Israel Vows "Fierce And Disproportionate" Action After Rockets Fired

Israel's government has threatened to take "fierce and disproportionate" action in Gaza after Palestinian militants fired six rockets on southern Israeli towns this morning.

The preparation to launch fresh attacks on Gaza comes two weeks after Israel halted a three-week onslaught and claimed its aims were "attained fully".

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[jdm953]

I hope this helps and you will have to forgive me if I leave something out.All the Middle East Countries that exist now are the creation of the French Mandate and The British Mandate that filled the void after WWI because of the fall of The Ottoman Empire.The land held by the Ottoman Empire was devided up.The Persians were given a homeland its called Iran.The Turks stay in Turkey.The borders for the new countries of Lebanon,Syria,Jordan,Iraq,Saudia Arabia are set and Egypt is given control of its homeland .The last of the Hebrew people (the Jews)establish Israel for the first time in a very long time in their ancient homeland.Notice that no place for the so called Palestanians because no such people exist yet.Only the Kurds are left with nothing.

[chaos4700]

How insulting. Who are you to decide which ethnic groups exist and which don't? And as for leaving things out? Israel as it exists was not set up by the British Mandate. It doesn't even conform to UN 181 -- which called for both an Jewish and a Palestinian state. As has been the case for the entirety of its history, Israel sabotaged the opportunity for Palestinian statehood by declaring independence and beginning a campaign of ethnic cleansing. This lead to all-out war with its neighbors; after Israel snapped up territory far outside the borders allotted by the UN partition, it sold off some of that territory to barter a peace arrangement for its new neighbors -- land that the Palestinians were entitled to, not Israel, Jordan or Egypt.

Thanks for the attempted history lesson, but I think you'll find your audience here far more well informed than you'd estimated when you set about in your propaganda attempt.

[Brett575]

An ingenious example of speech and politics occurred recently in the United Nations Assembly and made the world community smile.

A representative from Israel began: 'Before beginning my talk I want to tell you something about Moses.

When he struck the rock and it brought forth water, he thought, 'What a good opportunity to have a bath!'

He removed his clothes, put them aside on the rock and entered the water.

When he got out and wanted to dress, his clothes had vanished. A Palestinian had stolen them.'

The Palestinian representative jumped up furiously and shouted, 'What are you talking about? The Palestinians weren't there then.'

The Israeli representative smiled and said, 'And now that we have made that clear, I will begin my speech". ;-)

[chaos4700]

That's cute. It's a total fabrication, of course. A fabrication within a fabrication, no less. By deception one will wage war, I suppose.

[chaos4700]

Can we stow the racist jokes, by the way? Most of us don't find them funny, here.

[Freenation]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/09/israel-foreign-ministry-media

[scared4ALL]

Come on people. Help save the innocent & their children in by speaking out . Pass this link around as much as possible and tell everyone to demand Obama stop allowing "US" to support Israel.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

[zius]

man i really hope the stupidity ends on both sides...all atrocities in human history begin with the feeling of self righteousness..it removes your conscience and replaced it with a state of mind that tells you your allways right. ...very bad thing can in that state of mind

[zius]

...very bad thing can HAPPEN In that state of mind

[zius]

if anti muslimite (borrowing from the word anti-Semite) sentiment (just because 100.000 or so are extremist out of at least one billion)this could lead to crimes of discrimination and intolerance against normal people who happen to be muslim ...this is very serious and its affecting peopleand their are some who thinck by making people hate muslims is a good for Israel and that is disgusting.

[Aziat]

Really, cause I only hear in the news of attacks against jews all over the world.

[Jezreel]

When the 2 sides called for unilateral cease fires, Hamas leaders said Israel had one week to open the borders to humanitarian aid and end the blockade.

Again, Israel has done neither. Also, during the Gaza massacre, Israel destroyed the police station and killed a number of police recruits and officers. During the July, 2008 - Nov. 4, ceasefire, Hamas arrested members of other militant groups who were shooting rockets into Israel. This time there is no police department to lock them up in and a shortage of police officers.

So how can Hamas stop the shooting if ithere's no place to house the defendants and fewer police to monitor area in light of the awful humanitarian crisis the Gazans are facing.

[jdm953]

All Hamas has to do is not give them the rockets .This should be easy.

[zius]

all israel has to do is give them their land

[jdm953]

I dont see a solution to the Gaza-West Bank problem.Perhaps the area known as Gaza should have remained Egypt after the 6 day war and the area known as the West Bank should have remained Jordan.As for these people who call themselves Palestinians well how could Israel have known that tthey wouldnt be allowed in their own countries.
I am an American so I understand wanting to be a people but I do believe That Hamas plays these Palestians for fools just as Arafat did while filling his own bank account.If they really want to become a people they will have to behave differently to get there.Its not like a country,nation or kingdom of Palestine has ever existed and the first leader of any group of anyone calling themselves Palestinian was Arafat.If they truely want to become a people they need to drop the fantasy and go from there.It may well be possible.

