OneJerusalem.com

Israel’s current military maneuvers in the Gaza Strip appear to keep going on with no one really knowing how for it will go. Initiated from the outset due to the continuous barrage of Palestinian launched Kassam missiles, and actually sparked off by the commando-like attack by Palestinian militants on an Israeli armor unit that resulted in the deaths of two IDF soldiers and the abduction of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, the operation seems to have reached a point where many people are wondering where it will end. Demands by Cpl. Shalit’s kidnappers appear to be changing as well; from Israel releasing at least 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, to a much smaller group including women and ‘long term’ prisoners – many of whom actual terrorists. Regarding the new demands, this time by the Hamas organization itself, one might understand their willingness to help find a solution to this problem as a number of their own governmental ministers and other higher ranking cohorts are currently ‘guests’ of the Israel government, who regard them as bargaining chips in any negations to free Shalit.

The painful unilateral pullout from Gaza by Israel, in which 22 settlements were dismantled and many of their occupants literally carried out of their homes, was hoped to solve a lot of problems concerning Israeli-Palestinian relations by giving the Palestinians an entire parcel of real estate upon which to begin building what might eventually become a homeland and country for them. Subsequent events occurring afterwards, including a continuance of Kassam launchings, as well as the Hamas landslide political victory in January 2006, began to indicate that the Hamas-led PA Authority not only has no intention of making peace with Israel but has even formed closer bonds with countries like Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Islamic Republic of Iran. Even Al Qaeda is alleged to be operating in PA areas in even greater numbers, and are suspected of being jointly involved in Palestinian terror operations as well.

It’s not an easy situation that Israel’s new government, led by Ariel Sharon’s assistant, Ehud Olmert, is faced with – particularly for Defense Minister Amir Peretz, who’s increasing uncomfortable ness in his job is apparent to all. It’s only speculation as what would have been going on if ‘Arik’ Sharon had not been stricken with his nearly fatal stroke, and if the former Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, was still in that job, instead of Peretz; who is better suited for labor arbitration duties.

Meanwhile, matters have been further complicated with the Palestinians devising new two-stage rockets that have a range capable of hitting cities like Ashkelon (which prompted the recent incursion by IDF forces into northern Gaza). The new prisoner exchange offer being issued by the Palestinians include women who were caught trying to be suicide bombers, one of whom had the Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva in mind as her intended target. It’s a well known fact that these women often become potential (and actual) martyrs due to personal and domestic problems they were involved in, including forbidden love affairs, and are thus given the ‘opportunity’ to purify themselves, as well as preserve family honor, by becoming human bombs against “the Zionest enemy”. All that can be said is that any final prisoner exchange negotiations involving these types of people should be scrutinized thoroughly by Israel’s leadership.

As far as returning the situation to something more like it was prior to the present state of affairs, we should bear in mind who caused all of this to happen. And this, unfortunately, goes back a lot further than Hamas, and involved that Kafiyah covered chap with the 5 day old beard growth, who originally declared himself as Israel’s “partner” for peace.