Israel Gaza War Blog
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Israel-Hamas War Blog
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Editor's Note: This page will provide ongoing updates of news concerning the Israeli-Hamas War Blog for 2009. Newest postings will appear at the top. A-O Report donors will receive additional intelligence updates on the A-O Insider Report webpages for donors.
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Above: The Gaza Strip
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Israel Declares Unilateral Cease Fire
Begins at 2am Jerusalem Time
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Israel Announces Truce
The Israeli Security Cabinet voted in favor of a cease fire in the Gaza Strip, which would end a three-week military operation against the Hamas regime in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced on Saturday that Israel's operation, "Cast Lead" had achieved all of its objectives.
Olmert, made the announcment at a news conference after the cabinet vote. He stated that some of the IDF goals had been exceeded.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, President Mubarak is preparing to host an international peace summit with leaders from several European nations invited to attend. French President Sarkozy will be attending along with Germany's Chancellor Merkel. Britain's Prime Minister Brown has been invited but there has been no confirmation from London that Brown will be able to attend.
For more details on this breaking story, LINK HERE.
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Egypt Invites World Leaders
To Mideast Peace Summit
On Sunday
Egypt's President Mubarak has asked key world leaders to attend a speciall peace summit at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh, located in the Sinai on the Red Sea. More details, LINK HERE.
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Israeli Tank Fire Kills 2 at UN School
Israeli tank fire killed two boys at a UN-run school in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday morning. Earlier reports had put the number at 6 dead. A UN spokesman says 14 people were wounded. when Israeli tank fire hit the UN -operated school in the northern town of Beit Lahiya. More details, LINK HERE.
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Hamas To Keep Fighting
If Their Truce Demands Not Met
Continues Rocket Launches
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Israel May Face War Crimes Trials
Above: Israeli white phosphorus artillery shell hits UN compound. The artillery shelling was witnessed live on televsion also.
There is talk around the international diplomatic community of holding international investigations and perhaps tribunals against Israeli leaders for violating the Geneva Convention and conducting war crimes. This latest spate of war crimes chatter comes after Israeli artillery used white phosphorus artillery shells against a UN relief compound in what many believe to be a violation of international law.
Arab nations are leading the charge for international investigations but European and Asian diplomats as well as some Latin nations are expressing an interest in such investigations also. More details, LINK HERE. Added details, LINK HERE.
UN Human Rights Chief Accuses Israel of War Crimes -- LINK HERE.
Israel's White Phosphorus Attack - War Crime Alleged - LINK HERE.
Israel Denies White Phosphorus Attack - But Evidence is Clear - LINK HERE.
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Hamas May Face War Crimes Inquiries Too
War Crimes experts are noting that if a UN investigation is commissioned into war crimes violations during the Gaza War, then Hamas will likely be investigated for charges as equally serious as the ones against Israel. International law experts indicate that reports of Hamas using civilians as shields is also a violation of the Geneva Convention and thus should be investigated. More details, LINK HERE.
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Previous Update
January 16, 2009, 9am EST, or 4pm Jerusalem Time
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Hamas Ready for Truce?
The intensity of fighting seemed to diminish in Gaza on Friday as truce and ceasefire rumors and reports swirled in the media. Diplomatic efforts have moved into a higher gear with the UN Secretary-General now talking to both Palestinian. and Israeli leaders. The UN Chief is calling for a unilateral ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Israel is mulling over a Palestinian ceasefire proposition that would effectively give Hamas bragging rights to declare a victory.
There is much more going on behind the scenes as a political earthquake apparently has begun to shake the ground underneath Israeli leaders. It is an ominous shaking triggered by President-elect Obama whose transition team quietly has stepped into the matter despite Obama's claims that there can only be one president at a time. The A-O Intelligence Digest will feature more on this seismic political shift and how its going to affect Israel and perhaps impact on Biblical prophecy. It will also explain Israel's strange behavor in the past week.
As diplomatic negotiations continue in Cairo with Egyptian moderating the negotiations, the Arab League is holding a series of meetings this weekend in the Persian Gulf amid wrangling on what the terms of a ceasefire for Gaza should be. Again, the upcoming weekend edition of the A-O Intelligence Digest will provide additional information and analysis of the Arab positioning which could become vital in the overall scheme of the situation. These talks could propel Iran into a leadership role that could threaten the stability of the entire region.
While diplomatic efforts run their course, fighting in Gaza diminished somewhat. Israel's earlier advance towards the center of Gaza City halted., after IDF artillery use white phosphorus shells against a UN relief facility compound, setting the area on fire. Nearby, more Israeli tank fire set a hospital on fire, forcing the evacuation of the hospital. For more details on the diplomacy initiatives, LINK HERE.
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Palestinian Perspective
Israel Tanks Withdraw
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5 More Rickets hit S. Israel
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Previous Update:
January 15, 2009 3pm EST or 7pm Jerusalem Time
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Israel Bombs UN Relief Bldgs
While UN Chief Visits
Israel may well have “lost” the war in Gaza today on Day 20 of Israel's military operation "Cast Lead." Israeli artillery bombarded the UN Relief Worker's Agency main compound in Gaza, setting the compound on fire in a thick white cloud of phosphorus smoke. The incident marked with certainty, Israel's use of white phosphorus weapons, which are highly controversial and in some instances banned by international law. Israel had denied previous allegations of using the controversial weapons.
