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Commentary;
Just short of two weeks ago, this blog questioned the Olmert Regime’s apparent goals, third party insertion of multinational forces rather than total victory — eradication of rocket attacks, weapons smuggling and terror, in a Gaza conflict with the Hamas sector of the Pa. Why the phraseology; Hamas sector of the Pa? Because, in the final analysis, all segments of the Pa. are unified as to the same end — the destruction and eradication of the Jews.
Further indications that this is so is found both in Dr. Aaron Lerner’s commentary below and Calev Ben David’s piece, “Deja` Vu for Olmert?” as well as the related article and commentary below.
The reality that MUST be faced up to by Israel’s majority Jewish population is that NO one segment, not Fatah, not al Aqsa Brigades, not Hamas, not PFLP, not Hezbollah, etc. is preferable over any of the others — there is NO good Islamic. Until a winning attitude is restored to the military by the political sector, until there is government of Jewish values capable of reinstilling a Jewishly-linked winning attitude in the IDF we may continue to see, Heaven forbid, more Lebanon-like conflict results and the carving up of Jerusalem. MB
DM Barak Indicates Goal of Israel [in Gaza] is Hudna?, by Dr. Aaron Lerner IMRA
Full Text;
In a live interview broadcast this morning on Israel Radio’s morning news program, minister of defense Ehud Barak explained that “we are acting in order to damage the Hamas infrastructure in the entire area – principally in the area of Gaza itself. The ultimate purpose is to bring about a halt to the firing of Kassams. We have to be organized for it to get more serious, because the big ground operation is real. Tangible. We are not happy about it. We are not deterred from it. There are many considerations regarding the timing and they cannot be shared with the public and certainly not with Hamas. I am the minister of defense in the Government of Israel and our ultimate responsibility is to bring about a restoration of security to the residents of the communities surrounding Gaza, Sderot and Ashkelon. And we will do it even if it takes a little time. There is no reason to give information to Hamas about when a certain operation will stop.”
It would appear that the talking points about timing considerations for a big ground operation may be on the Olmert team’s talking point sheet since it has come up recently in several interviews with members of the team.
Bar-On Opposes Fortifying Gaza Belt Neighborhoods
The Finger in the Gaza Dike: By Moshe Feiglin
Excerpt;
“The difference between them and the Dutch Hans Brinker is that they did not volunteer for the job. We have forcibly stuck their fingers in the dike, and returned to our own affairs.”
It would also appear that whoever has put together the talking points sheet for the Olmert team has failed to “connect the dots” by putting the goal of Israel the “halting of the Kassams” instead of a broader sound bite that also refers to ending the smuggling and weapons preparation in the Gaza Strip – requirements that Israeli officials typically only mention if they are prompted to do so by reporters.
The result is that the message of the Olmert team is that it is seeking a “hudna” from Hamas, namely a ceasefire under which Hamas is not prevented from strengthening and expanding its military capabilities for the next round.