Mideast: On Target - Closing in on Hamas ?

Read this article for how it might be done. A nation cannot permit its people to be rocketted every day and still preserve its nationhood. Excerpts below, or click on the link.

Mideast: On Target - Closing in on Hamas ?:

"The government is preparing for a full-scale invasion of Gaza, or so it seems. To capture the entire Strip will cause quite a few casualties, mostly on the Palestinian side. Furthermore, Israel can be expected to lose the media war (as usual). Hamas will use human shields more than ever. This past week the Israeli public was made aware of the TV broadcasts by Hamas during the weekend conflict when a call was put out for civilians to go to the homes of Hamas activists to act as potential civilian casualties (reported on Channel 1) in an effort to deter Israeli attacks (they know Israel monitors their broadcasts)... Knocking out the source of enemy fire was easy in yesteryear, today it is a legal entanglement where the terrorists who hold their own civilians hostage hope to gain immunity from return fire, while the anti-terrorists are condemned for defending themselves. Orwell would be pleased as we have now gone one step behind “double-speak” and “double-think”...
Despite diplomatic initiatives, eventually Israel will need to fully crush Hamas. But is it possible? Several steps must be taken:

• Militarily Israel needs to physically divide up Gaza, holding the open areas between the major urban zones of Gaza City/Jabalya, Khan Yunis and Rafiah while surrounding other smaller population centers. This cuts north-south traffic of men and military supplies. Rockets will still be fired at Israel but spotters can help the air force and ground forces pinpoint the launchers for destruction. Leaflets and Arabic radio broadcasts must explain to the civilian population the dangers of being in the vicinity of anyone firing at Israel since return fire is assured. Every night there must be dozens of incursions, forays, arrests and the destruction of Hamas military installations. This same policy was used in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) to break Yasir Arafat’s terror offensive from 2001 – 04 and proved successful.
  
  
• As for the Philadelphi line on the border between Gazan and Egyptian Rafiah it becomes irrelevant since Israel’s military presence between Rafiah and Khan Yunis will halt Palestinian movement northwards from the southern Gaza Strip. Diplomatic pressure must be applied to Egypt by the US and European Union to halt terrorists and munitions from arriving in Egyptian Rafiah. This needs to be done west of Egyptian Rafiah inside of Sinai. Hamas with Iranian support is increasingly becoming a strategic threat to Egypt by stirring hopes in the opposition Islamist Moslem Brotherhood, so maybe now Cairo will actually do something.
  
  
• For the record Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), his government and the Palestinian Legislature must be presented with the legal responsibilities they have taken upon themselves as elected officials. They can then be expected to fail in any initiative they take. This leaves Israel free to continue military actions.
  
  
• Within six months Egypt is to replace the Israeli electricity supply to Gaza. Water must be the next stage along with an arrangement for crossings from Sinai to include civilian supplies only. It has been suggested that the European inspectors be stationed on the Egyptian side of the border.
  
  
• How long should Israel stay in a divided up Gaza Strip? Unfortunately it might be a while, but the army should not sit in stationary positions but rather engage in counter terror activities and remain on the move. Only road blocks in the open areas need to be somewhat stationary (they can be moved from place to place at will). The army can move out and then return, if necessary.
  
  
• Last but certainly not least, Israel must fight the media war with full explanations concerning the Hamas/Iranian/Hezbollah/Syrian alliance. Excerpts from speeches and writings by leaders of all four entities (Khomeini, Ahmedinajad, Nasrallah, Assad, Mashal, Haniya, etc.) must become well known and in particular the West must become familiar with the Hamas Covenant and its explicit demands for Israel’s destruction and its overt anti-Semitism.

All of the above should significantly cut back on Hamas rocket attacks and attempts at infiltration into Israel while solidifying an anti-Hamas diplomatic front. With much less arms and munitions arriving, Hamas will be greatly weakened even though one should not expect their imminent collapse. Any suggestion of a “hudna” is unacceptable.