Terrorists are now bold enough to publicly warn Israelis to leave southern Israel. Why is that? Because Olmert has not done anything to stop the rockets from flying.
The Popular Resistance Committees called on the residents of Israel’s south to evacuate their families from the line of fire on Friday afternoon. In all more than 20 Qassam rockets have been launched towards Israel from northern Gaza on Friday. Abu Mujihad, a spokesman for the Salah al-Din Brigades (the military wing of the PRC) claimed responsibility for the barrages and told Ynet the attacks were in retaliation for the killing of one of the organization’s senior commanders, Abu al-Sa’ad.
A senior PRC official, Abu Abir, warned the attacks would only increase and urged the evacuation of Sderot and its neighboring communities. “What was up until now is nothing compared to what will be. We call on them (the Israelis) to evacuate for their safety and the safety of their children,” he said.
Yeah, the safety of the children. That’s why the terrorists launch their rockets specifically during the times when Israeli children are walking to and from school. If you were truly interested in the safety of the children, Abu shithead, you wouldn’t be launching rockets filled with ball bearings at them.
Two of the rockets launched on Friday landed in Netiv Haasara and damaged several greenhouses. Another rocket landed in Ashkelon’s industrial zone. The rest landed in open areas in the western Negev and north of Sderot. No injuries were reported in any of the attacks.
Meantime, Hamas is digging in for some major attacks.
The defense establishment is dealing with an increasing number of warnings regarding Hamas plans to carry out a major attack in the Gaza Strip area, security sources say. In meetings held this week the emerging picture was that in light of ongoing IDF military operations in the region against Hamas targets, the organization seeks to boast an achievement via terrorism.
[…] Dozens of Hamas members have been killed in recent weeks in clashes with IDF troops in the Gaza Strip. In addition, the Air force attacked several Hamas targets in response to ongoing Qassam fire. Officials in Israel who have been analyzing the situation believe that the Islamic group is not at its peak at this time.
At the same time, security officials say that Hamas continues to boost its military strength and group members are constantly working to prepare themselves for a possible large-scale IDF ground operation.
“We can see Hamas’ progress every time they come into contact with IDF soldiers in the Strip,” the defense official said. “We can see that they are more highly skilled people who are better equipped than before and they operate like an army.”
That would be because they are an army. They are Iran’s proxies against Israel, and have trained in Iran with the Revolutionary Guards. The next battle will not be easy. It will be a full-on battle with rockets landing in Israeli towns and cities, as well as terrorists trying to launch suicide attacks throughout Israel. It will be a battle joined by Hezbullah and Syria, with Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, aided by the other terrorist organizations and by Fatah as well. Palestinian “police,” who are being trained by the CIA, will turn their weapons on Israeli soldiers. Oh, and the world media will be screaming about Israeli “war crimes” while ignoring Hamas war crimes, just as they did during the Second Lebanon War.
This summer may be the hottest summer in Israel since 1967.
At some point the Palestinians will raise the rent on the Moral High Ground to the point that Israel will no longer pay it.
I’m not sure we can lay this at Olmert’s feet. I mean, short of turning Gaza into a parking lot, or re-occupying it, how can he stop them?
I wonder if a Phalanx-type defense system would be feasible for Stderot? It uses radar-aimed 2mm Vulcan cannon to track and destroy inbound missiles and even artillery shells. But it’s expensive. And the risk of having an automated cannon blazing away in the skies near the town is probably too great.
Hamas is making war on Israel. By its own statements Hamas intends genocide against the Jews, a violation of international law.
Israel is a nation state. A nation state has the right to defend itself and its citizens against attack. Even the UN Charter admits this.
Therefore Israel has the right to fight and destroy Hamas. Since Hamas hides its fighters and facilities amid the civilians of Gaza the responsibility for any harm to them, by the Fourth Geneva Convention, lies with Hamas.
Israel should go in and clean out Gaza. Actual international law, as opposed to fantasy, is on Israel’s side.
Israel should give an ultimatum to the Arabs of Gaza after Hamas is destroyed. Either you live at peace with Jewish neighbors or you go find neighbors whith whom you are willing to live at peace. No ifs, no ands, no buts. There will be no more toleration of attacks from Gaza. Either they stop or you hit the road to whatever Cloud Cuckoo Land will take you in.
Michael: Alevai. But don’t hold your breath.
It’s hard to imagine any other nation on Earth putting up with the provocations Israel has endured on a daily basis for years.
I’m still waiting for an unequivocal statement: Stop the rockets, or we will flatten your little piece of real estate until there is not one stick left standing.
I work for a defense contractor that builds and designs the computer that controls the Phalanx system. The original purpose of the Phalanx was as a last resort defensive system for a shipboard application [Close In Weapon System].
It is very effective, however, the bullets that go up [and do not strike the target], must come down!
Over water it generally is not a problem, but near a population center, the consequences are enormous.
Can you imagine the implication of thousands of bullets coming down on Gaza?
The Phalanx system is currently being deployed in several secret, very critical, LAND based locations, but Gaza is not a good candidate.
A laser beam system would be safer, and is in development, but still years away.
Guys, really, you’re advocating the liquidation of the entire population of Gaza? From a legal and even a Biblical standpoint, that may be technically correct, but could you really do that if you were Olmert? You know their response to a “behave-or-leave-or-die” ultimatum would be “open fire”. Could you really do it?
John M.,
Nope, I’m advocating the liquidation of Hamas, an armed group of war criminals who are at war with Israel. I said that once Hamas was out of the way Israel should give an ultimatium to those Arabs left in Gaza. If there is no other way to bring peace then the Arabs of Gaza will have to go. That’s what the Arabs have advocated for Israel’s Jews for decades after all. If it is a choice between the Arabs and the most persecuted people in world history then I side with the latter.
After World War II ethnic Germans were forced out of Eastern Europe, for much the same reasons as I am suggesting it for the Arabs. The Germans had started a genocidal war to destroy the countries there and mass murder the inhabitants. They went a long way towards achieving that. The Muslims plan, and for decades have threatened openly, ehtnic cleansing of the Jews at best and genocide at worst. I am fed up with this evil, having watched it for four decades, from the time I watched, as a kid, as the Arabs ganged up for the kill in 1967. They have used up all their second chances.
Israel, within the Auschwitz borders, is about the size of New Jersey, she has no strategic depth at all. As Hamas gets longer range rockets from their Iranians buddies, possibly armed with WMD, they will be able to hit most of Israel with essentially no warning. Together with Hezbollah the whole of Israel will be targeted. Hamas must be knocked out soon. To leave the inititative to Iran and its puppet poodles, to let the genocidal swine pick their own time for attack, is fatal.