Today's London Times, apparently relying on IDF sources, says that incoming defense minister Ehud Barak is planning an attack on Gaza some time in the next few weeks:

Barak, who is expected to become defence minister tomorrow, has already demanded detailed plans to deploy two armoured divisions and an infantry division, accompanied by assault drones and F-16 jets, against Hamas.

The Israeli forces would expect to be confronted by about 12,000 Hamas fighters with arms confiscated from the Fatah faction that they defeated in last week’s three-day civil war in Gaza.

Such an attack would be triggered by resumed rocket attacks or suicide bombings launched by Hamas, which the Israelis apparently consider inevitable. Fighting in Gaza is expected to be quite a bit more difficult than the conflict against Hezbollah in Lebanon last summer.

A source close to Barak said that Israel could not tolerate an aggressive “Hamastan” on its border and an attack seemed unavoidable.

Left unsaid is what Israel might do with Gaza if it is able to quell Hamas there. Re-occupy the strip? Turn it over to Fatah once again? The options don't seem attractive.

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Posted by John at 08:28 AM  |    |