IDF kills One - Updates

Am Nachmittag wird ein weiteres Mitglied der Hamas bei Kämpfen mit israelischen Bodentruppen getötet. Die späteren Luftangriffe auf angeblich strategisch bedeutsame Ziele scheinen ohne Opfer geblieben zu sein. Dafür werden weitere 3 Qassam-Raketenabschüsse und Angriffe mit Mörsergranten berichtet.

Die Angelegenheit "Katjusha" muß nach Sichtung von neuem Material eher negativ bewertet werden. Das statement der al-Quds und an-Nasser-Brigaden [Islamic Jihad und PRC] bezieht sich eindeutig auf ein "homemade projectile". Dazu muß man bedenken das gerade die al-Quds-Brigaden mit dem Besitz und Abschuß von Katjushas jeher Propaganda betrieben. Eine abgefeuerte, die NICHT von ihnen bestätigt wird ist eher seltsam. Dazu kann man aus dem dargebotenen Viedeomaterial [zB Sender IBA] keinerlei Rückschlüsse ziehen. Es wird nichts gezeigt außer einem Bagger, oder Personen die mit Plastiksäcken hantieren. Dies soll wohl bedeuten das die Fragmente der Rakete nicht für eine Bewertung ausreichend sind und man allein aus der Range von 16,5 Kilometern Rückschlüsse zieht. Ich lege mich mal fest: Rückbaustufe Qassam, leichter, schlanker, weit tragender. Die israelische Politik reagiert wie folgt: A senior official in the Prime Minister's Office characterized the rocket attack on Ashkelon as "very problematic" and "a strategic threat," and said it showed once again the urgency of stopping the arms smuggling from Sinai into the Gaza Strip. "We are concerned that the types of weapons coming into Gaza are giving them new strategic potential," the official said. "This was not the first rocket of this type to be fired on Israel, but we are concerned that unless decisive action is taken there could be more of this." .. If we see ongoing smuggling into Gaza of munitions and weaponry, then this a strategic threat for a quarter of a million people in the South who are within the range of the rockets," he said. The official said the government could not sit "idly by," and warned - without mentioning anything about plans for stepped up military action as a result of the rocket attack - that the "continued flow of weaponry and armaments into Gaza from Sinai is an escalatory phenomenon and could lead to a further destabilization in the south." While saying that there was no sense of "crisis" as a result of the rocket attack, the official said it was clear that the current level of weapons smuggling can not go on, and that "actions have to be taken." [Ein Fund der IDF in Nablus unterstützt meine Version: Israel Defense Forces troops operating in the West Bank city of Nablus discovered Thursday evening two rockets that were in the process of being assembled. The rockets, which resemble the Qassam rocket...] Bedeutsam wird das Ganze zudem durch die Tatsache das Verteidigungsminister Barak die Strategie vertritt das ein Rückzug der israelischen Siedler erst bei funktionierenden palästinensischen Sicherheitsmechanismen und gleichzeitigem Funktionieren des israelischen "Iron Dome"-Raketenschildes in Frage kommt. Also etwa 2011. [PS: Auch die "Weltpresse" schluckt die Katjusha-Version. Da traut sich keiner der Horrorversion nachzugehen, die eine modernisieterte palästinensische Raketenindustrie darstellt.]

Die Darstellung der heutigen Vernichtung einer Familie im Gazastreifen der IDF: Bewaffnete Kräfte verschanzten sich im Haus eines Militärführers und beschossen Bodentruppen, die "in Notwehr" mit einem Panzer das Haus in Schutt und Asche legten. Zivilisten = Kollateralschäden. Da allerdings neben an eine Hamas-Einrichtung liegt, die attackiert wurde ist eher wahrscheinlich das das Haus eher irrtümlich beschossen wurde. Das aus ihm geschossen wurde ist jedoch wahrscheinlich. Trotzdem ist die Opferzahl 5 Tote, ein klinisch totes Baby und zwanzig Verletzte Hinweis auf das übliche beidseitige Fehlverhalten entsprechend der Genver Konvention. Da es sich um eine Familie aus dem Kreis des Islamic Jihad handelt wird der Fall definitv nicht die israelischen Gerichte bemühen.

Die Darstellung der IDF über die Aktion in Nablus [die ich vorhin kritisierte] ist zwar unter offensichtlichem Druck ausführlicher gestaltet worden, aber dennoch wenig selbstkritisch: Twenty-four Palestinians in Nablus were lightly wounded by rubber bullets fired by IDF soldiers on Thursday, according to witnesses in the West Bank city. IDF operations on Thursday were focused on the northern environs of Nablus and included paratroopers and officers from the Border Police. During the raids, gunshots were fired at the IDF troops, but caused no injuries. ...

