Ways and Means

Israel is in the process of establishing a buffer zone in Gaza so that the Palestinian terrorists cannot launch their kassam rockets against Israel - they'd be out of range. This is only good as a short term measure, as the only sure-fire way to eliminate the threat is to eliminate the terrorists, their infrastructure, and financing sources. Thus far, Israel is reluctant to take all of those steps.

In the latest airstrikes, 2 Palestinians were killed and a dozen wounded. Oh, and those Palestinians were killed? They were Hamas terrorists:

According to Palestinians, 2 Hamas gunmen were killed and a dozen Palestinians were wounded in the strike.

The gunmen were later identified as Muhammad Suleiman a-Najar and Muhammad Abu Tir.

Six Palestinians were killed since ground forces entered north Gaza early Thursday and took up key positions prior to seizing control of areas used to fire the rockets and the creation of a "security strip".

Golani Brigade troops under the command of Colonel Tamir Yadai, accompanied by tanks, Israel Air Force jets and artillery fire, reached the now-destroyed former Israeli settlements Dugit, Nisanit and Elei Sinai, from which Qassam fire toward Israel has emanated. Additional forces entered the Palestinian town of Beit Lahiya, also used by Qassam cells to fire rockets at Israel.

The Karni Crossing was closed after a terror warning. Palestinian terrorists continue to take potshots at Israelis, including firing kassams towards Israel, and attacking Israeli tanks entering Gaza. At least one kassam caused a fire in Israel.

More Palestinian fugitives were arrested in the West Bank. All the while, Israel continues to allow supplies and humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.

The IAF attacked a Fatah office in southern Gaza. Meanwhile, Hamas' leader Haniyeh remains defiant.

UPDATE:
Late yesterday, there was a report that the Israelis had fired an artillery shell at a vehicle with a number of Arab reporters. There were several injuries involved. There were no further updates offered. We now have a good reason why that was the case.

The Palestinian terrorists themselves opened fire on the vehicle.

In nearby Beit Lahiya, Palestinians fired at a car carrying a crew from the Arabic satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera, wounding two people, said Wael Dahdouh, one of the reporters in the car. The gunmen apparently thought the reporters were Israeli undercover agents, he said.

So, where's the retraction from MSNBC claiming that the Israelis were involved in the shooting? *crickets chirping*

UPDATE:
The AP is screwing around with the article and removed the aforementioned comment about the Palestinians shooting up the reporters' vehicle. However, the original version can be found here. Nothing says media bias better than removing offending text without acknowledgment of the changes.

And another kassam was fired into Sderot today.

UPDATE:
In the course of the IDF raid into Northern Gaza, an Israeli soldier, Staff Sergeant Yehuda Bassel, was killed. The father of that soldier wants to know why his son was killed when the mission could have been accomplished by airstrikes from the IAF. The Palestinian Authority says that their militias and terrorists have to shoot at the IDF. As if that's something new? The terrorists have been doing that all along, and the PA is comprised of Hamas and Fatah who have made it their mission to destroy Israel - their chief difference it the timeframe for Israel's annihilation. And yet, this signals something different - that the Palestinians are on the verge of declaring open war against Israel.

Palestinian Interior Minister Said Siam called on security forces "to prepare to repel the Israeli attack in Gaza."

Palestinian interior and national security spokesman Abu Hilal sounded more determined when he stated clearly that orders have been given to Palestinian police officers and security forces to fire on Israeli troops.

This is the first time that official Palestinian sources say that an order have been given to Palestinian security forces to open fire at IDF forces operating in Gaza.

This isn't just the terrorists firing on Israelis, but the Palestinian security forces that are part of the government. For those who still believe in the charade of separating the political wings from the military wings of terrorist groups, the Palestinians have all but pulled that rug out from under you. They're calling for the same thing - attacking Israel.

Until now, the Palestinian security forces have not wanted to directly tangle with the Israelis but Palestinian bravado is trumping logic.

Meanwhile, the feckless UN Human Rights Council called on Israel to stop the Gaza operation.

The 47-member forum adopted a resolution, put forward by the Organization of the Islamic Conference composed of Arab and Muslim states, which also demanded a halt to Israel's "extensive military operations" against Palestinians.

The decision, announced by Council chairman Luis Alfonso De Alba of Mexico, was taken on a majority vote at the end of a two-day special session called by the OIC.

"It (the Council) decides to dispatch an urgent fact-finding mission ... on the human rights situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories," the resolution read.

The vote was 29 delegations in favor, 11 against, with five abstentions and two delegations absent for the vote.

No word on whether the UN has called for the release of Shalit - or for sanctions against the Palestinians who invaded Israel, killed two Israeli soldiers in the Shalit capture operation, or who killed Eliyahu Asheri in a separate attack. Those underlying issues were not addressed. Nor was the ongoing incitement by Hamas to kill Israelis under all circumstances addressed by the Council.

Israel can do nothing in the eyes of the world to defend itself - each act of defense is considered a provocation and must be condemned.

UPDATE:
Carl in Jerusalem echoes Staff Sgt. Bassel's father's comments in wondering why the IDF had to go into Gaza when eliminating terrorists could have been done from the air. It's a good question, but sometimes boots on the ground are necessary to make sure that you eliminate the terrorist threat. No military action is without risk - and those planning these actions know this. It is a heavy burden they bear. Let's hope that Bassel's death isn't in vain.

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