Saving Cpl Gilad

Remember the movie Saving Private Ryan? It is about a World War 2 story in which the American army goes behind enemy line to save Private James Ryan so that his mother will at least have him home safely after his three brothers were killed in action.

How much of this is mirrored in Israel’s latest military incursion into Palestine and Syria in the past two days as the attacks are meant to save 19-year-old Cpl. Gilad Shalit who was kidnapped by three Hamas-affiliated groups on Sunday.

The Israeli offensive began early Wednesday with the army sending tanks and thousands of troops into Gaza. Then in the evening, the military fired artillery near Gaza City as warplanes launched missiles in northern and southern Gaza.

Media reports said that earlier today, Israeli warplanes buzzed the seaside home of Syria's president and bombed Hamas targets in Gaza as well. It was reported that fighter jets also knocked out electricity and water supplies for most of the 1.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip. And three bridges were destroyed to keep militants from moving Cpl. Gilad.

For its part, the Hamas-led Palestinian government is ready for a prisoner swap with Israel, but standing firm that the offensive will not secure the soldier's release. The Israel government has rejected this exchange deal.

So far there have been no casualties, just yet. But it is surely bound to happen soon.

No one knows how long the Israeli attacks will continue but I am a tad bit suspicious over the reason for the offensive. Could it really be that an elderly Jewish mother has suddenly become so important for the government that it mobilizes the entire armed forces to save her son?

Or could there be some other motives? Like sending a warning to the Hamas-led government not to be too clever in sponsoring future terrorism attacks perhaps?

Whatever it is, Israel is just running the risk of sparking a major war in the region. As it is, the Syrians have started to fire on the raiding Israeli jets.

And as in the previous cases, there is bound to be a revenge attack by the Palestinians – either by suicide bombings inside Israel or by kidnapping even more Israelis.

I have mentioned this before; that this is just another vicious cycle with no end, only causing the losses of innocent lives.