Israellycool

No podcast from me today. Just some more liveblogging of Operation Summer Rains.

Since my last liveblogging post last night Israel time, IAF planes have struck locations in Gaza, including the Palestinian Interior Ministry, a Fatah office, and a Hamas training camp, all identified as places of terror activity.

AP report that “Casualties began to mount.” But if you read on, you will see who the casualties are.

The local leader of Islamic Jihad, Mohammed Abdel Al, 25, died early Friday of wounds he suffered an Israeli airstrike in Rafah, hospital officials said, and three Fatah-affiliated gunmen were wounded in a gun battle in the Jebaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza.

They are also reporting that a 5-year old girl was wounded, but thankfully her wounds are not life threatening, and we do not know for sure how she sustained them.

Meanwhile, Israel are giving diplomacy a chance, postponing the ground operation into northern Gaza so that Egyptian President Mubarak can negotiate an agreement with Hamas. Initial reports indicated that Hamas agreed to the conditional release of our kidnapped soldier, Gilad Shalit, but Israel had rejected these terms. While the terms were not made public, it was reported that Mubarak warned Hamas leaders against holding on to their “extreme positions.”

Now, the Jerusalem Post reports that according to palestinian sources, Mubarak suggested that Hamas release Gilad, in exchange for Israel withdrawing from the Gaza Strip, and releasing those palestinian prisoners who were already scheduled to be released within the next year. Mubarak also demanded that Syria’s Bashar “Dorktator” Assad deport the Syrian-based Hamas

leadership unless it agrees to release Gilad. According to these same palestinian sources, Israel did not reject Mubarak’s initiative.

Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)

6:55PM: Ok, with the Jewish Sabbath starting in half an hour, I am stopping here. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

I doubt I will be able to replicate the liveblogging to this extent next week (I was sick at home the past few days, in case you were wondering how on Earth I found the time). But if you were a newcomer, I hope you pop around again for this Aussie’s perspective on Israel and the Middle East.

In the meantime, please keep in your prayers Gilad Shalit, the Asheri family, and our amazing soldiers.

6:50PM: Protests in Turkey:

Thousands of angry Turks burned Israeli flags and chanted pro-Hamas slogans Friday in a protest against Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip.
 
Hundreds of women, many wearing black chadors or Islamic-style head scarves, carried Palestinian flags and yelled, “Murderer Israel, get out of Palestine!‚Äù

A man with a loud speaker warned the Jewish state that it was turning Turkey’s 70 million Muslims against it.

“Inshallah (God willing), all of Turkey will show in coming days that it is behind Palestine!” He said.

It would seem we have a long way to go.

As protesters streamed out of the Beyazid Mosque after prayers and began to fill the square, police said they estimated 5,000 people had shown up. Later, they downgraded that estimate to 2,000.

Ho-hum. What this story needs is a superfluous Israel-Nazi analogy.

The top Palestinian diplomat to Turkey, Nabil Marouf, said on Friday that the events in Gaza were “a true holocaust.”

Again, it would seem like we have a long way to go, since by my calculations, we have killed only a handful of terrorists, and no innocents.

5:40PM: The IAF confirmed that we did, in fact, strike a car carrying terrorists planning to fire Kassams into Israel.

5:15PM: More on the reported “airstrike”:

Palestinian sources reported that two Palestinians were hurt in a car blast in the northern Gaza Strip.
 
The circumstances of the blast are still unknown, but it may be caused by Israel Defense Forces fire at a Palestinian car. (Ali Waked)

Yes, Ali, but it could also be a work accident.

4:56PM: There has reportedly been an airstrike on a car in the northern Gaza Strip.

4:53PM: Palestinian Prime Minister terrorist Ismail Haniyeh is standing firm.

4:45PM: The Jerusalem Post report that Fatah’s (Mahmoud Abbas’ group, folks) Al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades, claim to have kidnapped an IDF soldier somewhere in the West Bank. The IDF is currently checking the claim.

3:00PM: Introducing our latest weapon: Zionist Death Wall.^TM

Security forces successfully tested a special wall designed to protect buildings from Qassam rockets on Thursday.

In a first experiment in Rishon Letzion, headed by Home Front Commander Yitzhak Gershon, a number of rockets resembling Qassams were fired at the wall. The wall stood up to the rockets, which failed to penetrate.

It was specially designed by a number of defense companies, and is aimed at protecting buildings in the cities, towns, and villages of the western Negev.

After successfully testing out the wall, the defense establishment could adopt it for beefing up structures in communities on the Gaza border and Sderot, with a special focus on educational institutions and kindergartens.

The wall is also rumored to be impervious to the graffiti of fools.

2:48PM: Noam Shalit, father of kidnapped soldier Gilad:

“We welcome the initiative of President Mubarak and we want to thank him personally. With that, time is not working on our side and I suppose that the decision makers also know that….Gilad, if you hear me, be strong like you know how to be, be patient, and don‚Äôt lose hope.”

1:44PM: Joke of the day:

The Left-wing peace movement Courage to Refuse protested against the IDF operations in Gaza on Friday afternoon outside Kibbutz Holit near the Gaza Strip.

A spokesman for the organization told Israel Radio that the protest was done for the safety of the soldiers.

He claimed that a strong country such as Israel had other means at its disposal to bring a kidnapped soldier back home.

I somehow doubt that these dingbats have the safety of our soldiers in mind, considering such protests endanger our soldiers by obstructing their operations. And I am curious as to what “other means at our disposal” they have in mind, considering what a “strong” country we are. I guess we could always flatten Gaza from the air, without endangering one soldier, but that would endanger civilians.

1:35PM: Ha’aretz reports that a Kassam rocket has landed within hundreds of meters of Ashkelon.
 
12:48PM: Israel’s Attorney General, Menachem Mazuz, has refused a request by the Shin Bet security service and the government to hold the arrested Hamas officials as “bargaining chips” under the Unlawful Combatants Law.

Whether or not you agree with this move, it demonstrates the rule of law in Israel.

12:30PM: Miss the Israellycool podcast, and need your podcast fix? Marty Roberts is all over this story. As is American-Israeli journalist/blogger Dave Bender, who interviews Margot Dudkevitch, an Israeli defense affairs and territories commentator, and former Jerusalem Post territories reporter, in his latest podcast.

In other podcast news, “Tom Paine” from Shire Network News just interviewed me about the latest events in Gaza. I will post a link to the show after it is uploaded.

12:22PM: I get the sense that one of the consequences of Operation Summer Rains has been increased support and understanding for Israel’s predicament. I am just not seeing the same kind of global condemnation of Israel’s operations, nor the same kind of calls for restraint. And I am seeing a hell of a lot more condemnation of Hamas and the other terrorist organizations. Not to mention the countless supportive emails I have received.

There have also been a number of encouraging editorials to which I would like to draw your attention.

