Futile and absurd threats

While the firing of Qassam rockets on communities in the south continues as though there had been no war to put an end to it, outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert yesterday once again began threatening Hamas, as if his threats had any validity.

"Israel will not continue to show restraint at the firing of Qassams," Olmert said at the beginning of a cabinet session. "If the firing continues it will be met by a painful response."

The outgoing prime minister has not learned a thing. After Hamas proved to Israel that the war waged against it was totally useless - the Qassams and the Grad missiles that continue to fall and to sow fear prove that no deterrence was achieved in this useless war - the prime minister continues to use the language of past threats, as though we hadn't caused enough pain and harm to the residents of Gaza; to no avail. Now is not the time for threats, it's the time for negotiations; additional attacks will not put an end to the firing of Qassams, only a long-term cease-fire agreement will do so.

This agreement was already within reach. Had it not been for the fact that the prime minister suddenly hardened his position and made the opening of the border crossings dependent on the release of Gilad Shalit, the cease-fire would already have come into effect, and security would finally have returned to the southern communities, as they so deserve. Even Shalit's release was attainable, had the government entered serious negotiations with Hamas instead of wasting time on internal quarrels. But Olmert decided to link the two issues, and in both he is wasting precious time without a decision. By doing so he is seriously endangering both of them.

Shortly before he ends his term, Olmert must stop using threats that have already proven to be futile and absurd. He must act to achieve Israel's goals by accelerating the negotiations over the two subjects on the agenda - the cease-fire and Gilad Shalit - and bring them to a conclusion. That could be Olmert's last contribution, which will atone, at least to some extent, for his many failures during his tenure as prime minister.

The outgoing prime minister must not leave these two issues open and unsolved for his successor, for fear that such a waste of time will lead to a missed opportunity and to the prolonging of the unnecessary suffering of the residents of the south, the kidnapped soldier, and the Palestinians in Gaza.