West Asia crisis: Israel summons reservists

The crisis in West Asia deepened on Friday as Israel called up 30,000 reservist soldiers for a possible ground invasion in besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

Israeli defence minister late on Thursday authorised the call-up of reservists and warned Hamas of more strong response against continuous rocket barrages. Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense to counter rockets fire from coastal strip. Around 1400 Palestinians were killed in a similar Israeli operation codenamed Operation Cast Lead in 2008.

Qatar based news channel Aljazeera reported on Friday that a dozen of lorries carrying tanks and armoured vehicles were seen moving towards the border area, while buses ferried soldiers.

Israel-Hamas conflict since Wednesday has killed at least 22 people, including three Israeli nationals. On Thursday, three Israelis were killed when a rocket hit a top floor of an apartment building in the northern town of Kiryat Malachi.

Hamas has rained at least 300 Qassam rockets into Israel, while Israel retaliated by targeting key militant infrastructure in the Gaza Strip. After Israeli airstrikes, the Islamist party Hamas declared an “Open war against Israel” and said that Israel has opened “Gates of Hell for itself”.

According to Israeli newspaper, The Jerusalam Post, Israel attacked 320 targeted in the Gaza since launching of the Operation Pillar of Defense with assassination of Hamas military chief.

The Hamas-Israel confrontation began on Wednesday when Israel killed Hamas' top military commander Ahmed Jabari in an airstrike in Gaza. Israel accused Jabari of masterminding major attacks against Israeli civilians and planning kidnapping of corporal Gilad Shalit. Shalit was released in 2011 after Israel agreed to release 1000 Palestinians. Shalit spent five years in Hamas captivity before he was released.

On Thursday, Iran was indirectly drawn into the whole conflict when military wing of Hamas, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, hit Tel Aviv with an Iran-made Fajr-5 rocket in two decades since Gulf War.

Meanwhile, Egypt on Thursday confirmed that its Prime Minister Hesham Kandil would visit Gaza Strip to review the situation on the ground. Egypt also recalled its Ambassador to Israel on Thursday protesting attacks on Gaza.

In an statement issued by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the army targeted underground medium-range rocket launching pads of Hamas and other resistance fighters, reported The Jerusalam Post website on Friday.

The IDF is landing painful blows against Hamas and against terrorist infrastructure, JP quoted Defense Minister Ehud Barak as saying. Barak added, “The rocket fire on greater Tel Aviv was “an escalation, and the other side will have to pay a price for this escalation.”
According to another Israeli news website, Haaretz, “The Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepted 105 of the rockets launched from Gaza on Wednesday and Thursday.”

Earlier on Wednesday, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting, but failed to take any decision on the issue. The Hamas-Israel conflict comes at a critical time when Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmood Abbas is preparing to get upgraded status of a 'non-member state' in the United Nations, the same status as of Vatican City.

According to experts, Israel's latest incursion into Gaza may be part of broader policy of Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu, who is seeking reelection. Israel will hold a general election on January 22, 2103.

Till now India has not issued any statement on the Israeli operation in Gaza leave alone condemning it.

Meanwhile, Congress has maintained a complete silence and refused to take any stand on the issue.

When contacted, senior Congress leader and spokesman, Rashid Alvi, said that he has to consult the party leadership before issuing any statement regarding the whole event.

Another party leader Shakeel Ahmad refused comment on the Israeli aggression, but reiterated the Government of India stand for a separate statehood for the Palestinians.