targetted assassinations are not good because they are "extrajudicial" and there are often civilian casualties. shelling isn't working (but it is ok to shell open fields where no one and nothing is). bottom line is that, according to those who are outraged, as long as terrorists blend in with the populace, israel should not do anything. nevermind the fact that the qassams terrorize, injure, and kill israeli civilians - israel should let the palestinians shoot as many rockets as much as they want. right. too bad negotiations are out of the question because since israel has no choice about what to do, what is there to do but choose the least worst scenario?

For the entire lifetime of the modern state of Israel it has been under attack. And it will remain so until the political situation changes. So for the security of future unborn generations of Israeli citizens it is important that a peace is reached. And that peace will be harder to achieve with every "innocent" Palestinian casualty. Everytime Israel kills a non-fighter (child, wife, teacher, etc) it probably convinces another non-fighter to take up arms. Israel needs to win the war, not the battles, and to do that it must accept that a bad response (artillery strikes/invasion of neighbours) is worse than no response. Israel's true strength is its intellectual ability to deal with problems; not the use of brute force - a mark of failing states the world over. Treat the criminals who attack Israeli civilians as criminals, and stop them like the police would stop a gang of robbers - detective work, isolate the target and arrest (kill if necessary). Shelling the neighbourhood a gang of criminals lives in does nothing but make their neighbours hate the law - regardless as to their feelings towards the criminals.

Israel, as a nation under attack by Palestinians is not responsible for civilian deaths occasioned by its artillery fire. Palestinian rocket attacks only result in more and more useless casualties. It's time to stop. It's like a person who keeps smashing his head against a wall, saying 'look how the wall is hurting me'.

Why do the palestinians in gaza not object to rockets being fired from their own back yards? Either they are afraid to speak out or they agree with the rocketeers. Until we hear from them that the former is true, we can only believe the latter. Hence, they are getting the result that they want: shelling back in their direction that occasionally hits the wrong target. Is this just a gaza media exercise?

If PM Olmart is truly sorry for a work accident that blew up the terrorists homes with their wives and children give the PA more weapons, kick out more Jews from their homes, make the families that lost all to suffer a winter without proper homes from the previous arbitrary surrender of land to the terrorists. And best of all give Jerusalem back to the Moslems to maintain the sanctity of the city even if no Jew will be allowed to set foot into their capitol. If this incident was an accident just state if fire had not been coming from that direction this would never have happened, and if it was what is called a “work accident” good riddance

Such unmitigated duplicity! Palestinians lob indesriminate missles everyday with the intent of killing civilians and raising havoc! Israel responds with targeted artillery that cause collateral damage because the rocket launchers hide in heavily civilian areas and suddenly, Israel is the wanton destroyer? WRONG! Let the Palestinians choose. Life and death is in their hands! Quit the committment to Israel's destruction, and choose life, or die, this is their choice and their consequences. Period!

you are over simplifing the situation. Many times the Israeli's have try to make peace and was anwsered with the killing of there own civilians by homicide bombers. Arafat while talking of peace prepare for war. Hamas on the other hand just prepares for war! Israel would have achieved peace along time ago but they never have had a partner. You put all the blame on Israel, look at the history and you will change your mind. Israel can't just play cops and robbers with these people!

It was only least effective because olmart only wanted to hit empty fields at the beginning. Hey they attacked our civilian areas in Israel first and the world did nothing or said nothing

Guided artillery shell require target illuminated with laser designator. They were used in Desert storm and Chechen War. While more expensive than normal shells, they are cheaper than guided missiles, and very effective. Also one shell is usually enough, no need to spend dozens. Look here : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M712_Copperhead

but the target chosen was not appropriate. A place used as a launching site may revert to a civilian domicile within hours.

The world is on your side we hope you teach the yids some justice :)

".., Israel was forced to halt its operations against ..". What kind of NONSENSE is this !! The Gazans are firing Kassam rockets almost every day into Israel - to tune of a few hundred in the past 3 months. The Gazans should STOP firing rockets into Israel FIRST - only THAN will Israel stop its operations against the Gazan-rascals-launching-Kassam-rockets. BTW these Gazan rascals ARE placing rocket launchers in civilian areas - do these Gazan rascals have NO brain - to look even into the nose-length very near future - that Israel will conduct operations against those rockets launchers ?!? Do the Gazan leadership have NO brain - do think ahead ?!? BTW those Gazan rascals, i.e. those that fired the Kassam rockets, - they SHOULD be blamed for ALL the Gazan civilian deaths !! The Americans and Europeans SHOULD blame those Gazan-rascals-launching-Kassam-rockets - they SHOULD Be Blamed For ALL Gazan Deaths !! Israel is NOT to be blamed for the civilian deaths !! It is ridiculous to blame Israel !!