First up, we have this editorial from The Australian:

Editorial: Israel on target in Gaza response
June 30, 2006

Palestinian terrorists’ tactics can no longer be tolerated

YET again it is ordinary Palestinians who will be the biggest losers in the latest outrage by terrorists in the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military strike at the heart of Gaza following the kidnapping of 19-year-old Corporal Gilad Shalit is exactly right. Even more so with yesterday’s news that Palestinian terrorists killed a young Jewish settler seized from the West Bank at the weekend. In June last year, Ehud Olmert, then Israel’s deputy prime minister, declared the Jewish state was tired of fighting and wanted a new partnership with its difficult neighbour. The election of the terrorist organisation Hamas to replace Fatah at the Palestinian Authority helm pulled the rug from under his words. To his credit, however, as Prime Minister Mr Olmert has shown considerable restraint in recent months in the face of a daily barrage of Palestinian rocketfire into Israel from Hamas’s Qassam rocket sites. Sunday’s assault on a military post inside Israeli territory by members of three terror organisations ‚Äì Hamas, the Popular Resistance Committees and the Islamic Army ‚Äì was a bridge too far. Two Israeli soldiers died in the attack, another was severely wounded and Corporal Shalit was captured. By Monday, Mr Olmert had jettisoned his conciliatory rhetoric, signalling the time for restraint had passed.

According to Israel, its military response in bombing raids and sending tanks into Gaza is designed not to punish Palestinians, but to pressure the terrorists responsible into delivering Corporal Shalit safely back to his family. Good. No one but the terrorists is responsible for the consequences for Palestinian civilians of their senseless and provocative act. Israeli missiles knocked out 60 per cent of Gaza’s electricity ‚Äì a fresh blow for a people already reeling under the move by Western nations to cut off funds to the Hamas administration. As they light candles and try to cook without power they will perhaps recall the votes they cast in the January election. If the short-term consequences of the kidnapping bring pain to Gaza, the long-term consequences for Palestinians could be even more brutal. With Mr Olmert threatening extreme measures if Corporal Shalit is not returned, a bloody conflict with high civilian casualties and political anarchy could be the result. The terrorists’ aim in their brazen raid is transparent: to throw into tumult negotiations between the political wing of Hamas and Fatah, represented respectively by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and President Mahmoud Abbas, to recognise Israel.

Last month, members of factions of both organisations serving sentences in Israeli prisons ‚Äì many for their role in organising the slaughter of civilians ‚Äì issued a statement calling for a coalition government and implicitly accepted Israel’s existence. This week, before Israel moved its troops into Gaza, both leaders signed a document accepting the idea of a Palestinian state on the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem ‚Äì meaning recognition of Israel next to it. The weak position of both Mr Abbas and Mr Haniyeh within the chaos that characterises Palestinian politics and its factions means the deal may be worth less than the paper it is written on. Demonstrating the point, Hamas moved quickly to deny it had agreed to recognise Israel. For its part, Israel rolled its tanks into Gaza, Israeli forces arrested the Palestinian Authority’s Deputy Prime Minister and its jets buzzed the summer residence of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a warning over the refuge he provides the hardline leader of Hamas’s military wing, Khaled Meshaal, the possible mastermind behind the kidnapping. Mr Abbas’s remaining credibility is at stake. The President must assert his authority and send the soldier home.

I don’t agree with every point - especially the contention that the Prisoner’s Document implicitly recognized Israel - but I think the editorial indicates an understanding of Israel’s need to act as it is.

Next, we have an editorial from the Toronto Sun:

EDITORIAL: It’s time to stand with Israel

The Toronto conference of the United Church yesterday joined the Ontario division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees in calling for economic sanctions against Israel and a boycott of the Jewish state to protest its policies in the Palestinian territories.

Basically, both are calling on Canadians to choose sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Fair enough. We choose Israel, which cannot be expected to negotiate with a Palestinian government led by Hamas, a terrorist group whose founding charter calls not only for the destruction of Israel, but for the annihilation of the Jewish people.

Further, we urge Prime Minister Stephen Harper to continue Canada’s sensible policy of refusing to recognize Hamas and denying it foreign aid until it unequivocally recognizes Israel’s right to exist and renounces terrorism.

Like Harper, we support the creation of an independent Palestinian state living in peace beside a secure Israel.

But that has never been Hamas’ goal. Hamas, according to its 1988 founding charter, envisions all of Israel as the new Palestinian state, either rid of all Jews or with only a handful allowed to remain, subject to hardline Islamic rule.

This week, Israeli military forces reoccupied Gaza, demanding the safe return of a 19-year-old soldier kidnapped by several terrorist groups, including the armed wing of Hamas. By reoccupying Gaza, which it withdrew from last year after dismantling numerous Israeli settlements, Israel is not “overreacting” to the abduction of one soldier.

It is sending a message to Hamas — in the only language it understands — that it will not allow the Palestinian territories to be used as a staging ground for attacks against Israel.

In response, Hamas has signed a deal with its main political rival in the Palestinian territories, the Fatah party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, which Fatah insists means Hamas has tacitly recognized Israel’s right to exist.

But Hamas says the deal — meant to entice the international community into funding the Hamas-led government — means no such thing.

In other words, Hamas will continue to attack not just Israeli military targets, but civilians through terrorist attacks, usually carried out by suicide bombers.

As long as this is Hamas’ position, it is Hamas, not Israel, that should be boycotted by the civilized world.

12:05PM: Jerusalem Post are reporting that the IDF shot a Sudanese citizen, who was travelling with three palestinian fugitives planning attacks on Israelis.

Could this point to Al Qaeda involvement?

By the way, I should have mentioned that there were also Russians involved.

The man was riding in a vehicle with the three

Palestinians from Gaza, nine Sudanese and three escort girls from

Russia, when the troops overtook the vehicle

12:02PM: Israel has revoked the Jerusalem residency of four Hamas legislators, including one cabinet minister.

12:00PM: Gilad’s family are reportedly encouraged by Mubarak’s involvement in trying to secure Gilad’s release.

Today, I have awoken to the devastating news that the body of 18-year old Eliyahu Asheri was found in the A-Tira neighborhood of Ramallah.

Our forces were able to locate his body after interrogating a terrorist we had arrested. It was determined that he had been shot in the head from close range soon after he was kidnapped.

According to Ha’aretz, soldiers arrested a terrorist in connection with the murder early this morning.

According to his grandfather, Eliyahu was “a great kid, very responsible, very serious and sensitive… He was at his greatest, blossoming and very happy.” There was also an Australian connection. Eliyahu’s father immigrated from Melbourne. In fact, the Australian embassy had approached the family, offered assistance and had been in contact with the Palestinian Authority, but all to no avail.

I offer Eliyahu’s family my sincerest condolences.

Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)

Day Three Updates: Click here.

10:40PM: That’s it from me for today. I’m not sure if I’ll be up to liveblogging again tomorrow, but who knows. In the meantime, please spare some thoughts for the Shalit and Asheri familes, as well as the families of our brave IDF soldiers.

Good night.

10:26PM: A Kassam fired by palestinians in northern Gaza has landed near a school gymnasium in Sderot.

10:18PM: A bit of understanding shown by one of our peace partners:

The Jordanian government harshly condemned “Israel’s determination to continue its broad aggression acts against the Palestinians citizens with no right or reasonable and justified reason”.
 
Jordanian government spokesman Naser Juda told the Jordanian news agency Petra that “The Israeli government imposes collective punishment against an entire nation, in addition to the wide-scale arrests in the Palestinian territories.”

9:25PM: Chief of Egyptian Intelligence, Omar Suleiman, is set to meet with PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud “the Wart” a-Zahar to try to convince him to release Gilad Shalit.

