Such Timing...

We see the "hand of G-d" in all sorts of things.

"Yisrael, Batach B'Hashem!"

"People of Israel, Trust in G-d!"

This week's Haftara, the readings from "The Prophets" portion of the Bible can be read as political commentary on Israel's security plans. Since the government decided to end Operation Cast Lead, aka the Election Campaign War, and take our IDF out of Gaza, it has announced that it's trusting Egypt to keep us safe, by making sure the terrorists don't rearm.

Davka, what's the Haftara for Parshat Va'era? Yechezkel 28:25 - 29:21 In it we see Egypt as weak, not the country to rely on. We must take responsibility for ourselves and only trust in G-d!

Same Old Ehud Barak

ברק ברח

Barak Barach

Barak Fled

That has been the rallying cry against Ehud Barach oops! Barak ever since he ran for cover instead of helping the wounded at the training accident at Tzehelim Bet and how he ordered our troops to flee Southern Lebanon, which enabled Hizbullah to arm against Israel.

The vast majority of Israelis are disgusted and disappointed by Israel's early withdrawal from Gaza and the pre-mature cessation of Operation Cast Lead, aka the Election Campaign War.

Ironically, Tzachi Hanegbi, whose mantra used to be "Barak Barach," now sounds just like him in his announcement:

"Hamas militants face a simple equation," Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Tzachi Hanegbi told Army Radio. "If the [rocket] fire resumes, we will respond with force so strong and overpowering, they will miss the day the Israel Air Force's offensive began." (hat tip IMRA)

Barak's reign as Prime Minister was full of threats like that, but he never followed through, and we ended up with the worst bout of Arab terrorism ever. The media calls it "The Second Intifada," not that I remember any announcemt by the terrorists that they had ended the sic "first" one. There were periodic lulls, like when ocean water recedes between waves.

Ehud Barak was elected during such a lull, and then he so mishandled the subsequent terrorism, emboldening the terrorists by his unilateral campaign promise withdrawal from Southern Lebanon, that most of the country felt under siege. We were forced to get bullet-proof vehicles or travel dressed in heavy bullet-proof vests. My sons were serving in the army at the time, and I was more nervous about their walking in Jerusalem than when they were doing their actual military tasks.

Today, what frightens me is the national amnesia, which has allowed that same Ehud Barak to return to politics as head of the Labor Party and subsequently become Defense Minister. As IDF Chief of Staff, he was instrumental in downgrading the army which caused the many mistakes in Olmert's Lebanese War fiasco of two and a half years ago.

And now, Ehud Barak is willing to accept continued smuggling of arms by Hamas into Gaza. All I can think of is that a deal was made via the Egyptians to keep things "quiet" until after Israeli elections.

Please don't forget that one of the new U.S. President Obama's highest priority Foreign Policy aims is to establish a new Arab country in the very heart of Israel.

My husband and I just spent close to a week on vacation in Eilat, sans internet. That's why I haven't posted recently. We were dependent on TV news, which gave very little real information. Now we're back.

Most Israelis, Jews and concerned people all over the world are shocked that Israel ended Operation Cast Lead without the freeing of Gilad Shalit. What was the real point of that "war?" "War," "operation," "campaign," it doesn't matter what it's called. The important thing is to have a clear goal, and Israel doesn't. Our soldiers are motivated and want to to the job professionally. When we returned to Jerusalem from Eilat, we saw signs all over proclaiming that "the people have the fortitude to support the soldiers on the frontline." Our problem is that we're ruled by weak tired, selfishly ambitious and shortsighted politicians.

G-d is angry with them, and that's why there's no rain. But G-d loves the people, and that's why with all of the rockets and missiles launched at southern Israel, there were so few casualties.

With elections coming up, we have the opportunity to vote for true leaders. I'm voting for Ichud Le'umi, the only party which is uncompromising in its support for the People and Land and State and Security of Israel.

The Government's Statement re: Unilateral Cease Fire

I posted the entire statement on Blog Free, my otherwise inactive political blog. I had the displeasure of hearing Olmert live on TV.

It doesn't matter who was lying or exagerating in the Condi-Ollie argument about the UN Resolution, because Condaleezza Rice won this round for sure.

Absolutely nothing, less than nothing is to Israel's benefit! We didn't finish the job.

• It's like a cancer surgeon only taking out part of the tumor and not giving any chemo or radiation.
• It's like stopping the antibiotics halfway, before the illness is gone. The bacteria develops a stronger strain resistent to the same onece effective antibiotics.

