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JPost Middle East- Analysis: Why has the West Bank been quiet? January 6, 2009
- Lebanon doubts Hizbullah will open second front January 6, 2009
- Jordan, Egypt strike balance between Israel ties, angry public January 6, 2009
- Doctors stuck at bottleneck on Egypt-Gaza border January 6, 2009
- Analysis: Hamas desperate for lull January 6, 2009
- ynet - Updates for RSS
- Egypt calls on Hamas, Israel to discuss weapons smuggling into Gaza January 6, 2009
- Venezuela expels Israel envoy over Gaza attacks January 6, 2009
- UN chief slams shelling of UN schools January 6, 2009
- Egypt seeks immediate ceasefire followed by talks January 6, 2009
- Cabinet considers filing complaint over Hamas' use of UN facilities January 6, 2009
- Haaretz.com - News
- IDF shell kills 30 in Gaza UN school; Israel mulls appeal over Hamas fire from UN facilities January 6, 2009Israel is considering submitting a complaint to the United Nations of Hamas' use of the world body's facilities for terror purposes, after 30 people were killed when an Israeli army artillery shell struck a UN school in Gaza. Israeli troops say that they were fired on from the building. ...
- Obama breaks silence on Gaza, calls civilian deaths 'a deep concern' January 6, 2009Barack Obama, who takes over as U.S. president from George W. Bush on January 20, broke his silence about the violence in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, calling the loss of civilian lives in Gaza and in Israel a "source of deep concern for me." ...
- Turkey-Israel basketball game canned after pro-Gaza protesters storm court January 6, 2009A basketball game between a Turkish and an Israeli team was suspended on Tuesday after Turkish fans erupted in protests against the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, Turkish media reported. ...
- French TV airs photos billed as damage from Cast Lead, actually from 2005 January 6, 2009French public television network France 2 on Tuesday revealed they had aired photographs that allegedly showed destruction caused by the Israel Air Force during Operation Cast Lead, which were in fact taken during a different incident in 2005, one in which Gaza civilians were killed by an explosion caused by militants in the Strip. ...
- French President Sarkozy: Deal on Gaza truce 'not far away' January 6, 2009French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Tuesday a deal for a cease-fire between Israel and the Gaza Strip was "not far" away. ...
- IDF shell kills 30 in Gaza UN school; Israel mulls appeal over Hamas fire from UN facilities January 6, 2009
Breaking Operation Cast Lead ground incursion commences
(IsraelNN.com) Ground troops moved into Gaza Saturday night for the first time since last February. IDF flyers warned Gaza residents to leave terrorists’ homes. Artillery fire rained on terrorist targets before tanks roared in.
The Arabic language Al Jazeera network reported there was a clash between IDF soldiers and terrorists in northern Gaza. No other source confirmed the report, and there were not reports of injuries.
More israel news
Ground operation underway: Following heavy artillery bombardment, IDF soldiers enter Gaza Saturday evening; forces invade northern section of Strip; earlier, army fires hundreds of shells at areas adjacent to Gaza fence
Twitter reports! follow @growline
- ISRAEL CALLS UP TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESERVISTS - TV. (BULLETIN)
- ISRAELI TROOPS EXCHANGE GUNFIRE WITH HAMAS MILITANTS IN GAZA - TV. (BULLETIN)
- Israel foreign ministry spokesman tells Al Jazeera ground forces to “target Hamas objectives until ground situ. transformed”.
- Israeli government approves call up of thousands of reservist soldiers as ground troops exchange fire with Hamas gunmen in Gaza - Israeli TV
- IDF sending out emergency reserve call up
- Israeli cabinet okays call up of tens of thousands of reservist soldiers (Channel 10)
Target zone!
(IsraelNN.com) Be’er Sheva residents woke up to another rocket attack shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday following at least nine missiles since Wednesday morning to around midnight. The latest rocket explosion caused no injuries or damage after landing in an unidentified open area.
One of Wednesday’s rockets scored a direct hit on an empty high school near a crowded area. The cancelling of classes the same day prevented a disaster had the school been filled with hundreds of students. Compounding the potential tragedy was the failure of the early warning system to operate.
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Energency Medical Services on Unprecedented Nationwide Top Alert
(IsraelNN.com) Magen David Adom was put on its highest state of alert nationwide Wednesday by MDA Israel Director-General Eli Bin. This is the first time that MDA is on top alert throughout Israel, and not just in specific regions.
