Rafah, Israeli Defence Force's Stalingrad

IDF patrol, Gaza

Israel revered its paratroopers, by the 1970s disillusionment set in, they had ceased to be a manageable grouping of commandos and became a cumbersome machine far too dependent on US style technology - as if foreseeing some of the problems with the serious defeat of the IDF during the 2006 Lebanon campaign.

There are no achievable goals for the IDF in Gaza. There are no body counts of Hamas operatives, there are innumerable body counts for Palestinian civilians. Consistently, IDF operating with tanks and artillery and missiles in Rafah,a densely populated city replete with fleeing, distressed civilians are massacred. Mosques, hospitals and food stores along with clean water supplies are targeted - this is a war crime. Netanyahu wants war to stay in office, facing jail for corruption, this is the only reason for this wasteful war. Netanyahu promises an investigation which ends with a 'tragic mistake'. The IDF are discredited the longer they mull around aimlessly in Gaza. IDF are filmed in single file attack mode fully ignoring diamond/arrowhead tactical formations with GPMGs on the flanks. Kill one terrorist, generate 10 more to replace one. Israel is hated in Gaza and in the under reported West Bank. There are no tragic mistakes when friendly fire kills 5 IDF personnel or 3 surrendering Israeli hostages are executed by the IDF.

The IDF declared Khan Younis free of Hamas, then Hamas resurfaced in northern Gaza. The IDF withdrew a Brigade of 3,000 personnel from Khan Younis without securing concession s from Hamas, crazy.

Israel will be isolated, divestment as demanded by US and worldwide student bodies, will be followed by sanctions against Israel. The US red line is imminent.

Source: Irish Times, Channel 4 TV