We must return to Gaza

There's no choice, we must return to Gaza. Everyone in Israel understands that the disengagement plan completely failed. Not even one of its objectives was achieved.

Not only do we not have more security in the country, but rather, the security situation is constantly deteriorating. Terrorism in the Gaza Strip continues to grow and the Qassam rockets' radius is expanding, creating a serious civilian crisis.

Recently, the missiles are fired more accurately and contain more explosive material than before. Currently, the IDF deploys more troops around the Gaza Strip than the number of forces and weapons that were there on the eve of disengagement.

The northern and western Negev regions were weakened on all fronts. Life in the communities around Gaza has become difficult and filled with anxiety.

Had Gaza Strip settlements existed, the rockets would have been pushed away from Negev communities, because for many years settlements served as the Negev's defensive wall.

The settlements indeed were hit by quite a few mortar shells and terror attacks, but those were people who agreed to take upon themselves the role of defending the Negev. The complete capitulation also encouraged terror and boosted elements that argue that Israel is weakening. Hamas and Islamic Jihad grew stronger and attacks on Israel went up.

The government is embarrassed and confused and is unable to formulate decisions and carry them out, neither on the security nor on the civilian front.

The confusion and embarrassment stem from a lack of courage and determination to make the only decision that can extract Israel from the difficult and complex situation it is currently facing: Returning to Gaza, seizing the huge quantities of explosives and tens of thousands of weapons, destroying the Qassam rocket production infrastructure, fighting the terrorists, and defeating them.

After that we should present the Palestinians with two options: Either we go with cooperation, the maintenance of complete quiet, and hermetically sealing crossings to weapons smuggling under Israeli responsibility – or complete disengagement from the Gaza Strip, including economic and infrastructure disengagement as well as all the assistance currently transferred by Israel to Gaza civilians through the crossings.

Courage, modesty needed

True, this move is associated with many difficulties; we'll have to face an international offensive and we'll have to outdo ourselves with a strong public relations campaign to make it clear that those who pay back with violence for the disengagement should not be surprised that we seek to defend ourselves, our homes, and our children.

There's more than a reasonable chance that this move will not only take Palestinian terror groups several years back in terms of organization and arms, but also achieve a deterrence effect that we have lost.

The international difficulties cannot compare to the huge damage to Israel's image as a strong country able to face its enemies and to the damages caused to Negev communities that are in desperate need of more residents and an economic boost.

However, the real difficulty is the inability of the government led by Olmert – who was among the disengagement's initiators – to admit the previous government's mistakes and change policy.

For that, public courage, determination, and a little modesty are required. All of those are in dire need in our government, whose head and his defense minister are currently engaged in internal conflicts and matters of honor and prestige.

The writer is a Knesset member on behalf of National Union-NRP and a resident of Kfar Maimon in the western Negev