Is there a secret Israeli Death Wish?

There is an interesting pathology that occurs in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The Palestinians feel the heat of the Israeli kitchen; they call for a ceasefire truce. Israel accepts the truce and then inevitably the Palestinians violate their truce. Then Israel turns on the heat and the Palestinians cry truce. It is repeated over and over to without the slightest change or deviation in the pattern. The interesting part is why successive Israeli Administrations continue to commit to the same course of action.

Late last week Islamic Jihad presented Hamas with a truce agreement to present to Israel. Israel laughed and then accepted the truce. All the terror masters were on board. Ynet News carries Olmert’s statement on the matter:

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said during a visit to the Bedouin town of Rahat Sunday, that, “I hope the ceasefire will take effect in the West Bank as well, although it currently does not apply there; however, the responsibility and good will may lead to the beginning of serious, open and direct negotiations between us and the Palestinians.”

The prime minister added: “In the past few weeks the Israeli and Palestinian offices have been in constant contact, and there are understandings; but these must mature into negotiations, and I hope this will happen soon.

Olmert and Vice Premier Shimon Peres visited Rahat for the inauguration of a high school in the city. Olmert recounted the decision on the ceasefire, saying, “Last night (Saturday) the head of the Palestinian Authority (Mahmoud Abbas) called to inform me of the Palestinian factions’ decision on a ceasefire, the cessation of all acts of violence, including arms smuggling through tunnels, sending suicide bombers and firing Qassams. “We both agreed that both sides would make every effort so this ceasefire would go into effect this morning,” he said. Olmert added that he took into account that ceasefires are not immediately implemented but "I ordered all IDF forces to leave the Gaza Strip. Although there are still breaches from the other side, I ordered troops to show restraint and to give the ceasefire a chance."

He also said: "Hamas said this morning that we are not in talks with them, because firing Qassams is a violation of the commitment. The State of Israel is a strong country and it has enough power to fight terror and also to show restraint and give a chance for the ceasefire to take hold, as Abu Mazen promised us. We will show restraint and responsibility, certainly in the coming days."

Just hours after the truce went into effect this happened (Reuters report):

GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian militants fired several rockets at Israel from Gaza on Sunday just hours after the start of a ceasefire aimed at ending five months of bloodshed in the impoverished coastal strip. The truce, which has raised the possibility that moribund Middle East peacemaking could be revived, is designed to end rocket attacks and halt a crushing Israeli army offensive.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the ceasefire may lead to "real negotiations" between Israel and the Palestinians. He also said Israel will "show restraint" in coming days over the ceasefire violations.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate, ordered his security forces to ensure the ceasefire held, but it was unclear whether they would use force to prevent rocket fire.

Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for launching at least five rockets into southern Israel and said it would not agree to a ceasefire unless Israeli military activity also ended in the occupied West Bank. No one was hurt in the attacks. "There is no way to talk about a truce as long as aggression continues on any of our land," the group said in a statement. The armed wing of the governing Hamas Islamic group said it fired two rockets, but Hamas political leaders pledged to obey the ceasefire. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of Abbas's Fatah movement, also said they fired two rockets.

Israel has threatened to respond if salvoes continue, but Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said it was too early to say the Gaza agreement was unraveling. "We have to see this as the start of an opportunity. We are at the initial hours of this process," she told Army Radio. Palestinian cabinet spokesman Ghazi Hamad said the Hamas-led government would speak to the factions which violated the truce. "We are committed to the agreement on calm," Hamad said.

So we have all the Palestinian Terror Masters onboard for a ceasefire and once the Israelis commit to the truce and withdraw their soldiers; all three terror groups claim responsibility for firing rockets into Sderot. But Israel’s Prime Minister promises to “show restraint” over ceasefire violations and Hamas promises to speak to the “guilty” parties. An Islamic Jihad spokesmen now claim there can be no ceasefire until Israel ceases as military activity in the West Bank which was not part of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says it’s ‘too early to see if the Gaza agreement is unraveling.’

The Israeli Foreign Minister is the best case I can make for why everyone should be well grounded in history. What is ludicrous is why any Israeli Administration commits to these ridiculous ceasefires when nothing material ever changes on the ground. When your enemy cries “Uncle” that should be a major heads up as the time to forge forward and not retreat.

But what do I know? I am just a blogger watching from the safety of my flat screen in Toronto. Now if I was a citizen of Sderot, I might give serious consideration to what I can do to bring the current Israeli administration down before an incoming landed in my kitchen during the “ceasefire”. I can’t speak with authority on Israeli boys per say, but as a mother of sons, I do know my boys have a tendency to get a tad unruly when I cannot cook in my kitchen.