Subscribe to Print Edition | Sat., December 22, 2007 Tevet 13, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:28 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah
Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. (Reuters)
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 13:29 17/12/2007
Hamas: Advanced defense plan ready for when IDF enters Gaza
By Jack Khoury, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: terrorism, Gaza, IDF, Hamas

Hamas' armed wing said Monday that the Islamist organization has completed preparation of its new defense program and is ready to face the Israel Defense Forces when it invades the Gaza Strip.

The remarks were made by Iz a-Din al-Qassam's spokesman, Abu Obeida, in an interview with the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat.

Abu Obeida said that the IDF has not yet encountered such a high level of resistance in its previous incursions into the Gaza Strip.
Advertisement
"The Israeli army won't know where the blows are coming from, and how its tanks will be hit by missiles in our possession," Abu Obeida said, adding that IDF troops would encounter militants trained in new combat methods acting upon instruction from an operational command center shared by all of the Palestinian organizations.

The spokesman also said that the new combat efforts would focus on the element of surprising the enemy, adding that the open fields in the Gaza Strip - which he coined "one big ball of fire" - would be filled with "surprises" for IDF soldiers.

He said that the organizations would rely mainly on so far unused missiles, adding that the group would also make use of a network of tunnels and trenches in its tactics.

"The Israeli army will be surprised by the Palestinian militants that will come out of the ground," said Abu Obeida.

He confirmed ties between Hamas and Iran and Hezbollah, but denied that Hamas militants have received training outside of the Palestinian territories, or arms and missiles from foreign sources.

Abu Obeida maintained that less than 1 percent of Qassam rocket launchers were hit by the Israeli Air Force, despite the fact that the IAF has been "hunting them" for many months. He explained this by saying that the missiles have become more advanced, reaching longer ranges.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the rival Fatah movement blamed Hamas for the escalation in Israeli-Palestinian violence in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas was "pushing Israel toward escalating (its) violence against the Palestinians," Ahmed Abdul Rahman, an aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told reporters.

"Hamas is an irresponsible movement which does not conceive the dimensions of what it does, under fake slogans," Rahman said.

He said the Gaza population "lives between two hells, that of Hamas and that of Israeli military escalation."