The Israeli artillery barrage not only set the UN compound on fire, but also relief supplies stacked on pallets. Because the artillery shells used white phosphorus, conventional firefighting was useless as water cannot extinguish phosphorus, only sand. The fire also threatened to blow up 5 gasoline tanker trucks. Much of the UN's relief aid for Gaza was threatened by the fires. Numerous civilians who had taken refuge in the compound were reportedly burned by the phosphorus.
The use of white phosphorus as an incendiary in bombs or artillery shells is prohibited by the Geneva Convention. Article 1 of Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons defines an incendiary weapon as 'any weapon or munition which is primarily designed to set fire to objects or to cause burn injury to persons through the action of flame, heat, or combination thereof, produced by a chemical reaction of a substance delivered on the target'. The same protocol also prohibits the use of incendiary weapons against civilians (already forbidden by the Geneva Conventions) or in civilian areas.
Therefore, Israel's use of white phosphorus violates international law because of its use in civilian areas. What's worse is that the artillery barrage of white phosphorus was not limited to the UN compound but across other areas of Gaza City. This indiscriminate use instantly set off demands for an international, UN investigation and reinforced calls of "War Crimes" trials against Israel's civilian and military leaders because today's incident is not the first time.
On January 14, a Norwegian doctor claimed that white phosphorus shells were exploding over Palestinian refugee camps causing injuries to civilians. Israel denied the accusations that it was using white phosphorus. Today, the UN has incontrovertible proof in their facility that Israel was using the substance.
The UN incident came as Israeli forces finally stepped up their ground operations in earnest with and advance in to the more heavily populated suburbs of Gaza City. Is some cases, there are reports of Israeli troops now entering into more urban areas.
As Israeli troops advanced forward amidst heavy artillery fire, air strikes and tank fire, reports emerged of further Israeli atrocities, including an Israeli tank firing into a Gaza hospital, and soldiers firing into 2 UN marked vehicles. There were also reports that Israeli forces were firing into the offices of international news media outlets including the BBC and Reuter's News Service. Tanks were reportedly firing indiscriminately into high rise apartment buildings. IDF officials defended the actions stating that they were merely returning fire from Hamas fighters. The IDF claimed that Hamas fighters were located in the news media building and had barricaded themselves into the news media offices.
As the IDF forces advanced towards the center of Gaza city, thousands of Palestinian civilians were reported fleeing their homes to get out of the crossfire. The problem is that the civilians had no where to go.
The Israeli advance came amidst withering criticism from political opposition leaders demanding that the Israeli Cabinet quit stalling for peace talk results and get busy finishing the job it started.
The Israeli attack on the UN compound sparked an angry response from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon who had just arrived in Israel to persuade Israeli leaders to initiate a ceasefire. Moon told reporters that he had registered a strong protest and conveyed his outrage at Israel's conduct. He is demanding an investigation.
Israel's Defense Minister Barak called the UN shelling incident, a "grave mistake." Until today's incident, Israel had denied using white phosphorus in its operations. The incident may mark a turning point to the downside for Israel's international relationships. More details, LINK HERE. Additional details, LINK HERE.
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Key Hamas Leader Killed
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Israel Agrees To Ceasefire
Israel has agreed in principle to a new Egyptian ceasefire proposal to end the fighting in Gaza. The proposal is now being considered by Hamas negotiators. It is entirely possible that fighting could be halted by the end of the week if Hamas approves the proposal which seems doubtful. The Hamas leadership in Damascus insists Israel must withdraw its forces immediately. The Egyptian proposal calls for Israeli troops to remain in place until a security arrangement is negotiated to ensure that Hamas cannot continue smuggling weapons into Gaza. With such a sticking point, the proposal will likely be rejected for now, but with international pressure mounting on both sides, a negotiating breakthrough could come quickly.
More details, LINK HERE.
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Previous Update
January 14, 2009 9am EST, or 4pm Jerusalem Time
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3 Rockets Hit Northern Israel
Triggers New Fears of 2nd War Front
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Three Katyusha rockets struck northern Israel on Wednesday morning raising fears that a second war front might be opening up on Israel. Israel authorities said the three rockets landed in open fields near Kiryat Shmona causing no damage or injuries. IDF artillery responded by firing 8 artillery rounds at the suspected launching area.
Just hours after that exchange, Lebanese troops moved in to sweep the area and found three larger “Grad” rockets set up and ready for firing according to Lebanese authorities.
Israeli helicopters began flying reconnaissance missions over the Lebanese-Israeli border region, while Lebanese Army and UN Peacekeeper forces swept through the southern regions of Lebanon looking for Palestinian militants with rockets. There are 13,000 UN peacekeeping troops stationed in Lebanon, primarily in the southern part of Lebanon to keep Hezbollah from returning to set up new defensive positions.
Meanwhile, IDF forces are on “High Alert” as commanders continue to re-assess the security threat to Israel’s northern frontier. The IDF issued a statement warning that Israel holds the Lebanese government and army responsible for any rockets fired at Israel.
Today’s incident comes less than a week after 3 to 5 rockets were fired into northern Israel from south Lebanon. One of those rockets struck a retirement home.
It appears that rogue Palestinian militants are attempting to open up a second war front against Israel’s northern border with the hope of dragging Hezbollah into the fighting and drawing off Israeli forces from Gaza to the northern border regions.
For more on Wednesday’s rocket attack, LINK HERE.
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Israel Says Hamas Damaged
But Not Destroyed
Israeli officials are characterizing their military operation results as having damaged Hamas but officials admit that Hamas is not yet destroyed as a fighting force. Israel has yet to cripple Hamas or to prevent Hamas from firing rockets into southern Israel. As such, Israel’s war objectives remain unresolved and technically, the situation appears to be a stalemate although Israeli forces are positioned in such a way as to be on the verge of crushing Hamas, militarily, at least in Gaza City. Israeli forces have the city surrounded. Hamas forces are cut-off from reinforcements or supplies.
