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Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060402-112830-2198r.htm
Israel, Hamastan, and Katyushas
(Washington Times) Editorial - As rocket barrages rain down on southern Israel on a daily basis (six months after Israel completed its withdrawal from Gaza), it is clear that the status quo cannot continue indefinitely. The danger from Gaza increased exponentially with the news that last Tuesday the Iranian- and Syrian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad for the first time fired a Katyusha rocket into Israel. Katyushas have a range of 9-12 miles - nearly double that of Kassam rockets. The introduction of the Katyusha puts many thousands of additional Israelis in danger, including residents of Ashkelon with a population of almost 120,000. A direct hit on the Rutenberg power plant in Ashkelon or on a home or school building could be the event that triggers a major IDF operation against terror cells in Hamas-controlled Gaza.