Sderot to Congress: Don't Finance Terror!

By Findalis


From the Sderot Media Center

Rockets still fall upon Sderot and Southern Israel. Even with a "cease-fire", Hamas will not stop firing rockets.

Ceasefire broken again: Qassam slams into western Negev on Sunday

By Anav Silverman

This week Kibbutz Kfar Aza mourned the death of Jimmy Kedoshim, a husband and father of three, who was killed last year in a Palestinian mortar attack on May 9, 2008. The mortar, fired from northern Gaza, struck Kedoshim, 48, in the backyard of his home. Kedoshim’s death was the first caused by mortar fire since Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.

A day after Kedoshim’s memorial service, the Kfar Aza community was reminded once again that Palestinian rockets still threaten the region. On Sunday, May 10, 2009 a Palestinian Qassam rocket slammed across Kibbutz Kfar Aza, this time landing in an open area in the Regional Council of Sdot Negev and Sha’ar HaNegev. No injuries or damages were reported.
Kedoshim was a well known and beloved figure in the Kfar Aza community.

“The death of Jimmy Kedoshim was devastating for the entire Kfar Aza community,” Karen, a Kfar Aza mother told Sderot Media Center last year. Jimmy, a professional sky diver, raised his three children on the Kfar Aza kibbutz with his wife Anna.

*YNET News contributed to this report.

The media cries that these are homemade rockets, they do little damage and cause very few injuries and deaths. I have a proposition for the members of the media then. Someone will go over to your house with a gun and fire randomly into your home. They will do this for the next 8 years. The media will not cover the event, the police will not stop it. No bullet fired will be aimed. What will YOU do? After all they are just bullets of a small caliber, they do little damage and cause minimum injuries.

You see how your argument is faulty?

US Representatives Continue to Petition Congress on Gaza Aid

by Anav Silverman

Back in March, Sderot Media Center director, Noam Bedein held a special briefing with US Congressmen and their advisors on Capitol Hill, where he highlighted the rocket situation in Sderot and southern Israel in a meeting initiated by the EMET organization President, Sarah Stern.

A day previously, on Monday March 2, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had pledged $900 million at a conference in Egypt set to raise billions of dollars for Gaza reconstruction after Operation Cast Lead.

Following the meeting between Bedein and the Congressmen on Capitol Hill, Democratic Representative Shelley Berkley (D-Nev) sent a letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which demanded that the aid to Gaza be delayed as long as the rocket fire continues and Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian terrorists three years ago, remains captive by Hamas.

Joining Berkley in her efforts to place conditions on the $300 million in US aid for Gaza, is Representative Elliot Engel (D-N.Y.). Three weeks ago, Reps. Elliot and Berkley drafted a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committe; Congressmen David Obey and Jerry Lewis respectively. Reps. Eliot and Berkley stated that "we are concerned that - in the aftermath of Hamas’ unprovoked attacks on Israel - sending hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza without conditions will send precisely the wrong message at the wrong time"

In addition, the Congressmen also added that “ it is essential that we not simply write a “blank check” for the Gaza-based Palestinians to continue" its missile attacks on Israel.

“We must instead send a message that the United States will help with the needs of the Palestinians if--and only if--they meet the conditions of the international community to recognize Israel, renounce terrorism, and commit to all agreements that they have signed with Israel. Not only has Hamas failed to meet any of these conditions, it has not stopped raining rockets on Israeli territory and still holds captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. It is essential that we condition our funding for Gaza on Hamas’ complying with these basic demands.

Read the full letter below.

April 28, 2009

The Honorable David R. Obey, Chairman

The Honorable Jerry Lewis, Ranking Member

Committee on Appropriations

H-218, The Capitol

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis:

We write to you today regarding the President’s request for supplemental funding in fiscal year 2009. It has come to our attention that within President Obama’s request is $900 million in funding for the West Bank and Gaza. We are concerned that - in the aftermath of Hamas’ unprovoked attacks on Israel - sending hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza without conditions will send precisely the wrong message at the wrong time.

In late 2008, Hamas intensified its missile attacks on Israel, using Gaza as a launching pad to terrorize the population of Sderot and other communities in southern Israel. Even after Israel withdrew completely from Gaza in 2005, the unprovoked assault by unguided rockets of terror continued. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) finally retaliated against these attacks, after showing incredible restraint for many years, destroying a great deal of Hamas’ infrastructure within Gaza. While the IDF attempted to minimize civilian casualties, there was damage to many areas in Gaza. The blame for this, however, rests firmly on Hamas’ shoulders, as they began the unprovoked shelling on Israeli cities and were warned repeatedly that the continued shelling would bring a strong response from Israel. Further, Hamas conducted its combat operations from heavily-populated civilian areas and, thus, was responsible for the protection of the civilians in the area. Indeed, this use of unarmed men, women, and children as human shields was shocking and disgraceful.

It is, therefore, essential that we not simply write a “blank check” for the Gaza-based Palestinians to continue acting this way. We must instead send a message that the United States will help with the needs of the Palestinians if - and only if - they meet the conditions of the international community to recognize Israel, renounce terrorism, and commit to all agreements they have signed with Israel. Not only has Hamas failed to meet any of these conditions, it has not stopped raining rockets on Israeli territory and still holds captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. It is essential that we condition our funding for Gaza on Hamas’ complying with these basic demands. Without such links, Palestinians will see the U.S. as providing aid while Hamas continues to terrorize the Israeli people, with no consequences from the U.S. government.

We urge you to condition our funding on reciprocal actions from Hamas. Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Shelley Berkley

Member of Congress

Eliot Engel

Member of Congress

*The JTA News Service contributed to this report.

The United States has pledged $1.1 billion to Gaza. This is effectively giving $1.1 billion to Hamas. For the only funds that are going to Gaza are going to Hamas. Do you believe for one moment that any of the allocated funding will go to rebuild homes, schools, etc...? If you do I got a bridge to sell you in Brooklyn. It is an antique, but in very good condition (real cheap too).

This has got to end. There should be no funds sent until:

1. Hamas recongizes Israel not only has a right to exist but is a Jewish nation.
2. The return of Gilad Schalit safe and unharmed.
3. The immediate ceasation of all attacks on Israel.

After those 3 points are met, then the $1.1 billion in aid should be sent.

It seems that the Obama administration is hell bent on the destruction of the Jewish Nation. Call or write your Representative today! Don't allow your tax dollars to be sent to a terrorist organization. Make your voice heard!

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100 Days, 199 Rockets

by Findalis

From the Sderot Media Center:

199 Missiles Fired at Israel Since Operation Cast Lead

by Jacob Shrybman

The weekly Jewish Sabbath intended for rest and rejuvenation was nothing of the sort this Friday and Saturday as more rockets and mortars struck southern Israel. One qassam and two mortars were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel prompting the Israeli Air Force to target 5 smuggling tunnels between Egypt and the Hamas controlled territory. The Israeli Defense Forces said that this targeting of tunnels was a clear message that there would be a response to every rocket fire.

In the 105 days since the end of the 21 day Operation Cast Lead on January 18th there has been 199 missiles fired at Israeli civilians. More specifically there have been 128 qassam rockets, 66 mortar shells, and 5 grad missiles. These most recent attacks only add to the well over 10,000 missiles that have been fired at Israeli civilians since January 2001.

Archive Photo

Head of Shaar Hanegev Regional Council Alon Shuster commented on the weekend’s rocket fire, “We have no reason to assume that the rocket fire will stop. We did not come to any agreement with or defeat our enemies. The rocket fire is a strategic threat that will follow us in the coming years.”

In a cease-fire both sides must stop all attacks. The Israelis stopped Operation Cast Lead as a favor to Barack Obama, yet they have gotten nothing in return. How much longer does Israel have to endure before they finally finish the job that they started last December?

War not over for PTSD victims in Sderot

by Anav Silverman

Much of the international community and even Israelis living outside the western Negev periphery, are under the impression that rocket fire against Sderot and southern Israel has completely ceased. Israeli news websites and radio stations have carried reports asserting that the number of rockets fired against Israelis in the south has reached all time lows.

While it is true that rocket fire has significantly decreased, Sderot and western Negev residents are still reeling from the impact of the war. The director of the Sderot Mental Health Center, Dr. Adrianna Katz told Sderot Media Center yesterday that area residents are streaming into her clinic, seeking therapy for developing ‘post-war’ trauma symptoms.

Dr. Adriana Katz

“Many new Sderot patients are coming in for help, even though they have lived with the rocket terror for eight years now,” says Dr. Katz. “PTSD symptoms among area residents emerge during periods of ‘quiet’ like now. Many seeking therapy had tried unsuccessfully on their own to suppress these symptoms of trauma during the past rocket escalations.”

PTSD or post-traumatic-stress-disorder is an anxiety disorder which develops after exposure to a terrifying event ordeal which physical harm occurred or was threatened. People suffering from PTSD have a severe an ongoing emotional reaction to extreme psychological trauma. Symptoms include flashbacks and nightmares, difficulty falling asleep, numbness and detachment-all of which impair social and familial relationships as well as performance at work.

Victims of PTSD often avoid stimuli associated with their trauma. In Sderot, it is often impossible for residents to escape the reality that has brought on the trauma symptoms because of the fragile quiet. Dr. Katz explained that recovering patients who hear the Color Red siren just once-the alarm that sends civilians fleeing to shelters-- will go back to experiencing PTSD symptoms.

Indeed, since the ceasefire in mid-January, the Color Red siren has been set off almost weekly in Sderot.

“During the war, my staff discovered a new type of anxiety that developed among Sderot residents, which we termed ‘optimistic anxiety,’“ said Dr. Katz. “Although residents were fearful of the rocket fire, they also experienced for the first time in years-- a sense of optimism that the operation would completely end the rocket terror.”

“However, Sderot residents do not believe that the operation brought about a complete nor lasting change as it was finished halfway. In fact, because the rocket attacks have spread as far as Netivot, Ashdod, and Be’er Sheba, Sderot residents feel even less secure,” Dr. Katz related.

“Many families left Sderot during the war and traveled to nearby cities which they believed were safe from rocket attacks, only to find out they were not. This fact, which was revealed during the war, has spurred on further anxiety among patients.”

Over 5, 500 patient files have opened in the Sderot Mental Health, who has a staff of four counselors, since Palestinian rocket fire on the city began in 2002. Out of those files, 2,500 are active, with many patients seeking treatment for the long term, said Dr. Katz. She did not have an exact number on how many new patients have come in for treatment since the war.

Dr. Katz believes that there are many more PTSD victims in Sderot who are not seeking help. Most residents who do come to Dr. Katz are referred to by a doctor or medical expert, while few arrive by their own initiative.

Dr. Katz offers a small smile when I ask her if she has any hope for a lasting peace in the region. “Not at this moment,” she says as she gets ready to greet her next patient.

PTSD is the most common mental disorder in Sderot. It affects men and women, young and old alike. Any where else in the world, levels of PTSD in a city's population would be considered epidemic with the Main Stream Media jumping over themselves to carry the story. Yet the media is silent about this. The media in the US is silent until Israel tries to stop the rockets, and then they condemn Israel. But you do not have to be silent. You have a voice. Make yourself heard! Contact your local paper, television station, CNN, Fox News, NBC, etc... Let them know that you don't accept that the perpetrators of these acts are NOT the victims! The true victims are the people of Sderot. Especially the children. Little ones who suffer from PTSD and have no voice in America.

And if you are able, please donate a few dollars to the Sderot Media Center. Just click on the logo at the top or bottom of this article. It will take you to their donation site.

The Children of Sderot have no voice. Will you be that voice for them?

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Sderot: Remembering the fallen and the terror continues

By Findalis

From the Sderot Media Center:

Sderot elementary school students remember Israel’s fallen

By Anav Silverman

At Madaim Alon Elementary School, principal Leora Fima stands before her students, marking the beginning of Memorial Day for Israel’s Fallen service held at the school on Tuesday morning.

The 160 students, from first grade to sixth grade, sit quietly in the school hall-- one of the last areas of the school that remains unprotected by rocket attacks.

When Principal Fima tells the students that the siren will go off at any moment in remembrance of Israel’s fallen, a first grader in the crowd asks if she means the Tzeva Adom, or Color Red siren warning of impending rockets. “No, a different siren,” responds Principal Fima.

“The students were badly affected by the impact of the Gaza war,” Principal Fima later tells Sderot Media Center. “It was very difficult to get the students back on track in terms of studying. It was impossible to get them to concentrate and their motivation was completely gone.”

During the Gaza war, many schools in southern Israel including Sderot remained closed.

However, through outside financial contributions, Madaim Alon was able to establish an intensive psychological therapy program for the students. “Once a week, each child in our school undergoes an hour of psychological therapy,” says Fima. “This has helped the students tremendously. Since Passover vacation there has been a significant change in their behavior. The kids are noticeably more relaxed.”

Madim Alon Elementary School is the only school in the western Negev which offers such counseling for students-- many of whom suffer from PTSD symptoms that result from sirens and rocket attacks.

“The kids here understand, perhaps better than anyone else, the meaning behind Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars,” says Fima.

” One student even told me earlier in the week that from war, can we can strive for peace. The kids know that these young soldiers gave up their lives for us to live here today.”

Indeed, the hall was completely quiet as a Madaim Alon student read off the names of Sderot’s fallen soldiers during the ceremony. When the names of the Sderot residents killed by rocket attacks were called out loud, the silence among the children was almost deafening.

“These kids have had to sacrifice so much already at such a young age. And yet they are not consumed by hatred or anger,” said Fima.

Last week Madaim Alon held a Peace Day for its students in light of Operation Cast Lead. The elementary school students organized sessions exploring how the recent Gaza war affected everyone including Palestinian children, Fima explained.

“There is a time for building bridges,” she says.

April Recap: Palestinian terror activities continue in Gaza Strip

By Anav Silverman

Color Red Siren Sounds in Sderot on Israel's Remembrance Day for Fallen of Israel's Wars

While those living outside of Sderot may be under the impression that the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is going well, Sderot and western Negev residents continued to experience rocket fire during the recent Passover holiday and Israel’s Memorial Day for fallen soldiers earlier this week.