Analysts note that Hamas’s political cohesion was damaged and not fully functioning. Hamas leaders inside Gaza were also more interested in a ceasefire than were its exiled leaders in Syria.
Still Hamas is still able to fire off 20 to 30 rockets per day, which underscores Israel’s inability to stop the rocket fire so far.
All Is Not As It Seems
Ceasefire talks continue in Cairo but are hampered by infighting among Hamas negotiators. Exiled Hamas leaders are at odds with their counterparts from Gaza. The leaders in Gaza would like to just end the confrontation while in Damascus, their exiled leader, Khaled Meshaal pushes for continuing the fight. There is a strong belief among many Mideast analysts that Meshaal’s position is not his own but rather that of his sponsor, Iran. Iran has been urging Hamas to continue the struggle.
While mainstream media keeps reporting that Israel has launched new efforts to capture Gaza City, sources behind the scenes report that this is not the case. As our A-O Insider “Intel” updates have noted, Israeli strategy has been to draw fire from Hamas in the hopes of wasting and using up ammunition that cannot be re-supplied.
Is it Deja Vu All Over Again
A Re-run of 2006?
Israel’s top politicians have delayed giving orders for an all-out assault on Gaza City. Why? They keep waiting on ceasefire negotiations to succeed or fail. It’s apparent that the same Prime Minister Olmert, who misdirected IDF forces to defeat in Lebanon in 2006, is again showing his inability to lead a victory in 2009. His bungling is aided by Defense Minister Barak who is under the apparent illusion that hot rhetoric alone will scare Hamas into accepting the lopsided Egyptian ceasefire proposals.
As a result, Olmert and Barak have not ordered any all-out renewal of ground operations. Aerial bombardments remain intense, but ground action consists of probes and feints to draw and waste enemy ammunition. Such tactics and strategy would be fine, perhaps, if Israel had all the time in the world to wage this war, but Israel’s time is running out.
Most analysts now believe its merely a matter of time before a diplomatic solution is forced upon Israel. The consensus from analysts we’ve been monitoring across the spectrum of media outlets seems to be that something will be forced upon Israel within 5 to 7 days after President-elect Obama takes office.
Because of the impending diplomatic pressures to hit Israel, it appears that Olmert is deliberately leading Israel to another defeat as he did in 2006, although his rhetoric suggests he seeks the destruction of Hamas, his actions suggest otherwise. More details, LINK HERE.
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More Rockets Hit Beersheba
Even as rockets rained down in northern Israel, southern Israel’s city of Beersheba was once again on the receiving end of Hamas rockets. 8 rockets rained across southern Israel with some of rockets striking Beersheba and Yavne while others struck open areas. The rockets were launched early Wednesday afternoon. They were the larger, “Grad” rockets. Israeli officials believe that Hamas is running out of the larger Grad rockets as rocket launchings in the last several days have diminished in number, especially the longer range Grad rockets.
More details, LINK HERE.
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Previous Update:
January 13, 2009 3am EST, or 10am Jerusalem Time
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Ceasefire Rejected
IDF Appears To Be Pushing Forward Again
Hamas has rejected the Egyptian's final offer on a ceasefire proposal. Egypt's president is now preparing for an Arab summit to approve a deal that would force Israel and Hamas to accept a ceasefire compromise proposal unless Israel can crush Hamas between now and Friday when the Arab summit meets in Kuwait.
For several precious hours, Israel's politicians pondered what do next instead of instantly ordering Israeli troops to begin a final onslaught against Hamas in Gaza City and elsewhere in the Gaza Strip.
Finally at 7am Israeli tanks and infantry were reported to be advancing slowly into Gaza City suburbs until 9 am when a scheduled, 3-hour humanitarian relief truce was to take effect allowing supplies to be trucked in for Palestinian civilians. Al Jazeera broadcast phone reports from Gaza residents who were eyewitnessing the slow, Israeli advance. You can read an earlier pre-dawn report from Al Jazeera news -- LINK HERE.
We've also just posted another "A-O Intelligence War Analysis Update" - at the A-O Insider Report's private pages for donors. This updates our prior update of just 4 hours earlier.
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Previous Updates
January 12, 2009 11pm EST, or 7am Jerusalem Time.
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Israeli Cabinet Debates Next Move
Israeli leaders debated Monday how to proceed with the military actions in Gaza. Israel forces surrounding Gaza City are engaged in fierce firefights but are not pressing forward as some mainstream media sources suggest.
Hamas fighters remain defiant as Hamas negotiators followed Iranian instructions to reject the latest Egyptian ceasefire proposals even though Hamas is reportedly cut-off from re-supply of ammunition. A defiant Hamas President Haniya claimed that Hamas was approaching victory by predicting that Gaza would not fall into Israeli hands.
The Hamas president's statements set the bar for Hamas being able to declare a victory should Israel not take over all of Gaza. In doing so, the Hamas leader has set the propaganda stage for a possible ceasefire agreement that would enable Hamas to claim victory if Israel does not take over all of Gaza.
Israeli forces however continue to encircle Gaza City engaging in fierce firefights while Israel's cabinet leaders debate whether or not to order a full-scale assault of Gaza City and the complete takeover of the Gaza Strip. Their option is to find some sort of alternate objective that strips Hamas of a future role in the affairs of Palestinians in Gaza and the elimination of Hamas ability to launch rockets into Israel. Hamas continues to launch an average of 20 rockets a day into southern Israel, much to the continued frustrations of the Israeli military.
