Israel Matzav

Kassam barrage hits Sderot

A barrage of between seven and thirteen Kassams hit Sderot this evening (the reports vary on the numbers). At least one woman is in serious condition with wounds to hear head and stomach, and her child is less seriously injured after her house took a direct hit. A number of other people were 'lightly to moderately' wounded and many more suffered from shock. A school was also hit, but thank God the children had gone home for the day. A second house in the city and a commercial center were also hit. Hamas apparently has better aim than Islamic Jihad.

Hamas took credit for the barrage, claiming that it was revenge for the killing of eleven 'Palestinians' earlier today. But those dead were all from Fatah and Hamas was the party that killed them.

Israel's 'security cabinet' is currently deciding whether to respond seriously. So far, all the IDF is doing is shooting at empty spaces of land.

Arutz Sheva is quoting Channel 2's Arab affairs analyst as saying that Hamas did this to try to stop the 'Palestinian' civil war by unifying all of the factions against Israel. That was my first thought as well, but on second thought I am not sure it's correct. Hamas is clearly stronger than Fatah and more popular than Fatah. They are winning the war. Why would they want to stop it?

It seems more likely to me that what Hamas does want to stop is the transfer of weapons and supplies from Israel and the United States (with Israel's help and consent) to Fatah's forces. Recall that yesterday (which seems like ages ago), Hamas intercepted a weapons shipment headed for Fatah's forces (again). If I'm correct, then hitting Hamas targets will only make matters worse and lead to an escalation.

I think Israel has two possible courses of action that make sense. One would be to very publicly announce that Israel is not taking sides in the 'Palestinian' civil war and therefore will no longer cooperate in the transfer of weapons and supplies to Fatah. The other is to hit targets that belong to both sides. I don't see Israel taking either of those actions, because the Olmert-Peretz-Livni government is so enamored with the 'moderate' Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen that they won't do anything to hurt his standing. So the government will likely do nothing.

You can find a video tour of Sderot under attack (and hear the 'Palestinians' shouting Allahu Akhbar as a Kassam is shot) here.

You can watch one of today's missiles hit a house from the next door neighbor's backyard here. (Hat Tip: Ram)

Labels: Fatah, Gaza, Hamas, Kassam, Sderot

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:00 PM