There will be absolutely no ground war. Hamas is going to "cave" and agree to another temporary "cease fire". Now Tzipeleh can claim she is no longer weak and pathetic....exactly how the ayatollahs planned this whole post-cease fire, pre-election rocket barrage charade. In the end the ayatollahs win again. Their weak Israeli government will remain in power. In the big picture, this has been brilliant maneuvering to have Hamas take the bullet for the team in order to keep Bibi out of the PMs seat. If he were in power, a ground war would have started on day 3 and there really would have been a "no turning back" policy. Obviously this pussyfooting about 4 hour breaks, Hamas responses, "wait & see" , plus lots of tough "we're gonna crush Hamas" talk..etc is the exact thinking and behavior that was used during the Lebanon Surrender. If Israelis fall for it, which they probably will, Israel will repeat the same mistake and pay an even heavier price down the road.

I know that you are a very able foreign minister, for France, that is to say. I can even feel you are generally OK towards Israel, but if you really cared for your Israeli friends, you wouldn't propose so-called humanitarian breaks. We don't need them and the Gazans don't need them. The population there has been always supplied by Israel with whatever they need: food supplies, blood supplies for hospitals, medicines, petrol, etc. It is pathetic how so many Europeans do not give us a break even after 2,000 years of hatred and aggravations. Even now many European politicians and even more European people are so busy finding fault with the Jews instead of looking into their own garden. That's what you should do or, at least, try and convince Hamas to scrap so many of their rockets from underneath civilian buildings, from such dangerous proximities which are more hazardous for their own people than our bombs. So, Mr Kouchner, don't hold your breath !

As French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner made clear in an interview with Ha'aretz, while the West understands that Islamic Jihadists seek the destruction of Europe and the US, they believe - in part, because their own anti-Semitism leads them to exaggerate Jewish power - that they will get away with coddling the Arabs and Iran because Israel will protect them… To understand more Consult : http://xrl.us/otzko

I don't know if cry or cheer. If Olmert is simply reacting to the anger of the Israeli citizens and will now send Israeli soldiers into Gaza just to show that he is doing something, Israeli government should be tarred and feathers and run out of the country, let alone power. I am afraid that there is no clear strategy being followed. More bombardments are a pure waste and will achieve nothing further and the ground assault now that Hamas had 4 days to prepare is pure hell. Yes, this government is criminally negligent and incompetent. There are no other words for it.

IDF go ahead and smash those thugs...do not stop!

As much as I would like IDf to hurt hamas on the ground, I defer to Barak over olmert in his judgement. Don't forget that an antimissile system may be ready in 12-18 months, a new israeli government will take power in february. I would advise hamas to cut a deal with Israel now because when likud comes to power with yaalon and eitam, big time death will be handed to Hamas. This will seem like child's play as every shot fired by israel is judged by the world. Eitam in particular will erase you from the area.

I am afraid that Israel is going back to muddle itself into a war that it does not make the most good means of efficiency. I can remember last time summer-2006 there has been a significn number of human and material loses in Lebonan.

Oh dear. Israel appears to over-reached itself this time. Claimed it was going to get rid of Hamas. Instead is facing international opprobrium and pressure. By the end of the week the combination of public pressure from the EU and private pressure from the US will force Olmert and others to agree to a ceasefire. Hamas will still be in place. Israel's international reputation will be futher dented. And the ensuing truce will actually be on Hamas's terms rather than Israels (with more movement on the crossings - what Israel failed to deliver the last time Hamas stopped firing rockets back in June). A strategic blunder by Israel.

The options are Israel's to play at this point. Put the progressive crystal ball back in it's spiteful closet, and watch matters unfold to Tel Aviv's determination.

Israel amasses force for ground war. Barak favors a french-style truce. Gabi Ashkenazi released a statement saying the IDF was not behind the move.

is he still searching for his stolen mobile phone?

So far you have screwed up everything you touch including releasing Kuntar and hundreds of murdering terrorists. DON"T SCREW THIS UP. THIS ARE GOING VERY VERY WELL.

A state official said Tuesday night that "Israel mustn't talk of a ceasefire for humanitarian needs. This expression is unacceptable to us, as medications, blood and basic commodities have already been transferred to the Gaza Strip." Is blood from Israeli donors being sent to heal our ENEMIES ??!!! That MUST stop. This is a war, fellas!

...what is in plain, clear sight, right before their eyes!!! The facts about the ongoing campaign are plain and simple. Anyone with a minimum of intellectual honesty and ethics should acknowledge that Hamas, and Hamas only, is responsible for the ongoing situation - and that's it, TATA!

You say :”.. the last time Hamas stopped firing rockets back in June “. Dear Peter, have you been sleeping for the past 6 months (since June 2008) -- Hamas et al were firing between 30 and 90 Kassam rockets and mortars per week onto the UNARMED civilians of Sderot, other places in Israel. I guess objective news is hard to get there in down-under (i.e. New Zealand).

Dear Jalal, do you think the firing of 3,000+ Kassam rockets and mortars (since the beginning of 2008 till yesterday) from Gaza Strip by Hamas et al onto UNARMED civilians of Sderot, other places in Israel was meant to wish them (i.e. the UNARMED residents of Sderot, other places in Israel) a Merry Christmas ; was it meant to celebrate a Happy New Year ? I (and together with me all the SANE people of the world) don’t think so. Dear Jalal, it was meant to harm (and to terrorize) the UNARMED civilians of Sderot, other places in Israel. And that action of Hamas et al can NOT and must NOT be allowed to continue !!!