US 'not to stomach defeat in Gaza'Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:54:06 GMT
Washington is reportedly "worried" that Hamas may gain in popularity if US-backed Israeli attacks on Gaza amount to a war of attrition.
A new report has revealed that the 5-day-old Israeli military campaign against Gaza has made the Bush administration increasingly nervous as the number of Palestinian casualties continues to rise.
Washington is extremely concerned that if the massive offensive against one of the most populated areas on earth does not lead to the fall of Hamas, support for the Palestinian group may increase, the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday.
The daily cited sources close to discussions between Washington and Tel Aviv as saying that the White House wants Israel to settle on a timetable and an exit strategy so that their bitter experience in the 2006 war on Hezbollah is not repeated.
Israel waged a 33-day war on Lebanon in 2006 to destroy the military power of Hezbollah -- a group that has been established to defend Lebanon.
Hezbollah, however, emerged victorious and gained immense popularity.
"You're not hearing that same confidence you did in 2006 that the Israeli military can impose a new strategic reality and should go full force," the daily quoted an unnamed Arab diplomat close to the discussions as saying.
"There's a real contrast between their words then and now," he added.
A Palestinian mourns as he carried the lifeless body of a child killed by the Israeli bombing of Qana in 2006.
During its war on Lebanon, Israel bombed parts of southern and eastern Lebanon and later widened its bombing campaign to cover most of the country. The violence killed around 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians; and
157 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
The United States has also warned Israel, according to the report, to avoid any strike that could inflict enormous civilian casualties, saying such an act would further turn the international community against Tel Aviv.
During the war in 2006, the Israel Air Force attacked a three-story building in the southern village of Qana, killing 28 civilians, about half of whom were children.
The attack caused an international outcry and forced Israel to halt air strikes for 48 hours.
Despite international calls for Israel to end its current military offensive into Gaza, which started on Saturday, Israel is reportedly preparing to launch a ground assault into the region.'
A new report has revealed that the 5-day-old Israeli military campaign against Gaza has made the Bush administration increasingly nervous as the number of Palestinian casualties continues to rise.
Washington is extremely concerned that if the massive offensive against one of the most populated areas on earth does not lead to the fall of Hamas, support for the Palestinian group may increase, the Los Angeles Times reported on Wednesday.
The daily cited sources close to discussions between Washington and Tel Aviv as saying that the White House wants Israel to settle on a timetable and an exit strategy so that their bitter experience in the 2006 war on Hezbollah is not repeated.
Israel waged a 33-day war on Lebanon in 2006 to destroy the military power of Hezbollah -- a group that has been established to defend Lebanon.
Hezbollah, however, emerged victorious and gained immense popularity.
"You're not hearing that same confidence you did in 2006 that the Israeli military can impose a new strategic reality and should go full force," the daily quoted an unnamed Arab diplomat close to the discussions as saying.
"There's a real contrast between their words then and now," he added.
A Palestinian mourns as he carried the lifeless body of a child killed by the Israeli bombing of Qana in 2006.
During its war on Lebanon, Israel bombed parts of southern and eastern Lebanon and later widened its bombing campaign to cover most of the country. The violence killed around 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians; and
157 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
The United States has also warned Israel, according to the report, to avoid any strike that could inflict enormous civilian casualties, saying such an act would further turn the international community against Tel Aviv.
During the war in 2006, the Israel Air Force attacked a three-story building in the southern village of Qana, killing 28 civilians, about half of whom were children.
The attack caused an international outcry and forced Israel to halt air strikes for 48 hours.
Despite international calls for Israel to end its current military offensive into Gaza, which started on Saturday, Israel is reportedly preparing to launch a ground assault into the region.'
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