bread and water until Giliad is safely home.

"[...] this operation answers all the criteria of a military operation; it has all the moral justifications and isn’t a suicide attack aimed at civilians." While it is true that this operation is more guerilla warfare than terrorism, one cannot help but ask: (1) why was this operation executed from Aza, which is (was) not in any way under Israeli occupation, and (2) executed on a soldier who was not serving in or anywhere near the territories but was stationed on a base in Israel proper?

Here is al-Rashed's opinion piece in English: http://asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=5534 Al-Rashed is not a pro-Israel writer. His sympathies have always lain with the Palestinians. But someone needs to talk sense into the Palestinian leadership. I hope other opinion-leaders in the Arab world speak up on this matter as well. Regarding Buthaina Shaaban -- forget her. She's a professional propagandist. Most of the columnists in Asharq display some variety in their topics, something of interest in the text, but Shaaban's columns consistently consist of distortion and venom: Jew-bashing, Israel-bashing and US-bashing. And she's not even an interesting basher. Why Asharq publishes the factually challenged drivel of this shameless, mono-maniacal propaganda mouthpiece is beyond me. Even some Arabs are tired of her: http://asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=2&id=5485 It would be something to see her critique Syria for once. But then she'd be out of a job, and maybe she'd have to "commit suicide;" it's rough being a spokesman for a murderous junta, isn't it?

Why do the Arabs continue to make war instead of peace? Israel is not going away again. It was there before the Arabs and will be there after the Arab empire dissappears. Why have the arabs destroyed the hot houses, bombed Israeli civilians from gaza, and spend their efforts getting weapons instead of jobs? Obviously, this is what the Arab powers that control Gaza want, not peace, not prosperity, but death and destruction. Well you are lucky its Israel you are fighting and not other Arabs or you'd have been wiped out, but because Israel has such high morals they only go after the terrorists. While its regretable that civilians are affected, its the fault of the Arab leaders, not Israel. Put blame where it belongs.

Many Arab commentators cannot have their cake and eat it, they cannot have Hamas committing an act of war (capturing a soldier) on the one hand, and then claim Israel is committing war crimes on the other. If Arabs make war, they cannot hide behind the skirts of international law, because that law allows for acts in defense of a country. If the only way to stop Hamas from firing rockets is to attack those hiding among the civilian population, then Israel is justified under international law in destroying the area from which the rockets are shot, even if innocent civilians are hurt. If Hamas would give up the soldier, the destruction of Hamas members could stop. The opposite is true. If the rocket attacks and suicide attacks continue, Israel will hunt Hamas members as thoroughly as Sharon carried out the war against the Second Intifada. The choice as the commentator in the Arab world wrote is Hamas' to make.

Al-Rashed is known to have close relations to Gulf states specially Kuaiw and KSA. His opinions are goverment approved, and he has liitle, if any, influence on Arab opinion. You can see that under his management, Al-Arabeiya TV is becoming an American propaganda machine on Iraq and Apalestine.. so little have respect to what he says. In fact, all govermental institutions and magazines will always reflect goverments opinions.

Its very simple. Since the success of the security fence, Palestinian military operations have been severely curtailed ie; they cannot execute frequent suicide bombings. Their new strategy of kidnapping an Israeli soldier has backfired because it has brought much more trouble than its actually worth. For example Israel's capture of the Hamas leadership and return of occupation of Aza. Conclusion, Israel knows that if it is willing to sacrifice one soldier (I believe it is willing) then it will guarantee total failure of Hamas's latest strategy plus worldwide support for its military activities whilst leaving Hamas unable to justify future kidnappings.

I don't see "worldwide support for its military activities". Quite the opposite, I see a lot of condemnation of it in int'l forums and blogs. Israel is being accused of targeting innocent Palestinians and reacting disproportionally. Obviously - nobody has another solution to let the qassam-attacks on Israel stop. Tse.

Gil and others in Israel you have opted to vote for a new party called Kadimah, an untested party with a new leader Olmert that was the worst Mayor of Jerusalem... Don't you consider yourselves partly to blame for the continuous assault on your lives? Try to unseat Olmert for being so ineffectual? You will not be able to for he and his ministers are glued to their chairs and benefiting from it! Each minister is not representing the people but rather the party that elected them… This is why the welfare of Israel is in question… Think without emotions in the next election and vote for someone that has the ‘PEOPLE OF ISRAEL’ at heart and not the party religious or otherwise that installed him.

