Israeli minister vows ‘war to the bitter end’

[Ladywriter 7,783]

More than 300 killed in 3-day Gaza barrage; U.S. blames Hamas for flare-up

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israel obliterated symbols of Hamas power on the third day of what the defense minister described Monday as a "war to the bitter end," striking next to the Hamas premier's home, and devastating a security compound and a university building. The three-day death toll rose to at least 315 by Monday morning, with some 1,400 wounded. The U.N. said at least 51 of the dead were civilians, and medics said eight children under the age of 17 were killed in two separate strikes overnight. Israel launched its campaign, the deadliest against Palestinians in decades, on Saturday in retaliation for rocket fire aimed at civilians in southern Israeli towns.

Since then, the number of Israeli troops on the Gaza border has doubled and the Cabinet approved the call-up of 6,500 reserve soldiers.

The Bush administration called Monday for an end to the new flare-up, saying Hamas has "once again shown its true colors as a terrorist organization" with attacks on Israel.

Spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that Hamas had chosen not to renew a six-month cease-fire agreement arranged by Egypt.

At the same time, Johndroe said the United States has asked Israel to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza. The spokesman declined to respond to questions about whether the United States believes Israel is ready to launch a ground attack on Gaza.

Johndroe told reporters that President George W. Bush had spoken early Monday with King Abdullah of Jordan, and had spoken on Saturday with King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. He also Bush had a detailed briefing by video conferencing with Vice President Dick Cheney, White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and national security adviser Stephen Hadley.

Johndroe repeated that President-elect Barack Obama is getting daily intelligence briefings "and we will continue to stay in touch with his staff as developments warrant."

Johndroe said that "at this time" there are no plans for Bush to speak on the issue.

Hamas driven underground

The strikes have driven Hamas leaders into hiding and appear to have gravely damaged the organization's ability to launch rockets, but barrages continued. Sirens warning of incoming rockets sent Israelis scrambling for cover throughout the day.

One medium-range rocket fired at the Israeli city of Ashkelon killed an Arab construction worker there Monday and wounded several others. He was the second Israeli killed since the beginning of the offensive, and the first person ever to be killed by a rocket in Ashkelon, a city of 120,000.

On Sunday, Hamas missiles struck for the first time near the city of Ashdod, twice as far from Gaza as Ashkelon and only 25 miles from Israel's heart in Tel Aviv. Hamas leaders have also threatened to renew suicide attacks inside Israel.

At first light Monday, strong winds blew black smoke from the bombed sites over Gaza City's deserted streets. The air hummed with the buzz of drone aircraft and the roar of jets, punctuated by airstrike explosions. Palestinian health officials said one strike killed four Islamic Jihad militants and a child.

Some Palestinians ventured outside for mourning. In northern Gaza, a father lifted the body of his 4-year-old during a funeral Monday for five children from the same family killed in an Israeli missile strike.

Most of those killed since Saturday were members of Hamas security forces, though the precise numbers remain unclear. A Hamas police spokesman, Ehab Ghussen, said 180 members of the Hamas security forces were among the dead, and the U.N. agency in charge of Palestinian refugees said at least 51 of the dead were civilians. A rise in civilian casualties could intensify international pressure on Israel to end the offensive.

300 airstrikes since Saturday

Israel's intense bombings — more than 300 airstrikes since midday Saturday — reduced dozens of buildings to rubble. The military said naval vessels also bombarded targets from the sea.

One strike destroyed a five-story building in the women's wing at Islamic University, one of the most prominent Hamas symbols in Gaza. Other attacks ravaged a compound controlled by Preventive Security, one of the group's chief security arms, and destroyed a house next to the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister.

Late Sunday, Israeli aircraft attacked a building in the Jebaliya refugee camp next to Gaza City, killing five children and teenagers under age 17 from the same family, Gaza Health Ministry official Dr. Moaiya Hassanain said. In the southern town of Rafah, a toddler and his two teenage brothers were killed in an airstrike aimed at a Hamas commander, Hassanain said. In Gaza City, another attack killed two women.

Some families fled their apartments next to institutions linked to Hamas.

Suad Abu Wadi, 42, kept her six children close on mattresses in her Gaza City living room. Her husband sat with them, chain-smoking. Abu Wadi said he said nothing since seeing their neighbor carrying the body of his child, killed in an airstrike Saturday.

Hospitals are overwhelmed

Gaza's nine hospitals were overwhelmed. Hassanain, who keeps a record for the Gaza Health Ministry, said that some of the over 1,400 wounded were now being taken to private clinics and even homes.

Abdel Hafez, a 55-year-old history teacher, waited outside a Gaza City bakery to buy bread. He said he was not a Hamas supporter but believed the strikes would only increase support for the group. "Each strike, each drop of blood are giving Hamas more fuel to continue," he said.

Ehud Barak, the Israeli defense minister, told parliament Israel was not fighting the residents of Gaza. "But we have a war to the bitter end against Hamas and its branches," he said. Barak said the goal is to deal Hamas a "severe blow" and that the operation would be "widened and deepened as needed."

In Israel, 17 people have been killed in attacks from Gaza since the beginning of the year, including nine civilians — six of them killed by rockets — and eight soldiers, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry.

Israeli security officials have warned that the militants' range now includes Beersheba, a major city 30 miles from Gaza. Resident Mazal Ivgi, 62, said she had prepared a bomb shelter. "In the meantime we don't really believe it's going to happen, but when the first boom comes people will be worried," she said.

CONTINUED Smuggling tunnels hit

[slippers 3,168]

It's sad that both can't stop fighting. I blame both but Israel is really heartless and overdoing it, just like they did to Lebanon, killing innocent civilians and destroying their homes. But then again Americans aren't any better. Look at what we did to Iraqis.