This explains why Israel delayed entering northern Gaza. Egypt suggested that they attempt to broker a deal, and Israel saw the diplomatic value in this. As the JPost reports:

Israeli officials supported the meeting, saying that continuing diplomatic efforts would increase international support for Israeli moves.

8:59PM: Norway have condemned Israel’s arrest of the Hamas terrorists. As you would expect from Norway.

8:55PM: The palestinians have fired 4 kassams into the Western Negev.

8:18PM: Here’s more on the Asheri family, and the Australian connection.

7:50PM: Israeli diplomats have stated that Israel had avoided arresting

Hamas members until now “because we wanted to give Mahmoud Abbas a chance to fight

terror, but the latest incident changed Israel’s position.”

7:33PM: Israel plans to try the senior Hamas officials arrested this morning, according to the Terror-Prevention Act.

6:55PM: Ha’aretz reports that the delay in the IDF’s entrance into northern Gaza “apparently comes in response to an Egyptian request to freeze the operation in order to allow an opportunity for negotiations to secure the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.”

6:49PM: Despite being “warned” yesterday with an IAF flyover, the Syrians are not budging.

6:48PM: It seems that Shimon Peres does not just invent realities. He also invents words.

“They have to decide if they’re a government or if they belong to a

terroristic organization,” Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres

said, explaining the Hamas arrests.

And in case you think it is a CNN transciption error, look here.

5:57PM: More on the Hamas terrorists blowing a hole in the border wall between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. I have to wonder about how much effort Egypt put into stopping them.

Egyptian personnel summoned a bulldozer to the site

in order to dig a dirt embankment which would prevent infiltration of

Palestinians into Sinai, but to no avail.

How hard can it be to stop them? The Egyptians have weapons, don’t they? Maybe I am being unfair, but here’s a picture from the incident:

An Egyptian officer gestures as he tries to prevent Palestinians from pushing through the gaping hole caused by a land mine detonated by militants on the concrete wall on the border with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah Thursday, June 29, 2006. The explosion blew open a large hole in a wall near the border, witnesses and officials said. Palestinian security personnel formed a human cordon to prevent people from pushing through the hole.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Looks to me like the Egyptian officer is directing traffic, so as to make their escape easier!

5:42PM: I know this is off topic, but I can’t resist this headline from the Ha’aretz news alerts:

Jordanian who used Brad Pitt`s photo on forged ID card goes on trial in UAE (AP)

I would ask this Jordanian what I would ask the palestinian terrorists who kidnapped Gilad Shalit: What were you thinking?

5:35PM: Depite the PRC terrorists’ claims that they kept Eliyahu Asheri alive for a few days, and their attempts to characterize Israel’s security as a “paper tiger”, the IDF have ascertained that Eliyahu was, indeed, murdered a mere hour after he was abducted. Which also shows that the terrorists had no intention of holding negotiations for his release.

5:26PM: The IDF’s entrance into northern Gaza - slated for tonight - will likely be delayed.

5:25PM: PA and Fatah officials are pressuring palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to announce the establishment of a crisis government until the next election.

5:15PM: Hamas operatives have reportedly blown a hole in the border wall between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, succeeding in crossing the border into Sinai from the Brazil neighborhood of Rafah.

4:54PM: In their latest press release, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) flat out accuse Israel of executing palestinians.

This Friday June 30 2006, the people of Bil’in along with International and Israeli activists will engage in their weekly demonstration against the apartheid wall built through their land. For more than 1 1/2 years the villagers have been non-violently protesting with new creative themes representing various aspects of the Occupation. This week they will be focusing on the execution of Palestinians by Israeli incursions, starvation, bombardments on Gaza and daily restrictions on Palestinian life. They will be wearing hoods made to resemble those donned by people slated for execution.

I think the ISM have confused the sides.

4:43PM: A Fatah official has blamed Hamas for the current situation.

4:30PM: Eliyahu Asheri’s mother:

“The pain is great, almost too great to bear. But

one thing I feel, despite all this…is that in the wake of disagreements

between our brethren, with our different worldviews and different

relationships to the land of Israel that creates a lot of conflict, a

lot of anger, a lot of argument - many times, I’ve asked G-d that he

should first of all grant me love for everyone in my heart, and … that

He should show me the special quality of the nation of Israel, and that

I should succeed - that we should all succeed in loving each

other‚Ķtruly from the heart….The help there was‚Ķ I don’t have the words to describe how encouraging [it was]‚Ķhow everyone was truly so wonderful..And I think this was also Eliyahu’s way. ‚ĶWhenever there was a

fight, he would always say, ‘Stop, everyone should have their place‚Ķ,’

and his way was always one of peace. And I think this is an impetus -

god forbid we should ever have such a terrible impetus - but an impetus

for true unity between all factions, despite disagreements - and they

do exist - but to see the good in the Jewish nation….What strengthens you is, first of all,

knowing that everything is from God, knowing that to die sanctifying

God’s name, as he did - that God chose him to sanctify the name of

heaven in public. This is the thing that comforts us. Any other comfort

is trivial in my estimation, it doesn’t let my spirit rest.”

4:25PM: The G8 have expressed their concern over Israel’s arrest of the Hamas terrorists. Has the world gone completely mad?

3:40PM: I mentioned in my 11:00AM update that the supposed third kidnapping victim, Noah Moscowitz, was likely not kidnapped by the terrorists who claimed his abduction. Here’s more on that:

One suspicion is that the militants found Moskowitz’s name on an Internet site that reported he was missing, and decided to use the information as part of its psychological warfare.

Police suspect disinformation, but the IDF said that intelligence efforts are continuing so as to confirm that Moskowitz was not kidnapped.

However, IDF personnel estimate that the wave of kidnappings may be used by Palestinian factions in order to spread fear and disinformation.

3:30PM: Here’s more on yesterday’s White House press briefing.

Q Does the United States support what Israel is doing in Gaza?

MR. SNOW: Let me be — I’m going to be very precise on this, because, as you know, these things are reported carefully. The hostage-taking and the attacks by Hamas last weekend have precipitated the current events in Gaza. As we have said since the attack, Hamas should release and return the kidnapped Israeli soldier immediately. It’s the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority to stop all acts of violence and terror. Hamas has done the opposite: It’s been complicit in perpetrating violence, terror and hostage-taking. Israel has the right to defend itself and the lives of its citizens. In any actions the government of Israel may undertake, the United States urges that it ensures that innocent civilians are not harmed, and also that it avoid the unnecessary destruction of property and infrastructure. All parties ought to take every measure to restore the security situation in Gaza.

Q And do we think that the Israeli response has been appropriate and within the limits that you’re talking about?

MR. SNOW: I’m not going to characterize further than what I’ve told you. There’s your statement of position.

Q But, Tony, the Israelis have bombed a power plant — that harms innocent civilians. Haven’t they, like, clearly gone beyond what you’ve just described here?

MR. SNOW: Again, I’m not going to get into operational details here. Let’s just point out once again, you have the Israeli — the Israeli forces are trying to reclaim somebody who is kidnapped and is being held hostage in Gaza, and they are doing what they can to return him. It would be a lot easier if the Palestinian Authority and if Hamas simply returned the kidnapped soldier. I am not going to get into rendering judgment on any of the operational details of what’s going on there.

