Dear friends:

In light of the below, and to the natural mind, only one word can describe the U.S. and Sharon drive to make more concessions to the implacable and violent Palestinians, and that word is spelled I-N-S-A-N-I-T-Y.

The only possible rational justification is that Sharon is convinced that a major war with the Palestinians is inevitable, and the new borders will be of military advantage to Israel.  A possibility, but I doubt if this is valid.

The above is true to the natural mind.  But to the spiritual mind, we know that God is in control and His plan for Israel and the world is on schedule.

Jim
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PA Arabs Readying for Combat
From Arutz-7 Editor <news@IsraelNationalNews.com>

IDF intelligence sources have learned that the Arabs of Judea/Samaria are at the height of general preparations for the battles widely expected to follow the planned expulsion/abandonment of Gaza.

The reports say that food and medicine - and weapons - are being stockpiled in villages and cities throughout the PA-controlled areas in Judea and Samaria. The Arabs expect the increased terror and other attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers to lead to army-imposed closures and encirclements around the cities and centers of combat.

This stockpiling is of special concern, army elements say, because it is reminiscent of the measures the Arabs took before they initiated the Oslo War in late 2000. Among the arms being amassed are light weapons, mortar shells, rockets and more.

Arutz-7's Shimon Cohen reports that the security establishment is particularly concerned that the shift of the center of fighting from Gaza to Judea/Samaria (Yesha) is more dangerous from several standpoints. The Arab and Jewish populations in Yesha are physically much closer to each other than in Gaza, placing the Jews in greater danger.

In addition, the Arabs have greater accessibility to the roadways on which Jewish citizens drive to and from their communities.

In addition to conventional threats on Jewish traffic, the threat of Arab rockets, including accurate anti-tank rockets, is also being taken into account. Such weapons could also endanger reinforced vehicles.

Also of concern is the fact that the soft sandy earth of Gush Katif absorbed much of the impact of terrorist-fired rockets, while rockets that hit the hard rocky land of Yesha could be more dangerous. Rocks could be splintered and fire off their own shrapnel, multiplying the effect of the missiles.

IDF officers have informed security coordinators in many Yesha communities that they must begin preparing the residents and emergency teams for the coming offensive. To this end, Yesha civilian security officers will tour Gush Katif today, to learn the threats faced by the residents there over the past several years and the means with which they dealt with them.