Escalation between Hamas and Israel
Nadene Goldfoot
 Israel has been attacked for the past two years with a low level shelling of mortars and missiles, but last month the terrorists really let loose with a barrage attack of missiles that wouldn't quit.  Yesterday they hit a school bus with a new weapon, an anti tank heat seeking missile that was purposely aimed at it. The 16 year old boy on the bus  is suffering from a serious head wound.  That was terrible.   The distance between Hamas terrorists and southern Israel is only a couple of miles.  For Portlanders, think of the West side of the Ross Island bridge being able to volley a missile into Ladds Addition.  That's about the same distance that the school bus was. 

Israel is sick of it and returned fire, killing nine of which one was a terrorist commander, three others being his soldiers and 5 civilians who were in the line of fire.  A house of theirs was also hit.  The defining feature of escalation  is hitting children and civilians and the hitting of a school bus hardened Israel's retaliation. 

Leaked WikiLeaks tell that Hezbollah terrorists, out of Iran and Lebanon,  have plans to hit Tel Aviv with a huge bombardment of 100 missiles a day. They already have 40,000 of them ready.   Israel just came up in time with a defense mechanism, Iron Dome,  to stop missiles, but it didn't get all of them in their first trial yesterday.  It did stop a Grad missile heading for Ashkelon. 

It seems to me that Hamas in in compliance with Hezbollah and was testing the waters wondering what Israel's reaction would be.  They found out. 

Resource: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/palestinians-9-killed-in-idf-air-strikes-on-gaza-1.354827
http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20110408/wl_time/08599206407200

Hamas's Escalation of Attacks on Israel

Nadene Goldfoot

While South American countries are recognizing Palestine, Gaza's terrorists have stepped up their missile and rocket attacks on their future neighbor, Israel. What a way to win Israeli hearts! What's a worry is that their maps do not show Israel at all! It's all PALESTINE. You'd think they're planning on destroying Israel.

Two years ago, Israel had to deploy their 23 day Operation Cast Lead because they had been bombed for 6 years and their citizens couldn't take it anymore, especially in the areas of Southern Israel where Sderot and Ashkelon lie. Other than Israel, nobody raised their voices of protest to Hamas terrorists, so they just kept on terrorizing and warring. Countries seem to only want to find fault with Israel.

All this year, Israel has been hit with about 200 missiles and rockets. They fell in every one of the 12 months. On Monday and Tuesday, 15 mortars or rockets were fired from Gaza. One Israeli teenager was wounded. Israel filed a formal protest with the United Nations. They won't do anything about it but at least it's in writing. I hope Israel has a copy.

Are terrorists trying to instigate another Israeli operation? Continued rocket fire could bring it about again. Saeb Erekat has condemned the bombings and he is the Palestinian Authority negotiator. I wonder what he's doing about stopping it?

Alex Fishmen thinks Hamas is just testing their limits and are setting up new game rules. He's a writer for Yediot Ahronot.

Israel's military officials have found that the terrorists are now armed with Kornet missiles that can penetrate armor on tanks. This adds to the tension.

Since Hamas took over Gaza in 2007, Israel has had to blockade it both economically and militarily because they have sworn to destroy Israel. It's wartime. Because of this, Israel has been facing increasing international isolation. It's about impossible to get support from the US or the European Union today. Israel, of all the nations in the world is expected to take declarations of war on the chin and not react like others would. They are to sit like ducks in a pond and be shelled but not bite back.

Everyone is pondering the reasoning for the escalation. I see it happening because of the states recognizing Palestine already, the stalling of the peace talks with Abbas taking such a negative stand, and the wearing down of the world that is giving into terrorism. Hamas even has its own political problems. There are other wilder terrorists like Islamic Jihad and the Army of Islam who are butting into the fighting arena.

Resource: http://jewishworldreview.com/1210/gaza_missles.php3