Everyone wants to close the tunnels, now.
So, we needed an entire offensive, with a call-up of the reserves, to implement this idea?
There has been smuggling through tunnels going on for a long, long time. As best memory serves, it pre-dates the creation of Israel.
What's more, after the last push, there was already much discussion and money voted for the so-called "Philidephi Corridor", which includes some number of Palestinian homes leveled for the purpose.
So, the idea that everyone needed a 8-day air campaign in order to "do something more" about smuggling is nothing more than a ruse, a mis-direction.
It's not so easy to close these tunnels, so once again we're at the 1% solution.
more...
But without fortifications and a more serious crackdown along the Egyptian border, Israel believes the tunnels can be reestablished in as little as 3-6 months, officials said.
Before the current offensive, Israel estimated there were hundreds of smuggling tunnels. Palestinians say there were at least 3,000.
The tunnels include deep passages wide enough to bring through items as large as Katyusha rockets and farm animals. Leading to these are a matrix of smaller access shafts.
Nicolas Pelham, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, said closing down the tunnels permanently would be a major long-term undertaking. "Without occupying a fairly broad stretch of territory, it is hard to see how you can maintain the closure of the tunnels long-term," he said.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Gaza Tunnels Ruse
"Theoretically, if those 9 miles are denied to Hamas as a resupply route, then Hamas is going to find it very, very difficult to govern, let alone smuggle in Grad and Katyusha rockets," said Matt Levitt, a U.S. expert on militant financing and former senior Treasury official.