There are conflicting reports that the Israeli leadership is ready to order an all out onlsaught against Hamas. As sunrise emerges on Tuesday, January 13, the 18th day of the war, both sides have diminished combat action temporarily after a very active night of numerous firefights. Mainstream media reports of Israeli tanks moving further into Gaza City may be false or only insignificant movements forward.
The A-O Insider Report, the donor's website for intelligence reports and analysis has a new updated assessment of the situation. This latest update posts at the same time as this current update you're now reading. For more details from mainstream media on the Gaza War, LINK HERE.
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Previous Update
January 11, 2009, 8pm EST, or 4am Jerusalem Time
Above: Israeli Tanks fire at night
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Gaza Battles Continue
Israeli and Hamas fighters continue to battle in Gaza this weekend with no end in sight despite calls by the UN for a ceasefire. Neither Hamas or Israel is willing to halt the fighting.
Israeli forces are pushing forward into the southern outskirts of Gaza City. The city is totally surrounded by IDF forces and cut-off from the rest of the Gaza Strip. A top IDF official says that Hamas has been badly hurt by the offensive in Gaza noting also the deaths of senior Hamas ground commanders and shortages of ammunition among Hamas fighters.
Despite running out of ammunition, Israeli leaders do not expect Hamas to raise any white flags of surrender. Some of the most intense ground combat to date occurred during Sunday's battles in Gaza City and among its population of 400,000 people.
IDF sources believe that more than 300 Hamas fighters have been killed so far since operations began on December 27, 2008. The overall Palestinian death count stands at 820 with authorities believing that more than half being civilians. On the Israeli side, 10 IDF soldiers and 3 Israeli civilians have died.
IDF's Third Phase Warning:
Israeli defense officials say they are prepared for a third stage of their offensive, in which ground troops would push further into Gaza, but are waiting for approval from the government. Israel dropped leaflets on Gaza on Saturday warning of a wider offensive.
The first phase was the massive aerial bombardment, and the second saw ground forces enter Gaza, seize open areas used to fire rockets and surround Gaza City. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because military plans have not been made public, said the army also has a contingency plan for a fourth phase - the full reoccupation of Gaza and toppling of Hamas.
"We are safe, but we don't know for how long," said Khamis Alawi, 44, who huddled with his wife and six children in their kitchen overnight. He said bullets riddled his walls and several came in through the windows.
Hamas militants launched barrages of rockets at the Israeli city of Beersheba and at the town of Sderot. Hamas has been hard-hit by the Israeli offensive, but continued to fire rockets from Palestinian residential areas, paralyzing much of southern Israel.
Israeli warplanes bombed targets along the Egypt-Gaza frontier near the town of Rafah early Sunday, shattering windows at the border terminal. The area is riddled by tunnels used to smuggle weapons and supplies into Gaza, and has been repeatedly bombed throughout the Israeli offensive. More details, LINK HERE.
IDF Reserves in battle, now. -- LINK HERE.
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Olmert: Israel Nearing Gaza Goals
Israel's Prime Minister Olmert says that the IDF is nearing its goals in its Gaza military operations. He says military operations will continue in Gaza until those goals are met. The caretaker prime minister urged Israelis to be patient and determined.
IDF forces continued to push slowly into the southern suburbs of Gaza City, the biggest urban area in the densely populated Gaza Strip. More details, LINK HERE.
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Hamas' Rocket Chief Killed
The top Hamas leader in charge of rocket attacks on Israel has been killed. Amier Mansi, an engineer who commanded all of the Hamas rocket forces died during an air strike by an Israeli helicopter attack. Israeli officials report that Mansi was trying to oversee the setup of mortars being fired at Israeli troops when he was killed.
Mansi was the mastermind behing the larger Grad rockets and those long-range rocket strikes against Beersheba. He was not killed however until after a Grad rocket truck the Israeli community of Gedera, near Tel Nof Airbase where it is believed that Israeli nuclear weapons are stored. More details, LINK HERE.
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Iran Tells Hamas "No Deal"
Iran is pressuing Hamas to not accept the Egyptian ceasefire proposal with Israel. That news comes from an Egyptian government official according to a Jerusalem Post report. According to the Post, 2 senior Iranian officials who visited Damascus earlier this past week warned Hamas leaders against the Egyptian proposals. Even so, Hamas officials are meeting with Egyptian negotiators and Israeli officials in separate talks aimed at coming to some sort of peace agreement. More details, LINK HERE.
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Hamas Ignores Iran?
There are indications that Hamas is ready to agree to some sort of ceasefire resolution under the Egyptian proposals. More details, LINK HERE.
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Gunshots Fired from Syria
A handful of Palestinian terrorists apparently tried to trigger an incident between Israeli and Syrian forces by firing potshots into Israel's Golan Heights region from Syrian territory. More details, LINK HERE.
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Previous Updates:
Prior Update January 9, 2pm EST, or 10pm Jerusalem Time
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UN Resolution Mandates Ceasefire
Israel & Hamas Ignore - Fighting Continues
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The UN Security Council voted late Thursday night to order Israel and Hamas to cease fighting but their call fell on deaf ears. The Security Council Resolution passed because the US voted to abstain instead of vetoing the measure. The US move was designed to throw support to an Egyptian-sponsored initiative that Israel favors, but only when the time is right. The Egyptian proposal heavily favors Israel and written for Israel's benefit. Why?
