they just have to stop attacking our civilians. That's what we "have to gain" by not agreeing to a ceasefire now. If we did, given the Arabs' penchant for chest-pounding, it would be AS IF we invited more attacks.

Great way for some publicity!!!!

Mr. Oz, Have you forgotten that the past 6 months Hamas couldn't comply with a ceasefire?! Are you living in the middleeast or are you confusing reality with a dream you had? The puropse of a war is to defeat your enemies so fellow citizens do not have to live in bomb shelters or killed.Yes, defeating the enemy can be achieved.Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle are Israeli citizens who have deafist attitudes.

Mr Oz, for whom I have deep appreciation, writes wonderful books. Unfortunately it seems he's cut off from reality: wasn't Israel asking and looking for secure truce and kids, women and men, all civilians, got rockets instead? What makes you, Mr Oz assume that we're going to get it now? I'll tell you what we can gain: quiet, notmal lives for southern Israel. Why don't you move into Kfar Aza, or Sderot, or Nahal Oz and live there - then I'm sure you'll know what Israel can gain.

Statement of Mr Oz. I Quote - A million and a half people live in the Gaza Strip in crowded conditions of poverty, suffering, and under siege. These people are not about to become fans of Israel and their consciousness will not be “etched” by us. Hamas is at fault for the escalation in Gaza. Had it not been for its provocations and bombardments, there would be no need for the Israeli operation. Yet this operation must have limited objectives: Israel has no other goal except for securing, as soon as is possible, a full and absolute ceasefire that brings tranquility and calm to our border. Such truce would go into effect in exchange for easing the siege and closure imposed on Gaza. The earlier Israel calls for a complete cessation of hostiles on both sides of the border, with the support and mediation of Arab states that are not Hamas fans, the better it would be for us. End of Quote. The population of Gaza has never been faans of Israel. This War is to blame on them selves. Peace will not come, the last 60 years is proof of that. The solution is not a truce and cease fire, the last 60 years is also proof of that. Orao.

Yo. Not my cuz Arlen are you? Write away, write away.

Why is it that ynet allows political and security analysis by an author of fiction. He should stick to his writing and allow the experts to conduct the war. What an author thinks should be headlines for a respected news agency?

People just like you make us Jews look weak and stupid. We don’t have to listen to international community to initiate cease fire. Let them first stop shooting rockets and release our brother Shalit. OZ you are pathetic looser.

Amos Oz why don’t you shut your prominent mouth of yours People just like you make us Jews look weak and stupid. We don’t have to listen to international community to initiate cease fire. Let them first stop shooting rockets and release our brother Shalit. OZ you are pathetic looser. I hope you would think twice before asking Ynet to post this article. Stupidity and Ignorance have no boundaries in your case.

Result in horrendous bloodshed later.It would have been better if Israel had never opened fire on gaza at all rather than to do a half-hearted half-baked job.Why give up now when Hamas is on the ropes and nearly defeated?Israel is cursed with a horrible Government ,only interested in elections.If one is gutless ,one has no business being Minister of Defence.Israel has started it needs to finish.If Hamas walks away intact ,I can predict terrible problems here with Iran ,Hizbullah ,maybe Syria.Better to deter.Amos oz may very well be an excellent writer,I assume,and a man who genuinely desires peace with his neighbours but he is also too much of a dreamer.

Well, that depends on how well they apply strategic warfare. Fooling the Hamas that we were not going to attack and excellent intelligence as to where the rockets were located it a good example. If we just do what Hamas expects us to do, don't bother.

And other assorted hypocrites do NOT,and I stress again NOT,have the best interests of Israel /Jews at heart.The only image of Jews acceptable to them are the ones who walk passively to their deaths,not the sort who fly F-16s and carry M-16s.Screw them all I say.The more they scream the more it is music to my ears.

You must be a very naive person and believe that Hamas will stop attacking Israel but having a cease fire. The only way Israel can have some peace is by destroying Hamas compeletely at any cost....You never leave a wolf at your border and hope that he will never come back and bite.... you are very naive and you should not be writing in a newspaper but instead teach some kindergarden class...

With Mr Amos' talking of surrender he became one of the most important public relations of Hamas ,Iran and all the terrorist groups that seek to destroy Israel and the jews(even outside Israel). Mr Amos you are worse than Hamas.

