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Everything You Know About the Recent Mideast War Is Wrong
by Emanuele Ottolenghi
Each war brings Israel a new challenge. Each time, it takes Israel time to absorb the blow, understand its nature and mechanisms, and then make elaborate corrections and improvements to its combat doctrine. In the past, Israel has learned from its mistakes and it improved its fighting capabilities the next time around. In this recent war with Hizballah, Israel's performance was no different from that in past wars. At a heavy price, it inflicted a severe, but not decisive, blow to Hizballah. It will now learn how to fight better next time around. (National Review)
This War Has Taught Us that Israel Must Revise Its Military Approach
by Shimon Peres
 In Lebanon we have experienced a new form of battle. Terrorist organisations are armed with a wide range of missiles and rockets that enable them to bypass frontlines and hit tanks, planes and concentrations of soldiers. This type of war is more ballistic in nature than territorial. It is driven more by a religious ideology than by nationalistic motivation, seeking to target populations wherever possible, even before trying to control territory. The line of division between the battle front and the home front is largely blurred. (Guardian-UK)
America's Missile Crisis and Ours
by Uzi Landau
The words that follow will not be to the liking of those who consider themselves "peace activists" embracing the notion that if only Israel were more "forthcoming" peace would prevail. History teaches us just the opposite. Aggression must be confronted - not appeased. (Jerusalem Post)
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Has Occupation Hurt the Israeli Army?
by Efraim Karsh
 Rather than blame the "occupation" for Israel's shortcomings in Lebanon, armchair pundits must acknowledge both that occupation in its truest sense ended years ago, and also that the attendant lessons of its end enhanced the IDF's counterterrorism and counter-guerrilla capabilities - which was exactly what Israel needed in Lebanon. It's true that Israel's performance there failed to eradicate Hizballah; but don't blame the occupation. (New Republic)
Anti-Semitism Is Back
by Denis MacShane
 We are where we are with Israel. But we know of no mechanism that visits upon a community in Britain the responsibility for the actions that a sovereign state and UN member takes, however angry many are over Israel's behavior. Our universities should be as open to Jewish students to say what they want as they are to other faiths. Our newspapers should watch language and images so that there is not a crossing of a line into attacking Jewishness. In the 1930s, the language was of the Jewish "cabal." Today, it is the Jewish "lobby" that is all-powerful. The demonisation of Jews was meant to have died in 1945. Alas it did not. Denis Macshane is a Member of Parliament. (Guardian-UK)
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