Israel threatens Gaza invasion as Palestinian hostages strike back

It seems that some of Israel's Palestinian hostages have struck back by capturing an Israeli soldier. So now the captives have a captive Israel is threatening to re-invade Gaza instead of just starving its population. Conal Urquhart in the Guardian suggests that the Israeli army won't be too heavy handed because:

it is unlikely to do anything to jeopardise the life of Corporal Gilad Shilat, the 19-year-old gunner snatched from a tank in a border raid in which Hamas militants admitted they took part

It's typical of Conal Urquhart to suggest that saving a life is uppermost on the collective mind of the Israeli government. I'm not original in saying that Israel deliberately provokes Palestinian violence. In fairness Israel prefers its civilians to be killed than its soldiers because the latter getting killed is bad for the Israeli army's invincibility myth so maybe Urquhart's right this time.

Still, we'd better get ready for Israeli officials and their apologists in the media here to start chanting the Jenin mantra.

It's interesting comparing the Ha'aretz article with the Guardian one. The Guardian has Olmert threatening Abbas that he will hold him responsible for whatever happens in this saga. The Ha'aretz headline has Abbas threatening Hamas. Is this the food chain in occupied Palestine? Perhaps we're about to find out.