Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

PM Olmert: “We Will Strike a Painful Blow at All Those Who Fire at the North”

Excerpt;

Prime Minister Olmert said on Sunday, 28 May: “At around 04:00 this morning, a barrage of Katyusha rockets was fired approximately eight kilometers into Israel. This assault on Israeli communities was initiated by terrorist elements in Lebanon. We carried out an aerial attack and we will use all aerial and ground responsive measures at our disposal in order to strike at the terrorist elements that tried to disrupt life in the north. We were careful. Naturally, residents in the relevant areas were asked to go into shelters. We do not want any of our civilians to be hurt; we also do not want any innocent Lebanese civilians to be caught up in these exchanges of fire but I can say here that we will – without any doubt – strike a painful blow at all those who try to disrupt life in the north of the country. Israel’s response was an important warning to Palestinian elements in Lebanon of what they may expect if such things recur. We hope that the response will be properly understood and that there will be no further attempts. In the meantime, I hear that the firing is continuing, mainly in the western Galilee and I think that the elements that are taking part in the firing have erred in their assessments. They will receive an unequivocal and aggressive response, without any hesitation, if they do not stop.” read more

Katzav Urges Knesset to Renew Amona Probe

Full Text;

President Moshe Katzav told students who were injured in the Amona expulsion that he will ask the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to renew its investigation on police brutality during the demolition of Jewish homes at the community in Samaria.

President Katzav met with student representatives of the national Orange Cell group. Also present at the meeting was Moti Yogev, an IDF reserve officer who also was injured during the demonstration. read more

Gov’t Firm on Removing 24 Outposts

Excerpts;

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s government plans to stand firm on the commitment then prime minister Ariel Sharon made to the US that Israel would dismantle 24 outposts, a government source told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

It has let the settlers know that there is no room for compromise on these 24 which it considers to have been illegally built, the source said. They include six outposts that are the subject of a Peace Now petition before the High Court of Justice and for which evacuation orders were first signed more than two years ago. read more

Tel Aviv Within Range of New Iran-Supplied Hezbollah Rocket

Firebombing Near Rachel’s Tomb

Stones Thrown at Israeli Vehicles Near Kalkilya

Palestinian Caught with Knife Near Tulkarm

Major J’lem Suicide Bombing Foiled

IDF Kills Suicide Bomber Near Gaza

IDF Fires on Arab Terrorists Near Gaza Fence

IDF Captures Two Arab Terrorists Near Shechem

Israeli Soldiers Foil Palestinian Bombing

IDF: Terror Groups Pooling Resources

Two Unarmed Palestinian Infiltrators Apprehended

IDF Arrests 13 Palestinian Fugitives in West Bank read more

[With Elections Over] Sharon Given Virtually No Chance of Regaining Consciousness

Commentary;

[IMRA: “Sharon is given virtually no chance of regaining consciousness” – but Attorney General Mazuz refused to act on this fact before the elections. It would have meant the very real possiblity that Binyamin Netanyahu, as head of the Likud party, would have run in the elections as prime minister and Mr. Olmert and his Kadima party would run as members of the opposition. Olmert would not have enjoyed the daily stream of PM photo-ops and he would have had to deal with a group bickering “Volvo-less” (not ministers) Kadima party colleagues.] read more