I’ve watched U.S. warplanes attack Afghanistan; barely escaped a direct strike from a Russian MiG in Georgia, and lived for weeks under relentless Israeli bombardment in Lebanon. Israel has so far killed more than 8,000 people, the Gaza Health Ministry said, more than 40 percent of them children. But having spent time under bombardment, and having reported in Gaza, I have no time for these explanations. If we are to believe the Israeli political and military leadership’s own words — and I think we should — the assault on Gaza was driven, first, by straightforward vengeance. We could find out with a cease-fire, but they say we can’t ask for a cease-fire.

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Persons: I’ve, keening, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, “, Maj, Ghassan, ”, Ron Derner, Yoav Gallant, You’re Organizations: U.S, Gaza Health Ministry, Hamas, Israeli Defense Forces, ”, Israel Locations: Afghanistan, Russian, Georgia, Lebanon, Gaza, Israel, United States, America, Jerusalem