Remember Gilad Shalit?

Remember Gilad Shalit? Of course you do. He was the young Israeli soldier whose rescue was supposedly why Israel started this madness.

Somewhere, over the last few weeks, he's fallen out of the picture - simply ceased to be mentioned. His rescue has been replaced as a motivating factor by the destruction of Hizbullah.

Israel's actions in Gaza always appeared to be contrary to their war aims, which at the time was the rescue of young Mr Shalit; indeed, their actions seemed almost designed to ensure his death.

However, now that the war is in full swing, the daily atrocities themselves provide the reason for why the war must continue and the rescuing of Mr Shalit and the others can safely be placed on a back burner. What need is there to mention Gilad when Haifa is being attacked by rockets? When eight Israelis have been killed and six injured in the deadliest assault on Israel since the campaign began?

Last night Hizbullah rockets hit a village outside Nazareth, home to Israel's biggest Arab community, and the town of Afula. At 33 miles from the Lebanese border, they are the southernmost targets to have been struck so far.

Israeli jets hit army bases in Tripoli, Lebanon's second largest city, and Abdeh, killing at least nine Lebanese soldiers and injuring many more.

Earlier, at least 16 civilians were killed after a bomb flattened a building near the southern Lebanese town of Tyre. Five members of one family were killed in a strike in Aitaroun. All were visiting expatriate Lebanese who held Canadian citizenship. Around 140 Lebanese civilians have been killed so far. At least 12 Israeli civilians have died as well as 12 soldiers and sailors.

The leaders of the G8 yesterday briefly mentioned the two other soldiers kidnapped by Hizbullah and called for their release, but one got the distinct impression that their names were lifted only as a way of avoiding calling for an Israeli ceasefire. The name of Gilad Shalit was never mentioned.

The G8 called for Israel to exercise “utmost restraint”, which made one wonder if they had been paying any attention at all to what has been taking place. Restraint is the last thing the Israelis have been exercising. Indeed, the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert said, “Nothing will deter us, whatever far-reaching ramifications there may be regarding our relations on the northern border and in the region.”

So the madness continues. And the United States, the only country with the power to force the Israelis back from the brink, conspicuously refuses to do so. Indeed, they almost goad the Israelis on to further excess.

It should be obvious to even the most casual observer that, if the goal of this operation is to ensure the rescue of kidnapped soldiers, then it is time for a rethink. The mission is not going to plan.

But the mission has changed, the original reasoning has been discarded, the aims of the war are now the complete destruction of Hizbullah.

And, with that change of mission, young Gilad Shalit lies, like a thrown away photograph, floating down a gutter.

But I remember Gilad. I hope he is still alive. I hope one day he will see his family again.

But the actions of Ehud Olmert and George Bush make that seem ever less likely.

Whatever their actual aims are in pursuing the deadly course on which they have embarked, it has nothing to do with ensuring the survival of this nineteen year old boy.

For that alone, they should be deeply ashamed.

Tags: Olmert, Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Gilad Shalit, Hamas, Hizbullah, capture, kidnap, Lebanon,