us win? THEN it somehow will be possible to subdue a bunch of 7th Century thugs?

I have enjoyed attending from time to time and this year wanted to go to see the Israeli contingent amongst others Given that the EF saw it fit to EXCLUDE and BAN them for being Israeli as part of their Boycott Efforts - I tried to contact the EF about their policy on Jews or Non Jews or Part Jews who supported Israel attending I have never had a reply to my questions..does that silence speak volumes? But an organiser was far more helpful 'I suggest that if you 'look overtly Jewish' or talk aloud about your support of Israel you may be regarded as 'persona non grata' and your safety compromised So there we are then..The Edinburgh Festival (Farcival) is CLOSED to Israelis, Jewish Half Jewish and Non Jewish Supporters of Israel' And yesterday in the Scottish Parliament - the Scottish Nationalists declared 'THIS WAS A PRIVATE MATTER FOR THE FESTIVAL ORGANISERS and they had NOTHING FURTHER TO SAY' So at least the WORLD now knows

fulfilling Olmert's motto: We don't always have to win.

Hamas can never loose a war even if every terrorist is killed since it is against their Islamic beliefs to admit defeat at the hands of infidels such as the Israelis. Even if we killed every terrorist and destroyed every building in Gaza, they would still claim victory, it is part of their religion to find some point, such as standing up valiantly to a larger power and being martyrs at the end. That would be enough to be a victory for them. But what is important for us is to realize that in a few more years they will start another war. They will acquire bigger and better missiles; they will dig deeper and longer tunnels and they will hide in better and more ingenious ways than what we have seen now. We must be prepared.

just not the kind the author realized. Only with the spirit of APPRECIATION AND GODLINESS can one realize the victories! FIRSTLY, THOUSANDS OF LIVES WERE SAVED BY finally dealing with the reality of the tunnels, the danger of which I believe is big as proven unfortunely with the deaths of a few soldiers! Also, we see that Hashem sent an Iron Dome System which protected so many people from certain death as it worked amazingly well. AND it will now be used to save people all around the world! THEN, we saw the deeds of LOVE AND CHESSED (GOOD DEEDS) towards helping our soldiers and every person who needed help! People all around the world opened their hearts and wallets freely! THE GREAT MITZVAS OF TZADAKA (charity), CHESSED AND AHAVAS YISROEL (doing good deeds and loving your fellow Jew) WERE REALIZED! Gatherings in support of Israel were held all over the world! Money was sent to help us as well! Such a great merit was created for the people of Israel, and i also believe for those people of other nations which helped us. It created a unity like never before! Finally, we saw CLEARLY that POLITICAL AGENDAS cannot be the way to rule if we want to live! All these years, when people protested against giving away Gush Katif, against giving up vital land and the essential means of protecting ourselves ONLY results in our destruction! THE CURTAINS HAVE BEEN FULLY OPEN! THE TRUTH OF HAMAS/PA is there for all to see! It will be harder for politicians to lie to the public. Many people who had distorted notions about "peace" will now understand the realities! As far as fully distroying Hamas, the victory is in understanding that it could not be done without killing the entire population of Hamas! This is why it didn't happen. In fact, it needs to be understood that the problem isn't just a few thousand terrorists who hide behind the shields of babies and children! THIS problem has to be solved with the help of G-d! We need to keep doing good deeds, keep giving charity, keep loving our fellow and PRAY with love in our hearts. THEN, G-d will help us achieve the final victory!

- the Israeli politicians interference in the operation. Chamberlaining hesitating Fools and Idiots. Arn.Sweden.

Just to remind you _ Winston Churchill (one of the greatest statemen of all times) - won the war but lost the elections! Any Prime Minister may make the right decisions at the right time - but unfortunately there is never a "right" reason for justifying war.

Quit your lying Jacko-you were not an US army Intel person in VNam.

