Dichter: Gaza groups developing artillery to attack Israeli towns

[bemildred]

Palestinian terror organizations in the Gaza
Strip are now developing an artillery weapon
that would allow them to continue attacking
Israeli towns even after the implementation of
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's unilateral
disengagement plan and evacuation of the strip,
Avi Dichter, director of the Shin Bet internal
security services, said on Tuesday.
...

Palestinian terror organizations have upgrade(sic)
their weapons and explosives and are planning
to make use of chemical agents in the future,
Dichter said.

...

Dichter also said Tuesday that there has been
an absolute halt in terrorist activities in the
areas in which the West Bank separation fence
has been constructed.

...

Dichter added that the Hezbollah was
continuing to finance Palestinian terror attacks,
and that it paid suicide bombers according to
the number of victims in the attack.

There is a bit on the Tannenbaum business at the bottom too.

Haaretz

[Muddleoftheroad]

1. Artillery duels

There are a couple ways to deal with artillery. Artillery attacks back or immediate and devastating airstrikes. I don't think the Palestinian people would appreciate that. Sounds like THEY ought to do something to prevent this.

[bemildred]

2. I agree it would be a foolish thing for them to do,

the "Palestinian militants" or whatever one wishes to call
them. I have read they already use homemade mortars.

But, I am not convinced that Mr. Dichter is not blowing smoke.

[Muddleoftheroad]

4. I hope he is for the sake of the Palestinians

But I would make my planned response known to the Palestinian leadership in any case.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bemildred]

5. "The PA has to step up to the plate"

The question, as with all "so-and-so has to do such-and-such"
statements is: "Or what?" The answer seems to be in most cases
"Or nothing". It reminds me of a quote from William S. Burroughs:

"I don't mind people disliking me. The question is, what are they
in a position to do about it? ... apparently nothing, at present".

[Muddleoftheroad]

6. Or what

Well, in this case, if the terrorist start attacking Israel with artillery, Israel could, should and would respond with devastating force -- either artillery or airpower. Neither of those is particularly delicate.

[bemildred]

7. That was not the issue, the issue was Mr. Tenet's statement.

Use of artillery would be tactically inferior from a Palestinian
point of view; there is no need for "devastating force", as rather
precise and prompt counter-fire can be expected.

[Muddleoftheroad]

8. Yes it is an issue

The prospect of Palestinian terrorists upping the ante and using even more powerful weapons is, of course, an issue.

And no, counterbattey fire is not necessarily precise. The IDF would likely devastate a whole block or more in such a response. That makes it a Palestinian issue.

[bemildred]

9. Forgive me, I had thought that I must know myself

what it is that I was talking about, but now I see
that I was wrong, and that you know far better than
I what it was that I was addressing.

[Muddleoftheroad]

10. So your name is Dichter?

Or are you in absolute control of the thread topic?

[bemildred]

11. Nope and nope.

But I don't believe I made such assertions, so I'm not
sure why you ask?

I tend to assume that if someone responds to a
post of mine, then it is an attempt to respond to
something I said in the post. I must admit that often,
as here, that proves to be optimistic.

If you want me to respond to your assertions about the dire
fate of any Palestinians that dare to shoot artillery at
Israel, I'm afraid I'm not much interested.

[Muddleoftheroad]

12. If you go back and read the thead

My comments were in direct response to your post. Sorry if they weren't what you were looking for.

[bemildred]

13. I don't think they had anything to do with my post.

It seems to me I ought to know.

Your posts do relate to the article that started the thread,
but Mr. Priv and I were on a different subject, and Mr. Priv's
post was deleted, for what I think are "technical" reasons.

[Muddleoftheroad]

14. To recap for those fans in the stands

You posed the "Or what question in the following post:


"The PA has to step up to the plate"

The question, as with all "so-and-so has to do such-and-such"
statements is: "Or what?" The answer seems to be in most cases
"Or nothing". It reminds me of a quote from William S. Burroughs:

"I don't mind people disliking me. The question is, what are they
"in a position to do about it? ... apparently nothing, at present".

I responded by explaining what I thought "Or What" meant.

"Or what"

Well, in this case, if the terrorist start attacking Israel with artillery, Israel could, should and would respond with devastating force -- either artillery or airpower. Neither of those is particularly delicate."

[bemildred]

15. Right.

And the problem is that the "The PA has to step up to the plate"
statement had nothing to do with artillery or the other subjects
of the thread starter; but rather with the fact that Arafat and the
PA are supposed to work with Mr. Dichter to make peace and dismantle
the terrorist networks etc., and that it is up to the PA to "step up"
in that regard according to Mr. Tenet, and that in the meantime Mr.
Dichter is asserting that it would be a good thing to assassinate
Mr. Arafat.

[Muddleoftheroad]

16. Or what

Was pretty clear. I answered it. You just didn't like the answer.

[bemildred]

17. Yes, that seems obvious now, doesn't it? nt

[Muddleoftheroad]

18. How would you expect me to respond to that?

In non-deletable form, I mean.

[bemildred]

19. You got me. nt

[MikeGalos]

23. Or what?

Simple. Oslo established the PA on the condition that the PA "step up to the plate". The "or what" is that Arafat and the PA don't get to be the representatives of their people and they don't get to be a recognized governmental authority.

They haven't met the conditions for the formation of their regime so if they refuse to "step up to the plate" the PA should be disbanded.

It may not be popular with the "give them anything they want and don't hold them to their agreements" crowd but I think these poor refugees deserve a government that can be trusted to at least attempt to keep its word.

[beanball]

20. Why

are the Palestinians alway called terrorist when they are the ones being terrorized?

[Muddleoftheroad]

22. Maybe it has something to do with

The fact that terrorists deliberately target civilians for maximum body count.

[Comadreja]

21. The hard-hearted jailer

"But Haffner knows the bitter truth, at least in retrospect: "In the back of my mind, there is a little nagging voice. Nothing can help. Whatever you say, that swastika was on your arm." The comparison that begs to be made? The dilemma of whether or not to serve in the territories, to stand at an army checkpoint in the role of the hard-hearted jailer, cruelly keeping women, children, sick and old from getting through - or saying no and being hauled off to prison."

www.haaretzdaily.com read more (14483 characters)

Quote: The War, As Told To Us
Wednesday, May, 07 2003 (submitted: May, 13 2003) By Diana Abu-Jaber

[Forkboy]

24. Maybe they can add a dome to the wall.