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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Israeli army threatens of fierce retaliation against bids to abduct soldiers |
| 2010-10-18 |
| (KUNA) -- The Israeli army threatened Sunday that it would retaliate against any attack launched by the Palestinian Hamas movement from Gaza Strip, and warned of a "fierce" offensive against any attempt to abduct its soldiers. The Israeli army will retaliate strongly against any successful or failed abduction attempt, military sources told the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper's website. They said the army was preparing a briefing for the period that Yoav Galant was the commander of southern Israel. Galant, to be the next chief of staff, oversaw the Israeli army devastating December 2008-January 2009 offensive in the Gaza Strip killing some 1,400 Palestinians and injuring thousands others. The army briefing will also focus on results of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in September 2005. "The deterrent operation is still effective with Hamas and it (Hamas) has no ability nor the intention for a new confrontation with Israel" specially after the December 2008 attack, said the sources, unless Hamas has a chance to kidnap Israeli soldiers. Three Palestinian factions, including Hamas, kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in July 2006 from Karam Abu Salem position east of Rafah, southern Gaza, in July 2006. Negotiations for exchanging him with hundreds of Palestinian prisoners have just resumed. The Israeli military sources also noted that rocket attacks from Gaza have declined. |
| Posted by:Fred |