That's Olmert, the same Olmert who sent soldiers, underprepared and under equipped to Lebanon, and that's the same Ehud Barak who fled Lebanon when becoming Prime Minister. And that's the same Tsippi Livni who was Olmert's #1 partner in the disasterous Lebanese war.

Here are a few quotations from Olmert's statement, emphasis mine:

...our targets, as defined when we launched the operation, have been fully achieved, and more so:

· Hamas was badly stricken, both in terms of its military capabilities and in the infrastructure of its regime. Its leaders are in hiding. Many of its members have been killed. The factories in which its missiles were manufactured have been destroyed. The smuggling routes, through dozens of tunnels, have been bombed. The Hamas’s capabilities for conveying weapons within the Gaza Strip have been damaged. The scope of missile fire directed at the State of Israel has been reduced. The areas from which most of the missiles were launched are under the control of IDF forces. The estimate of all the security services is that the Hamas’s capabilities have been struck a heavy blow which will harm its ability to rule and its military capabilities for some time...

During the operation, the State of Israel demonstrated great sensitivity in exercising its force in order to avoid, as much as possible, harming the civilian population not involved in terror. In cases where there was any doubt that striking at terrorists would lead to harming an innocent civilian population – we abstained from acting. There are not many countries which would act thusly.We have no disagreement with the residents of Gaza. We consider the Gaza Strip a part of the future Palestinian state with which we hope to live a life of good neighborliness, and we wish for the day when the vision of two states is realized.

All I can say is pray and repent!

Check the Tsippi-Condi Deal

Here's excerpts the transcript of the announcement of Tsippi's deal with Condi to stop the fighting, before we've finished the job of defeating the terrorists and destroying their weapons:

Rice:
We’ve said repeatedly that the continued supply of armaments to Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza, including by some in the region, is a direct cause of the current hostilities. It is, therefore, incumbent upon on us in the international community to prevent the rearmament of Hamas so that a ceasefire will be durable and fully respected. There must be an international consensus that Gaza can never again be used as a launching pad against Israeli cities.
This Memorandum of Understanding that we will sign today responds to that need. It provides a series of steps that the United States and Israel will take to stem the flow of weapons and explosives into Gaza. The United States is reaching out to its partners, as well. And together, the steps that we and other members of the international community can take will contribute to a durable ceasefire.
The United States remains deeply concerned, too, about the innocent Palestinians who are suffering in Gaza. A sustainable end to hostilities, rather than one that collapses in a few days or weeks, is crucial to ending the suffering. In the meantime, we are doing all that we can to respond to the humanitarian needs of the population of Gaza.
And Foreign Minister Livni and I have talked about the need to be responsive to the humanitarian organizations that are working there, including the United Nations and the International Committee for the Red Cross, as well as nongovernmental organizations with which we are working through USAID to relieve the suffering of innocent people there.
When this is done, we must all turn again back to the goals of UN Security Council Resolution 1850. That resolution noted that lasting peace can only be based on an enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from violence, incitement, and terror, and the two-state solution, building upon previous agreements and obligations. The United States remains firmly committed to Israel’s security, to continued bilateral negotiations through the Annapolis process, toward a two-state solution, which is the only way, ultimately, to secure a future for Israelis and Palestinians alike over the last term -- long term. The sooner that these hostilities can be brought to an end, the sooner the real work of forging a permanent peace can resume.
President Bush and I have very much enjoyed and valued our work with you, Tzipi, and with the people of Israel, with Prime Minister Olmert, with Defense Minister Barak, and with others. Israel and the United States will and always will – are and always will remain friends. We share values and we share a common desire to see a Middle East that lives in peace and in freedom.

Now, think about these questions and add your own:

• What concrete steps does it promise us?
• Are there any guarantees that Israel will be secure?
• What will happen to the Arabs if they gather more weapons and continue launching missiles at Israel?

Damned If He Does, Damned If He Doesn't -- Bibi's Snared

You'd never know there was an election coming up, since we haven't heard from the main opposition leader, Bibi Netanyahu, except when he's supporting the government.

Bibi is cooperating to support the war and the government, which has totally muzzled the Likud's election campaign. He's between a rock and a hard place. If he doesn't support he government's war efforts, he's disloyal to the country and the IDF, and if he does support it, he's undermining his election campaign.

