So far the threesome managed to improve their popularity with the Israeli people with Operation Cast Lead but if they disgrace all the injured and wounded soldiers but unilaterally surrendering to the terrorists like they did in Lebanon 2, then they have no political future in Israel. The release of Shalit MUST be a pre-condition to any ceasefire arrangement. The stoppage of arms smuggling, terrorist attacks, rocket and mortar fire, and CHANGE OF THE HAMAS CHARTER must all be conditions of the ceasefire. If the threesome surrender and allow HAMAS to declare a victory, the damage to Israel will be irreparable. It would be far better to totally destroy Gaza than to surrender to the terrorists who continue to launch rockets during pauses and will continue to do so during any unilateral ceasefire.

Sharon's decision to leave Gaza was unilateral- and we now see what a MISTAKE it was. A unilateral ceasefire is STUPID and dangerous. It also means that Israel didn't have a real purpose for going into Gaza, other than trying to show Livni as a tough leader. Livni will forfeit the PMship for such callous disregard for our soldiers and the Gaza civilians. If this unilateral ceasefire is allowed to happen, Livni's career is OVER and BIBI will take command. I pray he is up to the job and will destroy Hamas once and for all. G-d Bless the IDF and whoever has the balls to rid Gaza of Hamas.

Lets have the elections and rid Israel of this curse called kadima! They have caused more damage than any other past government! Pack of disgusting self indulgent cowards!

This government is an absolute embarasment. Unilateral withdrawl. No Gilad Shalit. They shouldn't even bother to run in the next election. I have yet to meet anyone who would even consider voting for them.

Any politician that voted for the ceasefire, please make them pay at the ballot boxes! Free Gilad Shalit first!

To the government of Israel, please show courage and keep this operation going until the entire infrastructure of Hamas will be destroyed. Young soldiers died and got injured so you and us can live safely. Unilateral withdrawal is not a realistic idea, do not implement it. Stay in Gaza and finish the good job the IDF started. Do whatever it takes to keep our soldiers safe. Ignore world opinion and protect your citizens.

Leaning on Egypt has always been like leaning on the sharp end of a reed and having it go through your hand - it's in the Bible folks. Livni's insane plan of partnership with Egypt assumes Egyptian competencies which they do not possess. In plain English, Egyptians cannot even tie their own shoes let alone stop smuggling into Gaza.

Israel's unilateral cessation of hostilities vis a vis Hamas and their supernumaries, is a default of any possible victory in the :"Failed Lead Casting of 2009". Rockets still are fired and fall on Israel and Israelis. Gilad Shalit is still captive. Hamas is still is viable, in charge of Gaza, and unrepentant. Even arrogant and claiming victory. They are correct. The IDF operated brilliantly and has been betrayed yet again by the incompetents who make up the so called co-called government of Israel. A self inflicted vanquishment. The political drawing of a loaded pistol, sticking it into the front of Israel's collective trousers and pressing the trigger. Kadima has done this twice now. It is enough.

David, Go to Google Earth and look closely at Gaza and Sderot. If HAMAS launches rockets at Sderot and misses most of the time, could you imagine the casualties in the former Israeli enclaves which were literally in the heart of Gaza? Their Qassam would hit Israeli targets far more often and the PALs would have an excuse of the Israelis being in Gaza. DISENGAGEMENT removed any justification for terror and gave us a perfect posture to wage Operation Cast Lead until all objectives including the total destruction of HAMAS was achieved. Could you imagine how difficult it would be for IDF to operate with Israelis there in the military theatre? I do agree with you on one thing. Kadima, Olmert, Tzipi, Barak have no political future in Israel and the Likud and right will win overwhelmingly. Bibi would be able to stand firm against the terrorists and politically against the UN, EU, and other Arab sympathizers. David, your heart is in the right place but you are in the USA and need to better understand the underlying geography, economics, demographics, politics, and strategies in play here. This is a very complex problem that requires creative genious and no one was better than Arik Sharon.

Israel's cabinet does not respond like the leaders of a sovereign country. There is no such thing as a unilateral truce. We should retake Gaza. Otherwise we are asking for constant enemy action. Naval patrol by other countries is not going to stop the arms smuggling problem. This is a weak politicians' solution.

Where's Gilad? Without him, it's all been for nothing.

wAY TO GO WEAK REALLY WEAK

BARAK LIVNI OLMERT GO HOME AND NEVER COME BACK YOU ARE A SHAME TO ISRAEL

Who voted for them?