Egypt and other Arab nations are privately pushing (and praying) for an Israeli victory. Key Arab leaders want Hamas crushed for two reasons:
#1. To prevent the Hamas revolutionary model from being exported to their countries for revolution.
#2. To also deal a blow to Iran which sponsors Hamas. A crushing defeat to Hamas becomes a crushing defeat to Iranian imperialism and Iran's efforts to become the regional super-power of the Middle East.
There is a lot of behind-the-scenes diplomacy underway to combat the Hamas threat and deal a blow to Iran and her allies, Syria and Hezbollah. As a result, the pressure is reportdly mounting for Iran to intervene in some manner. We'll be focusing on this issue in this weekend's A-O Intelligence Digest at The A-O Insider Report. Meanwhile...
Israel continues its battle with Hamas. In the past 36 hours, Israeli forces have tightened the noose around Hamas. Israel has reportedly seized the Philadelphia crossing, where hundreds of smuggling tunnels are located. In seizing this area, Israeli forces have cut-off Hamas from any re-supply.
The military situation for Hamas is reported to be tenuous at the moment. Hamas is reportedly reduced in rocket inventory by more than half, with less than 40% of its original rocket inventory still available.
Israel continues to suffer Public Relations blowback from the enormous amount of civilian casualties inflicted to so far. This is a testimony to Israel's determination to crush Hamas, no matter the cost.
Israel warplanes continued heavy sorties on Friday (50) while ground troops edged into Gaza City for heavy, urban fighting. It is reported that Israel is on the verge of bringing in 2 more brigades - reservist units - for mop up duty in the southern part of Gaza.
For more details on the latest at this posting, See LINK HERE.
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Previous Updates:
Latest Update, January 8, 12pm EST, or 8pm Jerusalem Time
3 Lebanese Rockets Hit N. Israel
An ominous development transpired Thursday morning in Northern Israel.
There are conflicting reports from Israel indicate that at least 3 and maybe 5 Katyusha rockets struck northern Israel, during the 8am hour, Israeli time. Four rockets from Lebanon exploded in the Nahariya-Kabri district, early Thursday, Jan. 8. One rocket hit a home for retired citizens. Three were injured and 11 went into shock.
Residents of the western Galilee on Wednesday reported that between three to five rockets hit their communities, with one falling near Nahariya.
Shlomi Regional Council head, Gabi Na'aman, told Channel 1 that local residents have been told to open their bomb shelters and that school has been canceled. The Home Front Command said, however, that no orders have yet been given to cancel school.
Lebanese security sources said that schools in south Lebanon were closed, however, due to fear of Israeli reprisal. Lebanese TV reported the rockets were fired from Wadi Hamoud south of the Litani River. This is supposed to be an area devoid of Hezbollah occupation forces.
Details are still very murky at this point, as the event has just happened, but Israeli military sources reporting through various Israeli media outlets indicate that Israeli warplanes and artillery responded immediately to the attacks.
The question now is – who fired the rockets? The immediate assumption would be that Hezbollah fighters launched their rockets. However, just before hostilities broke out, Israeli forces found and destroyed a battery of rocket launchers being manned by an offshoot of Hamas who’d been given the artillery rockets by Hezbollah. The rocket positions were south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon. This is an area where Hezbollah was barred from occupation by a UN ceasefire accord at the end of the 2006 Summer War. This revelation and destruction of the Hamas rocket launchers indicated that some Hamas operatives in Lebanon were being aided and pushed by Hezbollah (no doubt under Iranian orders) to assist the Hamas operatives. The Lebanese government and Hezbollah later denied responsibility and no group has come forward to claim responsibility.
This latest development of rockets fired from Lebanon may raise the stakes in this Middle East crisis to an all new level. It depends on whether or not this is an isolated incident and it depends on Israel’s response, which initially was to strike the launch target with war planes and artillery bombardment.
Even before the rocket launches from south Lebanon transpired, Hezbollah’s top leader, Hassan Nasrallah announced on Wednesday that Hezbollah was prepared to defend Lebanon from Israeli aggression. Nasrallah warned that Israel was soon likely to attack Hezbollah and he warned Israel that should Israeli forces engage Hezbollah, the terror group’s forces would make things far worse for Israel than what happened in 2006.
Nasrallah’s remarks before the rocket launchings indicates that at the very least Nasrallah was aware of plans by Hamas to trigger a new war in the North with Israel.
The action in the north, comes as Israeli ground troops prepare to deal a death-blow to Hamas’ vital infrastructure – the border tunnels at the Philadelphia border crossing into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. These tunnels were used to smuggle all of the weapons and ammunition that Hamas has stockpiled over the past two years and more.
Israeli infantry and tanks are now within 300 meters of strategic target, despite the deployment of the Hamas “Southern Brigade” to protect this vital facility. Once these tunnels are destroyed, Hamas will be hard pressed to re-supply itself.
It is also believed that a large quantity of bigger rockets have been stored in the tunnels, held in reserve for future use but protected from aerial bombardment by the special engineering of the tunnel’s structure. Capture by Israeli ground forces however removes this vital asset for the Hamas arsenal.
These latest developments coincide with ceasefire negotiations being conducted in Cairo, Egypt. Hamas failed to meet a 6 a.m. deadline (Cairo time) to respond to the latest ceasefire proposal. As Israeli moves to score a smashing defeat of Hamas’ military capabilities, a top Israeli defense ministry official Amos Gilad flew to Cairo Thursday morning to start talks on Egypt's ceasefire proposals. This move suggests that Israel is confident that within 2 to 3 days, they will have achieved their objectives for Gaza and Hamas.
