Israeli Soldier killed in bomb attack, Israel launches attacks in Gaza

Yorker

BBC wrote:

Israel has carried out an air attack in the Gaza Strip and launched an incursion with tanks and bulldozers across the border.
Palestinian sources say there has been fighting near Khan Younis in southern Gaza, with people fleeing their homes.
The incursion follows a bomb attack which killed one Israeli soldier and wounded three near the Gaza border.
It is the worst violence since Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza ended with both sides declaring ceasefires.
An Israeli soldier was killed by an explosive device planted on its side of the border near the Kissufim crossing, prompting troops to opened fire into Gaza.
A farmer was killed, Palestinian officials said.
There is now heavy fighting going on in Khan Younis, south of the Kissufim crossing.

Palestinian sources say 20 Israeli tanks and seven army bulldozers have made an incursion.
Two people were also wounded in an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis.
Hospital sources say one was a member of Hamas' Popular Resistance Committee who was on a motorbike at the time, and the other was a passer-by.
Israel has closed border crossings into Gaza because of the attack on the patrol, Israeli officials said, stopping the flow of aid supplies to Gaza's 1.5 million residents.
Aid agencies have been struggling to meet the urgent needs of tens of thousands of displaced, homeless and injured people in Gaza.

Link.

Let's just hope this one doesn't drag on for three fucking more weeks.

MalaysianShrew

Goddamnit.

They are just looking for a pretext to go back in.

kildy

I don't think they're looking for a pretext, but nobody's claimed responsibility for the bombing yet, so it's an assumed target, unless they have evidence of who did it.

never die

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

kildy

never die wrote: »

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

Die?

Klyka

Israel is the only army in the world who attacks with Tanks and BULLDOZERS.

never die

kildy wrote: »

never die wrote: »

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

Die?

Well, besides that.

psychotix

never die wrote: »

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

Could have not elected Hamas, could rise up and throw Hamas out.

Couscous

Could this just be posturing in the hopes of getting a better settlement?

Couscous

psychotix wrote: »

never die wrote: »

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

Could have not elected Hamas, could rise up and throw Hamas out.

They had the decision between a turd sandwich and a giant douche. They decided they preferred the turd sandwich. Attacking the turd sandwich is going to just make them love the turd sandwich.

kildy

psychotix wrote: »

never die wrote: »

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

Could have not elected Hamas, could rise up and throw Hamas out.

Because Israel has never attacked Fatah?

DanHibiki

Klyka wrote: »

Israel is the only army in the world who attacks with Tanks and BULLDOZERS.

Now hold on a minute. Every major military has Bulldozers. They are often used to dig trenches, destroy infrastructure, runways and yes, even homes.

The Canadian military is the only exception, because they instead use snow plows.

fjafjan

psychotix wrote: »

never die wrote: »

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

Could have not elected Hamas, could rise up and throw Hamas out.

Well isn't this a genius solution. They should time travel! Or, the unarmed populance should, during a blockade, get enough arms to fight Hamas. You're quite the fucking scholar and gentleman.

Dunadan019

DanHibiki wrote: »

Klyka wrote: »

Israel is the only army in the world who attacks with Tanks and BULLDOZERS.

Now hold on a minute. Every major military has Bulldozers. They are often used to dig trenches, destroy infrastructure, runways and yes, even homes.

The Canadian military is the only exception, because they instead use snow plows.

canada doesn't have a military, it has a bunch of drunk layabouts playing with pop guns. :P

seriously though, is this a new one? did they really just go back in full force or is this reduced from last time? wasn't the last one enough? retaliation is not a good motivation for war.

tbloxham

fjafjan wrote: »

psychotix wrote: »

never die wrote: »

Oh gosh darnit. That's rediculous. Poor people of the Gaza strip. Israel doesn't care about them, Hamas sure as hell doesn't care about them, what can they do?

Could have not elected Hamas, could rise up and throw Hamas out.

Well isn't this a genius solution. They should time travel! Or, the unarmed populance should, during a blockade, get enough arms to fight Hamas. You're quite the fucking scholar and gentleman.

I mean, Hamas does need people too. I'd like to see soldiers on both sides just say, "This fighting is pointless and won't resolve anything. We agree that killing person X was bad, but we don't think fighting is going to solve anything"

kildy

Dunadan019 wrote: »

DanHibiki wrote: »

Klyka wrote: »

Israel is the only army in the world who attacks with Tanks and BULLDOZERS.

