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Be Ready For a Protracted Israeli Ground Operation In Gaza
13 July 2014
(LPAC)—There are indications that Israel is, indeed, preparing for a long campaign, that may also include a ground incursion and military occupation. "The security cabinet’s seven-hour meeting on [July 10] Thursday, the invitation of media to document training exercises of troops on the Gaza border ahead of a possible ground operation, the Israeli army’s phone message to Palestinian residents in north Gaza asking people to leave their homes—all these would seem to indicate that Israel seriously intends to send in ground troops," writes Amos Harel in Ha’aretz. He noted that during Operation Pillar of Defence in 2012, the IDF had called up 75,000 reservists. This time the cabinet has authorized the call-up of 40,000 reservists but so far, less than half that number have actually been called, but most of them aren’t the types of troops that would be sent in, being rather specialists in logistics, intelligence and other non-combat roles. "A broad campaign really also requires deploying reserve divisions, but sending such units out on campaign takes time. A considerable period of time passes between the automatic call that tells reservists to leave their homes and them being ready for action in Gaza. In other words, the government has acted so far as if it has time. Even if a ground operation is approved, it is not clear what scope it will have," writes Harel, and then he adds: "Dealing with Hamas’ rocket infrastructure will take weeks, if not months. Israel’s Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz told Israel Radio on Thursday that the military ’will have to take over Gaza temporarily, for a few weeks.’" Carl Ossgood |