Israel Back In Gaza

[Guest shiloh357]

Eight Months after Expulsion, IDF Back in Gaza

By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu/Israel National News

Israeli military forces returned to the Gaza region Thursday afternoon for the first time since the IDF's August retreat. Forces combed a route adjacent to the Gaza fence for explosives.

The Engineer Corps crossed about 150 feet beyond the Gaza separation barrier following the Israeli government's recent order to halt all contacts and coordination with the new Hamas-run Palestinian Authority (PA). Previously, Israel relied on the PA to search for and neutralize explosive devices planted by terrorists. The soldiers left the area after several hours and did not find any explosives.

Thursday's operation marks a change in government policy. Senior officers in the Southern Command noted that similar brief incursions are likely but emphasized, "We are not talking about a ground operation."

Islamic Jihad terrorist leader Sheikh Nafez Azzam agreed today that the IDF is not likely to conduct a large-scale incursion, despite growing pressure within IDF ranks to comb Gaza and put a stop to Kassam rocket attacks. Azzam explained "Israel pulled out from Gaza forcibly" to evade more losses.

After last summer's expulsion of Gaza's Jews and destruction of their towns, politicians expressed confidence that Israel's unilateral retreat would lead to peace and calm in the region. Shimon Peres, who then was Vice Prime Minister, said the withdrawal "opens a new chapter for the peace process...What happened in Gaza is a pilot plan."

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told Voice of Israel radio last November, following the IDF withdrawal, that the PA has "abandoned the way of terrorism."

At the same location of Thursday's incursion, IDF soldiers killed two armed terrorists on Wednesday, the eve of Passover. The Arabs were spotted crawling toward the separation barrier. A tank fired a shell at them, followed shortly by an aerial attack which hit them. The terrorists were identified as members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, affiliated with the Fatah party of PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen).

Military officials surmise that the Arabs planned to either ambush a passing IDF patrol or carry out an attack against a nearby Israeli town.

www.artuzsheva.com

[JustinM]

How do you feel about Ariel Sharon? Do you think that since he gave up Gaza, God took him out of the picture?

[Arthur Durnan]

I'm verily surprised beyond words - or almost beyond words - that Israel ever chose to leave Gaza, the homeland cesspool of Islamic terrorism. Israel will be going back into Gaza many times in the near future as long as Islam, thru its many representaives, determines the annihilation of the only democratic nation in the Mid-East, Israel. Again it needs repeating: Benjamin Netanyahu, where are you now that Israel really needs your leadership expertise?

http://arthurdurnan.freeyellow.com

[Reba Lynn]

Ariel Sharon is one of the last of the generation that founded and fought for the State of Israel. The U.S. is their only ally and Condi pushed them hard to leave Gaza. She basically said they'd be punished if they didn't comply. Let's see what happens in the West Bank.

[nanasimmons]

I was so happy when Shimon Peres first took office. I knew at first he took a stand against giving away any land to the terrorists. I never thought he would give up land. I never thought the Bush would be involved in forcing this type of agreement. Nor did I ever imagine that a dispicable terrorist group like Hamas could ever be recognized as anything but terrorists,let alone partners in a peace process, they have no intentions on following through on. This new Prime Minister is way to liberal from what I hear.

I was praying the Benjamin Netanyahu would win this last time, but the people spoke.

It greives me to know whats going on any more.

I continue to pray for a hedge of protection and they're gonna need because I think things are going to get pretty ugly soon.

Pray-pray-pray That's all I can say...