On Tuesday afternoon, April 28, the Tzeva Adom or Color Red siren blared throughout Sderot, sending residents racing to shelters.

On Wednesday April 16, a Qassam rocket slammed into the western Negev, with another rocket following 24 hours later. The second rocket was fired hours after the Israel Air Force struck a booby-trapped building in central Gaza.

Both rockets landed in the Eshkol region of the western Negev, in an open an area, causing no reported injuries or damages.

Since the ceasefire began on January 19, over 180 rockets including five grad rockets supplied by Iran, were fired at southern Israel according to the IDF spokesperson's office. There has been a marked decrease in the number of rockets fired at Israeli civilians since Operation Cast Lead. According to the IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, Hamas has been deterred from firing Qassam rockets into Israel since the operation.

"It is not coincidental that there is no [Kassam] rocket fire from Gaza, but we know that terrorism or attacks along the border fence, by sea or from the Gaza Strip into the Sinai Peninsula, are still on the agenda and we are therefore preparing with all the necessary measures," Ashkenazi stated on Monday, April 16, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Other terrorist activities have continued in Gaza. On Thursday April 13, Egyptian officials arrested nine Sinai Beduin near the Gaza border on the suspicion of smuggling weapons, merchandise and money to Hamas. Two of the suspects were caught at the Rafah border crossing in possession of more than $90,000.

Egyptian police had discovered the day before 900 kilograms of TNT hidden in 18 sacks near the Gaza border. Egyptian authorities also arrested three Palestinians on suspicion of infiltrating into the country.

On April 13, the Israeli Navy spotted an unmanned Palestinian fishing boat off the coast of the Gaza Strip. The boat was loaded with hundred of kilograms of explosives and remotely detonated as it approached an Israeli Navy ship, which distanced itself away from it. The fishing boat exploded seconds later, injuring no one.

In the past, Palestinian have tried to detonate explosives-laden ships next to Israel Navy vessels.

According to the Jerusalem Post, four Israeli sailors were wounded in 2002 when Palestinian detonated a fishing boat next to a navy patrol off northern Gaza.

In October 2000, a small ship exploded next to the USS Cole in Yemen, which killed 17 American sailors.

Also last week, Egyptian authorities cracked a Hezbollah-run terrorist ring based in Egypt. Thanks to intelligence information provided by Israel's Mossad and other foreign intelligence services including the CIA, the crackdown led Egyptian authorities to arrest dozens of suspects on Thursday April 16.

According to Ha'aretz, the head of the ring was Lebanese citizen Sami Shihab who was in touch with a special branch of Hezbollah for some time. Egyptian security sources said that the Hezbollah agents had planned a series of terrorist attacks against tourist sites in Sinai where western and Israeli tourists frequent. Egptian sources also noted that the Suez Canal was a target of the ring.

Egypt had been hunting for 13 members of the 49 member Hezbollah ring which included Lebanese and Sudanese citizens for some time. The men had taken shelter in the central Sinal town of al-Nakhl and authorities had feared that the men might escape north into Gaza located 120 miles away through secret tunnels or head further south.

A senior Egyptian source told Haaretz that "Egypt will take active measures against anyone who threatens its national security. We will not allow anyone to do this: Hezbollah, Iran or others. They sought to strike at the national security of Egypt, but luckily we stopped them and uncovered their plot."

The world does not care that over a million people live under the daily threat of rocket attacks from an entity that has sworn to kill each and every one of them. Instead it applauds and rewards the purveyors of the terror with massive amounts of financing in the guise of aid. The Obama administration alone has pledged to give $1.1 billion to help Gaza. US taxpayer funds that will go straight into the hands of Hamas. Obama is even orchestrating the means to put it directly into Hamas' hands. Funds that will not go to the people of Gaza, but to purchase the weapons of terror.

If you feel that funding terror is against the principles that this nation was founded on, then write Congress and let them know that. Let them know that you stand tall with the people of Sderot. That you do not want your tax dollars given to a known terrorist group. That $1.1 billion could be spent better here at home. Just don't be silent!


And like always, I ask you to donate to the Sderot Media Center. Just click on the logo at the top or bottom of this post.

It is time that the sirens fall silent over Sderot!

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European Union and Weapons

by Findalis


From the Sderot Media Center

Weapons smuggling continues into the Gaza Strip

By Sderot Media Center

Over 70 tons of bombmaking supplies have entered Gaza according to Shin Bet head

Hamas is continuing to rearm itself two-and-a-half months after Operation Cast Lead, said Yuval Diskin, head of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet). More than 22 tons of explosives, hundreds of mortar shells, dozens of rockets and anti-tank missiles and 45 tons of raw material to manufacture arms, have been smuggled into the Gaza Strip.

Diskin added that Egypt is doing its part prevent the smuggling, but that the smuggling under the Philadelphi Corridor between Egypt and the Gaza Strip continued unabated.

Hamas is concerned about an escalation in its confrontation with Israel, especially in light of the freeze in talks for a prisoner exchange and the failure so far of its reconciliation talks with Fatah, Diskin said.

An additional round of Hamas-Fatah reconciliation talks was expected to be held Tuesday and Wednesday in Cairo, but nothing was expected to come of it, he said.

"The difference between the two sides is great," Diskin said.

Diskin, in his last briefing to the current government, said there had been a marked decrease in the number of rocket attacks on the western Negev.

"Hamas's military wing is constantly on watch for fear of an escalation, especially in light of the deadlock reached around the prisoner exchange deal and Hamas-Fatah relations."

"There is indeed a drop in rockets, only one rocket from a small organization was fired in recent days. There are two reasons for this: Hamas is not interested in an escalation or another confrontation with Israel, and as a result, Hamas is carrying out arrests before attacks,” said Diskin.

Diskin also stated that Hamas was taking measures to stop small organizations from firing rockets and had signed an agreement with Islamic Jihad to prevent rocket fire for the short term.

Nevertheless, Diskin warned that the small terrorist organizations were plotting to kidnap soldiers, and were also planning attacks inside Israel - either via Sinai, or with the aid of terrorist organizations in Judea and Samaria.

Read the full story here.

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No child should have to live in fear on a daily basis. Every child should have a chance to grow up in a happy, healthy environment.

But the world is all to ready to allow the Jews of Israel, especially those living in Sderot, to suffer these attacks on a daily basis.

Letter to European Union on behalf of Sderot Residents

Dear EU Ambassador,

The EU is to be commended for the mandate that it has undertaken to help civilians whose lives have been affected by the recent Gaza war. EU member states remain well aware of the suffering and economic challenges that exist on the Palestinian side of the Gaza conflict.

The EU remains the most significant financial donor to the Palestinian civilians affected by the war.

In 2008 alone, the EU provided almost 500 million Euros for the health and welfare services to the Palestinian population in Gaza.Yet on the other side of the Gaza war, EU humanitarian aid workers may not be aware of the devastating toll that the Gaza war has taken on the lives of thousands of Israeli civilians who have endured eight years of daily rocket explosions and siren warnings.

