The IDF again entered Palestinian-controlled Area A in Gaza yesterday, razing a dozen buildings from where Arabs had often recently fired at Israeli targets. Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Huberman reported: \"Following unceasing fire against Israeli positions from near the Egyptian border, the IDF bulldozed 15 empty homes as well as another building used as a PA shooting post in Rafiach...\"
Last Wednesday morning, the IDF carried out a similar but more massive raid. The plan was originally drawn up several months ago, and despite pressures by IDF officers, was never implemented - until Wednesday. Givati Brigade fighters, accompanied by heavy vehicles and two tanks, entered the Arab city of Khan Yunis, and spent almost four hours wiping out a row of 11 to 15 houses and an olive tree grove in the town\'s eastern neighborhood. The mission was carried out under heavy Palestinian fire 300 meters deep into Palestinian territory, and was covered by Israeli helicopters. The razed areas had been used over the past months by Palestinian regular and terrorist forces to fire at N\'vei Dekalim, IDF headquarters, the liaison office, and local IDF outposts. Some local Palestinians came out to fight the Israelis, and were repulsed, while others fled the town.
Arutz-7 political commentator Shai Ben-Tekoa said that although the press \"featured photographs of people left homeless by the raid - despite the fact that it was the PLO gunmen who had originally driven them from their homes - European Foreign Ministries and the State Department were not particularly critical of Israel. They understood that the raid was necessary. This led Arafat to realize that he had lost this round, and he decided to order the cessation of mortar attacks on Israeli targets in the area.\"
\"From our limited experience in these cases,\" said Huberman, \"we can say that operations of this nature are successful in stopping the Palestinian shooting. The shooting from Khan Yunis onto N\'vei Dekalim has basically stopped, and the demolition of the buildings near the Netzarim junction also basically stopped the shooting from there.\"
Despite the above, an explosive device was discovered and neutralized along the path between the Jewish towns of Atzmonah and Kfar Yam in Gush Katif yesterday. A group of people had planned to walk along that very route shortly afterwards. The Talmud Torah school in Atzmonah, which suffered a mortar shell hit last week, will reopen tomorrow - but in different buildings, by IDF order.
Last Wednesday morning, the IDF carried out a similar but more massive raid. The plan was originally drawn up several months ago, and despite pressures by IDF officers, was never implemented - until Wednesday. Givati Brigade fighters, accompanied by heavy vehicles and two tanks, entered the Arab city of Khan Yunis, and spent almost four hours wiping out a row of 11 to 15 houses and an olive tree grove in the town\'s eastern neighborhood. The mission was carried out under heavy Palestinian fire 300 meters deep into Palestinian territory, and was covered by Israeli helicopters. The razed areas had been used over the past months by Palestinian regular and terrorist forces to fire at N\'vei Dekalim, IDF headquarters, the liaison office, and local IDF outposts. Some local Palestinians came out to fight the Israelis, and were repulsed, while others fled the town.
Arutz-7 political commentator Shai Ben-Tekoa said that although the press \"featured photographs of people left homeless by the raid - despite the fact that it was the PLO gunmen who had originally driven them from their homes - European Foreign Ministries and the State Department were not particularly critical of Israel. They understood that the raid was necessary. This led Arafat to realize that he had lost this round, and he decided to order the cessation of mortar attacks on Israeli targets in the area.\"
\"From our limited experience in these cases,\" said Huberman, \"we can say that operations of this nature are successful in stopping the Palestinian shooting. The shooting from Khan Yunis onto N\'vei Dekalim has basically stopped, and the demolition of the buildings near the Netzarim junction also basically stopped the shooting from there.\"
Despite the above, an explosive device was discovered and neutralized along the path between the Jewish towns of Atzmonah and Kfar Yam in Gush Katif yesterday. A group of people had planned to walk along that very route shortly afterwards. The Talmud Torah school in Atzmonah, which suffered a mortar shell hit last week, will reopen tomorrow - but in different buildings, by IDF order.