"our current goal is to restore calm and lead to a truce." Get real. Hamas will always attack. The next kids that they will kill just might be your own. This has been the history of Hamas. This is their goal until every Jew is killed. Now, you just want to cover your eyes and pretend that they are not there? This is a truce? You are right by saying that it is only a matter of time before Hamas starts again; however, why give them that opportunity to kill more Jews? Those whom they will kill just might be you!

if you really want to scare HAMAS into enforcing a total cessation of rocket and mortar launches bring a massive deployment of troops and armament around Gaza. Get rid of Barak and put in someone with competence. Knowing that Olmert is gone and that they are facing a stronger IDF with a resolute govt., they should realize that Cast Lead will have been a picnic compared to what they will face today. The world is largely engaged with far more important crises around the globe. Gaza wasn't even mentioned in most countries. Israel could finish the job before anyone even realizes. It is time to bring home the message. It is not that the terrorists of Gaza have little chance, it is that they have NO CHANCE. We must get the message across that NO ACTS OF TERRORISM WILL BE TOLERATED - NONE!!!!

While one could have picked off 10 times the hamas for targetting a school bus and firing rockets and mortars at civilians, bibi dragged barak along, pushed by his group of seve.There was no begging the US and EU as olmert and livni did during their humiliating and disastrous rule over israel. Bibi did a good job here, did a good job on the carmel fire, and his partner lieberman is cool under fire, does not back up one inch from that huge lying duo of erdogan and dovetogolu who lie their teeth off on almost everything. Would you want livni in charge runing to the ineffective ban ki moon or to beg obama for permission. No bibi did not ask US for permission or bend over, he took action. Perhaps more action should have been taken as well as firing israel land rockets in tit for tat response so gazans would hit their basements too. israelis would committ suicide if they ever entrusted the country to olmert livni or herzog, raging pacifists whose eyes are half closed and who are gripped by fear.

Why has Europe and Asia enjoyed peace for six straight decades, with no end in sight? Because the WW II Allies pounded the Nazis into unconditional surrender. They made no concessions whatsoever to the Nazis or Japanese. The Allies used their resounding victory to permanently change the status quo in their favor. That is how wars are won and peace is made. Only total Israeli victory can bring peace.

is supposed to be their next attak date on our indpendence day, or before. this is whatthey are threatening now. so they say. it seems to me thatthese arabs can not get along with anyone, not with themselves, not with their own governements, and not with anything.

operations before the truce can take affect and of course, Israel was only too happy to comply. Israel halted its operations and absorbed a barrage of rockets without responding, to assure Hamas it was serious about wanting a truce. Meanwhile, every effort is made to assure Israelis that Israel is on top of things and this is the best move - what with the euphoria over the Iron Dome. Even Goldstone's regret about his report was thrown in for good measure. After all, he has not retracted one word of it. Israelis should demand to be appraised of the terms of agreement of this truce. Indeed, they should demand to know whether or not their government entered a truce agreement with Hamas because there are two conflicting stories: from the government - there is no truce agreement but you know, things look bright at the moment and really, the issue is a rather delicate one and from other quarters - there is a truce agreement which allows low level bombardment of southern Israel. So what is the truth??? Come now! Be moral about it.

An all out attack is exactly what they want, their objective is to make israel look like the aggressor, they will cause israel to fight then cry to the UN for help. anyway Hamas the puppets will do anything to get the focus off their masters assad and ahmedinejad.

The US and NATO refuse Ghadaffi's plea for a "NoFlyZone" ceasefire unless he leaves. UN and France refuse Gbagbo's plea for a ceasefire in Ivory Coast unless he leaves. YET, Barak, showing his legendary poor judgement once again, decides to give Hamas a free ceasefire, getting absolutelynothing in return, and no assurance Hamas won't start shooting again once they regroup, re-equip, and plan new tactics to counter Iron Dome, such as moving all their launchers for shooting in a direction where Iron Dome is notinstalled, or moving their launchers close together for mass barrage launches of GRADs which will overwhelm the few Iron Dome set-ups. It is obvious that is what they are doing, and yet Barak brainlessly gives them a ceasefire for free, instead of following US and NATOs sensible example. The schmuck doesn't even demand a Red Cross visit for Shalit!! This clown completely failed to foresee what his Lebanon manoever would produce, despite being warned by everyone that Hezbollah would flood the area with rockets. Now he is doing it again. He is no better a DM than "Binoculars" Peretz was.

IS there no Israeli leader with the brains or the guts to shut off the eletricity and produce shipments to Gaza?

There will be a short lull, and then a previously unheard of faction will fire some rockets, which of course, Hamas will then deny any knowledge of, With their using disclaimer that it was a faction they had no control over Same old act players

"some regarded the response to the firing of an anti-tank missile at a school bus as being too harsh" What planet are these "some" people on? On Planet Earth, sane countries generally respond to attacks on children, let alone the firing of an anti-tank missile at a yellow school bus, as an act of war--and would go full out to destroy the country / organization behind such a dastardly attack.

