In just the last month, Israel’s partial blockade of Hamas-run Gaza was subjected to a new round of condemnations by Amnesty International and other groups purporting to speak on behalf of the cause of human rights that are supposedly being violated by the Jewish state. The fact that Israel has never halted the flow of food or medicine into the strip and has continued to allow it to be hooked up to the country’s electrical grid and only sought to hold back construction materials and armaments has not stopped Israel-haters from promoting the myth that there is a humanitarian disaster going on in Gaza. Despite the loosening of the already lax blockade in the last year and the steady flow of material into Gaza via the now open border with Egypt or the smuggling tunnels run by Hamas, the complaints about Israel continue. But unfortunately, so too does the barrage of terrorist missiles from Gaza into southern Israel.
In the first six months of 2011, in a time when there was supposedly a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, nearly 300 rockets were fired into Israel from Gaza. That is a routine of terror that residents of the Jewish state have been accustomed to and which is met by silence from both the international community and the human rights crowd. But in the last day, the routine has escalated to the exceptional, as more than 40 missiles and mortar shells were launched from Gaza, resulting in a few casualties as well as frayed nerves throughout the affected area. Though Israel’s early warning system and missile defenses (as well as the poor aim of the Palestinians) prevented any fatalities, the latest surge of violence gives the lie both to the assertion that Hamas has adopted a policy of non-violence and the contention of Israel’s critics that its measures of self-defense against the terrorist army based there are unnecessary.
Lest there be any doubt about who is responsible for the rockets raining down on Israel, Hamas decided to claim responsibility for the escalation rather than to let some splinter group claim the glory of firing on the Jews. The attacks come only a day after a terror squad crossed from Gaza through Egyptian territory to hit Israel and kill one person (an Israeli Arab construction worker).
It’s not clear whether the proximate cause of the attacks was a desire to make a point about events in Egypt, where the candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood — the group that spawned Hamas — won the presidency. Another possible theory is that it is related to internal Palestinian politics and reflects the justified concern on the part of Hamas that it is losing popularity because of the relative paucity of its attacks on Jewish targets in the last year.
But either way, the Kassam rockets, Grad missiles and mortar shells landing on Israeli buildings and fields are just the latest proof that the independent state that exists in all but name in Gaza is an armed camp whose main purpose is to continue the war on Israel’s existence. The idea that Gaza’s rulers should be trusted to join the government of the West Bank and then be granted the freedom to carry on their war on the Jews there is one that most Israelis regard as nothing short of insanity–even if it is what most of the international community ardently desires. Israel’s leaders will decide the nature and the timing of a response to the escalation. But the rockets are a reminder that the claims Hamas has reformed itself or that Israel need not fear the military buildup going on in Gaza are myths aimed at undermining the security of the Jewish state.
Sharon entertained the fantasy that if Israel withdrew from Gaza, the Arabs would either give up their attacks on Israel or the nations of the world would give up their delusions about the Arabs' supposed victimization by Israel and lack of genocidal intent against Jews. Alas the opposite has happened and both the attacks and the delusions have intensified.
the author has no more idea than does anyone else as to the reason for the latest barrage from Gaza, but his assertions that it proves that there's no change in Hamas is too insubstantial to demonstrate anything other than the fact that Tobin is the same old one-trick pony. n nHamas has been insisting on no attacks and struggling with how to deal with its increasing unpopularity, isolation and its ouster from Syria and rift with Iran. n n n
Yes, Mikefoxtrot, poor, misunderstood Hamas. Your cavils about Jonathaon Tobin's post make me wonder if your name is mikefoxtrot or more properly whiskeytangofoxtrot.
I'm someone who wouldn't mind seeing the entire leadership of Hamas blown to hell, pal, if they can't change and sign a peace deal rather than another bs hudna, but the criticism of Tobin's post stands. He doesn't have anything that proves that they're unchanged and doesn't know any more than anyone else what's really going on with this latest outbreak. n n nHtamas is stressed in several directions and there's no telling yet which way they're headed. trends are running against them and if the Egyptian military keeps the MB from holding real power in Egypt, Hamas may well have to deal.
I agree in that I think they're dealing already and these rocket attacks have tended (yes, with exceptions) to play themselves out cyclically, with Hamas proposing a return to the status quo ante after the IAF starts taking out their assets.
O can think of a couple of possible motivations behind what appears to be unusually senseless even for Hamas) and worthless barrage, but I know no more than Tobin and am quite unwilling to simply pluck an opinion from the pre-set concrete inside my head and call it proof. I'll leave that to the gas-bags.
Clearly 50 rockets were all fired off 'accidentally' because of inferior building materials. All the Jews' fault, of course.
Well, Hamas is in a snit. and retaliatory strikes are a near certainty. But I fail to see how this ties into a war of extermination. As in now. A war of extermination at the present time. Hamas and Fatah never do get it together to bring that much promised unity government to fruition.
Sharon was not an idiot. The withdraw from Gaza was a political alternative to giving painful ground in Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem. It was an experiment to give the so-called palestinians gaza first, to see whether they would build an infrastructure for a society based on rule of law and commited to non-violence towards Israel and it’s people.
If that had gone according to plan, further withdraws would have been planned. However, the so-called palestinians FAILED the test with flying colors.
Despite talk of holding a new summit or negotiations, it cannot and will not happen any time soon. The ball is now firmly in the palestinian court, where it may and should remain forever. No one can seriously demand Israel make any more one sided concessions.
History may prove Sharon was alot smarter than some pundits give him credit for. Sharon may just wake up in time to get the last laugh.
mikefoxtrot, shouldn't those who argue that Hamas has changed carry the burden of proof?
normally, yes. n n nbut Tobin is making a claim that the rockets PROVE that it hasn't changed. n na positive pronouncement should be substantiated with more than…….. nothing. n n nI'm not offering any pronouncements that Hamas HAS changed, and I think that assertion would be no better than Tobin's. n nI do say that Hamas is under significant stress from several directions and we simply don't know what their going to do
"Rockets Prove Hamas Hasn’t Changed" n nI beg to differ. Rockets Prove ISRAEL Hasn’t Changed. That's clear gven Israel's tentative and tepid response so far.
AI packed with antisemites paid with petro$.
the pro-Pal forces believe that Jews "stole their land." the fact that this is a lie doesn't really interest anyone. these are people so deluded that some of them think the artifacts archaeologists dig up in the Holy Land were planted there, to prove a "Zionist" history which never really existed. and with a 5:1 birth rate in Gaza, they can talk about "Palestinian genocide." n nin short: they're loony. n ntherefore, they can't be reasoned with. and if, as Abu Mazen said, the "occupation" has lasted 64 years, then there can never be a peace agreement with these people who can't be reasoned with. n nif we Jews have learned anything over the past 3,000 years or so, it's that we have to look out for ourselves. Israel will be hated no matter what it does; even by the current American president, unfortunately. but they have to protect themselves. if I was Bibi I'd remind Hamas of Operation Cast Lead and suggest that this time, Israel might not drop those warning leaflets. (amazing the things the IDF does to keep civilians safe! do they get any credit? hah.)