Conjecture from Debka.com
"Our Palestinian sources report the Hamas provocation [renewed missle fire and/or the clash as the Kissufim gate] was its rejoinder to the proposal put by visiting US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice Tuesday in Cairo and Ramallah for the Gaza crossings to be re-opened in exchange for Hamas discontinuing missile and rocket fire on Israeli civilians.
This proposal was deemed unrealistic in Jerusalem, since no one had asked the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip. The Islamist group was also telling Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas that, when he demanded a comprehensive truce in his talks with Rice Tuesday, he no longer spoke for the Gaza Strip."
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
IDF video of troops operating inside the Jabalya 'refugee camp' in Gaza
This is rare video provided by the IDF of troops operating inside the Jabalya 'refugee camp' in northern Gaza [ on Monday] You will see bombs and explosive devices that the soldiers found inside mosques and inhabited buildings, which prove how the terrorists hide behind the civilian population to launch their attacks against IDF forces and Israel.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=09a_1204568930
This is rare video provided by the IDF of troops operating inside the Jabalya 'refugee camp' in northern Gaza [ on Monday] You will see bombs and explosive devices that the soldiers found inside mosques and inhabited buildings, which prove how the terrorists hide behind the civilian population to launch their attacks against IDF forces and Israel.
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=09a_1204568930
Monday, March 3, 2008
Presidential Candidates comment on Hamas
[No endorsement of any candidate is implied.] http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN02371520
March 3 (Reuters) -
ILLINOIS SEN. BARACK OBAMA, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE"You can't negotiate with somebody who does not recognize the right of a country to exist so I understand why Israel doesn't meet with Hamas. I do think it is important to us to try to jump-start the peace process. It has been under enormous strain of late."
NEW YORK SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE"Israel has the right to defend its citizens."I call on Hamas to stop this irresponsible aggression immediately, which would enable Israeli and Palestinian civilians to return to normal life."The Bush administration should have been taking a more active role in bringing international pressure on Hamas to stop its attacks."
ARIZONA SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE"I believe that any nation has the right to respond to attacks. We obviously want a cease-fire. We want negotiations."I would condemn Hamas and call on them to stop their attacks on Israel."
March 3 (Reuters) -
ILLINOIS SEN. BARACK OBAMA, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE"You can't negotiate with somebody who does not recognize the right of a country to exist so I understand why Israel doesn't meet with Hamas. I do think it is important to us to try to jump-start the peace process. It has been under enormous strain of late."
NEW YORK SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE"Israel has the right to defend its citizens."I call on Hamas to stop this irresponsible aggression immediately, which would enable Israeli and Palestinian civilians to return to normal life."The Bush administration should have been taking a more active role in bringing international pressure on Hamas to stop its attacks."
ARIZONA SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE"I believe that any nation has the right to respond to attacks. We obviously want a cease-fire. We want negotiations."I would condemn Hamas and call on them to stop their attacks on Israel."
Condi's message and those pushing to mainstream Hamas
About Condi’s trip and the President’s stance on the Hamas Qassam bombings.
From the President’s Press Spokesman, Gordon Johndroe March 3, 2008 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/03/20080303.html [excerpts]
Q On Condi's trip to the Mideast, what's the expectations, and how does she deal with the recent flare-up?
MR. JOHNDROE: We have a clear message: The Palestinian people have a choice to make. It's a choice between terrorism, or a choice between a political solution that leads to a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.
The number one thing that has to happen is Hamas has got to stop targeting Israeli citizens with rockets. It must stop. The parties then need to get back to the negotiating table and have discussions. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of the Palestinian people and their future, and also in the best interest of the Israelis and the whole region, for these two parties to have discussions that leads to a peaceful settlement.
Q Does the President -- in infer from your comments that the President does not feel that Israel has used disproportionate force, as the Secretary General of the U.N. has said?
MR. JOHNDROE: Look, we obviously don't want any innocent civilians to lose their life, but I think that started with these rockets that have been fired from Gaza into Israel, recently killing and injuring Israeli citizens in some of their bigger cities. So they've had these -- a barrage of rockets fired out of Hamas for some time now, and now Hamas escalated it, firing larger rockets longer-range and killing people. And so that's got to stop.
