Which, esentially, is why we have arrived at our current situation. We have a few, admittedly, bad options. These bad options can be divided into two catagories. Either we "bite the bullet" & do what we have to do, at a considerable cost & sacrifice or we continue our policy of inaction and allow our strategic situation to deteriorate & then pay a far higher price later. For politicians, later is always better. For the national interest, it is better to act now, decisively.

Wasn't the whole point of creating a Jewish state to protect the Jewish people from acts of hate and genocide? Herzl must be spinning in his grave...

west and everyone will be so happy. New condo to be built off-shore with marina and helicopter pad to cyprus. Who needs the negev its dusty and dirty. I dont want to spoil my cappachino expresso. The new Israel hip cool, world travellers. I can rent you my apt here in Montreal...1200/month. Heating, hot water not included. Bring along a bucket of Raid....

Ashkelon has been hit a couple of times in the last few months. Where were the yellers and screamers for all those years that Kiriyat Shemona was attacked and bombed? The first attack on Kiriyat Shemona was on 11 April 1974! Did the people leave? No! The north is still neglected by the government and for most of the people of this country Israel ends at Hadera! Our hospitals are miles away from most places and we don't have many of the medial facilities that are available in the center of the country. Its time those those who scream at the government change the direction of their curses towards those who perpetrate these atrocities. What has been going on in Sderot for 7 years has shown the metal of the citizens of that little town and the people in Ashkelon should follow their example. In case you have forgotten with all the mod cons that we have today, Israel is STILL at war with most of a brutal Moslem World which is intent on our destruction. By squealing and whining you are strengthening the hand of the enemy. You may remember that in July and August 2006 the North was hit by 3,970 Grad and Raad missile in 32 days. Karmiel took 63! We in the north made it ans so will you.

There are a few bad options and one excellent option: Reclaim all of Israel as the Jewish homeland and start building Jewish homes everywhere. Reverse the mistakes that have been made since 1992 and all will be well.

This is not in direct relation to the article, but I find that this is a most interesting explanation for the situation in general. http://www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/688406/the-war-against-the-jews-21.thtml

A soldiers job is to fight and maybe get hurt and die defending the state and the people. Destroying the enemy in Gaza is the brave and noble option. Scorched earth policy if need be until the rockets cease. Don't play pattycake pattycake with the enemy. Obliterate the enemy once and for all.

a rare sighting of a thinking human in T.A. !