Once again, the scenario repats itself. Just as the moderates are getting close to actually making real progress towards a peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict, Islamic terrorists lash out and solicit the predictable Israeli reprisal. The vicious cycle then escalates and the moderates are left irrelevant. The peace process stalls.

What's needed is real breakthrough leadership. And, it must first come from the Israeilis who hold most of the cards. Instead of engaging in reprisal attacks, which often result in the loss of innocent life and simply stimulate more counter-reprisals, the Israelis should focus their efforts on bolstering defensive security.

By refraining from reciprocal reprisals, the Israelis would turn international public opinion their way. It would frustrate Hamas' and Islamic Jihad's goals of subterfuging the peace process. And, it would strengthen the hand of Palestinian moderates, giving them the political wherewithall to police their own. It would further isolate the Islamic terroriss in Gaza and West Bank from the moderate Arab community.

But every time the Israelis conduct a reprisal raid that results in the deaths of young children and other innocents, they lose the opportunity to retain the moral high ground. If such reprisals actually had the effect of ccurtailing palestinian terrorism, one could excuse the "collateral damage" as a consequence of self defense. But the simple fact is, these reprisals have done nothing to make Israeli citizens more safe and secure.

Israeli public opinion recongizes this. A poll published this morning shows 58% of the Israeli public believes such resprisal raids should be curtailed to enable Abbas to gain credibility and stbility among the Palestinian population.

Everytime a suicide attack occurs, my gut wrenches and I want to see the Israelis act vigorusly to wipe out the Hamas leadership. But following my gut hasn't helped the situation one bit - in fact, it has the opposite effect. Its time Mr. Sharon recognize this and react with his mind rather than his gut.