Actually very easy if you value Israeli lives more than that of our enemies. The difficulty is when you worry more about the human shields Hamas uses rather than that of our own people. Occupying Gaza again would show that the problem was the withdrawal and the solution is Israel's return. Barnea and the rest of the left would be shown to be the fools they are.

History repeats itself. Israel could have easily defeated Hamas in "Cast Lead", but was stopped by the Left inside and outside Israel. In "Protective Edge" Israel could have destroyed Hamas, and Israelis and Netanyahu were ready to pay a heavy price to achieve victory. Surprisingly, the Israeli Left that in the past would have saved Hamas was silent. The only reason Israel did not destroy Hamas is Obama: he single-handedly saved Hamas and prevented an Israeli victory, despite advice from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Abbas, including by closing Ben Gurion airport and making very harsh threats to damage Israel. And the results will be the same as Cast Lead: Hamas will become stronger and the next round will be deadlier.

agree with you, Riva

Gaza is like Israel's Viet Nam. Asymmetric, guerrilla warfare at its most vicious. As it has been said before, generals will always refight the last war. This is a new paradigm and the IDF needs to refresh its tactics.

Barnea missing the main reason for the apparent absence of a totalyl clear cut Israeli victory in Gaza - it would have required ten or twenty thousand dead Palestinians. That is the kind of warfare required to win against a terrorist organization fighting from within a civilian population. Think of the bombing of Dresden or Berlin in WW II, for example. Israel would not conduct war that way, so the result in more ambiguous. Is Barnea unhappy about this? It did cost higher IDF casualties.

Well, you haven't really lost much there,Tim: Even if you weren't pro-Israeli and Jewish, many Scots would already have already hated you, because you are English too! I guess the only difference would be, there might have been just slightly less chance of you actually incurring physical violence.....

The Holy Scriptures say a third of Israel will survive the coming wars, pestilences (weaponized ebola is being brewed to help with that), wild animal attacks, famine, and other horrors coming on the world. A THIRD OF ISRAEL WILL SURVIVE to see the Jewish Messiah Yahoshua return to save them. That third will survive because of supernatural protections from Elohim. How does one get this supernatural protection? Obeying the Commandments such as food laws like Daniel and his three friends in Scriptures, believing Proverbs 30:4-6 which says Elohim has a Name and Elohim has a Son who has a Name. Calling on those names: Yahovah in the Name of Yahoshua (Yeshua in Aramaic, Joshua in English). Reading or listening to the Holy Scriptures daily to feed the soul. I just finished listening to the entire Holy Scriptures just having it on in the car when I drive beginning in January. Then read or listen to it again and again and again. Believe the Son of Elohim died for our sins and was born of a virgin and resurrected with a physical body. What the IDF cannot do, Elohim CAN.

Israel has never intended to win any of the latest conflicts. They are working on "better the devil you know" principle. Leave the devil you know in charge and cut him back down to size every so often. Looking after a conquered population is expensive business...best to leave them to self-destruct and for the Europeans and Gulf states to foot the bill.

will be jailed (Ok, Rabin and Sharon are already no wth us) nothing will change. Jail all responcible that are still with us. Only then we will have deterence. I am not talking about reporters, only politicians.

1. IF Israel's long range plan is to disable and cripple hamas, but nevertheless allow it to rule Gaza then the IDF must let a remnant tail of the hamas devil live. Such a plan leaves "ham" ( PIG) in control, anticipating ISIS or other super extreme religious Islamists from ruling Gaza. ------------------------------------------- 2. To utterly destroy ham, on the other hand, would cost Israel many dead and wounded soldiers, probably take months to search the rat holes to wipe out the ham. Then how will ISIS or other super extreme religious Islamists be prevented from ruling Gaza ? -------------------------------------------- 3 Is there another scenario that I have missed ? moshe

he said - -if right and wrong are fighting the right will be the winner if both are wrong the force will be the winner .....he was sheikh shaarawi .. but he did not speak about if both are loosing ... so in this war may be -there is a winner or they have the same force -you can pick one of these openion -- to me it is not important but sure in any case they must reach to an agreement