The upshot is that the prime minister, who just two months ago declared that "we will not fortify ourselves to death," was compelled to approve recommendations to fortify 8,000 homes in Sderot and the communities of the "Gaza envelope," to the tune of NIS 300 million. Such protection is necessary because these homes lie within 4.5 kilometers of the Gaza Strip.
But a mere day later, it turned out that the plan was too ambitious and that budget shortfalls meant that only 3,600 homes in Sderot and the Gaza envelope can be fortified within the next two years. The solemn declarations to fortify the homes, revoked only hours later, are just the latest chapter in a gloomy saga replete with deception, lies, concealment of the truth from policymakers, groundless promises to Sderot residents, the unexplained rejection of the arguments for examining additional defense systems other than Iron Dome, and bizarre decisions made in the Defense Ministry.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Israel is considering suspending its Gaza offensive to give Hamas militants an opening to halt their rocket fire, but the threat of a ground offensive remains if the truce does not hold, an Israeli defense official said Tuesday. That sentence in and of itself demonstrates why Israel should dump Kadima, Labor, and all their associated and allied pols.
Israel's defense minister is to raise the proposal during a meeting of Israel's security Cabinet on Wednesday, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly. Israel TV's Channel 10 also reported such a proposal. At the same time, the security Cabinet will also be asked to consider various plans for a ground invasion, the defense official said.
The public rhetoric from Israeli officials has indicated they expect the operation to continue, and a Hamas spokesman said any truce was conditional on the opening of Gaza's borders.
Earlier Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the current, aerial phase of the operation was just "the first of several" that have been approved, an Olmert spokesman said. But after four days of airstrikes against the symbols of Hamas power, there are few targets left beyond buildings evacuated days ago. On Tuesday, the biggest bomb load yet struck an empty Hamas government complex, as well as security installations and the home of a top militant commander. So keep bouncing the rubble until you find out where the big turbans are hiding.
#1
Reinforcing the "lesson learned" in the last 8 years that air power can "condition" the battle area but unless the enemy surrenders ground forces ARE required.
Olmert has just bumped up against his worst nightmare. A truce will probably cost him the election as this would be the same result as 2006.
#4
The UN's De Soto was just on the BBC. He actually attempted to justify the rocket attacks as a signal from Hamas that they be included in negotiations.
Posted by: john frum ||
12/30/2008 15:09 Comments ||
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#5
Change will only occur when Israel annexes a significant portion of Gaza (preferably all) and kicks out the Palis.
Posted by: ed ||
12/30/2008 15:13 Comments ||
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#6
I hope that Israel rejects ANY and ALL truces with Hamas. By their actions, Hamas have shown that they are a terrorist organization with the purpose of the destruction of Israel. There should be NO negotiations, but just discussions as to where everyone and everything is that Hamas owns or controls.
If Israel backs down from a path of total victory and the destruction of Hamas, she will just be repeating the debacle of the Lebanon fiasco. Suicide on the installment plan.
Posted by: Alaska Paul ||
12/30/2008 15:26 Comments ||
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#7
Backdown? No, I smell a Dinnerjacket trip wire.
#10
Olmert has just bumped up against his worst nightmare. A truce will probably cost him the election as this would be the same result as 2006.
As I recall, Prime Minister Olmert will not be running in February, which agreement kept him from receiving a formal no-confidence vote in September or so, with all that entails. Tzipi Livni will head the Kadimah ticket vs. Ehud Barack for Labour and Benjamin Netenyahu for Likud.
#11
I assume for the sake of discussion Hama Rules do not apply and will never apply in Gaza. Mores the pity.
What are Hama Rules? Tis' a phrase coined by the sometime Jewish writer for the NYT, Tom Friedeman.
In 1980 Daddy Assad's regime was having troubles with "islamic fundies". He id'ed the location of the troubles: the city of Hama in Syria.
Daddy Assad surrounded the city of Hama with all the ground forces at his disposal. For seven days his ground forces pounded Hama. Few were permitted to leave. Low end estimation of the death toll: 10K. High end 25K.
The city was leveled. Thereafter the earth salted.
Oddly enough, Daddy Assad was never troubled with islamo-fundies during the remaining years of his regime.
Hence the term: Hama Rules.
Israel, take note. Daddy Assad didn't give a fig about world opinion. Why should you?
It's a strange world, but there you have it. I've [a writer for the Atlantic] been talking to friends of mine, former Palestinian Authority intelligence officials (ejected from power by the Hamas coup), and they tell me that not only are they rooting for the Israelis to decimate Hamas, but that Fatah has actually been assisting the Israelis with targeting information.
#4
They would have had a piss poor shockingly deficient HUMINT exploitation program if no one were conducting such operations. I suspect a parallel effort has been ongoing in Dinnerjacketland (the real target) for quite some time. I'm sure the IDF is hoping Iran will take the bait and do something entirely stupid.
#5
Abbas is an impotent, directionless leader, but he was taking the PA in a better direction than Arafat.
The enemy of your enemy is your friend I guess.
In any case, Cynbat the Sailor and her fellow pirates have been sent fleeing back to Cyprus with their tails between their legs.
An Israel Navy ship clashed on Tuesday with a small boat carrying international activists with aid destined for Gaza, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said. There were no reported casualties from the incident involving the small cabin cruiser "Dignity" that sailed from Cyprus late on Monday.
Israel has declared the coastal territory a closed military zone and said the Free Gaza Movement boat would not be permitted to dock. Yigal Palmor, a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry, said the boat failed to respond to Israeli naval radio contact, and that an Israeli vessel "clashed with the ship." "Put a round over her bows, Mr. Jewish! Not too close, though. We don't want to fish them all out of the drink!"
Free Gaza Movement told Reuters their boat, carrying 3.5 tons of medical aid with 16 people aboard, was rammed and shot at while in international waters about 70-80 miles off Gaza by Israeli naval vessel.
Palmor denied there had been any shooting although the two ships made "physical contact." He said no one had been hurt and that the Israeli ship escorted the aid boat back to Cypriot territorial waters.
Israel has declared areas around the Gaza Strip a "closed military zone" after it launched an aerial offensive in the coastal territory on Hamas targets on Saturday. Free Gaza Movement said their boat was safe, but had sustained damage.
