IDF tank in Jericho
Photo: AP
The good ol' IDF
Jericho raid reminder of what army can do when it's not constrained
Last week's Jericho operation reminded the nation and the world that the IDF, when it wishes to – or more accurately when the politicians allow it to – is able to take care of all sorts of scoundrels better than any other army.
Ever since the IDF stopped moving the battlefront to enemy territory, the enemy was the one to shift the battlefront to our home front. During the years of the "process," also known as "diplomatic negotiations," Palestinian terror gangs became well adept at taking advantage of the Israeli leadership's folly, the same leadership that joyfully brought them here from Tunisia.
The problem is that in the past 12 years we almost forgot we have this kind of army. False prophets were scared to utilize it as they should have, even when necessary, lest their "peace process" be undermined and their tragic mistake be exposed to the public.
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The gang leaders knew that as long as the "process," which turned them into a distinguished diplomatic element, continues, the IDF will be used against them in a measured, controlled manner.
For 12 years, the ship of fools from Oslo has been sailing in a river of blood, while the empty words uttered by its leaders turned terror victims into the "victims of peace."
The IDF, which was forced to absorb blows while refraining from offering a response - unless it was allowed to respond in a limited fashion on occasion -gradually lost its deterrence power. The State of Israel, meant to become the safest place on earth for Jews, turned during the years of "negotiations" and terror into the least safe place for Jews.
The operation in Jericho served as a small reminder to those who forgot about the good ol' IDF, the IDF of the Entebbe rescue operation, the bold, sophisticated IDF who was able to take care of any enemy.
'New Mideast' blew up in our faces
As paradoxical as this may sound, it was Hamas' ascent to power, which made Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas "irrelevant," which put an end to the lie of that bogus "peace process" that deprived the IDF of its power.
Now that the truth about Kadim's number two Shimon Peres' "New Middle East" blew up in our faces, we are allowed to use the IDF without any inhibitions and complexes, in order to set straight those who exploited our good will.
In the hopes that the Jericho operation was not a random, one-time revelation, the new government that will soon be formed will be tested by its deeds and not by its words. From now on, the IDF can again serve as the full-time Israel Defense Force, without having one hand tied behind its back.
From now on, until Hamas decided to dismantle and join Peace Now, there will no longer be any constraint that forces us to hold back until the right time comes to take action. If and when it becomes necessary, as was the case this week, we can decide when the right time is.
