Unwritten Truce Between Israel and Gaza Over

No one really thought it would last, of course. Most probably thought it wouldn’t last as long as it did. But optimists – or the naïve – cheered the unwritten truce between Israel and Gaza militants that began two weeks ago. Over the weekend, they were disappointed. After militants in the Gaza region fired at least 10 mortar shells across the border, Israel promised a "harsh and disproportionate" response. That response came late on Sunday, when Palestinians reported explosions in the area, the result of Israeli warplanes dropping bombs on the Egypt-Gaza border region. Noted Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, "If there is shooting at residents of the south, there will be an Israeli response that will be harsh and disproportionate by its nature."

Israeli reported that their warplanes attacked six tunnels that Hamas operates and uses to smuggle weapons into Gaza. And, despite the retaliatory nature of the bombings, Hamas spokesman Taher Nunu noted that Israel’s threat was merely an effort to "find false pretexts to increase its aggression against the people [of Gaza]." Nunu undoubtedly alludes to the fact that Israel will be holding parliamentary elections on February 10, and that a tough stance on Gaza is a hot button issue for any Israeli politician.

Three candidates vying to replace the disgraced Omert, who will leave office after corruption charges forced him to resign, have also spoken out against the Gaza militants and have applauded their own country’s Gaza offensive. Two of the candidates, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, have actually deigned to take credit for the offensive. Meanwhile, the third candidates for premier, Benjamin Netanyahu, is speaking from outside government offices but is maintaining a hawkish stance, meaning that any move toward conciliation in the near future, despite the result of the elections, is unlikely.