Fast Draw – That Is No Way To Build Deterrence
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Arie Egozi
Jerusalem is writing right this moment the new version of the book “How NOT to build deterrence”. A weak government that wants – and wants bad – for legal advisors to block this “tough guy” act it is doing, is creating a situation where the citizens of Israel are at the mercy of terror organizations.
Rockets are still being launched in the south of the country. In response the air force is targeting “terror infrastructures”. Notice the footage from Gaza showing large holes in sandy terrains. Someone in Hamas might die laughing seeing what Israel is calling deterrence.
This way, Hamas or any other terror organization has every incentive to keep on launching rockets towards Israel.
The second front – Jerusalem – there isn’t even the beginning of something to be meekly called deterrence.
In a discussion held yesterday by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the situation in Jerusalem, the Attorney General, Yehuda Weinstein, expressed his objection to easing on opening fire restrictions against stones and Molotov bottles. According to him, the approval to use 0.22 sniper rifle which was given recently is more than enough and has proven affective. But facts on the field tell a completely different story.
In the discussion the Attorney General has also objected to establishing by law minimal punishments for those throwing stones and Molotov bottles, and offered to establish a temporary order that will allow it for only one year. Weinstein claims that using this temporary order for a year will offer a test period during which it could be established whether or not minimal punishments are really required and whether following them really deterrs those throwing stones and flaming bottles. The Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked has made it clear that a temporary order for one year is not enough and said that it must be established for at least three years.
The decision in the matter will fall in the final meeting which will be held by Netanyahu on Thursday.
What was being done so far in what is called deterrence might be good for handling demonstrations somewhere in the world. It sure isn’t effective against murderous terror organizations in Gaza and the West Bank.
But what the government is doing is to cover itself with complex legal phrasings. It might be comfortable for the government but the public is in constant danger that grows everyday.
That is not how an independant state with a strong army acts.
