Israel Matzav

Surprise: 'Palestinian' motivation to kidnap soldiers has increased since terrorists for Gilad trade

This should surprise no one. The IDF is now admitting that the 'Palestinians' motivation to kidnap IDF soldiers has significantly increased since the terrorists for Gilad trade was concluded.

Motivation to kidnap Israeli soldiers has significantly increased since Israel completed the prisoner swap for the release of Gilad Schalit, a senior IDF commander said Wednesday.

According to Col. Tal Hermoni, commander of the Gaza Division South Brigade, Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other terror groups in the Gaza Strip are working to abduct Israeli soldiers and are digging tunnels that can potentially be used in such an attack.

"We believe that since there are additional Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails that these groups are working to kidnap soldiers," Hermoni said Wednesday during a briefing to reporters along Israel's border with Egypt."

Hermoni said that there are people working in Gaza "on a daily basis" in the tunnel industry and that Israel was investing significant resources to gather intelligence and locate those tunnels to limit the element of surprise if they were to be used in a future attack. The terrorists who kidnapped Schalit in June 2006 infiltrated Israel via a 500m-long tunnel they had dug under the border near the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Hermoni said that the abduction of a soldier was the type of attack which would have "strategic significance" for Israel and that the IDF was working on multiple levels to prevent such an attack and to thwart one if it is launched. He said that military orders about how commanders and soldiers should operate in an abduction attack were being clarified and are transmitted to all the relavent ranks within the IDF.

So is everyone going to be shocked when - God forbid - it happens again?

Six and a half years ago, many of us warned that giving Gaza to the 'Palestinians' would result in a hail of rockets raining down on Israel. We were ignored. We were right. Now, unfortunately, the same thing is about to happen regarding the kidnapping of IDF soldiers.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Hamas, kidnapping, terrorists for Gilad trade

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:44 PM