Writing from the perspective of an NGO in Sderot where I have worked and lived for the past 2 years, I have witnessed and written about countless homes destroyed, children maimed, and families torn apart by the impact of these lethal attacks.

This is a reality where bomb shelters, which dot the entire city, are used almost daily. Life in Sderot is measured by 15 seconds--the time one has to race to bomb shelter when the siren goes off to warn of impending rockets. A recent study found that more than 80% of Sderot children suffer from PTSD symptoms-post traumatic stress disorder. The long term psychological damage inflicted by the constant rocket fire on both adults and children alike has not yet been fully comprehended or addressed.

Given the mandate of the EU to help civilians in the Gaza war zone rebuild their lives, the time has come for the EU to help fund agencies in Sderot that seek to strengthen the mental heath and social functionality of ordinary Sderot civilians who need psychological aid in order to continue life under rocket terror. Two appropriate services come to mind:

1) THE SDEROT MENTAL HEALTH CENTER

Although Sderot has no medical center (residents who are wounded by rockets must be transferred to the Barzeli hospital in Ashkelon located 20 min. away) a Sderot Mental Health Center, under the auspices of Barzeli hospital does exist, and is run by Dr. Adrianna Katz. The Mental Health Center has become a vital service for the Sderot community, providing psychological treatment to those suffering from PTSD and those who enter shock after experiencing a rocket explosion. The center has only four full time workers to help provide mental health services to almost 5,000 people in Sderot who have been diagnosed with severe mental health stress that has resulted from the anxiety of life under rocket attacks.

The Sderot Mental Health Center needs immediate financial aid to ad staff and to service such a large community of patients.

2) THE SDEROT COMMUNITY THEATER THERAPY PROGRAM

Providing psychological therapy for Sderot high school students by the avenue of the arts and theater, Sderot Community Theater Therapy reaches out to young people in Sderot to help them express their fears and anxieties of life under rocket fire. The high school students creatively produce dramatic presentations, under the guidance of a theater director and psychologist.

With the understanding that the EU will address the humanitarian needs of all sides of a war zone, it would be a welcome gesture if the EU would help provide funds to the mental health services of Sderot and the Western Negev. Such financial assistance is vital to the restoration of normal life for future generations of southern Israelis.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

Anav Silverman, Sderot Information Correspondent

I fear that Anav Silverman's words will be falling on deaf ears. For many of us in the US have witnessed these last few years is Europe's embracing of the Palestinian cause and ignoring the suffering that the Palestians are doing to innocent Israeli children.

You don't have to be silent though. You can help.

Remember Sderot and the people of Southern Israel in your prayers.
Sign up for Code Red alerts here.
Contact your congressman and Senators, reminding them of the United State's commitment to Israel.
And if you are able to, donate a few dollars to the Sderot Media Center. Just click on the logo at the top or bottom of this post.

Every child deserves a happy and safe childhood!

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What kind of man sneaks into a village and attacks a child with an axe?

by Findalis

The worst scum of the Earth that is!

Yesterday Shlomo Nativ, age 16, was murdered by an axe welding, peace-loving member of the Religion of Peace.

Shlomo Nativ, age 16

Sixteen-year-old Shlomo Nativ was killed and a seven-year-old boy was moderately injured in an attack carried out by a terrorist carrying an axe in the West Bank settlement of Bat Ayin Thursday noon.

According to the police, the terrorist managed to flee the scene. The IDF launched a hunt for the terrorist, set up roadblocks and boosted security throughout the communities in the area.

Palestinian sources reported that IDF forces were surrounding a house in the nearby village of Khirbet Safa where they suspected the attacker may be hiding.

A Magen David Adom rescue team tried to resuscitate the teen, who they said ran into a house after being attacked, but he died of his injuries. Ozer Zilbershlad, a ZAKA rescue service volunteer at the scene told Ynet, "You could see a trail of blood where the deceased ran."

Read the full story here.

At 16 you haven't had time to do much in life. He was too young to drive, to young to vote, to young to drink. And being a religious young man, he never even had a girlfriend.

Yet the Palestinians are rejoicing over this great victory. President Obama and the world's leaders are demanding that Israel surrender its nation to these animals, and the children of Israel are paying the price.

It is time for Israel to take a very hard stand and tell the world NO!

NO Negotiations!
NO 2-State Solution!
NO to Oslo, Annapolis, Saudi or any other so-called peace plan!
NOTHING until the Palestinians give up terror as a tactic!

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Sderot: Rockets, Iran and Obama

Cross posted by Findalis


From the Sderot Media Center

50 Gaza Rockets Strike Israel Since Ceasefire

by Anav Silverman

Over 50 Palestinian rockets and mortars have been fired into Israel since the unilateral ceasefire began between Hamas and Israel on January 18. This is the third Hamas-Israel ceasefire held since November 2006.

Two Qassam rockets were fired at the Eshkol region early Thursday morning, on February 19. Around 7:18 am, the Tzeva Adom sounded, followed by the rocket attacks. A third rocket had exploded earlier on the Gaza side. At 6:00 in the evening, the Tzeva Adom set off again--this time in Sderot. A loud explosion followed, with the rocket slamming in the Sderot cemetery.

On Wednesday, February 18, western Negev residents woke up to the sound of the Tzeva Adom, Color Red alert siren blaring at 7:40 am in the morning. A Palestinian rocket fired from Gaza slammed into the Sha'ar HaNegev kibbutz causing no reported damages or injuries. Late Wednesday night, a mortar rocket from Gaza was fired at Sdot Negev region as well. No physical injuries or damages were reported in any of the terror incidents.

There have been at least five Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks on Israel in the past six days.

On Friday, February 13, Palestinian terrorists fired three rockets at Israel, striking the Sderot area. A week before on Friday, February 6, a Palestinian rocket fired from northern Gaza struck Ashkelon at 9: 30 am morning. Another Qassam rocket hit the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council area earlier in the morning the same day.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak stated after the Ashkelon attack that Israel is not gearing up for a second offensive in the Gaza Strip.

According to YNET News, (February 6, 2009) Barak stated that:

"We have no intention of embarking on Operation Cast Lead number two. We said there would be a response (to the rocket fire) and we responded," he said, "Our deterrence is intact. Hamas is barely picking up the pieces and is looking for a lull. If we play our cards right and prevent further escalation than we have a good chance of some peace and quiet."

The IDF has responded to the attacks on Wednesday, February 18, by striking seven smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border and a Hamas security base near Khan Yunis.

Previous ceasefires with Hamas have fraught with rocket fire violations. During the first ceasefire held with Hamas from November 11, 2006 to May 15, 2007, over 315 rockets struck Israel throughout the six-month ceasefire. During the second ceasefire, held between June 19 to December 19, 2008, over 538 Qassam and mortar rockets slammed into Israel.

*Jerusalem Post and YNET News contributed to this report.

In a cease-fire both sides stop fighting not just one. That is unless you are Israel. Then you are the only side to stop all attacks and allow your civilian population to be terrorized by thugs.

