The people demand a painless war

What an excellent and thought-provoking article! I congratulate the author for having the courage to write this. Unofortunately for Israel her islamist enemies are only too aware of this gap between illusion and reality. In fact they are banking on it. The more Israel withdraws into the illusion of talking to an implacable foe while the foe rrearms and continues shooting in a perpetual revenge cycle, the more young Israelis will one day pass a point where they will ask 'what is the point?'. At which point, once past horrors of history have receded well beyond living memory, while present horrors multiply, that comfort zone will get narrower until it vanishes. Then a generation may well say; 'why should we stay here just to get rocketed day and night?'. Or killed if we strike back? Lets escape this hell and go live in Florida or california. This is the ultimate aim of the Islamists/Jihadists. To force a disappearence of the state/nation through 'escape from terror'. Given the state of 'social psychology' in the state of Israel today, they might well succeed in a few generations. In the end, either Gaza has to go, or Israel has to go. There is really no compromisimng with the Islamist 'tsunami'. But Gaza is backed by Iran and now Egypt. So where does that leave Israel? If Israel strikes Iran or Egypt they will be damaged but still very much present and vengeful. If either were to strike Israel, Israel might not survive. This is now the moment of reality for Israel. After 65 years, is she still viable with the 'jaws of Islam' closing in on her?

surely refers to to PA statehood bid at the UN shortly, which Hamas wishes to upstage, and because of which it has been escalating the rockets since the Qatari emir's visit until it got the desired Israeli reaction? Who is talking about Abbas now?

and a painless peace. Wounds hurt. Healing hurts. There is no other way.