By Gadi Baltiansky, in Israel Hayom

Date: 31.12.08

Last Saturday we surprised Hamas. Only their Allah knows why they were even surprised. What exactly were they expecting after the thousands of rockets they launched at the residents of the south? Did they think we'd ask for more? But now we must surprise them again. This time, by ending the operation. Not for their sake, but for our own sake.

As I am writing these words, the media is reporting (briefly and without even mentioning their names) on the deaths of two girls, 4 and 11 years old, residents of Beit Lahiyah in the Gaza Strip. These girls were killed as an unintentional and unavoidable result of the Air Force attacks. Because "the poor of my own town have prior rights" (a quote from the Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism), and the children of my own town also have prior rights, the question remains whether or not the death of these two girls can increase the security of our children in the south.

We can, for example, consider these two sisters' brothers, their cousins, their friends, and their neighbors. Do all these now become more moderate? Peace advocates? Or was the list of potential terrorists and rocket launchers only extended today? Those who can't easily find the answer would do well to think of the effect of terrorist attacks on the citizens of Israel.

An Israeli decision to enter a unilateral ceasefire would result in one of the following: Either Hamas continues its attacks, or it halts its fire. In the second, more desirable scenario, we'll see a diplomatic effort to reach an arrangement that guarantees the security of the residents of the south and the basic humanitarian needs of Gaza's residents. If the result is the first scenario, Israel would be free to respond anyway, this time with greater international backing and with wider public support (both of these will decrease as long as the current operation continues in its present framework). We've already displayed our power and deterrence—it is now time to display our sensibility.

A ground invasion of Gaza and further mutual killings would only strengthen hatred and decrease Israel's chances of achieving its existential interest: a final status agreement with the Palestinians. True, the leaders of Hamas aren’t our partners for a peace agreement, but the residents of Gaza are.

Therefore, we must arrive at peace negotiations with strength, but also with prospects. Israel's horizon is wider than that visible through military binoculars, and the crosshairs are useful only when we don't lose sight of the target.

We must remember that our goal is not limited to election day, does not conclude with a proper response to Qassams, and is not confined to the borders of shelters. We must aim for a state of our own—not a binational state. We are obligated to strive for sound relations with our neighbors and normal lives for our children. True, the path from Gaza to Geneva isn't short, but we must go forward on it. As a first step, we'll look for every chance to cease fire. Then, we’ll move to an accelerated political track that will lead to an agreement, because this is the only road to true security. Only then can we live up to the claim that the children of our own town do indeed have prior rights.