The United States is doing its part to assist Israel by blocking for a second time a UN Security Council attempt to impose its own ceasefire order.
Meanwhile, Israel continues to intensify its Gaza ground operations.
For more details, LINK HERE.
Still more on rocket fire from Lebanon - LINK HERE.
French President Sarkozy Continues in Peacemaker Role -- LINK HERE.
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Iran Cancels Volunteer Suicide Bombers
Iranian officials have called off the request for volunteer suicide bombers to attack Israel. Instead, government officials are asking volunteers to work via political and ‘mental’ jihad. More details, LINK HERE.
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PREVIOUS UPDATES BELOW:
Latest Update, January 7, 12pm EST, or 8pm Jerusalem Time
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Diplomacy Efforts Fail For Now
Fighting Continues
Israel to Expand Invasion of South Gaza
Israeli leaders clarified their position regarding a ceasefire proposal by France and Egypt. Israeli leaders viewed as favorable some of the element in the proposal but for now have rejected other elements.
While diplomatic negotiations continue, Israel's security cabinet gave the Israeli military the green light to continue with Gaza military operations known as "Cast Lead." The green light came after a 3 hour temporary truce to allow humanitarian supplies to be trucked into Gaza.
After the truce ended, Hamas launched 2 longer range "Grad" rockets which landed in downtown Beersheba. IAF warplanes immediately responded in retaliation by bombing the launcher locations.
Tuesday turned out to be the bloodiest day of the war, to date. Israel lost 5 soldiers and dozens of Palestinian civilians were killed at a UN sponsored school after Israeli forces claim they merely returned fire emanating from the school including mortar fire from the school.
Israeli leaders confirmed to news media outlets that Israeli forces would begin entering a larger section of the southern portion of the Gaza Strip.
For more details on Tuesday's developments, LINK HERE.
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Previous Updates:
Latest Update, January 6, 2pm EST or 10pm Jerusalem Time
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International Cease-fire Plan Near?
Some prophecy watchers have wondered if French President, Nicolas Sarkozy might be the "beast" of Revelation chapter 13 and 17:12-16 (as well as other prophetic passages).
Sarkozy is of course of Jewish descent on his mother's side. He has also made it clear that he would like to be the "First" President of a one-world government. He is also working to form a new "Mediterranean Union" that would effectively be a full restoration of the old Roman Empire because it would include the nations of northern Africa. These African nations were once a part of the old Roman empire but are not a part of the EU. Now, Sarkozy is up to his neck in trying to bring peace to Israel.
Today, the French President is attempting to finalize a plan for a Gaza cease-fire. Sarkozy is in Israel, negotiating with Israel's leadership to establish a ceasefire agreement that would halt Israel's military operations in Gaza and Hamas' terror attacks against Israel. The agreement would also prevent Hamas from re-arming by use of foreign nations military forces being stationed in Gaza to enforce a ceasefire agreement. Sarkozy's plan is being taken seriously by Israeli officials and Sarkozy characterized the deal to end Israel's military offensive in Gaza as "not far" away.
Sarkozy's comment concerning the negotiations:
"I'm convinced that there are solutions. We are not far from that. What is needed is simply for one of the players to start for things to go in the right direction."
Sarkozy also travelled to Syria and urged Syria's President Assad to press Hamas leaders who are in Damascus for a truce with Israel.
The UN's Mideast envoy, Tony Blair - also involved in the negotiations told reporters in Jerusalem that:
"What is being talked about is a credible plan to stop the smuggling."
629 Palestinians have been killed and more than 2,700 wounded since Israel launched its assault on Dec. 27 with the declared aim of ending Hamas rocket fire on southern towns. Nine Israelis have been killed in the conflict.
The American response to news of the ceasefire negotiations came from a State Department spokesman, Sean McCormick who stated the the condition for an immediate ceasefire was that it should be "durable, sustainable and not time-limited."
Meanwhile, the French President anncounced that in his next leg of his whirlwind visit across the Middle East was a trip to Sharm el-Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula to meet Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for further ceasefire discussions.
For more details on ceasefire efforts - LINK HERE.
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Fear: Arab/Jew Violence Spreads To Europe
World leaders are concerned that the Gaza war might lead to widespread violence between Arabs and Jews living in Europe. It's already started to develop with Arabs now attacking Jews in synagogues in France, Sweden and Britain.
Monday night, a burning car was rammed into the gates of a synagogue in Toulouse - in southwestern France. Also a Jewish congregation in Helsingborg, Sweden was attacked on Monday night when someone broke a window in a synagogue and threw a burning object into the building. Anti-Jewish graffiti was painted onto Israel's embassy in Stockholm, Sweden.
In Finland, two Israelis were shot by a teenage son of a Palestinian couple. In Belgium, police are on a heigtened state of alert for potential clashes between Arabs and Jews in that country. French President Sarkozy, himself a Jew, warned that his administration would not tolerate any violence linked to the Gaza crisis.
In Britain, the Community Security Trust, a Jewish defense group, said it had seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents since the start of Israel's offensive against Gaza. The group said it recorded 20-25 incidents across the country in the past week - a sizable increase from 2-3 incidents usually reported to the group over the Christmas-New Year period.
Police are investigating an arson attempt Sunday on a synagogue in north London. Assailants splashed liquid on the door and set it on fire. Police would not speculate on whether the attack was linked to the Gaza crisis.
