Israel Under Fire

The rockets continue to rain down on Israel. Palestinian terrorists continue launching rockets and mortars in multiple barrages into Israel with nary an international organization taking note of the ongoing violence. Human rights groups also remain silent. Of course, both international organizations, like the UN and human rights group will raise a major stink the moment Israel fires back at those terrorists.

Hamas bans Israeli goods in Gaza. At a time when various reports indicate that the situation in Gaza is dire and humanitarian aid is necessary, Hamas is restricting what can come into Gaza. Israel is allowing humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, though it has repeatedly meant that aid convoys are threatened with rocket and mortar fire or are forced to turn around because Hamas refuses entry. It is almost as though Hamas is purposefully seeking to make the situation in Gaza worse than it already is. And Abbas claims that Hamas is allowing al Qaeda to gain a foothold in Gaza. Hamastan would certainly be a forward operating base for al Qaeda. It would be a relative safe haven from which to launch operations against Europe, Israel, and the rest of the Middle East though Abbas is surely using that tact to try and get the Europeans, US, and Israelis to take action against Hamas for him.

The IDF says that Syria isn't looking to get into a war with Israel, but Syria's recent actions, especially invading Lebanon seem to point in the opposite direction. Mixed signals at best. Yes, Israel should look to prevent a major conflict, but the problem is that Israel's enemies are under no such prohibition. They're angling for a fight, and Israel's leadership has proven itself not to be up to the task. Besides, the Syrians and others arrayed against Israel aren't necessarily hoping to win the latest war - only to give Israel yet another bloody nose on the home front. If you keep hurting Israel long enough, they figure to extract yet more concessions from Israel with nothing in return except a promise not to start another conflict (and to be broken shortly thereafter).

The Shin Bet says that only 120 Fatah thugs are worthy of being released, which is well short of the 250 that PM Olmert promised. Oops. That means if Israel releases less than the 250, they'll be slammed by the usual suspects for going back on its word, despite the fact that Israel is under absolutely no obligation to sign its own death warrant by releasing Fatah thugs who are just as dedicated to Israel's destruction as Hamas are. Both terrorist groups are explicitly clear as to their ultimate intentions; Fatah just gets sidetracked in corruption and lining their pockets along the way while Hamas retains its ideological zeal to destroy Israel at the earliest possible juncture.

The next Palestinian leader doesn't have to be a murderer or thug. Really? Well, the Palestinians seem to accept no one else. Everywhere you turn, the Palestinians have terrorists, thugs, and mullahs preaching violence and are deemed Palestinian leaders. Even if someone who wasn't a terrorist or murderer was chosen a leader, he wouldn't last long because the existing terrorist groups running things in Gaza and the West Bank wouldn't stand that situation for long.

UPDATE:
Some in South Lebanon still don't get it. They pine for Hizbullah and seem to ignore the fact that Israel invaded Lebanon only after Hizbullah invaded Israel to capture Israeli soldiers, took Goldwasser and Regev, and killed and injured other Israeli soldiers all while firing rockets against Israeli towns in the North.

"I'm going to be a fighter too if the Israelis return. They have turned moderate people into people who hate them. I want revenge for my son. I want to drink the blood of the Israelis, not just kill them," added the 42-year-old with greying hair.

The words came out calmly and provoked no alarm from his wife Zeinab, whose kindly face and blue eyes were framed in a black headscarf.

"Haidar is now doing his middle school exams. He wants to join the resistance when he finishes school. He has chosen to follow his brother's path," the mother of five explained.

Shadi was among about 270 Hezbollah "martyrs" killed during the conflict that erupted after the Shi'ite guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid near Aita al-Shaab -- and spirited them away through the village on July 12.

Israel would not have invaded Lebanon and South Lebanon would not have been pounded by Israeli fire had Hizbullah simply not engaged in starting last summer's war. Yet, these people continue flocking to Hizbullah and think that Israel is the aggressor.

UPDATE:
Once again, it seems that Olmert is engaging in pseudorealism by hoping that Syria and Israel can start talks on a peace deal. Maybe Syria can start with some goodwill gestures by getting out of Lebanon, ceasing support for Hamas and Hizbullah, and backing its troops away from the Israeli border. Instead, I imagine the talks will run along the lines of Israel giving up control of the Goland Heights in exchange for a Syrian promise not to attack Israel.

UPDATE:
Hamas is now asserting that it would be able to negotiate the opening of a crossing into Gaza with Israel so that humanitarian aid could enter Gaza. It's right on cue. Israel can once again be cast as the bad guy by the media if it doesn't immediately act on Hamas's position.