I've been away on holiday in England for the past few weeks and have only occasionally been tapping into the wealth of news coverage that focuses on the Middle East, and on Israel, in particular.

In my case however, out of sight has certainly not been out of mind, and following the death of the Israeli soldiers close to the northern border with Lebanon from Hizbollah shelling, and the missiles fired out of Gaza to Ashkelon, (not to mention those that appear to have emanated from Sinai and landed both close to Eilat and in Aqaba in Jordan), I've been toying with the idea that something radical needs to be done to change the state of play at the moment.

It seems to me that there is no doubt that an increase in the marginalization of the Hamas regime in Gaza can only help to serve Israel's interest. Looking back to 2005 when the decision to unilaterally withdraw from the territory was taken by the government of Ariel Sharon, I was amongst the many people who were enthusiastic at the prospect of the Palestinian people in Gaza being given the chance to prove that they really just wanted to live a life of peace, earn enough to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, and go about life in much the same manner as the rest of the people of the region, and indeed across the world.

How demoralizing then it was when, given 'relatively' free elections, they voted in the one party who placed the destruction of the State of Israel and the driving out of Jews from the region as their top priority. When Hamas came to power they moved swiftly to eliminate as many supporters of their secular rival Fatah from the Strip as possible,  human rights groups confirming mass executions, widespread maiming, and the intimidation of anyone who didn't share their radical, violent agenda. Fatah were all but eliminated from the territory and the free elections the international community had encouraged only served to usher in a tyrannical and destabilizing presence in the region, a group funded and supported in many ways by Iran.

The Gaza War that inevitably followed as a result of the thousands of missiles launched by Hamas into southern Israel following their ascent to power, highlighted the danger that Hamas poses, not only Israel, but to Egypt as well. Interestingly, whilst Israel sought neutralize the threat posed by the Hamas missiles, Fatah, the party that governs the West Bank, remained conspicuously silent. For them, (although not prepared to admit it publicly for fear of incurring the wrath of the Arab world), Israel was doing their dirty work, weakening their Palestinian opposition. I would not be in the least bit surprised to learn one day that Fatah's internal security services had offered some support to Israel's effort to diminish Hamas' effectiveness in Gaza.

The fact is that whilst the people of Gaza have been driven into poverty by the actions of their own terrorist government, the Palestinians in the West Bank have seen a marked change in their fortunes over the last few years. With security and commercial agreements with Israel appearing to be holding up well on the whole, the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, (despite widespread allegations of corruption), has overseen a significant improvement in the standard of living and quality of life of its citizens. Businesses are flourishing in Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem and Jericho, average wages have soared and their economy is growing at a reported 10% per year at a time when much of the world is still teetering on the brink of recession.

Although in public the peace process appears to be gaining little ground, there have been a number of indications that suggest that behind the scenes some progress is being made as both Israel and the PA grudgingly realize that they are going to have to work with one another, like it or not.

Surely, the average Palestinian living in Gaza, talking regularly by phone to his cousins in Ramallah and hearing about the flourishing economy and much improved standard of living, would be bound to wonder to himself how much better life might be for him if Hamas were no longer in a position to rule his life. He shouldn’t have voted for them, he should distance himself from their ideals and seek to find a way to support Fatah and undermine those in power.

Such is Hamas' grip on Gaza though that any dissent is very dangerous. Aside of Israel returning to the territory, (a military option that would cost many lives on both sides, enrage much of the Arab word – though not all - and return the Jewish state to a status quo they were happy to rid themselves of five years ago), a popular uprising seems the only logical way that Hamas might be removed from power.

By way of encouraging such a happening, I suggest that serious consideration should be given to Israel making peace with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, a scenario that is not very far from the current situation on the ground. Israel would receive significant positive reaction from around the world, the PA would gain more credibility, Hamas would become further marginalized and Israel would be shown to be genuine in wanting to secure a deal with a real partner for peace.

None of this would be easy, but nothing in our part of the world is easy. The situation in Gaza poses a massive threat to Israel's security and to the stability of the region. Hamas must be removed from power, and it might just be that following the old adage of 'divide and rule', by genuinely forging a peace deal with Fatah, Israel can retake the intiative and set a positive agenda in the region.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts.
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Like all Israelis, the overwhelming majority of Jews around the world, and millions unconnected with this tragic drama, I can't wait for the day when hostage Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit is released by the despicable Hamas regime.

Shalit's incarceration has dominated the news and the thoughts of so many for four years now, since his kidnap on the Gaza border in 2006. His plight is the nightmare of every family here, families who see their sons and daughters join the Israeli army and who, regardless of whether they are religious or not, pray in whatever way they see fit, that their children will come back safe and sound.

Gilad Shalit's fate therefore resonates with everyone in Israel as we are all in this struggle together.

The Israeli people have watched Shalit’s parents have their hopes raised and dashed time and time again, especially some six months or so ago when, following the publication of a video of their son, there did appear to be significant momentum behind the negotiations to secure his release. 

Once again, having apparently been on the brink of a deal, Noam and Aviva Shalit, a couple who have campaigned tirelessly all over the world with tremendous dignity as they seek to persuade governments and leading officials across the globe to do anything they can to help the negotiations and allow medical access for Gilad (something that has been denied him so far but is granted as standard procedure for Palestinian prisoners in Israel), are having to mark another traumatic anniversary of their boy’s internment.

Recently, I sat down to watch the local Israeli news and saw a trailer for an article about a small group of Israelis opposed to negotiating his release, and vehemently opposed to offering a prisoner swop for Shalit (a process of negotiation that if suspended would almost certainly cost the 23-year-old his life), I prepared to be disgusted at this small-minded, selfish and misguided interest group.