Q Palestinian leaders have called this “collective punishment.” Is it, or isn’t it?

MR. SNOW: Again, I will just simply refer to it. I’m not going to get into the midst of the characterizations. I’ll repeat, the Palestinian Authority could make this very simple — they could return the kidnapped soldier. And the most important thing is to try to restore some semblance of security as rapidly as possible, and we hope both sides will cooperate in that.

I think Tony Snow did an admirable job.

3:12PM: The northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel have shown where their allegiances lie:

The northern branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel aggressively condemned the arrest  of Hamas ministers and parliament members Thursday.

“The occupation is to blame and Israel carries full responsibility for that is taking place,” a message by the movement said.

The statement said that “the arrest of ministers, parliament members, and Palestinian mayors is proof that there is no place for Palestinian sovereignty in the lexicon of the Israeli government. Therefore, it is no wonder that the ‘there is no partner’ melody is heard over and over again.”

Before releasing the statement, the northern branch of the Islamic movement in Israel announced a day of fasting to identify with “our besieged Palestinian people.”

3:00PM: This Daily Kos commentator is relieved:

I was hoping he would be found dead

I don’t mean to sound callous, but I’m relieved.  The Israelis were preparing to kill thousands of innocent Palestinian civilians through denial of electricity, water and emergency aid through their invasion of Gaza.  At least now there is hope that they will allow water and emergency services to be restored.

I hate to say it, but this [the murder of Eliyahu Asheri- ed.] was the best outcome we could hope for in this disasterous situation.

I cannot even comprehend the moral bankruptcy.

2:54PM: Elder of Ziyon has another post on the palestinian women and children prisoners. He remarks:

Notice how a Palestinian 18-year old in jail is considered a “child”, yet a murdered 18-year old Jew is considered a “settler” by the media.

2:46PM: Eliyahu’s funeral began 15 minutes ago.

2:38PM: Did I mention I am eagerly awaiting CAIR’s condemnation of Eliyahu’s murder (a war crime)?

2:27PM: French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy (who I dubbed Douche-Bag in this post) has condemned our arrest of Hamas members today.

(I’m still awaiting Monsieur Douche-Bag’s condemnation of the palestinians’ kidnapping of the young Israelis, and the confirmed murder of one of them).

1:50PM: Let’s see what the palestinian bloggers are saying about Eliyahu Asheri’s brutal  murder.

This one doesn’t seem to be too upset:

….the Israeli Kidnaps are nothing but occupier settlers and terrorist solider, whereas the Palestinians Kidnaps are democratically elected parliament members and ministers!

Nice.

1:28PM: Some words of wisdom from former US envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross:

Former US envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross said on Thursday that Israel mustn’t negotiate for the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was kidnapped on Sunday and whose release was the main objective behind the recent IDF incursion into the Gaza Strip.

He asserted that negotiations would only bring about more kidnappings.

Ross told Israel Radio that the Palestinians must understand that their leaders in Damascus are only making them suffer, while the leaders sit safely in Syria. The former envoy called upon the US to apply pressure on Hamas leader in Damascus Khaled Mashaal.

1:25PM: Our Defence Minister Amir Peretz:

“We are in one of the most significant moments in respect of deciding the rules of the game between us and terror sources in the Palestinian Authority in the coming period.”

I would posit that the rules of the game should have been decided way before we reached this point.

When palestinian terrorism started, we should have shown them that terrorism does not pay. Unfortunately, their terrorism has paid. They have gained land, fellow terrorists released from our prisons, weapons, funds, and, assurances that they will have a state.

1:05PM: In a post entitled Assassinating Zionist Servers, anti-Israel/pro-terrorist blog Kabobfest boasts about the hacking of Israeli sites, and encourages more of the same.

Shout out to all my Moroccan hommies.

A Moroccan “Geek Squad” has unleashed an e-attack against Israeli interest destroying over 750 websites since the beginning of the current Zionist attack on the Gaza Strip.

—-

Of course this is no match for Israel’s barbarism, which in the first few hours of the attack, managed to bomb bridges, power plants, water infrastructure, streets, and a university.

Nonetheless, these kids are doing a pretty darn nice job. Perhaps when they turn 20, and have a little more experience under their belt, they’ll take it up a notch, and may be take down the sites of the big criminals, like the IDF, IAF, Ministry of Defense, Foreign Ministry, AIPAC, Bezeq, the Jewish Agency, and the Jewish National Fund.

When that happens, I promise to through you a KABOBfest e-KNAFEHparty.

I wonder what Blogger’s policy on calling for cyberterrorism is.

12:55PM: Following on from the 12:10PM update, Arab MK Bishara has called the IDF’s arrests of Hamas officials the “behavior of a terror group.” Yes, folks, he is a member of the Israeli Knesset.

12:30: Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer:

“The Government expresses its sincere condolences to the family of Eliyahu Asheri in Israel and Australia,” he said.

“Australia utterly condemns such barbaric acts, which do nothing for the prospects of a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“The world stands united in opposition to the heinous acts of terrorists which take the lives of innocents.

“Our embassy in Tel Aviv and our representative office in Ramallah are in touch with Israeli and Palestinian authorities to ensure steps are taken to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice.”

Notice the headline to this story: Downer condemns killing of settler.

Once again, the media are not willing to call this what it is - the brutal murder of a teenage boy. Just because he happened to live in a place that palestinians claim belongs to them (and Jews claim belongs to them), does not justify his barbaric murder. But headlines like this almost cry out for understanding of the perpetrators’ actions.

12:13PM: The PRC, the terror group that kidnapped Eliyahu Asheri z”l, claim that they kept him alive for two days before killing him, contrary to Israeli reports that he was killed on Sunday, not long after he was abducted.

12:10PM: Member of Knesset Zevulun Orlev has called to revoke the Knesset membership of Arab MKs who support Hamas.

I would actually have them tried for treason as well. What would happen in the US, for example, if a senator expressed support for Al Qaida, and had even met with Osama bin Laden?

12:00PM: Hitchiking a sin? It is now.

11:58AM: Ha’aretz reports that the mass arrests of Hamas officials and members - currently standing at 87 - was planned weeks ago.

11:12AM: More on Eliyahu z”l, from Rabbi Yitzhak Nissim:

“We lost one of the best boys. The contrast between his goodness and radiant smile and the evil and cruelty of the other side is so extreme..The Israeli community owes him. We all owe

him. He was one of society’s best..He loved to

help people; he was a person of faith and roots regarding the state and

land of Israel. ”

11:10AM: The body of Noah Moscowitz, 62, from Rishon Lezion, has been found. It seems as though he was not kidnapped by the terrorists who claimed his abduction. Rather, they heard he was missing, and tried to exploit the situation.

10:25AM: Cox & Forkum once again sum it up nicely.

10:15AM: Israel has arrested an additional 17 Hamas members in the last hour.

9:55PM: Could the pressure be working? According to Ha’aretz, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak have spoken with Syrian President “Dorktator” Assad, asking him to act for Gilad Shalit’s release.

9:47PM: JPost reports that an explosive device was thrown at IDF troops in Nablus.

