The Rocket War Continues Against Israel

Even as the rockets keep falling on Israel, Israeli officials are engaging in the monumental stupidity of negotiating with the very same terrorist groups to secure the release of Gilad Shalit. The Palestinians are claiming that Israel will release some terrorists who have Israeli blood on their hands. It is this kind of appeasement that has gotten Pakistan and the rest of the world into the mess we see all over the globe. Islamists cannot be appeased. They see appeasement and negotiations as a sign of weakness to be exploited.

The Palestinian terrorists will use this as an opportunity to take still more Israelis hostage, all with the intent of securing the release of more Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli jails.

No, what the Palestinian terrorists understand is that Israel's retaliatory fire against the terrorists works. The terrorists know that they can't last long against sustained Israeli efforts, so they attempt to use the media to spin the conflict in their favor. They call for hudnas, which only benefit the Palestinian terrorist groups by giving them time to regroup and rearm. They make demands on Israel that no other country would ever accept while under harassing fire from the terrorist groups.

Meanwhile, it would appear that President Bush is going to use one of the Palestinian terrorist groups as part of his security entourage in the West Bank. His visit to the West Bank, which is supposed to bolster Abbas, will include security provided by the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade. Isn't there someone in the Secret Service with a firing neuron who should know better than to trust these terrorists with the President's security?

There is no reason for Bush to prop up Abbas, let alone rely on Palestinian terrorists for his security. The AAMB has been responsible for countless Israeli deaths and casualties:

The Brigades is listed as a terror organization by the U.S. State Department. The group took credit along with the Islamic Jihad terror organization for every suicide bombing in Israel between 2005 and 2006, and is responsible for thousands of shootings and rocket firings. Statistically, the Al Aqsa Brigades perpetuated more terrorism from the West Bank than Hamas, according to the Israeli Defense Forces.

Many Brigades members, including the group's chiefs, serve openly in Fatah's Force 17 presidential guard units and the Palestinian Preventative Security Services; thousands of Force 17 and Preventative officers are slated to secure Ramallah during Bush's visit there.

A chief of the Al Aqsa Brigades in Ramallah who also serves as a senior officer in Force 17 confirmed to WND he has been tapped to participate in Bush's security. The chief, who spoke on condition his name be withheld, said he is slated to patrol the road outside Abbas' compound during the Palestinian leader's meeting with Bush.