There has been a lot of rejoicing in America, especially in New York among those that were survivors, or directly affected by the events of 9/11. There are Obama haters out there that are combing for anything that would discredit his handling of the matter.That is all to be expected.
I’m curious to hear what the reaction has been in Israel. How is the press handling it and what are the near and long term implications according to the pundits and the public in Israel? Is Israel on high alert in fear of retribution?
Bosda, thanks for the bump. I was beginning to think that I had asked a really stupid question or had [once again] offended someone.
barbitu8 That article is very interesting. I am not Jewish but within our family we have discussed the exact same ethical issues. We are not vengeful people but the way this mission was carried out, as Americans, brings more joy and pride than angst.
But they did kill him eventually.
With Al Qaeda being an organization of Islamic extremists bent on the extinction of Israel I was wondering what the reaction is in Israel. I’m not a good enough web surfer to search out all the information from Israel. It’s a good thing that I wasn’t born Jewish because I would have flunked out of Hebrew school.
To lighten it up, maybe the Israeli Special Forces are embarrassed for being upstaged by the SEALS. Just a throw-off thought.
Israel did not assassinate OBL. He was executed after a trial, but they have assassinated many terrorists. I don’t think Israel Special Forces would be embarrassed. Why would they?
Al Qaeda, IMHO, is the least of Israel’s worries, with Hamas, Syria, Iran, Palestinians all vowing to eliminate Israel. The Palestinian map shows no Israel, showing all that land as “Palestine.” The PLO charter calling for the elimination of Israel is still valid and acknowledged as such by Hamas. And now Fatah, the less militant of the Palestinian governments, uniting with Hamas, Israel is a lot more on her mind than OBL and Al Qaeda.
Based on what I’ve read, the response is extremely favorable. Shimon Peres, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Ehud Barak (President, Prime Minister, and Defense Minister, respectively) called it “a great achievement,” “a resounding triumph,” and “an outstanding achievement.” An opposition party’s leader also praised the operation. Terrorism experts in Israel have cautioned that Bin Laden’s death has little operational significance, but agree that it’s got great symbolic weight. A couple of journalists have complained that President Obama is overdoing the message that the U.S. is not at war with Islam. Some anticipate a temporary surge in terrorist actions, but they regard the killing as a good thing in the long run. Some rabbis have stated that rejoicing in God’s justice is one thing, but that gloating and raucous celebration are unseemly and unJewish.
A survey of JBlog Central indicates that Israelis have nothing but good to say of the killing, but mixed feelings about the context: some resent that America can get praised for this, while Israel is condemned for similar actions, others fear the coming reprisals, and some wonder if Saudi royals pressured Pakistan’s leaders to look the other way. Everyone seems to view it more soberly than most Americans do, which is no surprise.
When you say Israel did not assassinate OBL are you talking about Eichmann? Yes Eichmann was captured and tried but his fate was sealed when he was caught. Israel 50 years ago and the USA today are hardly comparable. Things being what they are today it probably would cost a billion dollars and untold years to finally bring OBL to justice. The idea of trying terrorists in NYC brought a firestorm of criticism if only for the security cost of doing it. Bringing OBL to trial would have been a national nightmare.
Yes, Israel has a huge security problem on their hands but remember, Al Qaeda was born in Egypt which has undergone a recent revolution of it’s own. A lot of Islamic fundamentalists were jailed under Mubarak’s dictatorship. If these guys get freedom there could be a new Al Qaeda type threat coming out of Egypt.
It’s a complex situation. Therefore the OP because I am really curious as to how the Israeli people and press are framing this. Whether they have bigger fish to fry or not, it does affect them.
Reiterate: the comment about the Israeli Special Forces was a “throw-off” comment. Not intended to be taken seriously.
