An Opportunity Lost?

15 days of constant attention have focused on Gaza. Reality notwithstanding, Israel is perceived as the aggressor instead of the liberator of its residents from eight years of constant bombardment of rockets. Hamas has been elevated to new heights, its usage of its own people as human shields and its targeting innocent human beings on the enemy's side blatantly ignored.Hamas simply does not care about human life. Life in Hamas's Culture of Death is a disposable commodity, the more gruesome the death, the more it serves Hamas's purposes. The death of its own people is paraded for hours on satellite TV. The death of its enemy is a cause for celebration. Hamas wins either way (although rarely would its leaders be willing to give up their own lives – they are holed like rats in tunnels not daring to show their faces in the light of day or today's full moon).



Hamas operates from mosques, kindergartens and hospitals. None of this is new – imams often call for a holy war against the Jews and other non-believers from the loud speakers in mosques, not only in Gaza but also in Jerusalem. Kids are indoctrinated in hatred from early age, taught their highest achievement in life is to become shaids. Textbooks and cartoons, songs and videos are some means of dissemination of this indoctrination. In hospitals, Hamas operatives are dressed as doctors, using ambulances as safe means of transportation, "doctors" in a cult of death.



Last week I visited Soroka Hospital, 60 seconds from launch in Gaza to hit in Beer Sheva. The hospital is the embodiment of Israel – Bedouin, Arab and Jewish doctors, nurses and general staff working side by side. Jewish, Arab and Bedouin patients treated equally. All are in the same range of rockets, all likely to get hit, an equal opportunity target. In Israel Jews are dressed as doctors trying to save lives. In Israel one hospital after another shows the same: we are all part of one extended family.



The world is only interested in what is happening here insofar it has heightened the general consensus Israel is the evil regime. The world is determined that Jews need to be taken to the ovens, that an ages-old mission still awaits completion. This feeling has spread like fire the world over, ignited by Israel's fight for its survival and fed by every passing day during which Israel has not yet given up.



The global forces are aligning their interests. Turkey on the side of Hamas, escalating its rhetoric. Egypt and Jordan are playing a dual role, fulfilling their traditional role as a member of the Arab world but leaning toward Israel's resolve to fight Hamas. It is a mutual interest of all countries. Europe, not surprisingly, is facing an enemy from within – the spread of radical Islam – but even it has awoken.



Is Israel engaging in psyops, diverting the world's attention toward Hamas and Gaza, willing to pay a very dear price – the sudden explosion of Anti-Semitism the world over – for altogether a different reason? If so, this would be the biggest deceit of all. The world has conveniently turned its attention away from the Iranian ticking nuclear clock. Some even admitted months ago the world has decided to accept a nuclear Iran as a fait accompli.



Can it be that Israel has launched Operation Cast Lead after eight years of turning the other cheek to divert the world's attention from Iran? Is it possible that the next ten days will show the most brilliant, most daring operation ever attempted in recent or distant history?



Israel must deal with the Iranian threat. Iran is more advanced, both scientifically and technologically, more sophisticated and more driven in its quest to become the dominant global ruler. Some may dismiss this assessment. Let us be warned. Iran is already spreading westward toward the end of the Mediterranean and possibly over the Atlantic pond. Its advance must be stopped – before it is too late.



If it ever comes to it, Gaza can be obliterated in a millisecond. It does not pose the threat that Iran posses to Israel – stating (and is likely to carry out the threat) that Israel can be obliterated into nonbeing in less than a second.



The past two weeks are unique in recent memory. The leadership seems to have internalized a much greater threat than Hamas in Gaza. Redlines of the past were crossed and erased: Without any hesitation mosques and schools were hit in direct retaliation to launches and terrorist activities from within these same structures. A different course of events may be indicative that silent forces are acting in the background.



If Israel decides to embark on the one and only attempt to pay a visit to Iran, may the Force be with those chosen to carry out this mission. May they be focused on their mission, undeterred and unwavering in their commitment, swift as eagles and courageous as lions, may G-d the Almighty bestow His grace over them and return them safely to Israel.



May G-d bless Israel.