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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Israelis Ignore Concessions Deadline, Push Into Gaza
2006-07-05
Tightening a siege of the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops and armor pushed today into the Palestinian side of the main crossing point into the coastal territory. The incursion at the Erez crossing came hours after the expiration of a deadline set by Palestinian militants for concessions in exchange for the release of a captured Israeli soldier. Israel has refused demands that it free more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the soldier's freedom, but diplomatic attempts to resolve the standoff continued.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas official, told a weekly Cabinet meeting today that "the language of wisdom must be used to end this incident." He praised the efforts of Egyptian mediators.

Israel holds Haniyeh's government responsible for the conflict over the abduction of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, 19, even though he and other Hamas-allied government officials insist they had no prior knowledge of the June 25 raid by three militant factions that resulted in Shalit's capture. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, addressing a gathering of businesspeople in southern Israel, vowed anew that Israel would take sweeping vengeance if any harm befalls the young soldier. "We will strike all the elements of terror; whoever hurts citizens of the state of Israel will not be immune," the prime minister said.
Posted by:Fred

#9  Well, my Pali friends, remember when not getting paid seemed to be your biggest worry? It doesn't seem that long ago does it, but I'll bet you'll soon be reminiscing about it as the good old days...
Posted by: tu3031   2006-07-05 21:21  

#8  2b, my thoughts are that you are quite right. I think the Paleos thought they would tweak the dragons tail a little, the MSM would fall in line, the Israelis would release hundreds of killers in return and Hamas would look like the hard boyz in town.

Trouble is those crazy Joooz didn't read the script, and aren't responding to their cues.

Maybe Hamas hasn't been reading the papers recently - the Israelis are a just a *little* more concerned about the psychos over in Iran, and perhaps they are sick and tired of getting jerked around by a bunch of retards whose 'military wing' expertise consists of firing home made rockets 12 miles 'somewhere' into Israel and then getting their asses handed to them when the IDF triangulates and sends in a counter strike. Scratch three snuffies.

I think this could be a prelude to a strike on Iran - and that the Israelis know they're going to be pariahs no matter what they do. So if you're going to get hung for the lamb, you might as well go for the sheep, and that means getting rid of those shits in Gaza - once and for all - as well as the Iranian sites.

That Hamas haven't figured out that this is *not* the right time to be trying their particularly odious form of malevolence out on the Israelis speaks volumes for their collective intelligence. Wankers.
Posted by: Tony (UK)   2006-07-05 20:34  

#7  good point, tw.
Posted by: 2b   2006-07-05 17:07  

#6  By withdrawing, Israel left no hostages to fortune, john. Think of that poor kid picked up and murdered in the West Bank last week while going for a walk. In Gaza, the Army is free to operate without concern about protecting the civilians. I think the West Bank ought to be quietly consolidated in the same way, against upcoming activities on that side.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-07-05 16:14  

#5  So...it is safe to say the whole Gaza withdrawl thingy was a bust?
Posted by: john   2006-07-05 15:22  

#4  Git 'er done! Faster, please!
Posted by: BA   2006-07-05 11:11  

#3  You are right, but I really think it is too late for that. War is inevitable. Even international wanking won't stop it now.
Posted by: 2b   2006-07-05 10:12  

#2  It's good the MSM isn't playing it up. If they were it would only ignite "peace protests" to pressure Israel to reward terrorism. Like with the heavily publicized and long delayed US intention to overthrow Saddam -- time and publicity are useful mostly for knee-jerk anit-Americans.
Posted by: Odysseus   2006-07-05 07:50  

#1  This seems like big news to me. I don't understand the media downplay. Maybe it's because the little dog is trying to ignore the fact that this time the big dog isn't tucking his tail.

GAZA CITY — Israeli missiles flattened a wing of the Hamas-run Palestinian Interior Ministry here today, in the latest wave of airstrikes the building ... also was hit last week.

Israeli troops and armor Tuesday seized the ... Erez crossing ... At nightfall, troops and tanks were still on the Palestinian side of the frontier.

A small Israeli contingent carried out a similar search operation near the northern Gaza village of Beit Hanoun,

A much larger Israeli force held a position at the idled Palestinian airport in the southern Gaza Strip, near Rafah.

In addition to the incursion into southern Gaza last week, Israel has heavily shelled the northern Gaza Strip and carried out airstrikes against numerous sites. An attack on a power station has forced the rationing of electricity and created hours-long outages throughout the territory. Other targets included Haniyeh's office, which was wrecked by a missile strike early Sunday.

Since the offensive began last Wednesday, fighter jets have made frequent low-altitude flyovers, breaking the sound barrier, shattering windows and jangling nerves.
Posted by: 2b   2006-07-05 07:15  

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