[zius]

THE PROBLEM IS OCCUPATION ... IF ISRAEL DOESN'T GIVE BACK THE LAND IT TOOK THEN ALL OF THIS WILL FAIL ....I SOMEHOW FEEL FOR PRES OBAMA HE NEEDS TO BALANCE THE LOBBY IN THE US AND ALSO TRY TO BE FAIR TO THE PALESTINE ..THE FIRST IS A POLITICAL NECESSITY THE SECOND IS A MORAL CHOICE ...

[Solja]

I'm still trying to figure out why it is mandatory for the US to solve the world's problems. We have our own problems. If these people want to kill each other, then oh well. This mess has been going on for as long as I can remember and I'm sick of it.

It seems to me that "you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar", and both sides need to actually learn this because neither are actually getting their way in all of this fighting, just more death and destruction.

And for the life of me, I cannot figure out why Americans are supporting Hamas in all of this. It seems a bit convenient for folks to totally ignore the concern that Hamas is smuggling weapons to use against Israel. To continuously assault a country that is much, much more powerful militarily is just trying to fulfill a death wish. It makes no sense to sacrifice the Palestinians time and time again. Equally, it makes no sense for the Palestinian people to support Hamas. They are being used as human shields and acting like the victims of Israel.

[kraznet]

As the Wall Street Journal wrote on May 6th,
"For reasons both telling and mysterious, Israel has become unpopular among that segment of public opinion that calls itself progressive. This is the same progressive segment that believes in women's rights, gay rights, the rights to a fair trial and to appeal, freedom of speech and conscience, judicial checks on parliamentary authority. These are rights that exist in Israel and nowhere else in the Middle East. So why is it that the country that is most sympathetic to progressive values gets the least of progressive sympathies?"

it is therefore very strange that, because of their rabid anti Israel views, these progressives have turned into apologists for Islamic fundamentalists (such as hamas and hezbollah) who loath and despise every progressive belief that these folks hold dear.

To support the Palestinian Cause is to be anti women, anti gay and anti democracy.

Finally, To focus so much attention on the Palestinians at the expense of the genocide in Darfur (Muslim killing Muslim), the Muslim on Muslim violence in Iraq, the executions of Muslim gay teens and the violence towards women in Iran--(just for showing their hair), the sentences of stoning or beatings for rape victims in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia (where woman are also forbidden to drive), , the epidemic of honor killings by brothers and fathers of young girls in both Britain, Canada and Turkey is not only morally reprehensible but indefensible.

[skialethia]

The prop a ganda machine is back with a venge ance all over hp, and the rest of us can't get a word in edgewise. I wonder what is fueling this?

[Vickster]

Just because you disagree with something doesn't mean it's propaganda. Likewise, just be cause you agree with something doesn't mean it isn't propaganda.

[skialethia]

The model of so-called progressive values is also doing this!:

“The development of local industry was actively impeded so as to make it impossible for the Palestinians to end their subordination to Israel and to establish the economic underpinnings essential for real political independence.

Withdrawal from Gaza was thus not a prelude to a peace deal with the Palestinian Authority but a prelude to further Zionist expansion on the West Bank.

Israel's settlers were withdrawn but Israeli soldiers continued to control all access to the Gaza Strip by land, sea and air. Gaza was converted overnight into an open-air prison.

Israel likes to portray itself as an island of democracy in a sea of authoritarianism. Yet Israel has never in its entire history done anything to promote democracy on the Arab side and has done a great deal to undermine it.”

While I debunk your lies I will stoop to enlighten you as well by suggesting to you the full article written by Avi Shlaim

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/07/gaza-israel-palestine

[BrutusHonestus]

This is the only way to respond to people (Gazans lead by Hamas) who refuse to even recognize their neighbor's right to exist. Turning the other cheek does not work in the part of the world, and with the people, whooriginally coined the phrase "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth."

[justice2all]

So Israel claimed they attained their goal fully ob Jan. 18th now they say they didn't and need a 'fierce and disproportionate' attack? Must have chnaged their mind about the 'goal' in two weeks? Interesting to say the least...

[chaos4700]

I think what's changed is that Obama has kissed AIPAC's ring, and now Israel knows they have nothing to fear from his administration in the way of obstruction or genuine diplomacy.

[Solja]

Get a grip. Israel has never bowed down to a fight... NEVER. Israel could care less what President Obama or the UN or any other country thinks when someone has attacked them.

And stop spreading your lies. President Obama has said more than once that Hamas needs to stop smuggling weapons and shooting rockets into Israel, and that Israel needs to open its borders and remove all blockades.

This is not President Obama's doing, so quit the right wingnut propaganda. He did not create this mess!

[Samlas]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR4zRbPy2kY&eurl=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1060036.html

[Samlas]

The media shields us from the truth and feeds us only pro Israel propaganda ONLY.

[Kise S.]

Because they knew Americans Wont allow their money to be spent on killing and torture of poor people who doesn't own means to protect them self, So they have to feed you propaganda.

