And here we were all told the election of the one was going to spread good will and peace throughout the globe. Doesn’t seem to be working. I mean Hamas wanted a war when they ended the truce with Isreal last week and sent in almost 200 rockets.
They wanted this, now they got it.
After sending wave after wave of rocket attacks into Israel (3,000 rockets since the beginning of the year), including this one:
A crude rocket fired by Palestinian militants fell short of its target in Israel on Friday, striking a house in the northern Gaza Strip and killing two schoolgirls.
Israel decided enough was enough and sent warplanes in to demolish every known Hamas compound, killing hundreds:
Israeli warplanes retaliating for rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded dozens of security compounds across the Hamas-ruled territory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes Saturday, killing nearly 200 people and wounding 270 others in the single bloodiest day of fighting in years.
Most of those killed were security men, but civilians were also among the dead. Hamas said all of its security installations were hit and responded with several medium-range Grad rockets at Israel, reaching deeper than in the past. One Israeli was killed and at least four people were wounded in the rocket attacks. With so many wounded, the Palestinian death toll was likely to rise.
The air offensive followed weeks of intense Palestinian rocket and mortar fire on southern Israel, and Israeli leaders had issued increasingly tough warnings in recent days that they would not tolerate continued attacks.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel would expand the operation if necessary. “There is a time for calm and there is a time for fighting, and now is the time for fighting,” he told a news conference. He would not comment when asked if a ground offensive was planned.
But asked earlier if Hamas political leaders might be targeted next, military spokeswoman Maj. Avital Leibovich said, “Any Hamas target is a target.”
The strikes caused widespread panic and confusion in Gaza, as black clouds of smoke rose above the territory, ruled by Hamas for the past 18 months. Some of the Israeli missiles struck in densely populated areas as children were leaving school, and women rushed into the streets frantically looking for their children. Most of those killed were security men, but civilians were among the dead.
Right on!
Here is Nidra Poller on Atlas Shrugs giving more details:
…Metulla News Agency (www.menapress.com for those who read French) release reports that 50 targets were hit simultaneously in the first wave of bombing, scoring 97% of direct hits in the space of 3 minutes. 50 additional targets were hit in the second wave. Most of the command posts, military bases, arms factories, and arsenals were damaged or destroyed. Tunnel personnel came scurrying out of their underground enterprises near the Egyptian border as the bombings shook the earth. Noting that Hamas spokesman Fawzi Baroum gave shooting orders—over the radio– to rocket launchers near the Israeli border, the Metulla reporter supposes that the military communications network was destroyed. An airstrike against a building where Hamas military and political personnel had just gathered for an emergency meeting indicates, according to the same source, information gathered from human intelligence on the ground. The Metulla News Agency release concludes that Hamas, caught by surprise by “the timing, the scope, and the precision of the attack,” is desperately searching for some civilian victims to display as proof of an Israeli massacre.
By 5.30 PM, Le Figaro had lined up an impressive list of condemnations. The U.E., Javier Solana, President Sarkozy, PM François Fillon, Ban Ki-Moon, Leila Chahid, Turkey, Mahmoud Abbas, Abdallah of Saudi Arabia, Moubarak, the Arab League, Iran, Ghadaffi, Syria… Le Figaro tucked the U.S. and the U.K. into the list, trying to assimilate them with these accusations of everything from carelessness to war crimes. They must have missed this exchange with Egyptian MFA Ahmed Aboul Gheit, at a Cairo press conference. Asked if he’d known the attack was imminent, About Gheit replied, “Didn’t you? Didn’t you hear the declaration of Tzipi Livin last Thursday?” He said Hamas had been warned, and shouldn’t be surprised at getting what they asked for.
And somehow this strong condemnation of “Israeli’s massacre against Gaza Strip reported by the Kuwait news agency didn’t make it onto the honor roll. Why? Isn’t Sudan part of the elevated conscience of international opinion?
Night has fallen here in Paris. Time to light the Hanukah candles. They will burn so brightly as the evildoers writhe in pain and cry over their broken lethal toys. A few days ago they reinstated crucifixion in the sharia arsenal of their rump Islamic republic. Today our haverim burned their punishing crosses!
Jihad Watch has an excellent post on the “condemnation” of the Israeli attack, including the fact that these same people wailing about todays attack did nothing to condemn the rocket attacks. Same as our MSM. Amazing how that happens….eh?
Hamas wanted this. Practically begged for it, so let them have it. The world needs to step aside and watch from the sidelines as the terrorists get their just desserts. As long as Hamas exists they will spread this kind of violence but destroy them and it stops.
