The noose is tightening around Hamas...

...And Israel is not the only one pulling the rope.

France's President Nicolas Sarkozy, in spite of his country's well-known relatively moderate stance with regard to Hamas, has recently stepped up remarks clearly aimed at Hamas's continuing policy of rocket-firing. This has not gone unnoticed in the Mideast, and represents a shift in France's policy. It also implies, given Europe's relative silence on the subject, an implicit agreement by European leaders with his tactics.

Tony Blair has just announced his opinion that in order for any future ceasefire be realistic, "Clear and definite action" must be taken in order to stop the influx of money and weapons, rocket components in particular, from Egypt into Gaza

This means the destruction of the existing tunnel network, with all that it implies, and underscores the general opinion in diplomatic cicles that Israel will not stop its offensive until it obtains real guarantees concerning rocket-firing into Israeli territory.

Hamas, with its stubborn refusal to end rocket-firing (a tactic that is not designed with any military objective in view), shall shortly fall foul of the same international opinion it wishes to enlist.

It is becoming increasingly clear to all that the continuation of rocket-firing is carried out with no regard for the population of Gaza. Hamas know very well that it cannot, and shall not be permitted to, claim any kind of victory this time.

Moreover, if they continue this policy, there are increasing signs that even the population of Gaza will finally blame them for the continuation of the killing.

The noose is tightening........