It’s Time to Declare Victory and End the War

This round of fighting with Hamas has now gone on for seven days. In many ways it has been Israeli’s most impressive victory. As of this writing, we have not lost a soul, damage has been extremely limited, and only 4% of all of Hamas missiles have hit populated targets. We have won this battle. Iron Dome has proved its effectiveness, and a nation whose military ethos is based on the need to take offensive actions has learned how to play the game of defense even better.

Our Air Force has engaged in hundreds of sorties against Hamas targets and missile launchers in the Gaza Strip – and despite the foreign news reports – it has done so with the minimum of civilian casualties. Though, as we have learned (or should have learned) the Air Force can only go so far in stopping the rocket fire. They can not get every last rocket and they can not singlehandedly defeat Hamas. While some of the images coming from Gaza have been difficult to see, considering the current state of the Arab world – to date – the pictures have not created the sense of outrage that we have encountered in the past. However, it is only a matter of time until one small mistake on the part of an Israeli Air Force pilot, or one malfunction, or one item of false intelligence would give the other side the propaganda victory they so deeply desire … Us killing a large number of civilians in Gaza at one time.

Let’s deny them their victory. Let’s show them how impotent they are. All of their missile launches have achieved nothing. Let’s announce that for the next 48 hours we will not fire at them. However, let’s also announce that if they continue firing after that we will close Kerem Shalom and cut off the electricity. Yes, I know it’s probably illegal, but let’s have the world beg us  to resume the bombing instead. That is a much more humanitarian plan.

Of course, we do have another option. We can initiate a ground assault to retake the Gaza Strip and end the Hamas rule there. I know many Israelis who favor this option (in theory), but almost none who has a loved one serving with the Paratroopers or the Nachal Brigade would encourage us to undertake the mission.