It does not matter how you define what the Israel Defense Forces is waging in the Gaza Strip: a war, a battle or a retaliatory operation. It is extremely important, however - and that was one of the lessons of the Second Lebanon War - to define the goals and the chances of achieving them. Does Israel intend to stop the firing of Qassams, or merely to punish those who fire them, past and present? Is the operation aimed at calming Israeli public opinion, or at creating a new military situation on the ground? …
The suspension of the talks, even if temporary and even if they have achieved nothing so far, hands veto power - and in effect the monopoly over the peace agenda - to Hamas. This does not serve either the Palestinians or the Israelis. The slogan coined in Yitzhak Rabin’s time - Israel will fight terror as if there is no peace process, and pursue the peace process as if there is no terror - was meant to keep the veto power from the terror organizations. Access the full article>>
