-Caveat Lector- Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2001/08/15/invade-usat.htm 08/15/2001 - Updated 09:45 AM ET Israel considers full-scale move into West Bank By Jack Kelley, USA TODAY JERUSALEM � Expecting an increase in suicide bomb attacks, Israel has drawn up plans to greatly increase its use of force against the Palestinian Authority, senior Israeli officials told USA TODAY Tuesday. Israel also is debating an all-out invasion of the West Bank in response to another suicide bombing, they said. Underlining the policy of rooting out terrorism in Palestinian areas, Israeli troops and tanks took positions today near the West Bank village of Beit Jalla. Palestinian gunmen had been firing from Beit Jalla on the nearby Jewish neighborhood of Gilo. In Hebron, Israeli undercover troops killed a Palestinian milita leader in a continuation of the Israeli policy of targeting militants. Tuesday, Israel sent tanks and armed forces into Jenin in the West Bank. Israel said its aim was to crush terrorism that Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat refuses to stop. "I have no doubt the prime minister wants to avoid a war as much as possible," Israeli Communications Minister Reuven Rivlin said Tuesday. "But if Arafat forces us to go to war, we will go to war." He said new terrorist attacks "will not leave Israel any alternatives." For the time being, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has decided to launch short incursions into Palestinian-controlled territory. During the in-and-out maneuvers, Israeli forces would destroy arms caches, arrest Muslim militants and demolish buildings used to support terrorist operations, several members of Sharon's Cabinet told USA TODAY. In the 3-hour assault on Jenin, which Israeli officials say is a stronghold of the militant group Islamic Jihad, Israel sent in tanks, troops and bulldozers to destroy a Palestinian police station compound. The United States criticized the assault. "The Israeli incursions into Palestinian-controlled areas are provocative," State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said. "Both sides need to recognize that down this path of escalation and retaliation only lies disaster." Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Shaul Mofaz said his country does not "want to come to war." However, he said, "we have the right and obligation to fight terrorism." He and other officials said an increase in the number of Palestinian suicide bombings could trigger an all-out Israeli assault. Two such bombings last week claimed 17 lives. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat denounced the Jenin incursion. Palestinian officials said the moves into an area of the West Bank under Palestinian control violated the Oslo peace accords of 1993. "I'm afraid that the strategy of the Israeli government is war," Palestinian Parliamentary Speaker Ahmed Qorei said. "Until now, Israel has restrained itself to the utmost," Israeli Public Security Minister Uzi Landau said. "We should not exclude any action, including going one step further than what we have already done. The Palestinians should not feel immune from any action." Other Israeli officials expressed reservations about a large-scale assault. Noting that many Israelis would die if a war were launched, Industry Minister Dalia Itzik said, "Apparently, no one has learned from history." More than 700 people, mostly Palestinians, have died since the latest fighting erupted in September. Edward ><+> "The desire to rule is the mother of heresies." ~ St. John Chrysostom http://www.global-connector.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/reality_pump/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
