Blogging the Conflict: May 22nd, 2007

Since my last update, “only” 3 Qassams have been fired at Israel. Perhaps another sign that our air strikes are having a palpable effect is the offer by Hamas that the Palestinian unity government will get all the Palestinian factions to heed a general cease-fire if Israel agrees to a temporary cease-fire in the West Bank. Of course, it was Hamas themselves who began firing Qassams into Israel, so this statement is just another example of the theater of the absurd which is the palestinian government. 

 

The IAF continued its strikes this morning, hitting a building housing weapon depositories and another that served as a “command center” for the Popular Resistance Committees. 

 

Meanwhile, the name of yesterday’s victim was released for publication. She was 32-year-old Shirel Feldman.

 

Latest updates here.

5:55PM: That’s it from me for now. I won’t be blogging until Wednesday evening Israel time, after the Jewish festival of Shavuot. A Chag Sameach to all of my Jewish readers.

5:32PM: Meanwhile, in Lebanon, the terrorist group under fire from the Lebanese army, is trying the old palestinian terrorist trick:

The Islamic terror group beseiged by Lebanese troops in a northern refugee camp said Tuesday it would cease firing in the latest attempt to bring a truce in three days of heavy fighting.

At least two such attempts at a cease-fire have quickly fallen apart in the battle between the Lebanese military and the Fatah Islam terror group, whose fighters are holed up in the Nahr el-Bared refugee camp outside the northern port city of Tripoli.

Fatah Islam will observe a cease-fire beginning at 2:30 p.m. (11:30 GMT) and expected it to hold “if the Lebanese army abides by it,” spokesman Abu Salim Taha told The Associated Press from inside the camp.

In other words, once you are getting beaten, offer a “ceasefire,” allowing yourselves to rearm until the next round.

4:30PM: Excellent Melanie Phillips post comparing the British media’s treatment of the latest strife in Lebanon, with its coverage of the bombardment of Israel by Hamas, and Israel’s response.

2:40PM: Ha’aretz reports that 4 palestinians have been wounded by the latest IAF strikes.
 
2:25PM: Let’s take some time out and see how that Hamas-Fatah ceasefire is coming along..

Palestinian medical sources on Tuesday announced the death of an Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas – ed.) member, Muhammad Abu Al Kheir, aged 50.

He succumbed to wounds he sustained during crossfire in the Shuja’iyya neighbourhood, east of Gaza City on Monday.

Abu Al Kheir was injured during the funeral procession of the Al-Qassam leader, Ibrahim Maniyya, and was admitted to Ash-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

Looks like they are having a hard time with the cease part.

2:10PM: From the Department of the Flaming Obvious:

The IDF issued a public advisory not to make trips to areas near the

Israel-Gaza border over the Shavuot festival, which begins Tuesday

night.

And this:

Interior Minister Roni Bar-On on Tuesday dismissed a cease-fire offer by Hamas, calling it “a manipulation.”

1:52PM: Ha’aretz reports that according to palestinian sources, the IDF has attacked two Hamas positions in northern Gaza.

1:40PM: Defense Minister Peretz has requested that the European

Union uphold its economic boycott of the PA and Hamas.

1:38PM: Today’s Qassam total stands at 7, with 2 people lightly wounded.

12:15PM: From the Department of Extreme Chutzpah:

I’ll remind him that Hamas began firing Qassams at Israel (actually, they never stopped; they just intensified the attacks over the past week). And they have made known that they want us destroyed.

 

I just hope our government’s response is “Thanks, but if it’s all the same, we would rather continue to rip you a new one.”