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January 03, 2009
On The Defensive
Israeli ground troops have entered Gaza in an attempt to put an end to the Philistine's shelling of Israel. JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli tanks rolled into Gaza on Saturday night as the military launched the second phase of its assault on the Hamas-ruled territory after a week of airstrikes.And here is a big surprise. The EU says the Israeli response is defensive. PRAGUE, Jan 3 (Reuters) - European Union president, the Czech Republic, said on Saturday an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza was "defensive, not offensive" action.The Associated Press has more news. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli tanks and troops launched a ground offensive in the Gaza Strip Saturday night with officials saying they expected a lengthy fight with Hamas militants in the densely populated territory after eight days of punishing airstrikes failed to halt rocket attacks on Israel.So far the military objectives are not clear to me. Perhaps they will become clearer as the offensive proceeds. Israel National News gives more details on where the advances are taking place. (IsraelNN.com) Ground troops moved into Gaza Saturday night for the first time since last February and returned to the sites of former Jewish homes in northern Gaza for the first time since the government abandoned the area with the promise that the western Negev would be freed of rocket and morat attacks.So Northern Gaza is the focus of at least one segment of the operation. Will they flatten the area making it easier to target the rocket shooters? Time will tell. Israeli Air Force planes dropped thousands of leaflets warning Gaza residents not to cooperate with terrorists by using phones to report on IDF operations.I don't expect the Philistines to pay any attention to the warnings. Of course that will make Gaza communications infrastructure a target. Cell phone towers and central offices. You can watch the Israeli Defense Forces YouTube Channel for video updates on the fighting. Here is one I particularly liked about the Philistines using mosques as weapons depots. The text that goes with it says: Major Avital Leibovich, the head of the International Press Branch in the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, explains how Hamas uses Mosques in the Gaza Strip for the storage of weapons. This is yet another example of how Hamas uses the civilian population as a human shield, risking innocent lives in order to carry out acts of terrorism.Haaretz reports a call up of tens of thousands of Israeli troops. Israel's government has approved the call-up of tens of thousands of reservist soldiers, it was annnounced Saturday, almost simultaneously with the launch of a Gaza ground incursion aimed at halting rocket fire on Israel's southern communities.Since it takes about three days to bring Israeli reservists into action this move says that the war on the ground is likely to last ten days or more. Which would make it a very significant punitive raid. Amos Harel gives his analysis of what is going on. The killing of senior Hamas official Nizar Ghayan Thursday in an Israel Air Force strike in Jabalya is a significant development at this stage of the war in the Gaza Strip, due not only to his high position in the Gaza leadership but also because of the message his assassination sends to the Palestinians.The message I got was that mindless violence leads to headless leaders. Pity the Philistines can't see the obvious. Unlike the Second Lebanon War, the ground war in the Gaza Strip will be waged in densely populated urban areas. The civilian population in Lebanon fled during the fighting. In the Gaza Strip, however, there is nowhere to run but the beach and the Egyptian border, and many civilian casualties can be expected.So what is the Egyptian attitude? Well, it is very interesting to say the least given this report fron the 29th of December. An Egyptian border guard and a Palestinian youth were killed during border clashes between Hamas and Egyptian security forces.An Iranian news agency says the Egyptian border guards are authorized to shoot at Philistines trying to flee Gaza. Cairo orders a security cordon at the Rafah border crossing to open fire at the Palestinians fleeing to Egypt from Israeli raids on Gaza.Jeeze the Iranians are quoting the Debka rumor mill. Is that the best they can do? Still it is likely to be true. After Palestinians attacked Egypt in February of 2008 I wouldn't imagine the Egyptians would be welcoming the Philistines with open arms any time soon. One Palestinian was killed and 24 Egyptians were injured in clashes between Palestinian stone throwers and Egyptian border police Monday.And speaking of supplies, as you would expect in a war zone prices are rising for basic commodities. According to reports from the Strip, ever since the start of Operation Cast Lead there has been a shortage in basic commodities, and those who manage to get their hands on them discover that their prices have been doubled.I think that is more than enough to digest for now. If you need more here are some useful links: The Jerusalem Post Cross Posted at Power and Control
posted by Simon on 01.03.09 at 07:21 PM
Comments
Your reporters as usual have their facts wrong. HAMAS has been attacking Teller of truth · January 3, 2009 10:28 PM the only reason why they are killing innocent people is because hamas are chickens and are hiding behind them. israel called people and gave them the chance to leave before they starting to fight. israel is letting people into their hospitals. israel does not want to fight but when you have rockets after rockets after rockets attacking your people then you muyst defend your self. Anonymous · January 3, 2009 10:31 PM Can you imagine what the United States would do if Mexico would lob over a few hundred missiles indiscriminately into U.S. civilian areas over a period of weeks? What was Hamas thinking? Somehow it seems they are claiming to be the victim. It is sad to see violence and devastation on either side of the boarder. Something needs to done for lasting peaceful coexistence? No one has yet come up with the solution. Jason Harlem · January 3, 2009 10:48 PM why on cnn they only talk to the Palestines and they only talk about how their women and children died but what about israel and all the women and children killed there? Anonymous · January 3, 2009 10:51 PM Why is it that when ever Israel defends itself from Terrorist attacks coming from hamas, They are condemed by the rest of the world??? Also, whenever Israel defends itself, The palestenians are the VICTIMS???I think not! The Palestenians elected this Hamas in an overwelming manor to represent the people of Gaza. I wonder if the people of Gaza