Q Do you guys think there's any possible way to have a peace negotiation, a peace accord if there is a divided Palestinian group? [For what is behind this question, see below* -- Mark]
MR. JOHNDROE: As the President has said, it's a two-state solution, not a three-state solution. But I think I'm going to wait for Secretary Rice to get there and have her discussions before I say anything more.
*The New York Times today has a news analysis that touches upon the question of what to do about/with Hamas. The Times article seems to feature respondents who favor Israel talking with Hamas.
[From the article] Aaron David Miller, author of “The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace.” “You cannot make peace with half of the Palestinian polity and go to war with the other half.” [ Here, Miller supports the advice advanced by Robert Malley who, in a recent op ed, suggested that a three-way deal between Hamas – Abbas- and Israel – is the only way to attain peace.]
. Martin Indyk, the former United States ambassador to Israel, said such a cease-fire would further undermine Mr. Abbas and make it look like Hamas is the entity with which Israel and the West should be negotiating. “Excluding them doesn’t work, and including them doesn’t work, either,” Mr. Indyk said. “So what do you do? This is a situation that does not lend itself to a sensible policy.”
Shlomo Brom, a retired general at the Institute for National Security Studies, …advocates dialogue with Hamas. But the United States and Israel have refused to deal with Hamas leaders unless the organization forswears violence and acknowledges Israel’s right to exist.
Ali Abunimah, a research fellow at the Palestine Center, a Washington-based advocacy group, derided the American strategy of ignoring Hamas: “You can’t talk to them. You can’t deal with them. You just cover your ears, close your eyes and pretend they don’t exist.”
[As to what message Condi will purportedly bring:] So Ms. Rice will try to press surrogates, including Egypt, to lean on Hamas, administration officials say. And she will sharply criticize rocket attacks on civilian Israeli targets, and publicly charge Hamas with hiding behind civilians in Gaza.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/world/middleeast/03diplo.html?ref=world
Just a note: Those receiving blog postings by e-mail might wish to check the blogsite periodically for additional information and links included in the sidebar. http://jcommunitynews.blogspot.com
From the President’s Press Spokesman, Gordon Johndroe March 3, 2008 http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/03/20080303.html [excerpts]
Q On Condi's trip to the Mideast, what's the expectations, and how does she deal with the recent flare-up?
MR. JOHNDROE: We have a clear message: The Palestinian people have a choice to make. It's a choice between terrorism, or a choice between a political solution that leads to a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.
The number one thing that has to happen is Hamas has got to stop targeting Israeli citizens with rockets. It must stop. The parties then need to get back to the negotiating table and have discussions. Ultimately, it is in the best interest of the Palestinian people and their future, and also in the best interest of the Israelis and the whole region, for these two parties to have discussions that leads to a peaceful settlement.
Q Does the President -- in infer from your comments that the President does not feel that Israel has used disproportionate force, as the Secretary General of the U.N. has said?
MR. JOHNDROE: Look, we obviously don't want any innocent civilians to lose their life, but I think that started with these rockets that have been fired from Gaza into Israel, recently killing and injuring Israeli citizens in some of their bigger cities. So they've had these -- a barrage of rockets fired out of Hamas for some time now, and now Hamas escalated it, firing larger rockets longer-range and killing people. And so that's got to stop.
Q Do you guys think there's any possible way to have a peace negotiation, a peace accord if there is a divided Palestinian group? [For what is behind this question, see below* -- Mark]
MR. JOHNDROE: As the President has said, it's a two-state solution, not a three-state solution. But I think I'm going to wait for Secretary Rice to get there and have her discussions before I say anything more.
*The New York Times today has a news analysis that touches upon the question of what to do about/with Hamas. The Times article seems to feature respondents who favor Israel talking with Hamas.
[From the article] Aaron David Miller, author of “The Much Too Promised Land: America’s Elusive Search for Arab-Israeli Peace.” “You cannot make peace with half of the Palestinian polity and go to war with the other half.” [ Here, Miller supports the advice advanced by Robert Malley who, in a recent op ed, suggested that a three-way deal between Hamas – Abbas- and Israel – is the only way to attain peace.]
. Martin Indyk, the former United States ambassador to Israel, said such a cease-fire would further undermine Mr. Abbas and make it look like Hamas is the entity with which Israel and the West should be negotiating. “Excluding them doesn’t work, and including them doesn’t work, either,” Mr. Indyk said. “So what do you do? This is a situation that does not lend itself to a sensible policy.”
