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Just get out By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Hamas, Gaza, Israel News, IDF The difference in opinion in the cabinet over the timing of the departure from the Gaza Strip and the cease-fire is the sort of luxury Israel cannot permit itself at this time. Lessons of the past suggest that the more the wheels of the war machine sink into the Gaza mud (like in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip in previous instances), the more the Israel Defense Forces will get drawn into operations that cause more and more deaths of innocent civilians, that expose soldiers to unneeded risk and that undermine an exposure-exhausted home front. On the other hand, the military achievements in the field will make no difference. The defense minister may have ordered the IDF to prepare for a significantly broadened operation in the Gaza Strip, but the diplomatic-security cabinet only approved the continuation of the combat operations at their current level with humanitarian assistance that is limited in both time and breadth. The good news is that four ministers - Haim Ramon, Daniel Friedmann, Rafi Eitan and Meir Sheetrit - did not support expanding the operation. The bad news is that Prime Minster Ehud Olmert, his deputy Tzipi Livni, and Defense Minister Ehud Barak failed to bridge the differences in their viewpoints. Substantive gaps are emerging between Livni, on the one hand, and Barak and Olmert on the other. The latter two want to reach, with the help of Egypt and the United States, an agreement that will secure calm for some time in the south and prevent Hamas from getting stronger in the Gaza Strip. In other words, they will make do with a calm similar to the one that existed on the eve of Operation Cast Lead. Livni insists that a deal should not be allowed to be interpreted as recognition of Hamas. She is concerned that returning to the framework of the lull, which allowed Hamas to arm itself, could restore the group's military advantage, and she would support a unilateral withdrawal from the Strip, without an agreement, with the understanding that any attempt to attack Israel will be met with severity. Advertisement The two positions are reasonable and backed by good arguments, but the conclusion of both is the same: The fighting needs to stop now and the IDF should exit Gaza immediately. After all, while they are debating, the pressure from within and from without is growing. The head of Military Intelligence said yesterday that the IDF is fighting in Gaza in areas that "are crowded and full of traps, between schools and mosques." By this he bolstered the assumption, which appears to be self evident, that the more the forces advance, the more complicated the situation will become, fraught with dangers, for both the military and civilians. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed their support for the aims of the operation as they were formulated anew by the prime minister and the defense minister: a cease-fire and preventing the smuggling of arms from Egypt - and not, as had been said at the start of the operation, "changing realities," or "containing Hamas." Nonetheless, they added that Israel needs to withdraw immediately. Given Merkel and Sarkozy's commitment to guaranteeing Israel's security, and the growing concern of a conflagration in the north - the reservists on the northern border could be needed in the south if more complications arise there - the IDF, the government, a million citizens in the south and 1.5 million Gazans have no time to hesitate or to struggle over prestige. Israel must withdraw from the Gaza Strip and seek an agreement that will secure a long-term cease-fire and prevent the rearmament of Hamas. Bookmark to del.icio.us   From the bunker Hamas says Gaza won't break, victory over Israel is near. Banned Israel bans Arab parties from running in upcoming elections.   1.   EDITORIAL 02:30  |  John Weiss 10/01/09   2.   peace man 19:01  |  essam elshiekh 10/01/09   3.   gaza withdrawal 19:48  |  mark fremd 10/01/09   4.   Get out from where? 20:26  |  Reasoned Thinker 10/01/09   5.   Dealing with Gaza 20:52  |  Howard Partner 10/01/09

Read & React Olmert ignoring calls from Barak, Livni for immediate Gaza truce Responses: 48 Harel & Issacharoff: Is Hamas waiting on Obama for Gaza truce? Responses: 17 Gaza op causing long-term harm to Israel's image, diplomats warn Responses: 37 Editorial: Israel must wait as Hamas seeks way out of Gaza mess Responses: 6 Diplomats: Gaza op causing long-term harm to Israel's image Responses: 37 More Headlines 11:00 Three rockets fired from Lebanon hit north Israel; IDF returns fire 12:12 ANALYSIS / Hezbollah seeking to change the rules of the game 09:37 Five IDF paratroopers wounded in northern Gaza gunbattle 11:37 Olmert hits back in spat with U.S. over remarks on UN Gaza truce vote 07:21 ANALYSIS / Israel thinks Hamas waiting on Obama for Gaza truce 07:52 Olmert ignoring calls from Barak, Livni for immediate Gaza truce 10:44 Egypt tells Hamas it must commit to one year cease-fire in Gaza 12:02 UN chief in Egypt at start of Mideast trip on Gaza crisis 12:00 Israel's Lebanon war film, Waltz with Bashir, one step closer to Oscar 12:14 ANALYSIS / Hamas fighting power still exists in Gaza 12:16 U.S. rabbis urge Obama to push for immediate Gaza truce 07:23 Diplomats: Gaza op causing long-term harm to Israel's image 07:38 Sarkozy urges French religious leaders to condemn anti-Semitic incidents 23:56 Settler shoots, kills Palestinian who allegedly hurled rocks at him 07:30 Amira Hass / Palestinian doctor killed by IDF while treating Gaza wounded 05:35 Israel resumes soccer league matches - except in Arab sector 07:08 IDF Chief: Hamas bombers posing as Israeli troops in Gaza 09:03 Turkish PM denies anti-Semitism, says 'Jewish-backed media' spread false info on Gaza 06:18 Holland supermarkets boycotted on rumors of Israel donations 07:25 Shin Bet: 565 rockets, 200 mortar shells fired at Israel since start of Gaza op Previous Editions Select Day 13 jan 12 jan 11 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 05 jan 04 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec

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