A small column of Israeli military vehicles, backed by combat helicopters, rolled into the northern Gaza Strip this evening.
A Palestinian witness, a resident of the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, said the column crossed the boundary fence under darkness. The witness could not immediately say how deep the Israelis penetrated into Palestinian territory.
The Israeli military confirmed ground forces had entered Gaza saying it intends to take control of some of the areas used by Palestinian factions to fire rockets at Israel.
A Palestinian witness, a resident of the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, said the column crossed the boundary fence under darkness. The witness could not immediately say how deep the Israelis penetrated into Palestinian territory.
The Israeli military confirmed ground forces had entered Gaza saying it intends to take control of some of the areas used by Palestinian factions to fire rockets at Israel.
That seems to indicate that the object of the exercise may be to occupy a strip of Northern Gaza large enough to put Israel out of rocket range; though if the stories about fancy Chinese rockets are true, maybe that won’t work so well. The question in this case is what you do with the population. Unless you intend to drive it out then you’re faced with a long term physical occupation. See also Danger Room.
Do they have a fifth column inside the city?
Posted by: Fellow Traveller | January 03, 2009 at 10:11 PM