Israeli Ground Forces Cross Gaza Border

U.S. Blocks Security Council Resolution Condemning The Violence, But Secretary General, Others Speak Out

(CBS/AP)  Israeli tanks and infantry pushed into Gaza after nightfall Saturday, launching a much anticipated ground offensive in a widening war on Gaza's Hamas rulers.

CBS News correspondent Robert Berger reports that Israeli tanks and troops are crossing the border, and that there are approximately 10,000 Israeli soldiers deployed on the Gaza frontier, including elite infantry units, the engineering corps and special forces.

Gun battles could be heard, as troops crossed the border into Gaza. Local TV networks broadcast images of troops marching single file. The troops were also backed by helicopter gunships.

Israeli security officials said the operation is likely to go on, but that the objective is not to reoccupy Gaza. The depth and intensity will also depend on parallel diplomatic efforts, the officials said.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel's campaign "won't be easy and it won't be short."

"We do not seek war but we will not abandon our citizens to the ongoing Hamas attacks," Barak said in a televised address.

With Israeli ground forces in Gaza, the French government - in its role as president of the Security Council - called emergency consultations late Saturday, reports CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk.

But the United States blocked approval of a Security Council statement calling for an immediate Israeli-Hamas cease-fire in Gaza and southern Israel and expressing serious concern at the escalation of violence.

U.S. deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff said the United States saw no prospect of Hamas abiding by last week's council call for an immediate end to the violence. Therefore, he said, a new statement at this time "would not be adhered to and would have no underpinning for success, would not do credit to the council."

France's U.N. Ambassador Jean-Maurice Ripert, the current council president, announced that there was no agreement on a statement though he said there were "strong convergences" among the 15 members to express serious concern about the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the need for "an immediate, permanent and fully respected cease-fire."

Arab nations demanded that the council adopt a presidential statement calling for an immediate cease-fire following Israel's launch of the ground offensive.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had made the same plea earlier Saturday.

Ban said in a statement that he was "deeply concerned over the serious further escalation" of violence in Gaza.

The statement said Ban had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert "and conveyed his extreme concern and disappointment" at the invasion.

Libya's U.N. Ambassador Giadalla Ettalhi, the only Arab member of the council, said that during the closed council discussions on the proposed presidential statement, the United States said it objected to "any outcome." He said efforts were made to compromise and agree on a weaker press statement but "unfortunately" there was no consensus.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and several Arab foreign ministers are flying to New York over the weekend to urge the Security Council to adopt an Arab draft resolution that would condemn Israel and demand a halt to its bombing campaign in Gaza.

The Israeli government, meanwhile, said that tens of thousands of reserve soldiers are being mobilized. The military did not give out specific numbers, but it said it has expanded a call-up of some 9,000 reserve soldiers that began earlier this week.

Some of these reservists are being mobilized as a warning to Palestinian militants in the West Bank and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon who fought a monthlong war with Israel in the summer of 2006.

Berger says that Israeli forces plan to seize control of Hamas rocket launching sites, which is a risky move - Hamas has dug in to bunkers and tunnels, and is well-armed.

Israeli army spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich said it would be an extensive operation. "We have many, many targets," she said, adding that Hamas has been digging smuggling tunnels and other facilities. "To my estimation, it will be a lengthy operation," she said.

Heavy gun battles were reported as troops crossed the border into Gaza. Local TV networks broadcast images of troops marching into Gaza after dark.

A Hamas spokesman Ismail Radwan, appeared on Hamas' Al Aqsa TV and said that Gaza will "become a graveyard" for Israeli soldiers.

An SMS message sent by Hamas' military wing, Izzedine al-Qassam, said that "the Zionists started approaching the trap which our fighters prepared for them."

Hamas said it also broadcast a Hebrew message on Israeli military radio frequencies. "Be prepared for a unique surprise, you will be either killed or kidnapped and will suffer mental illness from the horrors we will show you," the message said.

"Hamas is believed to have some 20,000 to 25,000 men under arms, many of which … have trained with Hezbollah in Lebanon and with the Revolutionary Guards in Iran," David Schenker of the Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute told the CBS Evening News.

The Israelis are likely to encounter RPGs, roadside bombs, and booby traps, Schenker said.

But Schenker added that Israel had likely learned a lesson from its less-than-convincing results in its 2006 conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"They learned that their troops were not trained for this type of warfare. They focused on this for the past two years," he said. "They're also not taking half measures here. … They're going to go in full force and I think that’s something they didn’t do in Lebanon in 2006 and that’s why you had type of result that you had."

Defense officials have said around 10,000 soldiers massed along the border in recent days. Heavy artillery fire in the early evening was intended to detonate Hamas explosive devices and mines planted along the border area before troops marched in.

Israel's offensive against Hamas had begun with a week of aerial bombardment of Hamas targets, in an attempt to halt Hamas rocket attacks on Israel. However, Hamas kept firing at Israeli towns.

Israel initially held off on a ground offensive, apparently in part because of concern about casualties among Israeli troops and because of fears of getting bogged down in Gaza. Hamas leaders have warned that they have prepared a violent welcome. They have also threatened to resume suicide attacks inside Israel.