JPOST.COM VIDEO
'We must have a decisive victory'
Netanyahu: "I warned that unilateral Gaza pullout would create 'Hamastan.'"

I don't know what will happen if the government really stops the war, giving in to international pressure and declaring a ceasefire. Will Bibi finally break with the government and campaign? The Likud's showing in the polls is pretty consistent, but Bibi's not winning any fans.

Three Polls:
Likud 28-29, Kadima 21-2,
Israel not using excessive military force 82%:13%
Satisfied with the performance of:
PM Olmert: Yes 46% No 39%
DM Barak: Yes 70% No 20%
FM Livni Yes 51% No 34%
Opposition head Netanyahu: Yes 48% No 34%
(entire article from IMRA)

Bibi must break away from the government line if he's going to win. And he must remind the public of the rampant terrorism which began during Barak's rule as Prime Minister. The Likud must also remind the country of how Livni supported Disengagement, which has brought terrorist missiles even closer to Israel.

Bibi must act like a leader. He has to attract voters from Kadima and Labor. Isn't that why he is promoting the Likud as a centrist party? He shouldn't ignore the fact that the timing of this war, which should have been years ago, is only an election campaign ploy by Kadima and Labor.

Those of us who don't trust the center must vote for the National Union, the Ichud Le'umi.

The word "unilateral," one-sided should be considered obscene. Gov't Discussing Unilateral Truce as Hamas Threatens Attacks. Hasn't the government learned its lesson?

Update: Pray For War Wounded

Refuah Shleimah

MITZVAH: Updated Wounded Soldiers, Jan. 16 AM


Compiled list: information as of morning Jan. 16, 2009.

Please keep the following wounded soldiers in your prayers:

Aharon Yehoshua ben Chaya Shoshana

Avi ben Shoshana

Ben ben Batya

Binyamin Ben Ben Netiva

Chaim Moshe Naftali ben Ruth Reizel

Daniel ben "Sara"

Dov Baer ben Devorah Blumah

Dvir Ben Laya Â

Eitan ben Sarah Â

Elishama Shalom ben Rivka Leah;

Eran ben Batsheva

Gal ben Hedva

Gal Or ben Aliza

Geva ben Avital

Hoshea ben Miriam

Idan ben Liora

Idan ben Nadi

Itai ben Rinat

Liel Hoshea ben Miriam

Lior ben Mazal

Maxim ben Olga

Mor Mordechai ben Orna

Moshe ben Chana Malka

Moshe ben Dina

Moshe ben Eidi

Moshe ben Pnina Rose

Nadav ben Miriam

Nechemia Dov Ber ben Arilin (Orly? Arlene?)

Neriya ben Rivka

Netanel ben Mazal Tov

Netanel ben Nava

Noam ben Aliza

Ohad ben Bracha

Omar ben Dorit

Or ben Elana

Or ben Rachel

Oren ben Chaya

Refael ben Dina

Ran ben Mirel

Ron ben Bilha

Ron ben Havatselet

Ronen Chai ben Leah

Rotem ben Lea

Sagi ben Osnat

Shachaf ben Dalia

Tal ben Anat

Tom ben Chana

Tzviki bar Chai

Wahal Mijan

Yaakov ben Orli

Yaakov Yisrael ben Yardena

Yevgeny Ben Elizbeta

Yisrael ben Ilana Â

Yitzchak ben Bia

Yitzhak ben Nava

Yo'ad Ido ben Frieda Elka

Yosef Chaim ben Ziva

Here are the names of more soldiers in Hadassah Hospital.

Avi Cohen

Ben ben Batya

Daniel Tamarov

Dov Baer ben Devorah Blumah

Gal Or ben Aliza

Natanel ben Mazel Tov

Oleg Dizengoff

Omer ben Dorit

Ori Noga

Rafi ben Dina

Raphael ben Nina

Roni Rapaport

Yaakov ben Orly

Yaakov Yisrael ben Yardena

Yedidya Schlesinger

Also, please pray for the civilians who were wounded by Kassam missiles

Avi ben Chamo

Bat El Hila bat Phoebe
Gavriel ben Sarah
Gila bat Odelia
Michael ben Anna

Orel ben Angela
Oren ben Avraham
Raphael ben Nina

Gila bat Chana

Roni Rapaport

Yaakov ben Miriam
Yaakov ben Rivka
Yedidya ben Shira

Kidnapped & Missing Soldiers:

Yehonatan ben Malkah. (Pollard)