UPDATE
Check out this hypocrisy from the NYT’s:(h/t Cheat Seeking Missiles)
Still, there was a shocking quality to Saturday’s attacks, in broad daylight on about 100 sites, as police cadets were graduating, women were shopping at the outdoor market and children were emerging from school.
But nothing from the NYT’s when Hamas missiles attacked during “broad daylight” while children were in school and women were shopping.
No hypocrisy there.
See author page
if you get what you ask for and are then pissed at the results, to bad. this is sad,that children were killed, but that is when we look to the adults and ask why they wanted their children dead. was it to try and make a point? well the point has been made and mnay people are now greiving and blame is being placed wrongly. the blame rests solely with hamas.
The Russians and French call for a cease fire. Obama sits in the dark, and if Israel is smart they will elect Bebe to be their next leader. I hope they are smart, they will need to be.
It’s time for Israel to put on her big-boy pants and take care of the “Hamas Problem” once and for all. How many more times is Israel going to do this dick-dance?
Kill. Hamas. Now.
Expect the usual scenes of dead children all being paraded for the cameras. Just keep an eye out for the same dead bodies over and over as we saw in Lebanon.
The reason so many “civilians” were killed is because Hamas put its rocket launchers in heavily populated areas. I hope Israel continues these sorties and wipes out Hamas completely. I hope they do not let the media decide what actions they can take to protect themselves as they have in the past. The media will never be on their side and indeed will never want them to protect themselves at all.
Why is it that we ar at war with terrorists but give Hamas a pass after all their aggression? Treaties mean nothing to these people. Lying to infidels is encouraged by the Koran. We should never believe a word they say. Anyone still living in refugee camps after 60 years have lost all sympathy and compassion. Ever since Time put out their big piece several years ago on the Palestinians greivances and turned so many Americans into anti semites these people have been encouraged to be terrorists. The American media is responsible for many of the world’s ills with their lies and exaggerations.
I see from the French newspapers that Hamas is busily trying to get pictures of dead cvilians for AP. Why not? AP has carried their water in the past and probably will continue to do so as long as they are in business. One can only hope they will be out of busness soon.
Bush should call for a cease fire…in about 90 days, or after the total destruction of Gaza, Hamas and Iran. Whichever comes first.
Isn’t there a “Bibi signal” that they can light?…. He is needed, now more than ever.
I don’t have a problem with the children being killed as they are taught from birth to kill the jews and are also groomed to be sucide bombers. Kill them now or kill them later.
Israel is totally in the right. At this point i don’t care if they wipe their opposition off the map.
Hamas is the shiny cancer on their mamas buttocks. These people aren’t human, they are sub-human.They care not about their own lives.
I have no repsect for them nor their religion. They can all burn in hell and I’ll be the first one to
toss heaps of coal on them.
Obama must be freeking out, he loves Palestinians. I wonder if he will phone his good friend Khalidi… lol
“Speaking to the crowd, Obama reminisced about meals prepared by Khalidi’s wife, Mona, and conversations that had challenged his thinking. His many talks with the Khalidis, Obama said, had been ‘consistent reminders to me of my own blind spots and my own biases…It’s for that reason that I’m hoping that, for many years to come, we continue that conversation — a conversation that is necessary, not just around Mona and Rashid’s dinner table,’ but around ‘this entire world.’”
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/10/the-khalidi-gam.html
Good one Craig
“I mean Hamas wanted a war when they ended the truce with Isreal last week and sent in almost 200 rockets.” (Curt’s thread)
And this is not to mention all the rockets that Hamas has launched on Israel in 2008:
The Hamas Terror War Against Israel
30 November, 2008
1,212 rockets and 1,290 mortar bombs fired from the Gaza Strip have struck southern Israel since the beginning of the year (Jan-Nov 2008).
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Terrorism-+Obstacle+to+Peace/Palestinian+terror+since+2000/Missile+fire+from+Gaza+on+Israeli+civilian+targets+Aug+2007.htm
OMG! Israel is not out the woods yet. Even Israel has leftist wackos. Now, the Hadash Party is condemning what they called “genocide” and “war crimes” in the Gaza strip.
