I haven't quite fully digested the rationale for leaving the shells of the Gaza synagogues intact yet, though it's beginning to come clearer. I've been pretty much cut off from my usual sources for the past few days, so I need to do some more reading on this, and I will. Given that they were left standing, however, the results were inevitable. The photos and the videos are still painful, still nauseating, but we all knew what would happen, we all knew that there was no power on earth left with the will to stop it, so there it is. And the PR boost that the pullout apologists were so eagerly anticipating hasn't materialized. That, frankly, is no surprise either.
Expect further confirmation of the disaster that the 'disengagement' is already proving to be, and expect it daily. Today's installment:
Smugglers have brought large amounts of weapons and bullets into Gaza from Egypt, and the influx has cut black market prices, Palestinian officials and a weapons dealer said Wednesday.
An arms dealer said the price of an AK-47 assault rifle has dropped from 1,400 Jordanian dinars ($1,977) to about 900 dinars ($1,300). Bullets for the weapon are now being sold for as little as three shekels (less than $1) when previously they cost up to 18 shekels ($4).
Egyptian-made pistols that were recently sold in Gaza for $1,400 can now be bought for as little as $177, while an Italian pistol can be bought for $400, down from a previous high of $3,500, said the dealer, who identified himself only as Khader, for fear of arrest.
Most of the arms were bought from Bedouins and farmers on the Egyptian side of the border, Khader said. A Palestinian border control officer confirmed arms have been smuggled into Gaza, bringing down prices.
On Wednesday morning, Hamas operatives blew up a wall in Rafah in order to facilitate the uncontrolled flow of Palestinians and Egyptians streaming across the Gaza-Egypt border.
The gunmen threatened a PA security officer at the site not to seal the hole, vowing that for every hole sealed they would create ten more.
It's been said elsewhere, of course, but it deserves repeating: Special kudos to Ariel Sharon and his IDF cronies for choosing September 11th as the birthday of the world's newest terrorist state. And to President Bush for his unwavering support in that endeavor. I'm most impressed with the way that it gives the palestinians an excuse to celebrate that date every year into the future without risking the accusation that they're, you know, rejoicing over the deaths of thousands of Americans.