I'm talking about meaningful support; ie: from governments. For example, do you see the UK criticising Israel on the anniversary of 7/7? The only countries in Europe that have critised Israel are Switzerland and Sweden - hardly key political or world powers. Even Arab nations are annoyed with Hamas since their act of kidnap has not achieved anything at all. Israel knows this only too well.

What do you mean an untested new party? It was set up by Sharon who set up Likud it basically Kadima was the continuation of the policies of Sharon's Likud which he could no longer put into action in Likud because of other Likud rebels like Netanyahu who wanted him out. At the heart of Sharon's thinking lies the eternal problem of Israel which is that ongoing "occupation" or however you want to put it will result in Jews becoming a minority in their own land due to the higher birth rate amongst Arabs. Therefore, Sharon's solution was unnillateral disengagement. That makes the most sense and enables Israel to give back the filthy crap hole that is Gaza - expensive and painful to control whilst gouging out a bigger chunk of the West Bank and ensuring that Israel keeps Israel Jewish for the forseeable future. I think that Kadima does have the right idea in disengaging unillaterally just that it looks far more painful than the end result of having a Jewish Israel will end up being.

Gil wrote the following flawed thinking, quote:-Therefore, Sharon's solution was unnillateral disengagement. That makes the most sense and enables Israel to give back the filthy crap hole that is Gaza - expensive and painful to control whilst gouging out a bigger chunk of the West Bank and ensuring that Israel keeps Israel Jewish for the forseeable future. I think that Kadima does have the right idea in disengaging unillaterally just that it looks far more painful than the end result of having a Jewish Israel will end up being. Unquote. Former Chief of Staff: Sharon's disengagement a disaster... Lt.-Gen. (ret.) Moshe Yaalon, IDF Chief of Staff until the implementation of the Gaza withdrawal, says that the entire Disengagement was conceived to save PM Sharon from legal troubles. “The Disengagement was not the result of thorough strategic analysis, but the result of [then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s] political distress," Yaalon said in an interview to be published in full in Haaretz this weekend. “It was a disengagement from reality and a disengagement from the truth." Go there and read... http://forum.onecenter.com/mepe-forum

You say that my thinking is flawed but provide no reason why other than a retired Lt-General. Don't you ahve your own opinion or explanation of why you make this accusation against me? I don't go to read some bullshit blog. Either qualify your statement or shut up.

I can't stand listening to Palestinians/Arabs over civilians being casulaties of war. THEY voted Hamas in. THEY support Hamas. If Hamas "soldiers" work amongst civilians then the civilians are fair game as they support these soldiers. Now, Arabs, if you don't like it - CHANGE IT. an analogy would be from World War II-that the German civilians would blame England or America for civilian casualties due to bombings from the airforce.

I am not being personal friend. I think the last Chief of Staff is the best proof one can have to debunk your inane allegations. I did not want to inject myself as an authority on the subject matter on top of all that. http://forum.onecenter.com/mepe-forum Is a Forum of eleven years which helped propagate enough truthful information to obtuse readers of your stripe. Arab hackers penetrated it and it took three months of hard work to rebuild it. I have nothing against Sharon per se, but what we hear in the Media… What Moshe Yaalon Chief of staff retired states is enough official documentation to substantiate and illustrate the narrow mindedness of some readers here and there on these talk backs. Have a happy life fella.

You haven't debunked anything though, possibly because you yourself are not smart enough to form your own opinion. Within Israel's top brass there circulates a variety of very different opinion about the situation, all from top guys who arguably have enough experience both militarily and politically to be considered right if one judges on that alone. I think that it is "inane" to just accept what one man says without questioning it for oneself. MANY world leaders and top military guys have got it wrong before (many were American for example Nixon). All that guys like you do is come on these kinds of message boards to wind other people up. You are unable to articulate your own opinion because basically you don't understand the situation over here.

Anyone with a name like Harry Bendor already sounds a bit dodgy!!

Gil writes, quote: All that guys like you do is come on these kinds of message boards to wind other people up. You are unable to articulate your own opinion because basically you don't understand the situation over here. Unquote. I do not know why I am wasting my time with Morons with defective chromosomes; I am a Jerusalemite born and raised and not a new comer like you seem to be. I fought three wars and the last one was under Sharon 1973, so please do not pretend to tell me that I do not have my fingers on the Israeli pulse. Sorry I called you a moron; you are just a misinformed boor!

That's typical that you would still hurl insults without managing to disprove my assertion that you are unable to articulate your own opinion on this subject. At least I have an opinion and am able to articulate it. You are probably lying about being in wars over here, for example which battalion did you serve in and how can you prove it? You probably used to be a cook.