The Israeli army has moved from a policy of containment to a mechanised offensive, writes Tom Clonan.
With the deployment of up to 20,000 troops to the West Bank, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF)have moved from a defensive policy of containment to a mechanised offensive designed to hold ground and destroy enemy infrastructure.
The Israelis have also, for the first time, directly targeted President Yasser Arafat's complex, his headquarters and personal offices. The stated objective is to "isolate" Mr Arafat and his authority while dismantling "terrorist" infrastructure within Palestinian-controlled areas. The pursuit of this objective involves the tactical doctrine referred to as FIBUA or fighting in built up areas.
A feature of modern warfare has been the use of infantry weapon systems within the confines of urban centres. Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarem and Kalkiliya represent a hostile environment for Israeli infantry and armour.
Armour and infantry, used to fire and manoeuvre in more open field engagements, must adopt their tactics to suit narrow streets and low- or high-rise buildings. The emphasis is on gaining an armoured "foothold" within an urban district, and from it creating a series of interconnected and mutually supporting infantry strong-points. These strong-points are usually located in buildings with direct line of sight to one another, clear lines of communication and interlocking arcs of fire.
The idea is to "colonise" an area with such strong-points, creating what the Israelis are calling "closed military zones". The creation of such zones facilitates street-by-street searches for terrorist infrastructure (such as bomb-making facilities) and the arrest and internment of suspected Palestinian terrorists.
Lessons learned in Lebanon are being put into use today. The IDF have deployed up to 150 Markova tanks and hundreds of M117 armoured personnel carriers to the West Bank in support of their ground troops.
The primary role of the main battle tanks (MBTs) is to reduce the exposure of ground troops to small-arms fire in "deep penetration" operations. Once in situ, these tanks will employ their fire-power to devastating effect. Using the Markova main armament of a 120mm cannon, HESH or "high explosive squash head" rounds will be used to smash holes in walls and objective buildings to give access to supporting infantry.
The threat to civilian life and property posed by such munitions is increased in built-up areas. With restricted fields of vision, short ranges, narrow arcs and considerable dead ground, the tendency for tank gunners will be to engage in "snap shooting" at fleeting targets. This will involve overriding the tank's computer fire-control systems, resulting in considerable "collateral" damage.
Providing air support for the current operations are Apache attack helicopters and F-16 fighter jets. Surrounded by buildings giving cover and concealment to the enemy, Apache helicopters provide the close support required by troops and armour in such a precarious environment. Using the 30mm M230 "chain gun" (firing up to 650 rounds per minute), along with 2.75 inch rockets, these aircraft can saturate buildings and streets with high-velocity rounds and high explosives in seconds. The use of such weapons in a densely-populated urban environment (Ramallah has a population of 220,000) will certainly result in civilian casualties.
In addition to this firepower, the Israeli infantry on the ground is heavily armed with M-16 assault rifles, Israeli Negev machine guns, sniper rifles and a range of heavy machine guns and support weapons. This array of weapons gives the IDF infantry the ability to provide all-round suppressing fire and mutual support to their strong-points and check-points.
From a military perspective, after the offensive phase of the FIBUA operation, the IDF will be hard-pressed to consolidate their defended localities, assuming they are not withdrawn due to international pressure. At this stage, what will be of most concern to IDF commanders is the threat to conscript troops of snipers, suicide bombers and attacks from determined resistance groups.
The IDF presence in symbolically loaded locations such as Bethlehem and Ramallah carry the risk of wider provocation and outrage. As a direct result of these operations, Hizbullah guerrillas in Lebanon have renewed their attacks on northern Israel. For the Israelis the threat of all-out war in the West Bank is now accompanied by the danger of a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Dr Tom Clonan, a retired Army captain, lectures in the political economy of communications in the Institute of Technology, Tallaght