What are you talking about? In France, Sarkozy said,
Foreign Minister Juppe said
In the UK, Cameron said:
Foreign Minister Hague said
In Germany, Chancellor Merkel said “Tonight the forces of peace have won through. International terrorism has not, however, been vanquished. We must all remain alert and vigilant.”, and Foreign Minister Westerwille said “The fact that this terrorist has now been stopped from plying his murderous trade is good news for all people around the world who love peace and freedom.”
So what negative reaction are you talking about here? As far as I know, the only person who condemned it was Hamas leader Haniyah (well, and the Iranian government, which at the same time denied it happened, said that Obama just did it for political reasons and said that America should leave the Middle East now that he’s dead, but that’s Iran for you).
**Nametag **pretty much nailed it. What I’ve heard from the press and the man on the street (or on the web) is happiness for OBL’s death; mad props to the U.S. armed forces for a job well done (and we should know - it was taken right from the IDF playbook); and a grudging respect for President Obama, who up until now wasn’t all that popular here. With everything that’s been going on in the Middle East in recent months, it’s nice to have something unambiguously good happen.
I didn’t mean to imply that OBL should have been brought to trial. I was merely referring to the comment that Israel did kill Eichmann. I agree that Israel now has to worry again about Egypt, a long-time nemesis, which instigated several wars against her. The people in Egypt are very much anti-semitic because of those wars, IMHO. A few years ago I played tennis with an Egyptian physician (who has since gone back to Egypt). When he found out I am Jewish, his demeanor towards me changed remarkably. There was obvious antipathy toward Jews in the Egyptians.
I’ve read the same things that Nametag and Captain Amazing have posted.
Indeed. The civil and legal rights and other principles a country espouses nearly always fly out the window when economic concerns make them too inconvenient to implement.
Why is this so? I think that’s a good idea on Obama’s part, especially given that the US is a country with a significant Muslim population. And Israel, of course, has a greater percentage of Muslim citizens than the US.
And this is a country that has pretty much always has given strong political and military support for the U.S. even when it’s not always popular with the electorate (to say the least).
The Seals Team Six were engaged in a 45-minute attack with much resistance. OBL was not just going to surrender. The safety of the team was important (but, of course, not paramount - the whole raid was risky). It is conceivable, but unlikely that he could have been captured without danger to us, but he was a terrorist and a non-uniformed combatant in a war. He was, therefore, not entitled to our legal system.
Certainly, no one’s spoken up in favor of bin Laden. Severaloutlets in the German media have been critical that he was killed rather than captured, although certainly not all. Merkel is being criticized for her remarks by some other German politicians and commentators, including apparently some from within her own party. Some legislators elsewhere in Europe have been critical as well, and the Archbishop of Canterbury issued mild criticism.
I’m ready to presume that this thread is headed for Great Debates although that wasn’t the original intention. If so, so be it.
Nothing in this world, when it comes to human morals, ethics or even laws is absolute. I think human history shows that our morality is constantly evolving and being refined. Whenever an absolute is imposed it leads to revulsion because oftentimes there are mitigating factors. Cut off the hands of thieves? Stone adulterers? Kill doctors that perform abortions? Execute children that commit murder? Any number of things.
I don’t see Obama as a bloodthirsty person bent on revenge. I do see him as a pragmatist who is very intelligent and takes his job very seriously. I’m sure that when he gave the order it was a difficult decision both morally and ethically. Practically speaking, he put his legacy and his Presidency on the line. It can now be debated forever. Yet, I think that the decision allows him, and the rest of us, to sleep better at night. I think he did the right thing for the right reason which is something that is terribly lacking in American politics today. The fact that the decision played out as expected provides some focus to the nation.
No matter what the argument is in regard to ethics and morals, putting bin Laden on trial would have been a national nightmare. Personally, I’m glad we were spared of the experience. You are certainly free to disagree with me. I say that with due respect.
One interesting thing I forgot to add is the Israeli response to the American celebrations following Bin Laden’s death. Essentially, it’s *envy. *What people are thinking is: when was the last ime OUR government give us a reason to dance in the street?