Influx Of Missiles Could Alter Balance Of Power
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-Israel: influx of missiles via Gaza could change balance of power-

Courtesy of: World Tribune
Thursday, February 16, 2006

Tel Aviv--Israel's military has warned that the Palestinian Authority or aligned groups would acquire a range of rocket's and anti-aircraft missiles over the next few months.

Military Intelligence has determined that Palestinian forces in the Gaza Strip have or would acquire such weapons as the Soviet-origin katyusha rocket, SA-7 anti-aircraft missile and advanced variants of anti-tank missiles in 2006.

The assessment said the weapons would be provided by Hizbullah and smuggled through Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to the Gaza Strip.

In a lecture at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Zeevi-Farkash said Palestinian Insurgents have managed to smuggle weapons from the Sinai Peninsula into the Gaza Strip. He said that despite Egyptian efforts, weapons and Insurgents continue to move through the Gaza-Egyptian border, Middle East Newsline reported.

Military Intelligence termed AAMs and katyushas as weapons that could change the balance of power between Israel and the Palestinians.

"We estimate that in 2006 anti-aircraft missiles or katyushas will infiltrate the Gaza Strip and change the situation," outgoing Military Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Aharon Zeevi-Farkash said.

[On Tuesday, Palestinian gunners fired missiles from the northern Gaza Strip that landed in the Israeli city of Ashkelon. At least one missile struck the industrial zone, which contains such strategic sites as an oil terminal and water facility].

"I am worried about three things," Zeevi-Farkash, who left his post in January, said on Feb. 9, "They are anti-aircraft missiles, anti-tank missiles and katyushas today, It's easier to smuggle to the Gaza Strip through Philadelphia [border zone] this is a huge problem."

On Feb. 2, military sources reported that Islamic Jihad launched its first anti-aircraft weapon towards an AH-64A Apache attack helicopter in the northern Gaza Strip.
The helicopter was not struck.

"We have to obtain Egyptian cooperation or else the situation will change,"
Zeevi-Farkash said.