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Gaza: Israel strikes Haniyeh's office, smuggling tunnels
Associated Press
Published: 31.12.08, 07:49
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16 Talkbacks for this article
1. Its a shame that the rat escaped
Judah ,   Golan Heights,ISRAEL   (12.31.08)
2. This is still a very limited operation.
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (12.31.08)
This is not even 1% of what we could do. The media loves to play it up as a major military operation but it's not. The IAF is quite skillful given the POLITICAL limitations. When you compare this to real war, there are almost no casualties. Almost as many Palestinians were killed when Hamas seized power. It is difficult to understand how the rhetoric of our politicians can be reconciled to the restraint exercised in the military operation.
3. Gaza 2008-9 is not Lebanon 2006
meir elazar   (12.31.08)
This is an enormous opportunity and is being prosecuted very well. Thankfully Olmert has not managed to screw it up so far. 1. Lebanon had a constant backdoor supply line to Iran. Gaza is cut off to Israel, Egypt, and the sea. Smuggling tunnels are being blown up and who would want to be in a tunnel with all the bombardment. 2. The world is busy dealing with the employment and economic problems. Who cares about a backwards tiny piece of real estate overthrown by terrorists? Arab and Moslem states have condemn Hamas in the past and certainly will not step in now. Egypt and PA put the blame on Hamas. 3. US is recovering from Christmas with more people standing in lines to return the few gifts that they got than interested in Gaza. They are planning on New Years celebrations, innauguration celebrations, and in general the govt is too busy and disinterested to deal with Gaza other than to send to token aid. Furthermore, they are busy fighting terrorist in Afghanistan and Iraq. It would be ludicrous to support the most terrorist Hamas. 4. EU is about to change the Presidency and the Czech pres. will be far better than France. 5. Hamas is taking maximum casualities to terrorist and infrastructure why casualties from Hamas rockets are minimal. 6. Why risk troops when we can keep this up forever. Streets in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Jerusalem are largely safe. I would take a stroll anywhere in Gaza. 7. With the current situation we can simply outlast them and pulverize their terrorists and infrastructure day by day forever. This is about as good as it gets.
4. Buildings ?
Sagi ,   Israel   (12.31.08)
I don't recall Hania's building ever saying it will never give up the 'resistence' or that it would martyr itself in order to free 'Palestine' from the "Zionist occupation". The buildings of German cities were razed, cities ceased to function and in some cases ceased to exist but the war ended only when the ideology and those who spread it were dead and gone. Have we forgotten the lessons of history, especially the history in which we were so much involved and suffered so much ?
5. Oops - Corrects to typos and additions
meir elazar   (12.31.08)
That should obviously have been "I would NOT want to take a stroll in Gaza." in #6. 8. Again US is in transition and nothing there is going to happen. 9. But most of all the core issue is strongly in our favor why Hamas is commiting suicide by proving that they are just terrorists. Israels position is: "HAMAS has rained 7500 rockets down on innocent civilians and it MUST end". No country would allow their citizens to suffer as have the citizen in the south. On the other hand, HAMAS shows their terrorist nature but increasing their rocket launching along with all the wild terrorist threats against Israel, etc. This just proves that they must be destroyed on top of all of the history including the violent takeover from Fatah. Hamas continues to try to play on sympathy by showing civilian casualties and where there are none, the fictionalize casualties and try to sell them to leftists, bleeding hearts, and uneducated Arab/Moslem masses who just don't know any better. 10. Israel has an opportunity to battle test massive weapons systems in their Gaza lab and reap great profits from clients around the world. 11. It would not be prudent to discuss future operations but I certainly hope that their are brilliant plans in place that would be as effective as those used in Jenin. 12. The only things that I might do differently are: a. Control the distribution of foreign aid in such a way as to force Gazans out of Gaza and into a controlled tent city with food, medicine, etc. This would get rid of the excuse of civilian casualties and make it easier to target the terrorist without any concern whatsoever of collateral damage. b. I might have used an alternative strategy of parity: You shoot inaccurate rockets at my civilian population and I will fire inaccurate rockets into the heart of Gaza. You stop, I stop. This gets rid of the David and Goliath myth argument.
6. #2 The problem is that we only have so many targets
Aharon   (12.31.08)
There are only so many targets you can hit from the air - once you've struck them and softened up the enemy, you need to move in on the ground. As far as I'm concerned this should already be happening. As we saw in Lebanon, the airforce eventually runs out of real targets to bomb, and starts to waste its time using cluster bombs, bombing lifeguard towers and desroying soccer fields. I'm afraid we're approaching that situation now, its clear to everyone watching that the aerial campaign is slowing down - we should already be in there on the ground.
7. To put this in perspective ....
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (12.31.08)
A short time ago, 10 terrorists attacked hotels, etc. in Mumbai killing around 200 completely innocent people (unlike not very innocent Gazans) including a rabbi & his pregnant wife. While the incident certainly made headlines (at least for a few days) it did not provoke a UN security council debate, there were no demonstrations in front of Pakistani embassies, there was no outcry from the Muslim world, there was little comment from world leaders, etc. etc. & all the left-wing wackos & peace creeps were strangely silent.
8. best commentary
arie ,   rechovot   (12.31.08)
there is a great commentary on the war just posted over at lazer brody's site -- lazerbrody.typepad.com
9. Why should Barak listens to Sarkozy?
Asher ,   NY, USA   (12.31.08)
Two days can give Hamas enough time to evaluate how to respond to e unexpected Israel's strike. If Hizbollah feels there will be a chance of survival for Hamas they will open northen front to keep Israel to fight in two fronts and retaliate Israel's surprise attack to Gaza. More time France could buy for Gaza more share they can have of Iran's huge underground wealth. Maybe Barak is not ready but for sure IDF is. It.s not time for politics it is time to defeat Hamas.
10. Miles
David ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (12.31.08)
Can you please use kilometers and not miles, as we are in Israel, not the US.
11. #8 Arie, Rechovot.
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (12.31.08)
I am a completely secular person with no religious beliefs but I have to say that, religious rhetoric aside, that was a very accurate analysis of what is happening. Thanks for the link.
12. Awesome that Haniyeh's office...
Kev ,   London   (12.31.08)
...was struck. That's the best news that I've heard today. Kol Hakavod, IAF. Stay safe.
13. It's sad that past victims are present oppresors.
Foreigner ,   A normal one   (12.31.08)
A sad comparison between a race-based ideology and religion-based ideology: Both wanted "Lebensraum" (a place for living) at the expense of their neighbors. Both took over someone else's property and put the previous owners in ghettos - yes, Gaza Strip is a ghetto. The former believed that they were entitled to that because of their race superiority. The latter believe that they are entitled by G-d. Bottom line: if only Israelis get into larger trouble again, there will be no empathy for them.
14. Deliberately Feckless; Haniyeh Should Have Been In It
Paqid Yirmeyahu ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (12.31.08)
Take out Hamas, not buildings. Still blasting holes in the sand.
15. GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Petra ,   usa   (12.31.08)
16. Set my interest alarm
Gideon Reader   (12.31.08)
Please get back to me when Hananiyah and Maashal are either in "strawberry jam" mode, or are one degree from room temprature with a face full of tesha mem mems.
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