Background: Is PR stopping the destruction of deadly Jenin target?

Aaron Lerner Date: 9 April 2002

Israel Radio military correspondent Carmela Menashe reported at 10:09 AM
that the (extremely costly) battle taking place in Jenin at this time is
taking place in an area of "70 x 70 meters" [230 x 230 feet].

Already yesterday at 7:00 PM Israel Television Channel 10 used the "70 x 70
meter" description.

While it can be assumed that such a small area could be disintegrated via
aerial bombing, Carmela Menashe reports that the only air support being used
in this operation are missiles fired from helicopters. These missiles have
fairly small quantities of explosive material.

It would appear that public relations rather than operational considerations
are playing the deciding role here since the Israeli Air Force has heavy
bombs that are designed to be guided to their target via laser illumination
of the target. In the absence of an anti-aircraft defense [as indicated by
the apparently unhindered operation of the helicopters in the area] the
operational difficulties of such bombing missions are very small.

It remains to be seen how many Israeli lives may be sacrificed in the
interest of public relations before the end of the Jenin operation.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director
IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-5480092
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
pager 03-610666 subscriber 4811
Website: http://www.imra.org.il