ROCKETS FIRED INTO ISRAEL FROM GAZA

With the recent tension between Palestine and Israel, it was probably inevitable that there would be an escalation to the violence.  A rocket has been fired into Israel early Friday morning.  The rocket struck a greenhouse in Netiv Haasara and killed a 30-year old Thai worker.  I would like to note that in the past 24 hours, this is one of three rocket attacks.  The other two resulted in no casualties.  Israel has responded to these attacks with air strikes against 6 targets, some of which are thought to be weapon smuggling tunnels.  It is believed that Hamas is responsible, though other groups such as Ansar al-Sunna are also claiming responsibility.

If this conflict escalates even further, then it will simply be a replay of previous wars.  Watch in amazement as I predict the events if terrorist attacks escalate.

After the Israeli countermeasures were carried out in response to the three rockets fired into Israel, Hamas will start to mobilize.  While the terrorists get their rockets ready, the Ahmadinejad will start shouting about Israeli military tactics being inhumane and in violation of U.N Policy.  While these news conferences will be taking place, the Hamas militants will start a constant barrage of rocket fire into Israel as seen in previous confrontations.  The inaccurate rockets will be targeted at civilian locations, causing panic, destruction, and injury in Israeli towns.  Israel will retaliate with precise air and artillery strikes in order to deal with the threat, following that up with a blockade.

There will be a public backlash as demonstrators will flood the streets of European, American, and Middle Eastern cities, calling Israel a terrorist state and demanding punishment.   If the long-range combat proves to be too destructive, Israel will risk soldier’s lives in order to mobilize an offensive that will limit civilian casualties.  This choice will be viewed as an Israeli invasion and condemned by the world community.  In the end, as Israel is offering humanitarian aid, there will be a demand for an inquisition to determine if Israel’s actions were violating human rights, instead of finding out why Palestinian authorities did nothing to eliminate the terrorist presence in their country (oops, forgot that Palestine is controlled by Hamas).

My suggestion is that every nation that condemned Israel’s actions in the past should send a representative to reside in Israel for the duration of a prolonged conflict.  It is very easy to sit back behind the safety of a keyboard and pound away at Israel’s chosen tactics.  However, living in between nations that have sworn your destruction is a completely different reality.  Furthermore, if the world community wishes to actually do something useful, then they should send a U.N coalition to both witness and maybe even buffer the violence.

Chances are that neither of my suggestions will take root.  Israel will be attacked and Israel will defend itself with appropriate measure.  The world community will stand by watching and then have the audacity to criticize.

For More Information:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ml_israel_palestinians;_ylt=Ags9rXlbgQ0w45tlc1bjIhLlWMcF

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3864628,00.html

ISRAEL CRITICIZED BY TIME MAGAZINE

Time has posted an article called, “Israel Faces Growing Fallout Over a Hamas Hit” on it’s website. The article addresses the allegations against Israel’s alleged operation involving the assassination of a Hamas military commander named Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. The article makes a lot of points about possible repercussions from the global community. However, it is so biased that it gave this blogger momentum for a rebuttal.

It’s always possible that someone besides Mossad carried out the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a top Hamas military commander, in a Dubai hotel in January. Israel has refused to comment; on Monday Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman explained the silence by saying there is “no proof” Israel was responsible. But the Dubai police insist they are “99%” certain that Israel’s famed intelligence agency did the deed.

First off, it must be noted that the Dubai authorities are pretty peeved off at Israel. However, through it’s own allegations, Dubai has admitted to having prior knowledge of a known Hamas leader staying within the border. In case everyone forgot, HAMAS IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. Dubai has openly admitted to harboring terrorists.

But unlike such assassinations in the past, this one could have serious diplomatic consequences for Israel

But such a view miscalculates the degree to which Israel’s relations with its Western allies are changing. Israel’s unilateral security and military actions — as justifiable and as effective as they may be — are souring world opinion against the Jewish State.

Who is this guy kidding? Whenever Israel has implemented any type of military operation in the past, it became a dartboard for the world community’s antagonistic critique. Diplomatic consequences are the price that Israel pays for removing a terroristic threat. Because of Israel’s actions there are half as many terrorists walking around. In case the world has a short memory, feel free to check out a list of Israel’s assassinations.

But in fact, the militant Palestinian and Lebanese groups engaged in a territorial war with Israel are the sworn enemies of the al-Qaeda-inspired radical extremists who are at war with the West. In the struggle against Islamic extremism, Israel risks becoming less of an asset to America and more of a liability. The Obama White House, recognizing that the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict is a recruiting tool for radical Islam, has said that peace in the Middle East is a matter of U.S. national security.

So, according to this article, Israel’s hands are tied by the mere reason that its actions have no beneficial impact on the U.S. If one were to look into the Middle Eastern track record, they would see that Israel was rarely if ever the first to strike. Israel’s soil has been under constant attack from both Hamas and Hezbollah; attacks that targeted residential neighborhoods. Did the world community step in? No. Was there a U.N task force residing within the Israeli nation to witness and address the constant missile attacks during the Hezbollah conflict? No. Until either the world community or the respective Arab nations take care of the terrorist threats within the Arab territories, Israel has full justification to take actions that will ensure the safety of it’s people.

If a unilateral Israeli operation like this — or an air strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities — ends up increasing the risks for American soldiers in Iraq or Afghanistan, the U.S. public’s romance with Israel may finally begin to sour.

The important fact to understand is that if Iran fully develops nuclear capabilities, there is absolutely nothing that the U.S will do to stop it. Furthermore, Iran will have additional leverage against the nations of the world. This means that all of those empty threats from their president could potentially be fulfilled. The public romance could be over, however, in private, America and the rest of the world community will be on their hands and knees thanking Israel for taking out Iran’s nuclear facilities.

It is biased reporting like this that gets my blood boiling. If an individual only looks at one side of the story, then their perspective on the issue is vastly diminished. Living in such a secure country as the U.S, it is easy to forget that there are parts of the world that live under constant threat. Keep an open mind and never presume to fully understand a situation.