"Stamping out evil"

I'm strongly convinced after fifty some years on the planet that the idea that the righteous will stamp out evildoers is an illusion.  Listen to the grim, strained voices of Israelis explaining why their most recent attack on Hamas resources is the justified only response they can make after being swarmed by rockets out of Gaza landing in their towns and neighborhoods.   Juxtapose that with the grim, strained voice of Gazan residents explaining that the air attacks on buildings, tunnels, homes, offices in the Strip have killed children and neighbors who have nothing to do with Hamas.

These voices are (in general) voices of the just,  ordinary people pushed to despair and anguish by the violence around them.   

Israel's attacks cannot succeed at stamping out the evildoers and stopping the rockets.   Gazans who do not support Hamas in the Gaza don't have any way of stopping Hamas from shooting rockets into Israel.   That being the case,  does the military response to Hamas serve Israel's interest?  Probably no more than the last incursion did.   Instead,  it fuels the stereotypes in the Arab street asserting that Israel is a monster bent on eradicating the Palestinians.   It takes some of the attention away from the Jewish state's own battle with out-of-control zealot settlers.  And so the cycles continue.

In fact, the only way to truly marginalize Hamas may be the hardest to carry out--politically with domestic audiences and internationally as well.   Hamas would lose much of its importance if the borders between Israel and the Gaza were open,  if Palestinians could shop and work and travel and purchase services.  It would be the outward focus and even welcoming actions of Israel to erase the differences  with Gazans by making them part of the Israeli economy and culture in ways they have not been allowed to do.   The price?  The risk of vulnerability to suicide bombers and other violence within Israel,  some increased public costs for the services which would have to be present.  And patience, immense patience---Jobian patience--- would be necessary because there would be mistrust and hostility for years.  But in the long haul,  this would be likely to take away Hamas' ability to be the 'one stop shopping movement' for Gazans and others.   And Israel would be seen as a a culture too open and mature to be goaded by rockets into what is happening now.   

Sadly this is probably the most unlikely strategy.  Shalom or Salaam.  Able and Cain.