If we go any further down this road the tears will be those of conservatives as well as progressives. They will be (Israeli) tears.
The time for weeping has to stop; the time for confronting must begin.
Adapted from "American Tears"
www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-wolf/american-tears_b_68141.html
GAZA, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday, Israeli tanks thrust into southeastern Gaza Strip, sparking clashes with Palestinian militants and residents.
The incursion started before noon, and witnesses said Israeli troops entered Abbassan town in the east of Khan Younis city in southern Gaza Strip. Palestinian militants went into the area to fight intruding Israeli forces.
Residents reported that sporadic exchange of fire was taking place every now and then. Yet there was no report of casualties but Israeli bulldozers which accompanied the tanks destroyed a number of greenhouses and leveled the fields.
(Proving that this is about Annexation, not security.)
Earlier, not far from the scene, a group of Hamas fighters launched several mortar shells into Israel from eastern borders of Gaza Strip and escaped Israel's retaliation attacks.
(Hamas, of course, was again responding to Israeli aggression.)
In a press statement, Ezz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades said its fighters fired 14 mortars at Israeli army vehicles before Israeli could launch missiles against them.
Hamas said the attacks took place near Kissufim commercial crossing point to the east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza Strip. The crossing, like all other terminals, is closed as part of the Israeli siege (Collective Punishment) on Gaza since June.
Meanwhile, a home-made rocket was fired at southern Israel's port city of Ashkelon before noon. The military wing of the Islamic Jihad movement claimed responsibility for the shelling.
In addition, in northern Gaza Strip, near the border with Israel, Palestinian militants targeted an Israeli army jeep which was then patrolling along the security fence (Apartheid Wall).
Israel confirmed the attack but said it caused no casualties.
news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/27/content_7325116.htm
ALERT: Annapolis a Charade: Israel Plots Massive Aggression
It's interesting to note that, while the Plant Spammed the site again, pretending to be someone else reposting old articles, he glaringly eliminates certain stories.
The timing is interesting, given the upcoming "Annapolis Conference", which serves to be about PR alone, as Olmert has already ruled out any Negotiations or Compromise in the name of peace.
If you follow the events surrounding Israel's "Disengagement" from Gaza, you will quickly understand that this was the plan all along. While Israel was making a public spectacle of "forcing Jews to leave their homes", it was quietly surrounding the Strip with artillery emplacements, in an operation ominously named "First Rain".
Under this operation, Gaza basically became a "Free-Fire Zone", and several artillery and gunship strikes killed a high number of civilians. Finally, when one of these batteries fired upon and murdered a Palestinian family - picnicking on a beach that had been Segregated "Jews Only" only weeks before, Hamas finally decided to call an end to its unilateral, two-year cease-fire.
(In essence, they took Israel's bait. After all, you can't excuse your Aggression and label it "defense" if you're not being intermittently attacked. Never mind the hypocrisy underlying the entire media's framing of that whole debate ...)
When the Palestinians responded by electing Hamas to power (yes, elected), Israeli Extremists and their Ideological, bought foreign co-conspirators imposed unilateral sanctions on Gaza, a bit of Collective Punishment which increased the hardship of those stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.
When they felt Gaza had been substantially weakened, the US and Israel undertook a Coup attempt, using corrupt elements within the Fatah Party, provoking a violent response by Hamas, which expelled the group. Most of the world's media ignored the events leading to this "crisis", and instead only repeated the Propaganda emanating from the US and Israel, which used this to further increase sanctions against Gaza.
Most recently, Israel stepped up its Collective Punishment, except that human rights groups and legal advisors to the Government halted some of its approved measures, because they run contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
This was sold as another "response to rocket attacks" (again highlighting the hypocrisy of the debate's Framing - are the Palestinians allowed to defend themselves from strikes which actually KILL people ... ?), even though high-ranking officials said that this was NOT, in fact, a response to these attacks, but a way to "distance Israel from Gaza's infrastructure".
