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Restraint is not possible By Haaretz Editorial Tags: IDF, Israel, Hamas, Gaza The firing of Qassam rockets against Sderot and the nearby kibbutzim is not stopping and is extracting a heavy price in terms of fear and blood. Responsibility for the shooting from the Gaza Strip, which has been going on for seven years - both before and after the disengagement from the Strip - falls on the Palestinians. Were it not for the shooting, Israel would not respond. For the past eight months Hamas has ruled the Gaza Strip alone, and it is no longer possible to explain away the shooting as due to a lack of control over rogue organizations. The time has come for the Palestinians to ask themselves and their leadership about the direction they are heading. Are the West Bank and the Gaza Strip still one entity, aspiring to establish an independent state alongside Israel? Is it possible that in all situations, Israel will hold negotiations for the establishment of such a state while Hamas is shooting at it? Has Hamas decided to foil a peace agreement and chosen for its people the option of continuous war? Israel left the Gaza Strip in the summer 2005 to signal the start of an end to the occupation. Kadima was set up after leading figures in Likud, with Ariel Sharon at their head, decided to withdraw from the Greater Land of Israel to more secure and limited borders. The party's political platform also included a withdrawal from the West Bank, dividing the land into two states for two peoples and an evacuation of settlements. In order to show the seriousness of its intentions, settlements from Gush Katif and northern Samaria were evacuated without an agreement. Advertisement The ball passed to the Palestinian court, where it has been stuck after the Palestinians elected Hamas, which opposes a peace agreement with Israel. Instead of Gaza becoming the cornerstone for a Palestinian state, it has become a hostile entity under siege. The disengagement was not a mistake, but a necessary move of vision and hope. Hamas undermined the hope for a shared future and opted to preserve, as its declared policy, its "resistance" to the existence of the State of Israel, and by extension continue its path of violence. While Israel is trying to correct its historic error of settling in the heart of the Palestinian population by converging into old-new borders of a more ethical democracy, the Palestinians elected Hamas, which is not willing to compromise. The Qassam attacks are not proof that the disengagement failed, but that the Hamas rule is leading the Palestinians into a new round of an unnecessary war. While Mahmoud Abbas is trying to preserve, with the skin of his teeth, a channel of dialogue with Israel, one that will lead to an agreement, Hamas and the other groups are making great efforts to foil any chance for a solution. If the limited military actions Israel is undertaking in an effort to bring an end to the Qassam rockets will not bring an end to the shooting; if the moderate states, and first and foremost Egypt and Jordan fail to contain Hamas - Israel will have no option but to embark on a broad military operation. The Israel Defense Forces raison d'etre is to protect the country's citizens from attack. Even if the success of a military operation is not guaranteed, that concern must not prevent the government from doing what is necessary in order to protect the lives of its citizens and the state's border. The solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is political, and should always be pursued. At the same time, Israel must prove that the blood of its citizens cannot be forfeited - so that in the future, its neighbors will abide by the agreements to which they have committed. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Seeking refuge 123 Sudanese refugees infiltrate Israel from Egypt overnight. Bracing for terror Israel, U.S. fear retaliatory strikes after killing of Mughniyah.   1.   I Guess There Is At Least One Zionist Left at Haaretz 03:51  |  Tod Zuckerman 11/02/08   2.   what happened? am i seeing right,or is this a dream? 04:36  |  chaim 11/02/08   3.   RESTRAINT? while Israel keeps killing and killing... 08:06  |  PADDY 11/02/08   4.   A more ethical democracy? 09:47  |  Rafael 11/02/08   5.   This editorial is based on a false assumption 10:20  |  Natallie Durson 11/02/08   6.   comes the dawn and an awakening 10:24  |  v hardman 11/02/08   7.   Give us more facts! 10:27  |  Cord Henrik Kaldrack 11/02/08   8.   PADDY GET it right.Hamas with a NO PEACE agenda 10:28  |  PETER SM 11/02/08   9.   it was never a "lack of control" 10:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/02/08   10.   NDURSON The Saudi plan was wrecked when right of return tacked on 10:35  |  PETER SM 11/02/08   11.   NDURSON The Saudi plan was wrecked when right of return tacked on 10:35  |  PETER SM 11/02/08   12.   restraint is possible only if 10:35  |  elliot 11/02/08   13.   Man, one line just gives it away, doesn`t it..... 10:39  |  Johnboy 11/02/08   14.   Somebody at Haaretz stole the Jpost editorial 10:45  |  Ron 11/02/08   15.   What you people (ISHaters) will gradually understand 10:46  |  Judith, Haifa 11/02/08   16.   #5 Natakie, did Hamas accepted it? Pls. explain 10:47  |  Ron 11/02/08   17.   We need an international force of the willing to destroy IDF 10:51  |  David 11/02/08   18.   #10, "man:" are you sure? 10:51  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/02/08   19.   johnboy "the greater land of israel" 10:58  |  zevulun 11/02/08   20.   JOHNBO,PADDY.Hamas Govt.has NOT relinquished Greater Palestine. 11:03  |  PETER SM 11/02/08   21.   Afshin Ellian and his blog in the Dutch Elsevier 11:04  |  Shoshana Thomasson 11/02/08   22.   #15, Judith from Haifa 11:21  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/02/08   23.   Criminals of "Haaretz" want to postpone indefinitely the IDF resp 11:27  |  Absolute Sweden 11/02/08   24.   Something puzzling 11:38  |  Hastaroth 11/02/08   25.   Haaretz speaks like Sharon 11:40  |  Truth 11/02/08   26.   #19 Zevulun - Jewish land? how come it`s occupied by Atheists? 11:41  |  PADDY 11/02/08   27.   HAARETZ, what a change? what happens? 11:42  |  vladimir 11/02/08   28.   As a supporter of the disengagement I say: Use all force require 11:43  |  AA 11/02/08   29.   "Right of return" 11:43  |  Natallie Durson 11/02/08   30.   Peter SM and history 11:44  |  Truth 11/02/08   31.   Peter you lie 11:47  |  Truth 11/02/08   32.   PETER SM 11:55  |  PADDY 11/02/08   33.   #29, Durson 12:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 11/02/08   34.   paddy pantsdown 12:21  |  zevulun 11/02/08   35.   Agreements? 12:22  |  Murray 11/02/08   36.   "The disengagement was not a mistake" 12:23  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 11/02/08   37.   the screaming of the jets 12:24  |  flimflam 11/02/08   38.   Nice vision, Rafael, but ... 12:29  |  Murray 11/02/08   39.   Amazing, Haaretz saner than Olmert 12:33  |  Sidney 11/02/08   40.   Common Sense From Haaretz 12:35  |  ERSB 11/02/08   41.   Cipora 12:38  |  Judith, haifa 11/02/08   42.   Protect the nation 13:07  |  Ralph 11/02/08   43.   Depends what you mean by restraint 13:17  |  False PETER SM 11/02/08   44.   "Truth" #30 13:20  |  Lie Stopper 11/02/08   45.   TRUTH an indefinite caesefire is NOT peace 13:26  |  PETER SM 11/02/08   46.   Restraint on the part of the palestinians... 13:28  |  Walter 11/02/08   47.   More Leftist lies 13:29  |  Frank 11/02/08   48.   TRUTH.Palestine AND Israel have a growing Arab population 13:29  |  PETER SM 11/02/08   49.   31 truth? 13:32  |  danny 11/02/08   50.   DURSON Where have Pals said they will accept compensation in lieu 13:32  |  PETER SM 11/02/08   51.   Boots and Saddles 13:46  |  Mark Lincoln 11/02/08   52.   national insanity 13:59  |  jj burke 11/02/08   53.   Natalie D 14:18  |  Patricia 11/02/08   54.   Mark Lincoln #46 14:22  |  S 11/02/08   55.   Finally Haaretz came to their senses!!Now fire Amira Hass&Mr Levy 14:30  |  arthur 11/02/08   56.   # 32 Kohn - Thanks, I am glad to have you onboard 14:39  |  Natallie Durson 11/02/08   57.   Praise and Appreciation from an Outsider for Your Editorial 14:42  |  pat 11/02/08   58.   restraint 14:45  |  marcel 11/02/08   59.   Gazans as guinea pigs of Iran 14:46  |  Jonathan S 11/02/08   60.   Settling the West Bank was not a mistake 14:59  |  Sam 11/02/08   61.   answer to 38 15:03  |  Rafael 11/02/08   62.   Haaretz switching sides!! 15:06  |  John 11/02/08   63.   Border problems 15:06  |  PS 11/02/08   64.   Hamas or PLO, what is the difference? 15:26  |  Bo 11/02/08   65.   A Haaretz Artical That I Can Agree With 15:47  |  Ron 11/02/08   66.   jj burke is a burke 15:52  |  bedlam 11/02/08   67.   Natallie interestingly enough 15:57  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/02/08   68.   Haaretz Awakens to Reality 15:59  |  Jane 11/02/08   69.   Cord Henrik Kaldrack 16:00  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 11/02/08   70.   DELUSIONS AND DESTINY 16:10  |  soggy liberal 11/02/08   71.   Editorial about face? 16:18  |  Proud Israeli 11/02/08   72.   OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!! 16:22  |  Jon 11/02/08   73.   #68 Jane, could not agree more 16:26  |  Bob 11/02/08   74.   Finally Haaretz showing some sense!! 16:37  |  Free Gilad Shalit 11/02/08   75.   #74 Free Gilad Shalit -Haaretz showing sense 17:06  |  tbora 11/02/08   76.   The disengagement was not a mistake 17:36  |  avision 11/02/08   77.   Restraint in Gaza no more 18:03  |  David Gershon 11/02/08   78.   Achieving quiet 22:45  |  Barry 11/02/08   79.   Disengagement violates Human Rts.+word of God 22:49  |  sam 11/02/08   80.   Help Palestinians return home 2 Egypt(Genesis 10-13&14) 22:52  |  sam 11/02/08   81.   ISRAEL IS BETTING ON A DEAD HORSE 23:07  |  Arik Silverman 11/02/08   82.   Peace can only come through resounding Israeli military victory. 03:30  |  Chaim 12/02/08   83.   is this guy nuts 03:52  |  mark 12/02/08   84.   #82 60 years of post-WW has taught Chaim nothing 05:29  |  Johnboy 12/02/08   85.   chaim 09:49  |  A.M. 12/02/08   86.   resounding military victory 11:56  |  Murray 12/02/08   87.   Remind yourself what the Qassams are telling you... 19:55  |  Dutch 13/02/08   88.   restraint not possible 18:45  |  Israeli 17/02/08

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