"Cast Lead" failed.

"Gaza militants launched rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel on Sunday, wounding three Israelis, drawing a threat of "disproportionate" retaliation from the prime minister and further straining a cease-fire that ended Israel's Gaza offensive.

The flare-up in violence came just over a week before Israel's parliamentary vote, pitting Israeli Foreign Minister Livni — one of the architects of the offensive — against the more hawkish Bemnjamon Natanyahu. Continued fighting could influence the outcome by raising questions about the effectiveness of Israel's actions in Gaza.

Three people — two soldiers and a civilian — were wounded in a late afternoon mortar barrage on an Israeli village next to Gaza, police and the military said. Earlier, a rocket landed near a kindergarten in a community near Gaza, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Warning sirens sent residents scrambling for shelter."

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What part of this was hard to foresee?  As we stated here during the "offensive," any continuation of rocket fire into Israel from Gaza after a cease fire would signal to the world that the Israeli display of firepower had failed miserably to move the wall of flesh with which Hamas opposes the Jewish state.

Having failed in this latest attempt to intimidate the Palestinians, what is left for the Israelis to try?  More firepower?  More dead kids for the world to contemplate?  Maybe napalm this time?  How about mass expulsions?  Creating new "facts on the ground?"

Ground penetrating radar?  The Israelis are not as technology obsessed as we Americans.  I doubt if they really think that gadgets like this will prevent Hamas shooting into Israel.  The Israelis have run out of ideas and are now grasping at straws.  Some US military officer attached to the State Department probably dreamt this up for Condi Baby on her way out of town.

A truce?  Did I see that magic word in the article?  Could it be?

If not, then an escalation?  There really is not much to differentiate Natanyahu from Livni on major issues like Gaza.  The next Israeli prime minister (whoever it is) will have to "fish or cut bait" on this problem.

What'll it be, mass expulsions, extermination, or a truce?  pl

Comments

[barrisj]

And here is more evidence of where Israeli politics are now heading:

National Union candidate: Kahane was right

Dr. Michael Ben-Ari, No. 4 on rightist party's Knesset list, offers to expel Israel's Arabs to countries such as Venezuela and Turkey, seeks to banish 'leftists' from High Court, and believes in rebuilding Temple in Jerusalem

Eight days ahead of the general elections, and with polls predicting four Knesset seats for the National Union, Dr. Michael Ben-Ari – number four on the party's list and a man who defines himself "Kahane's student and follower" - is very likely to find himself in the Israeli parliament.

In a conversation with Ynet, Ben-Ari presented his proposed solution to the "problem" of Israeli Arabs, declared he would not be part of a Knesset that engages in negotiations with the Palestinians and explained his support for soldiers disobeying orders.

"I'm not the only one who represents (late Rabbi Meir) Kahane. He's represented by a great many people today, within the Knesset and outside it," Ben-Ari stated. "(Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor) Lieberman masquerades as Kahane to win more mandates, (Likud MK) Limor Livnat also sounds like Kahane, and everybody realizes the need for a solution to the problem of Israeli Arabs – a subject which was once taboo.

"The saying, 'Kahane was right,' has already been used up. You can practically see how what Rabbi Kahane brought up 24 years ago has now become the central issue of this election campaign," he added.

Ben-Ari explained that his plan was to open a "humanitarian corridor" for Arabs to places like Turkey or Venezuela, and raise money worldwide that would go towards providing them with an "acclimatization grant" in their new countries.
...
http://tinyurl.com/avvueg

Ah, yes, what to do about "the Arab Problem"?? Is that anything like "the Jewish Problem" in Hitler's Germany? No? Why not? How about a resurrection of the "ship them to Madagascar" idea? Simply put, there is no longer any constituency for a "two-state solution" amongst the Israeli people and politicians that can in any way satisfy even minimal Palestinian requirements, and the very best of luck to George Mitchell in sussing out "moderates" in Israel to whom he can talk "peace process".

[johnf]

Thanks Ingolf for that fascinating, complex and paradoxical interview.

[johnf]

Dennis Ross Chairmanship of Israeli Government Funded Think Tank Could Torpedo Iran Envoy Job

http://tinyurl.com/dz7lzn

[Clifford Kiracofe]

A truce would be the best option for both sides but the Zionist entity does not seem so inclined preferring ritual murder of children and women as we have seen, continue to see, and will see.

Castellio, All,

Given the current hysterical political scene in "Israel", I would recommend an additional excellent book by the late Israel Shahak and a friend of mine:

Israel Shahak and Norton Mezvinsky, Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel (London: Pluto Press, 2004 New Edition).

Haven't heard much about the Gaza issue out of the Obama Administration yet.

1. Does the Obama Administration take the position that HAMAS is a resistance organization with a right to (armed) resistance under international law?

Perhaps former Senator Mitchell, a lawyer, might enlighten us or perhaps the Secretary of State, also a lawyer, could clarify the Obama Administration's position with respect to international law on this issue.

2. And what is the Obama Administration's position on the Palestinian right of return to all the territory within "historic Palestine"?

3. And what PRECISELY is the Obama Administration's position on Jerusalem?