Israel steps up threats to invade Gaza Strip

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Israel on Friday stepped up threats to send ground troops back into the Gaza Strip despite its pullout, a day after the United States blocked a UN Security Council statement calling for an end to attacks against Palestinians.

The Council statement, drafted by Arab nations, follows a week of violence in which, 18 Palestinians, including two children, were killed in Israeli air strikes and tank shelling."

<snip>

"In interviews with Israeli newspapers published one day after a small force entered the Gaza Strip for the first time since September's pullout, two senior army officers said ground operations could be launched in the future.

However, both Deputy Chief of Staff Moshe Kaplinski and Major General Yitzhak Harel said they had no illusions that such incursions would stop Palestinian militants from firing rockets into Israel.

"I do not rule out ground operations if requested by the southern command of Israel. If the time comes, we will launch them," Kaplinski was quoted as saying by the top-selling Yediot Ahronot newspaper."

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=23747

[bemildred]

1. Do you have any idea what is driving this?

I mean beyond "the Palestinians are making them do it"?
There is more than frustration about the rockets behind this.
I don't have the feeling that Olmert is firmly in control.
There is kind of a public dick-waving contest going on with the politicians
and military asshats. Anyway, I haven't been following it closely, it's
too depressing, but things seem to be escalating in a very strange way,
and any insights as to why would be appreciated.

I have a couple of ideas, but will forgo commenting for now.

[Tom Joad]

2. Basically, the US vote was seen as approval for Israel's actions

Just another example that US policy never differs from Israeli policy (almost never).
See Norman Solomon talk about that here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=122394&mesg_id=122394

The prospect of another invasion is very disturbing. The people of Gaza are suffering so much as it is.
Having the few thousand settlers gone, while a good thing, also made the Palestinians even more vulnerable to attack. There will be no worry about killing Jewish Israelis, and there has never been any reluctance on Israel's part to kill Palestinian civilians.