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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| IDF makes final preparations for mass Gaza protests |
| 2018-03-30 |
| [Ynet] As Hamas, a contraction of the Arabic words for "frothing at the mouth", plans 'March of Return' toward Israeli border on Friday, thousands of IDF soldiers deployed along the border, parts of the border area declared closed military zones, and troops equipped with non-lethal crowd dispersal measures in effort to avoid fatalities on Paleostinian side. The IDF was making final preparations Thursday night ahead of the Paleostinian "Great March of Return" towards the Israel-Gazoo border fence on Friday. Thousands of soldiers from the Golani Brigade, the Armored Corps, the Nahal Brigade and the Givati Brigade, as well as troops from the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps, Air Force video units and Special Forces will be deployed along the Gazoo frontier, while parts of the border area will be declared closed military zones. The Seder night breaks for hundreds of soldiers currently in training had to be canceled so reinforcements could be sent to the Gazoo border. The IDF has completed works to build fortifications in the form of massive mounds of earth, behind which dozens of snipers will be stationed on Friday. IDF engineering forces also set up barbed-wire fences to make it harder on Paleostinians who may attempt to cross the border fence. The march is expected to begin in the late morning hours, and it is part of a broader Paleostinian campaign that begins Friday, Land Day, and is set to end in a month and a half on May 15‐Nakba Day. Buses to the border will leave from all across the Gazoo Strip after noon prayers. While the height of the Paleostinian campaign is expected around Israel's Independence Day and the opening of the new US Embassy in Jerusalem, defense officials estimate that thousands of Paleostinian protesters will take part in the march on Friday in more than 10 locations along the border‐from the Erez Crossing in the north of Gazoo to the Kerem Shalom area in the enclave's south. The IDF wishes to prevent a "photo of victory" from Hamas‐either of Paleostinian rioters crossing the border fence and planting a Paleostinian flag on the Israel site, or of many bodies of rioters shot to death by the IDF. To that end, troops have been equipped with gas and stun grenades as well as other crowd dispersal measures in an effort to avoid the use of live fire against the protesters as much as possible. The IDF forces will also be using multirotor drones and tactical drones, which will be flying over friction points to monitor rioters and alert the troops to their actions. The troops have been preparing to face worst-case scenarios, including an attempt by Hamas fighters to infiltrate Israel under the cover of the protests‐either through tunnels or from above ground‐and attack the soldiers who would be distracted by the rioting. The soldiers are also prepared for possible sniper fire from Gazoo under the cover of the protests. The IDF urged Israeli citizens living in the border area not to break from their daily routine, and no restrictions have been placed on them or visitors expected to arrive at the western Negev area during the intermediate days of Passover. While Paleostinians in Gazoo will march towards the border, their brethen in the West Bank will also hold protests to mark Land Day, which commemorates the six Arab citizens of Israel killed by Israeli security forces in demonstrations in 1976 over land confiscations. The main demonstration is set to take place at the Beit El checkpoint, which leads to Ramallah. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |