Israel unilaterally declared a ceasefire yesterday. Of course it quickly vanished when Hamas fired five rockets into Israel. Hamas does not want to cease fire unless it is on their terms. They are concerned about looking defeated in the eyes of the Arab world. In truth, they have been defeated from a military standpoint. Israel killed over six hundred of their fighters. Almost twelve hundred Palestinians have been killed-half of them women and children. Only thirteen Israelis had died in the recent fighting. As long as Arabs and Jews occupy the Middle East, their will never be peace on this third rock from the Sun. Perhaps, our new Secretary of State Hillary Clinton can play the role of pacifier.
Gaza Ceasefire Broken With Hamas Rockets
The Times ^ | January 18, 2009
The Gaza ceasefire has already been broken, just hours after the unilateral truce took hold, as Hamas militants fired a volley of rockets into southern Israel.
No one was injured in the attack, in which five rockets were fired into Israel shortly after dawn. But shortly after, security sources in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun reported an airstrike that wounded a woman and her child. The Israeli military made no comment on the claims.
In another incident after the truce took hold, militants fired small arms at an infantry patrol, which returned fire, according to the Israeli military.
"Israel will only act in response to attacks by Hamas, either rockets into Israel or firing upon our forces" Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said. "If Hamas does deliberately torpedo this cease-fire, they are exposing themselves before the entire international community as a group of cynical extremists that have absolutely no interest in the well-being of the people of Gaza."
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
10 comments:
I was texting with a friend while he was giving an interview with Al Jazeera English Live Feed,from Gaza last night. Sam amazingly can multi-task under those conditions, and has done so for the last 23 days.
While typing and listening to the interview, I and my son, who was in the other room, could clearly hear Israeli aircraft and bombs exploding in the background. This was 4 hours after Olmert proclaimed cease-fire.
I in no way endorse Hamas, or any other terrorist organization for that matter. I fully comprehend that this latest Israeli endeavor has been the greatest recruiter for them recently, and to be honest, perhaps that's what Israel wants. It does thrive on victim hood, after all.
I've posted two very educational links to articles on an anti-occupation Israeli website. Both these articles are written by Jewish academics. Please consider giving them a look.
The Intellectual Redneck,
Thanks for visiting and commenting in my blog. I appreciated it. On the same token, I had registered your blog in my links.
I read your articles and wish to comments pertaining to the issues highlighted in your blog. However, I would rather abstain to give further comments because of so much complication is going on beyond my comprehension.
As it is, the information we have is only second hand news provided by other reporters.
As you know, a lot of endless variation in opinions. Some pro-Israel and mostly pro-Palestinian. For now, my prime concern and priority is the numerous human suffering incurred to the innocent Gazan. Particularly the children and women.
To prove who is right or wrong is by killing each other is not a lasting solution. As I see it, the situation in those region is a lost-lost and worsen.
Thanks again and for your further information, many years back I had traveled through Kentucky( your home state) on my way to Illinois from Ohio.
"To prove who is right or wrong is by killing each other is not a lasting solution. As I see it, the situation in those region is a lost-lost and worsen."
Well said.
hamas did not get defeated at all .
without huge Tanks , without bombs , without F16s , without APaches , without white phosphorous and Cluster Bombs ,they managed to Stop the Israelis to enter Gaza , they kept them on the outskirts of Gaza , the kiling and most bloodshed happened from the AIR . (cowards if they were not they would face a proper army equally armed like them)
-hamas stood for 3 full week without raising the white flag
-JIlad shalid was not rescued as promised by Olmert
_the rockets never stopped
_hamas is not weak it is a lot stronger among all the palestinians and the Arab world
and gaza tragedy united most arabs behind Hamas and ABBAS is now seen as a quisling and a US pupppet and his days are outnumbered thanks to Israel .
Israel managed to committ war crimes , and kill so many children and innocent people , and its image is now uglier in the whole wide world , You should hear what the Jewish MP said about israel he calls them Nazis .
fjb
You are right , we saw the Bombing of a civilian in Khan Younis after the cease fire was announced . I hope the western Media will come clean about that .
FYI, the unilateral Israeli ceasefire goes into effect at 7pm EST (2am local) Sunday evening.
It also still allows Israeli soldiers to fire back if fired upon.
Clarification...
I removed a comment for what could be considered a racial slur. Please play nice.
fjb:
I too abhorr the suffering of civilians in Gaza, but they are suffering because of Hamas, not Israel. If Hamas hadn't attacked Israel, repeatedly and indiscriminately, there would have been no invasion. If they hadn't used the border to smuggle weapons in an attempt to kill Israeli civilians, it would never have been sealed.
Hamas is a gang with a murderous, genocidal ideology. They are the problem, and if the people of Gaza genuinely elected them with no intimidation (which I personally find hard to believe), then they brought that problem on themselves.
During the Second World War, British and American bombing raids killed about 20 times more German civilians than British civilians died in the Blitz and raids on London. Those particular acts might have been questionable, but doing whatever possible to win that war was not.
What do you think Hamas would do if they had F-16s?
Solymone:
"To prove who is right or wrong is by killing each other is not a lasting solution. As I see it, the situation in those region is a lost-lost and worsen."
Agreed. But a sovereign nation must defend itself, or it will cease to be so.
Thank you for your comment on my blog 'Intellectual Redneck'. There is a difference between declaring a ceasefire and actually going through with one. As previously mentioned the Israeli's conducted more than 50 airstrikes after declaring their 'ceasefire', they have also not withdrawn from Gaza. Maintaining troops in someone else's country is an act of aggression, especially when those troops continue to kill people. I think what the Palestinian people are concerned with is the years of brutal oppression and impoverishment by the Israeli state. Over a thousand people have been killed, most of them civilians and many of them children. Thousands more have been injured, including in the bombing of schools, hospitals and ambulances. I think it is clear who the aggressor is, especially when Israel broke the sustained ceasefire over the summer of 2008, during which economic blockades and occupation of the Gaza strip (the cessation of which was a condition of the ceasefire) continued. http://globaljusticetippingthescales.wordpress.com/2009/01/18/momentum-must-be-kept-up-for-justice-in-palestine/
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