Israeli forces brought home another kidnap victim yesterday. After freeing Bedouin watchman Elkadi the IDF also located the grave of an Israeli killed on 7 Oct whose body had been carried off to Gaza. Both events are just small scenes from the continued IDF pressure on Hamas. There are still over 100 hostages in Hamas captivity. More than half are probably already dead. But the diplomatic arguments for a cease-fire agreement and release of prisoners just keep dragging on. Many Israelis believe the continuing military operations are the best way to put pressure on Hamas. Such activities might also locate Yihyah Sinwar (if he hasn’t already fled).
The IDF is also taking steps to prevent the fight from spreading to the West Bank. One aspect of those operations that that they can p any attempts to conduct terrorism almost before they begin. One of the aspects of these operations that the media tends to ignore is that it also is directed at keeping extremist “settlers” from taking the law into their own hands. The IDF record for avoiding Arab-settler violence is not pristine. Followers of Police Minister Ben-Gvir have taken advantage of his more extreme right wing views to attack Arab villages with an expectation that the police would not intervene. The army, however, is a slightly different matter. Ben Gvir may have strengthened his political position, but recent polls still show it to be weaker than the ultra-orthodox parties. The latter have been exposed to the real limits on their political power within the coalition by their failure to avert laws calling for the draft of yeshiva students. The big weapon in the hands of the lesser coalition parties is that they can bring down the current coalition government (which will also fall if they cannot agree on a new budget).
Wetherhorn 