The High Court of Justice rejected an appeal by human rights groups Thursday for an injunction against fuel cuts to the Gaza Strip, rejecting their argument that the cuts cause humanitarian harm. Israel instituted the cuts as part of a policy of pressure to stop daily rocket fire at Israel by Gaza militants, and plans to reduce the fuel supply to 230,000 liters per week. The presiding justices Dorit Beinisch, Esther Hiut, and Yosef Alon said the the fuel that would continue to be supply could be distributed in a controlled manner that takes into account the population's humanitarian needs. The court further ruled that reducing fuel supplies could hinder Gaza militants from targeting border towns with Qassam rockets. "Reducing fuel supplies hits the terror infrastructure and hinders its ability to attack Israeli citizens," the court said in its decision.

Bericht über den Besuch von Ehud Olmert in Jordanien: Israel will not build any new settlements in the West Bank and will avoid further land appropriations there, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Jordanian King Abdullah II during a meeting Thursday in Amman. Bericht über den Friedensesel: U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday called Israeli settlement expansion an "impediment" to the success of revived peace efforts and urged the Jerusalem to follow through on its pledge to dismantle unauthorized settler outposts. Speaking less than a week before his first presidential visit to Israel and the West Bank, Bush voiced optimism at the prospects for securing an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal by the end of 2008, a goal set at last November's Annapolis conference that has been viewed with some skepticism. Bericht über Tzipi Livni: Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni seems to be preparing to back up the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert following the publication of the Winograd report on the failures of the Israeli army in the 33-day war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, according to the Israeli daily newspaper Ma'ariv. During a meeting with dozens of American students in Jerusalem on Thursday, Livini extended her criticism to the whole world when she dismissed the international community's calls on Israel to stop settlement constructions in Jerusalem. "The world asks us about settlements and sometimes criticizes us. Does the world know about the killing of two Israelis in Hebron last week by Palestinian security officers? We realize that the Palestinian dreams of an independent state should materialize, but on condition that Israeli security becomes a Palestinian interest as it is an Israeli interest," Livni explained. [Wirklich klasse. Meine Welt knows about it, was allerdings Livni scheinbar entgangen ist.]

Etwas für Fans des gepflegten Chaos. Blogger Alex vom Landis-blog hat heute eine grandiose post-Serie geschaffen, die sich um die Thematik "Falsche Gerüchte im Nahen Osten dreht". Dazu hat er als erstes selbst eine Nachricht gefälscht. Orginal: US President George W. Bush will make his first trip to Israel and the West Bank in January, hoping to help forge a peace deal before he leaves office one year later, his spokeswoman said Tuesday. The January 8-16 voyage will also take him to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to promote talks launched at a peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, late last month, said Dana Perino. The 44-country gathering culminated with an Israeli-Palestinian commitment to restart stalled talks with an eye on creating an independent Palestinian state by late 2008 -- roughly one month before Bush's successor takes over. ... Alex-Fälschung: US President George W. Bush will make his first trip to Syria in January, hoping to help forge a peace deal between Syria and Israel before he leaves office one year later, his spokeswoman said Thursday. Analysts expect the president to also discuss Syria's role in facilitating Lebanon's presidential elections. The January 8-16 visit will also take him to Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to promote talks launched at a peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, late last month, said Dana Perino. The 44-country gathering culminated with an Israeli-Palestinian commitment to restart stalled talks with an eye on creating an independent Palestinian state by late 2008 — roughly one month before Bush's successor takes over. Im zweiten post erklärt er warum er es tat: "The soldiers of thruth are back"

Steve Erlanger, "Some fear rightists are gaining clout in Israeli Army" ++++ Mel Frykberg, "Gaza Seweage, Water desaster looms".

Janine Roberts, "An unholy land grab. The story of a palestinian farm and settlers": No matter what was promised in Annapolis, a Two State Solution for Israel and Palestine now seems utterly impossible, judging from what I have just seen during a 3-week visit to the West Bank. Its hills, terraced with olive groves, are now totally dissected by fortified highways and crowned by luxurious illegal housing developments – the latter occupied by nearly a half a million Israelis. Seized Arab land has clearly provided a bonanza for investors who think their money secure. What remains is a shredded West Bank from which it will be near impossible, in my view, to construct anything truly independent of Israel. I went to the West Bank at the invitation of a Fair Trade Palestinian olive oil company, Zaytoun[1]. I expected a healthy break from chilly English weather; to pick olives, eat with farmers and learn from them how 60 years of military occupation has affected their lives. But it turned out to be far more dramatic a visit than ever I had envisioned.

[1] Zaytoun:
Zaytoun is an ethical business established to support marginalized farming communities in Palestine. Palestine is the home of the olive tree, supporting over half the population & dominating the agricultural landscape. Zaytoun finds a market place for Palestinian produce in the UK. As a non-profit company our primary objectives lie with the welfare of the producing communities. We invest in empowering farming communities & developing the agricultural infrastructure in Palestine.