The real reason for this whole episode, of course, has been to "soften up" the Gaza Strip for a long-planned military attack, a way to undermine the resolve, and hopefully rid this territory of Palestinians altogether.
winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?8076S
Israeli Aggression to Follow Annapolis Photo-Op
winnipeg.indymedia.org/item.php?7841S
As Predicted: Gaza Attacked
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8124/index.php
Censoring 'Neo-Con' Role in Gaza 'Civil War'
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/index.php
Olmert: Seige on Gaza Will Continue
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8196/index.php
Physicians for Human Rights Gaza Update - Another Seasonal Shame
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8172/index.php
Israel's Ongoing Human Rights Violations
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8177/index.php
Red Cross Condemns Gaza Collective Punishment, World Inaction
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/rate/8181/index.php#Article-8181
Meanwhile, In The West Bank
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8211/index.php
Olmert Rejects Truce With Hamas
israel.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8212/index.php
Comments
Hide the following 9 comments
Behold the mystical powers of the ancients!
29.12.2007 21:03
I see big green vehicles.
I see people screaming.
Got something a tad trickier like next week's lottery numbers?
Prophecy is supernatural, supernatural belief is incredibly stupid.
Nostrum Damus
Who is provoking whom?
30.12.2007 10:30
But don't let the facts get in the way of a good story, eh?
And who are you calling a Plant, someone who points out inconvenient facts like the continuity of the Qassam barrage since Israel's Gaza evacuation that don't suit your story?
Selective
More of Jordan's finest
30.12.2007 11:21
Although the names sometimes change for example, 'Zionism, irrelevant in a generation' or '911=PNAC, Mossad, CIA' or some other variation of these the writing style and content are always the same. Firstly Jews, Jordan despite residing in Canada sees Jews controlling or trying to control every part of modern life. Jordan is a firm follower of the Jews running the banking, media, government etc theory and has in the past tried so very hard to link Jews and/or Mossad to nearly every natural disaster, accident, terrorist attack and event possible.
Secondly Plants, Jordan regards all opposition to his theories as Mossad controlled plants who follow him around the web. Raise even a hint of a suggestion that Jordan is wrong and you will be labeled a Plant or a Neocon agent or a Mossad operative.
The irregular Indymedia contributor David Gehrig sometimes has fun with him pointing out all of Jordan's errors and paranoia and these are to be looked out for and enjoyed when the crop up as Jordan will stay up late into the night feverishly responding and trying to dig himself out of the ever growing hole he always produces.
Maybe the new Indymedia UK will have no place for Jordan. I hope we can see an Indymedia UK where real news reporting of events, actions, protests and most important of all victories and success becomes the standard.
The current regurgitation of blogs, websites and rantings from anti-semitic idiots is a shame and not very enjoyable to wade through. Maybe the new blood that seems to be pushing to get involved in the running of the site will see some sort of makeover, I know I hope so.
yawn
Israel Is Provoking The Palestinians
30.12.2007 22:56
Hamas and the other militant groups, with minor anomalies, held true to a unilateral cease-fire during this period, even as Israel surrounded the Strip with artillery batteries, and steadily increased its violence against the residents of the newly-created Concentration Camp. This is all discussed above.
The rockets only started after Israel's incessant killings became too blatant, with the shelling of a Palestinian family on a beach, which Israel initially lied about, but was quickly rebuffed by international weapons analysts.
As noted above, Israel's own defense staff warned that the measures of Collective Punishment imposed illegally on the people of Gaza would provoke a violent response.
Israeli Legal Advisor Halts Gaza Collective Punishment
"And who are you calling a Plant"
You, as you, a member of the hate site "IMC Watch" (amongst others), are only here to disrupt any and all debate about Israel's actions.
Don't gnash your teeth. IMC is aware of the Hasbara programs of Israel's Extremists.
"Jordan"
Who?
"The person(s) who posted this attack on Mr. Thorton is responsible for the majority of spam on Indy Media sites. He/she has put some vile racist articles about Muslims all over this site and others. He/she also posts equally vile anti-Semitic articles in an attempt to discredit Indy Media sites. On other sites throughout Canada this person is known as "The Plant"."
A warning about "The Plant"
"sees about three Israeli invasions a month"
Actually, there have been more this month, planned months in advance of the Annapolis smokescreen, as noted in the post you're desperately trying to distract from. That's where the "As Predicted" part comes from. You just don't want people reading this, because for the most part, the highly-concentrated corporate media has chosen to ignore this contextual information, in order to invert reality.
