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| Middle East | |
| Israeli Forces Enter Palestinian Camp | |
| 2003-10-09 | |
| Hat tip to Drudge - Breaking News, nothing on JPost yet A large Israeli armed force rolled into the Rafah refugee camp on the Gaza-Egypt border early Friday on a mission to destroy tunnels used for smuggling arms, witnesses and military sources said. Israeli military sources said Israel had intelligence warnings that Palestinians were planning to use tunnels under the border to smuggle in weapons that could have a strategic impact on the three-year Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the Egyptians were not taking steps to stop them.
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| Posted by:Frank G |
| #4 They wouldn't be getting Stingers from the muji's in Afghanistan; those are out-of-date and would have to be moved quite a long way. I'd bet they came from Soddy or E-gipped stocks. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2003-10-9 9:27:44 PM |
| #3 Haaretz: A large Israeli armed force rolled into the Rafah refugee camp on the Gaza-Egypt border early Friday on a mission to destroy tunnels used for smuggling arms, witnesses and military sources said. Witnesses said a large number of tanks and other armored vehicles entered Rafah from two directions. They were joined by special forces, including engineering units with dogs trained to uncover tunnels. A military commander at the scene said that weapons smuggled in from Egypt to Gaza eventually make their way to the West Bank, so "we had no choice but to strike deep against the tunnels." Israeli military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israel had intelligence warnings that Palestinians were planning to use tunnels under the border to smuggle in weapons that could have a strategic impact on the three-year Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the Egyptians were not taking steps to stop them. Israel has mounted dozens of smaller missions during the conflict, aimed at uncovering and destroying the tunnels, turning the Rafah refugee camp into a constant battlefield. However, the Friday operation was larger in scope because of the threat of the new range of weapons set to be smuggled, the sources said. The sources said Palestinians were attempting to acquire missiles that could knock out tanks and aircraft, weapons they have not used up to now. These would include Stinger shoulder-mounted anti-aircraft missiles that could shoot down the attack helicopters Israel often uses in operations in Gaza, the sources said. Stinger missiles could also threaten Israeli warplanes or civilian aircraft flying close to Gaza. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-10-9 7:40:21 PM |
| #2 AP - on the money as usual. None of this smuggling goes on without the approval (even if it's a wink and a nod thing) of Hosni Mubarak and his regime |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-10-9 7:11:29 PM |
| #1 The US gives Egypt billions in aid every year, yet this smuggling business is still going on. Obviously, Egypt wants to see Israel destroyed, despite the peace treaty. We need to turn the money aid pipeline valve a rev toward closed and see what they say and do. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-10-9 6:48:35 PM |