Poll: Israel vs. Hamas

#TCOT #diggcons

Inspired by this poll which mistakenly pits Israel against “Palestine.”

Israel isn’t targeting Palestine. If it were it would be fighting in the West Bank also. Israel is attempting to stamp out Hamas’ ability to threaten its citizens.

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Gaza fighting continues as diplomacy efforts ramp up–CNN

Is it Israel? or Palestine? What’s the Truth?–Navitor

Israeli Address to UN Security Council

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You can view the entire transcript here on IsraelPolitik.org, but here are some highlights:

Eight years. For eight years the citizens of southern Israel have suffered the trauma of almost daily missile attacks from Gaza. For eight years more than 8,000 rockets and mortar shells have targeted Israeli towns and villages. For eight years the residents of these towns have had a bare 15 seconds to hurry, with their children and their elderly, to find cover before rockets and missiles land on their houses and schools.

Many in this hall have condemned Hamas’ terrorist attacks, and we welcome this statement of basic principle. But the families at home in the city of Sderot, and children at school in Kibbutz Netiv Ha’asara will not be protected by these condemnations. In the face of such terrorism we have no choice. We have to defend ourselves – not from the Palestinian people, but from the terrorists who have taken them hostage. Not to gain territory or power, but to demonstrate that our restraint was not weakness and to give our citizens the basic right of a normal life.

Hamas shows a similar disdain for the lives of Palestinians. It has adopted the terrorists’ tactic – the coward’s tactic – of using civilians as shields while its leaders themselves flee from combat with Israel’s soldiers and make pathetic demonstrations of bravado from their bunkers. It hides its missiles and terrorist bases in homes and hospitals and mosques, and, as we saw earlier today, deliberately launches attacks from in and around schools and United Nations’ facilities – with tragic results.

Since the start of the fighting, Israel facilitated the entry into Gaza of over 540 trucks, delivering over 10,000 tons of humanitarian assistance. In fact, just a few days ago Israel was asked by the World Food Program to halt supplies of food shipments since their warehouses were full.

As Hamas spokesman Fathi Hamad was proud to announce on Al Aqsa TV: Palestinians have created a human shield of women, children the elderly and the jihad fighters as if to say to the Zionist enemy: “We desire death as you desire life.”

We, the people of Israel, listened to the international community when you told us to withdraw from Gaza and promised that this would give us the credibility to respond forcefully should Gaza turn into a launching pad for terrorism. We listened when you promised us that acting with restraint during the period of calm would give us the credibility to fight back should the rocket attacks resume. Now is your time to make good on those promises.

Of course the UN will continue to condemn Israel for defending her citizens against the terror attacks by Hamas, but Ambassador Gabriela Shalev very eloquently made a case that any rational person could understand.

Israelis and Palestinians: Who’s David, Who’s Goliath?–Jewish World Review

Radical Islamists’ rocket attack hits Jewish nursing home

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Radical Islam is attempting to open a second front in Israel’s battle to eliminate threats of rocket attacks on it’s citizens. With world opinion following the MSM’s propaganda campaign against the tiny Jewish state, it’s little wonder the terrorists are emboldened.  One of the rockets launched today into Israel hit the kitchen of a nursing home while the residents were having breakfast.

I guess the UN peacekeeping force in the south of Lebanon isn’t really protecting Israel, is it?

This just goes to show, we need to quit interfering with Israel and let her defeat these animals once and for all.

Attack on Israel from Lebanon threatens 2nd front By IBRAHIM BARZAK and STEVE WEIZMAN, Associated Press Writers JERUSALEM – Lebanese militants fired at least three rockets into Israel early Thursday, threatening to open a new front for the Jewish state as it pushed forward with a bloody offensive in the Gaza Strip that has killed nearly 700 people. Two people were lightly injured, and the rockets that exploded in Israel’s north raised the specter of renewed hostilities with Hezbollah, just 2 1/2 years after Israel battled the guerrilla group to a 34-day stalemate. Hezbollah started the 2006 war as Israel was battling Palestinian militants in Gaza. …(Read full article)

Related Posts

Hamas executes ‘collaborators’, restricts Fatah movement–Haaretz

Rockets from Lebanon–Israel Politik

“It’s Israeli Double Standard Time, which only occurs on days that end with a ‘y.’”–Michelle Malkin

Video of Hamas Missile Strike

#TCOT #diggcons

The MSM loves to point to the difference in Palestinian casualties vs. Israeli’s killed and wounded in Israel’s effort to eliminate the Hamas threat to its citizens in the south.  The latest figures I’ve seen claim more than 680 Palestinian dead while the Israelis have lost 10 killed in the violence.  

