Gaza rocket strikes Ashkelon, injuring 14 Israelis

[oberliner]

After a relatively quiet night, Palestinians in Gaza resumed rocket fire on Israel's southern communities on Saturday.

At around 4:30 P.M., a rocket struck the city of Ashkelon, moderately wounding one person and lightly hurting 13 more. Twenty-three people were treated for shock.

Two other rockets fired by Gaza militants hit open areas near Ashkelon, causing no injuries or damage.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054247.html

[Vegasaurus]

1. And Hamas will continue to fire rockets

despite the fact that stopping them would end the war and the seige.

It's that easy.

Israel no longer even has the goal of destroying Hamas or even of stopping the rockets 'completely'.

They just want them to stop "mostly' and to stop the smuggling of bigger and bigger rockets.

But Hamas has a death wish for its people, and will stop at nothing to lure Israel into a bigger conflict.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. I see no evidence of that

Your assertion that "Israel no longer even has the goal of destroying Hamas or even of stopping the rockets 'completely'" needs some substantiation. As far as I know, Israel's goals are to eliminate Hamas as a political force, destroy any military capability in Gaza, and force the people of Gaza to submit to Israeli authority. I agree, by the way, that Hamas ought to stop with the missile attacks. On the other hand Israel ought to stop with the siege, the bombardment, and the invasion. A cease fire has to be mutual.

[fascisthunter]

4. And Right Wing Israelis have a Death wish of their own

with the consent of many who don't care about human life, but nationality.

[AnOhioan]

8. Yeah...right

Hamas could publicly surrender all weapons today. It would not make any difference, the blockade would continue, the borders would remain under lockdown, the settlements would continue to be built.

If you seriously think that the Israeli gov't would change because Hamas would, you are just deluded.

[uppityperson]

9. And....they're off!

neck to neck, "if only ... would stop, that would simply end it except they won't because they don't care..."

[DogPoundPup]

18. In another report of this 'incident' only TWO were reported

injured by trauma, not so much actually physically injured

[Duckhunter935]

2. And Hamas rejected international monitors

[DogPoundPup]

21. ISRAELI PILOTLESS DRONE KILLS 2 YOUNG CHILDREN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9pRu-sRPb0

[DogPoundPup]

5. Um, not such a big deal apparently ...

No other news outlet is carrying this story. WAIT, Joe the Plumber is on his way.

[ladjf]

6. I can think of no reason why Hamas would continue sending

the ineffective rockets into Israel. nt

[High Plains]

10. To show that all of Israel's military might can't stop them?

And that if Israel wants them to stop, there has to be a just settlement?

[sixmile]

11. Because that's all they've got

Ineffective rockets. Want to learn something 'shocking'? http://www.jr.co.il/terror/israel/index.html See how effective these rocket attacks are at 'shocking' Israeli's.

I've said it before; Hamas is a barking dog with no teeth, the rest is propaganda FROM BOTH SIDES.

[Recursion]

22. You use the weapon you have

What else are they supposed to use?

[Barack_America]

7. .

"An Israeli official told me they were delighted at a BBC TV correspondent broadcasting from Ashkelon in a flak jacket, reinforcing the impression that the Israeli city is a war zone when there is more chance of being hit by a car than a rocket. The notable exception is al-Jazeera TV, which has a bureau in Gaza City and has been broadcasting live from there."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=3681870#3682962

Bottom line, I'll believe it when I see it elsewhere.

[oberliner]

12. Here is a site with video that contains images of the rockets and the damage

http://www.euronews.net/en/article/10/01/2009/hamas-rockets-rain-on-ashkelon/

[DogPoundPup]

17. I have one too...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4pcuh_palestine-rip_politics

[oberliner]

20. Was responding to "I'll believe it when I see it elsewhere"

In an attempt to show that this news story isn't made up.

[HeraldSquare212]

13. It's al-Majdal they're attacking, not Ashkelon.

Oh, I'm sorry....that was the Palestinian name, before the city was cleared, occupied and renamed by the Israelis.

[oberliner]

14. Are you posting from Poospatuck? nt

[HeraldSquare212]

15. No, Manahatta

[oberliner]

16. Gotcha

But on a more serious note, let's hope that this conflict will end soon and we can move back to searching for a peaceful long term solution.

[HeraldSquare212]

19. I think this may well be a turning point.

All this destruction, and yet once it's over nothing will have changed. I think and hope the world and Israel will realize that there must be a different approach.