Monday War News: No Rocket, Mortar, Gunfire Reported from Hamas Since Sunday Evening[??], IDF Ground Forces Out of Gaza by US Inauguration, Police Nab 3 Arab Rock-Throwers, 99 Illegals Nabbed

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Commentary;

As reported here on Sunday, Hamas rocket attacks continued throughout Sunday into early evening with at least 14 rockets and at least 3 mortars striking Sderot, Ashkelon, near Netivot as well as Kiryat Gat as well as Eshkol, Sha’ar HaNegev and Sdot Negev regions.

As yet, there are no reports of rocket or mortar fire overnight on Sunday or on Monday morning (Read between the lines — the censor working overtime??).

And so Israel rushes to withdraw forces from Gaza in advance of the inauguration of a new US President. read more

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Sunday War News: Operation Cast Lead Ends Inconclusively With Israeli Unilateral Ceasefire Amidst Hamas Rocket Barrages; Terrorists Nabbed in Hevron, Shechem, Arabs Attack Police with Stones, Firebombs in Jerusalem

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Commentary;

For context, last Thursday, this blog posted a piece; Gaza Operations: For Naught for Lack of Will to Win?

And so, these comments by Moshe Feiglin beare repeating as they best express the Israeli political governing mindset;

If Israel cannot define a real goal for this war, it cannot win. All the IDF’s professionalism and the arduous training with which the new Chief of Staff has equipped the army are ineffective if Israel’s leaders cannot define the goal of the fighting. He who cannot define the goal cannot win. And if you can’t win – it is best not to start fighting. read more

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Shabbos War News: Operation Cast Lead — Day 22 — 15 Rockets and 7 Mortar Shells Hit South Israel, Politicians Pushing Unilateral Truce, Synagogue Sustains Direct Hit – No One Hurt, 9 IDF Soldiers Injured in Fighting – 5 Seriously, 4 in “Friendly Fire”, 20 Hamas Gunmen Killed, 40-50 Hamas Targets Hit Friday

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Rocket Barrages Bit South [Beersheba, Ashkelon, Kiryat Gat], by Yael Branovsky (Ynet)

Excerpts;

Two rockets exploded Saturday in open spaces in the Beersheba area – no injuries or damages were reported in the attack. The rockets were fired during the daily “humanitarian pause” declared by the IDF.

One Grad rocket landed in an open area in the Ashkelon area a short while after a siren was heard in the city. No injuries or damages were reported.

Meanwhile, a rocket also landed in the Kiryat Gat region. There too, no injuries or damages were reported. Other rockets landed in open areas across the south. Three mortar shells were also fired at the Negev. read more

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Friday War News: Operation Cast Lead — Day 21 — 6 Rockets Hit Eshkol Region, Ofakim, 7 Gaza Terrorists Nabbed, Terrorists Shell IDF From UNRWA Gaza City Compound – IDF Responds, IDF Kills Hamas Interior Minister Among 40 Targets Thursday Night, Six Wounded as 2 Grads Hit Beersheva Thursday, IDF Arrests 7 Terrorists in Ramallah, Hevron

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Gaza Operations: For Naught for Lack of Will to Win?

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Commentary:

The two editorials beneath say it all about the lack of will to win and lack of clearly defined objectives, goals and day-after plans by a corrupt political governance across the board which won’t let the IDF win — including Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, etc. .