Ron ben Batya (Arad)

Guy ben Rina (Hever)

Tzvi ben Pninah (Feldman),

Yekutiel Yehuda Nachman ben Sarah (Katz),

Zecharia Shlomo ben Miriam (Baumel)

Majdi Halabi

Gilad ben Aviva (Shalit) - kidnapped Israeli soldier that Hamas claims was
injured in air raids on Gaza;

Jewish War Stories--Shabbat Shalom

I received these in the mail:

A soldier, whose unit was taken out of Gaza after a 48 hour operation in order to regroup and go back in, called his Rabbi in Tzfat. He said, "I have so many things I could tell you about, but there is one thing I must tell you. Last Shabbat, when we were about to go in, and everyone was finished painting his face and loading up his gear (40 kilos a person), the commander who is religous, called everyone into a Chet formation (big semi circle). He offered them words of encouragement before the big mission. Then, he closed his eyes, and began to recite in a load voice the Shema Yisrael, which the soldiers repeated after him in loud voices that must have pierced the heavens. The commander then opened up the Chumash, and began to recite the versus from Dvarim:
"1) When thou goest forth to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, thou shalt not be afraid of them; for the LORD thy God is with thee, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
2) And it shall be, when ye draw nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people,
3) and shall say unto them: 'Hear, O Israel, ye draw nigh this day unto battle against your enemies; let not your heart faint; fear not, nor be alarmed, neither be ye affrighted at them;
4) for the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you ......... ........"
Hundreds of soldiers responded 'Amen'. The officer then announced that for whoever wants some extra protection, they have boxes with hundreds of donated pairs of tzizit. Of course the religious soldiers were already wearing tzizit, but there were plenty of soldiers who were not. A few minutes later, every last pair of tzizit had been given out.
After the long 48 hour battle, when the soldiers were leaving Gaza in order to regroup, their clothing was no longer in neat order. Rather, with shirts untucked, the soldiers had tzizit strings flapping around their knees. When this one soldier (a student of the Rav) looked around, he recalled that he wasn't sure if he was out at war or back in Yeshiva!
----------------
Another story ....
The military Rabbis brought several Torah Scrolls with them on the busses to Gaza with the troops. When the soldiers entered into Gaza, they entered in two rows. The three Rabbis stood in the middle. As each soldier passed, a hand went out to kiss the Torah. This is how our soldiers entered Gaza.
Mi Keamcha Yisrael ..... . who Hashem is like your nation Israel?

Israel Admits That It Endangers Israeli Soldiers To Protect "Innocent" sic Arabs

In Mark Regev's CNN interview, he admitted that Israel endangers its soldiers to protect "innocent" sic Arabs.


For me that's a sore point, very sensitive. Our neighbor, Avihu Keinan, was killed in an army action that had been planned in a way to protect the Arabs and endanger him. His father has spent much of his time and energy since then petitioning the government and media about this perverse morality.

No other country in the world cares more about its enemy than itself.

And now, instead of fighting this "Operation Cast Lead" the way it should be fought, we keep stopping the action every day to feed the terrorists. And now the media is full of talk about a ten day ceasefire. Bad news.

Stunned in Jerusalem

Operation Cast Lead, aka The Election Campaign War, isn't directly in Jerusalem. I was among the stunned pedestrians downtown on King George Street when a strange siren filled the air.

While I continued chatting with the "goyisherebbitzen," I pulled out my camera and put it on video mode to film the inaction, and I mentally calculated which nearby buildings may possibly have shelters.

There was total calm, and you could see most people glancing around for signals from others who may know better, what action was best to take. One hysterical person could have tipped it, but if anyone in Jerusalem was hysterical it wasn't at the bus stop by the Bell Tower. The lines to the bus grew, and the smooching couple paid attention only to each other. Shoppers slowed down for a bit and then went on with their errands.

Why should a siren throw us into panic? Downtown Jerusalem, especially King George Street, has suffered more than its share of Arab terrorist attacks.

In the end, it was treated like some sort of "practice" or false alarm, which it was.

Baruch Hashem, Thank G-d!

Toronto 4 Israel Rally - Sun Jan 18

"I Need Help," My Friend Said

Today I went to the pool in Jerusalem. I was greeted by my friend:

"I Need Help. Two of my kids, with all their kids, moved in with us. They live in --, and they feel safer in Jerusalem. I don't mind that they're all with us, but I can't afford it. Do you have any idea how much all this is costing us? I have to buy so much food every day. Don't you know how to get me some help?"