#1
...I suspect there was a great need for new underwear on that tub - suddenly running into well-trained men with guns who are allowed to kill you has a tendency to get your attention.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
12/30/2008 6:09 Comments ||
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#2
Why is McKinney's scow still afloat? C'mon, IDF, you guys are falling down on the job.
Posted by: Mike ||
12/30/2008 6:43 Comments ||
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#3
We can add another name to the long list of sold-out terror tool "journalists," NBC's Tracie Potts.
During her report this morning, Potts characterized Cynbat the Sailor McKinney's terror-tub as being "loaded with American relief workers and medical supplies,' though the tools themselves claim that the 15 passengers represent 11 different countries.
Potts also presented a McKinney sound-bite declaring that "every piece of rubble in Gaza was put there by American weapons," then of course failed to challenge this falsehood. Potts's naturally placed great emphasis on civilian casualties and dead children- when the numbers didn't suffice to raise ire, she let her tone of horror and amazement do the lying job for her: "374 people have been killed, AT LEAST 62 OF THEM CIVILIANS!" There was also a series of bites on Arab aid to Hamas, with Potts declaring breathlessly that "other Arab countries have come to Palestine's defense."
#10
She's just rushing into the latest headline story, not unlike Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have done a thousand times before her. Next week she'll be suing Israel for her incontinence.
#23
Civilians aboard the Dignity being threatened by the Israeli military:
(UK) Denis Healey, Captain
Captain of the Dignity
(Greece) Nikolas Bolos, First Mate
Nikolas is a chemical engineer and human rights activist.
(Jordan) Othman Abu Falah
Othman is a senior producer with Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.
(Australia) Renee Bowyer
Renee is a schoolteacher and human rights activist. She will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.
(Ireland) Caoimhe Butterly
Caoimhe is a reknowned human rights activist and Gaza Coordinator for the Free Gaza Movement.
(Cyprus) Ekaterini Christodulou
Ekaterini is a well-known and respected freelance journalist in Cyprus. She is traveling to Gaza to report on the conflict.
(Sudan) Sami El-Haj
Sami is a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay, and head of the human rights section at Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.
(UK) Dr. David Halpin
Dr. Halpin is an experienced orthopaedic surgeon, medical professor, and ship's captain. He has organized humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza on several occasions with the Dove and Dolphin. He is traveling to Gaza to volunteer in hospitals and clinics.
(Germany) Dr. Mohamed Issa
Dr. Issa is a pediatric surgeon from Germany.
(UK/Tunisia) Fathi Jaouadi
Fathi is a television producer and human rights activist. He will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.
(USA) Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia is a former U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia, and the 2008 Green Party presidential candidate. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict.
(Cyprus) Martha Paisi
Martha is a senior research fellow and experienced human rights activist.
(UK) Karl Penhaul
Karl Penhaul is a video correspondent for CNN, based out of Bogotá, Colombia.
(Iraq) Thaer Shaker
Thaer is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera television.
(Cyprus) Dr. Elena Theoharous, MP
Dr. Theoharous is a surgeon and a Member of the Cypriot Parliament.
#4
Unfortunately the weather was mostly cloudy over Gaza on 12-27 and 12-28. A lot of missiles were fired that would have been destroyed if the IAF had better weather.
#8
I hope they identified the building those missiles were coming out of, and have targeted it with some deep-penetration missiles. I don't give a da$$ if it's a hospital - anything used to store military weapons is a legitimate military target.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/30/2008 14:16 Comments ||
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#9
Here is a link to the Israeli Defense Force YouTube channel, with all the links to available videos. Israel seems to be ahead in the Propaganda War this time!
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/30/2008 19:14 Comments ||
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The "Graphic" warning isn't a joke - this is real horrorshow! You've been warned.
To the paleos (and world press), I have only this to say: Remember that this is the result of Hamas leadership. This all could have easily been avoided if you'd only stopped poking the bear. That is all.
#3
It's the website where suspicious posters are redirected to by the blog's intricate inner workings, though your post actually made it, since you are a regular, but you got a taste of the owner's peculiar taste in tourism & humor anyway.
#5
Usually I hate liveleak videos because they're blocked by the Great Firewall of China, but I'm home for the holidays so I can actually see this one.
I suppose it never enters people's minds that certain sites are blocked outside of America.
#6
Apparently "basic first aid" doesn't appear in the Hamas police academy syllabus.
Yeah, but they do say "allah" quyite a bit, and even seem to have gunsex on the side, so, that's pretty close; plus, they jump great through firy loops. Anyway, heartwarming vid (but I'm a bigot), only thing missing is the IAF taking a leaf out of the paleo playbook, and targeting the rescuers with a strafing run or something. Oh, well. Can't have EVERYTHING, I guess.
#7
I suppose it never enters people's minds that certain sites are blocked outside of America.
Yup, but LL is usually the first vid website to have content like that, it shows eventually on youtube, but later. So, often some websites are used because it's where the goodies are. Enjoy your vacation, by the way!
#9
From the kind of treatment seen on the video, the best way to increase lethality might be to let the terrorist "medics" in. Some of those jihadis are still alive but not for long if they continue to be thrown about and hauled around like so many sacks of potatoes.
#16
OK - you're a doctor. Happy? Now quit bleeding on me
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/30/2008 9:05 Comments ||
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#17
Note there are NO women or children here, all men in uniform. I think the dude with all those broken teeth might survive, but the convulsing "grunter" is surely a goner....
#20
Well speaking from experience, there isn't a first aid procedure in the books that will offer any survivability after being cut in half by flying schrapnel or being decapitated.
Just the shock wave from a 1000 pounder on a building will break every bone in your body and turn your insides into mush if you are too close.
Sorry guys but that's life in the fast lane.
Mess with a military power that has 21st century hardware when you only have a few zillion AK's and some Rpg's and you are going to find yourself gathering your dead.
I have no sympathy for these people because they would be setting off suicide bombers and dropping rockets in Time Square if they could get to us.
Posted by: James Carville ||
12/30/2008 10:57 Comments ||
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#21
Last night I ran an errand on my wife's behalf. My job was to drop off a roaster to her brother in advance of his New Year's Day party.
My brother-n-law is the product of a liberal education and, therefore, pro-terrorist and anti-semite.
I gave him the roaster then handed him some candy. He asked why the candy? I told him I was just doing a poor imitation of the paleos that handed out candy throughout the neighborhood on 9-11.
He knew exactly what I was referring to, but wasn't amused.
