why doesnt mr gold replace some of the obviously incompetant idiots that are in prominent positions of the govt?

he really looks like peters sellers.

Mr Gold, as usual, has opinions worth listening to. The flaw in his argument is that Egypt will do anything to stop arms smuggling without suffering some penalty. When pressed by the Americans, the best to be expected is verbal agreement followed by inaction, then by excuses of "we're doing the best we can". Unless there are financial penalties for inaction, Egypt will do nothing. Since the Americans will not impose any penalties, this will be just another excercise in futility, about as effective as talking to Mr Abbas about security. Egypt is an enemy nation despite our "peace" treaty. It is impossible to know how many Muslim Brotherhood sympathizers have infiltrated their army, police, & even the higher echelons of their gov't. Also to take into consideration is the liklihood of extensive corruption & bribery to allow smuggling to continue. Of course, Mr Gold is 100% correct to say that international forces will be ineffective at best. Since it is not desirable to re-occupy the border area at this time, it would seem that stopping the arms smuggling is not possible. The unfortunate conclusion that I draw is that a massive invasion of Gaza will eventually be necessary.

US supports Hamas, Fatah fell, Condi will make announcement soon. Israel you are on your own.Remember the diaspora stands with you Israel.We will not let Israel down . ben singapore

Get Out! zionism caused nothing but irreparable damage, for which the Jewish people are responsible. Time has come to end this catastrophe.

REMEMBER: THE US IS NOT YOUR LAND. I WONDER WHRE YOU WILL GO.

... only inspector clousot in his american incarnation will help israel. nothing else will do.

Is everyone meshugeh? 40 years ago the UN knuckled under to Nassar and removed a UNIFIL-type contingent from the Sinai; are we that quick to "forgettery"?

....would have us believe that the "inspector" is one of "few" (read scarce) respectable people in Israel. Evidently, Mr/Ms New York of No. 11, are happy where they are, and comfortable with their own. This reader is therefore baffled, why meddle in far away israeli affairs where respectability is scarce? So, Mr/Ms New York of No. 11, why not repatriate Inspector Clouseu to your turf where you belong? PS: To those who have any doubt, Mr/Ms New York of No. 11 hail from the USA as indicated in respond no. 11.

As long as there is a false sense of calm , Livni thinks she can sail right into the PMs seat.

The Egyptians will do nothing because they have DONE nothing. The bulk of the damage done in Gaza is because of Egypt. They let Iran turn Sinai into their personal weapons depot. The ONLY solution is for Israel to clean out the hornets nest house by house at high cost in Jewish blood. Short of Divine Intervention , no one and nothing else will resolve the problem. Diplomacy in the case of dealing with most Arabs is essentially a useless proposition... Including the Holy Camp David Accords. Egypt turned out to be one of Israel's greatest silent but deadly nightmares. Unfortunately people like Gold and now Livni , become seduced and addicted to "diplomacy" and "negotiations". Try negotiating with Hamas, Hizbollah, Syria & Iran and see how far you'll get. Ultimately they are the ONLY ones calling all the shots in Gaza

To Malcolm: Tragically I agree with you. Egypt has it's own interests, which don't include benefits to Israel. Remember, Egypt's peace is very cold with Israel. Kissinger arranged the cease fire in 73, when Cairo was in Israel's gunsights, and it's 2nd and 3rd armies surrounded by Sharon, etc. Egypt launched every war, and got everything back that it lost to the IDF. Intl forces are worse than bad. Reminds of Idi Amin Dada exploits. It took Netanyahu to resolve that crisis, not the UN = Rawanda. The solution if the smuggling continues: an Israel armored division with paratroopers at the location, permanently. supported by F15s and F16s. That should do it, without all the politics. But Israel will have to become far more aggressive, and stop being concerned about collateral damage and world opinion. It's their necks I'm afraid.

I have been following Dore Gold for decades. I like him. Have read many of his articles. While he is somewhat on the liberal side, he would be better for Israel (experience wise) than Livni., who is undermining Israel's credibility as well as deterrence. This conflict is not a game, as evidenced in So. Lebanon and now the Strip and Hamas's thuggery. Sort of reminds me of pre-WW2 NAZI Germany..thugs and hooligans running the streets..killing, maiming and beating up people. This is a blood coup..by Hamas..with a definite goal: exclude Fatah, bring in Hezbollah, Syria and Iran and maybe Al Qaeda elements for the real dirty work. Foreign suicide bombers will now flock to the Strip, with impunity..unless Israel, and or the US stops them. So Israel has work on it's hands.

To Terry: I'm not sure I agree with your analysis. Gold is experienced and might make a good F.M. That said: we read today that Barak is planning to assert 2 armored divisions, men and the use of drones, F-15s and F16s, against Hamas, should more Kassams be launched or suicide bombings. Perhaps Israel should create a free fire zone at the border..directed into Gaza..no one in, and no one out. They must find those tunnels and blow them up..to date, they have missed many. These are professional tunnel diggers from Egypt doing the exacting work., There was consideration of a moat, from the Med, inland..which would end the digging. Israel has many cards to play with now.

By the time Israel reacts, it will be too late and the place will be in full control of Syria, Iran, or both. Egypt must be pressured to take charge of this area and to deal with the moster it helped to create by its complicity in allowing the smuggling of weapons into Gaza.

all that dore gold is pretty obvious.From 2000 to 2005 In Lebanon UN forces did nothing besides denying Israel freedom of movement in south lebanon. Same would happen in Gaza. UN Forces would never have the will to go after the tunels and engage in firefights with hamas or Islamic Jhiad or whatever.