Posted on 08/28/2002 4:57:26 AM PDT by MadIvan
Israel has called off high-level talks with Palestinians aimed at implementing a plan for an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian areas of the West Bank and Gaza.
The meeting between Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Palestinian Interior Minster Abdel Razak Yehiyeh was cancelled following fresh violence in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Defence Ministry said.
Hours before the two were due to meet, Israel deployed land, sea and air forces to foil what it said was a Palestinian attempt to smuggle arms into Gaza by sea, while the army said a Palestinian mortar hit a Jewish home in southern Gaza.
Israeli troops raided a Palestinian village south of Gaza City in the deepest incursion in the area since the start of the Palestinian uprising in September, 2000.
Palestinian witnesses said 11 tanks and armoured personnel carriers moved into Sheikh Ajli, which was plunged into darkness by a power failure.
Israeli forces pulled back after several hours to positions around the Jewish settlement of Netzarim, Reuters news agency said, with no reports of injuries.
'Smuggling' targeted
Israel said it launched its operation in Gaza following intelligence reports that Palestinians were trying to smuggle arms into the Gaza Strip from the sea.
Israel radio said barrels found floating in the sea aroused suspicion of a smuggling operation.
The radio said barrels have been used before to point out sunken arms caches.
Israeli helicopters and gun-boats fired at the barrels as the surf was illuminated by flares, reportedly causing one to blow up.
Israeli military sources said the navy retrieved some of the more than 20 barrels.
Talks cancelled
The withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip had been due to be discussed at talks between the Israeli defence minister and Palestinian interior minister on Wednesday.
But the Israeli Defence Ministry said that Mr Ben-Eliezer "has made it clear to the Palestinians that he expects from them vigorous action to halt terrorism and violence, as well as smuggling by sea and on land".
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, an aide to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said: "The Israeli decision [to cancel the meeting] does not surprise us. We are used to Israel slipping away from all agreements."
Boo bloody hoo - you got caught, Abdul, red handed. I hope Israel blows up your house next in retaliation. - Ivan
Under the Gaza-Bethlehem First plan, Israeli forces would pull back in stages from Palestinian areas in return for Palestinian security guarantees.
Israeli forces left Bethlehem last week in a first test of the plan, but further withdrawals have stalled amid continuing violence.
Palestinian security forces said they began returning to some positions in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning as part of the agreement reached with Israel last week.
Regards, Ivan
That must be why the UN, EU, and US State Dept. love them so much.
Well it is relatively fresh - perhaps Fox News will have it shortly.
Best Regards, Ivan
Had she been hurt or killed, these bastards would have been dancing on her grave. And they were dancing on the graves of those who were killed in the WTC attack. I felt we should find every last person who dared to celebrate this and kill them as a symbol to the Arab world that this will not be tolerated.
Aside from that, my sympathy for the Palestinians is below absolute zero. I would not care if Israel did finally lose their temper and booted the lot.
Regards, Ivan
Regards, Ivan
Agreed. I would have had the Mossad poison his drink and have him die in bed with a prostitute long ago.
Regards, Ivan
My goodness, they DID catch the palis with barrels, didn't they? Otherwise they might have described their contents.
The article also points out that barrels like these are used by the Palestinians to store weapons. I doubt it blowing up was coincidental under these circumstances.
Regards, Ivan
Oh, they probably will since they actually recovered some of them. Control yourself - they'll have to open them first, which may not be just a question of flipping off the lids since they may also be booby-trapped.
I guarantee if you come out to my ranch and hit an 'empty' 55 gallon gasoline bbl with a 357 mag, that it'll make a big-ol' powee, and it doesn't mean it was a Yassir smuggling barrel! That's all I'm saying.
If I was the writer of the story, and I was skeptical about the claims, I'd hedge it in EXACTLY the same manner. In other words, if the writer was convinced of the facts, he'd write in the facts...like enumerating the weapons actually found, etc.
And that kinda non-crtical acceptance of statements by people that just go-along-to-get-along bugs the hell outta me. So pardon me for being critical this morning. Somebody has to. And I'll be watching this story with you and Ivan.
The barrels were used as markers for the 'goods' that were underwater.
Curiouser and curiouser, mine freund.
If they're "markers" then was was the IDF shooting at them and "blowing them up?"
One article says the bbls have been used before to float in arms. You say they're buoys. NOBODY has any captured weapons to show.
The least they could've done is plant some weapons!
For many, all the evidence in the world wouldn't matter.
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