Israel må ikke forveksle taktikk og strategi, skriver Roger Cohen i Herald Tribune. Taktikk er det Israel gjør i Libanon. Men det må ikke forhindre at Israel vender tilbake til strategien, som er hvordan man kan få fred med naboene. Opprettelsen av en palestinsk stat er ikke til å unngå. Motviljen mot Hizbollah blant sunni-regimer, er en anledning Israel må gripe.

In the unease of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Gulf states at the actions and strength of Hezbollah lie new possibilities for Israel.

The rising Shiite tide has made traditional Sunni powers wary enough to half-side with Israel even as it bombs Beirut. Their criticism of Hezbollah’s «irresponsibility» has been extraordinary.

Olmert, with concerted American help, needs to reach out everywhere he can in a shifting Arab world to try to isolate Hezbollah and Hamas. One way to do that is to get back to working with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, on the two-state solution that alone can break the region’s destructive gyre.

Sharon Knew Centrality of Force, but Also Its Limits (sub only)