You Decide: To kill or to be killed...

Ariel Sharon, and the supporters of the "Disengagement" from the Gaza Strip (and the expulsion of the thousands of Jews who lived there) promised that once Israel had completely withdrawn (read: retreated) from Gaza, Israel would no longer tolerate any terror attacks launched from Gaza, and Israel's response would be fierce and crushing.

Unsurprisingly enough, Ha'aretz reports that in the three and a half months since the IDF evacuated the settlements in the Gaza Strip and removed its bases from there, 230 incidents of Qassam fire have been recorded. In a significant portion of the incidents, more than one rocket was fired at a time.

Do the math - that's an average of over 2 Qassam rockets falling into Israel a day - and does not include the scores of rockets that for various reasons don't successfully reach Israel.

This past week alone:

* A Qassam rocket attack nearly took out the Ashkelon (Rottenberg) power plant, which provides electricity for more than a 3rd of the country (as well as our enemies in Gaza), and this was not the first time rockets have reached the industrial zone in Ashkelon. Ashkelon has become the new Sderot.

* A Qassam rocket attack was launched against an army base in the Ashkelon region, which wounded 5 soldiers. Israel's predictable response was, as reported by Ha'aretz, the IDF will begin working on strengthening defenses against Qassam fire on its boot camp base... The army plans to build a defensive wall around the tents to decrease shrapnel damage. The IDF acknowledges that even after the wall is erected it will be far from perfect in protecting the soldiers.

Build more walls - Israel's answer to every problem she faces.

Nearly 3 weeks ago, in the wake of the Netanya terror attack that killed six, and wounded scores more, Israel vowed a new, tough response to terror attacks, in particular Qassam rocket fire (courtesy of Ha'artez):

In the wake of the suicide bombing in Netanya on Monday, and the constant barrage of Qassam rockets on communities in the south of the country, Israel has decided to adopt a harsher response to the rocket fire.

Israeli artillery fire against the Qassam launchers that had been aimed, for the most part, only at open areas will now be directed also at built-up areas from where the rockets are being fired.

Ahead of the artillery fire at the built-up areas, the Israel Defense Forces will employ loudspeakers to ask the Palestinian residents to clear the area.

3 weeks have gone by in which rockets have continued to fall on Israel on a daily basis; on Jewish communities, army bases and power plants, and Israel's response is to build more walls, and to continue shelling empty fields.

In the meantime, our enemies continue to improve their abilities to destroy us. According to the IDF, as reported by Ha'aretz,

The Islamic Jihad terrorist organization has been upgrading their Qassam rockets... Islamic Jihad's shelling barrages during the past few weeks have been much more precise in finding their targets than in the past... Security sources believe Hamas is taking advantage of the relative calm in violence to focus on improving the Qassams' range. The sources said Hamas would soon be able to produce rockets with a range of some 15 kilometers.

Why is it that as the missile barrage continues to rain down upon Jewish communities, army bases and power plants, that Israel busies itself with building walls, early warning systems and shelling empty fields? Why is Israel unable to act before more Jews are killed?

The Talmud teaches us,

If Someone Comes to Kill You, Rise Up and Kill Him First

If this adage doesn't apply to the current situation in which Israel finds herself in, then when does it apply?!?

(Hat Tip: Joe Settler)

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