Israeli tanks and infantry soldiers entered Gaza after dark, but stayed close to the border area, witnesses said. Heavy artillery fire hit east of Gaza City, in locations where Hamas fighters were deployed.

The Israelis were also backed by helicopter gunships.

There were tentative signs that the phase of aerial attacks was nearing its end; most of the recent airstrikes targeted empty buildings and abandoned sites, suggesting the Israeli air force was running out of targets.

One airstrike on Saturday, on a mosque in the northern town of Beit Lahiya, killed 13 people and wounded 33 others, several in critical condition.

More than 440 Palestinians have been killed in the past week and the U.N. says that more than 2,000 have been wounded, "a significant number of them" women and children.

Four Israelis have also been killed, and rocket attacks on southern Israel persist.

Early Saturday, the army preceded airstrikes with a drop of leaflets in downtown Gaza City asking people to evacuate.

But, as CBS News correspondent Sheila MacVicar noted, most have absolutely no place to go … and there is no place anyone could be sure to be safe.

[alanw1077]

Damnedrelign , you talk of breaking a "vicious cycle", as if you were a psychologist trying to heal a single dysfunctional family. Pardon me, but I see the exact same idealistic reaction each time I bring up any Middle East issues or the problems with radical Islam with my multiple liberal relatives. Each and every time they give a thoughtful sigh, put on their %u201Cshrink hat%u201D, and ask how to break this %u201Ccycle%u201D.
And I let out a knowing groan.
Why?
Because I understand something they don%u2019t know: you can%u2019t.
You see, radical Islam is not a %u201Cvicious cycle.%u201D It is a religion%u2014more precisely an ideology%u2014of 1.5 billion people. To them the Koran is the word of god. All Muslims are expected to follow this book to the letter. It is the core of their existence. The Koran actually instructs all believers to do %u201Ceternal battle%u201D with infidels; i.e., all non-Muslims. To Muslims, this never-ending war with the West is normal. It is their way of life. It is them carrying out God%u2019s commands. It is not any kind of %u201Cvicious cycle%u201D to them. Fix this problem? Heck , you may as well set out to change the blood type of 1.5 billion people. You would be more likely of success.

[alanw1077]

Hackerpc , great post. You are, of course, completely correct. Hamas'' use of civilians as shields is not simply incidental, it''s a part of their overall stated strategy. And again and again they go out of their way to convince the civilians that "if you die, you will be a martyr, and wonderful paradise awaits you."
There is simply no way for an adversary to try to fight and stop Hamas without killing some civilians as well. It''s sad, but it is unavoidable.

[alanw1077]

I always suspected the pro-Jihad/anti-Israel posters here were overseas, most of them in the Middle East. It%u2019s not just their terrible English, but what TIME of the day they post. You see, 99% of CBS posts are not logged between the 1am and 5am time periods. Yet, you see multiple messages from rabid %u201Ckill-the-Jew%u201D people such as SIDEKICK2009 and SMALLMAN5000, all appearing in the dead of night. Of course, it%u2019s middle of the afternoon where these scum are.

[trapbreaker]

PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: %u201CIsrael was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom.%u201D

.

[trapbreaker]

It''''s time the world stood up to them and demands Israel give back the lands it took from them. - - Posted by witha

The U.S. took 40% of Mexico in the Mexican war: California, New Mexico, and most of Arizona, and parts of Texas. Time we gave it back.

Oh, wait, Mexico is our friend and #2 trading partner. Millions come to the U.S. for jobs and a better life style, and we vacation at the Mexican Rivera by the hundreds of thousands. Life is sweet when you make friends with your neighbors. Life is not sweet when you fire rockets at your neighbors.

[spinproof]

I would not go as far as to call the Israelis terrorist but in responding to events they are clearly extremist. Hamas looks stupid crazy picking a fight they can''t win and Israel looks like overbearing bullies knowing they can easily win. The Hamas threat is serious but easily contained and limited. Israel exaggerates the threats from Hamas.

[dsr57]

Man, Israel is going all out... They just need to wipe hamas totally out so they can live in peace

[tonyb-d-bing]

To exposo :

You are lacking in quite a bit of knowledge on who started the latest war situation.

It was Hamas, who openly declares threats to destroy Israel, and Hamas that continues to intentionally shoot rockets at Isaeli civilians, and its members have done so for YEARS!

Which country would allow continuing rocketfire against its civilians? And virtually each nation had to fight wars for its own existence and sovereignty and to protect its citizens.

In fact, the Israelis have been very, very restrained and gave Hamas more then ample warnings, and more than ample time to halt their rockets aimed at Israeli civilians!

In addition, it''s violation of International Law to place rocket launchers and similar in the midst of civilian population centers, thereby endangering ones own civilians from the EXPECTED attempts to eliminate these launch sites - AS HAMAS CONTINUES TO DO, TO MAKE IT APPEAR THAT ISRAELIS ARE KILLING CIVILIANS. HAMAS PLANNED EXACTLY THAT, FOR ITS OWN PROPAGANDA!