Shlomo Brom, a retired general at the Institute for National Security Studies, …advocates dialogue with Hamas. But the United States and Israel have refused to deal with Hamas leaders unless the organization forswears violence and acknowledges Israel’s right to exist.
Ali Abunimah, a research fellow at the Palestine Center, a Washington-based advocacy group, derided the American strategy of ignoring Hamas: “You can’t talk to them. You can’t deal with them. You just cover your ears, close your eyes and pretend they don’t exist.”
[As to what message Condi will purportedly bring:] So Ms. Rice will try to press surrogates, including Egypt, to lean on Hamas, administration officials say. And she will sharply criticize rocket attacks on civilian Israeli targets, and publicly charge Hamas with hiding behind civilians in Gaza.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/world/middleeast/03diplo.html?ref=world
Just a note: Those receiving blog postings by e-mail might wish to check the blogsite periodically for additional information and links included in the sidebar. http://jcommunitynews.blogspot.com
March 11 program to include update on rocket attacks
The March 11th program, 7:30 pm at the Temple, at which the Israeli documentary, "To Die in Jerusalem" will be shown, will be augmented by an update about the rocket attacks on Israel conducted from Hamas-controlled Gaza. Details about the program are listed on the sidebar. Please attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today's news. As of about noon, CST ( 8 pm in Israel). About 14 Qassams were launched against Israeli populations today and three GRAD ( Katyusha) missiles -- made in Iran -- were fired into Ashkelon. One of the GRADS hit a seven storey building, with rescue personnel reporting a dozen people suffering from shock "and sowing wide panic in the city of 120,000."
Meanwhile, it was reported as early as last night that the Israeli government ordered the Israel Defense Forces to curtail counterterrorism activities today, most likely in political consideration, it is speculated, of the impending visit of US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. As a result, it is reported that Hamas seized what has been termed a pullout from the north enclave in Gaza as an opportunity to declare "victory" in the five day old battle. Hamas leaders apparently came out of hiding to participate in a victory procession today in Gaza. Israeli PM Olmert reaffirmed that the IDF will continue in its actions to stop the Hamas rockets from falling.
Today's events overtook discussions within Israel's cabinet whether or not to strike at Palestinian rocket launchers located further inside Gaza than IDF forces were assigned to confront.
--summary based on news sources.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today's news. As of about noon, CST ( 8 pm in Israel). About 14 Qassams were launched against Israeli populations today and three GRAD ( Katyusha) missiles -- made in Iran -- were fired into Ashkelon. One of the GRADS hit a seven storey building, with rescue personnel reporting a dozen people suffering from shock "and sowing wide panic in the city of 120,000."
Meanwhile, it was reported as early as last night that the Israeli government ordered the Israel Defense Forces to curtail counterterrorism activities today, most likely in political consideration, it is speculated, of the impending visit of US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. As a result, it is reported that Hamas seized what has been termed a pullout from the north enclave in Gaza as an opportunity to declare "victory" in the five day old battle. Hamas leaders apparently came out of hiding to participate in a victory procession today in Gaza. Israeli PM Olmert reaffirmed that the IDF will continue in its actions to stop the Hamas rockets from falling.
Today's events overtook discussions within Israel's cabinet whether or not to strike at Palestinian rocket launchers located further inside Gaza than IDF forces were assigned to confront.
--summary based on news sources.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Israel Responds to Hamas's Escalation [from HonestReporting.com]
Israel Responds to Hamas's Escalation
Loss of human life in a conflict is invariably an ugly situation and one that creates intense media interest. Such is the case of Israel's military operations in Gaza that are currently making international headline news. However, the focus on Palestinian casualties ignores the context behind Israel's actions and only tells a part of the real story.
HAMAS FIRES KATYUSHAS AT ASHKELON
Sderot and the western Negev region have been under constant attack from Qassam missiles and mortars. Palestinian terrorists have deliberately set out to kill and maim innocent Israeli civilians making life unbearable for those within missile range.
Since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in mid-June 2007, over 800 rockets and over 900 mortar bombs have been fired. Since Thursday 28 February alone, over 100 rockets have been launched at southern Israel. At the time of writing, rockets continue to be fired at such a rate as to make it impossible to give completely up-to-date statistics. While many media have downplayed the effects of the Qassams, referring to them as "homemade", no such language can be employed to describe the latest Hamas escalation.