What could I do? I told her that I'm a blogger, not a fund-raiser.

On the media we see these happy people, in comfortable homes, hosting total strangers. That's wonderful. I put my name in one of those "lists," but it seems that nobody is interested in staying in Shiloh. Maybe it's because my house is cold. It's cold, because it's too empty. But back to my friend...

My friend isn't the only one struggling to help her family. Their normal financial situation is very "tight," and now they're drowning in bills. Their kids don't have more than minimal money, and that's when they're all working.

War has more than direct "hits." Those are the primary, but there are secondary and tertiary victims and further.

Students are missing material. If they're in the second or third grades, they'll easily make it up, but what about the high school students? It's not enough to say:

"We'll add to their grade." or "We'll give them an easier test."

In high school, when you're tested on certain material, it's not repeated next year. If students are majoring in Math, and they miss material, it can have much wider repercussions. English isn't just various "topics." You need the previous material to progress.

I hope to find a way to help my friend.

Anti-Israel Rioting All Over The World

From Gateway Pundit, via Jack:

"The bill for "keeping control" of anti-Israel mobs hits £1 million after the weekend rioting." Also, Calgary and Copenhagen have had anti-Israel demonstrations.

The youtube from the London riot, of the fleeing police is considered so violent that I had to sign in and confirm my age in order to get permission to copy its code.

And don't think that New York is immune.

And the same for Vancouver.

Maybe Israel Tries Too Hard Not To Injure Gazan Civilians

I wonder if Israel should be making such efforts, not only to prevent injury to Gazan civilians, but to publicize the fact. Considering the Arab mentality, doesn't it make us look weak?

The Arabs, themselves, unabashedly endanger civilians as human shields, so why should we be so apologetic?

Our civilians are losing sleep, suffering terrible stress and all of the resultant health problems. The government, the army, should be more sensitive to protecting our soldiers and planning operations with that in mind. My neighbor, Avihu Keinan was killed, because the army action was planned in a way which endangered him, because the army/government was more worried about the Arab civilians.

The hasbara, PR, information campaign should stress that the civilians are as guilty as the terrorists, because of their acquiescence, their passivity.

If they want the war to stop, then they must make the Hamas unwelcome. Did it ever occur to anyone, that maybe the Gazan civilians are in favor of the attacks against Israel?

Think about it.

Is "Quiet" Enough?

I received this from the GPO:

PM OLMERT VISITS MIKVE ISRAEL BAT YAM AND ASHKELON: "WE WILL ACT WITH FULL FORCE TO REACH CONDITIONS THAT WILL BRING QUIET."
(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)

What's "quiet?" When I think of a situation of "quiet," I think of the shocked silence immediately after the terror attack when I was injured. I think of the cinematic technique of silence during something dangerous and traumatic, like the injury scene in "Men of Honor."

"Quiet" does not make me think of peace and security.

I think of the "quiet" in Shiloh, when reeling from shock after half a family, the father and three children, were killed in a car accident.

"Quiet" does not make me think of peace and security.

The State of Israel does not need "quiet;" it needs the destruction of the terrorist forces in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Syria and Lebanon. We need to make it clear that we will not care for their people.

• No more care packages to them!
• No more medical aid or allowing them in our hospitals!

The only way the terrorism will stop and people will stop supporting them is if they have to pay for their crimes. If ordinary Arabs want peace, as the Leftists and do-gooders claim, then they must refuse to join the terrorists. They must refuse to let them make bases in their homes, schools, hospitals and mosques.

Outsiders, not Israel, the United States, Europe nor the United Nations can impose non-terrorist rule in Gaza. It must come from the Gazans themselves.

Operation Cast Lead must do the job right and thoroughly, but we need the correct instructions from the government. The army doesn't act on its own. Olmert's words make it very clear that this war is really just what I've been calling it, the Election Campaign War.

"When My Phone Is Off, You'll Know...

...that I'm in Gaza."

Yes, that's the warning the IDF soldiers have been giving family and friends.

Israel is a very technologically advanced country, and cell phones aren't a novelty; they're basic minimal requirements, like oxygen.

This war, the army realized that the phones could be much too distracting, besides the security risks. Don't think that the soldiers aren't reliable and would give secret information. The enemy can trace cell phone activity.

How can a soldier concentrate on his crucial tasks when his young children are calling for a goodnight story, or to complain that baby brother ripped a book?

