Weekly Commentary: Continuing the struggle
Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 24 May, 2007

Crime is never truly eradicated - but that doesn't mean that police
operations are futile.

The same can be said for the struggle against terror.

And yet, one hears otherwise mature adults quote Abner's admonition, "shall
for everlasting the sword devour?" (2 Samuel 2, 26) as if his desperate call
to cease a bloody civil war somehow provides a winning argument for
surrendering to the Arab terrorists. Cut some photo-opportunity deal, no
matter how specious, rather than continue defending ourselves from the
wolves.

Time and again retreat proponents have claimed that the people are tired and
cannot sustain the struggle when in truth it was the leadership that failed
a public willing to endure great sacrifices. A public that has no illusions
about the viability of instant or even permanent solutions but instead
realizes that the struggle for freedom is an ongoing exercise worth the
battle.

Could Operation X, no matter its scope, put a permanent end to the terror
threat in the Gaza Strip?

Of course not.

But that isn't the question at hand.

The question is bringing down the operational capabilities of the terrorists
to a manageable level.

Operation Defensive Shield didn't eradicate terror in the West Bank, but it
created a situation under which Israeli security forces could follow up with
ongoing "mowing" operations. Yes, as the retreat proponent note, every
terrorist leader taken off the board is soon replaced by another, but the
turnover serves to limit both their number and capabilities.

Will my children's children also have to worry when their children go off to
serve?

Quite possibly.

But I don't mourn the option. I celebrate that there is a viable vibrant
alternative to surrender.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il