Much love to our American friends

[justice2all]

yeah but not all of us Americans buy the Israeli propaganda anymore

[JonSmiley]

Isn't disproportionate force against international law?

Only Israel could get away with openly defying international law and getting a free pass for it.

[nochaos]

Really...what about America dropping aom bombs on japan..or the allies' indiscriminate bombing of Dresden in Germany-killing over 250,000 German civilians?? I don't remember America going on trial for war crimes!!! Do YOU???

[chaos4700]

So, Israel's hiding behind the US' skirts yet again. Heh.

[justice2all]

In an interview Friday with the daily Yedioth Ahronoth, Eisenkot presented his "Dahiyah Doctrine," under which the IDF would expand its destructive power beyond what it demonstrated two years ago against the Beirut suburb of Dahiyah, considered a Hezbollah stronghold.

"We will wield disproportionate power against every village from which shots are fired on Israel, and cause immense damage and destruction. From our perspective, these are military bases," he said. "This isn't a suggestion. This is a plan that has already been authorized."

(Oh, but how the Israelis will scream in outrage ... when the same logic is applied, in reverse, against their colonies!)

[Solja]

Ever heard of "Shock and Awe"? There wasn't anything close to proportionate about that, and Israel fights the same way as we do. Our way is called the "Powell Doctrine", which means to hit them 10 times harder than they hit you, so they know the next time not to go there.

[chaos4700]

I'm not sure that's what the Powell Doctrine really entails -- from what I understand, that's a matter of having overwhelming numbers, not necessarily engaging in overwhelming force.

And yes, it is quite illegal. The wording as it appears in the Geneva Conventions specifically uses the word "proportionate." Israel has now specifically admitted it intends to violate international law.

[MrKINOKO]

Excellent comment. It's the law of the jungle.

[research]

After see a program on the continuing GAZA Israelis settlements,

It's Obvious many Israelis have the agenda to remove all the Palestinians illegally.

Humas is obviously dedicated to removing all Israelis, illegally.

Only a trusted third party can help.

[nochaos]

There are no Israeli settlements-and no Jews living in Gaza! NONE!!

[research]

Why do you think that?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7861076.stm

[research]

"Israeli-controlled areas and settlements take up about 40% of Gaza’s land."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/world/2001/israel_and_palestinians/key_maps/2.stm

[research]

sorry, I think of them one entity. Your right,

no settlments in Gaza.

[Yaaawn]

Let's be proportinate. If they lob a rocket into Israel, then they should be able to shot a rocket into gaza. if they send morter in, they send a mortor in also. Let it land where it may. Therefore you can't complain of disproportinate behavior. They launch 10 rockets and then isreal shoots 10 rockets into Gaza. Tic for Tac and guess what you will still blame Isreal

[MrKINOKO]

Ummmm.....it's actually "Tit for Tat", but hey...what's a little grammar amongst friends? But let me tell you what would happen if I happened to be walking along, say, Ala Moana Blvd. in Honolulu, minding my own business, and someone attacked me (tried to mug me, whatever). The reprecussions would be swift and dazzling, possibly culminating in an inability on their part to ever do something so stupid to me of anyone else again. In the very least, they would need to think long and hard before they pick on the next 'victim'. That's nothing short of what they would deserve, and precisely what they would get. That's not "disproportionate" when you are simply taking a walk in the park, minding your own beeswax. Or trying to eke out your little piece of paradise in the desert. So....here's some advicefor you, Hamas. When you continuously stick your hand in the fire, keep alot of cold cream and bandages on hand ( pun intended). Or stop. The choice is ALWAYS yours.

[Yaaawn]

Sorry I type fast and forget about the grammer. But I like yah

[jhNY]

What if the guy who attacks you in Honolulu was a Polynesian Hawaiian, you know the guys whose land and freedom was scammed away from them that now you're walking on? Same reaction? Probably. After all, the land was made US property with the approval of the US, with but little inquiry or interest in the opinions of the inhabitants, sort of like the way the Palestinians were consulted before the creation of Israel by Europeans and Americans.

[jast]

So Israel is just innocently "taking a walk in the park, minding their own beeswax"...I hardly think so.

[Solja]

Ditto!

I remember when a LOT of Americans were totally ticked off at the country we thought caused 9/11. They sent in less than 10 guys in 2 airplanes, blew up 2 huge landmark buildings and killed 3,000+ people who were simply minding their business; going about their day. The whole country was crying for weeks on end at the horrific sight we all witnessed.

Our response was fierce, and most of the country was ready to spill some blood in retaliation for what they did, and rightfully so (even though we got the wrong country/guy). What did we do? We went over to their country, and for days on end, dropped our biggest bombs and used our swiftest aircraft and had thousands and thousands of troops on the ground, killing everything in sight, destroying everything in sight, until we found "the guy" in a hole in the ground and the rest of the world was crying uncle.

This is our way. And this is Israel's way. I don't know why Hamas doesn't that.

[jhNY]

Does that mean you think Hamas should confiscate land and water from Israelis when they take them from Palestinians?