In another incident last week, a gang of 15-20 youths walked along the main street in Golders Green, a largely Jewish neighborhood in north London, shouting "Jew" and "Free Palestine" at passers-by, said Community Security Trust spokesman Mark Gardner.
For more details on this aspect of the Gaza War, LINK HERE.
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Israel Commites Attrocities in Gaza
UN School Attacked - 40+ Kids Dead
It appears from initial reports that Israeli forces may have committed some war-crimes like attrocities on Tuesday as Israeli tanks opened fire on a UN-Sponsored shool in the Gaza Strip.
Hundreds of Palestinians had sought refuge in the school to avoid being caught in the middle of crossfire between Hamas and Israeli forces. 2 Israeli tank shells ripped through the school area sending shrapnel and debris flying throughout the cowering throng of civilians. At least 40 deaths are reported and that figure may grow with dozens more wounded.
The UN is demanding an investigation into the alleged attrocity by Israeli forces.
Attack details - LINK HERE. UN Demands Investigation - LINK HERE
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Israel Closes In on Gaza Cities
On Tuesday, tanks rumbled closer to the towns of Khan Younis and Dir el Balah in south and central Gaza but were still several kilometers outside, witnesses said, adding that the sounds of fighting could be heard from around the new IDF positions.
Israel already has encircled Gaza City, the area's biggest city. More details - LINK HERE.
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Previous Updates:
January 5, 2009 at 2pm EST or 10pm Jerusalem Time
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Heavy Fighting in Gaza
Major clashes between IDF troops and Hamas gunmen were reportedly taking place late Monday evening in the northern Gaza Strip. The clashes marked the first time the IDF extended its ground operation into the densely populated Gaza urban centers.
Live footage from Al-Jazeera showed numerous explosions and fires in the area where the soldiers were said to be operating. Heavy firepower could be heard, and reports told of dozens of artillery shells, as well as air support which had been concentrated in the area.
Just over an hour earlier, the IAF bombed at least 40 smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor on Gaza's southern border with Egypt. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the strikes. More details, LINK HERE.
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Israel Captures Dozens of Hamas Members
Israeli troops have detained "dozens" of Hamas members in the Gaza Strip, an army spokesman told AFP Monday.
"Dozens of Hamas members have been detained over the past several days. Some of them were questioned and were transferred to Israel," he said. LINK
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Hamas Fires 30 Rockets
Strikes Jewish School in Ashdod
Also in Ashkelon
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Israeli Military Chiefs Predict:
Hamas Will Increase Rocket Strikes
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Bush Says Rockets Must Stop
President Bush stated that the United States will not sponsor any cease-fire resolutions at the UN unless or until Hamas stops its rocket attacks. Bush says the rocket attacks must permanently end. More details, LINK HERE.
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Lebanon Won't Join Hamas War
The Lebanese government today announced it had no intention of being dragged into another war with Israel. According to Lebanon's Minister of Information, Tarek Mitri, Hezbollah agrees with this position taken by the Lebanese government to avoid war with Israel. More details, LINK HERE.
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Syria Says:
Israel Proves It Wants No Peace
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Previous Updates:
Update - January 4, 2009 at 11pm EST or 7 am Jerusalem Time
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IDF Surrounds Gaza City!
Slices Up Gaza Strip
Thousands of Israeli troops backed by tanks and helicopter gunships surrounded Gaza's largest city and fought militants at close range Sunday, the first full day of an overwhelming ground offensive in the coastal territory.
Israel said it has inflicted a heavy blow against Hamas as it expands a weeklong offensive meant to stop rocket fire on southern Israel. But spiraling civilian casualties among Palestinians fueled an international outcry, even as the U.S. blocked approval of a U.N. Security Council statement Saturday night calling for an immediate cease-fire.
On Sunday, Israeli soldiers fought primarily in open areas in the launching zones used by Gaza's militants to send rockets raining down on Israeli cities. As the troops in three brigade-size formations moved in, residents of those Israeli cities began cautiously emerging from bomb shelters in hopes that the rocket fire would taper off.
Backing up the troops, mobile artillery units fired shells that exploded in veils of white smoke over Gaza's urban skyline. Tanks pushed south of Gaza City as deep as the abandoned settlement of Netzarim, which Israel left along with other communities when it pulled out of Gaza in 2005.
That effectively cut off Gaza City, the territory's largest population center with some 400,000 residents, from the rest of Gaza to the south. There are indications that Israel may simply 'lay siege' to the city.
Israel's military chief said Hamas fighters were trying to draw soldiers deeper into Gaza's sprawling, densely packed urban areas, where the military said militants were shielding themselves behind civilians. More details, LINK HERE.
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Israel Targets More Tunnels
Abu Ali vows that once the war in Gaza ends he will quickly repair his tunnel under the frontier with Egypt, one of the many underground links used by Palestinian smugglers that have been blasted by Israeli warplanes.
"Life cannot go on in Gaza if the tunnels are destroyed -- they're our only opening to the outside world," he said, speaking inside the Palestinian enclave that has been blockaded by the Jewish state for more than two years.
Hundreds of tunnels have been carved out beneath the Gaza-Egypt frontier, providing a vital conduit to bring basic needs into the territory which has suffered an increasing stranglehold in the past 18 months.
Foodstuffs, building materials, medicines and electric equipment are all brought from Egypt through the passages -- as well as weapons, notably rockets, and ammunition.
Such contraband provides smugglers with a profitable business. It is also a source of income for Hamas, the Islamist movement which has been the sole ruler in the Gaza Strip since June 2007.