#25
Yup, just normal combat zones scenes. This ought to be shown on Al-Jizz in a 24 hr loop so the Brave Lions could see what happens when you go out and play with rockets and mortar tubes. It's called payback.
#27
Well speaking from experience, there isn't a first aid procedure in the books that will offer any survivability after being cut in half by flying schrapnel or being decapitated.
Golly, James, I think you're the first Rantburger who admits to posting from the Great Beyond. Mr. Pruitt, I think your website has set another record!
Actually, it appeared to me that the first and second bodies, at least, are actually the same person: picked up, dropped, then given the chance to moan for the camera. Perhaps some of Rantburg's expert visual analysts can confirm/deny whether the Palestinians are up to their usual tricks, camera-wise.
#28
"Shell, range 800 yards. Advance the round. Loader, load the round. Rammer, ram the round. Fuse the piece. Ready! FIRE!
Posted by: Deacon Blues ||
12/30/2008 16:13 Comments ||
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#29
"The "Graphic" warning isn't a joke - this is real horrorshow"
*yawn*
I've seen worse. And done something better about it.
I'll see if I can find my nanoviolin....
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut ||
12/30/2008 16:31 Comments ||
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#30
Maybe I'm desensitized, but it occurs to me that this stuff is gory only if you've never prepared meat for consumption. Or - for the TV generation - watched CSI, or shows like Nip/Tuck.
#31
Zhang Fei: Maybe I'm desensitized, but it occurs to me that this stuff is gory only if you've never prepared meat for consumption. Or - for the TV generation - watched CSI, or shows like Nip/Tuck.
Me--->9/11.
.
Thanks ZF! and thanks AC! We will Never Forgit!
.
Posted by: Red Dawg ||
12/30/2008 18:18 Comments ||
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#32
>The "Graphic" warning isn't a joke
Call me prudish if you will, but I didn't think it was suitable for kids or the squeamish, and was worthy of a stern warning.
#34
Call me prudish if you will, but I didn't think it was suitable for kids or the squeamish, and was worthy of a stern warning.
Don't get me wrong - the warning might be a good idea. The interesting thing, though, is that the Palestinians aren't exactly puking their guts out at the sight of the wounded and dead. I have to wonder whether the Hollywood depictions of human reactions to this kind of stuff - gunplay, violent death - is just so much overacting.
An IAF aircraft on Monday night struck the home of Maher Zakut, the commander of Hamas's rocket-firing forces, the army said. In was unclear whether Zakut was in the house at the time. Palestinian sources said that seven people were killed in the strike. According to reports, several more targets were struck in the Strip.
Several secondary explosions were caused by the strike because of a large weapons warehouse alongside the senior operative's house.
Five people were reportedly killed when an IAF aircraft targeted a car. Palestinian sources reported that 14 people were killed in air-strikes Monday evening.
The air force also struck a truck carrying Grad-type missiles, setting off a series of secondary explosions, the IDF said. The army believes that Hamas was transferring the missiles to a hideout out of fear that their location had been compromised. The trasfer was also supposedly intended to bring them closer to areas from which they could be launched at Israel.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#11
My apologies to any IDF'ers reading this.....can't order a blessed thing on any site to send to you. No pizza, no burgers, no cute bathtub duckies.
HAMAS last night threatened to assassinate Israeli leaders as the bombing of the Gaza Strip entered a third day and armoured forces were deployed along the borders of the Palestinian territory.
As Israel mobilised 6700 reservists in preparation for the next stage of combat, senior Hamas official Fatah Hamad warned that the militant group would assassinate Defence Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and other leaders if the attacks continued.
Mr Barak countered that Israeli was in "all-out war against Hamas", as the army declared the border area a closed military zone - a move that in the past has often been followed by ground operations in Gaza.
At least 51 civilians were among the victims so far, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said last night.
Palestinian medics said several children had been killed in the latest air raids, with the death toll in Gaza rising to 312.
An Israeli Arab was killed and eight others were wounded yesterday when a missile fired from Gaza landed near a construction site in the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon. Earlier, Hamas unleashed the longest-range rockets yet fired into Israel, striking near the port city of Ashdod, 40km inside the Jewish state.
Mr Hamad also threatened senior officials of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and "those in the Arab world who have conspired against us", an apparent reference to Egyptian leaders. Hamas has called for suicide bombers to attack inside Israel.
Planes used bunker buster bombs to destroy 40 tunnels through which supplies were smuggled into the Gaza Strip from Egypt, Israeli officials said.
Most of the targets hit were in Gaza City, including homes of Hamas leaders and the office of Prime Minister Ismail Haniya. A house next to Mr Haniya's home was destroyed but the Prime Minister had gone into hiding, as had other Hamas leaders.
Planes hit a security compound that included a Hamas prison, allowing dozens of prisoners to flee through the shattered walls. Also hit were two laboratory buildings at the Islamic University said by Israel to have been used to prepare explosives and fuel for rockets. Gaza's nine hospitals were reported to be overwhelmed as the number of wounded approached 1000.
Israel announced that it would permit the entry into Gaza of 100 trucks carrying medicines, food and other supplies contributed by Turkey, Jordan and international organisations. Hundreds of Gaza residents breached the border fence with Egypt to escape from the Strip.
Yuval Diskin, the head of domestic spy agency Shin Bet, told the Israeli cabinet early yesterday that Hamas was still in shock from the scale of the onslaught but was preparing attacks it hoped would change the picture.
The cabinet approval for the mobilisation of 6700 reservists suggested any initial ground thrusts would be limited in scope. Ms Livni said Israel had no intention of reoccupying the Gaza Strip, from which it pulled out three years ago. Officials said the Foreign Ministry was already working on an exit strategy that would not involve stationing an international force in Gaza similar to that deployed in southern Lebanon after the war against Hezbollah.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
was still in shock from the scale of the onslaught but was preparing attacks it hoped would change the picture
#2
FREE Streaming TV Shows, Movies, Music (over 6 million digital tracks), Unlimited Games, Money, Books, and College Educations (Stanford, Oxford, Notre Dame and more) http://www.InternetSurfShack.com
#4
Israel threatens to kill Hamas leaders.
So now their even, except that the Israelis have the means to do it. Whether they have the will or not is yet to be seen.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
12/30/2008 18:34 Comments ||
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(AKI) - Israel on Monday questioned media reports that suggested kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit had been injured in an airstrike on the Gaza Strip. Egyptian television reported on Sunday night that Shalit was injured in one of the Israeli Air Force strikes in Gaza.
