Eyeless in Gaza
The current IDF campaign in Gaza has three separate but interlocking components:
1. There is the main thrust of IDF forces in the south near Rafah in order to seek the release of the IDF captive Cpl. Shalit. This involves land forces and armor, and especially protected bulldozers because of the many mines that the terrorists sow along the roads. Intelligence units are trying to obtain information from locals (some of whom were informants in the past). Although the chances are not good to save him, nevertheless the IDF has taken steps to close off all possible routes whereby he could be taken out of Gaza into Egypt.
2. Actions of the IDF and Israeli Govt. to bring pressure on the PA Govt. of Pres. Abbas and Hamas in order to release the soldier. The attack on the electric power station falls into this category, but it also prevents the use of much equipment, such as bomb and rocket making lathes, land telephone lines and restricts the operations of the terrorists. Similarly the detention of the 20 or so PLC members and 8 Hamas members of the PA Govt. on the West Bank, although they are not being used as hostages, definitely puts pressure on the Hamas Government. Each one of these will go before a judge and will be charged only if there is sufficient evidence of terrorist activity in their individual case.
3. The massing of armor in the north and the firing into the area east of Beit Hanun to prevent the further firing of Kassam rockets into Israel. Yesterday, with the IDF in action, four rockets were still fired into Sderot, one narrowly missed a girl and hit a car. Israel may use this opportunity to enter northern Gaza and finally take some steps to stop or reduce the rockets.
Israel waited three days, from the kidnapping on Sunday to Wednesday, to try the diplomatic route, before actually taking military action. It is miraculous that in all these activities not one Palestinian civilian has been killed and there is no report of even a civilian being injured. The IDF tries to avoid civilian casualties and they are not allowed to fire unless fired upon, and apart from being standard IDF operating procedure the orders come directly from the PM himself.
Meanwhile the body of the 18 year old Yeshiva student Eliahu Asheri was found shot in the head near Ramallah. The Police were led to his body in a shallow grave by a terrorist they arrested, and since then a further accomplice has been taken into custody. Eliahu was last seen hitch-hiking into the West Bank from the French Hill intersection in Jerusalem. His parents immigrated to Israel from Australia and they lived in Itamar. They buried their son today.
It is unfortunate that young people hitch-hike under such dangerous circumstances, when they know that Palestinians dress up as Jews and lure them into cars. Only last week two girls were standing by a bus stop on the West Bank at night when a car drove up and three Palestinian men tried to persuade them to enter. One girl ran away into the bushes, but two men captured the other girl and dragged her into the car. Luckily someone driving by saw the girl half lying out of the car and the men dragging her in and called the police emergency number. The car was stopped only a few miles up the road, and the three men were arrested. Such incidents occur all the time, and it has resulted in loss of precious lives. Now the IDF has agreed to put on a van service to take people around the West Bank, and the Rabbis of Eliahu's Yeshiva have ruled that it is forbidden to take lifts. Such is life in Israel.
1. There is the main thrust of IDF forces in the south near Rafah in order to seek the release of the IDF captive Cpl. Shalit. This involves land forces and armor, and especially protected bulldozers because of the many mines that the terrorists sow along the roads. Intelligence units are trying to obtain information from locals (some of whom were informants in the past). Although the chances are not good to save him, nevertheless the IDF has taken steps to close off all possible routes whereby he could be taken out of Gaza into Egypt.
2. Actions of the IDF and Israeli Govt. to bring pressure on the PA Govt. of Pres. Abbas and Hamas in order to release the soldier. The attack on the electric power station falls into this category, but it also prevents the use of much equipment, such as bomb and rocket making lathes, land telephone lines and restricts the operations of the terrorists. Similarly the detention of the 20 or so PLC members and 8 Hamas members of the PA Govt. on the West Bank, although they are not being used as hostages, definitely puts pressure on the Hamas Government. Each one of these will go before a judge and will be charged only if there is sufficient evidence of terrorist activity in their individual case.
3. The massing of armor in the north and the firing into the area east of Beit Hanun to prevent the further firing of Kassam rockets into Israel. Yesterday, with the IDF in action, four rockets were still fired into Sderot, one narrowly missed a girl and hit a car. Israel may use this opportunity to enter northern Gaza and finally take some steps to stop or reduce the rockets.
Israel waited three days, from the kidnapping on Sunday to Wednesday, to try the diplomatic route, before actually taking military action. It is miraculous that in all these activities not one Palestinian civilian has been killed and there is no report of even a civilian being injured. The IDF tries to avoid civilian casualties and they are not allowed to fire unless fired upon, and apart from being standard IDF operating procedure the orders come directly from the PM himself.
Meanwhile the body of the 18 year old Yeshiva student Eliahu Asheri was found shot in the head near Ramallah. The Police were led to his body in a shallow grave by a terrorist they arrested, and since then a further accomplice has been taken into custody. Eliahu was last seen hitch-hiking into the West Bank from the French Hill intersection in Jerusalem. His parents immigrated to Israel from Australia and they lived in Itamar. They buried their son today.
It is unfortunate that young people hitch-hike under such dangerous circumstances, when they know that Palestinians dress up as Jews and lure them into cars. Only last week two girls were standing by a bus stop on the West Bank at night when a car drove up and three Palestinian men tried to persuade them to enter. One girl ran away into the bushes, but two men captured the other girl and dragged her into the car. Luckily someone driving by saw the girl half lying out of the car and the men dragging her in and called the police emergency number. The car was stopped only a few miles up the road, and the three men were arrested. Such incidents occur all the time, and it has resulted in loss of precious lives. Now the IDF has agreed to put on a van service to take people around the West Bank, and the Rabbis of Eliahu's Yeshiva have ruled that it is forbidden to take lifts. Such is life in Israel.
posted by Jack Cohen at 2:05 PM
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