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Last update - 04:36 07/03/2008 Defense chiefs warm to idea of multinational force in Gaza By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff Tags: Gaza, Israel  Defense officials are pushing the idea of a multinational force in the Gaza Strip, but are undecided on whether they prefer such a unit to be deployed relatively soon or only after a major ground operation by the Israel Defense Forces. A large Israeli offensive may be inevitable if the situation in the Strip continues to deteriorate. An Israeli soldier was killed and another seriously wounded on Thursday when Palestinian militants blew up an IDF jeep patrolling the Gaza border. Two other soldiers were lightly wounded. Advertisement A major offensive could include reoccupying parts of northern Gaza and occupying or imposing a closure on the area around the city of Rafah in the south of the enclave. This reoccupation would be expected to last about a month, after which the army would round up fugitives and seize weapons and materiel over six or seven months. IDF sources say such an operation would gradually reduce the rocket fire and could delay the increase in Hamas' military power, which is based on smuggling from Egypt via Rafah. The deployment of a multinational force in Gaza is part of the defense establishment's "exit plan" after a big operation. The idea was raised in unofficial talks with leaders of Arab and Muslim countries, some of whom viewed the issue favorably. Israeli officials believe that the participation of Arab states in a multinational force would help to legitimize it in the eyes of the Palestinian public. But members of the General Staff said it was better to try less-drastic moves than a major ground operation before deciding to occupy parts of the Strip. One of the proposals discussed was integrating Egyptian troops in a small multinational force that would operate at the border crossings in the hope of sparing Israel a major military operation. IDF officers have recently checked with international aid organizations in Gaza to find out whether they would be able to help Gaza residents during massive fighting and assist the tens of thousands of refugees expected to flee the fighting to Sinai, the Egyptian side of Rafah and the town of El-Arish in Sinai. Fighting escalated on the Gaza border Thursday as at least eight Qassam rockets were fired at Sderot. One man was moderately injured and another lightly injured. An Israeli Air Force strike in the northern Gaza Strip killed an Islamic Jihad militant. Islamic Jihad and a local Gazan group, the Abu Reish Brigades, took responsibility for the attack on Israeli troops near Ein Hashlosha. The five Hamas activists whose assassination by Israel sparked the latest escalation in the Gaza Strip had been planning a large terror attack, defense sources said. The five had returned from training camps in Iran, Syria and Lebanon and supervised preparations for the operation, which was to include attacking several military vehicles moving along the fence surrounding the Gaza Strip. It is possible that in the commotion these attacks would have created, Hamas planned to penetrate into Israel and kidnap soldiers or civilians, the sources said. IDF sources suspect that after the breach in the Egyptian border at Rafah in January, Hamas received missiles such as the Kornet and Concourse, which Hezbollah successfully operated in the last war in Lebanon. Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders Thursday met Egyptian intelligence officers in El-Arish to discuss the possibility of opening the Rafah crossing and reaching a temporary cease-fire with Israel. A Hamas delegate said after the meeting that his organization will agree to a cease-fire if Israel halts its fire and removes the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Islamic Jihad demanded that the cease-fire include the West Bank and an Israeli undertaking to stop rounding up fugitives. The frequent changes in Israel's moves in the Gaza Strip this week raised tensions in the cabinet and between the government and IDF. Chief of Staff Gabi Asheknazi decided to take Givati Brigade troops out of the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday night, deciding that the operation had achieved all it could. This led to a curt exchange between Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who protested the discrepancy between the decision to continue the operation on Sunday and ending it that night. Related articles: UNIFIL steps up supervision to deter Hezbollah re-armament UN votes to extend UNIFIL mandate in southern Lebanon TOlmert: Lebanese army, UNIFIL are keeping Hezbollah in check The curse of Gaza Bookmark to del.icio.us   From Pyongyang N. Korea expresses hope for stronger ties with Syria. Peres in Paris Pres. tells Le Figaro Israel won't act alone to halt Iran.   1.   