though.
By , at
Mon Jan 19, 10:58:00 AM:
I don't think the I.D.F. has withdrawn, other than just a few troops. They are maintaining Gaza positions so that they can immediately respond to new rocket attacks.
So, while a cease fire is a sop to Obama, it is one with little downside to Israel at the moment.
All of a sudden Israel seems to have found some resolve.
By Dawnfire82, at
Mon Jan 19, 01:50:00 PM:
I think they want to be seen putting forth the effort, and would be quite happy if Hamas broke the ceasefire in a meaningful way and brought down round 2.
Last casualty estimates I saw were 1300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. 100:1.
Hamas is hurting.
