Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Moshe Ya\'alon says that last year\'s withdrawal from Lebanon is partially to blame for the current warfare: \"It was perceived in the Arab consciousness as a sign that Israel was becoming weak, and encouraged the Arabs to continue attacking on other fronts,\" he told a convention of Public Administration officials in Jerusalem last night. \"This conflict is the most significant one since the War of Independence, and it will have ramifications on how the Arab world perceives Israel\'s standing power… The victor will be the one who has greater ability to withstand.\"