Now hold on a minute. Every major military has Bulldozers. They are often used to dig trenches, destroy infrastructure, runways and yes, even homes.

The Canadian military is the only exception, because they instead use snow plows.

canada doesn't have a military, it has a bunch of drunk layabouts playing with pop guns. :P

seriously though, is this a new one? did they really just go back in full force or is this reduced from last time? wasn't the last one enough? retaliation is not a good motivation for war.

It's far reduced from the invasion force, but unclear as to the target.

Couscous

I mean, Hamas does need people too. I'd like to see soldiers on both sides just say, "This fighting is pointless and won't resolve anything. We agree that killing person X was bad, but we don't think fighting is going to solve anything"

I'd like butterflies to come out of my ass.

deowolf

It's probably more likely.

Sheep

Nice long piece on NPR today that really highlighted alot of the atrocities that Israel is committing while in Gaza. Summary executions, refusing Red Cross/Crescent, etc.

They contrasted it with Hamas using the conflict to round up and execute political opposition and intimidate civilians into not speaking to the press.

DarkCrawler

here we go again

Israel has closed border crossings into Gaza because of the attack on the patrol, Israeli officials said, stopping the flow of aid supplies to Gaza's 1.5 million residents.
Aid agencies have been struggling to meet the urgent needs of tens of thousands of displaced, homeless and injured people in Gaza.

One soldier is killed by one person...and because of this 1.5 million people are left without aid.

It is the Israeli way?

Sykus

Couscous wrote: »

I mean, Hamas does need people too. I'd like to see soldiers on both sides just say, "This fighting is pointless and won't resolve anything. We agree that killing person X was bad, but we don't think fighting is going to solve anything"

I'd like butterflies to come out of my ass.

Would you?

Would you really?

kildy

DarkCrawler wrote: »

here we go again

Israel has closed border crossings into Gaza because of the attack on the patrol, Israeli officials said, stopping the flow of aid supplies to Gaza's 1.5 million residents.
Aid agencies have been struggling to meet the urgent needs of tens of thousands of displaced, homeless and injured people in Gaza.

One soldier is killed by one person...and because of this 1.5 million people are left without aid.

It is the Israeli way?

It's been pretty standard for a while to close the borders for a day when an attack happens. The tanks and such are more than usual in response.

I still haven't been able to find an identified target, though. Bomb went off, nobody said they did it, Israel has to have a target in mind if they're sending in ground forces.

marty

It doesn't help that when they moved through Gaza they destroyed all the cement mixers and vehicles involved in construction. And plowed over olive groves and fruit orchards over. Its not so much the random senseless killing as the scorched earth policy that affects the survivors that causes me to gnash my teeth

kildy

Just to be balanced in the "god damn, both these sides are pricks", the quotes!

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

"Israel doesn't need to demonstrate restraint against terror in the Gaza Strip. This was true before the operation, and it is true after it."

Because Restraint when dealing with civilian areas is for pussies.

And a Hamas leader:

Although there was no claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attack, Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas leader, said Israel was to blame for continuing to fire into Gaza. Al-Masri said his group had not agreed to a full cease-fire but only to a lull in fighting.


"The Zionists are responsible for any aggression," he said.

Because it's nice to know we've set only completely unreasonable standards for blame.

Sheep

Thankfully, Obama seems to at least be concerned over the situation. I've heard nothing but wanky "HE'S A MOOSLIM" conspiracy nuts bitch and whine about this interview on that Arab-centric news station.

Rchanen

kildy wrote: »

Just to be balanced in the "god damn, both these sides are pricks", the quotes!

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

"Israel doesn't need to demonstrate restraint against terror in the Gaza Strip. This was true before the operation, and it is true after it."

Because Restraint when dealing with civilian areas is for pussies.

And a Hamas leader:

Although there was no claim of responsibility for Tuesday's attack, Mushir al-Masri, a Hamas leader, said Israel was to blame for continuing to fire into Gaza. Al-Masri said his group had not agreed to a full cease-fire but only to a lull in fighting.


"The Zionists are responsible for any aggression," he said.

Because it's nice to know we've set only completely unreasonable standards for blame.

Thank you for illustrating how I feel about the Israel-Palestine conflict. Seriously, I almost want America to pull a Cartman "Screw you guys, I'm going home. Screw you guys.... home"

Everytime I read a news story about the conflict I just want to swear for 20 minutes non-stop.

