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Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Israeli Troops in Gaza

Israeli military begins large scale troop drafting.

The IDF said that a large amount of troops from the Armored Corps, Engineering Corps and Infantry Corps entered the territory with the purpose of destroying Hamas infrastructure and preventing rocket fire by taking control of launching pads “in order to greatly reduce the quantity of rockets fired at Israel and Israeli civilians.”The IDF warned that terrorists using civilians as human shields would bear full responsibility for their fate. The IDF spokesperson emphasized that “anyone who hides a terrorist or weapons in his house is considered a terrorist,” adding that “the residents of Gaza are not the target of the operation.”

Some really bad news.

Photobucket

(emphasis mine)

Army spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich said it would be an extensive operation. “We have many, many targets,” she said, adding that Hamas has been digging smuggling tunnels and other facilities. “To my estimation, it will be a lengthy operation,” she said.

Hamas is said to have suicide bombers (both men and women), tunnel bunkers, and IED’s.

They’ve also had a lot of time to prepare themselves. This could get ugly.

Sigh.

I hate war.


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 14 Comments

14 comments

  1. Chris Blask

    The IDF warned that terrorists using civilians as human shields would bear full responsibility for their fate.

    If only that were true.  Fact is that the human shield tactic works very well, indeed.  Line up innocent citizens – and children – where you know there will be violence and next thing you know you have lots of wonderful corpses to stir world opinion your way, and lots of wonderful scarred survivors willing to do anything to strike back at your enemies.

  2. nrafter530

    as if this will solve anything for temporarly paralyze Hamas. They’ll recruit bigger and stronger, fire more rockets, kill more innocent Israelis and this will happen again in about five or ten years.

    At this point I’m desensitized to this conflict. There are three certainties in life, death, taxes, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  

  3. canadian gal

    from the beginning it was important to understand that the conflict in gaza should not be seen or judged in isolation. its purpose is to stop hamas attacks but its timing is also linked to 3 elections.

    israel goes to a general election in feb; iran will choose its next president in june; and obama becomes president in about 2 weeks.

    as well as an attempt to stop missiles being launched against its own citizens, the israelis have a wider, strategic objective. they are seeking to create conditions on the ground that will enable a negotiated peace  and the creation of a Palestinian state.

    no Israeli government can negotiate withdrawal from the west bank without the consent of its citizens. livni and her moderate coalition must, therefore, win the election. but currently netanyahu who is strongly opposed to the creation of a palestinian state is leading the polls.

    an engaged israeli government re-elected just 21 days after president obama takes office would create an unprecedented opportunity to relaunch the peace process.

  4. Peter Jukes

    And I’m afraid I agree with it. The other timing to take into consideration is also the inauguration on Jan 20th. Only the US has the power to leverage restraint.

    France last night was swift to condemn the invasion, which it described as a dangerous military escalation that “complicated efforts by the international community to end the fighting, bring immediate aid to civilians and reach a permanent ceasefire”. In London the foreign secretary David Miliband said the intensification of the Israeli assault would cause “alarm and dismay” and renewed calls for a swift cessation of violence. The UN Security Council also scheduled an emergency meeting to discuss the crisis, as the EU troika prepared to visit the region tomorrow.

    Source Observer/Guardian  

  5. creamer

     This might be what Hamas wanted, it might also be a case of be careful what you wish for.

    The world needs to become engaged. The Bush administration has sat on its hands for 8 years, its only action was to push for elections and then cut off aid after Hamas won. I might be wrong but it seems the only time we hear from Europe is after thing get more violent,( wich is defined by Israel responding to terror attacks.)

     Israel may be hoping to pound Hamas into the ground inorder to restart some semblance of peace talks, I fear they are going to create more martyrs.

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