How dare these loosers send our childeren to war and then turn their backs on them , with a job half done. These people are criminally insane and lack any resolve and will only leave these Hamas savages stronger and bolder. Politics or not this is at a level of stupidity , that is unheard off. We will pay dearly for this screw up as a people, which we always do anyway ,at the hands of non caring corrupt leaders.

No cease fire without Gilad coming home first. Again Oldmerd & company are surrendering to terrorism. What a pathetic bunch of incompetent fools. All our brave soldiers who gave their lives or were injured will all have been for nothing.

continued fighting will do what? Kill many more civilians (already the world is weary) maybe kill Hamas, but what to replace it with? Islamic radical theology is replaced time and time again. Entrench Israel in Gaza, for how long? and to what end? There is no solution for Gaza. If the Gazans choose Hamas then Hamas it will be. Lastly, cost a lot of lives, soldiers and civilians. Israel has accomplished a lot and let's face it it will be impossible to stop rocket fire completely if there is no common sense in Gaza.

I like that move. And please make Shalit your top agenda for any kind of agreement with Hamas. If there is no Shalit and no stop of the shelling than the IDF will go on. I think the world will not oppose that.

To Meir: You are the typical back seat driver? Are you personally engaged in any of this? Israel has to date beaten the pants off of Hamas, with 1,000 deaths, thousands wounded, over 1,000 targets obliterated, it's leaders wasted..in essence, let it (Hamas) declare victory..or as the Christians like to say, "The Truth Shall Set You Free". The truth here is that Hamas was made to look like fools. Israel has no need to stay in that despicable strip of a 120 square mile piece of dung. It's real fight is in 1 yr, when Iran tests an atomic bomb,,maybe over Tel Aviv, joined in by Syrian and Hez missiles. Olmert and Company know this reality. Stopping the smuggling suffices..in "Dune" w/o spice, no space travel. In Gaza, w/o Grads, -0-. W/O Hamas, Hez is -0-, W/O Hez and Iran, Hamas is -0-. Keepng up the fighting, more Jewish deaths..we don't want that do we? For what? Israel gave Hamas a whuppin. Let it go at that. I am a dedicated Zionist..a proud Jew, and will fight to protect Israeli interests. I am a member of the NRS and own a 12 gauge, unlike most timid US Jews. I am an anti-Semite fighter daily.

Geniuses Olmert, Livni and Barak have found the answer! Pretend the rockets have stopped, make an agreement with Egypt "I demand Mobarak" to station a guard with a waterpistol at the Gaza-Egypt border - and presto! we have a ceasefire. Millions will be scratching their head and thinking "Now why didn't I think of that".

I think there is less to this ceasefire than many of you are worried about. This is a gift to Obama to say, "You see, we halted the operation." Hamas can be counted upon to fire some more rockets and Israel will restart the operation and say to Obama: "You see how we tried." It's cynical, but Israel didn't make these rules.

Her agreements to prevent arm smuggling from Egypt will be as successful as the guarantees Israel got after Lebanon that Hesballah will not be allowed to rearm. The government never learns anything and keeps pushing for the same failed policies that only harm Israeli security and deterrence.

Fire rockets at us.... pay a huge price. That's a win. I am sorry, not very glorious, but effective nonetheless. Or did Hezbollah dare to lift a finger?

Your military excursion appears to be over. After all the bloodshed and innocent deaths - Do you feel safer now ?

And after the Israel unilateral withdrawal the whole world is so understanding of the Israeli self-defense when attacked by the terrorists. It's obvious we don't get any sympathy from the world whatever we do and we should ignore them and do what's best for Israel. Defending Israeli civilians should be the government's first priority.

There were several objectives that we as citizens had for this operation: the end of the daily rocket attacks and freedom for Gilad Shalit. The first we will see if Tzahal is allowed a zero tolerance for attacks with permission for IMMEDIATE responses; the second BETTER be part of any agreement or the triumvirate of the 1%ers and their minions will be quickly relegated to the trash of political history joining meretz and other political groups whose only goal was our subjugation. Don't claim we the citizens of Israael did not warn you!

Another lost war for Israel...... When will we have a government that knows how to defend it's citizens?

Do we feel safer? As long as we have Tzahal, the answer is a clear YES!

After 8 years of firing missiles on us and not heeding warnings from your Arab brothers. After all the bloodshed and innocent deaths due to your disrespect for your peoples lives blatant use of Human shields Do you feel safer now ?