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Operation Rainbow (In Hebrew, מבצע קשת בענן) is a controversial military operation which began on May 18, 2004 in the Gaza Strip. Israel says its aim was to clear terrorist infrastructure, to find smuggling tunnels connecting the Gaza Strip to Egypt, and to kill militants after the deaths of 13 Israeli soldiers in guerrilla attacks. Israeli security sources said that operation was also aimed at preventing a shipment of Strela-2 (SA-7 Grail) shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, AT-3 Sagger anti-tank guided missiles, and other long-range rockets which are stored on the Egyptian side of the border from being smuggled through tunnels into the Gaza Strip. [1] Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Jump to: navigation, search Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by 6 million people mainly in Israel, parts of the Palestinian territories, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ... The word operation can mean any of several things: The method, act, process, or effect of using a device or system. ... Jump to: navigation, search May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up terrorist in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Smuggling tunnels are secret tunnels, usually hidden underground, used for smuggling of goods, illegal weapons and people. ... The word militant can refer to any individual engaged in warfare, a fight, combat, or generally serving as a soldier. ... Distinguish from the type of ape called a gorilla. ... A soldier posing with a Strela launcher. ... American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft, or air defense, is any method of combating military aircraft from the ground. ... AT-3A Sagger missile The AT-3 Sagger is the NATO reporting name for the 9M14 Malyutka (little or tiny baby) MCLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile of the Soviet Union. ... An Anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) or weapon (ATGW) is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. ...

Causes

On May 11 and May 12, two armoured personnel carriers of Givati's Dolev combat engineering battalion were destroyed by Palestinian militants. The two separate attacks, in Gaza City's Zeitoun neigbourhood and the Philadelphi Route near Rafah and the Egyptian border, claimed the lives of 11 soldiers. Palestinian Islamic Jihad guerrillas took parts of the remains, mutilating the bodies and disgracing them. [2] That caused an outrage in Israel, eventually leading to a massive operation in the neighbourhood of Zeitoun and in Rafah. [3],[4] After international pressure and aggressive Israeli operation in Zeitoun, the bodies of soldiers killed in Zeitoun were returned to Israel and were properly buried. Jump to: navigation, search May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search The M113, one of the most common tracked APCs, on duty during the Vietnam War Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... Combat engineers place satchel charges and detonating cord, preparatory to blowing up a railway bridge during the Korean War, 30 Jul 1950. ... A photograph taken in the 1960s, showing a supposed Marian apparition at Zeitoun Zeitoun, also El-Zeitoun or Zeitun, is a town near Cairo, Egypt. ... The Philadelphi Route (corridor / buffer zone) was an IDF code name for the strip of land along the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. ... Jump to: navigation, search Rafah (Arabic: رفح Hebrew: רפיח) is a town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border, and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border, on the Sinai Peninsula. ... Jump to: navigation, search Islamic Jihad (Arabic: Harakat al-Jihad al-Islami) is a militant Islamist group based in the Syrian capital, Damascus. ...

Healthy armed Palestinian boarding UNRWA ambulance, Gaza - Zaitoun, May 11, 2004.