9:40AM: Ynetnews reports:

An al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades Member, Abu Ahmed, told Ynet that despite the threats being heard, local organizations are preparing for the IDF incursion. “In previous invasions the Israeli side absorbed heavy losses in armored personnel carriers and jeeps that blew up, but this time we promise that the losses on the Israeli side will be much larger. We are preparing suicide bombers, car bombs, tunnels, and booby trapped donkeys. Everything that the Israelis encounter could turn out to be a deathtrap,” he said.

Abu Ahmed said that the Palestinian fighters will use massive amounts of rockets and mortars against the IDF forces that will advance towards them. “We will use tonight and in coming days in weapons and rockets that have not yet been operationally used. The Israelis won’t know from where they are being it. Northern Gaza will turn into one large cemetery for the invaders.

Sounds to me like the kind of tactics that could endanger palestinian civilians. But I guess the terrorists are only interested in killing Israelis. Contrast with the IDF’s efforts to avoid civilian casualties, which I mentioned yesterday.

By the way, I hope PETA are taking note. Although, I can guess their response.

9:29AM: A Hamas official has called Israel’s dawn arrest of 64 Hamas officials as “open war against the Palestinian government and people.”

I would have thought that Hamas’ own charter, coupled with the thousands of terrorist attacks they have perpetrated, constituted open war against the Israeli people.

By the way, I have long called for “open war”, in the sense that once we acknowledge that the palestinian terrorist government is waging war on us, we can react according to the rules of war. Our problem has been that we have treated this conflict as something short of war.

It is good to strive for peace. But if someone wages war on you, you need to recognize this, defend yourselves, defeat the enemy, and then work towards a peaceful solution if a peace partner exists. We tried relying on the PLO/PA to live up to their obligations under the various peace agreements we have signed with them. But at the end of the day, not only have they not done anything about the terrorism, but many have been involved in the terrorism itself.

9:15AM: Charles Johnson:

By the way, I’d like to make something clear. When I title a post, “Palestinians Claim Hostage Murdered,” I mean it exactly that way. It’s not a “group” of “militants,” “loosely linked” to Hamas. It’s the Palestinian people. If they want to be a state, that means taking responsibility for their elected government.

And the Palestinian populace voted overwhelmingly (as CAIR is fond of telling us) for the Hamas government, knowing full well its radical nature and genocidal intent. What’s happening today is a direct result of that election.

I’m sick to my soul of this politically correct attitude of coddling savagery.

If 18-year old Eliahu Asheri really has been murdered by his kidnappers, every single Palestinian who voted for a Hamas candidate bears some of the blame.

And as I have mentioned before, I would like to see some condemnation of this cold-blooded murder from the palestinian side.

9:10AM: The Age has more on the Australian connection.

The Australian Jewish News reported this week that Eliyahu’s father, Yitro Asheri, is originally from Adelaide. It said he converted to Judaism 20 years ago and moved to Israel shortly after.

—-

St Kilda Rabbi Philip Heilbrunn, who converted Yitro Asheri about 20 years ago, had earlier called on members of the Jewish community to pray for the kidnapped man.

“A young boy, Eliyahu Pinchas Asheri, son of Yitro Asheri, is the child of a wonderful ger tzedek [convert] whom I converted over 20 years ago. Please ask everyone to say tehillim for him as well. His father is a most remarkable person who is a real tzaddik,” the Rabbi said in a statement, quoted in the Australian Jewish News.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Foreign Affairs told smh.com.au: “We are aware of reports that an Israeli national, Elyahu Asheri, reportedly kidnapped in the West Bank and held by Palestinian militants may have been an Australian citizen.

“But we have confirmed that Elyahu Asheri is not an Australian citizen but has an Australian family.

“We are in touch with his family and will provide consular assistance if required.

“Our embassy in Tel Aviv and our representative office in Ramallah are in touch with Israeli and Palestinian authorities about Mr Asheri’s whereabouts.”

9:08AM: Will someone please explain why most media outlets are referring to Eliyahu as a “settler”? Here’s a sample of headlines:
- CNN: Settler’s body believed found
- BBC: Seized Israeli settler found dead
- Yahoo/AP: Israeli settler executed amid more airstrikes

Even some Israeli news outlets are guilty of this. For example, the headline on Ynetnews is Settler teen‚Äôs body found in Ramallah (at least they include the word “teen”).

Given that the media have long used the word “settler” in a negative light, to connote someone who has driven palestinians from their homes, I am furious that the media are referring to Eliyahu in this way. He was a teenage Israeli boy murdered in cold blood by terrorists.

8:55AM: Just think about it for a second. An 18-year old teenager shot in the head. At point blank range. For the sole reason that he was Jewish/Israeli. It is chilling.

I will be monitoring the pro-palestinian blogs and sites today to see if I can find even one condemnation of this brutal murder. I am not hopeful.

Before dawn today, IDF tanks and troops went into Gaza. Their mission is clear: to secure the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. As National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel Radio:

“We have no desire to remain in the Gaza Strip..We want to bring our boy home, that’s all.”

According to an army source, the aim is to secure his release by placing pressure on the palestinians to the point that they will decide to release Gilad. According to Ha’aretz:

The IDF operation is designed to gain “bargaining chips” by taking control of open areas, such as the area near Rafah and later the northern Gaza Strip.

Israel hopes that this will eventually lead to a diplomatic agreement that will include freeing the kidnapped soldier in return for ending the fire.

On the other hand, I get the feeling that directly rescuing him is also an option. This might be garnered from the IDF’s actions until now.

I will be attempting to provide you with updates during the day, along with my own analysis. I also welcome your comments under this post, so we can open up a discussion on the operation as it unfolds.

Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)

Day Two Updates: Click here.

10:25PM: Ok, that’s it from me for tonight. I’ll be joining you again tomorrow for the latest updates regarding Operation Summer Rains.  Before I call it a night, a big thank you to those who linked to this post, as well as the countless people who emailed me and expressed their support for Israel’s predicament.

Please have in your prayers Gilad Shalit, Eliyahu Asheri, and Noah Moskovitch, as well as the young, heroic soldiers who are fighting the good fight.

10:20PM: Here’s a bit more on Noah Moskovitch:

Moskovich’s family reported his disappearance two days ago, after he left the Yad Sarah Center in the city and did not come home.

Moskovich himself, police said, was unhealthy and had suffered a stroke in the past. Police are looking into the possibility that he lost his way.

He usually carries a note bearing his name and address in order to avoid such situations. Worried family members said that “he has never been gone for this long.”

They also said he does not carry a mobile phone and that it was therefore difficult to trace his most recent movements.

Following the sensitive situation, Rison Lezion Police decided not to take any chances, and have launched wide searches for Moskovich. Rishon Lezion police commander held a meeting of top officers in the station in order to carry out special preparations for the searches.

10:05PM: New joke of the day (see 10:20AM update for old joke of the day): Syria are claiming that our planes retreated after they were fired upon by the Syrians.

10:03PM: Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade have identified the third kidnapping victim as 62-year-old Noah Moskovitch. Considering he does seem to be missing, it is not looking good.

9:00PM: Another example of Israel’s efforts to avoid civilian casualties.

IAF planes will distribute flyers on Wednesday night in the Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun areas in the northern Gaza Strip.

The aim is to warn the residents of the areas that they are endangering their lives by being in the vicinity of Kassam launch sites.

