Today and this week marks what will soon begin a new era, not an era on the level of "Cold War, Post-Cold War, Post-9/11" but a new era in which only one other distintion has ever been made. Before and after Christ. We now decend slowly into a terrible time of terrorism, fear, and power grabbing. Before it is all over with, fear not, Israel will decide that this experiment in Palestianian statehood has failed (at the cost of hundreds of lives)and they will take iron-fisted control of Gaza, wiping out the terror organizations that ARE there and WILL SOON BE there. This explusion falling on the 9th of Av is so elegant that this couldn't be a book written by any other than God himself. Also, the Jews praying and pleading at the Wailing Wall, their cries will not go unheeded. Even as a Christian, I know that my God and my Savior Jesus Christ will not let these people of the same God suffer.
In the coming days, things cannot be predicted to go well for the IDF planned evacuation. It may be as bad as riots that leave dozens dead, and the IDF shamed for decades. Or it may be as bad as a suprise terrorist attack, in the form of an army of sucide bombers, gunmen, and pure hatred that pours in during the chaos that will be Wednesday. They will take advantage of the situation and show the world what they used the recent 6 month "lull" in fighting for. To prepare for a jihad reminicint of the so called "Golden Days" of Islam.
Of course, this is just pure speculation, long hours at home with nothing to do tonight, and an odd sense of "oh shits gonna hit the fan this time." but in the end, no matter the words i just said...it simlpy comes down to: Believe in Him.
Yes. There's not much time left, the way I see it...
By Ze'ev Schiff
There are two big questions concerning the army, police and Shin Bet Security Services on the eve of the withdrawal from Gush Katif and northern Samaria. One is whether a Jewish extremist will fire at Israel's security forces, while the second is whether Hamas and other armed organizations will do the same.
At first glance, there is no direct connection between these two questions, but the security forces are preparing themselves for both scenarios. According to military experts, the number of Israeli extremists liable to use weapons against the security forces who come to evict them is relatively small - 100 at most. Thousands of people who are opposed to the disengagement plan have infiltrated the Gaza Strip in preparation for the pullout, but most, if not all, are considered unlikely to take up arms. Many of these infiltrators comprise entire families.
The dozens of armed extremists have been known to the police, by name, for some time. And the assumption is that there are others the security forces do not know, as was the case with Eden Natan Zada, the soldier who deserted his unit and murdered four people in Shfaram 10 days ago. Natan Zada had told friends at the West Bank settlement of Tapuah that he had intended to do something in Gush Katif.
The security forces have no knowledge of any plans by extremists to use weapons, but they believe it is possible that such an incident could occur due to an impulsive decision or spontaneous response to a situation.
Regarding the Palestinians, the calculations are different. Palestinian Authority officials have told the Americans and Israelis they have convinced Hamas not to open fire during the disengagement, and the PA is committed to deploying forces on the ground to back them up. So far, the PA has enlisted about 1,500 troops, including police officers (not 5,000, as the authority's interior minister, Nasser Yusuf, has promised), some of whom are on leave at any given time. When PA officials say they will prevent anyone from shooting at Israel, they mean they will do their best to prevent major attacks such as the firing of Qassam rockets and mortars.
The assumption is that Hamas, the Palestinians' leading and largest terror organization, will avoid firing while Israeli citizens are being evacuated from the Gaza Strip. But as soon as Israel Defense Forces troops are the only ones left in the area - soldiers are expected to remain in the Gaza Strip for about a month after civilian evacuations are completed to demolish the abandoned homes and other structures - the group is expected to change its policy. Hamas plans on using arms against the IDF to emphasize that Israel is withdrawing from Gaza under fire, and underline the Palestinian victory achieved by Hamas.
Israel's policy as outlined by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is to suspend the disengagement if civilians are fired upon during the evacuation and allow the army to respond. The question is whether this policy also applies to the use of arms against the IDF once the civilians have been removed.