Israeli offensive against Gaza may renew violence cycle
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-12/28/content_10569214.htm
by Ma Xiaoyan
JERUSALEM, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military offensive
against Gaza, currently ruled by the Islamic Hamas movement, can never
be a final end to the conflict between them but may renew their
violence cycle, said political analysts.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out massive air strikes
against dozens of targets in Gaza early Saturday, reportedly killing
more than 200 people and injuring another several hundred in response
to Hamas ongoing cross-border rockets attacks.
Dubbed as "Operation Cast Lead", the ongoing military action,
which possibly involve potential ground operation, could be the first
climax in a new round of violence between the Jewish State and Hamas,
the analysts worried.
About 80 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warplanes and helicopters
took part in the Saturday assault and over 100 bombs were dropped on
scores of Hamas compounds, bases and weaponry storage facilities,
leaving 205 people dead and hundreds wounded.
This is the harshest Israeli assault on Gaza since the territory
was captured during the Six-Day War in 1967. Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert announced Saturday evening that the operation was aimed at
restoring calm to the lives of Israel's southern residents.
Some Israeli experts held that the military offensive was pushed
by the public anger over Hamas' incessant rockets attacks.
"The public's anger pushed the politicians to make up their mind
of launching this massive military operation," Klieman Aharon, senior
research associate in Jafee Center for Strategic Studies, told
Xinhua.
"Israeli government intends to restore a prolonged lull along the
Gaza border as well as to abolish the Hamas regime, which has fired
more than 3,000 rockets, missiles and mortars at Israeli targets in
the southern Negev region during the past year," Aharon said.
Nearly 200 Katyusha, Qassam rockets and mortar shells have been
fired at the southern part of Israel since Hamas said it would not
renew the tahadiyeh, or lull, with Israel that had expired on Dec.19.
In fact, the decision of launching the massive assault was
approved in Israeli cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Till Saturday morning, a final decision on the precise timing of
the operation was made after consultations among Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and the IDF Chief of Staff Gabi
Ashkenazi and army generals.
Inbar Efraim, Director of Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies
in Bar Ilan University, also held that the domestic pressure mounted
from the Qassam rockets attacks.
The Israeli government is eager to stop any Qassam threat to its
civilians to bring quiet to the people living in the south after the
Egyptian-brokered six-month ceasefire with Hamas ended this month, he
said, adding that the Israel can no longer put up with the ongoing
fire of Qassams from the coastal Gaza Strip.
In the wake of the launch of the military operation against the
Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, Israel's three main parties announced that
they suspend their election campaigns.
Barak said he is halting his involvement in the Labor Party's
election campaign ahead of the general election in February, adding
that he will focus the entire attention on defense activity.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Chairwoman of her Kadima party,
pledged that "there is no other option than a military operation."
Likud party also decided to suspend its election campaign that was
scheduled to start on Sunday in order to offer its support to IDF
soldiers and commanders.
"The politicians, showing a rare solidarity in military actions in
the Gaza Strip, are all under pressure of the public opinion, but
everything is measured for the political benefit," said Aharon.
On Saturday evening, the IDF was beefing up forces around the Gaza
Strip in preparation of a possible ground operation, while Barak and
Ashkenazi were holding consultations on the army's next step of
action.
Barak told a press conference earlier in the day in Tel Aviv that
the IDF would deepen and widen its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza
Strip as much as needed.
In a quick response, the international community have called for
Israeli restraint, though Livni instructed diplomats stationed abroad
to immediately mount public relations campaigns in an effort to garner
support for its military operations.
However, Alpher Yossi, Professor of Political Science in Tel Aviv
University, considered that "the military operation will stop the
rockets attacks for a while, but in the end, we have to go back to
negotiations with Hamas."
"There is no military solution to the violence cycle," he
stressed.
On Dec 29, 3:22 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Israeli raids continue Monday, bringing death toll to 310
>
> Israeli airstrikes resume, killing
> continueshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBiL7Mv4yes
>
> Ehud Barak: Gaza operation to be widened, deepened if
> necessaryhttp://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-12/29/content_10576720.htm
>
> World condemns Israeli attackshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmCM93sT2u8
>
> UN General Assembly president condemns Israeli
> airstrikeshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17Zbk0CKIYQ
>
> Humanitarian supplies unable to reach
> Gazahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-q0TgwplWw
>
> On Dec 28, 11:20 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > yes. i read your reply after watching your message about dolphins.
>
> > how beautiful is the planet where we were invited to live.
>
> > how can we waste life, wealth, time with wars, aggressions, insanity,
> > fears, fights, threats, insults, etc.?
>
> > Peace and best wishes.
>
> > Xi
>
> > On Dec 28, 7:48 pm, "Mercury.Sailor" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > Thank you for the videos.
>
> > > People can/do become temporarily insane if they pick up thier child
> > > that was blown to pieces, I don't blame such people for any actions
> > > they will do in the near future, for I would do the same no doubt
> > > about it.
>
> > > On Dec 28, 9:28 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > >http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-12/28/content_10571949.htm
>
> > > > Story:http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/blst/index.htm
>
> > > > Russia Today
>
> > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BO0Rw7EIaY
>
> > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZERDspeWfm8
>
> > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM15T_qgY5k
>
> > > > CCTV
>
> > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_MehKcB7-Q
>
> > > > CCTV Insight
>
> > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1thIYq4OmqE
>
> > > > Peace and best wishes
>
> > > > Xi
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