The Israeli Defense Force released a statement on Monday saying that "Gilad Shalit is a valuable asset for Hamas. We believe it will do everything to keep him alive." "The IDF holds Hamas responsible for everything that happens to Gilad Shalit," the statement said.
Since Operation Cast Lead began on Saturday, senior IDF officials have been in contact with the Shalit family, and warned them that Hamas might try to use their son in the psychological warfare, Israeli media reported. "We had expected that Hamas would try to use Gilad as part of their political manipulations," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai reportedly told Army Radio. "We take Gilad into account in every action we take in Gaza, his situation is a consideration," Vilani said. "I believe the less we talk about this matter, the better."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Gilad's release should be a condition for cessation of hostilities. Pray for him.
#2
He's dead, Jim. Sad, but, that's my take. His return live or dead should be a precondition for any truce. Let the Paleos admit he died a year or more ago, in their tender care. PR 101
Posted by: Frank G ||
12/30/2008 21:07 Comments ||
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Muslim nations angrily condemned Israel on Monday over air attacks on the Gaza Strip that have killed more than 300 Palestinians while UN Secretary General Ban Ki--moon deplored the violence. Never saw that one coming, did you?
Anti--Israel demonstrations were held in many countries and there was an immediate fallout with the suspension of efforts to hold talks between Syria and Israel. International powers renewed calls for a ceasefire, but US President George W Bush and president--elect Barack Obama maintained their silence on the fighting. Thousands of Iranians, who were joined by high ranking Iranian officials and military commanders, shouted "Down With USA" and "Down With Israel" in Tehran on Monday. Many carried banners reading "Israel must be wiped off the face of the earth" and "We should all rise and destroy Israel."
Demonstrators have been held around the world since the Israeli offensive started Saturday. Arrests were made during demonstrations in European capitals on Sunday, including 10 in London. About 8,000 people staged a rally in the southern Egyptian city of Assiut on Sunday, while several thousand attended rallies in the capital Cairo and the port city of Alexandria, a security official said.
In Turkey, thousands of people joined demonstrations in about a dozen cities. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit arrived in Ankara on Monday for talks with Turkish leaders on the Israeli offensive, a foreign ministry official said. Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Turkish--mediated indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria have become "impossible" after the Israeli offensive.
"To make war on the Israeli--Palestinian track and at the same time make peace on the Israeli--Syrian track -- these two cannot go together," he said. In Syria, protesters burned Israeli and American flags as thousands demonstrated in Damascus on Sunday. There were similar scenes in the Jordanian capital Amman where hundreds gathered to demand the closure of the Israeli embassy. Saudi Arabia sent two hospital aircraft with medical personnel to Gaza to help with the injured and to fly any severely injured to hospitals in Saudi Arabia, the government said. Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, also offered medical aid and joined Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia and other Muslim nations in condemning Israel. There were new calls for a halt to the fighting which erupted after the breakdown of a truce between Israel and Hamas.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki--moon "deplores that violence is continuing today, and he strongly urges once again an immediate stop to all acts of violence," his spokeswoman Michele Montas said in a statement issued late Sunday. China expressed major concern. "The Chinese side is shocked and seriously concerned over the current military operations in Gaza that have caused a large number of deaths and injuries," Vice Premier Li Keqiang said in a statement.
Miliband: European nations called for a ceasefire. Many foreign ministers have spoken to Israel's Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband warned the Middle East was facing a "dangerous and dark moment" as he renewed a call for an end to the fighting. Miliband told BBC radio: "I think that any loss of innocent people's life is unacceptable and in this case there have been massive casualties, some of them civilians and some of them children. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who also spoke to Livni made a call to "urgently halt" the military action.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
The foreign ministers condemn on TV, the defence ministers phone to inquire about prices on UAVs, Typhoon, etc..
Ma'an -- Hamas, Islamic Jihad and the An-Nasser Brigades refused to participate in the all-factions meeting called by President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, while Fatah officials called for wide participation
Hamas leader Muhammad Nazzal made the announcement for his party during an interview with Al-Arabiya television Monday evening. Hamas will not try to make any political gains on the backs of the Gaza massacre, he said.
Islamic Jihad sent a statement to Ma'an saying "what is required now is resistance," and further stated that it was the party's duty to defend "our land and our people and respond to the massacres committed against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip."
They called for unity in resistance activities, but spurned Abbas' call for national unity.
Abu Abeer with the An-Nasser Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, said that all factions should refuse Abbas' invitation and rally all Gazans, encouraging patience in such harsh times.
Senior Fatah leader Ibrahim Abu An-Naja, however, insisted that all factions must gather and assess the bloody events in Gaza.
Abu An-Naga sent a statement to Ma'an calling the leaders of all security services to stop political arrests immediately and release all political detainees. He said that now is the time when parties can prepare the political climate for a national reconciliation and save the people of the Gaza Strip.
He further called for an end to all media campaigns that further divide the Palestinian people, and asserted the importance of unity in crisis.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Don't take it personal, Mahmoud. They're probably kinda busy right now running for their lives.
(AKI) - A key militant from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziad Abu Tir, was killed on Monday on the third-day of Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, as the United Nations called for an end to the violence.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called for an end to hostilities in the Palestinian territories, as thousands of people took to the streets around the world to protest against the violence in Gaza. At least 320 people have been killed and another 1,400 have been injured in the Israeli raids.
Another airstrike destroyed the home of Palestinian militant Maher Zaqout, senior member of the Islamist movement Hamas' Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. Zaqout was not at home at the time of the strike. However, seven people including several member of his immediate family were reportedly killed.
Palestinian militants fired at least 50 home-made Qassam rockets at southern Israel on Monday, killing one Israeli.
In the Lebanese capital Beirut, tens of thousands of people protested against the ongoing Israeli raids. The protest was organised by the militant Hezbollah movement and called by the group's leader, Hassan Nasrallah. "It is a mistake to think that this war is against Hamas, it is against the Palestinian resistance," Nasrallah said.
At least 5,000 people gathered in the Jordanian capital Amman and burned American and Israeli flags. They marched towards the office of Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi, urging Jordan to scrap its peace agreement with Israel reached in 1994.