Just a thought here and I don't wanna sound like an anti-semiticwhatever but why should Americans give a damn about them when 20% of Americans can't even locate the US on the map in the first place, let alone Palestine out in the middle of nowhere? Is media really controlled by Jews? I'd say there are probably 30 different wars going on around the world right now and why do we have to focus on Israel/Palestine all the time anyway?

I hope Jews and Muslims that live in Europe, the US, or elsewhere don't get targeted over this issue though.

[Sledgstone 8,672]

The Illuminati control the media. ^_~

The education system in the US is made to quickly teach us something, get our opinion on it and then quickly forget it:

http://www.dailytrojan.com/news/1.212897

Seeing as the majority of americans are conditioned for media control since early childhood, media control is quite powerful in our country. The show "are you smarter than a fifth grader" is a good example when you read the link I just posted. On an international level, the 4th and 5th grade in the US is the peak of our public education system.

I think the only way we'll be able to change the media is to stop watching it. But that will only work on a large scale unfortunately.

[slippers 3,168]

On an international level, the 4th and 5th grade in the US is the peak of our public education system.

I think the only way we'll be able to change the media is to stop watching it. But that will only work on a large scale unfortunately.

X_x;; I guess keeping people dumb is easier to control.

[gokuDX7 2,871]

The Illuminati control the media. ^_~

The education system in the US is made to quickly teach us something, get our opinion on it and then quickly forget it:

http://www.dailytrojan.com/news/1.212897

Seeing as the majority of americans are conditioned for media control since early childhood, media control is quite powerful in our country. The show "are you smarter than a fifth grader" is a good example when you read the link I just posted. On an international level, the 4th and 5th grade in the US is the peak of our public education system.

I think the only way we'll be able to change the media is to stop watching it. But that will only work on a large scale unfortunately.

I agree, I often play trivia games (which I hate) with my best friend and his family and I've notice I have a hard time remembering some of the simplest things that I used to know back in grade school. The only things I seem to really know by heart where I don't have to think about it are the things I use on a day to day basis (ie. web coding, computer stuff..etc).

I supposes I'm re-learning when I play these trivia games but I'm sure I'll quickly forget it a month or two later . We definitely need a better system of schooling.

[DeathscytheX 9,732]

The media is garbage. Primary and Secondary education is garbage. Its all watered down. Israel can hold its own, the world thinks we protect them, when in actually its everyone else being protected from them. If there was never any intervention, the Palestinians would be wiped out. They can kill a few civilians here and there, but they could not hold their own against the Israeli Military.

Just look at the 6 day war. In six days, Israel defeated Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. Lets not forget that these three nations were aided with troops and arms by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, as well as Sudan. 9 on 1, 6 days. The Middle East talks big, but they would never try to war with Israel until they had the aid of China, Russia, or both. That my friends would be World War III.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

re: Media control the author of the following dun hold back so...

Essentially everything we know—or think we know—about events outside our own neighborhood or circle of acquaintances comes to us via our daily newspaper, our weekly news magazine, our radio, or our television.

Dx makes an excellent point about the 6 day war. We are expected to perceive the Jews as 'poor wandering souls who just wanted a home'. Its a load of horse shit. They use the tactics of manipulation and control as religions have done for centuries.

I don't get down with religion for reasons like this shit. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

Wars of attrition are fucking retarded but deeply ingrained in the human psyche because of religion. I'm all for the belief in a higher power but there is no such thing as a being of love that wants you to kill other humans or put you in a state of torment for all eternity; be fuckin real.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

AMERICA'S HIDDEN ROLE IN HAMAS'S RISE TO POWER

By Stephen Zunes, AlterNet

No one in the mainstream media or government is willing to

acknowledge America's sordid role interfering in Palestinian

politics.

http://www.alternet.org/audits/116855/

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly on January 4, 2009 at 10:56 AM. Those waiting for a ceasefire in Gaza are likely to be waiting for quite a while. ABC News' George Stephanopoulos spoke to Israeli President Shimon Peres and said his government planned to ignore international calls for a pause to the violence.

"The idea that Hamas will continue to fire and we will declare a ceasefire..it does not make any sense," Peres told me on "This Week."

Heavy fighting continues today after thousands of Israeli ground troops moved into Gaza last night. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed and 2400 wounded since airstrikes began last week. But that has not stopped Hamas from firing rockets into Israel killing four and injuring more than 70 Israelis. [...]

Peres added, "They are now beginning to feel the weight of their mistakes." But the Israeli president said the government of Israel has no intention of occupying Gaza.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

[Ladywriter 7,783]

Israel's Ground Invasion of Gaza Continues

The use of cluster bombs - which have a large footprint when initially dropped and then remain a threat for decades - in a location like the Gaza Strip which is so packed with people is horrifying.

[Ladywriter 7,783]

January 4th, 2009 2:00 pm

Israeli Troops Advance, Bisecting Gaza

January 4th, 2009 1:56 pm

Israeli forces bisect Gaza, surround biggest city

January 3rd, 2009 11:01 pm

U.S. thwarts Libyan push for Gaza truce demand at U.N.

January 3rd, 2009 10:54 pm

Did the IAF bomb a Gazan welding truck or a Hamas Grad transport?

January 3rd, 2009 2:40 pm

Israeli Ground Forces Push Into Gaza

January 3rd, 2009 1:05 pm

Israel bombs Gaza mosque, kills 10

January 3rd, 2009 12:55 pm

Israeli Arabs protest against Gaza offensive

destabilize the middle east and the price of oil climbs

gee its no wonder the Bush admin is doing fucking nothing