That isn't stopping Yossi Beilin from trying to get Olmert to accept the ceasefire.
Kassam rockets continue to rain into Israel on a daily basis.
Israeli airstrikes take out Palestinian terrorists.
The PRCs threaten more attacks and raids like the one that took Shalit and killed two other Israelis. The EU claims that the Israelis are using disproportionate force against the Palestinians, but I'd like the EU to say that to the face of Asheri's parents, Shalit's parents, or any of the other Israelis injured by Kassam rocket fire over the past several months. Palestinians are trying to kill Israelis, and Israel strikes back at those who are trying to inflict casualties, but Israel is the one using disproportionate force? Any of those countries [well, maybe except France] would use all that force and then some in order to protect itself from invasion and repeated attacks.
The Palestinians have long declared war on Israel, and now that Israel returns the favor, the Palestinians are crying to anyone with a camera to get Israel to stop. Israel cannot let up at this point because any perceived weakness or concessions will be exploited time and time again. Israel must stand firm and demand Shalit's release with absolutely no strings attached. The Palestinians must stop firing rockets into Israel and cease all terror operations.
Those must be the minimum preconditions for any Israeli pullback from Gaza.
Others blogging the Gaza crisis include Israellycool and Carl in Jerusalem.
UPDATE:
All Things Conservative notes that the UN resolution being circulated makes no mention of Hamas, but focuses solely on Israel's actions. That figures.
Here we go again. Palestinian civilians are killed (women and children), and the Palestinians are blaming the Israelis. The Israelis deny they were involved.
Debka (usual rules apply about accuracy) is reporting that Hamas is becoming increasingly worried about Israeli undercover forces operating throughout Gaza because their minions are ending up quite dead as a result of airstrikes.
Thursday and Friday, several second-level Hamas operatives were taken from their homes. Hamas is sure they were captured by Israeli special operations teams for the purpose of smashing their political and religious institutions as a continuation of the swoop last week of 70-80 West Bank Hamas notables.Israel has to keep up the pressure, and if possible accelerate and increase the pressure on Hamas and Fatah.
Israeli undercover troops are now following up with a second round of detentions of heads of the Hamas A-Dawa clerical, recruitment, education and social welfare institutions.
This overt and undercover trial of arms between Israel and Hamas is just beginning. Hamas is not a large movement; its hard core numbers no more than 12-15,000 men. Its leaders are perfectly aware that if the Israeli operation persists for long enough, it is capable of grinding their movement down to the point that will take years to recover.
It is therefore likely that Hamas will not take its punishment without striking back, possibly by mounting more surprise attacks like the one that captured Gilead Shalit and took Israel unawares on June 25. Israel may also have surprises up its sleeve.
IDF reports now appear to indicate that Staff Sgt. Bassel was killed by friendly fire.
The UNRWA claims that living conditions in Gaza are at a new low. That's not surprising considering that Hamas and Fatah are more concerned about turning Gaza into a free-fire zone than they are about providing social services other than car swarms and putting women and children into harms' way by having terrorists operate within civilian populations.
And on a lighter note, Hamas claims that they've defeated the IDF. You.Have.Got.To.Be.Kidding.
Technorati: terrorism, fatah, Gilad, Shalit, Olmert, Eliyahu, Asheri, Ashri, Abbas, Rains, Summer, cavaliers, wrath, PRC, Hamas, Gaza, palestinian, Israel
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