Mortars are high-trajectory, indirect fire weapons, relying on explosive power rather than velocity. Keep in mind, the Jews used the Davidka home made mortars during the war for Independence - very unreliable, blew up in the face of their users as often as fired. Those used by the PALIS are a little bit more spphisticated - as are the Qassam rockets, which DO rely on a flatter trajectory, IIRC. A more effective military strategy- though one that would be universally condemned in the world (and my point?), would be to level an area of Gaza equal to the effective range of the latest version of the Qassams. Of course, no Israeli leader would ever advocate doing something so practical, since it would disadvantage so many Palestinian civilians, and garner international condemnation. On the other hand, there havent been too many voices being raised on the latest Israeli incursions, since the unprovoked death of those 2 children, one with severed legs - and the wounding of many more children - doesnt garner much sympathy for the PALI cause, does it? swhitebull

I'm sure my complete lack of knowlege of weaponry is showing, but wouldn't the low velocity of the mortar shell be a plus for a defense based on steel netting. If the shell could not penetrate the net, it would blow up further away from the people, right?

A fun trick might be to let the enemy fire mortars, and retal with illum. Then shell the hell out of the target. Afterwards, random drops of illum to scare the bejeezus out of people.