A fair and permanent solution would be a negotiated, and mutually agreed peace treaty, by BOTH parties who do not declare their intent to murder or to destroy the other people and/or nation, as Hamas has!

[trapbreaker]

Mexican bandits under the leadership of Pancho Villa once tried to sack a border town, Columbus, New Mexico. The U.S. sent an expeditionary army 350 miles into Mexico in pursuit and stayed almost a year. They didn''t find Pancho Villa, but that was the last time Mexican bandits tried to attack a U.s. town.

If the terrorist group Hamas wants to fire rockets at Israel, then Israel will probably respond.

[trapbreaker]

So we will occupy 40% of USA and you must not say anything. Are you as foolish as Mexicans? - Posted by cbsnews1400

Only fear stops you.

[trapbreaker]

Sure, assuming your country isn''''t a swath of land stolen from the owners 50 years ago. Get out of Palestine and stay out. - - Posted by exposo

The U.S. took 40% of Mexico in the Mexican war. Mexico doesn''t fire rockets or send suicide bombers to the U.S. They are our friends and our #2 trading partner. They come here by the millions to work and build a better life. Americans vacation to the Mexican Rivera by the thousands.

[trapbreaker]

What a perfect time for the Muslim world to attack Issureal....Posted by earache4


DIVISIONS DEEP AT ARAB LEAGUE MEETING

CAIRO %u2014 Arab countries appeared deeply divided on Wednesday over how to respond to the latest escalation in fighting between Israel and Hamas, with sharply differing comments from foreign ministers at the opening of an emergency Arab League meeting here.

Moderate Arab states generally allied to the United States blamed Hamas and Palestinian disunity for the crisis and more radical states, some of whom did not attend, urged collective action to defend the Palestinians against Israel.

In the most striking comments, Saudi Arabia%u2019s foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal, took shots at Hamas and criticized the Palestinians for their inability to remain united behind President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah %u2014 an implicit condemnation of Hamas, which took over Gaza entirely in 2007 in a brief but violent civil war with Fatah. Normally, during periods of Israeli-Palestinian fighting, Arab leaders only condemn Israel.

%u201CThis terrible massacre would not have happened if the Palestinian people were united behind one leadership, speaking in one voice,%u201D Prince Saud said at the league meeting%u2019s opening.

[trapbreaker]

"If somebody occupied my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that, and would expect Palestinians to do the same thing." - Posted by breceivemail

If somebody was firing rockets into my country, I would expect my government to do the same thing.

[trapbreaker]

What a perfect time for the Muslim world to attack Issureal....Posted by earache4

NO ARAB UNITY OVER HAMAS

Jordan won''t allow Hamas in its country. Egypt has them fenced off. The moderate government of the Arab League charge Hamas and the lack of Palestinian unity as the cause of the problem.

Fatah fires no rockets and will be the winner in this conflict. By showing restraint they are gaining stature with the Arab League and the world.

The days of a united attack on Israel by its Arab and Egyptian neighbors are over. Jordan and Egypt have diplomatic relations with Israel and have recognized Israel''s sovereignty, and both have now signed trade agreements with Israel.

The E.U., U.S. and Russian refuses to recognize Hamas, as does most of the Arab League. Only radical Iran among the power countries of the area side with Hamas.
The Palestinian people need to throw off Hamas, unite with Fatah and speak with one voice. The world would then listen.

[breceivemail]

Why does not your president say this?
"If somebody occupied my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that, and would expect Palestinians to do the same thing."

[dkaufman81]

Israel left Gaza in 2005, giving Palestinians the chance to run their own lives. Despite this, more than 6300 rockets and mortars have been fired into Israel since then.
During the past year alone, more than 3000 rockets and mortars have been launched into Israel.
Since the end of a formal ceasefire (during which terror attacks continued) with Hamas came to an end on Dec. 19, more than 170 rockets and mortars have been fired at Israeli civilians including a barrage of some 80 missiles on Dec. 24 alone.
As US President-elect Obama stated during a visit to Sderot five months ago, "If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything to stop that, and would expect Israel to do the same thing."
No other country in the world would have exercised the amount of restraint that Israel has shown for the past several years without responding.

An Israeli government spokesman says the country''s ground operation in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip could "end tomorrow %u2014 if we can be assured that the civilian population in the southern part of our country will no longer be on the receiving end of these terrible Hamas rockets."

[breceivemail]

Are not occupiers terrorists?

[hinjewunity]

Israel has the right to (and should)defend itself against terrorists.

[breceivemail]

Why Israelis are killing people who are recapturing their country?

[trapbreaker]

Fox News: Yousef, son of Sheikh Hassan Yousef, one of the most influential leaders of the militant group, said the organization betrays the Palestinian cause and tortures its own members.

Hamas, formed in the late 1980''s as an outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the radical Muslim Brotherhood, is considered a terror organization by the U.S. government. Hamas seized power in the Gaza strip in 2007 in a violent coup against the more moderate Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas.

Yousef said he was indoctrinated at an early age to use violence to challenge Israeli control in the region. As a teenager he moved up within the organization and became the leader of the radical Islamic Youth Movement that fought Israeli tanks and troops in the streets, celebrated suicide bombings and recruited young men to the cause.