Israeli incursion leaves 14 dead

Israel & Palestine Forum

Israeli incursion leaves 14 dead


Violence has increased ahead of a planned Israeli withdrawal from Gaza
Israeli troops backed by tanks and helicopter gunships have been engaged in fierce battles against suspected Palestinian militants in central Gaza.
Palestinians said 14 people - including an eight-year-old boy - were killed.

Israel described the raids into the al-Bureij and Nusseirat refugee camps as a "pinpoint" operation against the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.

They come amid increased violence in Gaza, ahead of a planned evacuation of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip.

Both sides appear keen to make it look like a victory in the meantime, says the BBC's Matt Prodger in Jerusalem.

Children wounded

Sunday's raids saw dozens of Israeli armoured vehicles - backed by Apache helicopters - move into the camps under cover of darkness.

At a time when they're speaking about withdrawing from Gaza, they're destroying Gaza

Saeb Erekat
Palestinian Cabinet minister
Sniper units were stationed on rooftops, as troops began searching houses.

Fierce fighting then broke out as gunmen poured into the streets to challenge the troops.

The Israelis say their soldiers were met with anti-tank missiles, other explosive devices and heavy gunfire.

"This is a pinpoint operation against the terrorist infrastructure in the central Gaza Strip," the Israeli army said.

The army said the incursion had been launched to target militants who had attacked nearby Jewish settlements recently.


Ten of the Palestinians killed were militants, some from Hamas, which has been responsible for the deaths of scores of Israelis in suicide bombings and ambushes.

The other four were children under the age of 16. Palestinian doctors said more than 50 people had been wounded.

There were no Israeli casualties reported, and the army has now withdrawn.

Condemnation

"It's a big massacre today against our people. We call on the whole world to condemn it," said the governor of central Gaza, Abdallah Abu Samhadama.

Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat also hit out at Sunday's raid.

"At a time when they're speaking about withdrawing from Gaza, they're destroying Gaza," Mr Erekat said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip.


The incursion came within hours of violence at the Erez crossing
The BBC's James Rogers in Gaza says Israel wants to try and weaken Palestinians militants as much as possible before the planned withdrawal.

But Israeli government spokesman Avi Pazner said the operation had "nothing to do with any future plan about Gaza".

"Terrorism is pouring out of this refugee camp [al-Bureij], and we have to stop it," Mr Pazner said. "We believe that by doing so we have prevented acts of terror in Israel and saved many human lives."

Palestinian militants have threatened to exact a "painful revenge".

'Failed attack'

Up to six Palestinians were killed and about 20 wounded in an attack on the main crossing point between the Gaza Strip and Israel on Saturday.

Palestinian witnesses say two jeeps disguised as Israeli military vehicles drove up to Erez crossing point.

One exploded near a Palestinian checkpoint, killing the driver and two Palestinian police. The other reached the Israeli position before exploding.

An Israeli army spokesman described the blast as a suicide bomb that went off prematurely. There were no Israeli casualties.

The militant groups Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, say they carried out the attack, calling it a joint "self-sacrifice

Al'Jazeera
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exe...CA7BE045776.htm
Haaretz Daily
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/401692.html
BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/mi...ast/3540179.stm

Israel should just stop this, and negotaite with the Palestinian groups, if not, this will continue, Israel attacks, Hamas will vow revenge, suicide bombing, and the cycle will continue.

Hamas does not want to negotiate. And even if they did, one of the other scores of terrorist orgs in Palestine won't.

The PA has lost any influence it had Palestine. Already upon the announcement of Israel withdrawing from the West Bank, Palestinian terrorist orgs are vying and jocking for power of that area. It's like there is no control, no central authority to bargain with. You make one deal, you have to go back and make 12 more with the others, and there is sure to be a few to reject any negotiations what so ever.

