Terror and Talks

Eight people have been arrested in connection with the attack on Yeshiva Mercaz Harav. Carl in Jerusalem reports that Hamas and Hizbullah in Damascus was responsible for planning the attack - it came from the top of the terror food chain, and not just the thugs operating in Gaza. For Israel to have peace, it is going to have to do more than just go after the operatives in Gaza; they are going to have to deal with the terror masters in Damascus and Tehran.

Hamas continues to receive material support and aid from Iran, and isn't shy about it. Hamas can afford to be brazen because the Olmert government has chosen to limit its response.

A soldier seriously wounded in a terrorist attack on an Israeli patrol along the Israel-Gaza border died of his injuries. That attack got overshadowed by the yeshiva attack, yet the attack on the patrol involved the use of Iranian explosives and tactics.


It was a quite somber Shabbat in Israel as people wondered what would happen next.

Well, I know what will happen. Palestinian terrorists will continue to attack Israel - some will be successful, and the IDF will stop the rest. The IDF might even operate in Gaza for limited periods of time to go after the terrorists but the Olmert government will not sustain the effort, nor will it go after the terrorists in the West Bank. Going after Hamas alone is insufficient; Israel must go after all the terror groups, including Fatah.

And Israel will engage in talks with Fatah despite the fact that Fatah continues to cling to the ideology that seeks Israel's destruction. Abbas now says that he'll engage in talks with Israel despite the lack of a ceasefire. Israel says they wont engage in a ceasefire, which I fully expect Abbas and the terrorists to claim is proof that Israel has no interest in negotiating.

Well, Abbas, there would be a ceasefire if the Palestinian terrorists simply stopped firing their rockets at Israel and put all their terrorist plots on hold. More rockets were fired at Israel today (as though that didn't need to be mentioned?). Israel wouldn't have to fire back at your brethren and fellow terrorists if the terrorists ceased their nefarious plots. So, Israel instead goes after the terrorists in drips and drabs to eliminate the terrorists who are actively plotting to kill Israelis with their rockets and bombs and guns.

Meanwhile, Hamas doesn't care about the human toll of misery and death it inflicts. It does, however, care deeply about land. It seeks all of Israel and wants to expand on what it already has - Gaza. Israel should make Hamas pay for its actions by losing land, according to this op-ed. It makes a certain amount of sense for Israel to make Hamas pay not only in killing its terror masters, but to shake territory free of Hamas rule, but Israel itself has no interest in reacquiring Gaza. Israel got out of Gaza in 2005 with good reason. Israel gained little from maintaining a presence there, though some will argue that the Israeli presence was divinely inspired and/or that Israeli forces could keep a handle on the terrorists operating out of the territories.

Some, like Israel Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, have suggested Israel deport Arab residents who take part in terrorism. Where would they be deported to? Who exactly would take them in and how exactly does that make Israel any safer.

Besides, if there is going to be a two-state solution that the diplomats crave so badly, the only place these Israeli-Arabs would likely go is to the Palestinian controlled areas, where like-minded folks are plotting Israel's destruction 24/7/365. It wouldn't exactly improve Israel's security situation.

Palestinians need to choose. Do they really want unending terrorism and violence against Israel or do they wish for peace. They have to stand up for what they want, and thus far the clarion call has been to engage in war. They voted for Hamas and they continue to provide aid and comfort to the terrorists operating in their midst.

UPDATE:
So, we're supposed to feel sympathy for Abbas who is supposedly humiliated by Israel's plans to build housing in the West Bank. Give me a break. The jihadis in Hizbullah are placing bounties on the heads of Israeli leaders (omitting Olmert of course). Where's Abbas' condemnation of that, which is something he should be saying pursuant to Oslo (you do remember Oslo don't you?).

The Palestinian Authority official paper is busy calling the terrorist who slaughtered eight students at Yeshiva Mercaz Harav a martyr. Where's Abbas to denounce this? Or would that be humiliating to him to note the common decency to call out a mass murderer when you see one. Problem is, he doesn't see Palestinian terrorism - he sees a just cause in killing Israelis.

Meanwhile, Israeli security forces continue to capture stashes of acid that can be used to make bombs and break up terror plots in the West Bank, which is where Fatah is supposed to stop incitement to violence against Israel and is supposed to eliminate the operation of other militias (again, under Oslo obligations).

Oh, and the kassams keep slamming into Israel from firing points in Gaza.

Two of those injured at Mercaz Harav have been released from the hospital. Israeli officials were rudely greeted at the Yeshiva for the lack of security and ongoing failure to deal with the terrorists. They blame the government for the murder of their fellow students. They want to see a strong government replace a hollow one. They're going to have to wait a good long time before that happens. Olmert is proving to be the Teflon Don of Israeli politics - absolutely nothing sticks to him.

UPDATE:
More video of Palestinians dancing in the streets (ht: Aussie Dave):