Suffocation

A useless blockade.

The Israeli Navy is imposing a maritime blockade alongside the entire Lebanese shores. This will add to the de-facto air blockade that resulted from bombing the airport. Just to be clear, the blockade is NOT intended to prevent the smuggling of the two Israeli soldiers by sea. Had Hezbollah wanted to smuggle the soldiers outside of Lebanon, the easiest way would be to do it through the more-than-happy-to-help Syria.

The blockade has one clear purpose: To make life miserable for the Lebanese in order to exert pressure on Hezbollah.

Here’s how the sea/air blockade is designed to work:

Ships and planes will not be allowed to arrive to or leave Lebanon. Goods will not be imported or exported; Lebanese apples will rot in the harbor and Scottish salmons will have to wait. Our huge diaspora, unable to fly home, will be angry. We will always have food, but an extended blockade will turn industry groups, business and farmers against Hezbollah. Panicked businessmen will withdraw their money from banks, pushing hard on the lira. We’ve seen it all before.

The pressure will be intense on the government to release the soldiers. Will the plan work?

No it won’t. Israel constantly underestimates the bonds common misery can create. They are using the wrong channels and are needlessly starving an entire nation and making it angrier.

PS: Picture is just for illustrative purposes