For nearly a week, Israel — or most of it — has come under a heavy barrage. Along with other terrorist organizations, Hamas has been launching hundreds of rockets day in, day out. Tel Aviv is being bombarded, as are the center of the country, the Sharon Plain region and Jerusalem and the communities in its environs. Considered safe only a year or two ago, all these places now fall within the Hamas' range of fire. This organization's genetic makeup contains a religious-divine edict and total commitment to annihilating the Zionist state. Hamas has been stockpiling these weapons, which are either homemade or have been smuggled into the Gaza Strip mainly from Iran and Syria via underground tunnels, the sea, Sudan or any other possible route. Monitoring this information for years, Israel had nonetheless demonstrated restraint. Addicted to quiet, it was willing to pay a price that no other country in the world would — namely, a routinely nonstop, low-keyed trickle of rockets and mortar shells on its southern towns and communities in what is known as the "Gaza periphery." That was true as long as the fire was confined to that area.
Now that is no longer the case. The fire has spread throughout almost the entire country. In recent days, Hamas has been attempting to target Haifa in the north, barely succeeding to graze it. The lesson is clear: If you cannot defend the southern town of Sderot, it will not be before long when you are unable to defend Tel Aviv.
