Palestine: Strategy and Tactics

By V. Ramakrishna Reddy, Northridge, CA

In the past few weeks the media has been replete with reports of the merciless killings of Palestinians at the hands of Israeli soldiers. On the TV screen Palestinian young men have been shown hurling stones at Israeli soldiers hardly causing any harm to them, but in return receiving a hail of bullets, killing and injuring Palestinians by the dozens. Israelis are criticized for using excessive force. When rioting or civil strife takes place in an organized state, law-enforcing authorities use force to quell it, first by lathi charge then tear gas and finally by resorting to firing at critical times. If the causalities are large a magisterial or judicial inquiry takes place to determine whether force was used in excess. Here the situation is totally different. Two warring states stand face to face. Israel is an established state with well equipped army whereas Palestine is still experiencing birth pangs. The enmity is old between them. Palestinians are victims of destiny. Young boys are motivated and pushed on to the scene with handpicked stones to fight with well armed Israeli soldiers. The stories published in Pakistan Link ‘Days of martyrdom …’ are heart rending. The boys who could live to become fighting soldiers to fight Israelis are dying prematurely. It is not a case of quelling a riot or civil disturbance to judge whether the force was excessive. Using a fire arm against a stone throwing boy is definitely an excess. No one can deny it, but what does it matter to Israelis.

Recently, General Musharraf, the CEO of Pakistan stated that wars are won by acts of strategy and battles are won by acts of tactics. Unfortunately the Palestinians are fighting with least strategy and less tactics. It is for the Arab Palestinian leaders to handle and regulate the pent up emotions of young Palestinians for the benefit of the nascent state of Palestine that is taking shape.