Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Fears of War Run High on Gaza Border

by Robert Berger

   JERUSALEM --

   Nearly four months of Palestinian protests on the border of the
   Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and Israel are raising concerns of yet another
   war.

   Israel has been fighting brush fires on the Gaza border every day for
   more than three months, thanks to a primitive but effective new
   Palestinian weapon. Militants are sending burning kites across the
   frontier, torching vast areas of Israeli farmland and forests.

   Now, Israel is running out of patience. That became clear a week ago
   when Israel launched its heaviest air strikes on the ruling Islamic
   militant group Hamas since the Gaza War in 2014.

   Yisrael Katz, a member of the security cabinet, said Israel has drawn a
   red line: It will not allow terror from Gaza to continue, whether it is
   attack tunnels, rockets or kites.

   An activist in the Hamas "kite unit" told Israel Television that there
   is only one way to stop the raging fires: The crippling Israeli
   blockade imposed on Gaza 11 years ago must be lifted.

   He said the Palestinians are demanding the free flow of food, medicine
   and fuel, which Israel has curtailed in response to the flaming kite
   attacks.

   Despite this defiance, the Israeli pressure tactics could be having an
   effect. Ibrahim al-Madhoun, a Palestinian journalist with close ties to
   Hamas, says the group is rethinking its strategy.

   He said stopping the burning kites may be necessary to avert all-out
   war with Israel.

   Hamas and Israel have fought three wars in the past decade, and the
   prevention of the fourth might come down to who blinks first.