According to Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni the IDF offensive has been “serving the interest of the Palestinian people” but, as the Haaretz makes clear, it no longer serves Israel’s interests as defence officials back an immediate Gaza cease-fire. The military establishment has concluded that escalating the conflict by launching phase three would be unwise. They feel that Israel “achieved several days ago all that it possibly could in Gaza” and are even prepared to withdraw before they have a UN force on the Egyptian border (to block the smuggling of basic food and medicines among other things – infuriating when your trying to starve a defenceless population into submission).
One might ask, what have they achieved? They have committed, according to the UN President of the General Assembly, acts of genocide against the Palestinian people and have yet failed in their goals of eliminating Hamas, stopping the rockets, or even blocking the Palestinain supply route through Egypt.
In short, Israel’s attempt to militarily dominate the Palestinian people has been a complete failure. Will the massacre of Palestinians have helped Kadima and Labour defeat Likud in the election? I have a sick feeling it will. I’ve heard of blood for oil, now Israel has brought us blood for votes.
Senior defense establishment officials believe that Israel should strive to reach an immediate cease-fire with Hamas, and not expand its offensive against the Palestinian Islamist group in Gaza.
During meetings of the Israel Defense Forces General Staff and of the heads of the state’s other security branches, officials have said that Israel achieved several days ago all that it possibly could in Gaza.
The officials expressed reservations about launching the third phase of Operation Cast Lead, preferring for it to remain a threat at this stage.
They added that it is better to cease the offensive now, just several days before the inauguration of new U.S. President Barack Obama.
Israel has proven, the officials said, that it is no longer deterred from either launching such an operation, from a confrontation with Hamas, from deploying ground forces or from using its reservists.
Some of the officials said that Israel can withdraw from Gaza even before Egypt deals with the issue of arms smuggling into Gaza from underground tunnels, as long as Israel threatens to respond swiftly and harshly to any Hamas truce violations.
In contrast to similar discussions from last week, there is a significant decrease in support among top defense brass for an expansion of the operation.
Among the minority who support broadening the Gaza operation are members of GOC Southern Command, who feel it should take place on the condition it be limited to several months’ time, and the Shin Bet security service, which thinks a continuation would further weaken Hamas and bring Israel more favorable truce conditions.
P U L S E 
I sure wish you’d started that headline with the word “Some”… it sounded for a moment as though we had an end to this round of carnage, and it’s a sneaky way to get people to click… used by the pros, I know, but subtracts from trust.
The headline also threw me, 99. I have taken up your excellent suggestion and taken the liberty of amending our Dave’s headline.
Thanks. :-)