The movement levies taxes on the smugglers' income from the tunnels which are linked to the territory's electricity grid with the blessing of Hamas.
Conscious that the goods, particularly weapons, flowing under the border are vital to Hamas in its conflict, Israel has bombed dozens of tunnels since Israel began its offensive on the Gaza Strip on December 27. More details, LINK HERE.
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Bush Protecting Israel
from UN Ceasefire Attempts
Since Israel began its Gaza military operations, the Arab world and UN officials and the Security Council have been attempting to halt Israel's attack by passing a Security Council Resolution mandating a cease-fire. The Bush White House has intervened to thwart such attempts.
The Bush White House has blamed the problem on Hamas and not Israel and thus has directed the USA's ambassador to the UN to vote against any attempts to pass a measure forcing Israel to halt its military actions in Gaza. For now, Israel's friend can hold the dogs of "peace" at bay, but President Bush has only two weeks or so left in which he can continue holding back the diplomatic tide against Irsrael in the UN Security Council.
For more details on how Bush has lately become Israel's stalwart ally, LINK HERE.
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French Prez Leads Peace Move
As Israel carves up the Gaza Strip, French Presidnet Nicolas Sarkozy is now in the Middle East attempting to broker a cease-fire and jump-start new peace talks. Sarkozy's peace campaign includes talks with Israel's caretaker Prime Minsiter Olmert as well as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. More details, LINK HERE.
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Updated - January 4, 2009 - at 10am EST or 6pm Jerusalem Time
- Day 2 of the Ground Invasion
Israeli Troops Battle Hamas
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Intense fighting is reported inside the Gaza Strip as 3 Israeli infantry brigades and tanks moved into northern portions of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, day 2 of ground operations.
Overnight on Saturday into Sunday morning, CNN TV remained locked into solitary coverage of the Gaza War bringing live video shots from Gaza. CNN coverage showed a massive "Shock and Awe" aerial bombing campaign from Israeli warplanes, missiles and artillery barrages.
It was perhaps the most stunning aerial bombardment on the planet since the United States began its air campaign against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in 2003. Israel targeted dozens of new sites for bombardment and hit several ammunition and weapons storage facilities producing tremendous flashes of light in the night and voluminous columns of smoke. which produced a daytime haze as daylight broke over the region.
Reporters on the scene reported that Israel's war operations were just ramping up and had not yet hit full steam as more troops poured across the Gaza border during the night, taking up new positions during the cover of night. Israeli troops have the advantage of the night, thanks to night vision equipment, something that Hamas lacks. News correspondents reported heavy machine gun fire rattled across the region all night long as an indication of heavy fighting.
At the end of the first day of ground combat, Israeli authorities reported 30 Israeli soldiers had been wounded but had not reported any deaths. Hamas claims that it has already captured 2 Israeli soldiers. News reports indicate that Israel has hundreds of tanks and more than 10,000 infantry forces massed on the Gaza border or now inside Gaza. Even as troops marched forward, the IDF announced a call up of another 10,000 reservists for duty.
Hamas continued to retaliate by firing rockets back into Israel from launching positions on the streets of Gaza City where Israeli troops were attempting to infiltrate.
Late reports indicate that Israeli forces were also now on the march in the southern Gaza Strip near Rafah and the Egyptian border area with Gaza. AP newswire reports that Israeli forces have also cut a swath through the middle of teh Gaza Strip and thus cutting the territory into two halves.
World Reaction:
The UN Security Council convened for an emergency meeting that lasted late into the night. The meeting was held at the urgent insistence of numerous Arab nations demanding action by the Security Council. Reporters at the UN indicate that the Council was in almost unanimous agreement in calling for a mandatory ceasefire. The only hold out nation halting UN action was the United States, siding with Israel for the need to let things play out, at least for awhile longer until Israel had either achieved its objectvies or Hamas capitulated.
Outside the UN, numerous nations condemned Israel's actions, including France. French President Sarkozy is flying to Israel on Monday for truce talks in a bid to garner a cease-fire agreement.
War Action Round Up --- LINK
CNN Reports on Civilians in Cross-fire - LINK
Hamas Claims 2 Israeli Soldiers Captured - LINK
Israeli Military Cuts Gaza in Half - LINK
Diplomacy - Israel Condemned -
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Previous Updates:
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January 3, 2009 - 3pm EST/11pm Israel Time (IT)
Israeli Ground Forces Begin Invasion
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Israeli leaders ordered the Israeli Army to begin the first phase of ground operations inside Gaza. Invasion forces consist of Infantry, Armored Tanks, and Engineer units. Israeli troops began movement into the Gaza Strip on Saturday evening, January 3 under the cover of darkness.
CNN broadcast live Nightvision footage of Israel infantry marching across the Gaza border to do battle with Hamas gunmen waiting inside the Gaza border region. Overhead, Israeli helicopters and warplanes provided support.
Initial reports indicate that Israeli forces were moving into the northern portion of the Gaza Strip. CNN reporters understood that the initial movement of forces would be limited to rural ground areas where Hamas roceteers had been launching rockets into Israel. Military analysts are guessing that Israeli forces will not likely move into the more urban areas of Gaza itself, at least not for now.
As ground troops began crossing into Gaza, the IDF called up thousands more Army reservists for active duty in anticipation of escalating the operations within the next few days.
More information on this initial invasion activity - LINK HERE.
More details -- LINK HERE
Mobilization of reserves - LINK HERE.
More Updates will follow when sigificant news emerges.
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