The Israeli government's policy toward Gaza is fundamentally flawed. For some reason, it has not internalized the dramatic change in the status of the Gaza Strip since the August 2005 disengagement and the June 2007 Hamas military putsch and takeover of the territory. When I read that the government is consulting with the Israel Defense Forces' International Law Division about whether it is permissible to cut off electricity to Gaza - that is, to a hostile entity that has declared war on Israel - I don't know whether to laugh or cry. This could well serve as another example of the exaggerated role of the judiciary, which is taking over our lives and threatening to paralyze the ability of the government's branches to operate.

The basic solution to the Qassam plague is not to conquer Gaza. Neither does it lie in inventing brilliant technologies. The last thing the IDF needs is to turn into a police force controlling a million and a half Gazans. For every missile there is an anti-missile; and for every anti-missile, an anti-anti-missile will be invented. From the dawn of history, a defense has been found for every innovation in attack techniques, and a breach has been found in every defense. The answer for the Qassams is, and has always been, the proven and familiar response for countering any aggressive intent - that is, deterrence and a crushing response "in kind." This is the only response that has proven itself over the years."

Syria does not launch missiles against Israel - not because Bashar Assad is a disciple of Aaron, but because he fears Israel's response. Hassan Nasrallah does not use the thousands of missiles in Hezbollah's arsenal - not because he has pangs of conscience, but because he fears a similar response to the one he encountered last year, when he was compelled to apologize to his fellow countrymen and explain that he would not have abducted the two IDF soldiers had he known that Israel's response would be so severe. Today, there is no need to differentiate between Syria and Gaza, or between Hezbollah and Hamas.