Protests were also held in countries including Venezuela, Chile, Pakistan, Indonesia, Syria, Egypt, Iran and Iraq and throughout Europe. At least 1,500 people gathered for violent protests near the Israeli embassy in London. Other protests were held in Spain, Denmark, Italy, France and the United States.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Monday that hospitals in Gaza were "overburdened" as they struggled to cope with the influx of casualties. "We are completely overwhelmed by the number of people coming in with very serious injuries. I have never seen anything like this," said the head of the surgical ward of Shifa Hospital, in Gaza City.
This article starring:
Hassan Nasrallah
Hezbollah
International Committee of the Red Cross
Jordanian Prime Minister Nader Dahabi
Maher Zaqout
Hamas
Ziad Abu Tir
Islamic Jihad
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#2
I thought the Red Cross was banned in Gaza, since the cross is a Crusader symbol.
Of course, the ICRC refuses to recognize Mogen David Aman (Spelling) - the Israeli equivalent of the Red Crescent.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
12/30/2008 18:23 Comments ||
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(AKI) - Countries throughout the Middle East have reacted quickly to Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip by pledging to send aid to the war-torn territory. Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan on Monday sent food and medical supplies after the Israeli attacks that killed 310 people and injured over 1,400.
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud has pledged air ambulances to transfer injured Palestinians in Gaza to Saudi hospitals via Medical Evacuation planes or Medevac. The planes left the Riyadh Air Base bound for the Egyptian airport in el-Arish, near Gaza.
Jordan sent food and medical supplies while the United Arab Emirates' President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan ordered the delivery of urgent aid to Gaza.
Turkey's Kizilay or Red Crescent organisation sent ten truckloads of food to the region as well as 15 ambulances.
Iran sent planes of food and medicine to the Egyptian capital on Sunday, while protests against the raids were held in the capital Tehran on Monday.
Thousands of people gathered at Palestine Square in central Tehran and shouted anti-Israeli slogans.
Meanwhile in Indonesia - the world's largest Muslim country - police on Monday arrested 12 protesters at a demonstration against Israel's action in the capital Jakarta. "We're deeply concerned. Israel has launched an inhumane act at a time when others are supposed to be celebrating the new year," said Sjaeful Akbar, the rally coordinator, quoted by Indonesian daily The Jakarta Post.
Palestinian residents in the emirate of Dubai also held protests, while in Egypt over 50,000 protesters took to the streets in a dozen cities. Protests were also held in Morocco, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, London, Spain and France.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud has pledged air ambulances to transfer injured Palestinians in Gaza to Saudi hospitals via Medical Evacuation planes or Medevac. The planes left the Riyadh Air Base bound for the Egyptian airport in el-Arish, near Gaza.
The entire population will soon be suffering Post Traumatic Stress. Take them all to the Kingdom immediately!
#2
PAKISTANI DEFENCE FORUM > INDONESIA CRIES OUT IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS. Indones Islamist Group ISLAMIC DEFENDERS FRONT vows to send 1000 armed fighters to fight agz Israel in Gaza, as done before for Afghanistan-Pakistan, etc. in suppor of Islamist Militants.; + IRAN'S SUPREME CLERIC KHATEMI DECLARES [worldwide Muslim]JIHAD AGZ ISRAEL.
(AKI) - Five sisters, aged from four to 17, were among the civilian victims of Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said on Monday. The UN agency's Christopher Gunness told Adnkronos International (AKI) that at least 57 civilians had been killed in three days of Israeli attacks and the number was expected to rise.
"It is a tragic illustration of what happens when you use massive means against a densely populated part of the world," Gunness told AKI.
Gunness said the five girls had been killed in an attack on a refugee camp overnight. He called for a full investigation of the civilian casualties to determine whether there had been a violation of international humanitarian law. "We need to be absolutely clear of what happened," he told AKI. "It is very tragic indeed."
Palestinian sources estimate more than 300 people were killed in the Israeli offensive and another 1,400 have been injured in attacks since Saturday.
"The hospitals are completely overwhelmed," Gunness said. "For months there has been a strangulation of supplies."
Israel has declared areas around Gaza a "closed military zone" claiming there was a risk from Palestinian rocket fire.
There is speculation that Israel may stage a ground assault against Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza.
Meanwhile, Gunness said the UN had 10,000 workers on the ground in Gaza and they were struggling to do their job. He said up to 750,000 people desperately needed food aid and there was no food to distribute to them.
Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said the military action would continue until the people in southern Israel "no longer live in terror and in fear of constant rocket barrages."
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hamas
#1
"The hospitals are completely overwhelmed," Gunness said. "For months there has been a strangulation of supplies."
You mean the tunnels weren't being used to smuggle in medical supplies?
#2
"It is a tragic illustration of what happens when you use massive means against a densely populated part of the world,"
The videos I've watched all looked like highly precise strikes.
#3
"It is a tragic illustration of what happens when you use massive means against a densely populated part of the world,"...intentionally used as human shields in violation of international conventions.
#5
I saw some footage of the casualties being rolled around on gurneys, and they were suspiciously dark green for having just been killed. I also recall that the Paleos think nothing of keeping the bodies of women and children in cold storage so they can be paraded in front of the media on just such an occasion as this. My point is even the casualty figures for women and children that may be substantiated by actual bodies are likely fictional or at least exaggerated.
#6
This POS, and all UN "human rights" employees, needs to say hello to an axehandle to the bridge of his nose. These people are part of the problem, not part of the solution. The UNHCR doesn't want to end the "palestinian" problem, because they'd all be out of their cushy, high-paid, no-risk jobs. Hamass is responsible for everything that has happened to Gaza. Quit blaming Israel for doing everything possible to keep their people alive and healthy against constant attacks from the "palestinians".
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/30/2008 14:32 Comments ||
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#7
Actually, the TV of the Palestinian authority is blaming Hamas (look at
http://barcepundit.blogspot.com/2008/12/que-por-qu-la-situacin-en-gaza-es-ms.html) and allegedly the people of the PA are handling information tp the Israelis.
It is the people of western MSM who shed tears on the Hamas.
#8
But Israel called everyone in Gaza on their cell phones to warn them to stay away from Hamas properties. Those that chose to ignore that personal warning have only themselves to blame.
#9
Hello, Hello, Hello.... residents of Gaza. Those Hamas grids you gave us, vehicles, foot-traffic, high-value targets.... yes, tomorrow is the day. We'll be in touch!
