Notes on the Gaza War

Day 10, some observations:

Israeli forces seized sparsely populated areas in northern Gaza on Sunday and by Monday morning were dug in on the edges of Gaza City. Further movement into the heart of the built-up areas would mean deadly urban warfare, replete with house-to-house fighting in crowded streets and alleyways familiar to Hamas’ 20,000 fighters. This would mean sniper fire, hand-to-hand fighting, rocket propelled grenades, suicide bombers, booby traps, fighters disappearing through one tunnel and appearing out of others, and the use of civilians as cover. The IDF will be trying to coax Hamas fighters out into the open, but chances are Hamas won’t fall for the bait. Continue reading

To Annie Lennox, from Sderot

[Singer Annie Lennox has joined high-profile campaigners to call for an end to Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip.]

Here’s some imaginary fan mail from Sderot:

Dear Annie,

We’re huge fans of yours down here in Sderot; you’re a talented musician, and so beautiful – when are you coming to visit us? We heard you called the latest violence on Hamas in Gaza “a pornography of violence”.
Have you seen the mini-series of constant rocket attacks on Sderot called “Endless Terror”? It’s into its 8th season.

We love your music, especially this song:

The sun’s still shining in the big blue sky
But it don’t mean nothing to me
Oh let the rain come down
Let the wind blow through me
I’m living in an empty room
With all the windows smashed
And I’ve got so little left to lose
That it feels just like I’m walking on broken glass

And if you’re trying to cut me down
You know that I might bleed
Cause if you’re trying to cut me down
I know that you’ll succeed
And if you want to hurt me
There’s nothing left to fear
Cause if you want to hurt me
You’re doing really well my dear

Now everyone of us was made to suffer
Everyone of us was made to weep
But we’ve been hurting one another
And now the pain has cut too deep…
So take me from the wreckage
Save me from the blast
Lift me up and take me back
Don’t let me keep on walking…
Walking on broken glass

annie-lennox

Happy New War

New year, new war.

Some observations:

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is taking the most aggressive approach to Hamas this time round, rejecting ceasefire proposals and saying that when she wins the general elections and becomes Prime Minister, she’ll destroy Hamas. Livni is trying to take moderate voters away from the Likud who may be worried that Netanyahu’s party is too right wing. Livni’s talking tough because a) she is tough [her family hail from pre-state Jewish underground groups] and b) Kadima is lagging in the polls behind Likud, so taking a hard line stance on Hamas should endear her to many on the right. This election will be decided by about 8-10 percent floating voters, most of them to be had between Kadima and Likud. Continue reading

Some facts about Hamas’ Nizar Rayyan

Sheikh Nizar Rayyan who was assassinated Thursday in an IAF strike was considered the mufti of the Izzadin Al Kassam Brigades – the Hamas military wing. He was in Israel’s top 5 targets in Gaza. Rayyan issued religious rulings, fatwas, allowing females to act as suicide bombers.

He was assassinated one day after appearing on Hamas TV from a mosque in Gaza.

He was close to Salah Shahade, the former Hamas master bombmaker and leader of Izzadin Al Kassam assassinated in July 2002. Rayyan’s assassination resembles that of Shahade, whose building was completely destroyed on top of its occupants by a one-tonne IAF bomb.

Rayyan led the Hamas revolt against Fatah rule in the Gaza Strip in 2007, and raised the ire of the Palestinian Authority when he promised that his men would eventually pray in the Muqata, the PA’s headquarters in Ramallah.

He sent his own son on a suicide attack mission against the Israeli Gaza Strip settlement of Alei Sinai.

He was logistically involved in the Ashdod container terrorist attack in March 14, 2004 in which 10 port workers lost their lives.

He told Reuters: “We will never recognize Israel. There is nothing called Israel, neither in reality nor in the imagination.”

He had four wives.

Here’s a video of him:

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 95 other followers