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War on Terror

Israel struggles with Kassam rocket threat


By Jerusalem Newswire Editorial Staff
August 01, 2004

Israeli Defense Minister Sha’ul Mofaz Friday gave the IDF a free hand to do whatever it deems necessary to eliminate the threat of “Palestinian” Kassam rocket attacks emanating from northern Gaza.

However, the one step most military officials agree is the only one that would totally curb rocket launches – taking over all of northern Gaza – is seen as outside the scope of acceptable action.

Heavy international criticism is being leveled at Israel for its month-long incursion into the northern Gaza town of Bet Hanoun, and officials fear pressure would only increase as more troops were deployed and more Arabs came under military control.

Operation Forward Shield was launched after two Israeli civilians, including a four-year-old boy, were killed in a rocket barrage on Sderot in late June.

But thus far, it has failed to accomplish its goal. Fifty-five Kassam rockets have been fired at communities in the Western Negev region since the start of the operation.

Military officials quoted by Ma’ariv said the problem was that the Kassam crews were simply moving from Bet Hanoun to the nearby Gaza City suburb of Jabalya.

The IDF’s range of options under Mofaz’s “freedom of action” directive is expected to include limited coordinated air and ground operations against the terrorist infrastructure in northern Gaza.

Such operations have been Israel’s traditional response to unrelenting and deadly “Palestinian” Islamic terror against the nation’s Jews.

The Kassam issue is seen as particularly worrying to the Sharon government and its plans to unilaterally evacuate all Jews from the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has assured Israelis Gaza would not be allowed to become a major artillery and missile threat, the way southern Lebanon has become a threat following the IDF retreat from there in May 2000.

Israel’s inability to deal with the homemade Kassams while it still has a firm presence in Gaza has left many uncertain about its ability to prevent more threatening weapons from being deployed and launched following Sharon’s pullout.

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