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Just so no one confused about how the Gaza crisis began, see this
December 31st Haaretz report describing how Israel planned its assault
on Gaza 6 months ago, just as it was cynically agreeing to a ceasefire.
The article also shows that it was Israel which broke the ceasefire by
attacking Gaza. Haaretz is the main mainstream daily newspaper for
Israel.<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050426.html">http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050426.html</a><br>
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<td id="inputDate" class="t11">Last update - 16:39
12/31/2008 </td>
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<td colspan="2" class="t18B" valign="top"> Disinformation,
secrecy and lies: How the Gaza offensive came about </td>
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<td colspan="2" class="t11B" valign="top"> By <a
href="mailto:barakravid80@gmail.com" class="tUbl2">Barak Ravid</a>,
Haaretz Correspondent </td>
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"
href="http://www.haaretz.com/common/scripts/styles.css;pv6cafdd21710563cc">
<span dir="ltr"><span class="tagTitle">Tags: </span><span><a
class="tagsText"
href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/tags/index.jhtml?tag=Hamas"
target="_top" onmouseover="this.className='tagBack tagsTextOver'"
onmouseout="this.className='tagsText'">Hamas</a></span><span>, <a
class="tagsText"
href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/tags/index.jhtml?tag=Israel"
target="_top" onmouseover="this.className='tagBack tagsTextOver'"
onmouseout="this.className='tagsText'">Israel</a></span><span>, <a
class="tagsText"
href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/tags/index.jhtml?tag=Gaza"
target="_top" onmouseover="this.className='tagBack tagsTextOver'"
onmouseout="this.className='tagsText'">Gaza</a></span> <img
src="cid:part7.09080706.07050900@aim.com" class="moreTagsArrow"
onclick="showMoreTags(new Array('Israel+news'),'hasen',event);"></span>
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<span class="t13">Long-term
preparation, careful gathering of information, secret discussions,
operational deception and the misleading of the public - all these
stood behind the Israel Defense Forces "Cast Lead" operation against
Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip, which began Saturday morning. <br>
<br>
The disinformation effort, according to defense officials, took
Hamas by surprise and served to significantly increase the number of
its casualties in the strike.
<br>
<br>
Sources in the defense establishment said Defense Minister Ehud
Barak instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare for the operation
over six months ago, even as Israel was beginning to negotiate a
ceasefire agreement with Hamas. According to the sources, Barak
maintained that although the lull would allow Hamas to prepare for a
showdown with Israel, the Israeli army needed time to prepare, as well.
<br>
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<span class="t13">Barak
gave orders to carry out a comprehensive intelligence-gathering drive
which sought to map out Hamas' security infrastructure, along with that
of other militant organizations operating in the Strip.
<br>
<br>
This intelligence-gathering effort brought back information about
permanent bases, weapon silos, training camps, the homes of senior
officials and coordinates for other facilities.
<br>
<br>
The plan of action that was implemented in Operation Cast Lead
remained only a blueprint until a month ago, when tensions soared after
the IDF carried out an incursion into Gaza during the ceasefire to take
out a tunnel which the army said was intended to facilitate an attack
by Palestinian militants on IDF troops.
<br>
<br>
On November 19, following dozens of Qassam rockets and mortar
rounds which exploded on Israeli soil, the plan was brought for Barak's
final approval. Last Thursday, on December 18, Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert and the defense minister met at IDF headquarters in central Tel
Aviv to approve the operation.
<br>
<br>
However, they decided to put the mission on hold to see whether
Hamas would hold its fire after the expiration of the ceasefire. They
therefore put off bringing the plan for the cabinet's approval, but
they did inform Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni of the developments.
<br>
<br>
That night, in speaking to the media, sources in the Prime
Minister's Bureau said that "if the shooting from Gaza continues, the
showdown with Hamas would be inevitable." On the weekend, several
ministers in Olmert's cabinet inveighed against him and against Barak
for not retaliating for Hamas' Qassam launches.
<br>
<br>
"This chatter would have made Entebe or the Six Day War
impossible," Barak said in responding to the accusations. The cabinet
was eventually convened on Wednesday, but the Prime Minister's Bureau
misinformed the media in stating the discussion would revolve around
global jihad. The ministers learned only that morning that the
discussion would actually pertain to the operation in Gaza.
<br>
<br>
In its summary announcement for the discussion, the Prime
Minister's Bureau devoted one line to the situation in Gaza, compared
to one whole page that concerned the outlawing of 35 Islamic
organizations.
