The war was supposed to be over, but on Friday morning, everyone was waiting for 8 a.m. Reason indicates that there was no reason for Hamas to fire rockets at Israel, but what place has reason played in the terrorist group's decision-making since the war began a month ago? Hamas is playing poker with the lives of the population of Gaza. It knows that its cards are weak, but is keeping them close to the chest. The group's threats to start shooting again don't show that it's eager to fight. The opposite: it is making threats, and might even fire, because the Palestinian delegation led by representatives of PA President Mahmoud Abbas and especially the Egyptian hosts are refusing to respond to Hamas' blackmail. Israel came to Egypt in a conciliatory mood, prepared to expand Gaza's fishing zone and transfer funds to pay salaries (although through the PA budget, not directly to Hamas) and possibly even send concrete to Gaza on the condition it can be proved that it will be used to build factories and not tunnels. Israel isn't even negating the possibility of releasing some of the terrorist operatives who were returned to prison during the search for the Israeli teens who were kidnapped and murdered by Hamas. But as a gesture to Abbas, not because Khaled Mashaal asked. In a situation like this, Hamas might start shooting. Israel's 30-day-old expectation that Hamas has been deterred has not proven itself. The Israeli meteorologist does not understand the clouds of terrorism. If Hamas indeed carries out its plans to shoot, it will be an important test that lets us understand just how psychologically determined Israel is. The reservists called up have gone home. The regular soldiers have kicked off their boots and closed their eyes in a "warrior's sleep," as it was put in Amos Kenan's book. It's hard to put on the equipment again and go back to the watchtower or the pilot's seat, but that is exactly what we have to do, and powerfully. To state things as clearly as possible: It's true that the Israel policy has been and remains, "Quiet will be met with quiet," but the time has passed (I hope) that occasional shooting will be met with occasional shooting. No more slow escalation. One rocket, a single mortar shell -- and the Israel Defense Forces will respond to the drizzle with a deluge -- to a drop with a storm. This is an important test for the Israeli spirit. This is a response that will be understood in the language of bullies accepted throughout the Middle East. People will argue that doing do will hurt Israel's position in enlightened public opinion. It's already hurt. Journalist David Witzthum of Channel 1 said Thursday that the writer Amos Oz appeared on German television and asked his interviewer what he would do if he saw his neighbor sitting his son on a window ledge and shooting at him from behind the child, or digging a tunnel from his yard to the interviewer's home? The man just replied with a shrug. Israel has no fair Western representative. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has placed himself at the front of the wave of anti-Semitism. Maybe we should respond to his remarks as Rabbi Yoel Bin-Nun suggested and prepare an international committee to investigate the crimes committed by Hamas and the U.N. Relief and Works Agency -- and they are many. At any rate, there is no reason to remain limp-wristed in the face of rocket fire. From now on, the formula should be: "Quiet will be met with quiet, rockets will be met with bombing."