Phoenix-D

thesenator wrote: »

I was surprised to learn that Israel censors military info and even banned international reporters from conflict areas. Here is an underground site called Israeli Uncensored News http://samsonblinded.org/news which runs some very odd reports.

Hey, crazy people! Fun. Scroll down a bit and you'll see news reports calling for the excecution of people who criticize the Israeli settlers. o_O

oc2001

Israel is a criminal state as it is, they bomb indiscriminately at civilian populations(which is a war crime) and then point their filthy finger at the people they just murdered as justification. If it where not for the immense Jewish lobby AIPAC that basically has our government blackmailed by targeting anyone who opposes them as 'anti-Semite' they would not get the BILLIONS in aid from the American tax-payers to continue its murder more people.

JeDayKeen

oc2001 wrote: »

Israel is a criminal state as it is, they bomb indiscriminately at civilian populations(which is a war crime) and then point their filthy finger at the people they just murdered as justification. If it where not for the immense Jewish lobby AIPAC that basically has our government blackmailed by targeting anyone who opposes them as 'anti-Semite' they would not get the BILLIONS in aid from the American tax-payers to continue its murder more people.

We had a thread regarding the operation and it got locked so I don't think we're supposed to go into it again in another thread, but if you want there's alot of debate over there about all that went down.

Couscous

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7863500.stm

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has vowed a "disproportionate" response to rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza.

He was speaking soon after at least two rockets hit southern Israel. Later three Israelis were injured in a mortar barrage by Palestinian militants.

Two weeks ago, Israel and Hamas - which controls Gaza - declared separate truces ending the three-week conflict.

Palestinian Authority and Hamas officials are gathering in Cairo for talks aimed at boosting the ceasefire.

An adviser to Ismail Haniya, who heads the Hamas government in Gaza, told AFP news agency the militant group was waiting for Israel's response to a truce offer, transmitted by Egypt, adding that things were "moving in a positive direction".

The Egyptians have been leading efforts to broker a permanent ceasefire by holding separate talks with officials from Israel and Hamas.

But Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told journalists in Cairo that talks were impossible with anyone who rejected the supremacy of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, in an apparent reference to Hamas's leadership.

He also accused Hamas of putting Palestinian lives at risk.

"They... have taken risks with the blood of Palestinians, with their fate, and dreams and aspirations for an independent Palestinian state," he said, quoted by AFP.

Civilian casualty

Israel wants the rocket attacks to end and wants to prevent militants in Gaza from being able to rearm.

Hamas wants the border crossings into Gaza to be fully opened to end a 18-month blockade of Gaza which has wrecked its economy.

Speaking at the weekly Israeli cabinet meeting, Mr Olmert warned Israel would respond forcefully to renewed rocket fire.

"We've said that if there is rocket fire against the south of the country, there will be a disproportionate Israeli response to the fire on the citizens of Israel and its security forces," he said.

Soon afterwards, militants fired mortars at an Israeli village near the Gaza border, injuring two soldiers and a civilian.

The civilian casualty is the first since the 18 January ceasefires which ended Israel's three-week assault on Gaza, which it said was aimed at stopping rocket attacks.

Earlier, a rocket landed between two nursery schools in Eshkol region of southern Israel, media reports said.

On Saturday, a rocket fired from Gaza exploded near the Israeli city of Ashkelon, with no casualties reported, and at least two were fired in the days before.

No 'tit-for-tat'

"We will not agree to return to the old rules of the game and we will act according to new rules that will guarantee that we are not dragged into an incessant tit-for-tat war that will not allow normal life in the south of the country," Mr Olmert said.

"The situation... in recent days has increased in a manner that does not allow Israel not to retaliate in order to make sure that our position... is understood by those involved in the fire.

"The response will come at the time, the place and the manner that we choose."

His strong stance was echoed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

The ceasefires, independently declared by each side, have been violated several times.

An Israeli soldier was killed in a bomb attack on the Gaza border last Tuesday. Israel responded with air raids and a brief ground incursion by soldiers and tanks.

About 1,300 Palestinians and 10 Israeli soldiers were killed in Israel's devastating three-week assault on Gaza. Three Israeli citizens died in rocket attacks.

Is there any doubt that this isn't mostly about the elections coming up?

AngelHedgie

A rather interesting and pointed article about the underlying issues of the conflict. Worth reading, even if it is very provocative.