"The last thing Israel wants is casualties. Israelis know how Arafat uses ‘martyrdom,’ especially children’s deaths, to advance his aims. But when a mob attacks Israeli checkpoints, the soldiers know exactly what awaits them if it is overrun – lynching and mutilation, as the world saw in Ramallah. They have to fight back…

"Making [Arafat] pay does not mean mowing down demonstrators – although some telegenic massacre to rally the world to his side would be Arafat’s fondest wish. No. Israel’s response must be calibrated but powerful: retake some of the territory… that Israel gave Arafat under the Oslo agreements…

"For 52 years, Israelis have been ready to talk peace. But the idea of a final peace is for dreamers. We’ve just been there. Barak offerred Arafat a generous final peace – and Arafat told him to go to hell… Of course, everyone wants that final peace, but that will only happen when the Arabs decide that Israelis are … not temporary (like the Crusaders: A century or two is temporary in that neighborhood) and have a right to be there" (Jerusalem Post, 2k.10.30, p. 8). As I’ve mentioned before (2,000 ‘Temple Mount’ War…), it’s essential that Israel’s strategy be adjusted to this longer time frame, and Israeli PR – presently an absurd laughingstock with few exceptions – explain the conflict to world media in terms of this longer time frame.