“The Hadash Party is a left-wing political party in Israel. Hadash defines itself as a ‘Jewish-Arab Party’. Most of its voters and leaders are Israeli Arab citizens of Israel. It has three legislators in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.” (Wikipedia)
Do you want to have a good laugh? Read what the lefties think of Obama’s silence on the Israel attacks:
“There was no immediate comment on the Israeli air strikes on Gaza from Obama, who is vacationing with his family in Hawaii, or his staff. This is how our incoming President has reacted to the worst attack on the Palestinian people in 20 years – by not reacting at all. The Bush White House, of course, has responded as we all know they would: Israel-has-the-right-to-defend itself, let the killing begin, etc., ad nauseum.”
Hey hey! Obamatons are getting worried.
P.S.: Sorry if I didn’t put the link. It seems that most of the time when I put a link, my comment gets stuck in spam. I find it so frustrating.
The Ruskies called for a cease fire? That’s a laugh. I don’t recall them “cease firing” when they invaded Georgia. So, screw the Ruskies, and the Placentinianz
I must say israel has demonstrated immense restraint.
They need to kill not just a few hundred, but by the few thousand, by the ten thousand. Many innocents will be killed but that is how wars are won, by killing so much of the enemy that he has no will to continue.
Just like the americans beat the japanese last time, by holding the threat of killing every single japanese in japan over them, by nuclear extermination.
The israelis basically need to kill more of hamas.
WAXING SENTIMENTAL
Ahhh, this reminds me of the good old days, when Israel went out of it’s way to show the founder of Hamas the “respect” he deserved.
If you don’t recognize him, here’s a photo of his twin sister.
Isn’t she a dead ringer?
Annihilate Hamas…
Wish we would help.
Jerry: “I don’t have a problem with the children being killed as they are taught from birth to kill the jews and are also groomed to be sucide bombers. Kill them now or kill them later.”
http://www.truthtube.tv/play.php?vid=522
Here is an example of their “Children”.
I must say israel has demonstrated immense restraint.
I guess so. As you suggest, the current attack is lightweight when compared to previous examples from the history of warfare. But this also makes it seem kind of pointless to me. It feels like the Israelis are stuck in a stupid situation: it’s politically infeasible to ignore the rocket attacks and it’s politically infeasible to commit the kind of warfare that would actually be required to pacify the Gaza Strip, so instead we get this kind of show. Enough to satisfy the hawks and fire up the jingos (‘I don’t have a problem with the children being killed’ … ooh, you’re tough), but not enough to discourage Hamas for more than a couple of weeks.
So yes, immense restraint, but as far as actual (rather than political) results they would still be better served by either more or less restraint. Just based on what I know of Gaza’s demographics, the number of young men of military age increased during the three days of bombing (despite the deaths, and even if we assume all deaths were young men). Compare something like the firebombing of Hamburg, which had a comparable population to Gaza; the death toll was two orders of magnitude greater. That at least was of a scale where you could say it had a chance to force capitulation, as it would have threatened complete destruction if continued.
None of which means I’d advocate that level of military action. The Israeli death toll is something like 18 civilians over eight years of rocket attacks. Even if we don’t care about the fate of the people in Gaza it seems like the resources required to subdue them are all out of proportion to the harm they’re able to cause.
As usual, Israel is doing perfect chirurgical strikes:
Excerpts:
December 29, 2008
“… With the two-day death toll climbing above 290, crowds of Gazans breached the border wall with Egypt, in an apparent attempt to escape the chaos.
… Egyptian forces, some firing in the air, tried to push them back into Gaza and an official said one border guard was killed.
… Hamas, in turn, fired missiles deeper than ever into Israel, near the Israeli port city of Ashdod, and continues to command some 20,000 fighters.
… Yet Hamas leaders were forced into hiding, most of the dead were from the Hamas security forces, and Israel’s military intelligence chief said Hamas’ ability to fire rockets had been reduced by 50 percent.
… Indeed, Hamas rocket fire dropped off sharply, from more than 130 on Saturday (local time) to just over 20 on Sunday.
… Early today, Israeli aircraft bombed the Islamic University and government compound in Gaza City, centres of Hamas power.
… Other targets were a guest palace used by the Hamas government and the house next to Gaza Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s home in a refugee camp next to Gaza City.
… In the most dramatic attacks yesterday, warplanes struck dozens of smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border, cutting off a lifeline that had supplied Hamas with weapons and Gaza with commercial goods.
… Earlier, warplanes dropped three bombs on one of Hamas’ main security compounds in Gaza City, including a prison.”
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24851860-912,00.html
Lets all watch as Obama sits back in hiding and then in the last minute (when the outcome is clear) then pop back into the light with a “plan” which at that point isnt even needed, damage is done.