Hamas Claims Gaza "Victory" As Israel Pulls Back

Proving, once again, exactly what Lawhawk has been saying since the first day he created this blog (and for several years before that as well), any sign of diplomacy, any sign of humanity, any sign of capitulation, is seen and exploited as weakness.

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops pulled out of the Gaza Strip on Monday after a U.S. appeal to end days of fighting that killed more than 100 Palestinians and rescue peace talks.

The Hamas Islamists who control the coastal enclave declared "victory" and vowed to continue firing rockets into Israel, launching one into the main southern city of Ashkelon shortly after the troops withdrew, and wounding one person.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said that despite the end of the five-day operation, Israel would pursue further military action in Gaza until rocket fire was reduced significantly.

"We are not willing to show tolerance, period. We will respond," Olmert said in broadcast remarks.

A senior Israeli official said, however, there would be a "two-day interval" for a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Israel had been under pressure from its allies in Washington to halt the violence after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas suspended U.S.-backed peace talks in protest at the bloodshed.

Speaking after the pullout, senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the talks, which Washington hopes can result in a statehood deal this year, would remain frozen for now.

"We are working hard to reach a full calm, a full cessation of hostilities. We want to make sure that what happened will not recur," Erekat said.

Addressing his centrist Kadima party, Olmert said he hoped to continue talks with Abbas, but "under no circumstances will we restrain ourselves in the face of terror from Gaza."

In Gaza City, several thousand Hamas supporters took to the streets in celebration of the withdrawal. Some snapped festive photographs with gunmen as the chant "The invaders fled and the army of Jews was defeated" rang out from loudspeakers.

Israel concedes to the United States desires and Hamas turns around and says they won. This despite over 100 casualties on the Palestinian side. Also, have the rocket attacks stopped? NO!!! They vowed to continue them.

Olmert has a problem. He has no idea how to deal with the current situation. Truthfully, he wants peace, and seems caught up in the rhetoric that Fatah is the better terrorist group to deal with. Hamas and Fatah will only allow peace when they achieve their goal. Unfortunately, their goal is not coexistence with Israel. It is Israel's destruction.

Add to that the fact that Iran and Syria are funding and supporting them, and you have several countries with the stated goal and intention to destroy Israel. And the world takes a blind eye and calls for Israeli restraint, or worse, cites Israeli "human rights violations" for their retaliation attacks. Forget the thousands of rockets and mortars falling on Israeli cities. Forget the terrorist attacks that are attempted daily. The word focuses on Israel and not the cause of the problem.