"If, as we all hope, the IDF is able to leave the latest round successfully and Hamas is hit and weakened, the time will have arrived for the victor to put out its hand to the defeated in an attempt at real dialogue of quiet between the two sides."--Former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy advises the government of Israel in a Yedioth Op-Ed.
- Report: Israel is world's most militarized country - Global Militarization Index: Middle East countries show highest degree of militarization in the world. Militarization defined by weighing military spending against gross domestic product, among other criteria. (Israel Hayom)
- A campaign pause? Officially, the political parties said they are freezing their campaigns following the military operation in Gaza. But after the fateful cabinet meeting, where it was decided to assassinate the Hamas military chief and set out on the campaign, all the ministers left and went to meetings for their party primaries. (Yedioth, p. 12)
- 'Allowing Olmert to return to politics will destroy the system' - Labor Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich says former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert should not be permitted to run in the upcoming elections. She also says there is no need to change the electoral system: "Even in the U.S., the system is not perfect." (Israel Hayom)
- Four rockets fired from direction of Sinai strike southern Israel - One of the rockets explodes inside moshav in Eshkol Regional Council on Egypt border; the other three strike citron field. (Haaretz+)
- Palestinians protest in West Bank; 2 Israelis injured - Israelis lightly wounded by stones hurled in Gush Etzion. Palestinians protest ahead of Palestinian Independence Declaration Day. (Ynet)
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