Liveblogging the Conflict: Tuesday, March 4th
I will start today’s liveblogging post with a number of proofs.
Firstly, here is proof that Israel cares for the lives of palestinian civilians, even though they have allowed themselves to be used as human shields:
Legal experts in the government say it is difficult to decide whether Israel can move Palestinian civilians from areas in the northern Gaza Strip where rockets are fired against Israel. They say international law is based on precedents, and in Israel’s case the matter is in many ways unprecedented.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak had requested legal advice from Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and the military advocate general on the possibility of moving Palestinian civilians from the rocket-launching areas.
The idea would be to give the Israel Defense Forces greater room to maneuver and target rocket crews without endangering civilians.
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During the meeting, Barak presented a series of possible operations the IDF could undertake in the Gaza Strip on which he asked for a legal opinion.
Barak raised options including cutting all fuel supplies to Gaza, firing single artillery shells against sources of rocket fire, clearing areas in the Strip from which Qassam rockets are launched, evacuating civilians from these areas, and shelling or bombing areas after warning the civilians to leave.
Next, here is proof of what I blogged yesterday regarding the IDF finding weapons in a mosque and houses.
Updates (Israel time):
6:20AM: A rocket just hit a house in Sderot. No injuries have been reported at this stage.
8:18AM: Luckily, the house was empty, and no-one was killed or injured.
8:20AM: The IDF arrested 16 wanted terror suspects overnight.
8:22AM: The IDF has struck 2 Qassam-launching terror cells.
8:46AM: Another terrorist killed and one wounded.
1:13PM: Hamas is now bragging about its weaponry.
1:23PM: Feeding the hand that bites us:* This morning, Israel opened the crossings along the southern border with Gaza, allowing over 160 trucks packed with aid and medical supplies to stream into Gaza.
* I am borrowing this phrase from the WSJ’s Brett Stephens.
1:35PM: Sources from within the Givati Infantry Brigade have stated that its soldiers participating in the current Gaza operations have implemented many lessons learned in the Second Lebanon War.
No word yet on whether this includes not paying attention to Olmert.
5:35PM: Yes, I am still alive. I have just been too busy to even have one moment to blog since my last update.
6:10PM: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said she believes a peace deal between Israel and the palestinians is still possible by the end of the year. Professor Benny Shanon was not available for comment.
Filed Under: Uncategorized
About the Author: An Australian immigrant to Israel, Aussie Dave has been blogging since early 2003.
The Israeli military shows itself to be best in the world.
Why?
For not blowing up the mosque to bits, without endangering the lives of our children and family heads, because a mosque is a religious site.
Thumbs down. We are idiots of the first degree.
[...] Gawker, Manhattan Media News and Gossip wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt I will start today’s liveblogging post with a number of proofs. Firstly, here is proof that Israel cares for the lives of palestinian civilians, even though they have allowed themselves to be used as human shields: Legal experts in the government say it is difficult to decide whether Israel can move Palestinian civilians from areas in the northern Gaza Strip where rockets are fired against Israel. They say international law is based on precedents, and in Israel’s case the matter is in many wa [...]
I have no affiliation to either group and as a Neutral can see both sides of this conflict.It sadden’s me that My Government supports the indescriminant Killing of Civilians by the Isreali Government.Yes there needs to be action taken to prevent the Palestinian Rockets but The death of Innocents is never the answer.I would have thought Jewish People would have been the last Faith Group to be involved in this type of action.I guess i was Wrong.I t appears from the outside that you guys Kill for the sake of Killing.Its a Sad Day.You guys have become the new Nazi’s.I hope for all our sakes some sence is seen on both sides and the innocents can get on with thier lives.
Patt – you’re clearly not “a Neutral”
Dave — thanks for your dedication to live blogging this mess. Far too few people are keeping the DAILY horror of the communities in and around Sderot and now Ashkelon in the public eye, nor highlighting the extremely humane/not fascist/unbelievably, almost stupidly politically correct approach of the IDF
Um, Patt? All civilian deaths are the direct fault of the terrorists launching the rockets – by articles in the Geneva Conventions. By launching from within civilian areas, by hiding amongst civilians, by wearing civilian attire, and by direct civilian support (remember, the palestinians elected hamas as their government, the folks who are launching the rockets) the terrorists have placed all the responsibility and blame for all casualties and damage on their own heads.
By any decent standard (applied to any nation other than Israel), Israel is completely justified in turning the entire Gaza strip into rubble and bulldozing the remnants into the Mediterranian Sea. Anything less than that is serious restraint on Israel’s part.
I fully support Israel in her fight against the terrorists encroaching on her border, threatening her people, and launching terror attacks on civilians. I fully encourage whatever lukewarm support the US gives Israel, the only thing remotely approaching a moderate modern form of government (republic, democracy) in the middle east (with the possible exception of Turkey and Iraq). This coming from a non-jewish pagan living in Michigan – to discount all your marxist/racist excuses for why I think as I do.
How would I feel if Windsor was shooting 50+ rockets a day into Detroit? How would you feel? What would you do about it?
Yah, I know, don’t feed the troll. This rant has been dying to get out for days & days. Dave, et.al., marvelous job. Thanks for the regular updates, plus all the work you did during the Hezbollah bit awhile back.
Webspinner, just to reinforce what you said and maybe to remind you that there are nearly daily incursions by foreign armed forces and various smugglers, criminals, etc., including exchanges of gunfire, along the US border with Mexico. Israel is not alone in this sort of thing. Granted no rockets have been launched from Tijuana into San Diego, yet, but only because they haven’t thought of it.
The US gov’t is even more “restrained” than Israel in putting a stop to it, but I guarantee that some citizens are doing what they can. Our gov’t erects “virtual” fences ( or tries to ) rather than putting up effective measures because some idiot environmentalist feels sorry for kangaroo rats. And our Border Patrol agents end up in the slammer when they do their jobs. Something wrong with this picture, I think.
Anyone else having a hard time opening the first link?
Patt, contrary to what people like you think, Israel does not have to live up to some insane politically correct non-responsive, “better than that” example of suicidal behavior to make Jew haters like you happy. We will respond in kind to rockets falling on our homes. We will respond in kind to our citizens who are slaughtered in their cars by vicious snipers. We will respond in kind to any entity who wants to shed our blood. We will not hang our head in shame and ask forgiveness for living from modern day covert Nazis like you or anyone else for that matter. Understand…’Patt?’
[...] Dave, der Inhaber des Blogs “israellycool.com” zum Beispiel berichtete heute vom Plan israelischer Politiker (u.a. des israelischen Verteidigungsministers Ehud Barak) [...]
[...] Dave, der Inhaber des Blogs “israellycool.com” zum Beispiel berichtete heute vom Plan israelischer Politiker (u.a. des israelischen Verteidigungsministers Ehud Barak) [...]