Israel plans to raze more Gaza homes

[bemildred]

Now a moat to go with the wall.

The Israeli army has renewed plans to demolish hundreds of Palestinian homes in Rafah at the southern edge of the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli media.

Army sources say the purpose of the demolitions is to create an artificial canal to prevent Palestinians from digging underground tunnels which could be used to smuggle weapons into Gaza from Egypt.

A report published in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz on Wednesday said Israeli officials were worried the demolitions would trigger widespread international indignation, especially in light of the gradual restoration of calm and the imminent ceasefire.

The demolitions, considered illegal under international law, could undermine newly elected Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas' reported success in getting resistance groups to agree to a draft ceasefire agreement that could end more than four years of violence.

al Jazeera

[TomClash]

1. Why not?

No one can stop them.

Besides, those are "terrorist" homes.

[atreides1]

2. This Horse Was Dead at the Starting Gate

I guess to Sharon, one Palestinian leader is just as bad as another. At least now we can see that it just wasn't Arafat and his ties to terrorism.

[bemildred]

3. Mr. Benn says the opposite:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x85731

Now along comes Abu Mazen, and he has already shown in his first week in office there is another way. His declarations condemning the armed intifada were not mere opposition whining but a firm worldview, which is now being translated into policy. Suddenly, it turns out that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad can be persuaded to stop the Qassam and mortar fire, even without an Israeli quid pro quo. Suddenly, it is possible to deploy the Palestinian security forces and order them to stop rocket fire. And suddenly, it appears that the calls to replace Arafat were not merely an Israeli excuse to continue the occupation and the settlements.

I consider this all to be show biz so far, posturing. I was wondering
who is going to man the moat after the "Gaza Pullout(tm)"?

[ConcernedNonpartisan]

4. Maybe the Israeli leadership doesn't want peace.

What would happen to all those "hard liners" if peace suddenly broke out? My guess is that some of the power (now in the hands of hard liners) would go to some of the more moderate politicians.

It's difficult to surrender power! Look at the lengths Bush went to keep it!

[Carlos Martillo]

5. Palestine plans to raze more Jewish people

and on and on it goes...

[Darranar]

6. Whatever happened to withdrawal? n/t