Hamas threatens suicide attacks in Israel

[oberliner]

GAZA CITY (AFP) — Hamas threatened on Monday to resume suicide attacks if Israel launches an offensive on its Gaza stronghold, as the Jewish state kicked off a diplomatic campaign to win support for any military action.

"It is our right as an occupied people to defend ourselves from the occupation by all means possible including suicide attacks," Ayman Taha, a Hamas leader, told AFP.

The warning came as Israel kicked off a campaign to muster international support for any major military offensive to try to halt rocket fire from the impoverished Palestinian territory.

Tensions have mounted since the expiry on Friday of a six-month truce in and around Gaza between Israel and Hamas, which is branded a terrorist group by the Jewish state and the West.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g5Eh9emUHWcAyRdXd4QMKrUc6XiA

[Behind the Aegis]

1. And who will care except for Israel and a small group? n/t

[pelsar]

11. israeli radio....

hamas has said that they will halt not just their own rocket/mortar fire but those of other groups as well......and israel will agree to open up the passageways
___

now why did hamas go and take responsibility like that?....damn it ruins everything....they're agreeing that they are responsible, that they have the capability to stop the rocket fire and that they understand that there is a consequences for shooting mortars and rockets in israel....and that they are in fact responsible for those in gaza!

that really really ruins the "the Palestinians as total victims that cant do anything to effect change" syndrome...or that, they can actually meet the single standard of responsibility for ones actions.

or in the words of PM..that they are being "good little victims"

[ProgressiveMuslim]

2. Meanwhile, Israel actually carries out attacks on Gaza civilians. No one gives a shit.

Israeli strike on eastern Gaza City wounds four, including child
Maan News, Dec 22, 2008



This article was originally published by Maan News and is republished with permission.

Four Palestinians were injured late on Sunday night after an Israeli Apache helicopter fired missiles on eastern Gaza City.

One of the injured is reportedly a child.

Dr Mua'waiyah Hassanein, the Ministry of Health's director of Ambulance and Emergency Services, confirmed the injuries. He added that the four Palestinians were moderately injured in the assault.

A spokesperson for the Israeli military confirmed the attack, according to Al-Jazeera

[oberliner]

3. Palestinians who launch rockets at Israel are civilians??

Al-Jazeera puts the attack in context:

Gaza rockets hit southern Israel

Eight rockets and mortars fired from Gaza have hit towns in southern Israel, with one house being severely damaged in Sderot, Israeli rescue service workers have said.

Air raid launched

Ayman Mohyeldin, Al Jazeera's correspondent in the Gaza Strip, said that the Israeli military launched an air raid into Gaza, targeting a rocket firing squad.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/12/2008122172946123995.html

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. No, but often the people who die in retaliation are.

[oberliner]

6. I would agree with you on that

Two potential solutions to this would be:

1. Israelis using more care in targeting only those Palestinians who launch rockets

2. Palestinians stop launching rockets against Israel

[ProgressiveMuslim]

8. Or 3, withdraw from the occupied areas, and end the siege and occupation. nt

[oberliner]

9. I'm all for that

Number 2 could go a long way towards encouraging number 3!

[excess_3]

10. not civilians? then what are they? n/t

[Vegasaurus]

4. And Hamas will ensure ongoing misery for its citizens

Since it continues to put terrorism above the welfare of Gazans.

Very sad.

[azurnoir]

7. A bit more on the story

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Hamas has stopped launching rockets at Israel for 24 hours at the request of Egypt, according to reports.

Two Kassam rockets were fired at Israel Monday afternoon, considerably fewer than the more than 50 rockets and mortars that hit southern Israel over the weekend, following the end of a six-month cease-fire. The 24 hours reportedly began Sunday night.

"Hamas and other factions agreed in order to give a chance to the Egyptian mediation and to show that the problem was always on the Israeli side," senior Hamas official Ayman Taha told Reuters. "If a new offer (for a truce) were made, which met our demands, then we would be willing to study it." The demands include ceasing incursions into Gaza to destroy rocket launchers and to open border crossings.

Taha said if Israeli air strikes in Gaza escalate that the Palestinians would retaliate against Israel with more attacks, including suicide bombings.

Also on Monday, Israel allowed humanitarian aid including flour, oil and medical supplies to be delivered by the Egyptian Red Crescent to the Gaza Strip, after reaching an agreement with Egypt.

Meanwhile, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Prof. Gabriela Shalev, on Sunday night filed a letter of complaint with the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council president over the barrage of rocket fire hitting Israel from Gaza.

http://jta.org/news/article/2008/12/22/1001726/hamas-stops-lauching-rockets-for-24-hours