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Israel Tightens Security, Troops Preparing for Gaza "Ground Operation"

Posted on: Saturday, 24 September 2005, 09:00 CDT

Text of report by Israel radio on 24 September

The Israeli police have raised the level of alert throughout the country following the deterioration in the security situation. After an assessment by the top brass, it was decided to tighten security in areas where there are large crowds, bus stops, and along the seam line [Israeli military zone along the route of the barrier] and the Jerusalem envelope [projected barrier route around Jerusalem]. However, there are no pinpointed warnings about planned terror attacks, our correspondent Ran Binyamini reports.

A Qassam rocket was fired at Sederot. Nobody was hurt and no damage was caused. Sederot Municipality called on the residents to remain in their homes.

At noon [local time], the Israel Air Force [IAF] attacked launch sites of Qassam rockets in the northern Gaza Strip. The IDF [Israel Defence Forces] is preparing for a ground operation and is concentrating forces opposite the northern end of the Gaza Strip.

The defence establishment demanded that the PNA [Palestinian National Authority] deploy its forces to prevent terrorist squads from launching rockets.

The IAF attacked targets in the northern Gaza Strip before dawn in response to the firing at the western Negev last night. Some 40 rockets were fired in all. Five people were hurt, one sustained medium injuries and the rest light wounds.

A general closure was imposed on Judaea and Samaria [West Bank], the Jordan Rift Valley and the Gaza Strip.

Hamas continues to threaten retaliation against Israel following the explosion of a vehicle filled with rockets at the organization's rally in the Jabaliya refugee camp. Seventeen Palestinians were killed and 80 were wounded in the blast. Hamas blamed Israel for the explosion but Israel denied any link to the incident. The PNA said that the explosion occurred due to negligence.

Several political reactions to the events in the south:

Minister [without Portfolio] Tzahi Hanegbi told Israel radio that since there are no fatalities there would be no point in endangering the lives of IDF soldiers in a ground operation. He believes that the events in Gaza will not influence the outcome of the vote in the Likud Central Committee.

Minister [without Portfolio] Natan Vilnai said that Israel now has the possibility to be tougher in its response because after leaving the Gaza Strip, there is no excuse for the firing rockets. International bodies should be used and the PNA should be told to react resolutely, Vilnai said.

Meretz-Yahad [party] chairman Yosi Beilin warns against falling into a trap set by Hamas, which is interested in renewing the cycle of bloodshed. Only strengthening the PNA and a return to the political dialogue will prevent deterioration to violence.

Yisrael Beytenu [party] leader Avigdor Liberman said it had been proven that the evacuation from the Gaza Strip handed it over to Hamas and not Fatah or the PNA. The evacuation of more settlements in Samaria will strengthen Hamas and increase the risk of Qassam shelling of the Dan and Hasharon Districts.

Source: BBC Monitoring Middle East

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