Less than a year from Disengagement, IDF re-enters Gaza Strip

Less than one year from Israel's semi-Disengagement from Gaza, IDF forces are re-entering the southern area of the Gaza Strip in response to this morning's 5 AM Hamas-led attack, which left 2 IDF soldier dead, 1 IDF soldier kidnapped, and 6 IDF soldiers wounded.

Key Definitions:

1. Semi-Disengagement The Palestinians routinely complain that the IDF did not fully "Disengage" from the Gaza strip, since there's a sea, air and land blockade on the strip by Israel for security purposes. Israel on the other hand, continues to pay the bill for electricity to Gaza (at the Israeli taxpayer's expense), phone service (ditto), on a daily basis allows thousands of Gazan workers into Israel, and allows for transport of goods in and out of the strip from Israel. Doesn't sound very disengaged to me.

2. Hamas-led attack. The PA's government is currently run by Hamas. This attack also included 2 other terror groups, including a never before known group -- one that smells alot like Al-Qaida, "The Army of Islam."

In a brief exchange with a left-leaning acquaintance this morning, when I mentioned that it looks like the IDF is re-entering Gaza, the reply I got was "G-d forbid." Actually, one has to honestly evaluate this expression for a second.

1. Since the Disengagement last year, the strip has swelled with more terrorists, guns, ammunition, explosives, rockets, and general terror infrastructure in the history of Gaza. Any IDF soldier going into Gaza is now at a severe tactical disadvantage due to Israel's Disengagement.

2. The Disengagement's proponents claimed that if terror continued, Israel would be free to attack Gaza. Since the disengagement isn't complete, we do not have any real moral highground with the rest of world, or even among Israel itself. When Yair Lapid and others beat ourselves up over IDF shelling of Gaza and Palestinian casualties which aren't even Israel's fault -- one has to wonder what the real point of the Disengagement was to being with. Security was obviously never at the top of the list (if on the list at all)...just ask the residents of Sederot or the mother of today's kidnapped IDF soldier.

3. So what do we do now? Israel's Defense Minister, Amir Peretz did not want Israel to severely escalate operations last week. In return, the Hamas-led PA government is increasing in quantity and quality of the attacks against us. Israelis say "G-d forbid" at the idea of going into Gaza. We've already pulled out and have no more Jews to evict from the Strip. Removing the blockade will obviously lead to an increase of weapons going in... IDF's command central thinks that a large assault is needed.

However: with the continued rocket shelling of Sederot and the Negev, targeted attacks against the Kibbutz Kerem Shalom's IDF outpost, kidnapping of IDF soldiers, attempted kidnapped of Israeli civilians, attempted bombings on the road to Gush Etzion and Neve Daniel this past Friday, and elevated terror attacks around the country -- one needs to wonder why at this time the Defense Ministry is so gung-ho to go after unauthorized settlement hilltop outposts and restricting the movement of 13 Jews (one step away from administrative detention). Amir Peretz, PLEASE get your priorities in order.

Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael