I Am a Loser Today
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MKs Aryeh Eldad (R) and Michael Ben Ari of the new party "Power to Israel." I will look for less "reasonable" politicians to vote into power next time.
Photo Credit: Miriam Alster/FLASH90
First we must admit we lost the war with Hamas.
It will allow us to begin healing from our wounds. For until we make the admission that we are on the losing side in the war and remain in a state of denial about it, no recovery is possible. We are thankful to be alive, of course, there is that to be grateful for – we can write letters like these and feel some satisfaction in the small pleasures of daily life, but we lost the war, yes, we did.
If we all make the admission simultaneously it will be an even stronger spur to our recovery, for we will be able to move on and examine our options. But until we as a nation, say it out loud, we’re trapped in fear, despair and disappointment.
We lost the war with Hamas. Please, don’t be afraid to say it out loudly and clearly. Say it to yourself. Say it to your family and friends. Say it at work and in the streets. Let’s own our defeat and see how it feels before condemning it as defeatist or negative. I think it will do us a world of good, actually. Today, this Thursday morning, this week of Parshat Vayetze, we were defeated by Hamas.
We’re alive, unapologetic and eager to find the positive in the situation, but we are defeated. We lost the war with Hamas this week, you know. It hurts a lot. We were sure it was going to be a resounding win, a victory and a new beginning for Israeli citizens everywhere but especially in the south. Unfortunately, we lost the war with Hamas.
They won, you see, because they have two advantages over us, superior tactics and a superior strategy. I’m not writing an analysis; that’s for the historians and the war-college professors to do. I’m merely stating what needs to be said out loud for our health’s sake, today. We lost the war with Hamas.
I cry for us, for those who survive unscathed and for those who mourn their losses, all our collective losses. Their children are our children, their parents, our parents. We are all living in Sderot, we are all about five seconds from a devastating trauma – we all have the scars this morning from the war with Hamas which we lost.
We are a noble people, for the most part. God knows we seek no one any great harm, and rarely dream, as a nation, of committing genocide, rapine or plunder. But we must, for our health’s sake, admit that we are locked in a deathly embrace with Hamas who have beaten us this week, who have reduced us to the role of the vanquished, to the point where we were forced to sue for peace on their terms, on any terms. We need to internalize the simple fact that Islamists have forced us to settle, not for peace on any terms, but with a lull, a not-even-truce. They have graciously, as the victors, agreed to allow us a short respite, for as long as it takes them to rearm, regroup and reposition for the next battle in the war we have lost.
I am not ashamed to say I am an Israeli Jew, I am a loser today in the war with Hamas.
I’m ashamed of the men and women we voted into political power, whose duty it is to protect us, let us not sully our lips with their names, they know who they are. I will look for more savage politicians to vote into power next time, lesser practitioners of the reasonable arts – with frothier spittle and madder eyes.
I am ashamed for us, I’m crying for us. We seem to have lost our vision and our insight. We are lost in broad daylight, blinded by the truth and crippled by common sense.
Because it’s true, I admit it. We lost the war with Hamas.
Join with me, friends and family. Let us make the admission with contrition in our our hearts and all the earnestness at our command; We lost the war with Hamas.
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2 Responses to “I Am a Loser Today”
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like hell
Keep praying in tears to the Lord & cry even more because the war is not really over.Just remember the promise of your Lord & you should feel better.
Israel cannot afford to not defend themselves. Hamas, Iran, and the Arab world have declared they will annihilate Israel and pus her into the sea. Thank God that He will defend her when all nations turn against her. I do not want to be on the wrong side of that war. He will destroy those nations with the brightness of His coming.
War is comprised of many battles. We lost this battle but the war continues. The battle of elections we will face soon in hopes of picking someone else in these war time positions so that we can win more battles and hopefully win the whole war in the end. BaraBiberman lost my vote.
You are a loser 24/7.
You are everything Judaism is NOT!
This is a rather unsubtle attempt at electioneering. It actually took courage and leadership to hold back when the popular sentiment is gung ho. We all know they can't stop shooting if their lives depended on it. Israel needed to placate a second term president, has gained unprecedented international support & understanding and next time the case for going in will be stronger.
"We lost the war with Hamas."
No, you didn't.
A return to the status quo ante in a war you did not start is not a defeat. If you have inflicted far more damage on your enemy — and there is no question that that is the case here — you have actually won.
Yes, Hamas is still around. It still terrorizes Gaza Arabs. But it has been shown that it can't get its way by bullying and terror, and suffered a lot of damage including the loss of much of its arsenal, infrastructure, and leadership. Furthermore, it has placed its buddy Morsi in an bad situation, as Morsi will get blamed when the ceasefire inevitably gets broken.
It is possible to have a successful war when your opponent still exists. That is basic war strategy as taught in any political science course or as written by any military strategist. Limited war can be an important instrument of national policy.
Why are so many supporters of Israel pushing this "we lost" stuff?
Because it will happen again and again. Because Hamas needs to be wiped out and Gaza re-occupied and the people of Gaza saved from Hamas and their own hate. The media and schools need to be overtaken so deprogramming this campaign of Islamist militaristic hate comes to end. That's why.
and they've already shown that they can and will hit inside Israel via suicide bombers or chicken bombers who plant and run. This means Israelis will continue having to look over their shoulders, wondering when the next attack will take place. I think they're tired of living like that. I know I'd be tired of it.
Reoccupying Gaza would be a disaster. You want Israeli soldiers acting as police in Gaza City?
Why are you still reading that rag Charlie?
"Sheni Leumi"–you're trying to tell me that that's a real name?
"Sheni Leumi". Very funny. Who are you really?
Despite all of your dumb argument "Israels war". The truth about Israel’s onslaught on Gaza is patently clear to everyone, unless you are an un eduacated American or souless Israelie. These are murderous attacks on civilians living in desperate poverty under siege in the world’s most densely-populated area. PEOPLE IN GAZA ARE NOT FREE. THEY CAN NOT LEAVE. ITS LIKE A PRISON CAMP. The Israeli attacks have killed scores of civilians and injured hundreds. Yet, none of you show compasion for your fellow man.
The onslaught on Gaza is patently clear to you only. We are fighting an a political organization that in calling for the distraction of the state of Israel. Its in there charter. They do not recognize Israel right to exist at ALL in any borders.
They are committed to die for GOD in the name of GOD and is forbidden to have any negotiation with Israel.
You are clearly confused by your predetermine ideology that blinds you from seeing the light. So many sorties by the Israeli Air Force and only 100 killed and you call it onslaught? We can't be that bad and miss most of the targets can we?