Video: Israeli forces deploy for response
Posted on 06/26/2006 9:27:42 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
HAMAS leaders are using an Israeli soldier held hostage by Palestinian militants as a bargaining chip by offering his safe return if Israel refrains from invading Gaza to find him. Video: Israeli forces deploy for response
As Israeli tanks and soldiers continued to mass on the southwestern Gaza border, the militant wing of the deposed Fatah party yesterday warned it would use chemical weapons if the threatened invasion was launched.
While the chemical weapons capability of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is yet to be verified, the threat sharply heightens tensions.
In a leaflet released in Gaza, the brigades said: "With the help of Allah, we are pleased to say that we succeeded in developing over 20 different types of biological and chemical weapons, this after a three-year effort.
"We say to (Prime Minister Ehud) Olmert and (Defence Minister Amir) Peretz: 'Your threats of invasion do not frighten us. We will surprise you with new weapons you have not faced until now. As soon as an IDF soldier sets foot on Gazan land, we will respond with a new weapon."'
Mr Olmert has foreshadowed a "mighty" response to the ambush launched by militants inside Israeli territory early on Sunday, which led to the capture of 19-year-old tank corporal Gilad Shalit. Israeli Defence Forces officials have threatened to destroy the Hamas leadership, which it holds responsible for the operation that led to the deaths of two soldiers.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has not spoken publicly about the attack, which was claimed jointly by the militant wing of Hamas - the Izzedin al-Qassam Brigades - as well as an umbrella group of militants - the Popular Resistance Committees - and a previously unknown organisation, the Army of Islam.
However, Palestinian officials have confirmed that senior links have been re-established with Israel in an attempt to negotiate Corporal Shalit's release.
Hamas officials are hoping to calm rapidly escalating tensions as a trade-off for the soldier's safe return.
They have also asked for an end to an international economic boycott that has crippled the Government and left many Palestinians without salaries for almost five months.
An Israeli cabinet meeting on Sunday night ruled out the release of Palestinian prisoners in return for Corporal Shalit, but is understood to be more favourably disposed to a troop stand-down.
A full-scale invasion of Gaza is likely to prove bloody and protracted at a time when domestic pressure is mounting on Mr Olmert and Mr Peretz.
Israel has complained vigorously that its withdrawal from Gaza last August was supposed to have led to autonomy for the 1.5million Palestinians living in that region.
Instead, the withdrawal has led to a steadily increasing barrage of homemade rockets fired into the Jewish state and escalating Israeli retaliation that has killed dozens of Palestinian civilians.
A statement released by the Popular Resistance Committees last night confirmed that Corporal Shalit was alive.
In addition to Israeli efforts, Egyptian mediators were also trying to secure his release.
He is understood to have been injured during the attack, which destroyed the tank he was in and damaged an armoured personnel carrier and a watchtower.
As at last night, a small column of Israeli tanks had entered a short distance into Gaza territory, while commandos briefly travelled further in an attempt to pick up the tracks used by the soldier's kidnappers.
Mr Olmert warned that "the era of restraint (had) come to an end" but held back from authorising a full-scale invasion while intensive talks to secure Corporal Shalit's release continued.
Yeah, sure...I would stand down, until Col Shalit is safe that is.
Then, not so much.
Demands set for captured Israeli
**********************
Militant groups in Gaza have demanded the release of Palestinian children and women from Israeli jails before giving information about a missing soldier.
daym,,,,they sound skeerd and desperate to me....
Perhaps these came from Saddam?
It is the first such statement since the suspected abduction of Israeli tank gunner Gilad Shalit during clashes on the Gaza border on Sunday morning.
The signatories included the armed wing of the governing party Hamas.
Israel threatened extensive military action to recover the soldier. It has rejected the militants' "blackmail".
Cpl Shalit was believed to have been taken captive by militants who tunnelled out of Gaza to attack the army post at Kerem Shalom.
Two Israeli troops and two militants were killed during the raid.
Denied knowledge
Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has put the army on standby for extensive military action against Palestinian militants and Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles have assembled on the Gaza border.
Hamas political leaders have denied any knowledge of the soldier's whereabouts - but they have called for him to be well treated.
It said: "The Occupation [Israel] will not get any information about its missing soldier until it commits to the following:
"First, the immediate release of all women in prison. Second, the immediate release of all children in prison younger than 18."
Israel is believed to have incarcerated about 100 women and 300 under-18s among the 9,000 Palestinian prisoners it is holding in its jails.
Intense diplomatic efforts have been under way since the soldier's disappearance, including mediation by an Egyptian delegation in the Gaza Strip.
This was noted by the kidnappers themselves, who said their demands were "in response to various mediation efforts and other intervention".
The statement did not confirm whether the three groups were holding Cpl Shalit captive themselves.
Israeli officials have held Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, of Hamas, responsible for the 19-year-old Israeli's safety.
"Israel will not adhere to any kind of blackmail or extortion," said cabinet minister Isaac Herzog. "It's totally unacceptable to us this style of negotiations."
Correspondents say the crisis could spoil efforts to bind Hamas into a plan implicitly recognising Israel, and may expose divisions between hardline and more pragmatic Hamas elements.
fyi
FART IN A CAN is NOT a chemical weapon.
Doubt the savages could have made chemical weapons....likely via Syria .
It's strong enough to be considered a chemical weapon???
They promise to release the hostage in return for the Israeli's promising not to come in and get him. Sheesh - Talk about spin. Would someone please explain to me how this can be characterized as a "bargaining chip" ?
Well...that is a non-starter.
they are going to invade and tear them a new rectum receiver..
lmao
That means most likely he is dead. And israel should react accordingly.
Thanks for the ping and keeping me updated. It's appreciated.
If they do have chemical weapons, I can guess a couple of place where they obtained them from.
If they did not call for his immediate release, they are complicit and should all be rounded up and shot. Then the same should be done to the Fatah leaders because of their threats. Let the Palestinian chicken flop around headless for awhile.
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