Long Days and Nights

In these long days and nights, it can be fairly and accurately discerned that Israel has not seen such difficult times in quite awhile. Certainly not since the Lebanon war of 2006 eight years ago. The fact that rocket attacks, which are still pounding southern and central Israel are now falling out of the top headlines is something that speaks volumes about the current state of the conflict right now and just how rapidly new developments are happening.

However, this isn't the first time we as a nation have had to face trying times. There are hardly words to explain the courage, will and dedication of IDF soldiers on the front lines, and the sacrifices they're making in order to return quiet to the citizens of Israel and to defeat our enemies who want nothing less than our destruction. This is something that will never be achieved thanks to the fortitude and strength of the IDF. The resolve of the Israeli public and the overall support for the soldiers in action is nothing short of incredible as well.

IDF soldiers in Gaza. Bamahane

After many days of speculation following a Hamas announcement of having "kidnapped" a soldier in Gaza, the IDF has now in fact confirmed that indeed one soldier among those who were killed in an ambush after their APC was hit by an anti-tank missile has been unaccounted for. The likelihood of this soldier still being alive is extremely slim. However, any type of bargaining chip in Hamas' favor is extremely concerning to say the least. The most likely scenario is that Hamas may be in possession of the soldier's body, or parts of it, or even simply in possession of items on his person, such as dog tags, which are also found in a combat boot of every soldier. Still, this is a matter that is extremely worrying for the IDF and is being investigated in every scope as thoroughly as possible. Defense Minister Ya'alon additionally raised some eyebrows this weekend with his prematurely optimistic remarks referring to the time frame of this current operation. He stressed that the ongoing mission against the tunnel infrastructure in Gaza will be completed in two or three days. A prediction that no longer seems realistic. Within the Israeli cabinet this statement was greeted with displeasure and called irresponsible and potentially psychologically damaging. Today the IDF clarified that an additional one to two weeks would be necessary in order to satisfactorily complete the operation.

Perhaps the biggest headline of the day though has been the news that the FAA in America has advised all US airlines to halt flights to Tel Aviv. It's hard to present this action as anything other than a perverse Hamas victory. This regulation came after a rocket landed in the backyard of a house in Yehud, just north of Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. It is too early to tell just how long this restriction will hold, however, there are already some indications that certain European airlines may be following suit as well. In any case, this only adds more credence to the argument regarding ceding control over the West Bank. If rockets from Gaza can reach Israel's sole international airport and severely disrupt life during the peak of summer's tourist season, we can only imagine what the possibilities could be if the West Bank were to fall into chaos following a prospective Israeli withdrawal.