Israel gets ready for assault on Gaza

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-26  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

ISRAEL Defense Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday that militants in Hamas-ruled Gaza would pay a "heavy price" if they continued to target Israel, as the country's military wrapped up preparations for a possible large-scale assault on the coastal territory.

In Cairo, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak urged Israel to show restraint in his meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, an Israeli official said. Livni insisted that Israel would respond to protect its citizens.

On Wednesday, Palestinian militants pummeled southern Israel from Gaza with more than 80 rockets and mortars, causing no injuries but generating widespread panic. After a day-long meeting by high-level political and security officials, Cabinet ministers approved a broad invasion of Gaza, defense officials said.

"We will not accept this situation," Barak said yesterday. "Whoever harms the citizens and soldiers of Israel will pay a heavy price."

He did not elaborate. But defense officials said the Israeli operation would likely begin with surgical airstrikes against rocket launchers and continue with a land incursion. Current weather conditions are hampering visibility and complicating air force missions, so the operation won't be launched until the skies clear, they added.

Twelve mortars were fired early yesterday. One landed at Israel's passenger crossing with Gaza as a group of Christians were going through, en route to the West Bank town of Bethlehem for Christmas Day celebrations, the military said.

Israel has been reluctant to press ahead with a campaign liable to exact heavy casualties on both sides. Past incursions have not halted the barrages, and officials fear anything short of a reoccupation of Gaza would fail to achieve the desired result of halting the rocket fire.

Israel left Gaza in 2005 after a 38-year occupation, but still controls its border crossings, blockaded for months in an effort to pressure militants to halt their fire. Islamic Hamas militants seized control of Gaza in June 2007.