Related articles:
  • Abbas calls on Israel to freeze West Bank settlements 'without exception'
  • Israel vows to press ahead with campaign against Gaza militants
  • Hamas urges PA to boycott Israel talks in wake of IDF Gaza raid
  • Reservists: Hamas fights like an army
  • Abbas: Hamas truce violations are an exception, won't continue
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us
    Peres apology
    The President apologized to Kafr Qasem villages for the massacre of 1956.
    Gaza: The Sequel
    'There is no other option' but another round of war. But will it be any different this time?
      1.   Choke Gaza off 12:35  |  Matthew 17/12/07
      2.   They mean business! 12:41  |  lakshmi 17/12/07
      3.   israel should also use surprises 12:41  |  don 17/12/07
      4.   al Hayat is a nest of disinformationists 12:44  |  Rowan Berkeley 17/12/07
      5.   Don`t make us laugh Hamas 12:56  |  Conroy 17/12/07
      6.   Why does this remind me of Hebollah! 12:58  |  Stephen. 17/12/07
      7.   RETAKE GAZA NOW! DON`T WAIT FOR TERROR BUILD-UP! DON`T PLAY WITH 13:20  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 17/12/07
      8.   It`s The N. Korea/Hezbollah Mini bunker Tactic 13:32  |  dyinglikeflies 17/12/07
      9.   Haha-Hamas! 13:50  |  Soldier 17/12/07
      10.   Conroy, brave as a dandelion, thinks this amusing # 5 13:52  |  Clickfool 17/12/07
      11.   #6 stephen 13:57  |  sam 17/12/07
      12.   Question is how many civilians the world will let the IDF kill 14:03  |  Paul Wood 17/12/07
      13.   Clickfool the comedian! 14:15  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 17/12/07
      14.   # 11 Sam. Sure am worried. 14:24  |  Stephen. 17/12/07
      15.   If I lived in Gaza I would build an ark because 14:32  |  Murray of Montreal 17/12/07
      16.   Better 10 israeli conscripts than one civilian 14:33  |  Jens 17/12/07
      17.   For Nik Miller, who has a big mouth # 13 14:34  |  Clickfool 17/12/07
      18.   CLickfool - great hero of the Falklands 14:50  |  Mortimer 17/12/07
      19.   Mr Click- British navy coward 14:53  |  Lakshmi 17/12/07
      20.   Clickfool, please... 14:55  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 17/12/07
      21.   re: Murray 14:55  |  Paulo 17/12/07
      22.   Lakshmi 14:56  |  Clickfool 17/12/07
      23.   4.Rowan Berkely,this Ahmed Abdul Rahman aide to abbas is slated 14:59  |  lakshmi 17/12/07
      24.   To Clickfool #10 15:06  |  dovale 17/12/07
      25.   I`m a Racist 15:07  |  Murray of Montreal 17/12/07
      26.   No surprise here 15:12  |  Mark Lincoln 17/12/07
      27.   PAUL WOOD How many Israelis did Pals TRY to kill with thousands o 15:12  |  PETER SM 17/12/07
      28.   Hamas really wants Israel to invade!!! 15:13  |  De 17/12/07
      29.   For once the PA tells it as it is. 15:17  |  Jo 17/12/07
      30.   Clickfool 15:18  |  FlickC00l 17/12/07
      31.   To Jens 15:19  |  dovale 17/12/07
      32.   For Mortimer, on my alleged naval career # 18 15:22  |  Clickfool 17/12/07
      33.   IDF should not put this off..more weapons smuggled every day. 15:24  |  The Equalizer 17/12/07
      34.   to CLickfool our navel hero again 15:35  |  Mortimer 17/12/07
      35.   Palestinian state = Uganda 15:42  |  Lakshmi 17/12/07
      36.   For Mortimer again # 34 15:46  |  Clickfool 17/12/07
      37.   LAKSHMI AND AID MONEY 15:50  |  Brant 17/12/07
      38.   LOLZ @ #25... I`m glad you admit it. 15:58  |  POP 17/12/07
      39.   Hamas` defence plan in a nutshell. 16:05  |  DR 17/12/07
      40.   "advanced defensehan calls to liquidate Zion 16:26  |  Paul Freedman 17/12/07
      41.   Clickfool has no response? 16:31  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 17/12/07
      42.   green light-go go go 18:09  |  matilda 17/12/07
      43.   If Israel is smart, will let Fatah do the job, it`s in their int. 18:40  |  Hope I`mright 17/12/07
      44.   #2 Lakshmi aka KALI 18:51  |  * BEN JABO 17/12/07
      45.   Hamas` Civilian Reactive Armour Belt, Same As Hezbollah`s 19:06  |  Lavi 17/12/07
      46.   Fool #10 19:12  |  ??? 17/12/07
      47.   The Israeli Military already has 19:32  |  Kris 17/12/07
      48.   "advanced defense" harmed by anti-Zionist liquidationism 19:32  |  Paul Freedman 17/12/07
      49.   Will real clickfool please stand up 19:35  |  leo 17/12/07
      50.   Clickfool & fake Clickfool 19:37  |  Jasmine Murphy 17/12/07
      51.   Hamas has just wriitten a.... 19:38  |  R 17/12/07
      52.   How Many Israeli Deaths Will be Acceptable When Gaza Invaded? 19:49  |  chet 17/12/07
      53.   great balls of fire 20:11  |  frenz 17/12/07
      54.   Hammas Will Win... 20:22  |  GreenGaza 17/12/07
      55.   green gaza 20:31  |  alan 17/12/07
      56.   alan 21:02  |  GreenGaza 17/12/07
      57.   alan.. 21:51  |  again 17/12/07
      58.   Paolo the twit 05:44  |  Murray of Montreal 18/12/07
      59.   So then 07:07  |  Adrian de KLerk 18/12/07
      60.   #54 green gaza 06:17  |  danny 19/12/07
      61.   #52 Chet - ever the military expert 06:34  |  * BEN JABO 21/12/07
      62.   #47 Kris - Austria 03:04  |  * BEN JABO 22/12/07
     Today Online
    Two IDF troops lightly wounded; Israel sets terms for truce
    Responses: 248
    Peres apologizes for Kafr Qasem massacre of 1956
    Responses: 122
    Attempt to exchange messages between Israel and Syria fails
    Responses: 45
    U.S. envoy: Peace education is the only way to end this conflict
    Responses: 74
    Ramon: 70 MKs support settler compensation plan
    Responses: 91
    Rosner's Domain
    Riedel: "Israel will attack Iran" (WTR)
    Hijacked by the demanding, spoiled Bar Mitzvah families
    Romney to Evangelicals, like Messianic Jews to Jews (WTR)
    Rosner's Guest: deNazify the Palestinian culture


    More Headlines
    00:10 Rice: U.S. open to Iran, Syria talks if they change policy
    02:49 Two IDF troops lightly hurt as Israel mulls truce offer
    18:27 President Peres apologizes for Kafr Qasem massacre of 1956
    01:18 Report: Sacha Baron Cohen to retire alter egos Borat and Ali G
    01:02 Historic New York City matzo factory on sale for $25 million
    17:35 A changing Reform movement attempts to resurrect Shabbat
    12:52 Ramon: 70 MKs support paying settlers to evacuate voluntarily
    21:29 Top Hezbollah official blasts Bush, says Lebanon rejects his tutelage
    16:19 Rice welcomes Israeli decision to nix building plan in East J'lem
    07:16 Attempt to exchange messages between Israel and Syria fails
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Inbal Jerusalem Hotel
    Unbeatable rates at the Finest hotel in Jerusalem