The intent of course, is to imply the Hamas threat to Israel is minute, maybe even virtually non-existent.  Here’s a quote from a Richard Falk article on the Huffington post that plainly states what the MSM propaganda implies.

…some six months ago when an Egyptian arranged truce produced an effective ceasefire that cut Israeli casualties to zero despite the cross-border periodic firing of homemade rockets that fell harmlessly* on nearby Israeli territory…

*emphasis added

Now, Mr. Falk has lots of fancy degrees from lots of fancy schools, but I wonder how many times he’s had to flee to a bomb shelter when the air raid sirens sound, contemplating whether he’ll make it before an explosion that will shred him to pieces. 

Tell me, Mr. Falk, how many of a country’s citizens must die before military action is justified in your eyes?   If one citizen is killed, is that enough?  Or do you have some other arbitrary number in mind?  Perhaps 10, 20, 50, 100, or maybe military isn’t justified until Israel loses 1000 citizens.

It’s easy to place such arbitrary demands on others when he’s never been in the line of fire.  I wonder, if Mr. Falk lived with this threat every day, if he’d been born in a place where just miles away are 1.5 million people whose self-stated purpose in life was the destruction of his entire race, would he feel differently.

Well, Mr. Falk, what if you were the man in this video?  How do you think he feels about your ridiculous notion that Israel has no right to protect him because he escaped death by mere seconds?

I’ll just bet this guy is glad Israel is working to destroy Hamas’ military capability.

It should also be noted that Falk is also one of those highly educated nit wits that espouses US government involvement in the 9/11 attacks.  Toward the end of this article which calls on the Bush administration to use restraint in responding to the attack on our country that claimed some 3000 lives, Falk states that terrorism stems from American technological dominance that leaves people with two choices, subjugation and poverty or “vindictive violence.”  In other words, it’s America’s fault. 

This defense of terrorism and terrorists isn’t a new fad with Falk.  In 1973, he defended Karleton Armstrong who killed a University of Wisconsin researcher when he bombed the Army Math Research Center at UW-Madison.

So, Mr. Falk, why don’t you spend a little time in Sderot or Ashkelon and see if that doesn’t enlighten you?  It’s easy to criticize those who seek to defend themselves from radical zealots who seek only the eradication of Israel and her people when you’ve never walked in their shoes.  Let the missiles fly into your neighborhood, putting your family at risk and tell me then how many Israeli’s must die before taking action against Hamas.

Joe the Plumber has a new profession

#TCOT #diggcons

Good old Joe, who called Obama on the carpet and flustered the then-candidate Obama so much that he actually took a position–telling us we would be required to pay more taxes and “share the wealth” under an Obama administration, is heading to Israel.

No, not to fix Palestinian plumbing problems but to document the lives of Israeli “average Joe’s” during the crisis.  He’ll be under the employ of PJTV.com.

I expect he’ll do a far better job than the so-called “journalists” who spread Hamas propaganda at MSNBC.

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Joe the Plumber heads to Israel–Michelle Malkin

US Officials Denounce Hamas/Support Israel

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Straight from the blogs and press releases of your elected officials.  I’ll update this post as I find more.

If you know of a Senator or Congressperson who has issued a press release or other public statement recognizing Israel’s right to defend itself against terror attacks by Hamas, leave a comment with a link and I’ll add it as soon as possible.

Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) BOND: ISRAEL HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DEFEND ITS BORDERS, PROTECT ITS PEOPLE WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Kit Bond, Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, today voiced his support for Israel ’s response to Hamas-led attacks on the Democratic nation. “ Israel has every right to defend its borders and protect its people,” said Bond. “With their unprovoked attacks on Israel , Hamas is demonstrating their true commitment is to violence, not peace.” Bond, who two weeks ago returned from a visit to Israel, pointed out that Israel offered an olive branch by fully disengaging from Gaza in August of 2005. Unfortunately, the Israelis’ peace offering has been met with continued rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel . These Hamas-led attacks have increased by 500 percent since disengagement and during the informal six-month cease-fire some 215 rockets were launched at Israel. Bond urged President-elect Obama and the new Democratic-led Congress to continue strong support for Israel . Bond emphasized that America and the international community must also be committed to securing a just and peaceable agreement between Israel and Palestine through a two-state solution. “It is critical that America remain steadfast in our support of Israel ’s right to exist and protect its borders,” said Bond. “I hope President-elect Obama uses his new momentum in office to push for a two-state solution that will bring lasting peace to Israelis and Palestinians living in this troubled region.” Essential to supporting Israel ’s sovereignty is continuing American-Israeli defense cooperation, said Bond. The United States must provide Israel with anti-missile defense systems, like Arrow 3 which Bond supported funding for, that will help keep the Israeli people safe from the multiple dangers they face in the region. In addition to diplomatic and military efforts, Bond noted the importance of American support for humanitarian – or “Smart Power” initiatives to promote peace. While in Israel, Bond was briefed on the success of these initiatives in influencing hearts and minds, like USAID clean sewer and water infrastructure projects in both Israel and Palestinian communities. Bond also pointed to the Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem , which predominantly serves pregnant Palestinian mothers and babies, as a shining example of promoting peace through serving the poor. Bond secured federal funding for Holy Family Hospital which provides quality health care regardless of religion or ethnicity.

Senator John Ensign (R-NV) ENSIGN CALLS ON HAMAS TO STOP ATTACKS Washington, D.C. – Senator John Ensign issued this statement in response to the continuation of attacks by Hamas on civilian targets in Israel: “The right of the people of Israel to defend themselves is not negotiable. Leaders around the world should join together and call on Hamas to stop their civilian-aimed attacks immediately, and Israel will respond accordingly. My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims—on both sides—of Hamas’ reign of terror.”

Senator Jim Demint (R-SC) Hamas Must Stop Attacks Now I’m deeply troubled by the recent rocket and mortar attacks on Israel launched by Hamas. No one should have to live in constant fear and no sovereign nation can stand by while their citizens are attacked daily by terrorists. Years ago, Israel controlled Gaza and surrendered authority over the area in order to broker a better peace. In exchange, Israel has patiently waited for Hamas to renounce its violent ways, act responsibly, recognize Israel’s right to exist, and come to the negotiating table. However, it is clear Hamas has no intention of living peacefully with Israel. With an unwillingness to move forward, Israel has every right to take the necessary steps to protect and defend its citizens and target those who preach hate and violence. Israelis and Palestinians both deserve to live in peace, and I have always hoped a safe and secure Israel could live side by side with a sovereign and peaceful Palestine. Through their actions, members of Hamas have made it clear the organization is nothing more than a mouth piece and aggressive arm of the Iranians that cannot act independently for the benefit of the Palestinian people. Hamas must renounce violence and act as an honest broker. If it does not, it will be the responsibility of every nation in the Middle East to shut down the long supply lines of rockets, bullets and bombs that run from Iran to Hamas in Gaza.

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) Sen. Cornyn Statement On Israel’s Right To Defend Itself Against Terrorists WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, made the following statement regarding the current situation in Gaza.“It is the fundamental right of every sovereign nation to defend itself and its people when attacked by an enemy, Israel’s recent defensive military operations in the Gaza Strip against Hamas have been both warranted and fully justified. Recent actions by Hamas – deliberately targeting innocent civilians for death and destruction and using innocent Palestinians as human shields – have reminded the world that Hamas is nothing more than a terrorist organization driven by hatred, fear and radical ideology. Hamas continues to stand as a roadblock to peace in the region, and it must be dealt with accordingly.“Israel is and has been a great friend to the United States, and the Israeli people remain our steadfast allies in the war on terror. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that the United States continue to stand beside Israel as we continue the shared struggle against extremists whose primary objectives are the destruction of both our nations and our shared values of freedom and liberty.”

MSNBC Propaganda War on Israel

#TCOT #diggcons

To be expected, but revolting nonetheless.  Here’s the headline for the story about the Israeli attack on a UN girls’ school in Jebaliyah, Gaza.

Israeli strike kills dozens near Gaza school

Some quotes from the article designed to instill hatred of Israel in readers:

Israeli mortar shells exploded a U.N. school where hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge on Tuesday, killing at least 36 Palestinians.

The carnage added to a surging civilian toll that has drawn increasingly urgent calls for a halt to Israel’s offensive against Hamas.

The three mortar shells that crashed down on the perimeter of the U.N. school struck at mid-afternoon, when many people in the densely populated camp were out and about. Many of those who took shelter in the school apparently had stepped outside to get some air, thinking an area around a school was safe.

