All Is Not Quiet in Israel/Gaza: Presidents Keep Working

Nadene Goldfoot
We may not be reading articles about what's happening in Israel right now, but Ashdod just saw and felt a rocket fall in their neighborhood on Tuesday morning.  The IDF air force responded overnight by hitting 2 rocket launching sites and an arms storage facility.

That makes 858 rockets and mortars that have been shot into Israel this year so far.  119 of them were shot in the latest round that fell into Israel.  The Iron Dome also intercepted 110.  Dozens fell inside the Palestinian territory.

Besides this one rocket shot during the new ceasefire, Gazans were rioting near the border fence trying to damage it.  The IDF were forced to shoot at them and injured 7.  So the IDF must remain alert to problems that keep happening.  Jerusalem Post has an article saying that Hamas is counting on Jews leaving the country because they feel they have scared them enough to leave if another round of shooting starts up again.  They don't know the resistance these people have to their adversity.

In the meantime, Fatah, living in Judea and Samaria territory have Abbas who is going to the UN to become a state of sorts.  There already are 48 Muslim majority states, and this would make 49.    The United States will not be able to veto this as it'll take place in the General Assembly, but not surprising, France said they will go along with it.  What do they care?  They're not neighbors.  They're not involved.  What the USA has done is threaten Abbas that they will cut off  the annual $500 million aid if they make the bid without any negotiations and peace terms with Israel.

Why I"m against it is that it gives Fatah clout that they will use against Israel, making a solution even farther away; definitely in the time of the Messiah, no doubt.  Abbas is intent on retiring with this accomplishment, as he'll be 78 years old on March 26, 2013. If he gets this bid, it'll also mean his political survival if he wants it, as he took over leadership from Arafat when he died 8 years ago.    Only someone like Israel's President Shimon Peres, who'll be  90 years old on August 2, 2013, has the stamina and intelligence to keep working for the public.  This Polish-born dynamo is the grandson of a Rabbi in a line of Rabbis.  He seems to know how to live with stress, and is in good shape.

Resource:  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4304605,00.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimon_Peres
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-28/abbas-tries-to-outflank-hamas-with-return-to-un-statehood-bid

Rocket Landing in Southern Israel Once More

Nadene Goldfoot
Southern Israel has experienced six weeks without any rockets or missiles, but that stretch was just broken by a rocket from Gaza landing on Saturday in Southern Israel's Eshkol region.  It landed without hitting anything, but one never knows where these things will land.  The last one had hit a yellow school bus. 

Along with the rocket, Israel has been told to not interfere with the Flotilla coming with who knows what for the Gazans.  It could be holding anything from potato chips to more missiles. 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110528/wl_afp/israelpalestinianconflictgazarocket

Hamas Rockets Fly Again

Hamas has attacked Israel with over 40 rockets since they hit the yellow school bus on purpose, and Israel pounded back in return.    On Sunday Egyptian and UN mediators were able to achieve an informal truce
but it only lasted a few days.  Friday in Israel saw the return of  the attack again.

The southern Israel cities of Ashdod and Ashkelon were targeted with no injuries incurred.  People heard the warning siren and then felt the attack. 

"We will not stand for fire on buses or on our children. We will not abide a situation where Israeli citizens are sleeping in shelters - anywhere," said Netanyahu. 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110415/wl_nm/us_palestinians_israel_violence
http://www.jpost.com/
Ynet. 

Ashkelon Under Attack Again

Nadene Goldfoot

Thursday evening in Israel the Gazan terrorists were at it again. They fired a rocket towards Ashkelon, Portland, Oregon's sister city. It exploded in some farming fields south of the city. The community was warned by a warning siren that went off. I wonder what had been planted there; onions? potatoes?

Earlier they had fired an anti-tank missile at an IDF force near the security barrier. IDF returned fire, but none were injured.

Before that terrorists had fired ten mortar rounds and three shells which had exploded next to a kibbutz in the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council area. Three shells landed near the Kerem Shalom crossing where humanitarian supplies are shipped daily into the region. After the attack the Defense Ministry had to close the crossing. I'm sure the next news will tell how the Gazans are complaining that supplies are not coming in.

The IAF dropped 520,000 fliers over Gaza telling residents to stay at least 300 meters away from the fence and not to help the smugglers who are smuggling arms into Gaza.

Resource: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/SendMail.aspx?print=print&type=0&item=135422

Sderot Hit By 60 Rockets and Mortars

Ashkelon Hit

Most of the rockets fired from Gaza are made there and are able to reach Sderot in Israel. Two of the 60 fired Wednesday are the imported Katyusha rockets that can reach Ashkelon, which is 10 miles north of Gaza, which as been hit this year. Ashkelon is quite a large city and has the hospital that is used by both Israelis and Gazans. The rockets that hit Sderot fell in the yard of a house. They also hit the water park in Ashkelon, an Israeli factory at Nir Oz near the Gaza border, and hit a house outside the town of Netivot in the Western Negev, which was a rare occurance. Adults and children alike were treated for shock in the area.

It was reported at a meeting that Hamas terrorists had used the six month cease fire to improve their weapons and could now reach the outskirts of Beersheba and Ashdod, a port city. The government is still practicing the policy of restraint, but knows they cannot go on like this forever. They realize that a military invasion into Gaza would cost lives on both sides and would not guarantee an end to rocket fire.

Hamas is using the excuse for the attacks on "Israel's aggression in Gaza and the West Bank and to the embargo Israel has on Gaza. " I supposed that means they are complaining about opening the border crossings to allow trucks into Gaza. The border was sealed in November when the truce broke down. Israel was going to let 40 trucks into Gaza on Wednesday, but cancelled it because of the heavy rocket and mortar fire. Israel has closed the crossings only when they are attacked, which has been more than 3,00 rockets since the beginning of the year. When there has been a lull, they have allowed trucks to enter.

Update: 1:18pm

Report is that the attack started because Israel caught terrorists planting explosives along the border and killed three. The terrorists retaliated because they were caught in their terrorism.

Israel finally as reacted. They struck from the air and killed one terrorist who had just fired more mortars at Israel. Two others were wounded who were part of the group. One wounded was a Hamas TV cameraman.

Resource: The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/world/middleeast/25mideast.html?_r=1&partner=is

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081224/wl_nm/us_palestinians_israel_26