Israel Matzav

War coming in Gaza?

The 'truce' was disrupted again Thursday afternoon when 'Palestinian' terrorists fired two Kassam rockets that landed in 'open areas' in the western Negev. A 'faction' of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades - which is the name of the 'armed wing' of 'moderate' 'Palestinian' President Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen's Fatah party - claimed responsibility. The 'Brigades' claimed the rockets were 'revenge' for the IDF's shooting and killing an 18-year old 'Palestinian' who was near the Gaza border fence on Thursday morning (looking to draw fire?). The 18-year old turned out to be unarmed, but he was shot when he did not stop when ordered to do so by IDF troops. This was the first fatality caused by IDF troops since the 'truce' began on June 19.

No one knows which terror group shot the rockets. Hamas is now playing the role of the 'good terrorists,' by claiming that they are trying to stop the rocket fire and by 'graciously' claiming that although they regard Israel's shooting of the intruder on Thursday morning as a violation of the 'truce,' they will not retaliate. This is all part of their game.

Meanwhile the IDF warned the 'Gaza envelope' communities on Thursday that Hamas is preparing for the day after the truce and that it plans on attacking the Gaza envelope communities with a vengeance.

Hamas continues to "drip-drop" mortar shells and rockets at Israel, with the goal of getting Israel used to a situation in which Hamas is "allowed" to respond to perceived Israeli violations of the ceasefire.

Analyst Yehonatan D. HaLevi says that Hamas uses "subcontractors" - small terrorist groups seemingly unlinked to Hamas - to fire many of the rockets is designed, so as to distance the ruling terror organization from official responsibility. Members of the Hamas leadership are afraid of an Israeli response at them personally, and some of them have gone into hiding for various durations of time.

Now you understand why I hesitate to say which terror group was responsible for this afternoon's Kassam fire.

But while the residents of the Gaza envelope are being told to prepare for the worst, the government is doing anything but. As I noted yesterday, the government has decided not to protect any houses that are more than 4.5 kilometers from the Gaza border (while Hamas has already fired rockets with a range as long as 20 kilometers).

Chaim Yellin, head of the Eshkol District Municipal Council, told Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine that he was told by the Prime Minister's Bureau that the project will be considered again in 2009 for possible implementation in 2010. "The problem with this work plan is that the work plan of Hamas is not waiting for 2010 or even for 2009," Yellin said.

So Hamas continues to prepare for war, while the Olmert-Barak-Livni-Yishai government continues to fiddle.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:09 PM