<br>
<br>
What actually went on at the cabinet meeting was a five-hour
discussion about the operation in which ministers were briefed about
the various blueprints and plans of action. "It was a very detailed
review," one minister said. <br>
<br>
The minister added: "Everyone fully understood what sort of period
we were heading into and what sort of scenarios this could lead to. No
one could say that he or she did not know what they were voting on."
The minister also said that the discussion showed that the lessons of
the Winograd Committee about the performance of decision-makers during
the 2006 Second Lebanon War were "fully internalized."
<br>
<br>
At the end of the discussion, the ministers unanimously voted in
favor of the strike, leaving it for the prime minister, the defense
minister and the foreign minister to work out the exact time.
<br>
<br>
While Barak was working out the final details with the officers
responsible for the operation, Livni went to Cairo to inform Egypt's
president, Hosni Mubarak, that Israel had decided to strike at Hamas.
<br>
<br>
In parallel, Israel continued to send out disinformation in
announcing it would open the crossings to the Gaza Strip and that
Olmert would decide whether to launch the strike following three more
deliberations on Sunday - one day after the actual order to launch the
operation was issued.
<br>
<br>
"Hamas evacuated all its headquarter personnel after the cabinet
meeting on Wednesday," one defense official said, "but the organization
sent its people back in when they heard that everything was put on hold
until Sunday."
<br>
<br>
The final decision was made on Friday morning, when Barak met with
Chief of Staff General Gabi Ashkenazi, the head of the Shin Bet
Security Service Yuval Diskin and the head of the Military Intelligence
Directorate, Amos Yadlin. Barak sat down with Olmert and Livni several
hours later for a final meeting, in which the trio gave the air force
its orders.
<br>
<br>
On Friday night and on Saturday morning, opposition leaders and
prominent political figures were informed about the impending strike,
including Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu, Yisrael Beuiteinu's
Avigdor Liebermen, Haim Oron from Meretz and President Shimon Peres,
along with Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik.
<br>
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<br>
previously, I wrote:<br>
<br>
Yes, and the SFGP needs to back up that GPUS call with open and strong
support. We need to to show San Franciscans who have been brow beaten
into silence that the tide is turning and that they are empowered to
speak up.<br>
<br>
And we need to call for the City government to boycott and divest from
Israel.<br>
<br>
We should also send a similar message to San Francisco student
organizations, and colleges/universities, which calls on them to act.<br>
<br>
peace<br>
<br>
Eric<br>
<br>
Mark wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:251515.31251.qm@web36407.mail.mud.yahoo.com"
type="cite">
<style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style>
<div style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
<div>The GPUS has already done so.......</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Green Party has called for an end to US <span
class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1230675150_27">military aid</span> to Israel
and supports the movement for international boycott, divestment, and
sanctions against Israel until Israel ends the occupation, obeys
international law (including <span class="yshortcuts"
id="lw_1230675150_28">Geneva Conventions</span> and the UN's <span
class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1230675150_29"
style="border-bottom: medium none; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">Universal
Declaration of Human Rights</span>), and guarantees full human rights
for Palestinians. The party supports efforts by Palestinian and
Israeli peace groups towards a nonviolent negotiated resolution to the
conflict.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br>
<div
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times new roman,new york,times,serif;"><font
face="Tahoma" size="2">
<hr size="1"><b><span style="font-weight: bold;">From:</span></b>
Eric Brooks <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="mailto:brookse32@aim.com"><brookse32@aim.com></a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span></b> active green
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:active@sfgreens.org"><active@sfgreens.org></a>;
SFGP CC <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:cc@sfgreens.org"><cc@sfgreens.org></a><br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span></b> Tuesday,
December 30, 2008 12:41:40 PM<br>
<b><span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> [SFGP-A] The
SFGP Must Take A Stand On Israel<br>
</font><br>
It is time for the SFGP to take a stand and strongly support a full
global boycott of and divestment from Israel.<br>
<br>
I would ask that this matter be urgently agendized for our January GM
meeting.<br>
<br>
Israel has proven that it is never going to change without being forced
to do so through massive economic pressure.<br>
<br>
peace<br>
<br>
Eric<br>
<br>
Mark wrote:
<blockquote type="cite">
<div
style="font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"><a
moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/30/gaza.aid.boat/index.html"
target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/30/gaza.aid.boat/index.html</a></div>
<pre><hr size="4" width="90%">
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</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature">--
"I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara</pre>
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</blockquote>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
"I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves." – Che Guevara</pre>
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