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The New Rules of the Game If Palestinians Fire Rockets

(Ha'aretz) Ze'ev Schiff - Recently the Israel Defense Forces held a comprehensive review of the steps that should be taken if the Palestinians continue to fire Kassam rockets after the evacuation of the Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip or start firing high-trajectory projectiles from the West Bank as well. The prevailing thinking at the meeting, which included experts on international law, was that the rules of the game have changed and that Israel has full rights to self-defense, including the employment of artillery against the sources of the bombardments. Chief of Staff Dan Halutz supported the idea that before an Israeli response, it would be possible to warn the Palestinian population to leave the area. Regarding attacks from the West Bank, Israel would not be able to exercise restraint with regard to any rocket or mortar fire against Israeli communities along the Green Line. Such attacks must be seen as a strategic threat that would ultimately lead to the reoccupation of the West Bank.
2005-09-09 00:00:00
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