Israel Weighs Its Response
By Tzippe Barrow
CBN News - Jerusalem Bureau
April 25, 2007
CBNNews.com - JERUSALEM, Israel - Initial reports that Tuesday's rocket and mortar attacks on southern Israel were a smokescreen for an attempted kidnapping have been confirmed.
A lightning-quick response by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), both by ground troops and by helicopter, kept terrorists from infiltrating Israel.
Though Tuesday was the first time in five months that Hamas claimed responsibility for firing rockets from Gaza, Israeli defense officials believe that Hamas continues to play a key role in planning and carrying out terror attacks.
Tuesday's diversionary tactics also confirmed the close ties between Hezbollah and Hamas terror organizations. The same tactics were used last July in the successful abduction of IDF soldiers Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev at the northern border and Gilad Shalit at the southern border.
Since Israel's August 2005 withdrawal from Gaza and the subsequent handover of the Philadelphi corridor - a narrow strip of land separating Gaza from Egypt - to Egyptian control, massive amounts of munitions, rockets, missiles, and explosives have been smuggled into the Gaza Strip.
Like their Hezbollah counterparts, Hamas leaders have sent hundreds of men to Iran for training. The IDF's concern is that Palestinian terrorists in Gaza are readying themselves for a Hezbollah-style war with Israel.
Following a meeting in Rome Tuesday with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas called the attack a "one-time violation of the truce." He urged Israel to refrain from responding to avoid "deterioration" of the situation.
But on Voice of Palestine radio, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida had a different message.
"The cease-fire has been over for a long time," he said, putting the onus on Israel. "This is a message to the Zionist enemy that our strikes will continue," said Obeida. "We are ready to kidnap more and more and kill more and more of your soldiers."
In a meeting this morning, the IDF will reportedly ask Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for permission to resume operations against the Hamas infrastructure in Gaza.
Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh told Israel Radio today that launching a full-scale ground attack in Gaza was not what Israel wants.
"We have no interest in escalation," said Sneh. "We do have an interest in doing what is necessary to reduce the level of terrorism as much as possible."
Nonetheless, following a meeting yesterday with IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Lt. General Ashkenazi and other high-level security officials, Defense Minister Amir Peretz said that Israel "will not allow Hamas to hide behind its political identity."
Sources: The Jerusalem Post, YNet, Haaretz
CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