Several reasons were given for the high alert:
• The growing number of communities under threat of missile attack by Hamas.
• The concern that violence will get worse on Friday, which the Muslims often use for rioting, and that Arab citizens and residents of Israel will take part in riots.
• Specific intelligence warnings regarding terror attacks that are being planned by Arabs in Judea and Samaria and elsewhere.
• The civil New Year’s Day which is often accompanied by drunken driving accidents and violence between celebrants.
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target zone
Some updates about the rockets (Be’er Sheva)
(IsraelNN.com) The National Union party warned Tuesday against a ceasefire in the fighting against Hamas, saying that “whoever ceases the fire after Be’er Sheva was targeted will wake up to missiles on Dimona and Tel Aviv.”
Dimona is home to Israel’s main nuclear research facility. It is located 36 km to the south and east of Be’er Sheva.
The National Union said that it embraced U.S. President George W. Bush’s position regarding a ceasefire with Hamas.
More Israel News
(IsraelNN.com) Be’er Sheva, the Negev’s largest city with over 200,000 residents, came under missile attack just before 9 p.m. Tuesday, for the first time since Israel captured it in 1948.
One of the Grad-type missiles hit a kindergarten that was empty of children. The second one hit an empty field. Both hits were in a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Be’er Sheva.
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Gradrockets source wikipedia.
The BM-21 122 mm multiple rocket launcher (MRL) system entered service with the Soviet Army in 1963 to replace the aging 140 mm BM-14 system. It consists of a Ural-375D six-by-six truck chassis fitted with a bank of 40 launch tubes arranged in a rectangular shape that can be turned away from the unprotected cab. The vehicle is powered by a water-cooled V-8 180 hp gasoline engine, has a maximum road speed of 75 km/h, road range of up to 750 kilometers, and can cross fords up to 1.5 m deep. The original vehicle together with supporting equipment (including the re-supply truck 9T254 with 60 rockets) is referred to by the GRAU index 9K51; the launcher itself has the industrial index of 2B5. In 1976, the BM-21 was mounted on the newer Ural-4320 six-by-six army truck.
The crew of five men can emplace the system and have it ready to fire in three minutes. The crew can fire the rockets from the cab or from a trigger at the end of a 64-meter cable. All 40 rockets can be away in as little as 20 seconds, but can also be fired individually or in small groups in several-second intervals. A PG-1M panoramic telescope with K-1 collimator can be used for sighting. The BM-21 can be packed up and ready to move in two minutes, which can be necessary when engaged by counter-battery fire. Reloading is done manually and takes about 10 minutes.
Each 2.87-meter rocket is slowly spun by rifling in its tube as it exits, which along with its primary fin stabilization keeps it on course. Rockets armed with high explosive/fragmentation, incendiary, or chemical warheads can be fired 20 kilometers. Newer high explosive and cargo (used to deliver anti-personnel or antitank mines) rockets have a range of 30 kilometers. Warheads weigh around 20 kilograms, depending on the type.
The relative accuracy of this system and the number of rockets each vehicle is able to quickly bring to bear on an enemy target make it effective, especially at shorter ranges. One battalion of eighteen launchers is able to deliver 720 rockets in a single volley. However, the system cannot be used in situations that call for pinpoint precision.
However most of the used grad rockets are homemade.
Rocket in Sderot
War in the North of Israel?
Today is day 2 of the Gaza operation.
My wife and two kids are sick and my parents in law are taking care of us all. This is the first time since our stay in Israel that there is a lot of “balagan”.
While I’am writing this post qassams and grad rockets are coming down in Israel and Israel is attacking gaza big time. Our concern is the North is Hezbollah taking advantage of the situation? This is what I read this evening.
“northern Israel will burn as Gaza is burning.”
(IsraelNN.com) IAF warplanes flew over Lebanon Sunday following a vow by Hizbullah terrorist chief Hassan Nasrallah to attack northern Israeli communities in retaliation for the IDF military operation against terrorists in Gaza.
According to Lebanese Army officials, four IAF aircraft were spotted flying in southern Lebanese air space. The aircraft, which appeared to be combat planes, remained in the Lebanese skies for more than an hour.