So the deal allows my friends in the south to continued to get Rocketed. Ehud Barak is a moron to think this will prevent rocket attacks, and that this will not destroy Israel's deterrence. Barak's handlers in Washington sure did their job.

financial constraints are the result of trying to accomplish a goal while causing the least amount of damage. trying not to be the bull in a china shop. why must this be so? if Israel doesn't start the fight then why must Israel be so restrained in finishing it? give them what they asked for and let them worry about the collateral damage. if you don't start the fight then collateral damage is not your problem.

In my humble opinion, the leadership in Israel simply refuses to LEAD. The snake in Gaza should've been crashed once and for all long time ago - it is mind boggling to think how our "leadership" could sit on their collective TOKHES and watch Hamas arming themselves with thousands missiles - guess what for! Is the PM-DM an animal with two rear ends and no head? It looks like this to me. But then, it wasn't me who created OSLO, demolished Gush-Katif and crashed young Jewish kids under horse hooves at Amona.

I refuse to be cowered by claims from weak policy makers that real politik demands respecting a cease fire. Hogwash. So long as Israeli leaders surrender to the babblings of Ehud Barak and refuse to Crush this accursed enemy, our security will continue to deteriorate. Why Coddle these terrorist murderers. Crush them. There is no compromise with Islamofascist Nazi-ism. Crush them. Don't allow them to re arm or regroup. The mind boggles at the stupidity of Israeli policy makers. Starting with bringing Arafat back from Tunis, till today. Israel: Vomit these political pigmies out of their leadership positions if they insist upon compromising your security.

"While some regarded the response to the firing of an anti-tank missile at a school bus as being too harsh..." which could have killed 20,30 kids-as it is one teenager is brain dead-and some think that the air strikes are too harsh? wake up and stop being delusional (delusional-believing something to be so despite the evidence to the contrary).

Israel is giving gaza. Oy Vey.

'Hamas has been busy rebuilding its forces for the past two years, and this can only mean we're facing an all-out clash,' says senior officer - IS PAYING THE BIGGER PRICE EVERY TIME. WHY DOES ISRAEL NEVER LEARN. WOLFS MUST EAT WHEN THEY BECOME HUNGRY, THEY CAN NOT STARVE THEMSELVES TO DEATH. THERE WILL NEVER BE PEACE BEFORE THE WOLFS ARE DEAD. Orao.Srbia.

For one thing, the Hamas political leaders are at odds with their military heads. In addition, there are other violent factions such as Islamic Jihad over whom Hamas has little or no control. Furthermore, there are smaller factions beginning to show their strength, possibly through the financing of Iran. And, finally, Fatah may still be a force to be reckoned with in Gaza. So to speak of Hamas as if it had absolute control over all of Gaza is a mistake. Hamas has nominal control but Gaza is split and a semi civil war may be in the making. By hitting Gaza so hard as we just did, faith and trust in Hamas, or, at least, in either or both the political and/or military factions seems to be waning. The strategy of hitting them very hard may well be an onset to civil unrest amongst Gazans and that is to our advantage. The enemy is divided.

A lot of words only telling us HAMAS IS THE CONDUCTOR

1. Agree cease fire 2. Attack Gaza with force 3. Immediately self impose a cease fire amidst world media before Hamas retaliate 4. Then accuse Hamas of breaking the cease fire when they do

What is behind the Arabs' thinking? They already have Gaza. They can rebuild it and develop it as they like, as long as they are at peace with Israel. Why are they irritating the Jews? They know they can't beat us; they can only bother us - and if they do we clobber them. Are they all irrational masochists?

Israeli FM says cease-fire with Hamas is a mistake. Just Google this, the world press is full with this news. I see nothing on YNet?

Hamas govt: Gaza militants agree to cease fire yeah, like we haven't all heard that before. in a few days or weeks they'll start it all up again, Israel will retaliate, then become the bad guys as usual. how long does Israel have to put up with this? how long so the Palestinian people have to sit back and watch their religion and chances at peace be hijacked by these militants? how long does the world sit by while both sides live in hell until they put and end to this once and for all? isn't fighting for over 2000yrs long enough?

is leftist and there is no freedom of speech from the right. Take a good look at how the information in this article is presented...as if Israel is a war mongrel and can’t wait to get back into fighting big time next time. Ynet is already inciting the USA and other countries to hold back Israel this time and next time. So, don’t be surprised if you don’t see articles from the FM here; but, rather be surprised if you see this TB.:-)

Same mistake again, unfinished job. I guess that Israeli politicians never learn from their mistakes.

act militarily in a deterrent manner but rather only in a defensive manner. In other words, we are to hide in bomb shelters, shoot anti missile missiles but the USA, UN and world countries do not allow the IDF to act so as to win a war. All world countries that win their wars keep the land that they captured but Israel is not allowed to keep the land won in wars in the past, in the present and for sure not in the future. So, Raymond, if you disagree with this protocol, you might take it up with your president Obama because he is the one who calling the shots here in Israel.

Then and only then should Israel agree to a cease fire.May G-D keep him safe till then and keep his family strong.