In the Zaitoun incident, UNRWA ambulances were allegedly used by militants as transportation for themselves, and perhaps the bodily remains of Israeli soldiers dismembered in the explosion of armored personnel carriers carrying explosives to be used in destroying smuggling tunnels. A Reuters video shows armed militants boarding and being transported by a UNRWA ambulance. In his interview with Haaretz, Israel's Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz also said that UNRWA's ambulances were used by Palestinian militants in order to smuggle some of the remains of IDF soldiers killed in Zaitoun neigbourhood in Gaza on May 11, 2004. UNRWA confirmed the incident and offered the explanation that the militants forced the driver to take them, but denied they carried body parts. UN ambulance carry armed Palestinians, aired on TV channel 10 (screen capture from video broadcasted in Israel channel 10 news on May 24, 2004) Link to the full video by Reuters: [1] (Note: The URL does not link to Reuters, but to an un-identified site called ) File history Legend... UN ambulance carry armed Palestinians, aired on TV channel 10 (screen capture from video broadcasted in Israel channel 10 news on May 24, 2004) Link to the full video by Reuters: [1] (Note: The URL does not link to Reuters, but to an un-identified site called ) File history Legend... Jump to: navigation, search May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees. ... Smuggling tunnels are secret tunnels, usually hidden underground, used for smuggling of goods, illegal weapons and people. ... Jump to: navigation, search Haaretz (Hebrew: הארץ ▶(?), The Land) is an Israeli newspaper, founded in 1919. ... Israeli Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz Shaul Mofaz (b. ... The city of Gaza is the principal city in the Gaza Strip. ... Jump to: navigation, search May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After two more soldiers killed in Rafah while securing their comrades who searched for the remains of Rafah's fallen, include an incident where one was shot by militants while assisting an old Palestinian women, Israel launched Operation Rainbow which involved Givati forces, reinforced by Golani Brigade soldiers with IDF Achzarit HAPCs, a battlion of officers from the squad-commanders school and serveral armoured Caterpillar D9 bulldozers. The aim of Operation Rainbow was to destroy the terror infrastructure of Rafah, destroy smuggling tunnels and stop illegal missile shipment. Jump to: navigation, search Rafah (Arabic: رفح Hebrew: רפיח) is a town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border, and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border, on the Sinai Peninsula. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Givati Brigade (חטיבת גבעתי) is one of the Israeli Defense Forces infantry brigades. ... The Golani Brigade חטיבת גולני (aka. ... The Achzarit (אכזרית) is a heavily armored armored personnel carrier/Infantry fighting vehicle manufactured by the Israeli Defence Forces. ... The Caterpillar D9 is a large track-type tractor (commonly referred to as a bulldozer) with caterpillar tracks designed and manufactured by Caterpillar Tractor Company. ... Jump to: navigation, search A bulldozer is a powerful crawler (caterpillar tracked tractor) equipped with a blade. ... Smuggling tunnels are secret tunnels, usually hidden underground, used for smuggling of goods, illegal weapons and people. ...

Events

On May 18, Israeli Defence Forces, mobiled by IDF Achzarit heavy armoured personnel carriers, tanks and back-up by helicopter gunships entered Rafah from the north-eastern Tel-Sultan neigbourhood, after sealing off the entire area in order to prevent movement of miltants into and out of Rafah. Jump to: navigation, search May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces (army, air force and navy). ... The Achzarit (אכזרית) is a heavily armored armored personnel carrier/Infantry fighting vehicle manufactured by the Israeli Defence Forces. ... Jump to: navigation, search The M113, one of the most common tracked APCs, on duty during the Vietnam War Armoured personnel carriers (APCs) are light armoured fighting vehicles for the transport of infantry. ... A helicopter gunship is a military helicopter armed for attacking targets on the ground, using automatic cannon and machinegun fire, rockets, and precision guided missiles such as the Hellfire. ...

Israeli armored Caterpillar D9 bulldozers erected sand-barriers around Rafah to isolate it. Later, the D9s entered into the Rafah in order to detonate booby traps, open routes and demolish houses used by militants. The Caterpillar D9 is a large track-type tractor (commonly referred to as a bulldozer) with caterpillar tracks designed and manufactured by Caterpillar Tractor Company. ... Jump to: navigation, search A bulldozer is a powerful crawler (caterpillar tracked tractor) equipped with a blade. ... This article is about an antipersonnel trap designed for use against humans. ...

The IDF and the Israeli government have considered widening the Philadelphi Route (buffer zone), in order to allow a digging of a moat which would block the excavation of tunnels in future. As this would require the destruction of even more houses in the area than were destroyed to create the current buffer, the plan was abandoned in order to find a more humanitarian solution for the residents of southern Rafah. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces (army, air force and navy). ... The Philadelphi Route (corridor / buffer zone) was an IDF code name for the strip of land along the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. ... Jump to: navigation, search The moated manor house of Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, England Moats were deep and wide water-filled trenches, excavated to provide a barrier against attack upon castle ramparts or other fortifications. ... Jump to: navigation, search Rafah (Arabic: رفح Hebrew: רפיח) is a town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border, and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border, on the Sinai Peninsula. ...

During the operation, IDF forces arrested several wanted people and exchanged fire with militants. Several bombs and anti-tank missiles were fired against the armored fighting vehicles but caused no damage. Anti-tank, or simply AT, refers to any method of combating military armored fighting vehicles, notably tanks. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, equipped with protection against hostile attacks and often mounted weapons. ...