This will, of course, be ignored by the anti-Israel crowd, who will shout out “massacre” and “ethnic cleansing”, in predictable fashion.

8:47PM: I already mentioned Amona Mona. Now Elder of Ziyon mentions some of the other female palestinian prisoners Israel is not willing to release. You’ll see they are a really nice bunch.

8:42PM: Israeli television reports that Fatah (reminder: Abbas’ own party) are threatening to attack Israeli embassies overseas.

8:33PM: The IDF are set to enter northern Gaza this evening, in order to neutralize the Kassam rocket threat.

Defense Minister Amir Peretz on Wednesday evening authorized the IDF to begin operations in northern Gaza and it is possible the incursion will begin within the coming hours.

The IDF will distribute flyers warning residents of the northern Gaza village of Beit Hanun, from where Qassam crews have been shooting at Sderot, to leave their homes as the army will begin targeting populated areas in response to the Qassam rocket fire.

The IDF said the shelling will not be conducted by artillery units but will rather be precision fire from land and air.

8:27PM: Don’t let pictures like this escape your radar:

Rockets stored by Palestinian militants in a warehouse in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, burn after an Israeli airstrike on the building Wednesday, June 28, 2006.

It is an indication that Israel is trying to surgically strike terrorist targets, and avoid civilian casualties. And here’s another indication, albeit with snarky BBC commentary.

8:05PM: According to a Ha’aretz news alert, IAF warplanes have flown over President Assad`s palace in Syria.

This is a clear warning to the “Dorktator”, and indicative of Israel’s view that Hamas’ Syria-based leader, Khaled Meshal, ordered the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.
 
7:52PM: Even Shimon Peres is talking tough.

7:50PM: This is one example of the kind of twisted thinking amongst many palestinians. No condemnation of the kidnappings that have sparked this operation, and in fact, support for the palestinians demands: what the blogger claims is an “inherently non-controversial demand by the kidnappers: the release of hundreds of Palestinian women and children held in Israeli jails.”

It is worthwile having a look at the first comment to this post. 

7:15PM: Consistent with my last update, Israeli television reports that the IDF has called on northern Gaza residents to leave their homes.

7:12PM: Defense Minister Amir Peretz has approved widening the operation, which will enable the IDF to go into northern Gaza.

6:58PM: And the Kassams are still being fired at Sederot.

6:52PM: The 3 palestinians arrested in Ramallah have reportedly been released.

6:45PM: White House Spokeman Tony Snow has reiterated the US view that Israel has the right to defend itself, but should ensure innocent

civilians are not harmed.

“The hostage taking and the attacks by Hamas last weekend

have precipitated the current events in Gaza.”

6:32PM: The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (reminder: it is part of Mahmoud Abbas’ organization) are claiming responsibility for the third kidnapping, revealing that the kidnapped person is a man in his 60s from Rishon Lezion.

6:22PM: Channel 2 have reported another possible kidnapping.

6:20PM: As I surmised in a previous update, the IDF are operating in Ramallah in order to locate Eliyahu Asheri.

Palestinians reported that troops had surrounded a building in the city and arrested three people. They also reported exchange of gunfire between soldiers and terrorists.

6:15PM: The BBC makes clear how it views the likely effectiveness of the operation:

Israeli pressure always produces a reaction on the Palestinian side.

It will strengthen the resolve of the Hamas military wing and other militant groups to fight.

We’ll see.

5:50PM: The Hamas government is calling for the prisoner swap.

5:35PM: I just had to include this photo of some of our boys today, by Limor Edrey.

5.22PM: According to a news alert from Ha’aretz, some 30 IDF vehicles are surrounding a building in Ramallah. Could this be the location at which Eliyahu Asheri is being held?

5.10PM: In case you are wondering why Israel has not agreed to release all palestinian women and children from Israeli jails in exchange for Gilad, here is one reason: Amona Mona, the palestinian woman who lured 16-year old Israeli Ofir Rahum to a grisly death.

4.30PM: The charred body found in the Ramallah area was thankfully not Eliyahu Asheri, but rather a palestinian man who was killed in a local feud. Let’s keep praying for him.

4.25PM: Two palestinians have been killed in an explosion in Gaza. According to the Jerusalem Post, it seems to have been the result of a work accident. Given scenes like this, I wouldn’t be surprised.

4.00PM: Even at his time of need, Gilad Shalit’s father is demonstrating humanity:

“The emphasis here is on an intelligent, rather than

impassioned, operation…We would like no additional

injuries, not among IDF troops and certainly not among innocent

civilians on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian. This is of the utmost

importance to us.”

Even as his son’s fate is uncertain, Mr Shalit is not lashing out, and showing a concern for all human life.

And let me make myself very clear: I am also hoping not even one palestinian civilian dies in this operation. As, I suspect, are 99.9% of Israelis.

3.53PM: Further proof of the ISM’s support of terrorists is manifest in this post of theirs from Gaza:

….the resistance movement is going ahead with their preparation too, but the balance of power is obvious to which side, any way Israel with Palestinian resistance or no resistance is attacking us all the time…

3.37PM: They are still firing Kassams at us.

Only a matter of minutes after OC Southern Command

Maj.-Gen. Yoav Galant briefed reporters near Kibbutz Mefalsim about the

ongoing IDF operation in Gaza, A Kassam rocket landed a few hundred

meters from where reporters had gathered to hear the general speak.

3.30PM: More ominous news from the Jerusalem Post:

A charred body found in the Ramallah area Wednesday morning will be taken shortly to the Institute for Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir in order to verify its identity and the possibility that the body is that of missing Itamar resident Eliyahu Asheri.

3.22PM: If you are also covering this operation, feel free to leave a hyperlink to your blog in the comments.

3:20PM: Arutz Sheva report that a Hamas training camp in Gaza was hit by an Israeli missile.

3:08PM: The Jerusalem Post are reporting that the Air Force are striking northern Gaza; while the troops are in southern Gaza.

3.00PM: What’s this? A response from palestinian President Abbas? I feel a war crime accusation coming on.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas described the operation as a crime. “This is an attack against our infrastructure and civilian targets,” he said.

Abbas said the operation is an act of collective punishment, but made it clear that the Palestinian Authority is doing all it can to convince the kidnappers to free Shalit.

“We were surprised by the violent Israeli escalation, which doesn’t serve a purpose but to destroy Palestinian lives,” he said.

As mentioned clearly by the Israeli government, the purpose is clear: release our boy. Show us you are a true peace partner. Show us you are actually able to be in control. Otherwise, why are we even bothering with you?

2:55PM: Random thought moment: Here I am blogging about all of this from the safety of my own home, while our brave, young soldiers are actually out there, defending us. G-d bless them!

2.43PM: JPost have photos of some of the hacked sites.

2:25PM: Hackers are attacking Israeli sites.

Hundreds of websites were damaged by hackers in recent hours, following IDF activity in the Gaza Strip. The hackers are members of the Moroccan “Team Evil” group, responsible for most of the website damage in Israel in the past year. This is the largest, most concentrated attack on Israeli websites in recent years.

The good news is that even if they hack me, they cannot stop the truth getting out, since there are thousands of pro-Israel sites spreading the word.

2:20PM: Here’s an AP news alert via Ha’aretz:

Hamas lawmaker: Olmert`s adventurism is putting the missing soldier at risk

I wonder if the “Hamas” lawmaker they are referring to is Israeli member of Knesset Ahmed Tibi (see my 10:20AM update below).

