It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Israel has just suffered a historic defeat.

by Norman Finkelstein

Chanting victory slogans and shouting “the resistance has triumphed,”

jubilant residents flooded the streets of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday night

to express their joy over the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal, which came

into effect at 21:00 (1900 GMT), AFP reported.

One only had to watch the international news coverage.

BBC persisted in its typically awful reportage on the Israel-Palestine conflict during Israel’s latest rampage.

But tonight it had to acknowledge that the people of Gaza were out in the streets celebrating.

It desperately sought some “balance” by positing that “some people in Israel are probably also celebrating.”

Fat chance.

Hamas leader Khaled Meshal speaks with Christiane Amanpour

CNN aired Christiane Amanpour “exclusive” interview with Khaled Meshal.

Despite, or perhaps because of, her silly histrionics (“What do you want?” she tearfully pleaded), Meshal came across as remarkably articulate.

It could not have failed to register even on the terrifyingly stupid Abu Abbas that the PA Comedy Hour will soon be cancelled.

Meshal also explicitly endorsed a settlement on the June 1967 border, which won’t please the BDS/One-State cultists.

CNN then televised the Israeli news conference of Netanyahu, Lieberman and Barak.

They looked like three sixth-graders called down to the Principal’s Office, counting the minutes until the humiliation was over.

Israel suffered a double defeat.

Its announced goal when it went into Gaza was to restore its “deterrence capacity.”

But at the end of the day its deterrence capacity had been drastically reduced:

The once mighty Israeli army that caused the whole Arab/Muslim world to tremble could not even defeat the impoverished and weaponless tiny enclave of Gaza.

Israel demanded an unconditional and unilateral secession of Hamas “rocket” attacks.

But Israel had to accept a mutual ceasefire. It also had to make promises regarding the siege of Gaza.

It is highly improbable that anything will come of these Israeli promises, but still, Israel could not unilaterally impose its will.

Let it, finally, be said:

In praise of the ever-martyred but ever-heroic and ever-renascent people of Gaza.

May they live to see the full brightness of dawn.