When Palestinian men responded to IDF calls over loudspeakers to turn themselves in to the IDF authorities for questioning, members of Palestinian militant organizations opened fire on them and killed two Palestinian children. A senior officer in Gaza reported yesterday that the IDF have in their possession pictures of this incident, of Palestinians killing their children. The army has not published the pictures. [5]

Most of the operation was focused on Tel Es-Sultan. This came as a surprise to Palestinians, as this area is relatively far from the border with Egypt. According to Palestinian sources, soldiers entered the area shortly after midnight, taking up positions on the rooftops. Only after the 3rd day of action, IDF forces entered the "Brazil" section.

A zoo located in or adjacent to the "Brazil" section of the Rafah refugee camp was destroyed during the operation. [6] [7] The National Zoo in Washington, D.C.. A zoological garden, or zoo for short, is a place where wild animals are encaged in an artificial environment and exhibited to the public. ... Jump to: navigation, search Rafah (Arabic: رفح Hebrew: רפיח) is a town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border, and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border, on the Sinai Peninsula. ... A refugee camp is a camp built up by governments or NGOs (such as the ICRC) to receive refugees. ...

During the operation, the IDF claimed to have killed 41 militants and 12 civilians, but claimed that some of them may have been killed by Palestinian fire or explosive charges. Palestinians report 44 killed and 120 wounded, and offered testimony of the killing of many civilians [8].

It is not clear when the operation ended. On May 25, 2004, the IDF withdrew most of its forces out of Rafah and removed the blockade around it. However, there were still small IDF forces in Rafah, with the goal of pinpointing smuggling tunnels. On June 1 the operation officially ended. May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ...

"Protesters" incident

A group of Palestinians numbering several hundreds approached Israeli military positions and armored vehicles. When called upon to stop, a smaller group continued to approach. Israeli troops fired tank shells in front of or toward the Palestinians. Approximately 10 Palestinians were killed. In a statement the army claimed the protestors included armed gunmen.[9] Palestinian witnesses claim there were no armed people mingling with the protesters. [10] [11] Palestinian sources initially reported 22 dead and dozens injured. The number was later reduced to 10, a number confirmed by the Red Cross; however, the IDF claims only seven persons were killed, five armed men and two youths. Israeli officers accused the Palestinians of inflating the number of casualties for a greater international effect as was performed by the Palestinian Authority in Jenin. Jump to: navigation, search A shell is a projectile, which, as opposed to a bullet, is not solid but contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large projectiles without a filling. ... The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ... Jenins refugee camp was the site of one of the most controversial battles of Operation Defensive Shield (April 2002). ...

The event caused an outrage among Israeli left-wing activists and helped fuel an international outcry against the operation in Rafah, in a repetition of the effect of inflated claims after Jenin. The IDF issued a statement saying it is sorry for the death of any protestors but denying they deliberately shot them. The Israeli press reported that a tank shot four shells at a empty house in order to deter protesters from marching toward them. Apparently one shell missed and hit the protestors. Jump to: navigation, search Rafah (Arabic: رفح Hebrew: רפיח) is a town in the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border, and a nearby town on the Egyptian side of the border, on the Sinai Peninsula. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Another explanation being suggested by the IDF is that the shell triggered a chain of explosive charges, planted there a few days before by Palestinian militants. [12] Palestinians consider such claims completely baseless. The IDF is investigating the incident. This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ...

Results

As of May 23, 2004 only one smuggling tunnel had been found. That tunnel was loaded with explosives. [13] Since then 2 more tunnels have been destroyed. Israel claims more than 40 militants have been killed and an unknown number wounded. Jump to: navigation, search May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ...

Pictures from Rafah shows a devastated city: most of the roads were damaged due to explosive charges and the action of using armored bulldozers to plow up the asphalt in order to expose and detonate explosives planted under the roads, thus clearing a way for armored fighting vehicles and troops. On some roads there are still sand-barriers. This article is concerned solely with chemical explosives. ... The Caterpillar D9 is a large track-type tractor (commonly referred to as a bulldozer) with caterpillar tracks designed and manufactured by Caterpillar Tractor Company. ... Jump to: navigation, search Asphalt is a type of bitumen, a highly viscous liquid that occurs naturally in most crude petroleums. ... An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is a military vehicle, equipped with protection against hostile attacks and often mounted weapons. ...

Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Reuters File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

There are contradictary reports on the number of houses demolished. The U.N. relief agency UNRWA and other rights groups said the army had demolished some 180 homes. Later UNRWA changed their claims and said only 45 houses were razed, leaving about 575 people homeless. [14] Several UNRWA press releases contain numbers that vary significantly over the course of a few days. (See UNRWA) The Israeli Army reports only 56 structures have been demolished. Additional structures have been damaged to varying degrees due to weapons fire.[15] This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees. ... The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees. ...

Human rights group report on the harsh conditions in Rafah: in some places sewage and water pipes were damaged due to operations by bulldozers, resulting in floods and risk of disease. According to the IDF, Israel offered humanitarian aid and allowed NGOs and welfare organizations to enter Rafah and distribute food and medicine. Israeli supreme court chief judge professor Aharon Barak, praised the Israeli Defence Forces for their humanitarian aid in Rafah. [16] Jump to: navigation, search Sewage is domestic, municipal, or industrial liquid waste products disposed of via a pipe or similar structure. ... Jump to: navigation, search Humanitarian aid is assistance given to people in distress by individuals, organisations, or governments to relieve suffering. ... Jump to: navigation, search The supreme court in some countries, provinces, and states, is the highest court in that jurisdiction and functions as a court of last resort whose rulings cannot be appealed. ... Aharon Barak (אהרן ברק) (born September 16th, 1936) is a professor of law at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and current President of the Supreme Court of Israel as of 1995. ... The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) (Hebrew: צבא ההגנה לישראל Tsva Ha-Haganah Le-Yisrael ([Army] Force [for] the Defense of Israel), often abbreviated צהל Tsahal, alternative English spelling Tzahal, is the name of Israels armed forces (army, air force and navy). ... Jump to: navigation, search Humanitarian aid is assistance given to people in distress by individuals, organisations, or governments to relieve suffering. ...

As of May 24, 2004 Brigadier-General Shmuel Zakai, the commander of forces in Gaza reported in a press conference that 41 terrorists and 12 civilians had been killed. Jump to: navigation, search May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shmuel Zakai is an Israeli Brigadier-General who was forcibly discharged from the Israel Defense Force in November 2004 by order of Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon. ... The city of Gaza is the principal city in the Gaza Strip. ...

"We killed 41 terrorists, found and destroyed three tunnels and a hole used for digging a tunnel. We arrested terror activists connected to the building of the tunnels."

Zakkai also said that:

"56 structures have been demolished by the IDF. Most of the buildings that were destroyed were due to being fired upon by IDF forces and others were demolished because they used for preparing explosives. Additionally, some buildings were damaged because IDF forces were forced to go through them in order to avoid explosive charges on the streets. Among the houses demolished is the house of the terrorist who murdered Tali Hatuel and her 4 daughters."

Source: Hebrew, English ¹ Tali Hatuel Tali Hatuel, was an Israeli social worker who, along with her four daughters aged 2 to 11, was shot at close range and murdered on May 2, 2004 by Palestinian terrorists. ... Operation Rainbow מבצע קשת בענן is a controversial military operation which began on May 18, 2004 in the Gaza Strip. ...

Palestinians report that 55 people were killed but claim that "only 12 were known to be armed". They also said more than 70 houses were demolished.

Footnotes

¹ Haaretz translation differs little from what appears here and has some mistakes in content, therefore the Wikipedia translation of the Hebrew source is the one to appear in the body of this article.

External links

• Summary Of Briefing Held 24 May 2004 By GOC Southern Command/Reference to: Palestinian Terrorists kills Palestinian Children
• Briefing - Gaza Division Commander, Brigadier-General Shmuel Zakai
• PMW:PA called "Women, Children and Elderly" to Wednesday's Battle
• Israel Launches Largest Offensive in Gaza Since 1967
• Israel Defies World Outcry, Expands Gaza Offensive
• IDF Humanitarian aid in Rafah (Israeli Defence Force statement)
• Haaretz report - UNRWA: 45 housed were razed. IDF: we killed 40 terrorists, Palestinians killed 2 children.