Hamas violates its own truce; we are not surprised

So the truce is violated not just by Islamic Jihad, which we expected, but by Hamas’ own terrorists, which we did not. Of course, the excuse will arise that they were operating without orders, which begs the question as to why the world seems to think it’s all right to negotiate with a group that orders its “fighters” to launch rockets into Israeli civilian areas, but we already know the answer to that question. Dead Jews matter only to other Jews.

Despite Truce, Palestinian Attacks Go On
JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli troops withdrew from the Gaza Strip as an unexpected truce took hold Sunday, but two major Palestinian militant groups, saying they had no intention of stopping their attacks, fired volleys of homemade rockets into Israel.

The rocket attacks by Hamas and Islamic Jihad tempered hopes for a lasting cease-fire, which was meant to end five months of deadly clashes. The rockets landed in open fields and caused no injuries.

Abbas is playing the usual charade of pretending to do something about the rockets.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ordered his security chiefs to send their forces to the Gaza border area to prevent further rocket attacks, according to Palestinian security officials.

“The instructions are clear. Anyone violating the national agreement will be considered to be breaking the law,” said Lt. Gen. Abdel Razek Almajaydeh.

And Ehud Olmert is continuing his program of proving to the world that he has no stomach to do what must be done in order to stop the rocket attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered the army to show restraint in the face of the rockets.

“Even though there are still violations of the cease-fire by the Palestinian side, I have instructed our defense officials not to respond, to show restraint, and to give this cease-fire a chance to take full effect,” he said.

A senior Israeli official said Israel would wait a few hours to see if the attacks were isolated breaches or a full-scale violation of the agreement before deciding whether to respond. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Thost quotes are from the AP story. Watch for the headline to change throughout the day into a less negative spin towards the palestinians. Reuters already has it down pat, managing to utterly downplay the cease-fire violations. It takes them five paragraphs before they even notice that the pals are firing rockets.

But here’s the kicker to the story: Avi Dichter, Israel’s Internal Security Minister, says the pals asked for the truce specifically because they’re afraid of the planned Gaza offensive.

Internal Security Minister Avi Dichter said Sunday that the Palestinians declared a ceasefire to prevent Israel from launching a large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip.

Dichter, who spoke while touring the Negev region, said that such operation would “make their lives different.”

During the minister’s meeting with the residents of Kibbutz Nir Am the “Color Red” alert system was activated and an explosion was heard nearby.

“The operation in Gaza was supposed to be approved by cabinet; this was the Palestinians consideration.”

This is the point where I get to say: I told you so. Unfortunately, on both counts. Olmert needs to grow a pair. Israel needs to stop letting the world media influence their actions when it comes to the protection of her people.