[AP/Washington Post] Karin Laub - Israel can halt the rocket barrage on its border towns only if it reoccupies Gaza for good, military experts conclude. However, that sabotages Israel's goal of separation from the Palestinians. Yet, if Israel doesn't take dramatic action, large amounts of weapons will continue to reach Hamas through smuggling tunnels under the Egypt-Gaza border. And an uninterrupted arms flow means Hamas can strike even harder - with longer-range rockets. In the past two weeks, Hamas launched more than 250 Kassam rockets, with many slamming into the border town of Sderot. Two Israeli civilians were killed in Sderot, and several thousand of its 24,000 residents have fled. In response, Israeli planes hit Hamas training bases and rocket squads. Missiles destroyed 14 of 16 training camps, but they can easily be rebuilt because they consist of little more than open fields and a few shacks. For now, Israel seems to be going for limited goals: reducing rocket fire and weakening Hamas.
2007-05-29 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive