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==Background ==
March and April 2002 saw a dramatic increase of [[suicide bomb]] attacks against Israelis by Palestinian militant groups such as [[Hamas]], [[Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement|Islamic Jihad]] and the [[Fatah]]-affiliated<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3243071.stm Palestinian Authority funds go to militants], [[BBC]], November 7, 2003</ref><ref>[http://www.pmw.org.il/Latest%20bulletin.html#july12 Arafat Blames Israel for Tel Aviv Bombing], [[PMW]], July 12, 2004</ref> [[Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades]].<ref name="UN">[http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/SG2077.doc.htm Report of Secretary-General on recent events in Jenin, other Palestinian cities] [[August 1]], [[2002]].</ref> Following nine terror attacks between March 2-5<ref>- [http://www.nyjtimes.com/Heritage/News/Mar402.htm 'Weekend of terror leaves 23 Israelis dead'], March 4, 2002.<br />- On [[March 4]], the first [[Qassam]] rocket attack of March 2002 was made into Israel; there were no casualties. (Source: IDF Spokesperson Statistics).<br />- [http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/22/191379] Palestinian gunmen took up a position on a pedestrian bridge above Petah Tikva Road at the center of Tel Aviv and attacked two restaurants below, "The Steak Gathering" and "Sea Food Market" killing 3 Israelis and injuring 31 (four severely).<br />- [http://news.walla.co.il/?w=//191728] suicide bomber detonated in an [[Egged]] No. 823 bus.<br />- [http://www.nfc.co.il/Archive/001-D-6138-00.html?tag=23][http://www.gamla.org.il/english/memorial/e310.htm] Bethlehem bypass "tunnel" attack.<br />- [http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=3&x_outlet=1&x_article=823][http://www.nrg.co.il/online/archive/ART/258/091.html][http://sderotmedia.com/?p=54] Qassam rocket attack on Sderot injured a 16 month-old baby.</ref> the Israeli cabinet decided to massively expand its anti-terrorist activity. While talking with reporters in the [[Knesset]] cafeteria, Sharon explained the cabinet's decision, pointing to the unleashing of the bloodiest week against Israelis since the start of the [[Second Intifada]]; in conjunction he asserted, "The Palestinians must be hit, and it must be very painful... We must cause them losses, victims, so that they feel a heavy price."<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,216318,00.html 'Streets Red With Blood' by Matt Rees], [[TIME]], March 10, 2002 <br>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002012,00.html Extended Version by Matt Rees], [[TIME]], March 18, 2002</ref> Palestinian violence continued to escalate and in March alone approximately 130 Israelis were killed in 13 attacks.<ref name="MajZiv">[http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3303440,00.html 'Major Ziv: A new wave of attacks is coming' (YNET)]</ref> Suicide bombings on [[9 March]] ([[Café Moment bombing|q.v.]]),<ref>{{cite web
The [[cycle of violence]] between the [[Israeli]]s and [[Palestinian]]s had been steadily escalating during the [[Second Intifada]].<ref name=UN> [http://www.un.org/peace/jenin/ UN Report on Jenin]</ref> March and April of 2002 saw [[suicide bomb]] attacks against Israelis by Palestinian groups, such as [[Hamas]], [[Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement|Islamic Jihad]] and the [[Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades]],<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3243071.stm Palestinian Authority funds go to militants], [[BBC]], November 7, 2003</ref><ref>[http://www.pmw.org.il/Latest%20bulletin.html#july12 Arafat Blames Israel for Tel Aviv Bombing], [[PMW]], July 12, 2004</ref> increase in frequency,<ref name=UN/> and saw two waves of incursions by the [[Israeli Defense Forces]] (IDF) into Palestinian towns and villages in the [[West Bank]].<ref name=UN/> The first wave, from [[27 February]]<ref>{{cite video
|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2002/3/Suicide%20bombing%20at%20Cafe%20Moment%20in%20Jerusalem%20-%209-Ma
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1845000/video/_1845544_mideast15_plett_vi.ram
|title=Suicide bombing at Cafe Moment in Jerusalem
|title=Israel strikes inside refugee camps
|date=2002-03-09}}</ref> and [[20 March]],<ref>{{cite book
|people=Blett, Barbara (Reporter)
|title=Never-Ending Conflict: Israeli Military History
|date=2002-02-28
|first=Mordechai
|format=[[RealVideo]]
|last=Bar-On
|publisher=BBC▼
|pages=236
|accessdate=2007-09-09}}</ref> through [[14 March]], had caused significant loss of life.<ref name=UN/> On March 5th, while talking with reporters in the [[Knesset]] cafeteria, Sharon explained the cabinet's decision, pointing to the unleashing of the bloodiest week{{when}} against Israelis since the start of the [[Second Intifada]]; in conjunction he asserted, "The Palestinians must be hit, and it must be very painful... We must cause them losses, victims, so that they feel a heavy price."<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,216318,00.html 'Streets Red With Blood' by Matt Rees], [[TIME]], March 10, 2002 <br>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002012,00.html Extended Version by Matt Rees], [[TIME]], March 18, 2002</ref> Suicide bombings on on [[8 March|8]] and [[9 March]], followed by a larger attack on [[27 March]],<ref name=UN/> an event known as the [[Passover massacre]] where 30 Israeli civilians, the majority of them elderly holocaust survivors, were killed and about 140 were injured (20 seriously),<ref name="MajZiv"/><ref>- [http://www.nyjtimes.com/Heritage/News/Mar402.htm 'Weekend of terror leaves 23 Israelis dead'], March 4, 2002.<br />- On [[March 4]], the first [[Qassam]] rocket attack of March 2002 was made into Israel; there were no casualties. (Source: IDF Spokesperson Statistics).<br />- [http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/22/191379] Palestinian gunmen took up a position on a pedestrian bridge above Petah Tikva Road at the center of Tel Aviv and attacked two restaurants below, "The Steak Gathering" and "Sea Food Market" killing 3 Israelis and injuring 31 (four severely).<br />- [http://news.walla.co.il/?w=//191728] suicide bomber detonated in an [[Egged]] No. 823 bus.<br />- [http://www.nfc.co.il/Archive/001-D-6138-00.html?tag=23][http://www.gamla.org.il/english/memorial/e310.htm] Bethlehem bypass "tunnel" attack.<br />- [http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=3&x_outlet=1&x_article=823][http://www.nrg.co.il/online/archive/ART/258/091.html][http://sderotmedia.com/?p=54] Qassam rocket attack on Sderot injured a 16 month-old baby.</ref> prompted the Israeli government to deploy the IDF to conduct a second wave of incursions, what it considered a large-scale [[counter-terrorist]] offensive<ref name="PMnDM">[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches%20by%20Israeli%20leaders/2002/Statements%20by%20PM%20Sharon%20and%20DM%20Ben-Eliezer%20at%20pres Statements by Israeli PM Sharon and DM Ben-Eliezer 29 Mar 2002]</ref> beginning on [[29 March]].<ref name=UN/> The Israel Defense Forces had issued emergency call-up notices for 30,000 reserve soldiers, the largest such call-up since the [[1982 Lebanon War]].<ref>{{cite book
▲|publisher=BBCStackpole Books
|year=2006
|isbn=0811733459}}</ref> followed by a larger attack on [[27 March]]<ref name=UN/> (an event known as the [[Passover massacre]] in which 30 Israeli civilians were killed),<ref name="MajZiv"/> prompted the Israeli government to announce Operation Defensive Shield on March 29, and deploy the IDF on a wave of incursions into the [[West Bank]] in a large-scale [[counter-terrorist]] offensive.<ref name=UN/><ref name="PMnDM">[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Speeches%20by%20Israeli%20leaders/2002/Statements%20by%20PM%20Sharon%20and%20DM%20Ben-Eliezer%20at%20pres Statements by Israeli PM Sharon and DM Ben-Eliezer 29 Mar 2002]</ref> The Israel Defense Forces issued emergency call-up notices for 20,000 reserve soldiers, the largest call-up since the [[1982 Lebanon War]].<ref>{{cite book
|title=War Without End: Israelis, Palestinians, and the Struggle for a Promised Land
|first=Anton
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|year=2003
|publisher=St. Martin's Press
|isbn=031231633X}}</ref><ref name=Time>[http://www.time.com/time/2002/jenin/story.html 'The Battle of Jenin' by Matt Rees, May 13, 2002] (''[[TIME]]''), Also [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1002406-1,00.html 'Untangling Jenin's Tale']</ref> Overall, in March 2002, some 130 Israelis including approximately 100 noncombatants were killed by Palestinians,<ref>[http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Victims+of+Palestinian+Violence+and+Terrorism+sinc.htm Victims of Palestinian Violence and Terrorism since September 2000], Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs</ref><ref name="MajZiv">[http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3303440,00.html 'Major Ziv: A new wave of attacks is coming' (YNET)]</ref> while a total of 238 Palestinians including at least 83 noncombatants were killed in the same month by the IDF.<ref>Source: [http://www.btselem.org/English/Statistics/Casualties.asp Btselem casualty statistics]. Note that the combatant status of many of the Palestinian dead is unknown. It is only known that they were killed during IDF operations in Palestinian population centres. Btselem however has determined that at least 83 of the Palestinians killed during March 2002 were noncombatants.</ref>
==Stated goals==
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