Wrong Criticism of Israeli invasion of Gaza

MSM have opened most accounts of the Israeli invasion of Gaza by numbering the Palestinians who have been killed. Currently, the number is around six dozen, plus two Israelis killed in the fighting. The Security Countil has convened as usual to criticize Israeli self defense efforts, whereas Israeli prime minister Olmert has predictably lobbed the retort that no one at the Security Council cared when S'derot was shelled and Israelis killed or injured, for no good reason. Few have commented on the missile strike against Israeli efforts to convey food and medicine into Gaza at the crossing (does anyone outside Israel wonder why the crossing were all closed?). Nor have the MSM written about Hamas' decision to shell Israel from within heavily populated areas ( all but the unsophisticated are aware of this tactic, and all but the anti-Semitic condemn it).

However, the better question by far, is whether or not the Israeli effort will get the shelling to stop. This argument was also raised by Avi Dichter and published today in the Jerusalem Post. If Israel succeeds, the effort will have been worth it. If it fails, it will have been another botched Olmert war. The last war left with Gilad Schalit still in captivity and no information on the other three kidnapees in Lebanon.

Another question is what bounds the US has set on the war. This question is related to the first. One account, by debkafile, has Israel fighting -- on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. Knock out Hamas and put old corrupt Abbas in there. Since Abbas is by all accounts with which I am familiar, party to the fighting, such a strategy begs the question of what will happen to the Qassams flying towards S'derot and Ashkelon. This will replace an Islamic terrorist outfit with a secular terrorist outfit. However, the fix will be temporary. Hamas is too strong, both in Gaza and the West Bank, to play second fiddle for long. Ironically, the perception of this war matches this argument, and Khaled Abu Toameh suggests the invasion will help Hamas and hurt the PA.

Unfortunately, the unrelenting hostility of the Gazans, against their own self interest as defined by a secular Westerner, leaves Israel no real choice except to do what they have to do: go against the United States. They must reconquer Gaza, including the borders, confiscate weapons, and stay. They don't wish to do that, but they have no choice. Ultimately, that will benefit the Israelis and the Gazans.