Israel's envoy to the United Nations says that there will be no negotiations about peace, as Tel Aviv attacks Gazan civilians for a third day. And there you have it. They're certainly not attacking combatants. Only civilians. Well, this is from Iran, so the the truth-to-lie ratio is about 1% to 99% Israel started an 'all-out' war on the Gaza Strip as of Saturday. At least 345 Palestinians have been killed and about 1,550 have been wounded, Palestinian Medics told Press TV on Monday.
When asked about possible peace in the future, Israel's envoy, Gabriela Shalev, told CNN on Monday, "Don't even speak about peace at this moment."
"The hope is that Hamas will understand finally that Israel has the right to defend itself and the duty to protect its citizens," Shalev said without mentioning the hundreds of civilian Palestinians that were killed in Israel's 'blind raids' on civilian infrastructures in the impoverished strip.
Meanwhile, Palestinian peace negotiator Hanan Ashrawi said that she does not accept Israel's argument that it is acting in self-defense.
"Israel is an occupying power," Ashwari said in another interview with CNN on Monday. "In Gaza, they've been under siege for months now, deprived of the most basic needs. ... And now Israel has decided that if the victims do not lie down and die quietly, it's going to shell them relentlessly from the air," she added.
While the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon said Monday that the goal of the massive bombardment of the Gaza Strip is to topple Hamas.
The outgoing Bush administration has also thrown its full support behind Tel Aviv's bloody assault, blaming Hamas for provoking the offensive by firing rockets into Israel from Gaza. "In order for the violence to stop, Hamas must stop firing rockets into Israel and agree to respect a sustainable and durable ceasefire," White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said earlier.
Palestinian resistance fighters in the Gaza Strip say they fire rockets into Israel in retaliation for the daily Israeli attacks against them. Unlike the state-of-the-art Israeli weapons and ammunition such as F-16 fighter jets that have killed hundreds, the homemade Qassam rockets rarely cause casualties.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hamas
#1
How come Jimmy "The Peanut Guy" Carter hasn't spoken up yet??????
#2
Napalm the sh$$ out of every "city" in Gaza, plow the fields and sow them with salt, blow up everything standing, all while wearing earplugs to stop the incessant whine of the "victims of Israeli agression".
The way to lasting peace is through kicking every Arab's butt up over his shoulders, forcing him to walk on his elbows. Hard to fire guns and missiles in that position.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/30/2008 18:36 Comments ||
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Another scoop for PressTV Iran... US Congressman Dennis Kucinich says the continuing Israeli attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip are an example of 'collective punishment'. But we already knew which side Dennis is on...
"The perpetrators of attacks against Israel must also be brought to justice, but Israel cannot create a war against an entire people in order to attempt to bring to justice the few who are responsible. The Israeli leaders know better," Kucinich said in a news release on Monday. Well maybe if you offered them some of that secret UFO technology your friends possess, this situation wouldn't be nearly as bad as you say, ya bastid...
Medics told Press TV that at least 345 Palestinians have been killed and about 1,550 have been wounded as Israel on Saturday kicked off the assaults. Israel has called the attack an 'all-out' war on the Hamas movement.
The Democratic lawmaker also urged an independent investigation to be led by the United Nations into Israel's acts of violence. Kucinich said that he wrote to UN General Secretary Ban ki-Moon, urging an 'independent inquiry of Israel's war against Gaza'. And who could be more independent than the UN?
"It is time for the UN to not just call for a cease-fire, but for an inquiry as to Israel's actions," said Kucinich. Yeah, an...inquiry! That's the ticket!
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hamas
#1
I clicked on this item just to see what news source would run an article on the Kucinich POV for world affairs. Wonder if Iran thinks it's getting its money's worth out of its useful idiots.
Posted by: regular joe ||
12/30/2008 10:12 Comments ||
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#3
Who better to lead an official inquery, but Dennis? Now, if Dennis would just go to Gaza and stand right about there.. He would begin to understand. Whoop! here it comes. Stay there, Dennis, just a little longer. Aah... They have the wrong GPS coordinates.
Posted by: Richard of Oregon ||
12/30/2008 10:52 Comments ||
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#4
If Israel really wanted to get rid of the Gazans, they could probably do it. They won't do it - they are targeting Hamas. Some civilians are being killed - because Hamas sets up its sites next to civilian locations.
On the other hand, Hamas TARGETS civilians, especially schools.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
12/30/2008 18:37 Comments ||
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The Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) annual summit in Oman will go ahead and focus on the global economic crisis, though Israel's attacks on Gaza will also be discussed, the host country said on Sunday. "The most appropriate reply to the events under way in the Palestinian situation would be for the Palestinian brothers to close ranks by reaching understanding and national unity," Omani Information Minister Hamad al-Rashidi said.
He added: "It is up to the UN Security Council to apply pressure for Israel to stop the attacks" over the past two days which have left at least 280 Palestinians dead.
The GCC summit seemed under threat when Israel launched its air onslaught on Gaza, which has been controlled by Hamas since splitting with the secular Fatah organization of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
However, Omani Foreign Minister Yussef bin Alawi said foreign ministers of the six GCC countries are likely to meet on Sunday, with finance ministers also invited, to "put finishing touches to the agenda, including economic questions."
The official sessions of the summit are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said in Riyadh that Gulf foreign ministers meeting in Muscat on Sunday would focus on "Israeli aggression" in the Gaza Strip, according to the official Saudi Press agency. Riyadh is contacting neighbors and allies over "the blind use of force by Israel against the people under siege and occupation for more than 40 years," Prince Saud said.
The GCC groups Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which together sit on 25 percent of the world's natural gas reserves and 45 percent of global oil reserves.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hamas
Two Israelis were killed Monday evening as Gaza militants pelted southern Israel with rockets and mortar shells, as Israel concluded its third day of aerial assaults on the Gaza Strip.
One Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed in a mortar strike in a western Negev base, and another was seriously wounded. Four others were lightly hurt in the attack.
The other fatality occurred when a woman got out of her vehicle when she heard the early warning siren in the city of Ashdod, and sought shelter in a bus stop on the side of the road. She sustained critical shrapnel wounds, and later died. Another passerby who also ducked into the bus stop for shelter suffered serious injuries in the attack.
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Three people were lightly hurt in Ashdod, which is situated some 35 kilometers from the Gaza border.
