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Last update - 05:31 29/12/2008
Trying to 'teach Hamas a lesson' is fundamentally wrong
By Tom Segev

Channel 1 television broadcast an interesting mix on Saturday morning: Its correspondents reported from Sderot and Ashkelon, but the pictures on the screen were from the Gaza Strip. Thus the broadcast, albeit unintentionally, sent the right message: A child in Sderot is the same as a child in Gaza, and anyone who harms either is evil.

But the assault on Gaza does not first and foremost demand moral condemnation - it demands a few historical reminders. Both the justification given for it and the chosen targets are a replay of the same basic assumptions that have proven wrong time after time. Yet Israel still pulls them out of its hat again and again, in one war after another.

Israel is striking at the Palestinians to "teach them a lesson." That is a basic assumption that has accompanied the Zionist enterprise since its inception: We are the representatives of progress and enlightenment, sophisticated rationality and morality, while the Arabs are a primitive, violent rabble, ignorant children who must be educated and taught wisdom - via, of course, the carrot-and-stick method, just as the drover does with his donkey.
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The bombing of Gaza is also supposed to "liquidate the Hamas regime," in line with another assumption that has accompanied the Zionist movement since its inception: that it is possible to impose a "moderate" leadership on the Palestinians, one that will abandon their national aspirations.

As a corollary, Israel has also always believed that causing suffering to Palestinian civilians would make them rebel against their national leaders. This assumption has proven wrong over and over.

All of Israel's wars have been based on yet another assumption that has been with us from the start: that we are only defending ourselves. "Half a million Israelis are under fire," screamed the banner headline of Sunday's Yedioth Ahronoth - just as if the Gaza Strip had not been subjected to a lengthy siege that destroyed an entire generation's chances of living lives worth living.

It is admittedly impossible to live with daily missile fire, even if virtually no place in the world today enjoys a situation of zero terror. But Hamas is not a terrorist organization holding Gaza residents hostage: It is a religious nationalist movement, and a majority of Gaza residents believe in its path. One can certainly attack it, and with Knesset elections in the offing, this attack might even produce some kind of cease-fire. But there is another historical truth worth recalling in this context: Since the dawn of the Zionist presence in the Land of Israel, no military operation has ever advanced dialogue with the Palestinians.

Most dangerous of all is the cliche that there is no one to talk to. That has never been true. There are even ways to talk with Hamas, and Israel has something to offer the organization. Ending the siege of Gaza and allowing freedom of movement between Gaza and the West Bank could rehabilitate life in the Strip.

At the same time, it is worth dusting off the old plans prepared after the Six-Day War, under which thousands of families were to be relocated from Gaza to the West Bank. Those plans were never implemented because the West Bank was slated to be used for Jewish settlement. And that was the most damaging working assumption of all.

