Violence only leads to more violence

First came the punishing blockade. Then followed the onslaught of raids. With the possibility of a full-scale Israeli attack on Gaza, the suffering of the Palestinians has yet to be ended. Unless a lasting and peaceful solution is pursued, violence will just keep escalating until it reaches the point of no return.

Israeli raids over the past few days have killed more than 60 Palestinians, including children and an infant as well. Israel has justified the air strikes as retaliation against the rockets that have been fired by Palestinian fighters. "We will make the terrorists pay a very heavy price. We are at the height of this battle and we will pursue it until the danger threatening residents in the south ends," said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

But have the continued pounding of the artillery and surgical air strikes ever been able to resolve the problem? Has the iron-fisted approach ever been capable of bringing about a lasting peace?

The ground reality in Gaza is one of desperation as the vast majority of people are trying to survive an impoverishing siege. The Israeli blockade has gravely worsened the life of the 1.5 million population, so much so that it has pushed them to a dangerous level of despair.

As US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begins her tour in the region this week, efforts to bring the peace process back on track should also be realistic. There has to be an end to the Palestinians' suffering in order to break the impasse in the current negotiations.

It is crucial that major players take on the responsibility of finding an end to the agony of the Palestinians. It is naïve in fact to assume that resorting to more violent tactics will ease the tensions. On the contrary, it will lead to uncontrollable consequences.