The terrorist state plotting more death &destruction! 04:56  |  lakshmi 07/03/08   2.   #1 lakshimi 06:04  |  judith 07/03/08   3.   The answer is simple. Israel must retake Gaza forever and rebuild 06:15  |  Chaim 07/03/08   4.   IDF Idiots - You Think Mutinationals Will Do Your Work ? 06:27  |  Tod Zuckerman 07/03/08   5.   Well, that`s chutzpah for you..... 06:47  |  Johnboy 07/03/08   6.   Keep dreaming! 07:27  |  Nechama 07/03/08   7.   Brilliant 08:15  |  IW 07/03/08   8.   now offer the Arab multinational force off-duty trips to Tel Aviv 08:26  |  abu ars 07/03/08   9.   No! to foreign troops in the Land of Israel. 08:32  |  Jean Van Daem 07/03/08   10.   Good for both sides 08:54  |  Esther 07/03/08   11.   gaza 09:36  |  shawa 07/03/08   12.   This story is fiction 10:32  |  Clickfool 07/03/08   13.   Defense chiefs are crazy 10:43  |  david 07/03/08   14.   Will Never Happen - Israel Would Hate it 11:17  |  Simon 07/03/08   15.   Israeli idiots haven`t learned of the total failure of the UNIFIL 11:47  |  Absolute Sweden 07/03/08   16.   OUTSOURCING SECURITY = DISASTER 4 JEWISH SOVEREIGNTY!!!!!! 14:19  |  Ben Uziel 07/03/08   17.   un 14:19  |  zeew 07/03/08   18.   A snap! 15:01  |  Mark Lincoln 07/03/08   19.   The multinational force must be in Gaza and West Bank 16:14  |  Harold 07/03/08   20.   A Good Idea ! 16:43  |  not applicable 07/03/08   21.   The Land of Israel Is Turned Into A Vicious Barbaric Protectorat 17:02  |  Joseph . E 07/03/08   22.   OUTSOURCING NATIONAL SECURITY RECIPE 4 DISASTER! 17:22  |  Jim 07/03/08   23.   That`s what Abbas wants also! 17:49  |  Paul 07/03/08   24.   Opposite of zeal? 20:15  |  Paul 07/03/08   25.   Multinational headaches 20:17  |  Paul 07/03/08   26.   The Disengagement from Gaza was a big Mistake..... 21:49  |  Dagma 07/03/08   27.   To # 3 Chaim - If Israel retakes Gaza ...... 22:07  |  Dolly 07/03/08   28.   Blackwater Available 01:33  |  Mark of Lewiston 08/03/08   29.   19 Jim - Works for US 01:47  |  Mark of Lewiston 08/03/08   30.   Great idea but who will volunteer? 07:17  |  tal 08/03/08   31.   Gazan Ground Operation 02:51  |  Gary 09/03/08   32.   why only military options? 12:07  |  Ernst 09/03/08

Today Online Palestinians: Hamas, Hezbollah cooperated on Jerusalem attack Responses: 71 Intel chiefs to present cabinet with grim scenarios for 2008 Responses: 15 Zvi Bar'el: Make Syria a partner in the war on terror Responses: 4 Gideon Levy: Mercaz Harav produced the rabbis who led the vilest form of Zionism Responses: 8 Editorial: Peace now, or eternal conflict later Responses: 6 Rosner's Domain Whose Jerusalem Is It, anyway? Poll: Should Abbas and Olmert continue their talks? An Israeli and a crocodile (WTR) The Israel Factor: What's wrong with Obama? Rosner's Mailbox: Stop focusing on Israel's favorability polls More Headlines 12:16 IDF soldier dies of wounds sustained in Gaza border ambush 11:42 Palestinians: Hamas, Hezbollah cooperated on Jerusalem terror attack 12:06 Report: Hamas leader says hundreds of militants trained in Iran, Syria 11:53 Likud MK to propose banning public mourning for terrorists 11:43 For stricken yeshiva, trauma of terror attack likely to linger 07:22 Jewish Agency to start anti-terror drive after J'lem attack 02:59 ANALYSIS / J'lem attack doesn't signal start of third intifada 07:06 Intel chiefs to present cabinet with grim scenarios for 2008 11:01 Rishon Letzion man stabs wife to death as daughter, 12, looks on 04:40 Peretz wants Ayalon to join him in Labor Party challenge to Barak Previous Editions Select Day 07 mar 06 mar 05 mar 04 mar 03 mar 02 mar 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb

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