Israel Defense Forces (IDF) operations yesterday in the Gaza Strip, during which 15 Palestinians were killed, are drawing many responses in Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). While commanders of the operation are explaining that armed terrorists held children up in the air, and fired from within crowds of unarmed children, the Palestinians claim that the IDF conducted a slaughter in the Al Borij refugee camp, in order to destroy the Gaza Strip before Israel withdraws. Hamas threatened revenge for events in Gaza.
Senior IDF sources told “Globes” that the IDF’s operating orders were not expected to change in the near future, and that the operations would continue. “We take into account possible harm to innocent bystanders, and make extensive efforts to avoid it as much as possible,” one senior officer said. “However, we’ll continue with operations like this, because unless we catch the terrorists on their home ground, we’ll have to deal with them in Israel, at the Erez checkpoint, and in our communities, after our children and soldiers have been killed.”
Various IDF sources mentioned that, as in the past after every major operation in which many Palestinians were killed, a worldwide media campaign is being conducted both worldwide and in Israel. After several days, it always turns out that most of those killed were armed, and things calm down until the next operation. On the other hand, the casualties caused among terrorist leaders and the increased motivations for terrorist attacks are matters that must constantly be reconsidered.
Despite 49 specific warnings of terrorist attacks, the IDF will open the Erez checkpoint and industrial zone to Palestinian traffic tomorrow, after a closure for the Purim holiday over the weekend.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on March 8, 2004