The developments of the last few days are liable to arouse hope. The agreement on a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, together with the prime minister's impressive speech in Sde Boker, could generate a new atmosphere in Israel's relations with the Palestinians - an atmosphere that would enable the start of serious negotiations between the parties. Israel must not waste this rare window of opportunity.

Against this backdrop, it is difficult to understand the opposition of certain Israel Defense Forces officers, and the reservations expressed yesterday by the defense minister, with regard to an expansion of the cease-fire to the West Bank as well - especially given the Palestinians' declarations that they would be interested in expanding the cease-fire.

The cease-fire will be able to take hold only if it applies to both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. It is impossible to separate what happens in these two places: Every military operation in the West Bank is liable to draw a response from Gaza, and vice versa. Therefore, the IDF's predawn operation in Qabatiyah on Monday, a day after the cease-fire in Gaza took effect - an operation that resulted in the deaths of a Popular Resistance Committees operative and a 55-year-old woman - was harmful and unnecessary. Anyone who wants to give the cease-fire a chance must impose maximum restraint on himself.

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Israel should therefore declare it seeks a total cease-fire, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and the IDF should be ordered to hold its fire in both areas, if the Palestinians commit to a similar move. The fact, reported yesterday, that the IDF has already hastened to revise its new rules of engagement in the Gaza Strip in order to once again permit soldiers to open fire on Qassam rocket launchers will also not serve the efforts to consolidate the cease-fire. The Palestinians must be given a real opportunity to work to stop the Qassam fire. Given their complex situation, this cannot be done overnight.

"The State of Israel is so strong that it can allow itself to hold back in order to give the cease-fire a real chance," the prime minister correctly stated on Monday. The IDF must act in this spirit and exercise restraint. Israel can only gain thereby.

But a cease-fire is not enough. If Israel wants to begin a new chapter, it must immediately take a series of practical steps aimed at giving real force to the straightforward words of Ehud Olmert's Sde Boker speech.

A demonstration of intentions that included a symbolic prisoner release, even before a deal over the release of Gilad Shalit is finalized, as well as the removal of some of the dozens of checkpoints in the West Bank, an end to the policy of "isolation" that divides the West Bank into cantons, and a relaxation of the draconic movement restrictions at the roadblocks, would help change the rules of the game.

The fact that, for instance, Nablus residents between the ages of 18 and 25 are not allowed to leave their city at all, while Jenin residents aged 16 to 35 are not allowed to pass through Tapuah Junction, makes daily life unbearable for tens of thousands of Palestinians. This must stop.

This is the time to demonstrate openness and generosity. Israel must give the cease-fire a chance, and not bring about its collapse through unnecessary military operations, as has happened more than once with past cease-fires. The order of the day must now be: Cease the fire, both in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank.