1. Olmert and Barak want to attract people from Ramat Aviv to join IDF. What is a greater attraction for these people than to watch like IDF, without any wounded soldiers, has complete the operation against the most hated people in Ramat Aviv. Thus IDF is safe and doing the job. Let us join it. 2. To show judges that may send Olmert to jail that he is a good boy.

We need a political party that will form a new government. Their main job should be to try and punish the present coalition of cowards. Try each and every "peace" group. They should ask for volunteers to go into arab areas and remove them permanently from our Holy land.

Without a Jewish vision for the future, the country is lost--in a sea of Arab hostility!

Universal conscription plays an important role in Israel, but the defense of the state isn't seriously damaged by post-zionist draft dodgers like the Olmert kids who wouldn't have been motivated combat soldiers anyways. When people (especially settlers) who claim to be Zionists start refusing to serve, Israel cannot afford to devote resources to illegal settlement security. Haim Misgav represents a threat to Israel's security and Israel should scale back to protect the Zionists, not the post-zionist settlers like Haim.

Pathetic end to "could have been a contender". Israel is a shell of what it could have been. Instead it has become a state with no purpose. I weep for you Israel and for all those who will be caught in the ensuing fire of death that will engulf the nation. A very sad end to "what could have been".

i came to israel in 1971 when the state...society and the army were one and the same...now something is rotten and evil here,,,the politicians have sold us out...no country in the west treats its own as rottonly as israel does...all the while whining about money...

Are you insane?

Israel has become a nation that is beginning to devour and eat its own, there is so much internal hatreds, clearly the secular hate the religious and have the powers of the nation under its own control, the secular also have some other agenda going on, and its has nothing to do with the Jewish people, so where is the strength to fight the many and immediate enemies on its border. It has been decided we have found the enemy and it is us. If anything was learned in Gush Katif and Amona it is that the Jews of Europe could be nothing but sheep when faced with a modern army and who really was pulling the strings but the those seeking to please the goyim.

I came to Israel in 1947 is was a wonderfull place, built by the left and the kiboutzim, it started to be spoiled slowly but surly, after 1967, with the right messianic ferver coming up, compare the crime rate now and than, the army now and than and judge for yourself, only the left can rebuild Israel as it was in the good days, not the settlers

It wasn't the Haredim but secular Jews who were heroes of the War of Independence and the Six Day War. One need not approve of Olmert and his government to disapprove of the religious, who though a minority want to dictate to everybody else. When Israel was founded the standard line was that if you do not believe in miracles you are not a realist. Israel will survive and thrive, no thanks to the religious.

...in a US president who is effectually dedicated to her annihilation. Mr. Bush is committed to dismembering Israel one home, one hill-top, one community, one "settlement" at a time in order to fulfill his vision of a Palestinian terrorist-killer state in the Holy Land. Mr. Olmert has placed his personal reputation and trust --- he has placed Israel's future --- in the hands of the best friend Saudi Arabia ever had in the White House; in the hands of George W. Bush.

IDF smart by picking only battles it is capable of winning.

Becuase he has a G-d!

We have survived calamities far worse than this. Please, stand together and fight for our lives, for our country, for our people, for the G-d of Israel's sake. AM YISRAEL CHAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

in Hebron at the beginning of the century, why can't Palestinians return to land that was owned by Palestinians at the beginning of the century? The homes of course having long since been blown up and bulldozed by the delicate Israelis.

I am far from a religious fanatic, but some truths are self evident. While, the Opinion article is factually correct we must undrstand Israel doesn't win wars, G-d wins wars. In spite of a Government of crooks, an incompetent IDF, and a population of citizens that just doesn't care, Israel will prevail because it is G-d's will. Without G-d, Israel is doomed.

Why be astonished about the fear of H. Misgav that the Jewish state will almost-certainly collapse? Herzl's utopian vision of Zionism was as unrealistic and as blindfolding for its adherents as was Marx's utopian vision of communism. Thus, inspite of deadly arms and ruthless military strategies, in the long run the battle can only be lost, leading to the sad and tragic end of an admirable, but awfully wrong 'good idea'.

Off Jewish land that G-d rightfully gave us all jews suffer even those not living in Israel. If the IDFN& the Secular leaders in the kensset keep taking Jews off Jewish land from Gasa , Yehuda VShomron the future of Isearl will be no more.

The author of this article is right on point.Almost evey politician is either under indictment or being investigated for corruption. However, these corrupt politicians commit illegal acts of expelling Jews from their land under the guise of obseving the Law. Barak is initiating a campaign to punish draft dodgers. He is doomed to failure because even if Barak forces drft dodgers to serve, they will be very poor soldiers. A soldier with poor morale is alost cause.In a democracy ,the refusal to carry out an illegal order by anti Zionist courts and government is the highest form of ethical conduct.

The supreme court of the state of Israeldoes not interpret the law but acts as super-legislative body and intudes into evey facet of Israeli life. Themost outrageous meddling is in matters of military areas.Their abuse of power has caused Minister of Justice Friedman to take on the Supreme Court and limit their tyrrany.

I agree with you that Israel has cease to appeal to Zionist ideals. In addition, Israel has lost all sense of communal spirit. In your shoes, I would leave Israel.

OVERCOME B'EZRAT HASHEM

Even if he does not win the Likud leadership, he is someone you can rally around. The man has integrity. If he doesn't win, maybe his movement should separate from Likud and run as an independent political party.

"Poll of 477 people, supervised by Professor Camil Fuchs of the Statistics and Operations Research department at Tel Aviv University, found that fewer than half of the respondents objected to insubordination. Ten percent chose not to express an opinion." (Haaretz) http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/891672.html Of those objecting, one has to include the extreme left and non-Jews. So, take heart. The tide is changing. The Left is history. Let's hope that Feiglin is able to consolidate those groups ready for deep changes in Israel.

Zooming google Earth above south Lebanon, I was stunned how much this area is open from military point of view. Easy to access plan hills without trees. Small village spreaded her and their, with very clear view from the sky. I couldn’t believe the IDF was defeated here. Like or not I give respect to Hizbollah tactic of withstanding the strongest army in the Middle East.As for the writer I don't know you are trustee for settler or University Center!