Return Fire

This morning Israel launched a military response to the years of Hamas (Palestinian) rocket attacks which were recently intensified upon the residents of southern Israel (cross to the Gaza border). It was a long time in coming and hopefully will be short lived in duration.

I do have several questions about this military operation:

1. What's the goal -- destroy the Hamas infrastructure and its governance of Gaza, (forcing the) returning Gilad Shalit, creating a demilitarized zone in Gaza, securing a period of quiet for previously shelled southern Israeli communities ...?
2. Is this a one time event or the start of a regular/occasional pattern of incursions in Gaza to quiet down the terrorist activities/rocket attacks?
3. How will international reaction (condemnation) be addressed?
4. How will the international PR/"propaganda" campaign be implemented, particularly in counteracting the Hamas/Arab propaganda campaign, especially when Israel bombs a heavily populated civilian site.
5. How will civilian casualties ("collateral damage") be minimized?

How much of this situation is attributable to the withdrawal from Gaza Ariel Sharon pushed through three summers ago? While the idea was a good one--Israel/Jews were settled in a massive Arab/Palestinian area (that not even the Egypt wanted to have despite its 'occupation' from 1948 - 1967)--it was poorly executed. Rather than being a planful event, ensure that the displaced residents had a place to go to easily start its life over, negotiate a real understanding with the Palestinian Authority that the vacated structures would be used for good instead of being thoughtlessly and wantonly vandalized/destroyed and that the border with southern Israel would remain quiet.

• Three years on, the evacuees remain destitute and there is no quiet or comfort along the southern border with Gaza.
• Gilad Shalit remains a prisoner of Hamas (though not necessarily the same faction that's governing Gaza).
• The people of Sderot and the surrounding kibbutzim and other communities including those further north can expect more rocket attacks in the coming days in response to Israel's incursion/operation against Hamas.

Will the cycle of violence end or is this yet another nail in the coffin?