Ehud Barak is giving Hamas and the Palestinians advance warning that the IDF is about to retake the Philadelphi Corridor.
Israel has informed PA authorities in Ramallah of its intention to send the IDF into the Gaza Strip in order to regain control of the Philadelphi Corridor and put an end to Hamas smuggling of weapons and cash through tunnels from the Egyptian side of the border, the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported Friday morning.
According to the report, Israel has told a number of Arab states that after the November 26 Annapolis conference it intends to embark on an extensive operation in the Strip.
Of course, rather than agree that something needs to be done to stop the rocketing of Israeli towns, Mahmoud Abbas is doing all he can to prevent Israel from, gee, preventing the rocketing of Israeli towns. Because Abbas’ aims are the same as Hamas—it is only their methods that are different.
Palestinian sources received explicite information stating that during the projected first stage of the operation, Israel is determined to gain control of Rafah and areas along the Egyptian border ranging as far as Khan Yunis, the paper said. The second stage will reportedly include an incursion into the central and northern Gaza Strip.
According to Al-Quds Al-Arabi’s sources, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who rejected out of hand Israel’s plan to recapture the Philadelphi Corridor, intends to send emissaries to regional countries in an effort to convey the sense of urgency regarding the danger of an Israeli incursion.
And here’s the laugh-line:
Abbas, the paper said, will state that an Israeli incursion would destroy the Gaza Strip and its infrastructure.
Really? Because it’s not like Gaza is already the place where Palestinians ripped out all of the greenhouses and everything useful that Israel left? Or where, instead of working to grow some sort of economy, Hamas has worked only to grow the number of weapons, bombs, bullets, and explosives smuggled into or created in Gaza. The infrastructure will be destroyed? Gee. Perhaps the Gazans should stop trying to murder Israelis. Then there’d be no reason for the IDF to come in.
As I said earlier—this is going to be a big one. There are going to be casualties on both sides. And there’s a new metaphor being used by Hamas. No more “opening the gates of Hell,” I suppose. Now we have this charming symbolism:
A top Hamas leader warned Israel on Friday that its soldiers would be “cut to pieces” if the army launched a much threatened widescale offensive on the Islamist-run Gaza Strip.
“The occupiers should know that if they intend to enter the Gaza Strip they will leave cut into pieces,” Mahmud Zahar told a Hamas-organised rally in Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip.
Actually, I’m thinking it’s the other way ’round. But we shall see.
Cue the ISM idiots in Rafah, trying to protect Hamas. Wait for it.
Cue to pieces?
Strange. Mahmoud Abbas lost part of a finger when he visited Gaza a while back.
Maybe he should visit Gaza a few more times?
Dear Meryl
I have no idea who you are but this glee regarding an israeli incursion into gaza is truly hair-raising
Gaza can be dealt with using civil means, then a systemtaic realignement of the structures so they cannot hold any more shooters. So, first shift all the blame for Gaza’s predicament unto the Egyptians, and demand they open the border to the Arab world, then shut off all communications with the state of israel inclusive of everything. Aain demanding that Arabs be made responsibel for arabs, as Jews are the responsibility of Jews. Then, start to demolish all structures which house rocket launchers, bar none. As long as a single rcoket can reach Israel, all structures withing range must be razed. The hamas can always stop the bombardment if they feel slighted. That would be my plan. as for the West, if they truly care for the Arabs they can take them away from the Land of Israel, because Arabs will not find their national aspiration fulfilled here. Perhaps in Spain, they were ousted from spain after all.
The IDF is going to take Philadelphia? I know the crime rate there is insane, but wow. I wouldn’t have expected that!
(closed smilied for the humor impaired)
Yuval, you don’t know who I am if you think that “glee” describes my feelings toward a war in Gaza.
The last thing I want is the deaths of anyone, Jew or Arab—with the exception of the terrorists. No quarter for them, as they refuse to stop murdering Jews.
This sounds like a limited incursion. I think that would be a mistake. Israel should take out Hamas in Gaza completely, cover every inch of the strip and kill all men who resist. Then give an ultimatum to the clan leaders there, either you live at peace with Israel or you go find some neighbors with whom you can live at peace. Also that they, the “natural leaders” of Gazan society, will be held personally responsible for any comeback by Hamas or other Palestinian terror groups (they are protean and there seems to be no end of them). Cooperation against Israel with the terrorists will mean death.
I’m sorry it has come to this due to the Arab refusal to abide by any of the agreements they made, but that was the Arab choice. Hamas has said it is at war with Israel, a war of genocide by Hamas’s own statements. If they want war give them war, a outrance. If Israel does not strike on her schedule, they will attack when their masters in Iran yank their leashes, both Hamas and Hezbollah at the same time, and maybe Syria as well. Clean up one front before the others attack at the same time in a coordinated fashion.
Consider the way the U.S. won in Iraq. They convinced the local tribes to join in the war against Al-Qaeda because not doing so would lead to their deaths.