Israel: Militants smuggled tons of weapons to Gaza

[Americanhero1]

JERUSALEM – Palestinian militants have smuggled nearly 70 tons of explosives and bomb-making materials and other weapons into Gaza since Israel ended an offensive meant to choke off the arms flow, a senior Israeli defense official said Sunday.

The assessment by the chief of Israel's internal security service, Yuval Diskin, reinforced a growing feeling among Israelis that the government ended the war too soon.

Diskin told the Cabinet that since the three-week military operation ended Jan. 18, Gaza militants have smuggled into the territory 22 tons of explosives, 45 tons of raw materials for producing bombs, dozens of rockets, hundreds of mortar shells and dozens of anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

The weapons are coming in through Gaza's porous border with Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, despite improved Egyptian interdiction, Diskin said. His remarks were reported by meeting participants who spoke on condition of anonymity because the session was closed.

There was no way to verify his assessment. Using sophisticated technology and human informants, Israel has kept close tabs on Gaza since it withdrew its forces from the area in 2005.

Israel launched its air and ground assault in late December in an effort to stop rocket and mortar attacks on Israel from Hamas-ruled Gaza and stanch the stream of arms reaching the territory through underground tunnels from Egypt. More than 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including 926 civilians, the Palestinians say. Thirteen Israelis also died.

The attacks from Gaza have dropped off considerably but have not stopped: The military reported Sunday that a total of 185 rockets and mortars were fired since the military campaign ended. But the threat of escalation remains, as the reports of continued smuggling suggested.

"It is testimony that next time, we should go to something more complete in order to prevent the rearmament of Hamas," said Yuval Steinitz, a close associate of incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"In the long term, Israel cannot agree to the establishment of an Iranian military base 50 or 60 kilometers from Tel Aviv," said Steinitz, a lawmaker in Netanyahu's Likud party. "Sooner or later, we shall have to put an end to it," he added, without elaborating.

Israel accuses Iran of funding and arming Hamas.

Netanyahu, who is expected to take office on Tuesday, has said the Gaza offensive did not go far enough and Hamas should be toppled. However, he stopped short of saying he would attack Gaza again to bring that about.

During its Gaza offensive, Israeli warplanes destroyed dozens of smuggling tunnels, though many were quickly repaired. Egyptian-brokered negotiations on a long-term truce between Hamas and Israel centered in part on instituting measures to stop the smuggling.

Last week, however, Israel came under suspicion of having dramatically escalated its attempts to cut off the flow of arms to Gaza militants with the emergence of reports that aircraft attacked weapons convoys in Sudan last month. Israeli officials have not commented publicly about the reports.

However, outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has hinted that Israel did launch the strikes, saying the Israeli military would hit "terror infrastructure" wherever it may be.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090329/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

[ag337]

I really think that all the critics of Israel and their effort to keep the people of Israel safe, should not pass a glimmer of judgement on Israel.

Having lived in Israel and still having family who reside there, I fully understand the threat of constant danger people are living with daily.
I, personally have family that were victims of a suicide bomber in Israel.

So, I fully support whatever it may be that Israel has to do to protect it's citizens.
And, I do think Israel should do whatever it takes to stop arms/weapons from getting into the country, because if not Israel will be lost to these terrorist animals.

It is incredulous to me, that people condemn Israel for protecting themselves.
This should be a basic concept of human survival.

[New Yorker]

Check out this wording

Last week, however, Israel came under suspicion of having dramatically escalated its attempts to cut off the flow of arms to Gaza militants with the emergence of reports that aircraft attacked weapons convoys in Sudan last month. Israeli officials have not commented publicly about the reports.

Came under suspicion? A supposition that Israel's defensive actions are crimminal? You are under suspicion when you are doing something crimminal. The f***ing left wing muslim scum loving press are at it non-stop. 

[ag337]

sNew Yorker,

This is exactly what makes me so angry.

Israel is only doing what is necessary to protect itself and they become the target of criticism.

So, what's the deal?  Israel should just let rockets be launched upon it's civilians, let them perish, and not defend itself.
Maybe, then and only then Israel's critic will be happy.  And then the state of Israel will cease to exist.

I am so over people criticizing the simple action of people defending themselves against terrorism.