“There’s nowhere safe in Gaza. Everyone here is terrorized and traumatized,” John Ging, head of Gaza operations for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Whew! If I didn’t know any better (about Israel’s history or MSNBC’s radical left-wing bias) I’d be hating Israel after all of that. Especially when the one paragraph in the first 80% of the article that gives the Israeli side of the story ends with unnamed Palestinian witnesses refuting the IDF account.

Israel’s military said its shelling was a response to mortar fire from within the school, pressing its assertion that Hamas militants are using civilians as cover. Two residents of the area who spoke by telephone to the Associated Press said they saw a handful of militants firing mortar shells from a street near the school.

Even the last part of the article is worded to instill doubt in readers of the Israeli version of events, and the final sentence will boil the blood of the uninformed.

Among the dead were many children whose parents wailed in grief at a hospital filled with dead and wounded. Fifty-five were wounded in the attack, the U.N. said.

Notably missing from the article is the fact that Hamas is known to use UN facilities to escape Israeli fire and those who seek shelter there as human shields. The following video shows Hamas firing rockets from a school in 2007! But a UN official is quoted in the article stating that UN staff “work to prevent militants from entering” the school.

This video was uploaded to YouTube in November, 2007. You’d think MSNBC would have been able to find it and understand the likelihood that the Israeli version is the correct one. Of course, they might have if their agenda wasn’t already designed to demonize Israel and minimize the culpability of the terrorists who intentionally draw Israeli fire to such areas for propaganda value.

I’ve been following developments in this story since it broke this morning, but held off reporting on it to get a more accurate picture. It should be known that virtually every MSM outlet at first ran headlines similar to MSNBC when it first broke. However, many of those other sources have since toned down the obvious anti-Israeli slanted headlines like the one still running on the MSNBC site.  CNN is running a much more toned down title, Israel: Hamas mortars prompted attack near U.N. school.

You can read more of the official Israeli response to the disinformation presented by MSNBC at Israelpolitik.org.

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About that Israeli strike on the UN “school”–Michelle Malkin

Hamas Leaders Exploit Israeli Honor, Hide in Hospital Disguised as Doctors and Nurses–All American Blogger

Obama to blame for Israeli-Gaza conflict…

#TCOT #diggcons

…so says Al-Qaeda.

Democratic President-elect has remained silent on the fighting in Gaza…until today when he expressed “concern” over the loss of life and promised he’s monitoring the situation closely. Shortly thereafter, an Al-Qaeda audio tape was released, reportedly the voice of Ayman al-Zawahiri, blaming the President-elect and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for the Israeli assault on Hamas in Gaza.

Recall that one of the themes of Obama’s campaign was to “repair our damaged reputation” in the world community. Biden even went so far as to blame Bush’s foreign policy for creating terrorists. The implication was that if Obama were elected, the clouds would part and we would be loved by those who hate us, respected by those who despise us. Perhaps now they’ll learn.

“My Muslim brothers and mujahedeens in Gaza and all over Palestine, with the help of God we are with you in the battle, we will direct our strikes against the crusader Jewish coalition wherever we can.”–Ayman al-Zawahiri

Of course Obama isn’t the cause of the campaign against Hamas, and al-Zawahiri knows this. This statement by the terror group just proves that radical Islamists don’t need a reason to hate us. They hate us because they believe it’s their religious duty to destroy us. I don’t know if Obama really understood this and simply lied to appeal to the left-wing nuts in this country who really do believe if we “just act right” the world will love and respect us, or if he is as naive as this tape proves his campaign rhetoric was.

The fact is, radical Islam will always hate us and will seek every opportunity to attack us, regardless of who occupies the White House.

The same is true for Israel. Until the radical, militant Hamas is destroyed or forced into submission, there can be no peace.

Obama may want to recall the words al-Zawahiri had for the Democratic Party after Republicans lost control of the US Congress.

“The first is that you aren’t the ones who won the midterm elections, nor are the Republicans the ones who lost. Rather, the Mujahideen — the Muslim Ummah’s vanguard in Afghanistan and Iraq — are the ones who won, and the American forces and their Crusader allies are the ones who lost.”–Ayman al-Zawahiri

Now the fantasy world of the campaign is over and the reality should soon start setting in. Obama and Biden will find their promises are more easily spoken than fulfilled. It’s time to realize you’re either with the terrorists or against them.

Time to wake up, face the reality and decide which side you’re on Mr. President-elect. The terrorists’ or ours?