Israel needs to stop this like Palestinians need to stop plotting and sending suicide bombers into their cities. It's not like they're sitting in the local coffee shops doing nothing. They're plotting and moving around arms, munitions, and bombs, preping to go into Israel and bomb something. You cannot expect Israel to simply sit back and do nothing. Whether Hamas calls for revenge or not, they still do the same thing. What's the difference?

I just wish Israel can be a little more careful in killing the innocent people. I do believe they try to minimize, but they need to do a much better job. Hamas targets are the civilians of Israel. That's the difference here.

I think if Palestinians are to ever have peace, they need to clean up their own streets of these terror orgs. If that brings about war, then so be it, but they will never win against such superior force, nor with they ever have peace unless they dismantle these obvious pains in their own flesh.

Straw willing to help Gaza peace

Straw said he was shocked by Sunday's deaths
The UK could send monitors to the West Bank and Gaza if there is a settlement between the Israelis and Palestinians, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has said.
He was speaking after meeting Ahmed Qurei, the Palestinian Prime Minister.

Mr Straw refused to discuss the details of any security plan but said Britain would be willing to consider the idea of sending monitors.

He also said he was shocked by the deaths of 14 people in an Israeli raid in the Gaza strip on Sunday.


Agreement needed

Monday's talks were dominated by suggestions that Israel could completely pull out of the Gaza Strip.

The Independent on Sunday newspaper has suggested Britain has offered to send military advisers to Gaza to help Palestinians police the area after an Israeli withdrawal.

Asked about that report as a news conference with Mr Qurei, Mr Straw said: "I do not want to go into detail.

"We're always available to offer what advice we can and of course as part of a longer term solution we would be willing to consider more active use of British monitors.

"But that requires agreements not only with the Palestinians but also with the Israelis."

A mission had begun two years ago on monitoring prisoners in Jericho, he said.

'Cycle of violence'

Mr Straw offered his condolences to the families of those killed on Sunday and said Britain had argued assassinations were unlawful.

The incident reinforced the urgency of getting pack to the peace process, he argued.

The foreign secretary underlined Britain's commitment to the "road map" for peace, saying the choice was between a two-state solution and "more violence and more despair".

There had to be an end to the cycle of violence, which included suicide bombings, he added.

Mr Qurei, who is meeting Tony Blair on Monday afternoon, said Sunday's raids were "killing in cold blood" and demonstrated Israeli "aggression and arrogance".

Both sides had to decide enough was enough and to implement the "road map", he said.

Yes I believe they do think of them as animals unfortunately. But they attribute them to the animals that blow up their resturants and malls.

I do believe there is a fundamental difference here though Luke. We have leaders like Hamas that move and hunker down in civilian areas. I believe it is their hope that Israel strikes to prove a point. Israel is indeed overboard, but if you subscibe to the idea that Palestinians have no other choice that to commit suicide bombings, then you have to level the table with Israel has no other choice but to kill them among Palestinian populations. It can't be one way. I subscribe to neither.

I believe to indiscreminatley target civilians is wrong and certainly more barbaric than targeting the leaders of Hamas and other orgs like it. How do you brainwash a teenage girl (16) into blowing herself and taking out innocent people going about their day doing nothing? This had to be rooted in her from early childhood and is solitified by the celebrations in the streets afterward.

Suicide bombings is a mental controlled act. Case and point. N. Korea brainwashed their people into believing that they were the best nation on earth. From children their parents told them to worship their President and to unequivocally obey his every command. They told them the other nations, especially the US was evil.

When Kim Jongs dad told one parent to send their child over and blow up a plane in 88 with S. Koreans and Americans on it, this teenage child went without any reservation believing whole heartedly that she was doing the right thing. She got caught, but someone else got through and we know the end results.

After a while, she told her story of how she was raised to obey their leader comletely and to hate the other nations. How she believed their nation was the best place in the world and other evil nations were trying to take this from them. She spoke of how the media was limited to his control so they knew only what he wanted them to know.

Doesn't some of this sound familiar?

Straw, what a great man, and Oneofpeace, look! Israel is trying to have peace!