Dec. 17, 2008
It is a sobering policy change: The United States has implemented a new regulation that any American official in southern Israel, where rockets land by the dozens courtesy of Hamas in Gaza, must travel in an armored vehicle to protect them from Kassam attacks.
While that may be a good idea for anyone traveling in the area, including the residents, this new rule shows that the US considers the situation about as dire as Iraq and Afghanistan. An Israel Defense Forces official told Army Radio that according to U.S. regulations, Sderot "is like Iraq and Afghanistan" for the Americans.
On Wednesday 14 more rockets hit open areas in the western Negev, preceded by 10 on Tuesday. No casualties or damage were reported in the attacks.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak called for an extension of a cease-fire with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"We are not deterred from an operation in Gaza but we are also not rushing into one," Barak said. "Calm will be met by calm but if there is no choice we will act when and where we see fit."
Dec 17, 2008
'Cease-fire' could fail. Wait, was that another rocket I just heard?
Hamas says the cease-fire could officially end on Friday. Never mind the 11 rockets yesterday.
Dec. 17, 2008
Hamas is maintaining that the cease-fire with Israel hasn’t really ended. Mahmoud al-Zahar, leader of the militant Islamic group, said Israel must let more food, fuel and other goods into the Gaza Strip, otherwise the cease-fire will officially crumble.
“Until Friday, we’re still committed, but after that, no one can tell,” he told Bloomberg news. “The general mood of all the Palestinian factions is negative.”
Hundreds of rockets a month have been tallied since the cease-fire, but somehow Hamas considers it intact.
Zahar also lauded the Iraqi journalist throw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a Baghdad press conference on Dec. 14. Zahar said he isn’t expecting U.S. policy to change under President-elect Barack Obama.
“He is 100 percent pro-Israeli and his positions are unacceptable,” Zahar said.
Zahar conducted the interview near two sport-utility vehicles parked inside his Gaza home’s study to quickly escape an Israeli strike.
In a rally with 300,000 in Gaza City, Hamas taunted Israel with an actor portraying captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as begging for his life. Photographs of the actor graced the covers of Israel’s top-selling newspapers.
Dec. 17, 2008
Hamas is maintaining that the cease-fire with Israel hasn’t really ended. Mahmoud al-Zahar, leader of the militant Islamic group, said Israel must let more food, fuel and other goods into the Gaza Strip, otherwise the cease-fire will officially crumble.
“Until Friday, we’re still committed, but after that, no one can tell,” he told Bloomberg news. “The general mood of all the Palestinian factions is negative.”
Hundreds of rockets a month have been tallied since the cease-fire, but somehow Hamas considers it intact.
Zahar also lauded the Iraqi journalist throw his shoes at President George W. Bush during a Baghdad press conference on Dec. 14. Zahar said he isn’t expecting U.S. policy to change under President-elect Barack Obama.
“He is 100 percent pro-Israeli and his positions are unacceptable,” Zahar said.
Zahar conducted the interview near two sport-utility vehicles parked inside his Gaza home’s study to quickly escape an Israeli strike.
In a rally with 300,000 in Gaza City, Hamas taunted Israel with an actor portraying captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as begging for his life. Photographs of the actor graced the covers of Israel’s top-selling newspapers.
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