>>>Hezbollah, along with its supporters in Iran, have called for the destruction of Israel. Not that Israel return to pre-1967 borders, but that Israel be wiped off the face of the map. If indeed Israel limits it's killing of Hezbollah members, what is an acceptable number?
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>>Since talking about acceptable numbers doesn't make much sense, then any number is acceptable? Why not a thousand. Ms. Rice seems to have given Israel a few weeks time to achieve that. If Israel indeed limits it is killing of Hezbollah members.
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>And you believe that is possible in war, to avoid civilian casualties? If so, please state the war where this occurred.

Well, it was you who started with "If indeed Israel...". My point was that "Since talking about acceptable numbers doesn't make much sense, than any number is acceptable?". And since Israel is already using the same excuse (that civilians will die anyway), they seem to take little care to avoid civilian deaths. And ms. Rice proposes to wait a few weeks? For what, to see how many Lebanese cities will be flattened?

>>What if Israel offered, out of the blue, to return into pre-1967 borders and stop bombing Gaza, and open the border between Gaza and Egypt? Both Hamas and Hezbollah (and Fatah, for that matter) would immediately lose any support if they kept fighting after that. They'd lose their primary reason to exist. They'd be destroyed politically. And... wasn't that the goal of Israel?
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>I doubt that Hamas and Hezbollah would lose their support

Not that much, but they'd have different responsibility - to build a country now, not to recruit fighters to liberate it. They could claim victory, claim they are the liberators - but very soon they'd have to get down to providing water, electricity, phones, education.

>and although I am not terribly well-informed on the complexities of the West Bank, it's my general belief that moving back to pre-1967 borders is in Israel's best interest.

Agree here.

>However, I don't think Hamas and Hezbollah would lose their support if that were to occur. I think they are intent on the destruction of Israel.

Funny that all this happened just a day after Hamas expressed a will to recognize Israel and negotiate. As usual, whenever there's a good chance for peace, something hits the fan on either side.