More Israel News
(IsraelNN.com) Hizbullah terrorists have vowed to open a second front against Israel in the north in retaliation for the IDF military operation against Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
Terrorist chief Hassan Nasrallah issued a statement on Hizbullah’s Al-Manar television station Sunday, vowing that “northern Israel will burn as Gaza is burning.” Nasrallah rarely appears in person; he speaks via a video hook-up from his hideout due to fears of assassination by Israeli agents, following the 2006 Second Lebanon War.
More Israel News
We follow the news carefully and give you an update when needed.
Last update Groundtroops ready to go into the Gazastrip.
6000 reserve called for duty.
Shelters to be inspected in the North of Israel.
More than 110 qassam fired on Israel on Sunday 28-12-2008.
Are the bringing Gilad Shalit home?
Looking for bloggers in Gaza of Sderot please contact me.
decision to attack Gaza will open the gates of hell
‘Israel should know that any decision to attack Gaza will open the gates of hell,’ Islamist group’s armed wing says. Israeli government spokesman: We will answer terrorist attacks with actions to protect our people
AFP
| Published: | 12.24.08, 17:03 / Israel News |
Hamas militants pounded Israel with rocket and mortar fire on Wednesday and vowed more attacks as the Jewish state warned it would hit back, further dimming the chances of a renewed ceasefire. Gunmen launched more than 70 projectiles, the largest barrage since before an Egyptian-brokered truce went into effect in and around the besieged Palestinian territory in June. The ceasefire expired five days ago.
Hamas vowed to step up its attacks if the Israeli army responded with strikes against the impoverished territory.
Israel ”should know that any decision to attack the Gaza Strip will open the gates of hell and we will make you regret your stupidity with tears of blood,” the group’s armed wing said in a statement.
Israel in turn warned that it would strike back.
“Our position is clear — we will answer quiet with quiet,” government spokesman Mark Regev told AFP. “But we will answer terrorist attacks with actions to protect our people.”
“Israel has demonstrated up until now enormous restraint despite daily rocket barrages on our civilian populations,” he said, adding that Hamas has “acted deliberately to torpedo the calm and to undermine the understandings reached through Egypt.”
The Israeli security cabinet met for five hours on Wednesday to discuss a response to the fire from Gaza, but Prime Minister Ehud Olmert imposed a black-out on the discussions.
Wednesday’s barrage did not cause injuries but sowed panic among Israelis living near the Gaza border less than two months before a snap general election called for February.
‘Rocket barrages to avenge killing of Hamas men’
Two of the rockets were longer-range Grads, which struck some 13 kilometers (eight miles) north of Gaza, hitting a house and an amusement park in the city of Ashkelon, Israeli and Palestinian officials said.
Grads are not fired often by Gaza militants, who usually launch home-made projectiles dubbed Qassams, which have a shorter range and are less accurate.
The military wing of Hamas said Wednesday’s volley was “to avenge the killing” of three of its members by the Israeli army late on Tuesday.
The army said it had fired at three militants planting explosives near the border fence.
Since the expiry of the Egyptian-mediated truce on Friday, Israel has threatened to launch a major offensive on Gaza and Hamas warned it would retaliate by resuming suicide attacks inside the Jewish state.
In response to the latest rocket fire, Israel said it would keep the territory sealed on Wednesday after initially planning to re-open crossings to allow in aid shipments.
Aid groups have warned of a deteriorating humanitarian situation in the tiny overcrowded territory, which has been largely cut off from the outside world by Israel since Hamas violently seized power in June 2007.
They have repeatedly appealed to Israel to ease its blockade and allow shipments into Gaza, where most of the 1.5 million population depends on foreign aid. Mahmud Zahar, a hardline leader of Hamas, said on Tuesday that the group was ready to renew the truce “if Israel respects the conditions of a ceasefire,” including lifting the blockade of Gaza and stopping military raids. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was due to travel to Cairo on Thursday for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on a possible renewal of the truce.
Both Israel and Hamas face delicate balancing acts in dealing with the escalation around Gaza, analysts say.
Ahead of February elections, the Israeli leadership is maintaining a tough line in public, but is wary of launching any large-scale offensive for fear it does not score a decisive victory against Hamas, they say.
And Hamas, despite its bellicose public statements, is not interested in an all-out Israeli assault as that could threaten its position in Gaza, they say.
