Land Invasion Likely as French Ceasefire Bid Stalls

[tekisui]

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

THE Israeli Government yesterday formally rejected a proposal for a 48-hour ceasefire in its aerial and naval bombardment of the Gaza Strip which has claimed 380 lives in five days.

The ceasefire had been proposed by the French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, to allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza and to test whether Hamas was prepared to cease firing its Qassam rockets into Israel.

"That proposal contained no guarantees of any kind that Hamas will stop the rockets and smuggling," said Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Yigal Palmor.

"It is not realistic to expect Israel to cease fire unilaterally with no mechanism to enforce the cessation of shooting and terror from Hamas."

The decision was reached by the members of Israel's security cabinet at a meeting yesterday in Tel Aviv that included the Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, the Defence Minister, Ehud Barak, and the Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni.

The meeting continued last night to determine the timing of a ground offensive in Gaza.

About 10,000 Israeli troops have massed along Israel's border with the tiny Palestinian territory that is home to 1.5 million people and is one of the world's most densely populated areas.

more: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/land-invasion-likely-as-french-ceasefire-bid-stalls/2008/12/31/1230681577343.html

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. What do you think will happen if Israel invades?

Will the soldiers be there to capture or kill Hamas people? Or to kill others? Or to destroy property/infrastructure? I doubt if the army will invade to insure that humanitarian aid from Israel gets to the innocent people who have been injured.

[tekisui]

2. The nightmare of urban warfare.

Israel will take casualties, and inflict more. Civilians will be living in an open war zone.

If Israel is determined to take down Hamas, it will be a long, bloody effort.

[oberliner]

3. Flowers and candy?

For liberating the people of Gaza from the tyranny of Hamas?

Probably not.

[HeraldSquare212]

9. I don't think they will, there's just no way to do it.

A densely populated area like that? Who send an army into there? You'd have to clear the entire area to ensure safety and I don't see how that's possible. I think they'll send teams in to hit specific objectives and that's it.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. as France strives to return to its historicl role in diplomatic circles,

the American President runs away and hides out for his final vacation.

how fitting.

[tekisui]

5. Don't worry, I read that condi was working the phones.

:eyes:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. spare us.

or if those rumors are true,
SPEAR US.

[bdamomma]

7. condi what a joke of secretary of state she is.

[HeraldSquare212]

8. You mean Condi "We will call for a ceasefire in Lebanon once everyone is dead" Rice?