>>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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>They have little or no credibility outside the Arab world and their political base is centered around those who want the destruction of Israel. Rather than being destroyed politically, they would be complimented on their victory and find additional support for additional attacks.

No matter how it is sliced, Hezbollah has established itself as a political force and a humanitarian force in Lebanon as well as being a terrorist (maybe they call themselves 'freedom fighters') organization.
With that they have integrated themselves all through (at least) southern Lebanon, the consequence of which is that to claim to want to go in and eradicate Hezbollah really means going and and blowing much of southern Lebanon to smitherines, along with the peole who live there, Hezbollah supporters or not.

That makes, like it or not, the act of bombing populated places in Lebanon a NON-STARTER. Sadly, Hezbollah has got themselves into a pretty unique situation, no doubt by design, but that doesn't give Israel or any other warring country the "right" to go in and blow up people's homes and workplaces and places of worship, pamphleted or not. Period.

Israel, with the help of other countries, HAS TO TALK TO THESE ENTITIES. It is not an admission of guilt or loss of pride to talk to your enemy. Sooner or later - maybe in a hundered years, but sooner or later - the parties will have to talk anyway. Is it necessary to to put them so low first?

Form 2 kidnaped soldiers to 385+ PEOPLE DEAD counting both sides. 2 kidnapped versus 35 DEAD now for the Israeli side. Tell me that makes sense.
"A sustainable cease-fire" is a boatload of crap. No cease-fire there will ever be "sustainable" as long as Israel contiunes to look for complete and total submission of their enemies. They have 58 years of proof on that front.

They've gotta talk. There is no other way. Looking for 'contrition' works when dealing with kids but has no hope with a group that sees no hope. At best you'll get malicious compliance to give time for re-grouping.