The Iran-Hamas Connection and President Obama

by Anav Silverman

As US President Barack Obama makes historic overtures in attempting to foster open dialogue with Iran, the rest of world watches in optimistic anticipation. The UK's Guardian recently reported that Obama's administration drafted a letter to Iran "aimed at unfreezing US-Iranian relations and opening the way for face-to-face talks."

Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has welcomed US overtures saying that:

"The new U.S. administration announced that it's willing to bring about a number of changes and is now taking the course for dialogue. It's quite clear that the real change should be fundamental, not just tactical change, and it is quite clear that the Iranian nation will greet real changes." (CNN, February 10)

Change or no change, residents of southern and northern Israel have reason to be wary of Iran, a country that continues to fund Hamas and Hezbullah terrorism operations.

Thanks to Iranian-produced respectively, along with Grad missiles and technology, Hamas now holds rockets that place close to 1 million Israelis within target range. During Operation Cast Lead, Hamas was able to strike Israel's fifth and sixth largest cities, Ashdod and BeershebaNetivot, Ofakim, Qiryat Gat, Yavneh, and Kiryat Malachi.

Hamas now has aspirations to target other Israeli cities, particularly Tel Aviv. Hamas's Al-Aqsa TV recently proclaimed on a program: "Tel Aviv, all our options are open." (Al Aqsa TV, January 10, 2009)

But it is not only the rockets which are worrying.

Although the Obama administration is keen on turning a new leaf with Iran, the fact remains that Iran is the "central banker" for Middle East terrorism, as former US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice aptly put when she spoke to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Iran's role in supporting Islamic terror in 2006.

The Iranian nation is a leading financial supporter of three terror networks; Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah. Iran transfers several hundreds of million of dollars a year to Hamas, financing the movement and its military wing, Iz Al-Din-al Qassam Brigades. When Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in 2006, Iran awarded the regime with a $50 million bonus (BBC report April 16, 2006).

The Hamas website reported on December 11, 2006 that the Iranians had given $250 million to top Hamas official and fundraiser, Ismail Haniya, of which $100 million was used to cover the salaries of Hamas employees in the social, labor and cultural ministries for a six-month period in 2007. (Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center report )

According to the IICC, Iran regards Hezbollah and Hamas as two important sources of power which Iran uses to promote its strategic goals, that of regional hegemony.

“Using Hezbollah, Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations, the Iranian-Syrian axis can increase its influence in the Arab and Muslim world, pose a serious challenge to Mahmoud Abbas, harm the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and export the Iranian brand of radical Islam to other Sunni countries, especially Egypt. From the Iranian point of view, its sponsorship of Hamas is considered as a means of establishing an Iranian foothold in the heart of the Sunni world.”

Iranians themselves fully identify with Hamas’s goals to destroy Israel, as most recently indicated when more than 70,000 Iranian student volunteers registered to carry out suicide bombings against Israel to support Hamas during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. (AP January 5) The rush of volunteers transpired when Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a religious decree stating that anyone who carried out an attack against Israel would be considered a martyr.

Iranian schools, like Hamas, contain children’s textbooks which teach Iranian schoolchildren to hate and fear Israel. IMPACT recently published a short volume on The War Curriculum in Iran, which exposes the way in which Iranian textbooks connect the Islamic Revolution in Iran to the struggle for the liberation of Palestine.

Children as young as eight years of age learn in Iranian history textbooks that

“God willing, the day will come when all Muslims will be united, liberate Palestine and save Jerusalem from the hands of the enemies of Islam.”
Social Studies, Grade 3 (2004) p. 56

And finally, Iran’s perception of the West is just as hostile. Iranian school books equal the United States with “the Great Satan.” Westernization receives a special label in Persian, known as Gharbzadegi, which literally means being smitten with the West in a way that corrupts the soul. “Westernization is treated as an ominous danger targeting Islamic identity.” (The War Curriculum in Iranian Schoolbooks p.162)

Is it any wonder that Iran and most of its population of 74 million residents determinedly supports the Hamas regim? After all the Iranian national education system and religious institutions for the past thirty years has indoctrinated a hate education against Israel and the West.

The question is-- what will President Obama be willing to believe of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should he engage in direct talks, as Iranian financial aid and rockets continue to strengthen Hamas and Hezbollah. And will Israel be pressured to talk to Hamas in the same fashion?

Obama is trying to emulate both FDR and Abraham Lincoln, but in reality he is emulating Neville Chamberlain. Obama has gone down a path that will not bring peace to the region, but I do invision him stepping down from Air Force One in the future, waving a piece of paper, and shouting: "We now have peace in our lifetime." The word for that is appeasement and surrender. And neither one is an option.

Like always I ask my readers to say a prayer or Psalm 130 for the people of Sderot, to subscribe to the Code Red alerts, contact your Representatives in Congress and the President, and if they can to send a donation to the Sderot Media Center. Just click on the logo at the top or bottom of this post and follow the instructions there. But don't stand idly by.

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Qassam Shmasam

by Findalis

From Sderot Media Center

By Livnat Shaubi

Statements such as "a rocket landed in an open area" or "no one was wounded and no damage was reported" permeate the news reports from Sderot.

But what happens when these rocket attacks result in death and serious injuries?

The Abekasis Family lost their daughter Ella four years ago. Seventeen-year-old Ella was returning from a "Benei Akiva" youth group meeting on a Saturday night when the "Tseva Adom" siren sounded. She lay on top of her brother when a Kassam rocket landed near them and saved his life. In doing so, however, she sustained injuries from the rocket and died a week later.

This Thursday, February 5, 2009, a memorial will be held in "Mishkan Ella,” a bomb-safe activity center in Sderot that was built in her memory.

Livnat Shauvi from the Sderot Media Center met her parents, Yonatan and Sima Abekasis, who shared stories about Ella’s unique personality and final heroic action.

Ella's story spurred President Shimon Peres to visit Sderot after a long absence from the city. Following his "kasam shmasam" remark two years ago in the media, Mr. Abekasis called him on the phone and told him that his mocking of the citizens of Sderot was a disgrace. Peres, who was not President at the time, told him that the mayor of Sderot did not invite him to visit the city. Mr. Abekasis told Peres that Sderot is not the mayor's kingdom and that he is welcome to visit. After Peres was elected President, he came to visit Sderot for the first time. There, the mayor introduced him to Mr. Abekasis. The President was impressed by the father’s story.

Yonatan repeatedly shares the story of Ella’s final, courageous act. Mishkan Ella was built with the assistance of "Mif'al HaPais"and houses a commemoration hall dedicated to Ella. Different photos of Ella from different periods of her life hang in the room. Also in the room are different papers she had written for elementary and high school. In the commemoration room, a short video is on display that describes the moments after rocket attack and the building of Mishkan Ella. Mishkan Ella hosts a variety of social meetings and gatherings, in addition to offering visitors from across the country an insight into Ella’s unique and selfless character.

A conversation with her mother Sima revealed a noble and extremely unique girl: "When Ella wanted to apply for "Ulpena" (religious high school) she went in for an interview. After a few minutes of conversation with the principal, he told her she was accepted and that she could return to her classroom. Ella did not have to take any exams, but rather her interview alone won her acceptance into the school. Her passion for study was so clear that there was no doubt she was fit for the school.