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Al Qaeda’s al-Zawahiri Thanks Obama–NextGenGOP

Palestinian Media Watch Bulletins

#TCOT #diggcons

Palestinian Media Watch is based in Israel and as the name implies, monitors the Palestinian Media in an effort to gain a better understanding of the mindset of its people.

Palestinian Media Watch was established in 1996 to gain an understanding of Palestinian society through the monitoring of the Palestinian Arabic language media and schoolbooks. Palestinian Media Watch analyzes Palestinian Authority culture and society from numerous perspectives, including studies on summer camps, poetry, schoolbooks, religious ideology, crossword puzzles, and more.

The following bulletins are available here.

Iranian reformist daily: Hamas hiding forces in nurseries and hospitals by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, Jan. 1, 2009 An Iranian reformist daily newspaper has criticized Hamas “for risking lives of civilians, amongst them children, by hiding its forces in nurseries and hospitals.” This is reported in today’s Palestinian daily Al-Ayyam. The Palestinian daily adds that in response the Iranian government has closed the newspaper. The following is the story in today’s Al-Ayyam: Headline: “Iran closes a reformist newspaper, for publishing a report criticizing Hamas” “The Iranian news agency “Irna” reported yesterday, that the Iranian Culture Ministry has closed the reformist daily newspaper “Karjo Zaran”, because it published a report that included criticism of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). On December 30 the paper published a statement of a reformist student organization, that has criticized Hamas for risking lives of civilians, amongst them children, by hiding its forces in nurseries and hospitals. The statement was published whilst the Iranian government expresses a unified stands against Israel, and Tehran is overwhelmed by demonstrations against Israel.” [Al-Ayyam, Jan. 1, 2009] A Palestinian girl whose family members were killed yesterday in Gaza: “I say Hamas is the cause of all wars.” by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, Dec. 29, 2008 A Palestinian girl whose family members was killed yesterday in Gaza after an Israeli air attack was interviewed today on Palestinian TV and placed the blame for the war on Hamas: [Girl] “We were sleeping 7 girls in the room. We were asleep and didn’t know what was happening. In the morning all the bricks were on top of my head, and the heads of all my sisters. My 4 year old sister next to me was dead.” [Interviewer] “How many were you?” [Girl] “Seven.In the other room were my mother, my father, my yonger brother and another sister, who is 13 days old. I say, Hamas is the cause, in the first place, of all wars.” [PATV (Fatah) Dec. 29, 2008]

Here’s the video of the young girl who lost her family subtitled in English.

I’m praying this young girl doesn’t suffer a fate similar to these Palestinians who Hamas used to intimidate the citizens of Gaza to prevent their collaborating with the Israelis or switching their positions to support the Fatah movement that was forced out of Gaza when Hamas came to power.

Here are more PMW bulletins from last month.

Mahmoud Abbas: Hamas responsible for violence by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, Dec. 28, 2008 In a news conference today from Cairo, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas placed the blame for the violence in the Gaza Strip squarely on the shoulders of Hamas. He described how he repeatedly made contact with Hamas and implored them not to break the ceasefire. He lamented that the violence in the Gaza Strip could have been avoided had Hamas not broken the ceasefire. The following is Mahmoud Abbas’s statement at a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abu al-Gheit. “I say in all honesty, we made contact with leaders of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip. We spoke with them in all honesty and directly, and after that we spoke with them indirectly, through more than one Arab and non-Arab side… We spoke with them on the telephone and we said to them: We ask of you, don’t stop the ceasefire, the ceasefire must continue and not stop, in order to avoid what has happened, and if only we had avoided it.” PA TV Dec. 28, 2008 Hamas celebrates targeting Israeli civilians by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook, Dec. 28, 2008 Along with today’s TV propaganda in which Hamas depicts itself as a victim, Hamas continues to portray itself as the heroic killer of Israelis. A video on Hamas TV this morning blended pictures of Hamas fighters shooting at Israel with pictures of injured Israelis and medical evacuation scenes. In addition, the visuals include pictures of skulls dripping with blood, captioned: “Let them taste violent death”. Other narrations and texts include: “Send them to Hell! Tear them to pieces!” “Send them to Hell, Qassam missile!”

Another video subtitled in English showing the propaganda used by Hamas to indoctrinate the children of Palestine and recruit them as terrorists.

Remember, these are Israel’s next door neighbors.  Israeli citizens live with these threats every day. 

You’ll seldom (if ever) see these reports on the MSM, so help spread the word.  Israel is defending its citizens, responding to attacks by those who seek its annihilation.