The situation has escalated in the past few days, as over 15 heavy rockets were fired from Hamas-controlled Gaza against Israel’s southern port city of Ashkelon. The 122 mm GRAD rockets are a type of standard military artillery weapon produced in the former Soviet bloc and by other states deploying non-Western arms. It is manufactured to military standards, by a conventional arms industry, and is equipped with a weapons-grade high explosive fragmentation warhead.
GRADS are also known as Katyushas - the same type of weapon fired at northern Israel by Hezbollah during the 2006 Lebanon War, possessing the same lethal capabilities.
Despite repeated Israeli warnings of an arms buildup in Gaza, the GRAD rockets were apparently smuggled into the Strip from Iran via Egypt through tunnels and the breached Rafah border fence.
The range of the rockets fired against Ashkelon is over 20 km, an upgraded capability which places about a quarter of a million Israeli civilians in constant danger of Hamas attack.
The primary responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens. Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005 with no intention of ever returning. In the face of these missile barrages, Israel is left with little choice but to take action against those who target its towns and cities.
Israel is acting in self-defense.
TERRORISTS OPERATING FROM WITHIN RESIDENTIAL AREAS
Civilian casualties on any side of a conflict are tragic. Many headlines have concentrated on the high death toll of Palestinians during the fighting, which, sadly, has included a number of civilians. However, casualty statistics only tell part of the story:
Israel never intentionally targets civilians whereas Palestinian terrorists deliberately set out to kill innocents, celebrating hits against schools and kindergartens.
The vast majority of Palestinians killed during Israeli military operations were armed terrorists or those directly involved in firing missiles into Israeli towns and cities..
Hamas has exposed the Palestinian civilian population to risk by operating within and firing missiles from built-up areas, effectively using civilians as human shields.
NO 'HOLOCAUST' IN GAZA
Media analyst Tom Gross notes a Reuters mistranslation of remarks made by Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai on February 29 which led to dramatic headlines such as The Guardian's "Israeli minister warns of Palestinian 'holocaust'."
As Gross points out: "In fact Vilnai said this morning in off-the-cuff remarks made on Israel Radio that: "The more the Qassam rocket fire [on Israeli civilians] intensifies and increases its range, the Palestinians are bringing upon themselves a bigger disaster because we will use all our might to defend ourselves."
Vilnai used the word "shoah" (meaning disaster), which Reuters mistranslated as "Holocaust," which is "HaShoah" in Hebrew. It is like confusing a "white house" with "The White House."
Irrespective of whether or not Vilnai's choice of words were ill-thought out or whether the media is to blame for the resulting furore, one fact is undeniable -
Israel is not carrying out a 'holocaust' or genocide in Gaza.
Anti-Israel propagandists have jumped on this bandwagon to repeat the false and disgusting analogy that compares Israel to the Nazis or seeks to deny the scale of the Holocaust. Unfortunately not only Hamas but also Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has described Israel's actions as "worse than the Holocaust". Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal called Israel's military operations "the real Holocaust" and accused Israel of "exaggerating the Holocaust and using it to blackmail the world."
The European Union's Working Definition of Anti-Semitism includes:
Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust; and Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
Please be on the lookout for these false comparisons in op-eds and media articles and respond appropriately.
A FULL-SCALE INVASION?
Hamas terrorists have no qualms about targeting innocents, safe in the knowledge that the world's media is slow to condemn such acts. Israel's enemies, however, are fully aware of Israel's efforts to avoid civilian casualties. In an asymmetric battle, the Palestinians are adept at waging war through the media in order to pressurize Israel into curtailing IDF military operations.
The IDF's latest actions to defend Israeli towns and cities under rocket attack may be only the beginning before a full-scale invasion of Gaza. Please monitor your media to ensure that the full story is being told of Hamas's responsibility for the violence and Israel's responsibility to defend her citizens.
HonestReporting. com
Loss of human life in a conflict is invariably an ugly situation and one that creates intense media interest. Such is the case of Israel's military operations in Gaza that are currently making international headline news. However, the focus on Palestinian casualties ignores the context behind Israel's actions and only tells a part of the real story.
HAMAS FIRES KATYUSHAS AT ASHKELON
Sderot and the western Negev region have been under constant attack from Qassam missiles and mortars. Palestinian terrorists have deliberately set out to kill and maim innocent Israeli civilians making life unbearable for those within missile range.
