Israel approves increased murder of militants

Israel’s security cabinet today approved an army plan to intensify targeted killings of Palestinian militants, including leaders, and send more troops into the Gaza Strip for ground operations.

The military campaign, which will last several weeks, is intended as retaliation for a double suicide bombing that killed 10 Israelis in the port of Ashdod this week, the first deadly Palestinian attack on a strategic target in more than three years of fighting.

The strikes are also meant to increase pressure on militants, particularly the Islamic militant group Hamas, ahead of a possible Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a security official said.

Both the militants and the Israeli military are trying to claim a possible pullback, part of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral “disengagement” plan, as a victory.

Armed groups are already bragging that they are forcing Israel out. Israel wants to avoid the impression of being seen as fleeing the strip.

The Ashdod bombing shook Israel’s security establishment because of the relative ease with which the attackers got out of fenced-in Gaza and sneaked into the heavily guarded port.

The port, which has large storage tanks of fuel and hazardous chemicals, is considered a “strategic” target, meaning an attack there could lead to hundreds, if not thousands, of casualties.

In today’s cabinet meeting, ministers approved an army plan to step up targeted killings of militants, including leaders, the security official said.

Since 2000, Israel has killed dozens of wanted Palestinians in air strikes and other attacks.

The army will also send more soldiers and tanks to the strip, for a series of raids of militant strongholds, the official said.

The campaign will be smaller in scale than Defence Shield, Israel’s massive military offensive in 2002, but will last for several weeks, the official said.

Asked whether an Israeli crackdown would be effective, Justice Minister Tommy Lapid said: “You never finish with terror. You can only fight terror.”

Said Siyam, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, warned that Israel would pay a heavy price for any military strike in the strip.

Early today, Israeli troops blew up two abandoned buildings on the edge of Gaza City that the military said had been used to fire missiles repeatedly at Israeli motorists.

Four tanks entered Gaza’s Rafah refugee camp, and soldiers fired from tank-mounted machine guns, hitting a 21-year-old woman in the chest, witnesses and hospital officials said.

The army had no immediate comment.

Sharon has said he would go ahead with his unilateral plan if peace efforts remain frozen in coming months.

He has never declared formally that he is abandoning attempts to negotiate a peace deal.

However, yesterday, he told Israel’s parliament that “there is no Palestinian leader with the courage, the ability, to struggle against terrorism” and that “clearly, in this situation, there will be no peace talks.”

After the Ashdod bombing, Sharon also cancelled a summit with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, which had been tentatively set for this week.

Qureia said Tuesday he is still willing to negotiate with Israel, and accused Sharon of trying to avoid peace talks.

The Palestinians suspect Sharon is shying away from negotiations because he believes he can hang on to more West Bank land with his unilateral plan.