what the prez is suggesting is that we just have to "close our eyes" to reality and put our faith in our enemies - which is hardly the wisest way to go about anything, let alone negotiating away the future of the country
Shimon Peres has done it.

He has succeeded far beyond any of his predecessors, and made one of the most remarkably obtuse public statements ever made by an Israeli president (and there's plenty of competition for that coveted title).

Speaking to a group of Diaspora Jewish leaders in Jerusalem on Monday, Peres said that "making peace is a little bit like marriage - you have to close your eyes and accept what is possible to accept."

Leaving aside what the remark says about the president's view of his own wife, Peres' statement is highly revealing about what the father of Oslo sees as the best way to forge a deal with our enemies.

Essentially, what the prez is suggesting is that we just have to "close our eyes" to reality and put our faith in our enemies - which is hardly the wisest way to go about anything, let alone negotiating away the future of the country.

I wouldn't want a bus driver who "closes his eyes", nor a surgeon, a quarterback or any other professional who slams shut his lids before proceeding. 

Why, then, would we want our political leadership to do so?

If this is the kind of thinking that guides Israel's would-be peacemakers, then the kind of peace they are after is most certainly one that we can all do without.

The police will be providing security today for reputed criminals planning to attend another criminal's burial. Does this make sense to anybody out there?
In a classic mob-style hit yesterday in Tel Aviv, reputed mafia chieftain Yaakov Alperon was killed in broad daylight when an explosive device went off as he got into his car.

According to Israeli media reports, various leading underworld figures are expected to attend Alperon's funeral today, and since police fear the outbreak of an "all-out mob war", they will be out in large numbers to provide security at the event.

Yes - you read that correctly. The police will be providing security today for reputed criminals planning to attend another criminal's burial.

Does this make sense to anybody out there?

Hmmm, let's see. The government says it doesn't have enough money to protect Jewish communities adjacent to Gaza from Palestinian rocket fire, and it claims it lacks the funds to invest in improving the country's hospitals, schools and other vital infrastructure.

It also insists that the police lack the necessary manpower to enforce traffic laws or crack down on crime.

But when it comes to safeguarding members of the mob, there seems to be no problem marshalling up the necessary funds.

It is nice to see our tax dollars being put to good use.

This is a golden window of opportunity to strike a blow against Palestinian irredentism, especially since the odds are that an Obama White House will be far less inclined to support Israel in its war on terror.
Not content with firing barrages of rockets at Israeli towns such as Sderot and Netivot, Palestinian terrorists in Gaza this morning turned their attention to the southern coastal city of Ashkelon.

Shortly after launching 8 Qassam rockets into the western Negev, which left one Israeli injured with shrapnel wounds, the terrorists then unloaded 5 Grad rockets onto Ashkelon in an attempt to sow panic among thousands more Israelis.

The barrage comes less than 24 hours after Israel passed a message to Hamas via Egyptian intermediaries pleading for a continuation of the cease-fire. Hamas' response came in the form of potentially lethal explosive projectiles.

Instead of continuing to appease the terrorists, now is precisely the time for Israel to storm into Gaza and put them out of commission, before the Obama administration comes to power. In these, the waning days of the Bush presidency, Israel is far less likely to come under pressure should it launch an extensive counter-terror operation to undermine Hamas.

This is a golden window of opportunity to strike a blow against Palestinian irredentism, especially since the odds are that an Obama White House will be far less inclined to support Israel in its war on terror.

But don't get your hopes up, as there seems to be little chance of Israel's leadership undertaking such a bold move. After all, they've done virtually nothing to stop the rocket fire until now, so don't expect a sudden change of course.

Most American Jews chose to vote for the Democrats, but what they got instead are the Defeatocrats, and ultimately it is Israel that will be made to pay the price.
In the weeks leading up to the US election, various reports surfaced suggesting that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama was the favored candidate among the terrorists of Hamas.

Nonetheless, an estimated 78 percent of US Jews went ahead and cast their ballots for him anyway.

Well, now there is confirmation from Hamas that they have been holding talks for some time with Obama's advisers.

Ahmed Yousuf, political adviser to Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, told the London-based Arabic daily Al-Hayat that "We were in contact with a number of Obama's aides through the Internet, and later met with some of them in Gaza, but they advised us not to come out with any statements, as they may have a negative effect on his election campaign and be used by Republican candidate John McCain (to attack Obama)."

Yousuf described the contacts with Obama's aides as "ongoing", said he is still in touch with them, and went on to suggest that Obama's Middle East policy "will differ from that of his predecessor George W. Bush".

There you have it - proof positive that Obama just can't wait to start talking with Hamas, cuddling up with them, and ultimately appeasing them, despite their bloody record of terror against the Jewish state.

Most American Jews chose to vote for the Democrats, but what they got instead are the Defeatocrats, and ultimately it is Israel that will be made to pay the price.

Don't say we didn't warn you.

More than 35 Palestinian rockets slammed into the Negev yesterda, including three which hit the port city of Ashkelon, sparking panic among parents of schoolchildren
While much of the world is busy marveling over the election results in the US, Palestinian terrorists in Gaza are exploiting the opportunity to fire salvos of rockets and projectiles at Israel's southern towns and cities.

More than 35 Palestinian rockets slammed into the Negev yesterda, including three which hit the port city of Ashkelon, sparking panic among parents of schoolchildren. Since the rockets were fired during the day, and the schools in Ashkelon are not specially reinforced, many rushed to take their children home to safety.

Quite a way to live, isn't it?

And just how did Israel's government react to this violation of the "truce" by Hamas, which has been in place for several months?

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told reporters in response that Israel "does not plan to violate the truce."

In other words: don't expect the caretaker government now in place to actually take measures to defend the public. Sure, they might launch a pinpoint operation here and there, but a full-blown operation to subdue the terrorists?

Apparently, that is asking for too much.