Actually fully disengage. Seal the border. Nothing in, nothing out. What is this BS where we supply people firing rockets at us. Do we really want Gaza to be like Lebanon? Is this guy insane? No wonder Israel's strategic position is so bad if retards like this guy managed to become generals.

In January 2006 the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas won almost two-thirds of the seats in the Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections. The Hamas charter calls for the extermination of Jews as well as the destruction of Israel as an Islamic necessity. Its goal remains the destruction of Israel, and that the preferred means it chooses is continued “resistance” and Jihad, the PA euphemisms for terrorism. A statement made by Ahmad Yassin, founder and former head of Hamas, who was killed by Israel was made in response to Israel’s plan to evacuate Israeli towns in Gaza Strip in 2005. The message was that the Palestinians had found the key to destroying Israel. Since terror was forcing Israel to leave its towns in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinians would now only have to keep up the terror in Israel’s other cities and Israel would run from those as well. As to the Hamas charter : http://xrl.us/bjrag

It actually has merit. Israel should make Gaza Egypt's problem and keep the Palestinians permanently divided. A unified Palestinian state is not in Israel's interests. Israel's interests are to see that Hamas doesn't attack Israel, that Egypt plays a stabilizing role in Gaza and that the Gazans can maintain relations with the outside world on two conditions: Gilad Shalit is released and the aid is inspected by Israel before it can be off-loaded in Gaza. That is a reasonable deal to press for. Israel is not going to make peace with Hamas but then again the same is true with the Arab World that also refuses to this day to make peace with Israel.

I and the author are at the opposite sides of the political spectrum. However, i admit that he knows/understands politics. The main difference between this article and other articles i ve been reading since the flotilla incident is that this article is targeting /challenging the readers brains, while other articles target readers emotions (cheap popularity). I disagree with the author's political views, but his article is worth reading in my opinion. I dont expect many talkbacks for this article, no one is interested in logical/boring topics these days. LOL

Palestine not just Gaza, you can't get rid of the occupation and the siege if there is no comprehensive solution to the situation that we are stuck in for decades. For Hamas, it sworn ,will not negotiate or recognize "Israel", and you of course know that it is difficult to change doctrine, this is for you too, so I think that you should try once again, I have no doubt you have another plan, we're accustomed to reading your funny plans, Mr. Eiland Good luck in the next map :)

Bibi should just get in front of the cameras and say that he's willing to sit down with Hamas if Hamas accepts the peace process. Hamas will have no choice but to reject Bibi's call. The cards will then be on the table and the western world will be a little bit less ignorant.

Another Israeli interest is to survive. The democratic Hamas take-over of Gaza despite American intervention, Israel's failure to prevent Hamas attacks on civilians and the world's consensus that Israel is not allowed to defend herself against Hamas attack proves only one thing: Israel must annex Judea and Samaria and give Gaza total freedom. Gaza will become an Egyptian/American problem. Israel will never have to worry about "Hamastan" meters away from her population centers.

Until Hamas agrees to accept Israel's existence then there is no point in talking to them. Israel says this. The US says this. The EU says this (even if it acts otherwise). Russia says this (even if it acts otherwise). The UN says this (even if it acts otherwise). The Quartet set rules for Hamas to be part of the process and Hamas has told them where to stuff it. It is not the Israeli policy that needs to change.

And I would add that we will be the first country to recognize Gaza as a free independent state. I repeat around me since long ago now, that it is the only solution for us. After, we will be able to deal with Yuda-Shomron.

There are some basic problems. Lebanon is a recognised state, Gaza isn't. Israel has to have someone to handover power to. If Israel just leaves Gaza, who is the sovereign authority there? The PA? They're not a state either. What identity documents do Gazans use? There are 50,000 Gazans currently in the West Bank. Will Israel handover the population register which it currently controls? The real decision Israel needs to make is do you want a 2 state solution. Gaza is never going to be a state on its own. Half the people there are refugees clutching their old tattered title deeds to Jaffa.

