Gaza Weekend Roundup

Carl in Jerusalem presents a disturbing situation where a Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset is on the record as officially sanctioning and advising the terrorists' capture of Israelis in their ongoing war against Israel.

Arutz Sheva is reporting this morning that an Arab Member of Knesset has admitted that he advised the 'Palestinian Authority' to kidnap a soldier. I want to say that again so that it sinks in. An Arab who is a member of the Israeli Knesset (Legislature) has admitted that he advised the 'Palestinian Authority' to kidnap a soldier. Dual loyalty would be an understatement of the problem.

Knesset Member Wasal Taha, corresponding publicly with internet surfers on the Arabic-language IslamOnline site, said he repeatedly advised PA terrorists to battle and kidnap Israeli soldiers.

Some Israelis, like MK Peretz think that targeting Hamas leaders endangers Shalit's life. That's a risk that Israel has to take - only by eliminating the leadership will Hamas realize not only the folly of its war against Israel, but could destroy the terrorist organization. The Shin Bet agrees that ratcheting up the pressure is putting Hamas in a difficult spot.

More kassam rockets were fired into Israel. Israel fired back with artillery. And Palestinians continue to get apprehended with weapons and explosives.

Israel also disputes that there's a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, putting its assessment at odds with the UNRWA assessment from yesterday. I'd sooner believe the Israelis than the UNRWA, whose sole purpose is to ensure the continuance of Gaza refugee camps and misery for Palestinians than to require permanent settlements in the host countries.

UPDATE:
The UN rears its ugly head in the Gaza crisis once again, picking to back the terrorists against a member state. Figures. Kofi Annan, who's never met a genocidal campaign he couldn't extend through his inaction or incapability to rouse the world to act, is calling on Israel to cease and desist from its campaign in Gaza to not only secure the release of Gilad Shalit, but to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure that is Hamas and Fatah. Hamas' stated intentions are the annihilation of Israel, which is as explicit as one can get.

Others noting Kofi's comments: Partisan Times, Tammy Bruce, Ed Morrissey, Blue Crab Boulevard, and Flopping Aces.

Hyscience provides a history lesson for those who want to talk about cycles of violence. The current Gaza situation began after Israel withdrew all of its military forces, uprooted thousands of settlers from Gaza, and even provided Palestinians with greenhouses and other economic incentives. The Palestinians promptly destroyed and looted the greenhouses, and turned Gaza into a launching pad for incessant terrorist activities including thousands of kassam rocket attacks. The current Israeli raid into Gaza occurred only after Israel was invaded by Palestinian terrorists across the border with Gaza - via a 300 foot long tunnel, attacked an Israeli checkpoint killing two Israeli soldiers, and Gilad Shalit was wounded and taken back to be held in Gaza.

Israellycool notes that Iraqis are taking note of the Israel campaign in Gaza and see the difference between legitimate resistance and acts of war/terrorism.

UPDATE:
More kassam rockets were fired into Israel. And the IDF believes that some of the rocket attacks are designed to raise money? Raise money? Haven't the Palestinians heard of bake sales? Israeli airstrikes eliminate a Palestinian armory.

Technorati: terrorism, fatah, Gilad, Shalit, Olmert, Eliyahu, Asheri, Ashri, Abbas, Rains, Summer, cavaliers, wrath, PRC, Hamas, Gaza, palestinian, Israel