Since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in mid-June 2007, over 800 rockets and over 900 mortar bombs have been fired. Since Thursday 28 February alone, over 100 rockets have been launched at southern Israel. At the time of writing, rockets continue to be fired at such a rate as to make it impossible to give completely up-to-date statistics. While many media have downplayed the effects of the Qassams, referring to them as "homemade", no such language can be employed to describe the latest Hamas escalation.
The situation has escalated in the past few days, as over 15 heavy rockets were fired from Hamas-controlled Gaza against Israel’s southern port city of Ashkelon. The 122 mm GRAD rockets are a type of standard military artillery weapon produced in the former Soviet bloc and by other states deploying non-Western arms. It is manufactured to military standards, by a conventional arms industry, and is equipped with a weapons-grade high explosive fragmentation warhead.
GRADS are also known as Katyushas - the same type of weapon fired at northern Israel by Hezbollah during the 2006 Lebanon War, possessing the same lethal capabilities.
Despite repeated Israeli warnings of an arms buildup in Gaza, the GRAD rockets were apparently smuggled into the Strip from Iran via Egypt through tunnels and the breached Rafah border fence.
The range of the rockets fired against Ashkelon is over 20 km, an upgraded capability which places about a quarter of a million Israeli civilians in constant danger of Hamas attack.
The primary responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens. Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005 with no intention of ever returning. In the face of these missile barrages, Israel is left with little choice but to take action against those who target its towns and cities.
Israel is acting in self-defense.
TERRORISTS OPERATING FROM WITHIN RESIDENTIAL AREAS
Civilian casualties on any side of a conflict are tragic. Many headlines have concentrated on the high death toll of Palestinians during the fighting, which, sadly, has included a number of civilians. However, casualty statistics only tell part of the story:
Israel never intentionally targets civilians whereas Palestinian terrorists deliberately set out to kill innocents, celebrating hits against schools and kindergartens.
The vast majority of Palestinians killed during Israeli military operations were armed terrorists or those directly involved in firing missiles into Israeli towns and cities..
Hamas has exposed the Palestinian civilian population to risk by operating within and firing missiles from built-up areas, effectively using civilians as human shields.
NO 'HOLOCAUST' IN GAZA
Media analyst Tom Gross notes a Reuters mistranslation of remarks made by Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai on February 29 which led to dramatic headlines such as The Guardian's "Israeli minister warns of Palestinian 'holocaust'."
As Gross points out: "In fact Vilnai said this morning in off-the-cuff remarks made on Israel Radio that: "The more the Qassam rocket fire [on Israeli civilians] intensifies and increases its range, the Palestinians are bringing upon themselves a bigger disaster because we will use all our might to defend ourselves."
Vilnai used the word "shoah" (meaning disaster), which Reuters mistranslated as "Holocaust," which is "HaShoah" in Hebrew. It is like confusing a "white house" with "The White House."
Irrespective of whether or not Vilnai's choice of words were ill-thought out or whether the media is to blame for the resulting furore, one fact is undeniable -
Israel is not carrying out a 'holocaust' or genocide in Gaza.
Anti-Israel propagandists have jumped on this bandwagon to repeat the false and disgusting analogy that compares Israel to the Nazis or seeks to deny the scale of the Holocaust. Unfortunately not only Hamas but also Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has described Israel's actions as "worse than the Holocaust". Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal called Israel's military operations "the real Holocaust" and accused Israel of "exaggerating the Holocaust and using it to blackmail the world."
The European Union's Working Definition of Anti-Semitism includes:
Accusing the Jews as a people, or Israel as a state, of inventing or exaggerating the Holocaust; and Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.
Please be on the lookout for these false comparisons in op-eds and media articles and respond appropriately.
A FULL-SCALE INVASION?
Hamas terrorists have no qualms about targeting innocents, safe in the knowledge that the world's media is slow to condemn such acts. Israel's enemies, however, are fully aware of Israel's efforts to avoid civilian casualties. In an asymmetric battle, the Palestinians are adept at waging war through the media in order to pressurize Israel into curtailing IDF military operations.
The IDF's latest actions to defend Israeli towns and cities under rocket attack may be only the beginning before a full-scale invasion of Gaza. Please monitor your media to ensure that the full story is being told of Hamas's responsibility for the violence and Israel's responsibility to defend her citizens.
HonestReporting. com
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