... and not just emotional, ideologic populism. I'd love to read more of writers that make me think instead of provoking cheap effects like black/white, we/them, leftist/rightist, pro-Israel/anti-semite. But I fear this kind of more thoughtful articles sell worse than for example the agitated poetry of writers like Assaf Wohl.

This makes sense, let the UN deal with the fight between Hamas and PA. I am pretty sure on which side they will be forced to back. As for Egypt and the other so called "moderate" muslim countries, they would have to then deal with the issues. But to do this ISRAEL would have to seal its land borders completely with Gaza, and that means NO UN crossing from Israel, NO journalists crossing from Israel, NO humanitarian aid, No UN goods, absolutely NOTHING. Should anyone want to travel between Gaza and the West Bank, by all means, but NOT through Israel.

understand one simple thing that arabs and iran pay hamas and abbas for destruction of israel, they dont give a damn about state for so called "pal" people. oil dependant eu and us just close their eys, the rest does not care, or have their own interests. solution: by all means push gaza arabs into egypt, wb arabs to jordan

The only childish approach is that of Mr Eilan who seems to naively believe that Hamas are ready and willing to sit down and chat with Israel - what's holding things up is Israel's 'childishness' in not talking to them. Well could this great expert provide one shred of evidence that someone - anyone in Hamas is ready to "talk with Israel" . He'd be assassinated by his buddies! And what precisley would Mr Eilan expect them to chat ABOUT. ps. his assertion that the Hamas regim is 'certainly legitimate' becasue they one the election is outrageous and frankly stupid. Doesn't he know that Hitler won the election in 1933?! Legitimacy for any democratically elected government only lasts as long as freedom for its people exist and as long as that country doesnt wage war on neighbours (like Hitler did) If a democratically elected government establishes a dictatorship, destroys the freedom of its people and invades/ attacks othe countries around it - it becomes an utterly illegitamate entity. end of story

even the child do not believe that evry story has an end ..when i was a child i did not satisfied with evry end and asked what was happened to this person or that cat or any thing ..my mother used to say we left them to their choice .. i think no forced end must be but it apears it should be

did I miss something? allow unrestricted imports into gaza? is that your idea, Giora? have you taken leave of your senses? do you want hizb on the south also? Israel does not have enough rockets on the north?

surprise me. Just couple days ago ,Khaled Mechaal announced from Yemen ,that Hamas is ready to quite military struggle and recognize Israel if Israel withdrawal back to 1967 borders which is the Saudi peace plan .

understood this is a loose-loose situation for Israel and trying to save what can be saved after the swamp Israel find itself stagnant in it.

All of our problems began when we left Gaza. The solution is simple. Retake Gaza forever. Every Israeli retreat ends in catastrophe. That is an incontrovertible fact. So let's end the mad policy of Israeli retreat.

well written and the rules should be implemented.

Seeing that Hamas is very experienced at building tunnels, why not let them build a tunnel between Gaza & the west bank ? that should solve the problem of totally closing the Israel/Gaza border. Should be a very very long & wide tunnel !!

The "Gazans" in the West Bank are Israeli Arabs who hold Israeli citizenship.

Excellent idea Israeli, works for me.

U know - I am Arab. I dont want to hurt others - I want ppl to be happy & friends - help each other. I think if we arabs & jews figure out how to stop hating each other, we can become friends...amazing..would u beleive that?

I believe that. on my side I never hated you. We live a difficult time. Good luck

commercial shipping to and from Israel, on condition that the ships will be operated by organizations recognized by Gaza, and that Gaza authorities would be able to inspect them. Why should Gaza be expected to surrender their sovereign rights unless Israel agrees to gisurrender the same rights?

I fully agree with Chaim (#21) - Every time Israel gives up some of its land to the Arab Terrorists it ends in more aggression. Why fuel the insurgents that are occupying the land? Israel is for the Jewish people. No discussions, No separation of the land.

The only way to deal with fanatical maniacs is destroy them. It worked in Berlin in 1945 and it can work again in 2010. There can never be peace with Hamas; they become more entrenched every day. You force them to sign an unconditional surrender and recognize Israel.