Ms. Abekasis recalled Ella sharing her feelings with her while talking about her girlfriends. "Once when another girl insulted her, she wouldn’t let me interfere with the situation. She would say each person has her way to express anger and that it is not her duty to educate them. For her, each person was responsible for their own personal growth."

Ella's heroic action shocked the entire country. With no regard for her own life, this brave teenager threw herself onto her brothers' body to protect his life. In that moment, fear ceased to exist and only the devotion and care for a young brother dictated her actions. Ella reacted in a matter that tells of a heroic story that cannot be forgotten. Since her death, the Abekasis family has been to different places in the country and around the world, and wherever they go they meet people who have heard the story and sympathize with the courageous act. In Italy, they went together to the "Benei Akiva" branch, where the relative introduced him to all of the people who already knew the story already. "In Switzerland we were in a hotel, and the daughter of the hotel manager came up to us and said we looked familiar. We told her that we live in Sderot and we lost our daughter. She immediately recalled seeing us on a television news report" said Yonatan.

In this painful week, the fourth annual memorial for her death will be held. The family members repeatedly tell all the things Ella achieved in her seventeen years. For example, they discuss her capability of multitasking-as if she knew she only had a short time to do everything she had planned. Her room remains as she had left it that afternoon before going to Benei Akiva. The same sheets, pictures, closet, and the same smell that has been missed for the past four years. Ms. Abekasis has not gone into the room since Ella's death because it is too hard for her to cope with the loss and the pain. Again this year, family and friends from all over will come to take part in the memorial service. In her memory, a few friends are planning to get together and have a monthly meeting in her memory, in which she will be remembered not only through words but also by deeds. The Benei Akiva branch will also be moving into Mishkan Ella. It is the youth group to which Ella devoted all of her time and to which she will never be able to return.

May her soul rest in peace.

Translated by Avital Mimran-Rosenberg

Just an average teenager, yet she showed exceptional courage in the face of danger. Disregarding her own safety, she saved the life of her younger brother. And in doing so became a symbol of the innocent Israeli civilians.

Already the Kadima government is preparing to agree to an 18-month truce with Hamas. During the last truce the rockets didn't stop. The people of Sderot can expect the same.

In late December Israel retaliated for the non-stop rocket attacks, the world pitched a fit. Yet the same world said nothing about the 8 years of rocket attacks on Israel.

The world will do and say nothing to stop the rockets, the Kadima government will do nothing to stop the rockets, and the people of Sderot will continue to suffer.

You can do something. You can sign up for Code Red alerts to be sent to your cell phone. You can call your Senator, your Congressman, the President to stop the rockets. You can pray for the people of Sderot and the South of Israel. And if you can, you can donate to the Sderot Media Center. Just click on the logo at the top or bottom of this post. The money you donate will be used directly for the people under attack. But get involved and do something.

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We Have Won! Sort Of...

by Findalis

It hasn't been a week since the IDF stopped Operation Cast Lead and already Hamas Leader Khaled Mash'al is claiming victory.

Following are excerpts from a public address delivered by Hamas Leader Khaled Mash'al, which aired on Al-Quds TV on January 21, 2009:

TO VIEW THIS CLIP AND OTHERS, YOU MUST LOG IN/REGISTER FOR MEMRI TV, AT http://subscriptions.memri.org/content/en/member_registr_tv.htm. REGISTRATION IS FREE OF CHARGE.

To view this clip, visit http://www.memritv.org/clip/en/1992.htm?auth=2c2fc0eae230e567c0f596bbed5f3b9c.

"This Is The First War That Our People Has Won On Its Land... Therefore, The Gaza War is a Turning Point in the Struggle With The Zionist Enemy"

Khaled Mash'al: "Yes, Gaza emerged victorious. Yes, the enemy has failed, and the resistance has emerged victorious, and with it, our people and our nation have emerged victorious. Allah be praised, our victory in Gaza was greater and clearer than the false claims of the aggressors, and than the doubts cast by the collaborators, and by those who have forsaken us. Does it not suffice that the goals of the enemy have not been accomplished? It has failed on the ground, just as it has failed politically. Ultimately, after three weeks, it was forced to declare a unilateral cease-fire and withdrawal, without any agreement or terms that bind or limit the resistance.
[...]

"This is the first war that our people has won on its land - the first
real large-scale war. Therefore, the Gaza war is a turning point in the struggle with the Zionist enemy. With its significance, its accomplishments, its timing, and its greatness, it serves as a cornerstone for an effective and serious strategy for liberation, which begins in Palestine, and will continue everywhere, with the support of the nation." [...]

"Compensation For Your Blood And Souls You Will Get From Allah... In Paradise"

"We will bear our responsibility vis-à-vis the displaced. Allah willing, we will give you
all shelter. We will compensate you with what we can, but compensation for your blood and souls you will get from Allah, in the World to Come, in Paradise.

"Your brothers in the Hamas movement, and in the government of my brother Haniya, as well as all the honorable national and Islamic leaders, have already begun working to accomplish this project – the project of rebuilding, housing, compensating, and treating the wounded. We have contacted several countries, some of which we even visited. Everybody is working like in a beehive for your sake.

"There are two tracks with regard to our role in this plan. In the urgent track – to the families of the martyrs and the wounded, and to the displaced families who have lost their homes, we will give specific sums of money, the details of which I leave to the government of my brother Haniya.
We will also treat the wounded. This is the urgent track. The subsequent track will include a reconstruction plan, with which we will compensate you for all that has happened, and rebuild what was destroyed." [...]

"I Say to [The Arab Countries], Regarding the Money [Donated]...: Scrutinize Carefully Into Whose Hands You Place It"

"I say to [the Arab countries], regarding the money [donated] on behalf of your countries and good peoples: Scrutinize carefully into whose hands you place it. Do not place it in the hands of the corrupt people. There are two options: Either give it to the legitimate government of my brother Ismail Haniya in Gaza – an honest government with proven experience in serving the people – and they will lead the reconstruction
under your supervision, or carry it out yourselves, through companies from your own countries, funds and institutions from your own countries, or any method you
choose. You yourselves take over the reconstruction plans. But today, no Palestinian – and I believe that no none among your own peoples – will accept that this money be placed in the hands of the corrupt people. You know the truth. You have vast experience in that." [...]

"Some Say: What Kind Of Victory Is This, With All The Destruction... To Them, We Say: Was There Ever A People That Was Liberated Without Casualties?"

"Some say: What kind of victory is this, with all the destruction? Some people have emerged from the holes in which they hid during the war. They were afraid of the war, so they lowered their voices, fearing the rage of the Arab, Islamic, and Palestinian masses. Today, they have begun croaking like ravens, saying: Hamas should see what has befallen our land.

