Palestinian terrorists feel the pressure from Israel

Via AP:

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israeli tanks and troops entered southern Gaza and planes attacked three bridges and knocked out electricity to the coastal strip early Wednesday, stepping up the pressure on Palestinian militants holding captive a 19-year-old Israeli soldier.

The ground troops and tanks began taking up positions in two locations east of the Gaza town of Rafah under the cover of tank shells, according to witnesses and Palestinian security officials. Palestinians dug in behind walls and sand embankments, bracing for a major Israeli offensive.

The Israeli strikes came amid intensive diplomatic efforts in the Arab world and by the United Nations. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Israel to “give diplomacy a chance.”

Right. Afterall, diplomacy has been known to work wonders with Islamofascists.

Trying to defuse building tensions, negotiators from the ruling Hamas movement said Tuesday they had accepted a document implicitly recognizing Israel. But two Syrian-based Hamas leaders denied a final deal had been reached.

Israel said only freedom for the captive soldier, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, could defuse the crisis, not a political agreement.

The Israeli military said in a statement that the object of the attacks on the bridges was “to impair the ability of the terrorists to transfer the kidnapped soldier.” Knocking down the bridges cut Gaza in two, Palestinian security officials said.

Early Wednesday, Israeli planes fired at least nine missiles at Gaza’s only power station, cutting electricity to much of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian security officials said. The station’s three functioning turbines and a gasoline reservoir were engulfed in enormous flames that firefighters were unable to control.

Right now it’s just bridges and electricity, but my money is on Israel stepping it up even more very soon in response to the capture of Shalit.

Read more via Malkin, who has a link roundup.

Prior:

9 Responses to "Palestinian terrorists feel the pressure from Israel"

CavalierX says:

June 28, 2006 at 1:27 am

The Israelis have a much lower tolerance for BS thn we do. From what I’m hearing, the IDF is going in with portable generators and plenty of rations, with plans to increase their presence over the next five days. The Palestinians may have finally gone too far. Offered almost everything they ever asked for, excepting the destruction of Israel, they decided that wasn’t enough. Now they may end up with nothing at all.
Marshall Art says:

June 28, 2006 at 1:41 am

It’s funny, isn’t it, that withdrawal did diddly to stop Palestinian aggression. They’ve apparently been lobbing missles and mortar rounds from Gaza into Israel since the Sharon pullout. So, as Israel and others with eyes to see already knew, words mean crap when they come from Palestinian leaders. Medved had a good suggestion: for every Israeli life taken by Hamas or other Palestinian wackjobs, one acre (or two, or three, whatever) of Palestinian territory gets taken by Israel, never to be relinquished, for the protection of the state of Israel. I like it.
benning says:

June 28, 2006 at 6:53 am

I agree. Israel can handle the problem. We can’t, and pleading for time to allow diplomacy to work is like sending Neville Chamberlain to Berlin to defuse Hitler.

The diplomats get to make a trip, they get face time on the TV, and then people die.

Israel is just cutting out the middle-man.

I think the Admin is doing what it thinks it has to, politically. But treating the Palis like civilized people is an error. Bush was right when he refused to invite Arafat to the White House. This should be an extension of that.
Kevin says:

June 28, 2006 at 7:55 am

Withdrawing did quite a bit of good though, since it lets Israel use force in the Strip with impunity without concern of reprisal on it’s citizens. I think that was the plan all along.
benning says:

June 28, 2006 at 11:20 am

Kevin, I hope that was the idea. I can see the more Dovish among them saying that it would let the world see what duplicitous ba$tards the Palestinians are, knowing the Palis would attack as soon as they felt comfy. As if the world has ever cared.
Tel-Chai Nation says:

June 28, 2006 at 11:24 am

As Operation Summer Rains begins, another Israeli

The IDF has entered Gaza to search for and free Gilad Shalit, the soldier who was kidnapped by PLO/Hamas terrorists (Hat tip: Michelle Malkin, who’s got more coverage here). Be sure also to read this important article by Caroline Glick, in which she …
Kevin says:

June 28, 2006 at 1:33 pm

Amen Benning. They haven’t changed a bit, as expected. These people haven’t even mastered the fine art of growing food, but somehow they’ve got time to dig tunnels, get in shootouts with Israelies, make/launch rockets, and stage fake attacks showing the plight of the Palestinian.

But growing food, or producing anything of value? No, no time for that! We’ve got to kill jews and take their land! or use fast track method to get into paradise. Sheesh.

There are few groups I hold in lower regard than Palestinians. Maybe pedophiles. Maybe.
Kevin says:

June 28, 2006 at 1:42 pm

Did you see that Israeli fighter jets buzzed the President of Syria’s house in an attempt to get Syria to help free the young Israeli soldier? Heck, I’m thinking about converting to judaism, just to show my support of their ‘take no crap’ attitude. Barook attah adenoid to all.
Big Bang Hunter says:

June 28, 2006 at 8:38 pm

– FOX just reported that the same insurgent group in Palistine that kidnapped the Isreali soldier has murdered an 18 year old Isreali youth. The Isreali army is said to be moving into the Northern Gaza strip area, after a sweep of the Soutrhern Gaza section last night….Developing

– Bang

Comments are closed.