In this context, Moshe Feiglin has written and spoken repeatedly;

If Israel cannot define a real goal for this war, it cannot win. All the IDF’s professionalism and the arduous training with which the new Chief of Staff has equipped the army are ineffective if Israel’s leaders cannot define the goal of the fighting. He who cannot define the goal cannot win. And if you can’t win – it is best not to start fighting. And if you have started fighting nevertheless, you quickly find yourself entrenched in the heart of Gaza in the worst of all positions: You can’t win; if you retreat you admit another defeat and a stalemate turns your soldiers into easy targets for kidnappers, suicide bombers and hate-filled murderers. read more

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Thursday War News: Operation Cast Lead — Day 20 — Senior Hamas Minister Killed in IAF Strike, At Least 25 Rockets Fired at Southern Israel, Three IDF Soldiers Lightly Wounded in Fighting, IAF Hits 70 Hamas Targets Overnight; 3 Live and Ready to Fire Grads Found in South Lebanon; Stones Hurled at IDF Base in Haifa

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Hamas Interior Minister Said Siam Dies in IAF Air Strike, by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)

Excerpts;

Siam was the Hamas political echelon’s liaison with the group’s military wing, and was responsible for the various security apparatuses in the Strip, including the police and the naval force.

Siam was considered a radical and was in contact with Hamas’s political leadership in Damascus. He was also considered close to Iranian officials.

Siam was one of the masterminds of Hamas’s violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007. read more

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Wednesday War News: Operation Cast Lead — Day 19 — 3 Katyusha Rockets Strike Near Kiryat Shmona- 3 More Found Ready for Launch, 8 Rockets, 5 Mortars Strike South, Soldier Seriously Hurt by Anti-Tank Fire, 60 Targets, 35 Tunnels Hit Tuesday Night, IDF Finds Tunnel Leading to Nahal Oz Fuel Terminal, Pipe Bombs Found on Road to Jerusalem, 2 Arab Terrorists Killed in Yesha

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Tuesday War News: Operation Cast Lead — Day 18 — Heavy Fighting in Gaza City, Northern Gaza, At Least 13 Rockets Fired on South, Jordanian Soldier Fires at Border Patrol in Eilat; IDF Nabs 16 Terrorists, Terrorist Attacks 3 Soldiers in Kiryat Arba, 108 Illegals Nabbed, Molotov Hurled at Car Near Jerusalem

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IAF Strikes 50 Targets [Including 30 Smuggling Tunnels]

Nine Terrorists Killed, Two Soldiers Wounded

IDF Uncovers Tunnel Leading to Nahal Oz Fuel Terminal, by Hanan Greenberg (Ynet)

IDF Begins Heavy Shelling of Gaza City [Troops Continued Pushing Deeper into the Densely Populated Urban Center],by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)

Excerpts;

Military sources said that the objective of Operation Cast Lead – the weakening of Hamas and the restoration of Israel’s level of deterrence – was not yet accomplished, and that Israel would continue its push into Gaza City in an effort to hunt down Hamas operatives and infrastructure. read more

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Monday War News: Operation Cast Lead — Day 17 — Israel Continues Pounding Hamas on Ground, by Air, Sea as Over 18 Rockets Hit South Monday and Hamas Terrorists Hide and Get Paid; Molotovs and Explosion Near IDF in Hevron

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Hamas Raids Aid Trucks, Sells Supplies, by Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)

Excerpts;

Security officials at Kerem Shalom thwarted an attempt to smuggle electrical goods, disguised as humanitarian supplies, into Gaza. The electrical goods included computers, infra-red cameras, ovens, microwaves and other electronic equipment.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak has forbidden the entry of electronics to Gaza since the goods do not fall under the category of humanitarian aid. Some electronic equipment has been let in as per an official Palestinian request, such as equipment used to repair the damaged electrical grid in Gaza. read more

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The Great Iranian Sting [And the Role of Successive Israeli Governments]

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David Wilder, spokesman for the Jewish community of Hebron, has wrtten this special Op-Ed which appears in the Jerusalem Post. Please pay special attention to the last paragraph. MB

The Great Iranian Sting, by David Wilder (Jerusalem Post)

While our warriors are on the battlefield fighting, it’s difficult to express criticism of any kind. But it is of the utmost importance to know and internalize that the present warfare is not only about rockets pounding our southern cities. Of course, any sovereign nation cannot allow its citizens to be attacked day after day, week after week, year after year, without responding. read more

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