Boim threatens to invade the Gaza Strip

Israeli deputy minister of defense Zeev Boim threatened to conduct a wide-scaled military invasion in the Gaza Strip if the Palestinian resistance fires at the army or the settlements during disengagement.

The operation will be similar to the ‘defensive shield” which was carried out by the Israel army in the West Bank in 2002.

Boim told the Israeli Radio on Sunday that the “army cannot evacuate the settlements and respond to Palestinian fire at the same time”.

“First we should stop the Palestinian fire”, Boim said, “then we can evacuate the settlements in accordance to the disengagement plan”.

Recently, several Israeli military officials reiterated their threats to conducted wide-scaled operations in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli army sources revealed that the military has finalized a plan to invade the Gaza Strip if it comes under fire during the evacuation process.

The Plan, known as “Iron Fists”, instructs the army to invade and conduct a wide-scaled military assaults in Beit Hanoun, and Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and Khan Younis in the south.    

Also, the army intends to create a 5km ‘buffer zone’, in order to prevent the resistance from firing at the settlements or the army. 

The Israeli online daily Haaretz reported that the Israeli defense minister Shaul Mofaz, rejected the ‘Iron Fist Plan”, which was presented by General Aviv Kokhavi, the commander of the Israeli army’s Gaza Division, and Dan Hariel, Israeli army commander in the southern Gaza Strip.

Mofaz said that such an operation requires political measures, adding that the Palestinian Authority is interested in foiling any attempts by the resistance to fire at Israeli settlements and soldiers during disengagement.  

Haaretz added that Mofaz believes that the P.A is capable of preventing the resistance from firing at the settlements and the army, and that Hamas leaders will also conduct efforts to stop their members from firing at the settlements. 

“If the resistance fires at our troops during disengagement, we will invade areas in the Gaza Strip”, Mofaz said, “this operation will be similar to the defensive shield operation carried out in April 2002”.