[Peace-discuss] Elections in Israel: a time for military escalation

[C. G. Estabrook]

Ron HaCohen <http://www.antiwar.com/hacohen/?articleid=8220>:
   "One cannot overestimate the [Israeli] government's power
to set the agenda, and Sharon has a vested interest in
focusing on Israel's 'security problems.' The army and the
entire military system and industries are on his side. The
tension buildup regarding Iran's nuclear project -– a daily
obsession for the past two weeks -– is clearly such a spin.
Tension at the Lebanese border is always ready for escalation
-– claims about Hezbollah's (!) 'political needs' are always
at hand. But the best way to induce Palestinian retaliation is
the policy of extra-judicial killing. The time gap between an
Israeli assassination and the Palestinian reaction easily
enables the propaganda system to make Israelis forget the
former when the latter occurs -– an ideal agenda-shifter. 
Therefore an escalation is to be expected..."


Israeli air strike kills top Gaza militant
Dec 7, 11:56 AM (ET)

GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike killed a senior
militant in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and wounded 10 other
people, three of them children, Palestinian medics said.

The strike came two days after Israel vowed to avenge a
suicide bombing that killed five Israelis at a shopping mall
in the central coastal town of Netanya.

The Israeli army said its aircraft had targeted a vehicle
driven by a senior militant accused of involvement in sniper
fire and other attacks on Israeli troops.

Palestinian medics said two rockets killed Mahmud el-Arqan,
29, a leading member of the Popular Resistance Committees, a
coalition of militant groups, and that shrapnel wounded 10
passersby, including three children younger than 10 years old.

Witnesses said the missiles struck the car as it rounded a
bend on a road in the southern Gaza border town of Rafah.

Abu Radwan, a spokesman for the Popular Committees, confirmed
that el-Arqan, a top field commander, and head of their sniper
unit had been killed and that the group would seek revenge for
the slaying.

"We will inevitably react. The blood of our martyrs will never
go to waste," Abu Radwan said.

Israel had resolved to retaliate for Monday's bombing in
Netanya, though a different militant group, Islamic Jihad, had
claimed responsibility for that attack.

Israel has assassinated militant leaders in the past by air
strikes on their vehicles.

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