Aluf Benn / Who decided to go to war in Gaza and why?

[bemildred]

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Why did the "cease-fire" agreement between Israel and Hamas collapse, and who decided and why on an IDF operation against the tunnel uncovered near the Gaza border on November 4, which resulted in renewed escalation in the south?

Before embarking on Cast Lead, were diplomatic alternatives explored for achieving calm in the south? Was Hamas' proposal for renewing calm in exchange for opening crossings seriously considered in Israel, or did the government only want a military operation?

How did the rising popularity of the opposition parties, Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman, as reflected in polls at the time, affect Barak and Livni's stances before and during the operation?

What was the importance of image as informed by concepts such as "restoring deterrence" and "overcoming the trauma of the Second Lebanon War" in the decisions to embark on the operation and introduce ground forces?

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1124190.html

[LeftishBrit]

1. Good article; I agree entirely

Especially that

'It's not the company or battalion commanders who need to be investigated, but former prime minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, former foreign minister Tzipi Livni, Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, and the heads of the intelligence chiefs and Foreign Ministry, who were party to the decisions. It is also important to investigate Barak and Livni's election campaign advisers to find out if and how the campaign affected the military and diplomatic efforts.'

Not that I would necessarily leave the commanders off the hook; but the politicians are the ultimate decision-makers.

[azurnoir]

3. +1 agreed I had wondered also

if in reality this is why Linvi is not PM, the Israeli government is intelligent enough to see this possibility and also if Ehud Barak was in place not just so as to appear to have a more leftist element in the current government but also in part as the "sacrificial goat" so to speak if the chips really got down

[bemildred]

5. Well, he would make a superb sacrificial goat. nt

[azurnoir]

6. quite the mental picture horns and all besides a goatee might

(no puns) might become him he has a weak chin ;)

[oberliner]

2. Great article

Thanks for posting!

[shira]

4. Great questions by the author which demand an honest response