IDF Enters Gaza – Retakes Elei Sinai, Dugit, and Nisanit

The Israelis are saying that this is a temporary move:

“The purpose of this operation is to remove the threat of Palestinian rockets on Israeli towns and communities and to provide Israeli citizens with peace and tranquility as they sit in their homes and go about their daily lives,” David Baker, an official in the Prime Minister’s Office, told Haaretz on Thursday.

Before daybreak, IDF troops and some 15 tanks entered the areas where Nissanit, Dugit and Elei Sinai had stood. As ground forces edged forward, artillery and Israel Air Force aircraft struck targets in the area, aiming at bases and groups of militants.

The troops also entered the Al-Atara neighborhood close to Beit Lahiya, from where the rockets were fired at Ashkelon.

Although they hint at wider operations:

At this stage, Israel does not intend to enter densely-populated Palestinian towns and villages, but if Qassam fire persists, raids into these areas may be held at later stages.

The IDF is concerned by the possible use of anti-tank missiles or bombs against its troops.

They should be:

Palestinian operatives shot four anti-tank missiles at IDF forces in northern Gaza early Thursday morning.

Barak at IRIS Blog is not impressed:

Olmert is very sensitive to the political aspect of this story, which explains why he has taken action, but only on the domestic front. The military value of the recent Gaza action is so far minimal, but with the mainstream media reporting it as a “blitz” (cf. BBC et al) and showing footage of exploding missiles (with no casualties), many Israelis have been fooled into believing this is something other than an apparent fraud.

And he raises a point that I discussed earlier:

No, there aren’t likely to be “significant ramifications” any time soon. Significant ramifications involve killing bad guys and making permanent strategic improvements against them, which Israel is utterly unwilling to do. The recent Operation Summer Rains, as I predicted, have so far involved only the usual “symbolic” attacks on empty fields and empty buildings, the conquest of a deserted airport, and the sounding of loud noises. Many Americans will hear louder noises tonight than Gazans under IDF sonic boom attacks.

While we’re on the subject Meryl Yourish declares “This is a Zionist Blog“:

And more to the point, I am not at all interested in seeing those thoughts uttered in my comments sections. Neither am I interested in hearing the viewpoints of those who pretend that a terrorist group that has a “military” and “political” wing is any more legitimate than any other terrorist group. I am not interested in hearing about how Israel is enforcing “collective punishment” on the poor, poor, pitiful pals. I am not interested in hearing the same, tired, over-the-top shrieking against a state that is protecting its people from having brainwashed children blow themselves up in the middle of a restaurant, or a bus, or a market. I am tired of hearing the Israel-bashers attack Israel on every single point while utterly ignoring the barbarity of the so-called “victims,” the poor, poor, pitiful pals.

I was not kidding when I declared this blog to be a No Israel-Bashing Zone. I can read that garbage in any mainstream media publication. I can read anti-Israel reporting on the BBC website, or in the Guardian, or Reuters, or the AP. I can watch it on any given news program. And I can read it on any unmoderated blog that has a discussion that mentions Israel or Jews, on any topic.

Also Blogging:
Israel Matzav
Israellycool
Israpundit

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