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Israel Will Counteract Mortar Fire
Israel will target any Palestinians who fire mortars at Israeli communities, Israeli security chiefs announced Thursday, signaling a further erosion of a shaky Mideast truce. The warning came in response to two days of mortar fire targeting Jewish settlements in Gaza and Israeli border towns. The shelling began after Israeli troops killed two Hamas militants.On Wednesday, Israel resumed using helicopter gunships to attack militants, killing a Hamas member in a missile strike against a group of militants firing mortars, the first such strike since an informal truce was declared Feb. 8. On Thursday, Palestinians fired three more mortars and a rocket at Jewish settlements in Gaza and at nearby Israeli communities. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said during a meeting with security chiefs that Palestinian police were not fulfilling their obligations to stop the militants. Mofaz said he would not allow Israelis to be harmed and would exact a price for attacks by militants, according to participants in the meeting speaking on condition of anonymity. Israeli officials warned the flare-up in violence could delay Israel's planned withdrawal from 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank if Israel is forced to launch a new military campaign against Palestinian militants. "If there is a situation where the Palestinians will use terror against Israel during the evacuation period, then I don't see us carrying out the evacuation," Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim told Israel Radio. "First we will have to deal with the terror, and only then carry out the (withdrawal)," he said. While Sharon has vowed the withdrawal would not take place under fire, Mofaz has promised there would be no further delays in carrying out the plan. The pullback has already been delayed from July to mid-August, following a Jewish period of mourning. Rest at link. Arm the settlements with mortars, not the 81mm, but the building leveling 120mm. If they get fired upon, then fire back until the barrel wears out. Posted by: ed 2005-05-19 |
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