The decision to order a major ground offensive is wretched. The government has fallen into the trap that Hassan Nasrallah laid for it.

This is exactly what Nasrallah wants - IDF soldiers deep in Lebanon. He's got all the traps ready in familiar territory. We will discover that this dreadful decision will be very grave in terms of unnecessary bloodshed.

Instead of accepting the United Nations cease-fire and preparing to welcome an international force to help the Lebanese army clear southern Lebanon, we are plowing back into the Lebanese quagmire.

Surely anyone can recognize that even if we clean the last rocket out of Lebanon, without the Lebanese army and an international force, Hizbullah will rearm and return for another round.

So I urge the government, don't attempt to get rid of the last missile; work for an international force and it will clear out the missiles and keep them out.

And involve the Syrians in this. Syria can play a role in disarming Hizbullah. Return the Shaba Farms to Syria, and draw the Syrians in. This is a much more sensible path to a solution.

The writer, a colonel in the IDF reserves, is a Meretz Knesset member.