Is NYT Blaming Israel For Gaza Fight?

The NYTimes report on Israel's build up on the Gaza border in response to Hamas rocket attacks on Southern Israel points a finger of blame at Israel -- the same Israel that just concluded an ill-conceived withdrawal from occupied territories. For example:

The new [Israeli] offensive dubbed ''Operation First Rain'' dashed hopes that Israel's recently completed Gaza withdrawal would help restart peace talks and left a seven-month-old cease-fire teetering on the brink of collapse.

Offensive? It is an offensive to strike back when you're struck first? And it was Israel's operations that "dashed hope," not the fact that Hamas has fired 40 rockets into southern Israel, injuring six Israelis living innocently within their own internationally recognized borders?

What would the NYT have Israel do? Withdraw from occupied territories and continue to endure stoicly attacks on its own territory.

Those who theorized that Sharon always expected this to happen and slyly traded settlers homes for international acceptance of a subsequent crushing of Hamas are looking more prescient by the moment.