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Related Posts

Israel, Hamas, Hatred & the Media–ARRA News Service

Hamas Wants to Destroy Israel–Charging Elephant

Israeli Ground Offensive in Gaza

#TCOT #diggcons

After 8 days of aerial attack on Hamas positions in Gaza, the terrorist organization refused to stop its rocket and mortar attacks against Israeli civilians.  In an effort to secure the safety of its citizens, Israel has put boots on the ground and surrounded Gaza City in a mission to destroy Hamas’ military capability to threaten Israelis in the southern villages and towns.

At the moment, it appears the United States may be the only friend Israel has.  Governments around the globe are condemning Israel’s ground offensive (Arab nations, Asian nations, Turkey, India, Greece, Venezuela, Cuba, European nations, and I’m sure there are plenty more), but President Bush and even high ranking Democratic Senators of both parties still maintain Israel is within its rights.  The United States seems almost alone in condemning the Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians.  Apparently Israeli deaths don’t bother the international community.

Anyone who has served in the combat arms of the military understands this is not what Israel wants.  The Gaza Strip is a tiny piece of land, about 140 square miles, populated by approximately 1.5 million Palestinians.  In other words, it’s quite crowded. 

Urban warfare is the most dangerous fighting there is for an attacking force, because the enemy can hide almost anywhere.  Hamas certainly knows the urban areas of Gaza better than the Israeli ground soldiers who will be responsible for clearing buildings and locating weapons caches.  This is a guerilla fighter’s choice of battlefield.  What I’m getting at here, is that Israeli commanders and politicians don’t desire this phase of the conflict, but obviously consider it essential to accomplishing their mission–“to significantly disable the terrorist infrastructure of Hamas and produce lasting change in the security predicament affecting residents of southern Israel.”

According to news reports, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) haven’t yet entered Gaza City or other large urban centers in Gaza.  Instead, they’ve surrounded Gaza City and divided the country into three parts.  They cleared the northern village of Beit Lahia, from which most residents had already fled, and have most likely formed a defensive front somewhere between that village and Gaza City to keep Hamas rocket and mortar brigades from leaving the city to fire their weapons into from the north. Israeli forces have also been reported to have reached Netzarim to the south of Gaza City.

The last thing the Israelis want to do is enter densely populated Gaza City. Let’s zoom in and get a closer look at what they’d be fighting.

In dense urban areas such as this, tanks and other armored vehicles are channeled down narrow streets lined with hideouts where the enemy can lie in wait and attack at close range. Ground troops must enter and clear every building–an extremely difficult and dangerous endeavor. Effectively, the Israeli advantage over Hamas guerilla fighters is greatly reduced in this environment. Only Hamas relishes the thought of fighting on the streets of Gaza City.

If the IDF enters the city proper, it’s only because its generals and Israel’s politicians see no other alternative to end Hamas rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli citizens.

Today’s news from Gaza reports the IDF is now tightening the noose around the city, engaging Hamas militants in the suburbs to the north. Troops stationed to the south of the city are preventing resupply and reinforcements from that direction.

Militarily, the preferrable course of action would be to set a perimeter and beseige the city, but it might take several weeks to force a surrender. International pressure that would mount in response to the certain humanitarian crisis that would develop likely makes takes this option off the table for Israel. It’s doubtful that even US politicians who still support Israel would continue in supporting such a strategy, and Israel is plagued by uncertainty of what course the new Obama administration will take after 20 January when the new President will be sworn in.

Barack Hussein Obama has remained eerily quiet on the subject since the beginning of the Israeli offensive on Hamas. If he supported Bush’s position, it would greatly ease Israel’s mind and give her military more flexibility in strategy and tactics. There’s little doubt Israeli leaders believe they may be “up against the clock” to wrap up the campaign, or at least accomplish as much as they can by the inauguration.

Hamas could have avoided this entire conflict by recognizing Israel’s right to exist and denouncing terrorism.  Instead, it fired rockets and mortars at Israeli civilians.  Now, the terror organization is giving its conditions for a cease fire, but they offer nothing to eliminate the threat to Israel.  Hamas’ conditions (end to Israeli offensive, end blockade and open all borders) fail to satisfy Israeli objectives and would almost certainly guarantee a restart of its attacks on Israel in the future.

Good luck and God speed Israel.

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Hamas Leaders Exploit Israeli Honor, Hide in Hospital Disguised as Doctors and Nurses–All American Blogger

Israel, Hamas, Hatred & the Media–ARRA News Service