Gaza op inevitable

Last week's barrage of Kassam and mortar fire from Gaza into the surrounding communities has set a new record for the residents living there. This collective suffering has reached a point of no return.

Israel's leadership must provide an answer to its citizens who are living under Hamas rocket fire, a definite answer. In the absence of such an answer from the government, I would like to state the truth as I see it.

Why is the government not preparing a major operation intended to break Hamas's strength and hold on the Gaza Strip? Such an operation is inevitable, because Israel cannot and will not resign itself to the existence of an Iranian terror base on its borders forever.

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Put an end to Hamas' regime

The deterioration of the situation is Gaza is still in full swing. The barrage of Kassams on Sderot and the firing of rockets at Ashkelon is a calculated escalation on the part of Hamas. It is a retaliatory action for the successful targeted killings of terrorists who, in the absence of the assassination on Wednesday morning, would have executed an attack that would have extracted a high price from us. It is important to mention this fact since there is a general feeling that the IDF is not doing enough and that is completely untrue.

Even so, the frustration here is still high inasmuch as the rockets keep coming despite the offensive operations that the IDF is undertaking in Gaza, and the range has been expanded to include Ashkelon. With frustrating and confusing conditions, come futile ideas - defeatist and adventurous especially. Therefore, it is important to state clearly what is possible and what is necessary.

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Two grave scenarios unfolding

Last week's most pressing event was undoubtedly President Bush's visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. And not only because of the frustrating traffic congestion that gripped Jerusalem, the ceremonies, the dinners and the provincial bickering about who was invited and who was not.

This visit was vital for us Israelis in that the leader of the most powerful country in the world came and reminded us and the Palestinians of the importance and urgency of reaching a mutual agreement. Based on the cynical and mocking media reactions, one could have thought the conflict was Bush's problem and not ours. Alternatively, one could see Bush and Condoleeza Rice as a bothersome couple that pushes us to deal with an issue that perhaps holds no importance, for anyone.

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