Israel Matzav

And here we go again

Hamas has resumed shooting rockets in the Gaza belt and Ashkelon areas. In the meantime, the 'negotiations' continue.

Residents of Ashkelon, Hof Ashkelon, Be'er Ganim, Zikim, Holit, Nir Yitzhak, Sufa, Netiv Ha'esreh, Yad Mordehai, and Carmia, have rushed to shelters.

The Iron Dome missile defense system shot down one rocket over the Ashkelon area. There are no reports yet on additional hits, injuries, or damage. 

Shortly after the first rocket salvo was fired, Hof Ashkelon Regional Council head Yair Farjun told Channel 2 that the time has come for Israel to respond decisively to the break. 

"Israel needs to give a hard smack to the head of Hamas," Farjun said. "There will be no refuge."

...

Meanwhile, Hamas has insisted that talks in Cairo to pressure Israel into a permanent agreement will continue - even though the terrorist group rejected the notion of extending the "humanitarian ceasefire." 

"All the Palestinian factions, including Hamas, have agreed not to renew the ceasefire because (Israel) is refusing to accommodate our demands, but negotiations continue in Cairo," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhum told AFP.

Earlier Friday, both Hamas and Islamic Jihad leaders announced that they rejected the possibility of extending the 72-hour ceasefire brokered in Cairo, citing Israel's failure to accept their laundry list of unprecedented demands.

Wednesday marked the 69th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.  Saturday marks the 69th anniversary of Nagasaki. Here's what one of my friends wrote to me about each of those bombs.

Hiroshima:

Today in 1945, we dropped the Atom bomb on Hiroshima, instantly killing an estimated 80,000 innocent civilians (including two major prisoner of war camps of our own troops) and an additional 100,000 civilians over the coming months from radiation "so that not one more American soldier die in combat". Give Em Hell, Harry! Truman and the Senate never lost a moment of sleep over the decision, and would kill another 150,000 civilians before the week end. History will not be kind to our generation and its false pretenses of compassion when inappropriate.

Nagasaki:

August 9, 1945 -- we drop "Fat Boy" atomic bomb on Nagasaki. Far more important than Hiroshima, because Japan had already surrendered after Hiroshima, but not unconditionally. They had made 4 minor requests to the League of Nations/UN and the USA. Truman insisted on unconditional and total surrender, with no peace talks or humanitarian cease fire negotiations even for the Hiroshima prefecture.

Nagasaki was not even one of five listed military target cities. It simply had the bad luck of a broken fuel line on one engine of the aircraft carrying the bomb and poor weather, resulting in an early release over any city available. 75,000 dead instantly, 75,000 more to die from radiation. NYPost headline will read succinctly "Jap City Evaporated". But not a single GI would be at risk for combat.

American POWs, situated in the Mitsubishi plant in town as human shields, were at the epicenter of the bombing, necessary casualties who paid the ultimate price in a worthy cause. Herald Tribune reported: "Twelve American airmen were imprisoned at the Chugoku Military Police Headquarters located about 1,300 feet from the hypocenter of the blast. Most died instantly, although two were reported to have been executed by their captors, and two prisoners badly injured by the bombing were left next the Aioi Bridge by the Kempei Tai, where they were stoned to death."

Truman's only comment was "we comprehend the terrible burden this weapon imposes upon us, and thank merciful God that he has supplied us with it and not our enemies". Give 'Em Hell, Harry!

Equally important, 70 years on Germany and Japan are among our closest allies and trading partners. That is not coincidental. Nevertheless, when the new Berlin Schoenfeld airport opens, it will be the first major airport under Japanese or German control. 70 years later. Also not coincidental. Anyone in Jerusalem taking notes, class?

It's long past time for Israel to destroy Hamas the way the United States destroyed Japan. Nuclear weapons are not necessary and would endanger Israelis due to the proximity. But a Dresden-like bombing would definitely be in place. Including Shifa Hospital, which is very definitely a military target at this point.

Enough is enough.

Labels: cease fire, civilian casualties, Gaza, Hamas, Hamas rockets, human shields, IDF, Japan, Operation Protective Edge

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:30 AM