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      1.   OK, revisionist, sure thing. 01:37  |  A Nice Fellow 29/12/08
      2.   Obviously Lessons of History Are Wasted on You. 04:43  |  Roger 29/12/08
      3.   Good opinion piece by Tom Segev 04:56  |  Smadar 29/12/08
      4.   Trying to `teach Hamas a lesson` is fundamentally wrong 04:57  |  ammaarah 29/12/08
      5.   Ok Tom, what do you suggest? That Israel turn the other cheek! 05:06  |  Patriotic Jew 29/12/08
      6.   Tom Segev Opinion 05:32  |  barney 29/12/08
      7.   Hamas is a terrorist organization,pure and simple. 06:35  |  Sarah 29/12/08
      8.   Israel nor the palestinians 06:37  |  rm 29/12/08
      9.   `relocating Gazans to the West Bank` 06:42  |  Aharon HaCohen 29/12/08
      10.   And your detailed, realistic approach is.....? 06:44  |  Matt 29/12/08
      11.   enraged 07:20  |  Jim 29/12/08
      12.   Yes, better to destroy them 07:21  |  AGM- 142 29/12/08
      13.   rm: addendum 07:23  |  Brad 29/12/08
      14.   "All of Israel`s wars?...." 07:35  |  David R. Zukerman 29/12/08
      15.   Why don`t you write this piece after living in Sederot for a whil 07:39  |  elliott smith 29/12/08
      16.   Would Hamas change its charter? No! 08:02  |  redbourn 29/12/08
      17.   Head in the Gazan Sand 08:02  |  Ace 29/12/08
      18.   Tom the revisionist 08:06  |  Gili 29/12/08
      19.   Israel is not trying to teach Gaza a lesson 08:06  |  Peter Williams 29/12/08
      20.   Negotiate what? 08:11  |  DAVID KAPLAN 29/12/08
      21.   Israeli Terror 08:15  |  Truthsayer 29/12/08
      22.   Fundamentally flawed logic 08:17  |  JS 29/12/08
      23.   teach Hamas a lesson 08:20  |  k officer 29/12/08
      24.   Tom Segev 08:27  |  Rudzeev 29/12/08
      25.   Wrong This is Not A Lesson This is About Civil Rights 08:34  |  Baruch Gold 29/12/08
      26.   Teach Israel a Lesson 08:38  |  Montoya 29/12/08
      27.   Dead Hamas are pleasant neighbors 08:39  |  George 29/12/08
      28.   "Israel is ... "teaching them a lesson.". WRONG, WRONG,WRONG! 08:42  |  S 29/12/08
      29.   segev residence 08:44  |  itzhak 29/12/08
      30.   Again opinion with no evidence 08:50  |  Mcqueen 29/12/08
      31.   Don`t foot the bill to relocate 08:51  |  poor jew 29/12/08
      32.   #10 Matt: Well said! 08:58  |  imbecile 29/12/08
      33.   No long-term future with Hamas 09:04  |  Ilan 29/12/08
      34.   Negotiating with Hamas is "Fundamentaly wrong" 09:13  |  rob 29/12/08
      35.   Another egghead who doesn`t get it 09:17  |  MarkC 29/12/08
      36.   A gain and again 09:17  |  abraham 29/12/08
      37.   Does Segev know why Hamas was founded? 09:25  |  David 29/12/08
      38.   Lessons Actually Learned 09:26  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/12/08
      39.   Segev believes Arabs behave according to Israeli 09:27  |  Rick & TC 29/12/08
      40.   Gee Baruch, That`s not the Lesson I`m Learning 09:37  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/12/08
      41.   Israel is NOT trying to teach a lesson 09:39  |  David 29/12/08
      42.   The most damaging conception is that Hamas is 09:43  |  Kris Lazar 29/12/08
      43.   A few of Tom Segev`s rewrites of history 09:48  |  Zvi 29/12/08
      44.   You Are NOT Misinformed - You Are Misinforming 10:10  |  Jay A Friedman 29/12/08
      45.   The aftermath. 10:16  |  sandra chitayat 29/12/08
      46.   teach Hamas a lesson 10:31  |  Jules Kadish 29/12/08
      47.   moderate Palestinian leadership 10:37  |  Daniel 29/12/08
      48.   Hamas is a Nationalist Movement, albeit a violent one... 10:38  |  Jew for tikkun olam 29/12/08
      49.   Failed and Fossilized 10:43  |  Eric 29/12/08
      50.   "Zionist enterprise," NO 10:45  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/12/08
      51.   that`s our historians 10:46  |  Gregory 29/12/08
      52.   Segev forgot Hamas`s final goal 10:46  |  A 29/12/08
      53.   To Teach a Lesson? 10:52  |  American in Israel 29/12/08
      54.   Are the Israeli people an "intelligent" people....???? 10:52  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/12/08
