“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – MAYA ANGELOU.
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This is a follow-up to the first narrative of the Israeli Hamas war in my previous column..
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “war” to distinguish Israeli retaliation from the word “conflict.”
Clearly, Netanyahu wanted to send the sternest message not only to Hamas but to all of Israel’s enemies whose long time intention is to erase Israel from the face of the earth.
As a number of different nationalities – including Americans and other Western tourists caught during the crossfire – the Hamas dawn attacks last Saturday that breached the border fence of Southern Israel confirmed suspicions that they have no more regard for the sanctity of human life.
Regardless of age and gender, more than 1,200 Israelis were reported murdered in cold blood and close to 200, news reports said, are now help as hostages.
OFWs working in Israel number to about 30,000. Two have been confirmed dead and several others are difficult to locate.
A DMW statement said it would recommend a total deployment ban to Israel.
Although commendable, this is rather too late. Government officials and intelligence gatherers have misread the Israeli situation in a reactive fashion.
(I heard a OFW being interviewed live over a Manila-based radio station that, unless there is a forced evacuation and repatriation by the Philippine goveernment, she would stay put with her Israeli employer.)
Don’t our government authorities know that Hamas cannot act by itself? Don’t they know that Iran is behind all this anti-Semitism activities, using militant proxies to do its sinister plot?
Regardless of the global consequences.
Already, various international news agencies are reporting that Hezbollah in the northern Israel border has started firing rockets towards civilian areas thereat.
Obviously, to distract and divide the attention being focused by Netanyahu and the IDF on those initial blasts by Hamas in the Gaza Strip..
The international community, led by the US, has vehemently condemned the barbaric murderous attacks. As videos have shown, Hamas’ indiscriminate killings of civilians and hostages proved once and for all that the war in israel is of global proportions.
I did not pay much attention to a press statement from the Department of Energy that the Mid-East situation will not affect the supply of crude oil and fuel to the Philippines.
This is outright misleading. Again, government authorities are mis-reading the volatile Israel Hamas conflict
As 360,000 Israeli reservists have answered Netanyahu’s call to serve and save their nation, this alone confirms that the new government coalition in Israel will not stop until the last remnant of Hamas is killed and destroyed.
Based on this logical consequence, will a truce be forthcoming?
Amidst the death of several Americans, will the US acquiesce and give in if and when a greater voice from teh international community (the UN, for example) strongly urge and mediate for the discontunace of the conflict and the parties come to the negotiating table to talk peace?
Netanyahu, the IDF and Knesset have long ago set a plan in case something like this arises.
Should they veer away from military engagement, and Netanyahu agrees to a truce, his position as PM automatically becomes untenable.
He will be forced to resign by the new coalition government and Netanyahu doesn’t like this pictuire to happen.
Besides, Iran does not hide that it is the one flexing the muscle.
Perhaps, in Tehran’s assessment, the time has come for Hamas, Hezbollah and Israel’s enemies in Syria, Egypt and Jordan to strike anew.
There is no more Donald Trump that Netanyahu can staunchly depend on. There is only a weak and old Joe Biden in the White House who seem not to know exactly what he is saying and doing.
Therefore, my own personal assessment is that we should all brace up for something worse.
Iran is frenetically trying to prevent the renewal of ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel and undermine the Abraham accords that is almost sweeping the MidEast region.
However, i cannot help but invoke my reading and understanding of bible prophecy contained in the Books of Daniel (9) and Ezekiel (38/39.).
Many bible scholars and pastors are collectively preaching that planet Earth is living in the end times.
Do you see a truce coming? (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
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