Qassam, mortar barrage hits south
At least 14 rockets, eight mortar shells fired from Gaza Strip on Tuesday night, Wednesday morning; no injuries reported, kibbutz house and building in military base sustain damage. One of rockets lands near factory in Ashkelon. Rocket fire follows killing of three Palestinian terrorists by IDF on Tuesday
Shmulik Hadad
| Latest Update: | 12.24.08, 08:32 / Israel News |
“Rain” of rockets, mortars in south: Palestinians fired 14 rockets and eight mortar shells from the northern Gaza Strip towards the western Negev on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. One of the rockets landed near a factory in Ashkelon’s industrial zone.
Two rockets hit Ashkelon in the last barrage, at around 8:25 am. Four rockets landed west of the city of Netivot. Four Qassams were fired at around 7:30 am. Two of the rockets landed in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council limits, one landed in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council and one on Palestinian territory.
There were no reports of injuries in all incidents, but the Israel Defense Forces reported that a house in a kibbutz belonging to the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council sustained damage from a rocket fired overnight. A mortar shell hit the roof of a building in a military base.
The al-Quds Brigades, the Islamic Jihad’s military wing, claimed responsibility for Wednesday morning’s rocket fire.
On Tuesday afternoon, an IDF patrol killed three terrorists who were seen approaching the security fence on the border with Gaza, adjacent to the Israeli community of Netiv Ha’asara, located just north of the Hamas-controlled enclave. No injuries were reported among the troops.
The terrorists were trying to plant an explosive device along the fence when an IDF outpost identified them and dispatched soldiers from the Paratrooper Brigade’s 101st Batallion to the scene.
The force crossed into Gaza and made its way toward the terrorists. An exchange of fire ensued, during which the terrorists succeeded in detonating a bomb near the soldiers and throwing a grenade in their direction.
Six Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday. The sixth rocket landed near an educational institution in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council. There were no injuries.
Meanwhile, the efforts to reach understandings on renewing the half-year truce between Israel and Hamas continue. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Tuesday with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and the two discussed the Egyptian efforts to resume the lull.
“We won’t agree to an Israeli invasion in Gaza or even an aerial attack,” Abbas said at the end of the meeting.
One of Hamas’ leaders, Mahmoud Al-Zahar, saidTuesday that his organization was willing to renew the truce in Gaza if Israel adheres to the terms that have been agreed upon last June.
Speaking with Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram, al-Zahar said that the movement would reassess the situation in Gaza once the 24 hours during which Hamas vowed to halt rocket fire come to an end.
Abbas: We won’t agree to Israeli invasion of Gaza
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets with Egyptian counterpart to discuss renewing truce between Hamas, Israel. We won’t agree to Israeli invasion of Strip,’ he adds
Roee Nahmias and AP
| Published: | 12.23.08, 16:51 / Israel News |
“We won’t agree to an Israeli invasion in Gaza or even an aerial attack,” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday during a joint press conference in Cairo with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
The Palestinian president said Egypt will push for a new truce between Israel and Hamas, which controls the Strip, and referred to the rocket fire on the Jewish state as “foolish”.
The six-month-old truce, mediated by Mubarak, expired last Friday.
Abbas and Mubarak in Cairo (Photo: Reuters)
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is scheduled to come to CairoThursday for talks with Mubarak about a new truce. Abbas also said he and Mubarak agreed that reconciliation talks between Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah party should go forward.
Talks brokered by Egypt and slated to take place last November fell apart when Hamas pulled out at the last minute over a dispute with Fatah over releasing Hamas prisoners.
On Monday Mubarak invited Livni to Cairo in the hopes of preventing the further deterioration of the Gaza standoff.
Livni is expected to present Jerusalem’s current stance, which holds that enough is enough – and that Israel is duty-bound to protect its citizens from the incessant rocket and mortar fire from Gaza.
“We will not allow the prolonged existence of a Hamastan state in Gaza,” Livni said during a Kadima security convention in preperation for her visit to Egypt. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahar saidTuesday that his organization was willing to renew the truce in Gaza if Israel adheres to the terms that have been agreed upon last June. Speaking with Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram, al-Zahar said that the movement would reassess the situation in Gaza once the 24 hours during which Hamas vowed to halt rocket fire come to an end.
According to the Hamas leader, if the situation appears to be going in a positive direction, the group would consider maintaining the lull.
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