Now Watch Israel Not Retaliate For Yesterday's Suicide Bombing
Early reports are that Israel is mobilizing the IDF for operations in Gaza:
Defense Minister Amir Peretz ordered the IDF on Monday night to prepare plans to target Palestinian terror organizations and Islamic Jihad terror chiefs in the Gaza Strip as a response to the suicide attack in Eilat that killed three Israelis earlier on Monday morning.The IDF also immediately reinforced troops along Israel's fenceless border with Egypt, which security officials said the bomber used to infiltrate into Israel... Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a Kadima faction meeting that for "a long time, Israel [had] enjoyed the illusion of quiet." Olmert said that in recent months, Israel had prevented numerous terror attacks. The prime minister said he would consult security officials, and only after all relevant intelligence had been collected would the IDF decide on a course of action.
For those of you confused by what "a course of action" means, it basically means that the IDF will do nothing:
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert plans to maintain the cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, and will not respond to yesterday's suicide bombing in Eilat with a broad military offensive, aides said last night. The attack in the southern resort town claimed the lives of three Israelis. Olmert met with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and senior security officials yesterday in order to evaluate the ways in which Israel might respond following the attack. The bombing was carried out by an Islamic Jihad terrorist who crossed into Israel from Sinai.
It's tough to know whether Olmert is maintaining the ceasefire because he just doesn't want to escalate or because Israel can't go into the Gaza Strip while the Palestinians are "on the brink of civil war". Either way, nothing is going to change because of this suicide bombing.
Previously: Terrorists Building Tunnels, Storerooms For War, Palestinians Probably Going about "Democratic State" Thing All Wrong - Letting in Terrorists Instead of Voters (Opps!), Israel Can't Go After Terrorists, But Hamas Is Allowed To Call For Genocide