"To them, we say: Was there ever a people that was liberated without casualties? Take a look at history. This is important, and should reach the whole world. Large cities in the world were destroyed and rebuilt. These cities suffered great destruction. What happened to London in World War II? What happened to Paris? What happened in Hanoi, in Leningrad, and in Stalingrad? What happened to you, my brothers from the factions that have a history in Lebanon? What happened to Beirut? Beirut was not your land. You were guests there. Nevertheless, you fought for 88 days. So why do you pin your opposition to the steadfastness in Gaza on the destruction, the killings, and the massacres, even though you allowed yourselves to go on for all those days in Beirut in 1982?" [...]


"Who Does the British People Respect More – Churchill, Who Fought the Nazis, or Chamberlain, Who Appeased Hitler?"

"Who does the British people respect more – Churchill, who fought the Nazis, or Chamberlain, who appeased Hitler? Does the French people respect De Gaulle, who from London continued his resistance to the Nazis in France, or General Pétain, the leader of the Vichy government, which resembles more than anything the [Palestinian] 'Autonomy' Authority. Only the honorable are recorded in history in letters of light.

"To those who appease [the enemy], under the pretext of avoiding casualties, we say that victory can only be achieved through blood. In 1940, Churchill, who is not considered a terrorist by today's criteria, because he had European blood in his veins, said to British people as soon as he took power in 1940: I can only promise you sweat, blood, tears, and toil. This is what leaders should be like. Leaders should not be like beggars on the negotiations track.

"In Stalingrad... In Leningrad, there were 600 casualties... Sorry, there were 600,000 casualties in Leningrad, and there were one million displaced people. This rule applies to us, just as it applies to any other nation."

"We Want a Palestinian Reconciliation – But After the Lesson of Gaza, What Will Be The Basis For The Reconciliation?"

"My beloved [brothers] in the West Bank – your day has come. I know that you waged an Intifada in the past, but the oppression has prevented you from waging a great Intifada, as you did in the past. However, we cannot place the entire national burden on Gaza.

[...]

"We want a Palestinian reconciliation. But after the lesson of Gaza, what will be the basis for the reconciliation? We want it to be based on the resistance, and on adherence to our national rights, and not on these futile negotiations, or on concessions regarding Jerusalem, the Right of Return, or the land.

[...]

"Yes, we support internal Palestinian dialogue, but in order for it to be a serious and successful dialogue, it must be preceded by certain steps. The detainees must be released, and the security cooperation with the enemy must be stopped."[...]

"The International Community... the Quartet, and... Obama's New Administration... Should Stop Israel... The Time Has Come For You to Deal With Hamas"

"This was a lesson to the reasonable people in the international community, to the Quartet, and to Obama's new administration and his allies in Europe. They should stop Israel, and they should know that Israel is incapable of defending itself, and that the occupation and aggression have no future. The second lesson that needs to be learned is that three years of attempting to rule out Hamas are enough.
[...]

"The time has come for you to deal with Hamas, which has gained legitimacy from its struggle, from the ballot boxes, from its incorruptibility, from its service to its people, and now it has gained legitimacy from its victory over the strongest power in the region. The time has come for you to deal with Hamas properly – not because we have something to gain from this. By no means. This is a national demand. We do not force ourselves on anybody."

For some reason I don't quite understand, how can you call something a victory when your leadership is either dead or hiding in tunnels like rats. When your population is subjected to bombings and shootings, and your troops threw down their weapons and ran. Your crack troops, the one's trained by your masters in Iran, were slaughtered to a man. It didn't even take the IDF an hour to defeat them.

How strange it is to see him quote Sir Winston Churchill. But here is a better quote from Sir Winston. One that shows exactly how he felt and would feel about Hamas and its leadership today.

"How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property‹either as a child, a wife, or a concubine‹must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science‹the science against which it had vainly struggled‹the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome."

~~ Sir Winston Churchill

Not very supportive of Hamas, Islam and Palestinians is it? But that shouldn't stop him. After all he was on a roll. And a big mistake, a fubar, he gave away. One had to listen carefully to it and know the news to understand this one:

"In Stalingrad... In Leningrad, there were 600 casualties... Sorry, there were
600,000 casualties in Leningrad, and there were one million displaced people.
This rule applies to us, just as it applies to any other nation."

Doesn't seem like much of a mistake until you read this report from the Jerusalem Post:

Maximum 600 Palestinians died in Gaza

The number of Palestinians killed in Operation Cast Lead did not exceed five or six hundred, Lorenzo Cremonesi, a correspondent for Italy's Corriere della sera reported on Thursday.

Cremonesi based his report on tours of hospitals in the Gaza Strip and on interviews with families of casualties. He also assessed the number of wounded to be far lower than 5,000, the number quoted by Hamas and repeated by the UN and the Red Cross in Gaza.

"It is sufficient to visit several hospitals [in the Gaza Strip] to understand that the numbers don't add up," he wrote.

In the European hospital in Rafah, one of the facilities which would presumably be filled with wounded from the "war of the tunnels," many beds were empty, according to Cremonesi. A similar situation was noted in the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, and in the privately-run Amal Hospital Cremonesi reported that only five out 150 beds were occupied.

Cremonesi interviewed Gazans who echoed Israel's insistence of how Hamas gunmen used civilians as human shields. One Gazan recalled civilians in Gaza shouting at Hamas and Islamic Jihad men, "Go away, go away from here! Do you want the Israelis to kill us all? Do you want our children to die under their bombs? Take your guns and missiles with you."

"Traitors, collaborators with Israel, spies of Fatah, cowards! The soldiers of the holy war will punish you. And in any case you will all die, like us. Fighting the Zionist Jews we are all destined for paradise. Do you not wish to die with us?" the religious fanatics of Hamas reportedly responded.

Other Palestinians told Cremonesi of Hamas operatives donning paramedic uniforms and commandeering ambulances. A woman identified as Um Abdullah, 48, spoke of Hamas using UN buildings as launch pads for rockets.

Cremonesi reported that he had difficultly gathering evidence as the local population was terrified of Hamas.

Civilians scared of their government. Terror coming not from Israel, but from Hamas. And a big slip of the tongue from Hamas Leader Khaled Mash'al all adds up to one thing:

Hamas if fighting for its existence and is vulnerable.

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From Sderot: Cease-Fire? Rockets And A Plumber Named Joe

Cross posted from Monkey in the Middle by Findalis


Every day for 8 years rockets have fallen in the Western Negev. The primary focus of these rockets has been the city of Sderot. Sderot is less than a mile from Gaza, and Hamas has made it a focus of its attacks in an effort to drive the citizens out of it and annex it into Gaza. Founded in 1951, Sderot attracted settlers from all walks of Israeli culture. Before 1990, Sderot was noted for cultural achievements. It was the center for underground music and is best noted as the birth place of Israeli poet Shimon Adaf.

Here now is the news from Sderot:

Cease-fire or Please-fire?
By Rob Cohen

As the conflict in Gaza entered its 19th day (or 8 years and 19 days depending on your perspective), the world increases its pressure for cease-fire talks to stop being talks and become reality.