2:15PM: Just an observation: the Israeli government are stating that their withdrawal from Gaza is conditional on Gilad Shalit’s release. But why are we not also making it conditional on Eliyahu Asheri’s release? This really bothers me.

2.10PM: Arutz Sheva are also now mentioning this unconfirmed report about Eliyahu Asheri’s body being discovered, citing the Arab news agency in Judea and Samaria as the source.

2.05PM: The Jerusalem Post have now returned to their alarming story from this morning:

Report: Body found in West Bank, believed Asheri’s.

The report is not confirmed, and I pray that it is not true.

1.55PM: The PRC have presented proof that they have captured 18-year old Eliyahu Asheri - his Israeli ID card.

However, it was known to be an almost certainty well before this point, since they mentioned his middle name, Pinchas, which had not been revealed to

the public.

1:23PM: Now I see there is a second objective to the operation: to try to curb the launching of Kassam rockets at Israel, responsibility for which also lies with the palestinian “government.”

1:13PM: The good ol’ BBC is up to its usual tricks, implying that if not for Israel, there was willingness on the Hamas and Fatah sides to negotiate for a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict.

On Tuesday, Hamas and its main factional rival, Fatah, agreed a document outlining a common political platform for negotiations with Israel, but the move appears to have been overtaken by events on the ground.

Please do not allow yourselves to be duped by this subtle misinformation. Read the document yourself. There is no need for me to give my own analysis, when you already have available online great analyses like this one and this one.

1:02PM: The EU are calling for Gilad’s “immediate and unconditional release,” urging the Palestinian leadership to undertake all necessary efforts in this regard.”

But which leadership was this directed to? The Hamas terrorists, or the Fatah ones?

12:58PM: Abbas’s own Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades is urging that Gilad not be released. There are two possibilities:
- Abbas really is pulling the strings and can insist that they release Gilad.
- Abbas is powerless, even to command his own people.

In either case, why on Earth is he being groomed as our peace partner?

12:50PM: Israeli Prime Minister Ehul Olmert has stated that “We won’t hesitate to carry out extreme action to bring Gilad back to his family.” But at the same time:

Government officials have stressed that the operation is limited in its scope, adding that it is also aimed at hurting Hamas’ terror infrastructures.

10.25AM: The Jerusalem Post have now changed their previously alarming headline from Report: Israeli body found in Ramallah to PRC: We have Eliyahu Pinchas Asheri. No apology for the error, nor notice of a correction. And not before many bloggers linked to the previous headline, including Pajamas Media and Meryl Yourish.
 
10:20AM: Joke of the day: Arab Knesset member/terrorist sympathizer Ahmed Tibi is suddenly concerned about our soldier’s welfare:

MK Ahmad Tibi of the United Arab List-Ta’al party condemned Israel’s operation in the Gaza Strip to free Gilad Shalit, the Israel Defense Forces soldier abducted on Sunday.

“The operation endangers the life of captive soldier,” he said.

I think he’s more concerned about the terrorists’ welfare.

10.15AM: An important post by fellow Anglo-Israel blogger AbbaGav, who has beaten me to the punch with his ruminations on how Israel will almost certainly be accused of Jenin II.

He points to some pictures of terrorists setting up explosive equipment:

To many, this is just a perfectly innocent picture of Palestinian militants setting up explosives to blow up the Israeli soldiers they expect will soon pass by in search of their kidnapped comrade.

But, while there is a slight chance these explosives could take out an Israeli soldier, it is far more likely that history will remember the explosive charge shown in the photo only as one more atrocity committed by Israel in what will likely be publicized as “Jenin II.” That’s right, in all likelihood, after this bomb blows up — this bomb we see being laid before our very eyes — after it takes down all the nearby walls of surrounding houses, the worlds’ photographers — perhaps including Ahmed Jadallah himself — will be brought back to this very same spot to photograph and report on the cruel war crimes committed by the Israelis as they massacred and wantonly blew up poor refugees’ homes.

I would just like to add that the bomb would also likely take out the small boy in the background. So it would also likely be al Dura II.

10.05AM: Former Israeli ambassador to the United States, Zalman Shoval, was quoted as saying that Abbas is a terrorist masked as Snow White. I fully agree. The problem is that our Prime Minister recently referred to Abbas as “a genuine person” with “serious intentions that ought to be recognized and respected.” How do we expect the world to believe Abbas is essentially a terrorist, when we are sending out mixed messages?

10.00AM: A Mideast analyst has reinforced my previous point about the mission’s objectives.

Mideast analyst Aaron David Miller told CNN it was not clear whether

Israeli forces knew the abducted soldier’s location or whether the

incursion was meant to increase pressure on the Palestinian Authority.

“Their

major objective is to try to find a way to extricate this soldier and

get him back safely,” said Miller, a former U.S. State Department

official and Mideast negotiator. “That may well be the only thing that

stands between the situation we have now and a serious escalation.”

9.55AM: Biased reporting alert: CNN in its report on the operation:

Israeli troops and armored vehicles crossed into southern Gaza early Wednesday in what the Israeli military said was an attempt to rescue a soldier kidnapped by Palestinian militants.

When the palestinians claim something, it is reported as fact.

9.45AM: The Jerusalem Post are running with the alarming headline:

Report: Israeli body found in Ramallah

But when you click on the link, there is no news of Eliyahu having been killed.

9.40AM: The PRC are threatening to kill the other kidnapped Israeli teenager, Eliyahu Asheri, unless the IDF leaves Gaza. Since this is not likely, unless Gilad Shalit is released, I am extremely worried about Eliyahu’s chances of survival.

Mere days after kidnapping teenage IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, palestinian terrorists are now claiming that they kidnapped missing Israeli teenager Eliyahu Ashri.

“One of our elements in the West Bank succeeding in kidnapping the settler as part of a chain of reactions against the Zionist attack, and as revenge for the blood of Palestinian martyrs..We have information about the attack, but we will not pass it on at this point in order to keep the ball in the Zionist court, and so that the Zionists continue in their [military] confusion. We will allow actions on the ground to speak for us.”

You got to hand it to Australians. Not content with finding the worth of whale puke, we are now turning our attention to dingo piss.

Australian researchers say they have discovered a new repellent that can help with everything from rehabilitating old mine sites to reducing the amount of roadkill. It’s dingo urine.

 

Researchers at Curtin University have been startled by the effectiveness of urine from Australia’s wild dogs in scaring off kangaroos which chew through areas of new-growth vegetation.

 

The university’s Michael Parsons said the discovery could have important applications in helping to re-establish plant life on old mine sites by repelling kangaroos, unique Australian marsupials which number in the tens of millions.

 

Researchers looked at the effectiveness of chemicals found in the urine of dingoes and non-native predators like coyotes.

 

“When we presented tame kangaroos with coyote urine, they became interested in the new smell, but when presented with the dingo urine they were startled and fled,” Parsons said.

 

He told Reuters on Tuesday that the effect of urine on wild kangaroos was even more dramatic.

 

Parsons’s team is looking at ways of delivering the repellent effectively at mine sites and how much would be needed, as well as whether it could be used to reduce the number of collisions between kangaroos and vehicles on outback roads.

