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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
US said to give 'green light' to wide-scale IDF operation in Gaza
2007-11-03
The United States has given a "green light" to an IDF operation in the Gaza Strip, the Lebanese newspaper, Al-Akhbar reported Saturday morning. The report cites "credible diplomatic sources" as saying that American approval came after Israeli intelligence impressed on US officials the importance of a wide-scale operation as an answer to the unprecedented arms smuggling within Gaza.

According to the newspaper report, the intelligence was shared during Defense Minister Ehud Barak's last visit to Washington. Sources told Al-Akhbar that the intelligence depicted a worrying picture of an "arms race" between Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. In addition, Israel presented details of money transfers between the Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aksa's Martyrs Brigades.

In the past few days, Barak met a number of times with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to decide definitively on the timing of a wide-scale operation, Al-Akhbar cited the sources as saying. Further, the sources stated that despite the "green light," Israel was hesitating to launch an operation out of concerns that it would complicate preparations for the upcoming US-sponsored Mideast peace summit in Annapolis. Until the timing of the operation is decided, IDF forces stationed on the Gaza border will continue training for a massive military operation in the Strip, the report said.
Posted by:ryuge

#6  Why bother shooting? Shut off fuel, water, electricity and all commerce and/or contact between Israel and Gaza. Tell Egypt that Gaza is their problem and that if the rockets don't stop, they should expect IDF rockets on Cairo.
Posted by: RWV   2007-11-03 17:57  

#5  I think we all know well enough that Israel isn't going to level the place. I am also sure the lot of us know that not one thing will change until the Palestinians, both Hamas and Fatah are ushered off of Israeli soil. Shooting the Big Turbans Keffiyas is a good start—as I have always advocated—but all of the Palestinians are so completely disinterested in real peace that even targeted killings will not succeed. My post was merely wishful thinking. G(r)omgoru is far closer to the real answer.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-11-03 16:39  

#4  With a side trip to Damascus, I think.
Posted by: Seafarious   2007-11-03 16:24  

#3  This war won't be won by leveling Gaza, Zenster. It will be won by leveling Mecca, and Cairo, and Bagdad.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2007-11-03 16:22  

#2  I dunno, Zen. The problem with that is then you have to provide for the Gazooks. Smarter policy I think is to whack Hamas as hard as possible, making the survivors scurry off to Syria and Mauritania. Then you let Fatah back in only on the condition that they behave themselves. If not, they get whacked.

You've got a million Gazooks in Gazoo. Destroy every habitat and then you have to do something about them, and there's certainly going to be no 'final solution' in any way shape or form.

Whack Hamas. Kill their leadership and every hard boy who sticks his head up. But don't level the place.
Posted by: Steve White   2007-11-03 14:37  

#1  The IDF should consider their Gaza operation a complete and total failure if even one single building is left standing afterwards.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-11-03 10:41  

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