"The operation in the Gaza Strip needs to end as soon as possible, and without a ground incursion, along with an end to the bombardment of Israeli communities." Here Oz announces his candidacy for secretary-general of the UN. "The bombardment of Israel has to stop"--just say it, that oughta do it. You don't actually have to do anything or have any army, you know, all that Zionist nonsense that Oz turned very sour on back when he was a student at Hebrew U. in the 60s. Or to paraphrase Theodor Herzl, "If you say it, it is no dream." All you gotta do is say it, man.

R Hitchings: Proving that even the brutal Romans had cause to wall you Scottish in. You just aren't civilised.

You are not a politician, you are not a soldier. Be careful, you are dabbling with issues where your opinion is null and void.

Today I realized that Yavne is within the reach of Hamas terrorists! Excellent!!! way to secure a good future for my children!!!!!!!!! Defense force can not secure us. I have to go somewhere else and protect my family

This region ,Mr.Oz is not heading for peace.Sorry mate,I just can't see it.There are only two possibilities 1)Arabs accept Israel and leave it be.2) total all-out war which will leave arabs destroyed,and I am not just talking about 300 or 400, will be in the millions.This is the brutal truth which our leaders will never tell us.Islam and its hateful ideology will pay a terrible price if it does not or indeed can not adapt,but I will not hold my breath.Rather hard to make a silk purse from a sows ear.I am rather pessimistic I'm afraid as I do not believe that the arab world has internalised what it needed to learn.For those who constantly accuse Israel of using disproportionate force,as if war of survival is some Gentlemans sport,should the day ever come when Israel is forced to go nuclear they will really understand those words and will be chewing on them.

At this point, Palestinians still don't accept that Israel will remain a Jewish-majority state and there is no resolution in sight for Jerusalem, refugees and borders. So, at some point in the future even if there is a truce made now Palestinians will resume attacking. The issue is then whether a ground invasion will achieve a longer truce than not having a ground invasion and whether it is significant enough to make it worthwhile. Otherwise, why waste lives and financial and material cost? For this an imperfect evaluation has to be made.

Like the West bank was after Defensive Shield but it will bring the ability of Hamas to operate down, the same way it's ability was diminished in the West bank. The problem is with Israelis's need for a quick fix.

What we are seeing from Lebanon (previously) and Gaza is that lots of terrorists running around with lots of mobile launchers means no quick fix. However, as we have seen with Hezbollah and Lebanon and other Arab countries before them, lots of casualties and lots of destruction make Israel's enemies think very hard before attacking. We will see if that is true about Gaza after the next truce.

What a fool. Stick to short stories. You and yor comrades have brought this war upon us. You pushed for the Lebannon pullout and brought us one war, the the Gaza pullout and Hamasatan. Face it the Palestinians are eveil and want you dead.

But it starts with Israel's political leaders having the backbone to resist calls for a truce from foreign leaders. Why is the President of France calling for a truce? Because the largest Muslim population outside of the mid east lives in France. He doesn't care about Israel. Russia who will invade it's neighbors, and not stop until it has accomplished it's goal ,calls for Israel to stop before Israel can win. Why? Because of it''s history in dealing with Jews. Resolute Israeli leadership is needed in this perilous time. Do not be paralyzed by those who wish to appease or the cowardly far left living in Israel. Do not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

I think, it's very critical to start invaison with ground troops! Why? Hamas is prepared acting against IDF! On the other side>>strikes with long range missiles against Israel territory are very dangerous for people and industry! **************************************** It's only propaganda from Haniyeh but not more! The infrastructure of Gaza Strip is out off work and a revolution inside Gaza Strip is closer!

I agree. Don't listen to all these countries ( France, Russia, etc) listen to american plans, cause it is the fastest way for Israel to lose!

60 years gone & still the same story: few more days of bombing, maybe another ground invasion, it's Naser, it's Assad, it's Saddam Hussein, It's Iran, It's Hizbollah, hurt the population some more , starve them some more, break more knee caps, break some more arms, demolish their homes, to hell with the Security Council, the world is nothing but a bunch of anti-semites, shoot the observers, journalist, peace activists, and on & on & on & on......... All that for the love of god. Ironic!!

No you don't get it. The Muslims don't want peace with anyone,who is not Muslim. They want not only to destroy Israel,they want to to destroy you also,unless you are a muslim. During the so call "lull" Hammas smuggled in improved weapons to hit civilian area in Israel. You may not have noticed that and an other thing that you have not noticed,while they smuggled in weapons with ease,they did not smuggle in food or medicne. No it is you who do not get it.