Entered into the database on Monday, August 01st, 2005 @ 19:55:22 MST
JERUSALEM - Israel would launch a massive ground operation if Palestinian militants
fire on Israeli soldiers and settlers during next month's Gaza pullout, the deputy
defense minister said Sunday. In such a scenario, the evacuation of settlers would be halted for 10 days to
two weeks while Israeli forces occupy Palestinian towns near the Jewish settlements,
said Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim. Boim told Israel Radio the ground operation would be massive, on the scale
of the "Defensive Shield" offensive of 2002, in which Israel reoccupied
West Bank towns in response to a series of suicide bombings.
