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Source: http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040527-083401-5004r.htm
Gaza's Future
(Washington Times)Editorial - The large-scale Israeli military operation in southern Gaza that ended earlier this week is an integral component of Sharon's plan to withdraw Israeli settlements from Gaza. Sharon is determined not to repeat the mistakes made by his predecessor who unilaterally withdrew from southern Lebanon four years ago under relentless attack from the Hizballah terrorist organization. Although Israeli casualties in Lebanon fell following the pullout, Hizballah's victory had disastrous consequences elsewhere. It helped persuade Arafat that he stood to gain more from terrorism and violence than from negotiating with Israel. Since the outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian war on September 29, 2000, Hizballah - with the support of Iran and Syria - has stepped up its cooperation with Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups in the West Bank and Gaza. By launching a robust military campaign to destroy weapons-smuggling tunnels along the border separating Gaza and Egypt, Sharon seeks to prevent a situation in which Israel is perceived as being weak. But the most critical reason for the campaign (which is likely to be repeated in the months ahead, whether settlements remain in Gaza or not) is to deny the terrorists the ability to smuggle long-range weapons into Gaza for use against nearby Israeli cities. Israel's failure to do that before withdrawing from Lebanon has resulted in Hizballah being able to deploy missiles capable of reaching Haifa, an area where much of Israel's industrial capacity is located. Sharon is understandably determined to prevent Hizballah and its friends from doing this in the south.