Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., September 02, 2007 Elul 19, 5767 | | Israel Time: 09:58 (EST+7)
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The temptation of immediate fortification
By Israel Harel

The education minister said that opening the school year in Sderot is conditional on the defense minister's signing a guarantee for the pupils' security. The angry response to her statement - to the effect, "why doesn't she guarantee to rid schools of violence?" - is unjustified.

However, it is justified to demand - after eight years of Qassam rockets - that the pupils and their parents be safe in their classrooms and homes. Tamir's demand to solve the problem by fortification "according to the fortification standard set by the High Court of Justice," is, however, unjustified.

Those who put their trust in fortification ignore the experience of our nation and entire society throughout history, which teaches that there are no walls or other fortifications that can ensure long-term protection from a determined, resourceful enemy. Although every cadet in the officer's school probably recites the mantra that the best defense is offense, many in Israel, including members of the cabinet and the Israel Defense Forces, are tempted to believe that fortification is the best offense.

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Defense Minister Ehud Barak has consistently supported building our own Maginot Line, which is the wall/fence. In his recent speeches, Barak promised that in addition to the security that the wall will provide, in three to five years we will also have rockets intercepting the Qassams.

The idea to develop these rockets reflects the strategy and consciousness of the minister and other supporters of the project, who want to avoid ground operations. In essence, Barak's concept is no different than that of former chief of staff Dan Halutz, who believed the air force would provide an answer to Hezbollah's rocket alignment.

After the havoc that the Katyusha rockets wreaked on the North for years, and after about eight years of Qassam fire in the Negev, few would dare to criticize the costly, superfluous project, which did not follow a serious, conceptual and professional debate.

A lot of money has been poured on both tactics, fortification and interception. If anything, they will only prompt the enemy to find a more effective, lethal attack method.

The fortification school of thought began with the terror attack on the Jewish community in 1936-1939. It was proven then that the tower-and-stockade (homa umigdal) method was incapable of stopping deadly attacks on the community. People started demanding an assault.

Israel Prize laureate, the poet and journalist Natan Alterman, spoke out in a poem against the policy of seclusion and restraint. The turning point in the approach was spearheaded by British Major General Orde Charles Wingate. Only when the protectors dared to leave the fenced compound and move from defense to offense did the gangs lose their initiative. Moreover, the Jewish community's morale soared.

The Shin Bet security service says 40 tons of explosives, hundreds of rocket launchers and other weapons have recently been smuggled into the Gaza Strip. Only frequent, massive and daring in-depth operations, not fortifications, will prevent the production of rockets and bombs from the smuggled material.

Intercepting rockets and helicopter attacks strike at the margins of the enemy's capability. Comprehensive ground operations obstruct its alignments.

When the IDF overcomes the psychological block preventing it - as happened in the first fatal months before Operation Defensive Shield and in the month of messing around in the Second Lebanon War - from deploying ground forces in the appropriate frequency and power, it will regain its deterrence potential against enemies far more powerful than Hamas' gangs in the Gaza Strip.

