Weekly Commentary: Continuing the Struggle, by Dr. Aaron Lerner (IMRA)
Excerpts;
Time and again retreat proponents have claimed that the people are tired and cannot sustain the struggle when in truth it was the leadership that failed a public willing to endure great sacrifices. A public that has no illusions about the viability of instant or even permanent solutions but instead realizes that the struggle for freedom is an ongoing exercise worth the battle.
Could Operation X, no matter its scope, put a permanent end to the terror threat in the Gaza Strip?
Of course not.
But that isn’t the question at hand.
The question is bringing down the operational capabilities of the terrorists to a manageable level.
Operation Defensive Shield didn’t eradicate terror in the West Bank, but it created a situation under which Israeli security forces could follow up with ongoing “mowing” operations. Yes, as the retreat proponent note, every terrorist leader taken off the board is soon replaced by another, but the turnover serves to limit both their number and capabilities.
Will my children’s children also have to worry when their children go off to serve?
Quite possibly.
But I don’t mourn the option. I celebrate that there is a viable vibrant alternative to surrender.