"even if the shell had been an IDF one, then the loss of life would have been regrettable but that’s all, regrettable. It is also regrettable that the terrorists force Israel to defend itself, that doesn’t mean halt operations." touché

Can we blame them both?  I can’t see Hamas firing rockets at Israel and not blaming them for it. Peretz has certainly not helped matters, but he is not the proverbial "root cause" here that should allow Hamas to fire rockets without blame.

Why Peretz? Olmert is about as slimey as they come and I have been watching him for years and have personally addressed him at meetings. I am not sure that Peretz is any worse than olmert would be as defense minister, or any worse than Mofaz who is beholden to Olmert for making him a minister, would be. Let’s face the fact that the Olmert-Shimon Peres government is a danger to our very lives. Next, what has to be done?  I think we have to go back to basics, which means knowing our history, loudly demanding our rights, identify our enemies [not only Arabs, the EU is probably more dangerous than the Arabs], etc. Have you noticed that the Arabs are always demanding? We ought to demand too, even if we are unlikely to get what we want in the short term. We have to demand free Jewish settlement in Judea-Samaria, refusing free Jewish settlement in Yosh is Racism. Let’s call our enemies racists, which is what they are, including the so-called "Left," including the Israeli "left." Let us demand rights. Let us demand return of the Temple Mount. The Irish used to have an effective slogan about Northern Ireland: "Thief [meaning the UK], put it back!" That is, they accused the UK of stealing northern Ireland and demanded the return of stolen property. Let’s follow their example. This could apply to the Mount of Olives, the tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, etc.

and don’t trust the Yesha Council — act without them and without consulting them!

Hi Gavriel, clearly Hamas is a hated terrorist organization (it is expected that they be liars, drek) but this post is really about a blood libel. Throughout history they occur and throughout history as Jews we do little to defend ourselves. When this one popped its ugly head up, initial reaction from Peretz was one of aknowledgement and guilt, because he’s a weakling lefty imho. I see a Defense Minister who is at odds with Defense.

If he had instead said we did nothing wrong, the IDF did nothing wrong, we aren’t halting shelling then people would still hate us, but at least we’d be different from the Jews of the last 2000 years by saying we’re not going to take it. The initial statement should have been it is Hamas’ fault, take it up with them. His latest quote is paraprasing now – 'I can be be very tough because I am a man of peace’ < — This guy's ego is the size of an artillery batalion, meanwhile the guns are silent.

Today he stated after the inestigation he has confidence in the IDF… Does that mean if the shell had been one of yours he wouldn’t have confidence in the IDF!? Would that make the IDF a bunch of killers like the bulk of Europe’s population makes them out to be? IDF Soldiers cannot travel for fear of being arrested on war crimes, did Peretz’ initial reaction reinforce this notion, or the notion that even if civilians are accidentally killed, Israel is defending itself & justified. Silencing the guns is acknoweldgement of their fictional guilt, and it was embraced as such around the world in the media where this battle was lost.

Hi Eliyahu, I don’t disagree with you on many points, but in this instance Olmert was abroad, Peretz was the front man of the IDF and that is also his job, Olmert pretty much had no statement while he was in Europe, the media was working off of Peretz.

I wouldn’t call it the Olmert-Shimon Peres govt, because peres is a throw in, it is the Olmert-Peretz govt (kadima-avoda) that is endangering Israel with policies today. I’m not sure why you would swipe at Mofaz, he was one of the toughest defense ministers in a long while, many settlers dislike him because of Amona maybe, but they should take up their issues with the supreme court that rules they are illegal criminals, not the defense minister..

Unless of course we are dealing with Peretz, who’s VERY first order of business the 1st day he was defense minister was to request plans and studies on which illegal settlements needed to be immediately razed..? If the IDF goes to Gaza, it will only be because Olmert orders it so, Peretz will never by himself initiate or give such an order, what kind of defense minister is entirely unconcerned with defense, but instead states his 2nd day in that shelling will stop, and settlements will be the new target!?

Only Halutz was immediately defending the IDF last week, another proper defense minister would have been at his side defending the virtue of Israel & the IDF to a world that condems Jews with the usual sick double standards. Where was he to defend the honor of the artillery crews under his command? The media reports stated thay immediately denied any wrong doing, but their minister was instead apologizing for a Hamas farce.

Re the Yesha council, we agree.. the Yesha council does what is good for the Yesha council, it is not nec. what is good for Israel, or even settlers for that matter. The philosophy you outlined of toughness & demands is based on justification, it falls entirely in line with the philosophy I posted above in the post. : )

[...] The writing was on the wall: Olmert's key mistakes, Mr. Peretz. (here, here, here, here, and here) [...]