... is Egypt's total dereliction of duty in the Sinai. Israel should never have relinquished the entire Sinai. If Israel held an enclave up to el-Arish, arms smuggling to Gaza wouldn't exist. Perhaps the int'l community could police this zone. But, for sure, if Egypt cannot effectively police "its" own territory and stop it from being a jump-off for terror - someone else should do the job.

Lots of money has been made by the egyptians to allow smuggling into gaza. A perfect job for someone uneducated, and who cares little of the effect that these weapons will have on the course of the future. Imagine the amount and scope of weapons hamas would have had if the borders were open and unregulated. No one in the PA, Fatah, Hamas or the UN can be trusted to control the flow of people or goods into gaza

it's a bold article ben-yishai writes regarding the un 1860. arguably he has a lot of to it, but from the north european perspective a fear for more of the similar, maybe even resolutions paralyzing israel as a functioning, independent state, comes to mind. there's a strong feeling of antipathy, even plain hatred against israel and against the jews in general, now prevailing in europe. and there are clear accusations, eg. a statement by the swedish foreign minister, that the israeli blockade was the main cause of the continuing suffering of the palestinians, thus overriding any defensive measures israel claimes to base her gaza-actions on. in short, there is a vague sense that europeans are rooting to a solution effectively putting end to any future israeli military action against any actor whatsoever . if so, iran, hamas, hizbollah, eu, whoever separately, or in union, can act against israel whatever way, with whatever means they like! therefore, my conclusion is, that there is a great danger, at the moment, that this resolution is all but " meaningless". it just might just be the beginning for something worse. let us hope that i am completely wrong with my thoughts. shabbat shalom.

If both political leaders and public opinion are convinced of the rightness and necessity of war, it is extremely difficult to withstand the wrath of a democratic country. The staying power of such countries does not depend on the damage they suffer in human lives and property. Their power lies in what defines their very existence–their belief in democratic values and their wish to protect them. If a democratic society believes in the rightness and necessity of its struggle, and if its leadership can provide a simple and clear answer to the question, “What are we fighting for?” the public will be willing to bear any burden required of them. At the most critical junctures of its history, the citizenry is not the weakest link in a democratic country, but its greatest resource. We will fight for our country because it is ours and we have no other as explained in 6 parts at : http://xrl.us/bi5c6

To The Point that they can dictate THE ARAB GOVERNMENTS WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL OF THEM ...EXPECT THE PEOPLE THEY GOVERN & REPRESENT.. IN MY VIEW THE SAME SICKNESS

because Egypt do have evidence of arms smuggling from Israel. You can also speak in other enclaves in eastern EU, Iran, china, and Western EU. What about the fact that most of arms entered via sea route which is totally under Israel's control.

Total BS about sea smuggling. If sea smuggling would have been successful there would have been no need to dig tunnels. Try thinking before posting.

Another option is for Israel to go in and stay along the Philadelfi corridor. The old agreements in that area are breached and no longer valid. Conrol the corridor and the tunnels building and smuggling. To hell with EU UN etc. In the mantime enter Stage 3 of IDF plans to defeat Hamas

I should like to do a humble commentary about this war from light of the bible prohecy. 1948 born again israel, here begin the"ends time" o perhaps better"end of a epoch". from here begin several wars with the islamic neighbours, a point very important will be the total destruccion of damasco, at the end of this phase israel will cover from sinai till eufrates . Israel will be powerfull and in apparently peace some time. Later on a group of islamic nations and perhaps? russia will attack the holy nation.THE ARMAGEDON. brutal, huge and ugly. the enemies of israel will be absolutey destroyed with the help of true GOD and israel will be very very dameged but victorius . at once the holy nation will recognize the loved JESUCHRIST, the SON OF GOD like the yearned MESSIAS . A total BLESSING to alight in israel and he will be like a headlight from the humanity.

First part the sea so that water flows in four foot storm pipes into the Philedelphia route. You can use the water to extract minerals and entertain bimbos. Put valves on the tanks. Make sure the water drains 100 feet into the ground so as to flood any tunnels existing or proposed. Alternatively, employ Israeli technology to man a 1/4 mile buffer strip with the latest technological detection equipment. Use robots to drill into and explode any smuggling tunnels. Tell the Eygyptians this is preferable to reasserting soverignty over Gaza like they had before the Six Day War in 67. Third, offer Hamas jobs as taxi cab drivers in Terrane where the compensation is much better and access to mosques is closer.

As always, a very thoughtful analysis. Here is another possibility. Israel takes the Philadelphia Corridor puts in troops and hunkers down. It can then remove its troops from the rest of Gaza, and carry out powerful air strikes and quick raids in response to rocket attacks and Hamas activity in general with no truce involved. This would put the situation back to where it was before the war, except that Hamas would be greatly weakened, its missile supplies dwindling with little ability to re-arm. The Israeli army would be less vulnerable (they would have to really hunker down along the Sinai border and carry out "incursions" from there), and the negotiations could center around the transfer of the Border authority from Israel to someone else capable of truly policing it. Stan

The abstention was basically a vote for the resolution and has caused dreadful damage to Israel. This was reported by Udi Segal on Israel Channel 2 TV. Why has YnetNews not reported this betrayal of Israel by the President of the United States? The Americans call 7 December 1941 "A day of Infamy". Today we here in Israel call 9th January 2009 as the "Day of Perfidy"! George W. Bush has proven the age old saying that "White man speaks with forked tongue".