According to reports Hamas are getting closer to sitting down at the table and have provided Egyptian Foreign Minister, Ahmed Abul Gheit, with detailed proposals of their demands. In turn the Egyptians, appear to not be entirely comfortable with all elements of the plan, according to Al-Jazeerah.net, saying that, “We will tell the Israelis what we have obtained from our brothers Hamas," "There are Hamas positions that we will discuss with the Israelis in the context of all the elements of [Egyptian] President [Hosni] Mubarak's initiative. We hope that things will move forwards but we will not enter into details."

Talk has emerged of a week long humanitarian cease fire but it isn’t clear where this idea originated. Reports in the Jerusalem Post suggest a clear rift between Israeli PM, Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni. With Barak seemingly floating the idea of a longer ceasefire through less than official lines. It is becoming apparent that the forthcoming elections are encroaching into the way the conflict may be managed by Israel’s leaders, and a cease-fire may be being viewed as a please-fire, with votes up for grabs.

Pensioners Minister, Rafi Eitan, had foreseen the possibility of the politicisation of the conflict from the outset and called for a postponement of the elections until after the conflict had ended. Thus far those calls have been ignored.

“The people of Israel must be given an opportunity to vote for their new leaders with clear heads, it is impossible to make rational judgements while the country is being hit with missiles and while its sons and daughters are involved in defending its citizens from attack” Said Noam Bedein, Director of the Sderot Media Centre.

Read more here.

A cease-fire will just embolden Hamas and give it a chance to regroup, rearm and attack. Any cease-fire must come with the release of Gilad Schalit and a total cessation of all rocket fire. Without that, a cease-fire only benefits Hamas and Israelis will have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Qassam causes heavy damage to Sderot home
By Anav Silverman

Rocket attacks continued against Israel on Thursday, as an Egyptian brokered ceasefire was being discussed in Cairo. Palestinian terrorists fired over 25 rockets from the Gaza Strip throughout Thursday morning. Six Israelis were severely wounded in Be'er Sheva, including a woman and a seven-year old boy, when Palestinian terrorists fired two Grad rockets which exploded in the city. One rocket directly hit a car.

Most of the Palestinian rockets fired on Thursday were launched in the early morning between 7-8 am.
A Grad rocket landed in Gedera, causing no casualties or damages. Earlier in the morning, a Qassam rocket slammed into a house in Sderot, causing heavy damage to the home and to the cars parked nearby.



The occupants of the house, an elderly couple who have lived in Sderot for eight years, raced to their bomb shelter as soon as they heard the Tzeva Adom (Code Red), the siren warning of rocket attacks coming from Gaza. The husband saw a shower of glass exploding everywhere from where he stood in the bomb shelter and understood that the rocket had hit their home.

Read more and view the video here.

The rockets haven't stopped. Their range is getting larger each week. Pretty soon Tel Aviv, and Dimona will come under rocket attack. And the world still says nothing. Their silence is deafening.

But not the silence of Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber. He is in Sderot coving Operation Cast Lead. His words are the words of the average American. He hasn't been bought by Saudi Oil Money, nor has any friends in the PLO or Hamas. He speaks for Middle America, with common sense and wisdom.

Worse than a Stinking Drain: Joe the Plumber Wants Average Joes to Know the Truth
By Rob Cohen

Many people come to the Sderot Media Centre to be given a first hand insight into the impact of the 8 years of “rocket reality” in the Western Negev; journalists, film-makers, diplomats, politicians, presidents and prime ministers. However, this week, in a slight departure from the usual visitor, the “Joe the Plumber” straight-talking club hit town harder than a Qassam! Joe visited Sderot with the Government Press Office director, Danny Seaman.

Samuel Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, hit the headlines during the US presidential election for giving it straight to Barak Obama on his tax policies. Now it seems he has a new role of reporting on the world’s affairs for the world’s “Average Joes” - people who want it said straight "I want the average American Joes to understand the story here from the point of view of someone like them," he said.

And Joe is angry! Having had a tour of Sderot by Noam Bedein, Director of the Sderot Media Centre, seeing some of the surrounding areas and having spoken to some of the residents of the area, he is very angry. He is angry at what has been happening here for the past eight years, he is angry at what innocent citizens have had to endure, he is angry at the way the world condemns the actions of a democratic state in defending its citizens, he is angry at the Israeli Government for waiting so long before taking action and he is angry with the way the media has covered the story.

So angry that when he got his opportunity, surrounded by the world’s press on a hill overlooking Gaza, he took the opportunity to remind them that the reporting needs to properly reflect the situation here, that this isn’t just a story about the problems the Palestinians in Gaza face. This is a story, about more than 1 million Israelis, trying to go about their daily peaceful existence under constant fear of rocket attack. "I know if I were a citizen here, I'd be damned upset." He commented. “I’m a peace loving man, but when someone hits me, I'm going to unload on the boy. And if the rest of the world doesn't understand that, then I'm sorry."

Read more and watch the video here.

Joe has experienced a rocket attack. He has seen the suffering. He has witnessed the horror first hand. And we all should be to.

Like always I ask my readers if they can spare a few dollars to send to Israel. To the Sderot Media Center. It is more than a clearing house for information and news. It has become a center of help in Sderot. Your donation helps rebuild shattered homes and lives. If you wish to give, just click on the logo below. And remember to keep the people of Sderot, Ashkelon, Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and the South of Israel in your prayers.

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No Cease Fire !

January 14, 2009

Exclusive: Ceasefire in Gaza

Dr. Denis MacEoin

...As their Covenant makes clear, they are fighting a Jihad, and the rules they observe are Jihad rules, based on centuries of legislation about the waging of war against unbelievers. The problem with Jihad rules is that they simply don’t recognize all the elements of international law that modern states base their treaties and international conventions on. Jihad law includes rules on how and when to deceive the foe, and envisages no outcome other than the death or submission of non-Muslims. ...

A recent Hamas pronouncement boasted that the Palestinians (for which read Hamas) have made an industry of death and that everyone plays a part: “...the women exceed at this, and so too do the mujahideen [fighters in jihad] and the children. That’s why they have formed human shields of the women the children the elderly and the mujahideen in order to challenge the Zionist bombing machine.” (My italics)

This is the only fighting force in history to boast that they have made human shields of their own people. There are films of “brave” Hamas gunmen dragging screaming children along to serve as shields, and of civilians sent onto the roofs of rocket launching sites, where, ironically, they know the Israelis will not fire on them. It is a mockery of military ethics, yet it goes barely noticed in the Western media....

This war is not a pretty war, but, truth be told, no wars are pretty. If Hamas cannot be fought to a standstill or until it is a spent force, lulls in the fighting will be of absolutely no use. Beaten to a ceasefire, Hamas will return. They will return and they will fight to a standstill again, then they will regroup and attack once more. More deaths, of Israelis and Palestinians both. Ever-postponed statehood for the Palestinians, unending vituperation of Israel, which is only a democracy trying to defend its civilians from crimes this country would not bear for a week.

I have given you a substantial sample of this fact filled, logical explanation of the situation in Gaza. Click the title link and read it all. Read the concluding paragraph twice. You will learn a great deal about Hamas and its malicious mission. You will learn about the world's double standard and why it is morally unacceptable. You will learn why there must be no cease fire. You need to know; you must inform others.

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