The stress factor all over the country is rising. It doesn't help that the media is stressing hysteria.

Everyone's helping however they can.

We need prayers, too, and they don't cost money.

Feeling The War, Even Here

"Even here," yes we're a lot closer than those of you far from Israel, but we're not in Hamas rocket range, thank G-d. And bli eyin haraa, not to tempt the evil eye, we're far from Hezbollah's rockets, too.

The war is with us. Many of our kids, husbands, brothers, nephews etc are fighting on the frontlines. Many of us have family and friends in the crosshairs. Our roads have gotten more dangerous, as local Arabs are flexing their muscles by throwing rocks, and their are constant warnings to beware of kidnapping when tremping.

One of the local Shiloh kids was wounded, but lightly enough, so that it's not necessary to publicize his name. He was a former student of mine.

Last night I spoke to a friend in a nearby community about meeting today. She ended with:

"Maybe I'm just over-paranoid, but please call just before. With sons and sons-in-law in Gaza, I don't know when suddenly my plans will, G-d forbid, change."

That's our reality, and it's our reality even without Operation Cast Lead. Our calm is fragile. One phone call, or knock on the door, and then suddenly everything can change forever.

How Many Pro-P, Destoy Israel Rallies Have There Been?

This Fox TV News clip is truly frightening. It was taken at "back to back" pro and anti Israel rallies in Detroit.

I've heard of similar in Florida, Chicago and California. I think it's important to know how strong the anti-Israel and Muslim population is getting in the states.

Does anyone have information of additional demonstrations?

Yisrael, Batach B'Hashem! Israel, Trust In G-d!

Yes, King David said it right in T'hillim, Psalms. We shouldn't trust that any other country or religion will support us.

I'm not at all surprised that there are anti-Israeli statements coming from Catholic Church leaders, and I'm more than wary about other countries, especially the Arab ones, like Egypt.

We have to do what's best for us, for Israel, Israel's future and security. No other country cares.

Nobody's Instructing Me What To Write and What To Post!

Hat tip IMRA

Am I part of an Israeli hasbara, information, effort?
"Yes!"

Am I getting instructions from some official or professional group?
"No!"

If you check my blog archives, you'll discover that I was also blogging during the "nameless" aka Second Israeli-Lebanese War. My posts didn't get as much play then as this time. It could be because nobody sent out twice-daily updates with links to blogs and mainstream media the way Jack has been doing this war.

One thing I must admit is that I have no doubt that Olmert, as wily a politician as one could find in this world, definitely gave orders to correct the government's and military's PR, Public Relations. I mocked his excuse that he should stay in office after the Lebanese debacle, because since he fouled up, he had to fix it. But Olmert's no dummy. If the blogging and twittering and youtubing look like an organized effort, it's because the government information office is working better.

Last summer I attended the First International Jewish Bloggers Convention, and one of the main speakers was from the Information Department of the Foreign Ministry. Yes, they do take us seriously.

And now the IDF Spokesperson has an English site and youtube.

I just wonder when and if this will all impact, the official and unofficial efforts, on world opinion.

An Explosive House Of Cards

The Israeli Government, the United States and almost the entire world are building a very dangerous house of cards.



When it collapses, the world will explode.

In Israel, most people want Operation Cast Lead to end with the destruction of the terrorists in Gaza. Most of us understand that if we don't destroy them, they'll grow back even stronger and more dangerous.

The problem is that the government, Tsippi, Olmert, Barak etc and their "mentors" in the international community refuse to recognize it:

Tsippi:

“...the Annapolis process is based on the understanding that we are working with a pragmatic leadership in the Palestinian Authority while fighting terror. It is a zero-sum game when Hamas is getting stronger while Abu Mazen is getting weaker. The Palestinians need to understand that Israel can share and implement and translate the vision of two states for two peoples with those that accept this vision, who accept Israel's existence and renounce violence and terrorism. Hamas does not. Hamas does not represent the national aspirations of the Palestinians. It represents extreme Islamic ideas, which they share with Iran, Hizbullah and Syria.” (complete article)

They believe that Fatah is better and they're trying to impose Fatah rule in Gaza.

There are a few problems with this "dream scenario."

• Fatah is not a western, democratic, peace-loving group.
• Fatah is not, even with international help, capable of controlling Gaza.
• I thought these international diplomats believed in democracy, the will of the people etc. If they do, how can they just impose a government?