Hamas missiles first hit near Ashdod on Sunday. Monday's attack marked the first time the city suffered casualties from missiles, as Israel concluded a third day of aerial assaults on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
Simultaneously, in what appeared to be a timed maneuver, a barrage of mortar shells was fired at the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional council in the western Negev.
Shortly after the attacks, three rockets struck Yavneh, the furthest north any rocket has even been fired from the Gaza Strip. No one was hurt in the attack.
Three rockets also hit the city of Ofakim, and one person was seriously hurt in the attack.
The combined rocket-mortar shell attack came hours after 27-year-old Israeli construction worker Hani al Mahdi, from the Bedouin village of Aroer, was killed in a rocket attack in Ashkelon.
Fourteen people were wounded in the attack on Ashkelon, as the rocket exploded near a construction site in the coastal town.
Most of the victims were construction workers from the Galilee village of Manda and the Bedouin town of Rahat. Five were considered in serious condition, four sustained moderate wounds, and five suffered light injuries.
Curious onlookers gathered at the scene despite the Home Front Command's directive to avoid loitering in groups outdoors.
At least 60 rockets have been fired into Israel since Monday morning. Several of the rockets hit Ashkelon, while others struck Sderot and other rocket weary communities in the western Negev. One home in Sderot sustained a direct hit. Channel 2 reported that the residents of the home have been treated for shock.
"I'm standing next to the body," Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin told Israel Radio by telephone on Monday. "To my great regret, we have a fatality. He was killed."
Sirens wailed intermittently on Monday morning in Ashkelon as television crews captured footage of panicked residents seeking cover from the incoming projectiles.
On Sunday, Gaza-based Palestinians launched a barrage of at least 40 rockets at the western Negev on Sunday, as the Israel Air Force continued to bomb targets in the Strip.
Two Katyusha rockets, with a diameter of 122 mm, exploded near Ashdod on Sunday. More than 30 kilometers from Gaza, this was the deepest into Israel a Palestinian rocket has yet to strike.
The Katyushas, which are the most improved versions of the Palestinian rockets, have a range of up to 40 kilometers. The particular rockets that struck on Sunday traveled 37 and 35 kilometers.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Nobody going to investigate this for violation of international law.
Ma'an -- Seven died when Israeli shells hit the home of Al-Qassam Brigades leader Maher Zaquot in Beit Lahiya north of Gaza City just before five o'clock Monday evening.
Witnesses reported that the house had been evacuated shortly before the shelling began, and those killed were passersby on their way home or to local grocery stores to buy food. The shelling also demolished the nearby houses.
Shortly after the home of an Al-Aqsa Brigades leader was targeted in Jabaliya and the home of Hamas leader Ayman Balksam in the same neighborhood. Several resistance activists were killed in the two attacks.
The overall death toll of the strikes, which began at 11:30am Saturday morning is 345, while about 1,000 Palestinians are estimated to be injured and more than 200 critically so.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Several resistance activists were killed in the two attacks.
Ma'an - Most of the Israeli airstrikes hit Gazans at work, not activists launching rockets as Israel has reported, said Spokesman for the de facto Interior Ministry Ihab Al-Ghusein in a Monday statement.
Those killed in government buildings were ministry employees doing their best to help the people of the besieged Gaza Strip, said Al-Ghusein in a Gaza City press conference Monday afternoon. Al-Ghusein confirmed that Gaza will accept any and all aid from Arab states, and urged Egypt to open the Rafah crossing to aid could come into the Strip. The aid is desperately needed, he added, because Israel has bombed mosques, houses, schools and university campuses.
He called on Palestinians to unite, and promised that no political prisoners from Fatah or any other faction were in de facto government custody. Those in prison for legitimate criminal reasons have been assured safety, since they are in the central prison.
Spokesman of the police in the de facto government Islam Shahwan also spoke at the press conference and estimated that at least 95% of the security services buildings have been demolished. He said that nine police officers were killed in Rafah and 29 in Khan Younis, 70 in the central Gaza City districts and 30 in the north.
This article starring:
IHAB AL GHUSEIN
Hamas
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
Send Terje Rød-Larsen to smell the thousands of corpses.
Ma'an -- Islamic Jihad's leadership said on Sunday night that the movement will not stand down to a hypothetical Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Islamic Jihad Secretary-General Ramadan Shallah said that his movement will "fight Israeli tanks, which intend to change the situation in the Gaza Strip by force, through destruction and killing." Shallah told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera TV that "Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip was okayed by international, Arab and regional sides aiming to change the current situation in Gaza." He insisted that Israel's "aggression" must stop, the siege on Gaza must come to an end and the crossings must be opened before any positive talks about a ceasefire will be entertained.
This article starring:
RAMADAN SHALLAH
Islamic Jihad
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Ma'an - The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) fired four projectiles at Israeli targets on Monday, according to a statement. It was not immediatly clear if the DFLP itself had fired the projectiles or if the attacks came from its militant wing.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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After three days of bombardment by the IAF, Hamas proved on Monday that it was still capable of firing barrages of Kassams and rockets on the South. Over 80 rockets and mortars fell throughout the Western Negev, killing three people.
On Monday evening, Hamas intensified their efforts, firing on Ashdod, Ofakim, Yavne and the rest of the region. Rockets killed an Ashdod woman at a bus stop and a person near Nahal Oz. She was later identified as Irit Sheetrit, 39.
Five other people were also wounded, two seriously when the Kassam rocket struck near Nahal Oz. Four people were wounded - one seriously and three lightly - by the rocket that hit the Ashdod bus stop. One person was moderately wounded in the attack on Ofakim.
Earlier in the day, an Israeli construction worker identified as Hani al-Mahdi, 27, of the Beduin town of Aro'er in the Negev, was killed and over a dozen others were wounded when a Grad-model Katyusha hit a construction site in Ashkelon.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Israel's ambassador to the United Nations says the goal of the current offensive in the Gaza Strip is much broader than ending Palestinian rocket attacks. She says Israel wants to destroy Hamas.
In an interview Tuesday, Ambassador Gabriela Shalev said Israel's main goal is to "destroy completely" what she called a "terrorist gang." She would not explicitly say that Israel wants to topple the Hamas government. But she said a return to the terms of a recent six-month truce would not be enough. Shalev says Israel wants stronger assurances that the rocket fire will stop.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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#3
Actually what the Israelis have planned is much more Machiavellian : topple Hamas, and then look the other way as Fatah takes its revenge. Fatah has been feeding the IDF targeting information on Hamas hidden sites, which is why so many Hamas safehouses have gone boom the past couple of days.
