Not Quite an Arab-Israeli War, but a Long Descent Into Hatred
Just over a year ago, on April 17, 2001, Israel for the first time seized a swath of Palestinian-controlled territory, in Gaza.

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell called the action "excessive and disproportionate," and Israel hastily withdrew.

But after that, the incursions became more regular. Israel's minister of tourism was shot dead in a Jerusalem hotel on Oct. 17. Within days, Israeli forces had invaded and taken positions in a familiar list of cities: Jenin, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Tulkarm, Qalqilya.

This cycle repeated itself at least twice, at steadily more violent levels, before the last operation began. The question, as Israeli forces pull back, is: How could they ratchet up their military pressure the next time?
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/22/international/middleeast/22MIDE.html?pagewanted=all&position=top