JNW HEADLINE NEWS

Israel walking open-eyed into death trap By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff

April 18th, 2005

What will happen when the government moves to uproot thousands of Jews from their homes this summer is anyone's guess, but the IDF is certain the aftermath of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's "disengagement" will be increased terrorist warfare.

The period of expected escalation of "Palestinian" violence following Israel's retreat from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria has been code named "Rainy Day" by the army, reported HaTzofeh military correspondent Haggai Huberman.

Terrorism is expected to reach such levels that "the IDF will be forced to re-take the cities of Judea and Samaria" that were recently handed over to PA security control, Arutz 7 quoted Huberman as saying.

Ha'aretz defense affairs expert Amir Oren concurred, adding, "The prediction [among military officials] is that by next January to March, after Palestinian terror has increased and become more sophisticated, the IDF will return to Gaza."

"The mind-boggling thing," Huberman wrote, "is that the State of Israel is advancing, knowingly and with its eyes open, towards this death trap."

"The Yom Kippur War of October 1973 was a surprise, but the war of October
2005 is totally known in advance."

Huberman noted that even if the diplomatic process were progressing, terrorism would still renew following the uprooting of Jewish Gaza, albeit at a "more moderate" level.

"These, then, are the two only post-expulsion possibilities the IDF is preparing for," he writes:"If there is an agreement, there will be terrorism, and if there is no agreement, there will be an escalation, i.e., war."

Arutz 7 Monday again reported on hugely increased efforts by the Palestinian Arabs to smuggle arms into PA-controlled areas in preparation for future anti-Jewish aggression.

"Standardized powerful dynamite, which has not been seen in Judea and Samaria since Operation Defensive Shield almost three years ago, is among the materials the terrorists are trying to smuggle in," the news agency reported.

Additionally, since the start of 2005 "Palestinian" smugglers have managed to bring over 1,000 assault rifles, dozens of RPGs and at least five anti-aircraft missiles into Gaza.

----------
Jerusalem Newswire is the only independent Jerusalem-based, Christian-operated news service providing daily coverage and commentary on events in and relating to Israel.

We encourage you to forward Jerusalem Newswire reports and editorials to friends and fellow believers, that they too may benefit from this free service offering a unique, biblically-based source of news and information direct from the heart of the Jewish state.