On January 1 the army confirmed that a Palestinian Kassem fired from Samaria three weeks previously had landed near Afula. Should the terrorists succeed in manufacturing or smuggling additional Kassems into Judea and Samaria, it would place Israel’s entire central region at risk.
Pinpoint aerial operations and the use of IDF artillery have thus far failed to do the job. If the deployment of ground forces is necessary to halt the attacks, Israel simply has no choice but to do so.
As President Theodore Roosevelt said a century ago, “Do not hit at all if it can be avoided, but never hit softly.” Dan Halutz should heed those astute words and start remembering who signs his paycheck.
The people of Israel have a right to expect that their army will look out not only for innocent Palestinians, but for Israelis too.