Only when the Qassam manufacturing plants are destroyed and the operators captured or hit will the western Negev have relief. Immediate fortification will no longer be necessary then, nor will there be a request for the defense minister to sign a commitment to the pupils' security.
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  1.   POLITICAL NOT MILITARY 10:35  |  indrajaya 30/08/07
  2.   WHAT are the options when Hamas regards killing Jews as mandatory 10:38  |  PETER SM 30/08/07
  3.   It is either this or that 10:42  |  Khalil Abo Mohammad 30/08/07
  4.   this is the recipe for 10:44  |  cool 30/08/07
  5.   Qassam 10:44  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  6.   IS THE POPE A CATHOLIC? CRETINS IN POWER 10:50  |  PAUL HARRIS 30/08/07
  7.   We Know That ONLY The Military Solution Works 10:51  |  Yishai Kohen 30/08/07
  8.   I am sure most Israeli Jews are enjoying the killing 10:59  |  American 30/08/07
  9.   #1: Peace and Judaism oxymoron 11:04  |  Foreign observer 30/08/07
  10.   Defence and offence are compatible 11:14  |  KUTW 30/08/07
  11.   Incursions are as impotent as fortifications 11:22  |  Menachem 30/08/07
  12.   It`s a military problem, not an educational problem 11:47  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/08/07
  13.   Peace is not an object of Israel or the IDF 11:56  |  Natallie Durson 30/08/07
  14.   To Khalil Abo Mohammad No. 3 11:58  |  Neil 30/08/07
  15.   killing arab children 12:33  |  harold 30/08/07
  16.   "AMERICAN"?? Islamic blood lust is a world spectacle. 12:39  |  PETER SM 30/08/07
  17.   N Durson Primary targett of Palestinians always been civillians 12:44  |  PETER SM 30/08/07
  18.   what kind of parent allow their children play at rocket launchers 13:02  |  mary for jew 30/08/07
  19.   Send Israel Harel into Gaza first 13:04  |  Mireya Siqueiros 30/08/07
  20.   AMERICAN IDIOT 13:07  |  Brant 30/08/07
  21.   Israel Harel is a genocidal maniac 13:10  |  spyguy 30/08/07
  22.   THE TIME MIGHT HAVE COME 13:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/08/07
  23.   #2, PETER SM peeing me off again 13:22  |  VIPER 30/08/07
  24.   only a true peace will end the qassams... 13:24  |  ravi 30/08/07
  25.   Missile Defense is Also Dangerous 13:36  |  Jane 30/08/07
  26.   7....wake up! 13:38  |  ravi 30/08/07
  27.   RAVI AND WORLD OPINION 13:52  |  Brant 30/08/07
  28.   27....correction... 14:03  |  ravi 30/08/07
  29.   Ravi: I`m Wide Awake 14:10  |  Yishai Kohen 30/08/07
  30.   `American` (probably not) 14:12  |  psychologist 30/08/07
  31.   `Foreign observer` and `American` are the same perverted person 14:13  |  psychologist 30/08/07
  32.   ISRAEL BEST DEFENSE IS THIS 14:21  |  indrajaya 30/08/07
  33.   VIPER"charter which your previous leaders made"` Which charter?? 14:29  |  PETER.SM 30/08/07
  34.   PSYCHOLOGIST.He is a mendacious mysogonist using different names. 14:55  |  PETER SM 30/08/07
  35.   Peter SM 15:01  |  psychologist 30/08/07
  36.   NUMBER 9- take OFF the "oxy"-there you are 15:05  |  JON FEIGENBAUM 30/08/07
  37.   RAVI true peace when you leave Kashmnir to the Islamists. 15:10  |  PETER.SM 30/08/07
  38.   You got us Natalie! 15:32  |  WWACD 30/08/07
  39.   Peretz Must Be Laughing Somewhere 15:33  |  Tony Anthony 30/08/07
  40.   RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!! 15:33  |  EVEN 30/08/07
  41.   3Khalil A Mohammed,8 American,13 Natalie D.ravi 26,Khalil,during 15:46  |  lakshmi 30/08/07
  42.   #9 Answers/questions for Foreign Observer 15:47  |  Murray of Montreal 30/08/07
  43.   #36 Jon Feigenbaum 16:06  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  44.   Hamas supporters will go mad if IDF strikes qassams facilities 16:12  |  KUTW 30/08/07
  45.   #8 American? 16:18  |  Canadian 30/08/07
  46.   #13 Natalie lays bare our dark Jewish soul 16:23  |  WWACD 30/08/07
  47.   to Murrey of Montreal #41 16:26  |  WWACD 30/08/07
  48.   #32 Thank you for the suggestion 16:47  |  Murray of Montreal 30/08/07
  49.   Have a long-term political plan first 16:53  |  Tosefta 30/08/07
  50.   For Cipora Julianna Kohn # 22 16:55  |  Mireya Siqueiros 30/08/07
  51.   Qassams- 17:40  |  Paul 30/08/07
  52.   Qassams part 2 17:50  |  Paul 30/08/07
  53.   No, we need more PLO battalions (see today`s other article) 17:55  |  Selfhating Left Jew 30/08/07
  54.   Post-Zionist Leadership Too Worldly For This 18:00  |  Yoram 30/08/07
  55.   Hamas` view (Re Lakshmi - yesterday) 18:11  |  Tosefta 30/08/07
  56.   WWACD 18:48  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 30/08/07
  57.   #8 American,I must tell you, as an American 19:09  |  TOMY 30/08/07
  58.   In essence, Israel Harel is correct.... 19:11  |  Misha 30/08/07
  59.   to WWACD, well put...... 19:17  |  Dave from Chicago 30/08/07
  60.   #9 Foreign observer,Please, let us know 19:17  |  TOMY 30/08/07
  61.   Have a long-term political plan first 19:21  |  Tosefta 30/08/07
  62.   Barak - Self-Described Genius About to Make More Grave Errors 19:22  |  Tod Zuckerman 30/08/07
  63.   The Propaganda Drumbeat Continues - IDF MUST Invade Gaza 19:32  |  chet 30/08/07
  64.   Where is Hannah? 19:39  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  65.   Qassams-part 1(part2#49) 19:40  |  Paul 30/08/07
  66.   52Tosefta,the land swap depends on what land exactly.I have in 19:45  |  lakshmi 30/08/07
  67.   # 52 Both, the original post and reply are idiotic... 19:47  |  Misha 30/08/07
  68.   37...youre mixed up... 20:11  |  ravi 30/08/07
  69.   To Khalil Abo Mohammad No. 3 20:42  |  martyrmaker 30/08/07
  70.   # 20 Brant 20:49  |  martyrmaker 30/08/07
  71.   Where are all the posts? 20:56  |  Israel Harel 30/08/07
  72.   13. Natallie Durson. IS HAMAS? GOAL PEACE? 21:25  |  KUTW 30/08/07
  73.   Lakshmi`s plan #54 21:34  |  Tosefta 30/08/07
  74.   Tosefta #52, another land option 21:37  |  FOX 30/08/07
  75.   #3 21:39  |  Abu Yusuf 30/08/07
  76.   Best defence 21:46  |  Yosi 30/08/07
  77.   typical israeli view 21:52  |  rose 30/08/07
  78.   The answer is clearly not military 21:58  |  Clickfool 30/08/07
  79.   A Radical Solution 22:38  |  Matthew 30/08/07
  80.   #73 Tosefta 22:39  |  Silvienne 30/08/07
  81.   #50, Mireya Siqeuiros 22:51  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/08/07
  82.