 

He said the university was also trying to isolate and synthesise the active chemicals in dingo urine so that it could be made in quantities large enough to be commercially viable.

 

For now, the university is receiving supplies of the real thing from Australia’s Dingo Conservation Society, but he said how it is gathered is a tightly held secret.

 

“At one stage we fashioned a little urine catcher to walk dingoes and collect it from, but that tended to be risky,” Parsons said.

Oh the pain, the pain! Not only did the Aussies match it with the Italians, but it looked like we might actually win the game after Italian defended Marco Materazzi was red carded not long after the half-time break. But a poor refereeing decision a few seconds from the end has cruelly ended Australia’s World Cup.

From here on…go Ghana!

Chastity can exact a painful price from young Muslim women, forced into lies or surgery to go to the marriage bed as virgins.

 

Hymen repair, fake virginity certificates and other deceptions, said to be commonplace in some Muslim countries, are practiced in France and elsewhere in Europe, where Muslim girls are more emancipated but still live under rigid codes of family honor.

 

Such ploys have saved many a young woman from scorn and worse. But they also clash with the more liberal social mores of France and Europe, where some decry it as an attack on human rights.

 

The procedures are legal but shrouded in silence ‚Äî “something that passes through non-official channels,” via friends or the Internet, said Dr. Nathan Wrobel. “There are circuits that lead women to me.”

 

Wrobel is one of an unknown number of gynecologists in France who are willing to repair hymens, the membrane usually broken by the first act of sexual intercourse. He was one of the few doctors willing to talk about it.

 

Wrobel says women come to him having convinced themselves that the procedure will somehow reverse the irreversible. “They tell me, ‘I’ll be a virgin again. You will make me a virgin,’ which in reality is totally false …. It’s a secret we share.”

 

Other doctors issue false virginity certificates or offer such tricks as spilling a vial of blood on the sheets to fool families into believing the bride has passed their purity bar.

 

Through the ages, virginity has been prized across religions and cultures, and doctors note that only a few generations back European brides also had to furnish documentary “proof” of chastity.

 

In today’s France, with an estimated 5 million Muslims ‚Äî the largest such population in western Europe ‚Äî it’s part of the larger question of how to deal with cultural clashes ranging from head scarves in schools to sexual segregation in swimming pools.

 

A 2005 government report addressing culture clashes in hospitals, and issued a year after Muslim head scarves were banned from classrooms, briefly mentions the virginity issue, asking doctors to refuse to issue false certificates.

 

Isabelle Levy, author of Religion in the Hospital, decries both certificates and hymen repair, saying deception “increases the moral suffering.”

 

In Islam, virginity is linked to bridal purity and family honor, said Dalil Boubakeur, head of the Paris Mosque.

 

He notes that tradition holds that “adre,” virgins, are among the delights of paradise. However, Boubakeur, a doctor and a moderate Muslim, says the Quran does not address premarital virginity, and he is against the deception, counseling bride and bridegroom to confide in each other.

 

It is not known how many doctors in France or elsewhere in Europe help Muslim women to fake virginity. But in Germany, Turkish Muslim immigrants are increasingly seeking virginity certificates, said Serap Cileli, who survived a forced marriage and now helps victims.

 

German doctors who do hymen repair are easy to find, according to Sibylle Schreiber, who works with a women’s rights group in Tuebingen, but it’s “a taboo topic really only discussed best friend to best friend.”

 

Not on the Internet, however, where the desperation in Web forums is palpable. “If you have contacts to help me, I’ll never be able to thank you enough,” writes a woman calling herself Lubna who wants help finding someone to restore her virginity.

 

Wrobel, who teaches at the University of Paris, says he and another doctor at his clinic in a Paris suburb stitch up seven to eight hymens a month in a 20- to 30-minute operation under general anesthesia that he likens to plastic surgery. He asked that the clinic not be named.

 

The price, $500, is steep for a young woman in a poor family and possibly unemployed. A German doctor advertising on the Internet charges $1,250.

 

Dr. Emmanuelle Piet, who heads the family planning clinics in an area north of Paris where many Muslims live, says she has been issuing a half-dozen virginity certificates a year for three decades.

 

But instead of hymen repair, she suggests less drastic measures, like spilling blood on the sheet on the wedding night.

 

“It’s easy to be like a virgin,” she said.

It’s deceptive but “it’s one way to help the girls,” said Piet, a veteran women’s rights advocate. “They are stuck in things so terrible.”

 

In an interview, a French Muslim woman from the northern Paris suburb of Saint Denis, recounted how she was forced to procure a virginity certificate at age 12 “after my mother surprised me with a friend.” Although nothing had happened between her and the boy, her suspicious brothers beat her up, she said, requesting anonymity.

 

By age 19 she had lost her virginity and underwent hymen repair before marrying a man who demanded a virgin.

 

“I wanted to leave home. I took the first one who came along,” the woman said. The marriage ended after five years.

Pursuant to yesterday’s Separated at Birth post, reader Micol points out another red-bearded Islamist associated with terror.

Perhaps the worst terror against local Jewish populations is happening in Belgium, where a Belgian convert to Islam, Jean-Francois Bastin, who called 9/11 “an act of poetry,” has teamed up with Sheikh Abu Jah Jah to attack Jews. In Antwerp, Jah Jah organized a pogrom against the Jews of Antwerp.

The young man on the left is 19-year old Gilad Shalit.

He is an IDF soldier.

Today, Hamas terrorists abducted him after firing an anti-tank missile at the tank in which he was located. At an IDF post in Gaza. You know, the place from which the IDF unilaterally withdrew so the palestinians could “nation build.” (I guess in pali-speak, “nation” means “Kassam rocket”).

In any event, as I post this, Gilad is still missing. Which makes him a POW since this really is a war, despite our government’s reluctance to recognize this and act accordingly. And which makes him in need of our prayers.

So please pray for him (his Hebrew name is Gilad ben Aviva).

While there is slim hope for Gilad, the same can unfortunately not be said about two of his comrades - Hanan Barak (21) and Pavel Slocker (21) - who were killed in the same terrorist operation. Please read about them here, and pray for their families and loved ones.

Update: Olmert is now talking tough:

The cabinet ministers authorized Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz to determine when a military operation would be launched. The cabinet also agreed to continue employing diplomatic efforts and seeking international pressure to convince Palestinian militants to free the abducted soldier, 19-year-old Gilad Shalit from Mitzpe Hila, near Carmiel.

During the cabinet meeting, ministers Shimon Peres, Eli Yishai and Meir Sheetrit urged the IDF to responds with restraint to the attack. However, Olmert responded, “The age of restraint has come to an end… We will respond forcefully, with an operation that will last more than a day or two.”

I would have thought the age of restraint had ended a long time ago, but whatever… Sounds like a plan, and I would like to think that the palestinian terror groups are terrified that we are now going to rip them a new a**hole. Like in days of old. However, our policy of concessions, withdrawal, and lack of response to terrorism has resulted in the perception that we are weak and vulnerable. The terrorists are not afraid of us. Instead of running, they are running off at the mouth.

In an apparent response to Israeli threats to enter Gaza, the Aksa Martyrs Brigades group announced on Sunday that it its members have succeeded in manufacturing chemical and biological weapons to be used against Israel.