      55.   "Hamas is not a terrorist organisation" 10:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/12/08
      56.   Segev forgot Hamas`s final goal 10:53  |  ARA 29/12/08
      57.   CRUSH HAMAS!!! 10:57  |  LISA 29/12/08
      58.   Proportionality 10:57  |  Arnaud 29/12/08
      59.   SEGEV IS ALL WRONG!! 11:00  |  LISA 29/12/08
      60.   "no military operation has ever advanced dialogue" 11:04  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/12/08
      61.   A glass half fill 11:04  |  Bruce 29/12/08
      62.   Excuse me, not teaching a lesson but stopping them ... 11:04  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 29/12/08
      63.   #41 Jules Kadish 11:09  |  in der Tat 29/12/08
      64.   TEACHING HAMAS A LESSON 11:27  |  YOSEF GOLDBERG 29/12/08
      65.   This are the lessons of Tom Segev, in the middle of war 11:30  |  Israeli citizen 29/12/08
      66.   Incredible !! 11:35  |  Angelo 29/12/08
      67.   Planet Earth to Tom Segev 11:44  |  Ehud 29/12/08
      68.   Bombing a murderer IS negotiation 11:56  |  dyinglikeflies 29/12/08
      69.   Answer to Swiss (Dino) : no we are not intelligent. 12:03  |  Israeli citizen 29/12/08
      70.   Mark of Lewiston 12:04  |  Albert 29/12/08
      71.   Segev 12:09  |  rz 29/12/08
      72.   To `teach Hamas a lesson` is fundamentally right 12:14  |  Michael 29/12/08
      73.   #45, Cipora Julianna Kohn. Will you ever start reading onZionism? 12:16  |  zmogus 29/12/08
      74.   Hamas very unpopular in Gaza 12:27  |  Sameh 29/12/08
      75.   Wisdom 12:46  |  Marwan 29/12/08
      76.   65 Albert in Buenos Aires 12:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 29/12/08
      77.   I DON`T KNOW 13:09  |  Robert 29/12/08
      78.   Churchil didn`t negociate with the Nazis, they surrended 13:19  |  maurice 29/12/08
      79.   Russia didn`t negociate with Chechenya, they... 13:20  |  maurice 29/12/08
      80.   Hamas is a violent nationalist movement - same as Likud 13:20  |  Danny 29/12/08
      81.   CJK #50 then the IDF is a terrorist organisation too 13:29  |  Roo 29/12/08
      82.   History fact 13:31  |  Fernando 29/12/08
      83.   with faulty premises, of course the logic is flawed! 13:32  |  michelle 29/12/08
      84.   # 69 Sameh Hamas very unpopular in Gaza 13:32  |  Traude 29/12/08
      85.   #68, zmogus, we do not live in Zionist utopias 13:33  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/12/08
      86.   If force were good to teach... 13:36  |  Bob 29/12/08
      87.   They will teach the same lesson 13:36  |  Roo 29/12/08
      88.   # 45 Cipora Julianna Kohn "Zionist enterprise," NO 13:42  |  Traude 29/12/08
      89.   You talk sense 13:59  |  Jabir Jabir 29/12/08
      90.   #78, Roo, Israel fires at military targets 14:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/12/08
      91.   War? Are you serious? 14:27  |  Jack 29/12/08
      92.   To Bob in Sao Paulo - Wrong analogy 14:32  |  Jack 29/12/08
      93.   Aim is not to teach them a lesson 14:35  |  Jackie 29/12/08
      94.   PRICE FOR 10000 ROCKETS is not LESSON 14:44  |  B 29/12/08
      95.   #82 Kohn, the right Palestinians have to defend themselves 14:46  |  Ben Alofs 29/12/08
      96.   Israel... How Could You ??!! 14:52  |  Ahmed 29/12/08
      97.   Tom Segev - Unwilling to reply to me???? 14:53  |  Matt 29/12/08
      98.   Where do you live Segev? 14:53  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 29/12/08
      99.   Peace is not the absence of War 14:55  |  Robert Light 29/12/08
      100.   Mark of Lewiston 14:57  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 29/12/08
      101.   Jules Kadish 14:59  |  x-ray 29/12/08
      102.   To 45 jew for tikkun olam - Sorry can`t remember 15:01  |  Natasha 29/12/08
      103.   Jew for tikkun olam 15:01  |  x-ray 29/12/08
      104.   Dino and today`s moment of humour 15:06  |  x-ray 29/12/08
      105.   CJK#88 you are so full of 15:08  |  Roo 29/12/08
      106.   Your idiocy. Fuel for Hizbollah like Gideon Levy`s Handiwork? 15:10  |  Paul Chaim 29/12/08
      107.   Segev lives in a Vaccum 15:11  |  Yisroel 29/12/08
      108.   Right to desagree 15:24  |  Jose Marcio 29/12/08