That's why you've resorted to Disinformation and Ad Hominem, instead of addressing the facts. This is the Plant's modus operandi in trying to disrupt IMC, because it knows what it supports is indefensible, and as such, can't post anything of merit, nor make reasoned arguments.
As It Always Does
Lies, not just
31.12.2007 02:34
Nonsense, there were rocket attacks on Israel on an almost daily basis since Israel's Gaza evacuation. See news coverage of Gaza beach blast, 9/6/06. The Palestinian Authority was not stopping them, Hamas 'ceasefire' or not. What is Israel to do about these rocket attacks and how would Britain, Canada or whatever is your country have reacted?
2. " "And who are you calling a Plant" You, as you, a member of the hate site "IMC Watch" (amongst others), are only here to disrupt any and all debate about Israel's actions."
Well this is the first I have heard of IMC Watch (so far as I can recall), interested IP spotters take note. I shall visit it with interest.
Selective
Not At All
31.12.2007 04:46
But how is this relevant to Israel's premeditated attacks on Gaza? They aren't a response to the rockets, the rockets are a response to israeli provocations.
Zionists Don't Negotiate
IMC watch
31.12.2007 07:42
One of the secret Mossad operatives disrupting IMC 24/7
Funny
31.12.2007 14:35
Mike
New Links
01.01.2008 00:27
Indeed he did.
ALERT: Annapolis a Charade: Israel Plots Massive Aggression
It's interesting to note that, while the Plant Spammed the site again, pretending to be someone else reposting old articles, he glaringly eliminates certain stories.
The timing is interesting, given the upcoming "Annapolis Conference", which serves to be about PR alone, as Olmert has already ruled out any Negotiations or Compromise in the name of peace.
If you follow the events surrounding Israel's "Disengagement" from Gaza, you will quickly understand that this was the plan all along. While Israel was making a public spectacle of "forcing Jews to leave their homes", it was quietly surrounding the Strip with artillery emplacements, in an operation ominously named "First Rain".
Under this operation, Gaza basically became a "Free-Fire Zone", and several artillery and gunship strikes killed a high number of civilians. Finally, when one of these batteries fired upon and murdered a Palestinian family - picnicking on a beach that had been Segregated "Jews Only" only weeks before, Hamas finally decided to call an end to its unilateral, two-year cease-fire.
(In essence, they took Israel's bait. After all, you can't excuse your Aggression and label it "defense" if you're not being intermittently attacked. Never mind the hypocrisy underlying the entire media's framing of that whole debate ...)
When the Palestinians responded by electing Hamas to power (yes, elected), Israeli Extremists and their Ideological, bought foreign co-conspirators imposed unilateral sanctions on Gaza, a bit of Collective Punishment which increased the hardship of those stuck in the world's largest Concentration Camp.
When they felt Gaza had been substantially weakened, the US and Israel undertook a Coup attempt, using corrupt elements within the Fatah Party, provoking a violent response by Hamas, which expelled the group. Most of the world's media ignored the events leading to this "crisis", and instead only repeated the Propaganda emanating from the US and Israel, which used this to further increase sanctions against Gaza.
Most recently, Israel stepped up its Collective Punishment, except that human rights groups and legal advisors to the Government halted some of its approved measures, because they run contrary to International Humanitarian Law.
This was sold as another "response to rocket attacks" (again highlighting the hypocrisy of the debate's Framing - are the Palestinians allowed to defend themselves from strikes which actually KILL people ... ?), even though high-ranking officials said that this was NOT, in fact, a response to these attacks, but a way to "distance Israel from Gaza's infrastructure".
The real reason for this whole episode, of course, has been to "soften up" the Gaza Strip for a long-planned military attack, a way to undermine the resolve, and hopefully rid this territory of Palestinians altogether.
Israeli Aggression to Follow Annapolis Photo-Op
As Predicted: Gaza Attacked
Censoring 'Neo-Con' Role in Gaza 'Civil War'
Olmert: Seige on Gaza Will Continue
Physicians for Human Rights Gaza Update - Another Seasonal Shame
Israel's Ongoing Human Rights Violations
Red Cross Condemns Gaza Collective Punishment, World Inaction
Meanwhile, In The West Bank
Olmert Rejects Truce With Hamas
Zionist Extremism Key Impediment to Peace