are feeling like Hamas has represented them well now??When Hamas attacks Israel, Israel should totally and completely destroy that entire place Gaza! keeping it real · January 3, 2009 10:59 PM THOU SHALL NOT KILL, PERIOD. All followers of the three (3) great Abrahamic religions, Judaism, Given below are some of the verses from the Holy Qur’an in support Yet ye (Children of Israel) it is who slay each other and drive out a Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah (God Almighty), and O ye who believe! eat not up your property among yourselves in Never should a believer kill a believer; but (if it so happens) by If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell to For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever They are losers who besottedly have slain their children without Say: "Come I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you O Prophet! when believing women come to thee to take the oath of fealty Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with right. Whoso And those who cry not unto any other god along with Allah, nor take the Qazi · January 3, 2009 11:10 PM Plus Israelis are not animals. They dont go video taping dead people they have respect for the dead. They dont go marching around the streets with guns and giving guns to little children. did you know that hamas teaches little children how to blow themselves up and to shoot guns at Israelis. Anonymous · January 3, 2009 11:28 PM to the scripture quoter.. the phrase translates "you should not MURDER".which anyone with a little bit of biblical language studyy knows. the Hamas and suicide bombers are MURDERERS.. troops targeting military targets are not.. G_D sent instructions to bring war against evildoers.. So stop the apologist crap for the scum Islam murderers who deserve their inevitable fate.. patriotflier · January 3, 2009 11:42 PM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qxkWt4r6I8&feature=PlayList&p=DB04F54F86A196F5&playnext=1&index=5 look at what Israel has to go through everyday Anonymous · January 3, 2009 11:51 PM I think 90% of the people in the world are behind Israel on this war with Hamas...I wish that Israel would just completly wipe out Hamas and the rest of the people that support Hamas with their Ideals. Then the rest of us would have a peaceful world to live in and leave for our children. Also, why do you only hear about the people of Gaza suffering? Are the Israeli lives not as important as the Palestenians lives??? REMEMBER! The Palestenians elected Hamas! that means they must agree with what Hamas does to Israel. keeping it real · January 4, 2009 12:14 AM Israel is the OJ of Countries. Eighrhman · January 4, 2009 12:40 AM Israel is the OJ Simson of Countries. Eighthman · January 4, 2009 12:41 AM Israel is the OJ Simpson of Countries. Eighthman · January 4, 2009 12:42 AM It seems to me that Israel complaining about the rockets that hit them is sort of like a big ugly rapist complaining that the little girl he has been unmercifully raping had the unmitigated gull to scratch his face. Eighthman · January 4, 2009 12:45 AM
Instead of firing rockets into Israel, they should lob donuts over there stuffed with pork. That would really piss em' off.
Eighthman · January 4, 2009 12:53 AM
I think all good and proud Jews should go home to mother Israel as they are drafting more men to fight the concentration camp they created next door!
Eighthman · January 4, 2009 01:02 AM The coward terrorist started this by killing innocent woman and children of Israel first. Moreover, the global populace is tired of the terrorist and their sympathizes and their babble. R · January 4, 2009 01:05 AM The Israeli army commanders and pilots are a bunch of cowards who can only attack and kill defenseless people as they did in Lebanon and as they are doing in Gaza now. They must be arrested and brought to justice in an international court of law for crimes against humanity. There will be justice. These piolts and their commanders are directly responsible for all the murders they are committing. "Following orders" wont be an acceptable excuse as it was not in the trials of Nazi military officers. Joseph_USA · January 4, 2009 01:11 AM . Israel must destroy as much of Hamas as possible before the MSM and the idiots and ignorants whine loud enough for them to stop. They must only quit when they are ready. For EVERY missile shot into Israel at least ONE missile should be returned to the area as close as possible to the shooter. Tit for tat. Every single missile should be returned. Period. Treat them like adults, if they kill, they will be killed. If they send missiles, they will receive them. That is the only way they will learn. Screw public opinion, force them to see the truth, or let them be damned. to strap bombs on babies . then wish to be destroyed . for a few more thousand years . to appease her enemies :) USpace · January 4, 2009 01:46 AM As long as Palestine continues to foster terrorism, I will continue to vote to remove the threat. Unfortunately, terrorists are idiots. And they'd rather die than settle for peace, so I will continue to kill them, until there are none left to terrorize. Those of you that don't understand are ignorant. Sometimes war is the only way, judgment comes swiftly to those who practice evil. Jaan · January 4, 2009 01:58 AM I hope Israel won't repeat the previous mistate and won't let Hamas people out alive, like they did with Hezbollah. All those Hamas terrorists and fashists have to get what they deserve. Alex · January 4, 2009 02:03 AM Not only is this war sad, but these responses back and forth are equally disheartening. The roots of conflict are found right here! I will defend the rights and the existence of Israel, as I will condemn the loss of innocent lives. The question is not who is right and who is wrong; rather the overwhelming question is how do we stop teaching hatred and revenge to our children? How do we break this cycle? These cyclical conflicts will continue until we all take a stand against institutionalized hatred, let go of "eye for an eye" mentality; and take responsibility for the well fare of one another's children...whether they're Israeli, Palestinian, Darfurian, American, etc., etc. djk · January 4, 2009 02:12 AM Post a comment
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israelis are crazy, they are not going out to get Hamas they are using that as an excuse to kill innocent palestinians so they can gain the land that they think is theirs back. Number 1 Israel belongs to the palestinians, the israelis came after the holocaust but before that it was called palestine, check any globe map or atlas previous to the holocaust. and i dont see how they can treat people like nazis treated them. They are killing innocent children, when will america open there eyes