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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Hamas fired new rocket from old Israeli settlement |
| 2006-07-05 |
| Palestinian militants who fired a rocket deeper into Israel than ever before launched it from land that Israeli settlers had occupied until last year, witnesses said on Wednesday. The Hamas-made Qassam rocket was fired from the far north of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday evening and exploded 12 km (7.5 miles) away in the center of the Israeli city of Ashkelon, damaging a school but causing no injuries. The strike provoked fear among Ashkelon's 120,000 residents that Palestinian militants have developed a more powerful, two-engine rocket that puts their community well within range and could lead to more frequent, deadly attacks in the future. Until now, most rockets fired by militants have been aimed at Sderot, a town about half as far away from Gaza as Ashkelon. The fact Tuesday's rocket was launched from land that Israel held until last September will also fuel the anger of those who opposed Israel's unilateral pullout from Gaza after 38 years. "I heard the bang and saw the smoke as it was fired," said Tariq Abu Muwad, 19, a farmer who lives on the edge of Beit Lahiya, overlooking the former settlement of Elei Sinai. The towers of Ashkelon's power station are visible in the distance. He pointed to a sandy ridge about 400 yards (meters) from his land from where he said the militants had launched the rocket. Hamas, the Islamist group that runs the Palestinian government, said its armed wing carried out the attack. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, already under pressure as he tries to force the release of an Israeli soldier abducted by militants 10 days ago, said the strike would have "far-reaching implications" and Hamas would be the first to feel them. Israel has indicated that Hamas leaders, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, could be assassinated. Its military operations in northern Gaza, part of the offensive to free the abducted soldier, are also designed to halt the rocket attacks. Residents in Ashkelon were quick to protest Tuesday's strike, chanting "Death to Arabs" and "Obliterate Gaza" at the scene of the blast, Israeli newspapers reported. Told about Israel's rage, Abdul al-Ghaffar, the son of a Gaza farmer who also said he saw the rocket being launched, said Ashkelon residents should get used to the attacks. "They should be angry. It will make them more like us -- angry and scared," he said, referring to heavy Israel shelling of northern Gaza in recent weeks. Israel fired at least 20 artillery shells near Beit Lahiya, around the former settlements, in the hours after the rocket attack, residents said. They said a 7-year-old child was slightly wounded while collecting shrapnel. Unmanned spy planes could be heard buzzing over the area on Wednesday, on the lookout for militants seeking to fire more rockets at Israel. Several rocket-launching teams have been hit in Israeli missile strikes in the area in recent weeks. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #2 Time to forget sending messages, measured reponse, ratchiting, etc. Come in from the sea. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-05 17:58 |
| #1 a 2nd Qassam reached Ashkelon today, according to Fox, and the IDF's armor is moving |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-07-05 15:09 |