Ma'an - Israeli warships bombarded the headquarters of the Palestinian presidency on Monday morning in Gaza City. The compound is known as Al-Muntada. No casualties were immediately reported in that attack. According to Muawiya Hassanein, the director of Ambulance and Emergency Services in the Palestinian Health Ministry, the death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 310.
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Hamas's armed wing, Izaddin Kassam, on Monday announced that it was recruiting an additional 1,000 militiamen ahead of a possible IDF ground operation in the Gaza Strip. The group said that thousands of volunteers from the Gaza Strip had also asked to be recruited to the movement in the past 48 hours so that they could fight against IDF soldiers.
The announcement came as sources close to Hamas said that the movement's armed wing had hardly been affected by the IDF operation that began on Saturday. The sources told The Jerusalem Post that many of the casualties in the first two days of the operation were "ordinary" policemen who had been recently recruited to various branches of the security forces. "These policemen were being enlisted to direct the traffic and fight crime," the sources said. "These are not the militiamen who are responsible for the rocket attacks on Israel."
This explains why Hamas did not rush to evacuate the headquarters of the "civilian" police force in Gaza City before the IDF offensive. On the contrary, the police chiefs decided to go ahead with plans to hold a graduation ceremony for the cadets on Saturday because they did not believe that they would be targeted by Israel.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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A senior exiled Hamas official rejected Monday any talk of a new truce with Israel unless all attacks on Gaza cease and the border crossings are reopened, and promised to confront any ground invasion. Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' politburo, also told The Associated Press in an interview in Damascus that Palestinians had a right to strike everywhere in Israel in response to its assault on Gaza. Abu Marzouk pledged his group will not surrender and promised to face any Israeli ground invasion. "We are going to defend ourselves, defend our people and defend our land," he said. Well, you probably won't, seeing how you're in Damascus probably playing "hide the salami" with Khaled Mashaal...
Abu Marzouk said there can be no talk of a new truce with Israel under the present conditions. "Stop all kinds of aggression, open all (crossings), stop all the violence against the people in the West Bank," he said in English, listing Hamas' conditions for any future truce. The Hamas deputy chief said any party interested in brokering a truce agreement should be "take some responsibility" to see that it gets implemented by Israel - a reference to the Egyptian role in mediating.
Abu Marzouk said the Israeli attacks were "against any international law" and stressed Hamas has the right to attack everywhere inside Israel in response.
Abu Marzouk said the Israeli attacks were "against any international law" and stressed Hamas has the right to attack everywhere inside Israel in response. "This is their right to do so," he said. He also renewed accusations against Hamas' rival, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, saying he was collaborating with Israel against Hamas and had provided "cover" to the Israeli operations in Gaza. He slammed Abbas for his Sunday comments blaming Hamas for the attacks on Gaza, saying Hamas had the right to "resist." "We need our liberty, we need our freedom and we need to be independent. If we don't accomplish this objective, then we have to resist. This is our right," he said.
Abu Marzouk also called on Arab countries who have peace treaties with Israel - Egypt and Jordan - to sever those ties. He added he hoped Arab leaders meeting for an emergency summit meeting later this week to deal with the Gaza situation would send a very clear message to Israel to stop its assault.
This article starring:
MUSA ABU MARZUK
Hamas
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Top|| File under: Hamas
#5
Line up the 155s and begin barrage fire, first from north to south, then south to north, and finally east to west. Whatever crawls out of the rubble is the responsibility of the rest of the Israeli army.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
12/30/2008 18:39 Comments ||
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Ooooooh, I love it when they "demand"... Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon demanded an immediate cease-fire in Gaza on Monday and urged Mideast and world leaders to do more to help end the Israeli-Hamas conflict and promote political dialogue. "I think regional and international partners have not done enough," the UN chief said on the third day of an Israeli bombardment of Gaza that has killed at least 360 people - including 62 civilians - and wounded some 1,400 others.
Ban urged Arab foreign ministers, who are holding an emergency meeting in Cairo on Wednesday, "to act swiftly and decisively to bring an early end to this impasse."
"At the same time, other world leaders must also step up efforts to support a longer term resolution of the issue," he told reporters at UN headquarters in New York. Harrrrumph harrrrumph harrrrumph...
This article starring:
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Posted by: Fred ||
12/30/2008 00:00 ||
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Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
12/30/2008 8:16 Comments ||
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#5
"urged Mideast and world leaders to do more"
"Ban urged Arab foreign ministers"
"other world leaders must also"
Sounds like a lot of delegating. What has he done lately?
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HAMAS last night threatened to assassinate Israeli leaders as the bombing of the Gaza Strip entered a third day and armoured forces were deployed along the borders of the Palestinian territory.
(AKI) - A key militant from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, 
(AKI) - Countries throughout the Middle East have reacted quickly to Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip by pledging to send aid to the war-torn territory. Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan on Monday sent food and medical supplies after the Israeli attacks that killed 310 people and injured over 1,400.
(AKI) - Five sisters, aged from four to 17, were among the civilian victims of Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency said on Monday. The UN agency's Christopher Gunness told Adnkronos International (AKI) that at least 57 civilians had been killed in three days of Israeli attacks and the number was expected to rise.
US Congressman Dennis Kucinich says the continuing Israeli attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip are an example of 'collective punishment'. 
The Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) annual summit in Oman will go ahead and focus on the global economic crisis, though Israel's attacks on Gaza will also be discussed, the host country said on Sunday. "The most appropriate reply to the events under way in the Palestinian situation would be for the Palestinian brothers to close ranks by reaching understanding and national unity," Omani Information Minister Hamad al-Rashidi said.
Ma'an - Most of the Israeli airstrikes hit Gazans at work, not activists launching rockets as Israel has reported, said Spokesman for the de facto Interior Ministry 
Ma'an -- Islamic Jihad's leadership said on Sunday night that the movement will not stand down to a hypothetical Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. 
Hamas's armed wing, 
A senior exiled Hamas official rejected Monday any talk of a new truce with Israel unless all attacks on Gaza cease and the border crossings are reopened, and promised to confront any ground invasion. 
