IDF Extending Its Gaza Stay

As I originally predicted, the "temporary" Israeli "incursion" into the Gaza Strip they foolishly abandoned to their Palestinian terrorist enemies nearly a year ago is inexorably evolving into a creeping reoccupation-in-self-defense:

The Security Cabinet approved a deeper military incursion into the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, following the Kassam that demonstrated a new, longer range by landing in an Ashkelon school on Tuesday night.

The IDF has been given the green light to enter residential areas, but will not reoccupy the Gaza Strip, an official at the meeting said. A buffer zone will be created in the northern part of the Strip. ...

Defense Minister Amir Peretz ordered the IDF to increase its activities in the Gaza Strip as part of "Operation Summer Rains."

Peretz stressed that one of the goals of the operation was to "remove the threat of Kassams."

Ze'ev Boim, a member of the cabinet said, "as far as I'm concerned, the people of (northern Gaza towns) Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya can start packing."

The Israeli cabinet can issue all the reassurances it wants about not reoccupying Gaza, but that question is begged by the very premise of their expanded "incursion." All the Pals have to do is keep getting longer and longer range rockets - not, presumeably, an insurmountable task since Gaza isn't exactly a huge piece of real estate - and they've already demonstrated that they cannot be deterred from using them to bombard Israeli cities. The logical end result, if the premise of "Summer Rains" is to remain consistent, will be the complete retaking of Gaza to eliminate the threat that, frankly, cannot be suppressed any other way. The alternative would be another retreat from Gaza, which would be tantamount to dangling cheesburgers in front of Michael Moore. From the frying pan, in other words, into the fire.

Will Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his Kaditha nullities be intimidated by "world" accusations of "ethnic cleansing" against the very people that are trying to do the same thing to the Jews? The latter had better hope and pray not, less the downside of Golda Meir's infamous vow ("We will not die so that the world will think better of us.") take another giant step towards realization. The Pals who elected Hamas to provoke such "incursions" had better supplicate Allah for better ballot judgment as well.

UPDATE: This isn't an encouraging sign:

Israel sent conflicting signals Friday on whether it would be willing to swap Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Shalit's release. Public Security Minister Avi Dichter suggested Israel could be ready to cut a deal that would include Israel freeing some Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture.

If there is calm, "Israel will need to, after some time, release prisoners as a reciprocal gesture," Dichter said. "Israel knows how to do this. Israel has done this more than once in the past."

He was referring to previous prisoner swaps _ usually in deals that free far more Palestinians than Israelis. Privately, Israeli officials have said they did not rule out talks in Shalit's case, either.

This cannot be about Corporal Shalit. He was simply the trip-wire for much larger issues of Israeli security and survival that would never have arisen in the first place if the Jewish state hadn't acquiesed in its own disembowelment to allow its blood enemies to move into its very midst. Israel has gone an awfully long way down this road, and the way back will be a lot bloodier - but not as bloody as it will be if they don't reverse course, which cannot happen if they allow themselves to be paralyzed by the fate of one man.

[h/t CQ]