Therefore they must be defeated entirely. Then Hizbullah will pay attention and think twice. Then Iran will pay attention and think twice..

THEY COME UNASSEMBLED ONLY VIA EGYPT IDIOT

But there isn't a truce yet.

I think the IDF should leave the Strip immediately and not become hostage in Gaza. There is no way the IDF would win this time. I think they lost the opportunity in the first 3 days. The days when the IDF was winning are gone. It makes more sense to leave Israel as it will never be a safe place to live.

Translation of Israel's actions: since we routinely violate international law and always say it doesn't apply in this special case, it is no more than routine to ignore the demands of the people who create international law.

Watch Olmert call for the elections to be moved forward 6 more months. WHy did Olmert and Kadima wait until a month before the elections before doing anything? Rget should of gine into Gazza a 2 years ago, the day Shallit got kidnapped, but waited and did nothing!! We beat 4 armies in 6 days....you think we cant eliminate Hamss in a matter of a few days? Gazza is small!

Israel's taking care of business and has won EVERY war she had to engage in started by Jihadists. Go cry in Tehran, Sinora needs some more cry babies like you. Watch Israel kick ass in Gaza. Long overdue, GO ISRAEL!

gimme a break, Israel is well w/in the law for defending herself against the rockets and mortars being lobbed into Israel from Gaza. Here in the staes We here are loving it! Gazans are responsible for voting their own destroyers into office. Enjoy the wrath of G-d via the Israelis.

@20 Hamas ignored the ceasefire, hurling thousands of rockets into Israel while Israel held to the agreed ceasefire. Once the ceasefire ended, Israel took military action. Why don't you and your ilk take Hamas to task for ignoring international law? Why does international law only apply to Israel?

They SAY they support the IDF but now it's the second time in 3 years they have sent 18 and 19 year olds into harm's way then DELIBERATELY made SITTING DUCKS out of them. I conclude what any semi-intelligent person feels in their bones: Kadima is the ENEMY of Israel, a bloody, deadly, fatal enemy. It's way past time Israel wake up and smell the coffee... Unfortunately, people don't know what's right and what's wrong anymore and believe whatever the corrupt left-wing looney media tell them.

No one seems to be looking at the strategic & long range implications of continuing Hamas rule. I agree with this article, & hope the Govt has the brains, balls, & long term perspective to continue, expand, & comprehensively complete this operation, including expelling Hamas. I have advocated expelling Hamas (like PLO from Beirut in 1982) for a variety of reasons, mainly so Israel can comprehensively root out the terror & re-establish a civil infrastructure, & develop a coexistence solution in a stable environment, taking into account lessons already learnt over decades. Simultaneously, the bigger picture, & its implications outside Israel need to be examined. Iran seeks dominance in the Middle East, & reestablishment of the “Caliphate” (Islamic rule), from the ME to Spain, Portugal, Morocco, & North Africa (just like 700-1200 years ago, at the height of Islamic power). All of this is known & openly declared. The element of Shia versus Sunni states in the ME is another area of conflict & influence. Hamas & Hezbollah are non state terror arms & proxies of Iran & Syria in this. The “pincer movement” against Israel of Hezbollah in Lebanon & Hamas in Gaza is seen & easily understood. BUT: Iran has a variety of, & is developing sophisticated warhead carrying missiles with ranges of up to 3000 km. The Shehab-3 is approximately 1000 km+. Pull out your neglected trigonometry protractors & compasses, & imagine Gaza (or Lebanon) as a ”hub" (as New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, London, Frankfurt, or Rome are for airlines). Imagine Hamas with control over borders, & free sea/air access, as Hezbollah already has in Lebanon. Imagine smaller (or larger) missiles smuggled, part by part, into the existent Iranian planned bunkers, sitting under the hollow inner courtyard of an apartment complex populated by hundreds of “innocent civilians”. Not easy to spot, or justify a strike against it. If you add the religious coercion & political fear of living under an Iranian “nuclear umbrella” that extends across the Mediterranean, out to the semi Westernised North African Arab countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia; or even Southern Europe, Italy, Greece, etc… You begin to get the picture Even a medium range rocket could hit Cairo or Ankara. Very politically persuasive against “moderate” Arabs. Other Arab countries, like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, & Kuwait are already worried about this developing. Although this may sound like an airport novel, a Tom Clancy novel from 10-12 years ago became September 11. Bullies, terrorists, & the countries supporting them always look for the Achilles Heel. Who would have thought that a nightclub in Bali full of Australians & Westerners would be bombed? See links below: http://www.debka.com/search.php?type=article&q=warhead&cid=32&order=date&submit=Search&font_size=big http://www.debka.com/search.php?type=article&q=shehab&cid=32&order=date&submit=Search No nation can allow a hostile l& base of another, sworn to its destruction (Iran) within its guts (reference US & Cuba 1962), & a large, well funded terror cancer to grow, or even to exist publicly. That is why Gaza needs to be retaken, & Hamas eradicated, with full European & Arab support. Of course, the more likely scenario is where European, Arab, & UN politicos run around censuring & condemning Israel; grabbing publicity, sound bites, & self importance; pooh-poohing the strategic implications; “kicking the can” further down the road (while continuing to do business with Iran, of course); & LETTING ISRAELIS & JEWS BLEED, DIE, & DO THE DIRTY WORK FOR THEM.