Israelis are waking up this Thursday morning (13 May 2004) to news that five more Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed the previous day in the Gaza Strip.
The news was posted on the CNN Web site late Wednesday night, but was absent from any Israeli-based news sites until early Thursday morning, apparently due to a decision by the censor.
This latest incident comes less than 36 hours after six soldiers died when a large bomb blew up under their armored personnel carrier, in the Gaza City neighborhood of Zeitun. It didn't help matters that the blast set off explosives inside the APC, which the troops were using in an operation the army said was to demolish mortar factories.
Israel could have left the Gaza Strip years ago, but leaving now will give the appearance of fleeing the area and a victory for militant groups, as was the case with leaving south Lebanon, even though Israel is better off for not being there anymore. Why does it always seem that by the time a consensus is reached in the public to withdraw military forces, and the political echelon decides to leave, it's too late. Of course, Likud members who voted last week against Sharon's disengagement plan, which would have included a complete evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements, today are reassuring themselves that the soldiers' deaths provide more evidence of the need to stay. Too bad the Labor Party isn't capable of running a good campaign to capitalize on the fact that the Likud is out of touch from the majority of the Israeli public that favors quitting the Gaza Strip altogether. (I still haven't forgiven Labor for losing the elections after Rabin was assassinated.)