Hamas had 2 advantages over the Jews. Jews don't go to heaven to consort with 72 virgins. No matter the Jewish reaction, the world wants hapless, feckless, and humble Jews, who walk quietly to their deaths (a la Sobibor, Auschwitz, Treblinka and Grosse-Rosen). Resistant Jews are verboten, excuse the expression. Israel's use of artillery is a way of avoiding deaths (Jewish) by placing soldiers in harm's way. It's okay to hit Israel with {"crude"), rockets, but Israel's superiority in weaponry is faulted, notwithstanding C. Powell's military advisory (use overwhelming power), which, BTW, is not being employed in Iraq (20,000 Jihadists are defeated 140,000 US and British troops (while US Marines still huff and puff their ruthlessness and efficiency (duh?). Until Israel hits and hits hard, this will continue, unabated, with the world faulting we Jews for defending ourselves, our families and our neighbors.

Artillery is very effective if enough shells are fired on any given area. When a country goes to war, even if war is called a "defensive" action, there can be no regard for civilian casualties. In fact killing civilians in overwhelming numbers is what wins wars...ask the Germans and Japanese. Today America and Israel go to war with the intent not to kill civilians while their enemies want to kill civilians. Guess who is winning? Israel will be blamed by the world community regardless if civilians are killed or not so you may as well go to war to win at all costs.

He is fundumentally wrong. Had Kassams been directed against any Europian city, enemy would be totally destroyed. Israel should refuse this binding hands mentality. Israel must employ all weapons in its arsenal to protect Israeli lives. Artilery is no exception.

You are showing again your ugly antisemite face you ugly witch (or shall I say "sorcière frutrée"?). But I got news for you. Israel is here to stay and thrive whether the likes like you want it ir not.

MOST REGRETABLE CHILDREN WERE KILLED, BUT THIS SHOULD NOT BE A REASON TO CURB OUR OPERATIONS AGAINST TERROR AND ROCKETS FIRED IN TO ISRAEL. THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION IS NOT YET KNOWN AND COULD BE A "WORK ACCIDENT" OR A TERRORIST ROCKET MISFIRED OR OFF COURSE. IT IS VERY EASY AND CONVENIENT TO BLAME ISRAEL. LET'S WAIT FOR END OF INVESTIGATION.

may god fill your hearts with love and compassion.and may god grant patience and love to your victims.

Whats the cliche....an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth will result in us all being blind and toothless.... I'm gobsmacked at the blatent bias and subjective innuendo that is being passed off as objective journalistic investigation on this site. Would you ever cop on and get down to some balls honest discussions to sort out the mess that you have got yourselves into - no preconditions, no preconceptions.... You may believe otherwise - but the majority of the sane and rational people elsewhere see the situation for what it is.....not what you'd have them believe....

If we kick them out of GAZA completely and the so called west bank the fight will be on there terretory if they shoot missles we double the missiles and kill many more untill they give up or there is NO MORE left. All you writers will keep coming up with different analysis and resons why we are loosing and why there is NO PEACE, they all fundementally FRUAD. You will come to this conclution in the near future.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_B1H-1opys

"hoped" for "compensation"? http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3325489,00.html

in your response when you live in the single most cowardly western country on the face of this earth. Learn to speak some Arabic...you will need in France soon!

It is militant Islam that seeks to attack Israel at every opportunity.. Open your eyes, maybe God can help you see clearer. And when the so called neighbors will not clean up the mess in gaza and part of the west bank, and to a large degree support this terroristic activity.. Oh did you forget the five christian churches that were set on fire quite recently.. Then if youre going to shell my house, you can expect the same.. Read gods word...... an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.... later...

is burning.. Do you live in Paris Mariam.. Have fun, soon Paris will be just like gaza and the west bank, do you want my sympathy then?????

I shall ask mr ron ben Yishai a five point contructive solution how to deal with the kasam rokets as his conclution sound like. DUM IF U DO,DUM IF U DONT PS perhaps we have to return to our POLISH GETTO,shall await reply

Right, as GB did in 1940 with FAU 2. Fighting with police force and detective units to arrest the launchers of FAU's in Germany.