The story though, raised a number of significant questions that I had, thus far, failed to give sufficient consideration.

The protest group came from an organization representing the families of victims of terror - parents, brothers and sisters, widows and widowers, and the children of people blown up by fanatical Palestinian suicide bombers, and those murdered in drive-by shootings or random attacks by terrorists over the last 20 years.

Their argument is that (much as they too want to see Shalit returned safely to his family and friends), the handing over of up to 1000 Palestinian bombers from both Hamas and Fatah, murderers, aiders and abettors to murder, and others who have committed heinous crimes against Israel and Israelis, is too high a price to pay for the return of just one man.

They warned that if these 1000 prisoners are handed over, a significant number will return to bomb and kill again and that, tragically, the members of their organization (the families of victims of Palestinian terror), will grow significantly in number.

Put in such terms, the Israeli government is clearly on the horns of a real dilemma. If they don't do everything possible to bring Shalit home alive, the majority will surely turn against them and the willingness of parents to offer their sons and daughters to the army will be seriously challenged.

However, if they choose to give up 1000 Palestinian terrorists and murderers to secure Shalit's release, the government is setting a precedent that (i) could encourage more kidnappings of Israeli soldiers, and, (ii) could rebound disastrously if any of the released prisoners return to wreak havoc and death on the streets of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa etc.

This nightmarish scenario on both sides of the coin has left me struggling to come up with a satisfactory solution to this awful dilemma.

What price freedom?
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"Good morning. It's 11am. This is the British Broadcasting Association.

"The British government's three year naval embargo on goods destined for the IRA-governed province of Northern Ireland has come under the spotlight once again after SAS commandos boarded a vessel carrying Catholic 'peace campaigners' from Italy, Spain, Poland and South America, wishing to show solidarity with the terrorist government and the suppressed Catholic population of the former British colony.

"SAS commandos had anticipated little trouble from the peace boat, the Mary Magdalene, who had been instructed to divert to the port of Liverpool to undergo routine inspection of her cargo, but were met by a hostile crowd armed with steel bars, stun grenades, slingshots and knives who viciously attacked the British special unit who were eventually forced to open fire to protect their own lives. Nine of the so-called peace campaigners were killed and a number of SAS personnel were seriously injured.

"The international community led by the Catholic block have been quick to condemn the British government and have called for an immediate lifting of the naval embargo which is, of course, complimented by the closure of the land border with the Republic of Ireland, also a Catholic nation, but one which rejects the violent armed struggle being waged by the IRA and who have a long standing peace agreement with Britain.

"After more than six years of rocket attacks from Northern Ireland that terrorised the communities of Manchester, Liverpool and the west coast of England, in 2005 the British government took the decision to unilaterally withdraw from the province as a gesture of goodwill and to give the people of Northern Ireland an opportunity to elect a peace loving government that would work for the betterment of all of the Northern Irish people.

"Following the elections of 2006 which saw the IRA gain a majority vote, all political opposition in Northern Ireland was eradicated with many opposition politicians and spokespersons being summarily executed, whilst others have been forced to flee for their lives.

"Despite being granted autonomy, the IRA continued a sustained barrage of rockets into the west coast population centres of England, forcing millions to live in fear of their lives and spend long periods of time every week living in bomb shelters; children unable to go to school, businesses forced to close, civilian deaths from indiscriminate rocket fire, and local authorities and public services unable to function.

"The British government's decision in 2008 to send in the RAF to destroy the IRA bomb factories, callously and calculating placed in built-up city areas, resulted in a significant loss of life as a result of the IRA effectively using the captive Northern Irish civilian population as human shields. Once again there was a massive international outcry at the disproportionate number of deaths on the Northern Irish side, as opposed to the 13 military and civilian casualties sustained by British forces.

"The decision to enforce the naval embargo to ensure that more weapons materiel and bomb making equipment cannot arrive at the port of Belfast or other smaller ports on the Northern Irish coast, has been roundly condemned by the UN and other major international organizations, many of whose members appear fearful of a violent backlash within their own communities from the radical Catholic population who demonstrate daily on the streets against the British and in support of the IRA, an organization which has been and still remains on the international list of terrorists organizations.

"Despite the British government bending over backwards to allow as much humanitarian aid as possible into Northern Ireland, it is widely acknowledged that the IRA have commandeered most of the humanitarian aid and are using it for profiteering and raising cash to purchase more weaponry from sympathetic nations such as Venezuela, the Seychelles and Libya. There has been little or no distribution of the aid to the civilian population who are suffering daily due to the actions of the IRA government.

"It has now been revealed that there were as many as 50 people amongst the 600 on board the Mary Magdalene that are wanted in a variety of countries across the globe for anti-British and anti-Protestant offences, including the attacking of Church of England premises and the murder and attempted murder of regular Church of England worshippers. A number made statements to their local media before the Mary Magdalene set sail, saying that they were prepared to die and be martyred like Saint Joan if necessary, in order to break the naval embargo imposed by Britain. It is quite clear that this hardcore of violent activists were spoiling for a fight with the SAS all along and duped the genuine peace campaigners aboard the ship into believing that they had only peaceful intentions.

"It is now understood that a new flotilla of boats seeking to break the embargo has set off from Brazil, Mexico and Italy, whilst it is also reported that President Chavez of Venezuela, a man who has expressed his total support for the terrorist IRA and whose government has allegedly given billions of dollars to the terrorist government in order to buy missiles and weaponry to use against the British, is to send two warships to the Irish Sea in an effort to ensure that the breaking of the naval blockade will succeed, even if that means engaging the British navy to do so."
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Makes you think, doesn't it?  Thankfully, the IRA laid down their arms and decided to follow the path of peace. It could all have been so different.

Isn't it a shame that Hamas refuse to do the same?
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