      109.   Correct, it should be teaching haaretz a lesson 15:25  |  fundamentally right 29/12/08
      110.   Israel hs become a new Goiath and Ehuda Barak is an Antioch 15:26  |  Dave 29/12/08
      111.   #17 Peter Williams` fantasy is that 15:26  |  Roo 29/12/08
      112.   YOU DESTROY EVIL BEFORE IT DESTROYS YOU-THAT IS LIFE! 15:35  |  dav zee 29/12/08
      113.   I was supporter of israel untill now 15:37  |  paulo2005 29/12/08
      114.   What total nonsense The religion of Hamas is our destruction 15:41  |  Shalom Freedman 29/12/08
      115.   Obviously better when Hamas teaches us a lesson with rockets. 15:56  |  Bennie 29/12/08
      116.   trying tp teach Hamas a lesson 16:20  |  Ellen 29/12/08
      117.   #113"I was a supporter of Israel, untill now." 16:46  |  hmpierson 29/12/08
      118.   Tom is right and wrong 16:49  |  Proud Israeli 29/12/08
      119.   To Tom Segev 17:46  |  Choni Davidowitz 29/12/08
      120.   Tom Segev is right 17:50  |  Jonathan B. 29/12/08
      121.   The Barbarians are at it again 18:20  |  GVYI 29/12/08
      122.   Honest report 18:39  |  American 29/12/08
      123.   Re# 3 That is one way of seeing the situation 18:42  |  Ines 29/12/08
      124.   Kasam policy of Hamas 18:45  |  Abdul Aziz Higazi 29/12/08
      125.   Cipora: You still mouthing off on self defence 19:13  |  Tupac 29/12/08
      126.   It`s about showing Hamas where they stand 19:43  |  ScotGuy 29/12/08
      127.   editorial `trying to teach hamas...` 20:08  |  Recher 29/12/08
      128.   #114 Shalom Freedom You are missing the point.... 20:09  |  Smadar 29/12/08
      129.   Hamas Part3 20:09  |  Rambo 29/12/08
      130.   what is wrong 20:25  |  ahmad 29/12/08
      131.   Thinking is a Luxury 20:38  |  David 29/12/08
      132.   The Gaza massacre 20:45  |  gf 29/12/08
      133.   religious nationalist movement .... 20:53  |  Ines 29/12/08
      134.   Thank you for this Tom Segev 20:58  |  Mohamed 29/12/08
      135.   Can`t remember Barak being so determined,and committed. 21:41  |  Sarah 29/12/08
      136.   Hamas sets the rules & Israel playing by those rules ! 21:45  |  Akram Zekaria 29/12/08
      137.   The Lesson Hasn`t Worked in Fifty Years! 21:55  |  zak822 29/12/08
      138.   Tom Segev 22:07  |  S Friedman 29/12/08
      139.   Reply to Rudzeev (24) - Spot On ( More Tomsegevfoolery) 22:51  |  Tod Zuckerman 29/12/08
      140.   trying to teach hamas a lesson 22:54  |  louiew 29/12/08
      141.   Acttions speak louder than words ... 22:56  |  Ines 29/12/08
      142.   Roo #111 23:07  |  Peter Williams 29/12/08
      143.   #9 Aharon HaCohen 23:31  |  Joe 29/12/08
      144.   I guess the allies also tried to teach the Nazis a... 23:34  |  Ines 29/12/08
      145.   Israel should talk to Hamas while rockets.. 23:38  |  Ines 29/12/08
      146.   A wet blanket 23:43  |  Mark Lincoln 29/12/08
      147.   It is not really important... 23:49  |  Ines 29/12/08
      148.   114 Shalom Freedman, It`s your right winghuts who the extremists 23:58  |  dutch 29/12/08
      149.   Mark Lincoln 01:49  |  Connie 30/12/08
      150.   Lovely T Segev, finally someone says the truth 02:23  |  Diego 30/12/08
      151.   A New Approach for Hamas 02:42  |  Robert W. 30/12/08
      152.   trying to "teach Hamas a Lesson" 03:28  |  Aaron 30/12/08
      153.   Good edirtorial 04:26  |  fred shapiro 30/12/08
      154.   too far and what next? 05:53  |  rm 30/12/08
      155.   Suggestion to Jim: Read a history book 06:44  |  Mark 30/12/08
      156.   Response to Aaron: Naive in the extreme 07:12  |  Mark 30/12/08
      157.   HAMAS IS A SPIRIT NOT A BODY PERSON 07:17  |  NIEV 30/12/08
      158.   I agree but... 07:28  |  Aladdin 30/12/08
      159.   teaching Hammas a lesson 07:32  |  Robyn 30/12/08
      160.   a voice of sanity in a country that has grown psychotic 07:57  |  deborah 30/12/08
      161.   Shooting Fish in a Barrel = Barbaric 08:08  |  Lee 30/12/08
      162.   Symmetry 09:11  |  Voltaire 30/12/08
      163.   Thank you, Tom Segev! 10:36  |  Elizabeth 30/12/08
      164.   Teaching Hamas a lesson 10:40  |  Khaled 31/12/08
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