Monday War News: No Rocket, Mortar, Gunfire Reported from Hamas Since Sunday Evening[??], IDF Ground Forces Out of Gaza by US Inauguration, Police Nab 3 Arab Rock-Throwers, 99 Illegals Nabbed

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Commentary;

As reported here on Sunday, Hamas rocket attacks continued throughout Sunday into early evening with at least 14 rockets and at least 3 mortars striking Sderot, Ashkelon, near Netivot as well as Kiryat Gat as well as Eshkol, Sha’ar HaNegev and Sdot Negev regions.

As yet, there are no reports of rocket or mortar fire overnight on Sunday or on Monday morning (Read between the lines — the censor working overtime??).

And so Israel rushes to withdraw forces from Gaza in advance of the inauguration of a new US President.

But IMRA’s Dr. Aaron Lerner surmises the mindset inside the Olmert, Barak, Livni troika:

If Israel is out of Gaza before the inauguration it may have the status of “old news” when the media finishes with what is expected to be unprecedented coverage of an American presidential inauguration.

Sure, the world media will still get color stories from Gaza
of the destruction etc. but if Gaza is “old news” it will take a back seat to other world news that develops.

Senior officials tell visiting European leaders that, barring any unforeseen developments, Israel will withdraw all IDF forces from Strip as gesture to incoming US president and to consolidate ‘anti-smuggling’ memorandum.”

If many Hamas smuggling and transport tunnels are dug soo deep as to be impervious to bombardment and if the highly-touted “Memorandum of Understanding” regarding smuggling is another empty piece of paper agreement and if Israeli governance puts its proverbial “tail between its legs” for dire fear of Barack Hussein Obama, of what worth was Operation Cast Lead anyway? What worth is a war not fought to a decisive victorious end? Credibility, Deterrence — once again, another war which raises far more questions and doubts than it resolves. MB

Officials: Troop Pullout to End before Obama’s Inauguration, by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)

IDF Spokesman: IDF to Allow Attacks Against Israeli Civilians but Not
Israeli Soldiers, by Dr. Aaron Lerner
(IMRA)

Full Text;

In a live interview on Israel Television Channel Two News, IDF Spokesman Brigadier-General Avi Benayahu, explained that in light of the ceasefire, IDF forces operating inside the Gaza Strip face stricter rules of engagement.

He gave as an example of the stricter rules that the IDF did not strike a rocket launcher positioned between two schools that fired rockets towards Israel.

On the other hand, Benayahu noted that IDF forces in the Gaza Strip have instructions to return fire to protect themselves.

The news anchor declined to ask Benayahu why the IDF saw it fit to allow rocket attacks against Israeli civilians when human shields might be hurt but did not apply the same restriction when it came to the defense of IDF forces.

Smuggling Tunnels Continue Operating [Dug Down as far as 30 Yards, Impervious to Bombardment: Hamas Tunnel Worker], by Dr. Aaron Lerner (IMRA)

Memorandum of Understanding [Re: International Assistance to Stymie Weapons Smuggling into Gaza] Between The United States and Israel

Analysis: The New MOU: Serious Commitment, or a Straw for Israel to Grasp?, by Hilary Leila Krieger (Jerusalem Post)

Police Arrest [3 Arab] Rock Throwers [for Stoning Border Police Near Demolished Home of Terrorist Who Attacked Merkaz Yeshiva]

99 PA Arabs Arrested for Illegal Presence

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